RUSSELL – Many times while eating out, I like to ask myself, “Could I make something this good at home?”

While I’m a fairly good cook, the answer more often than not is a pretty resounding no.

But when members of the Reminder Publishing staff recently visited the Bread Basket in Russell, I ordered a sandwich I figured I could easily replicate at home. After all, I have made many very tasty BLTs in the past.

I ordered what seemed like it would be a pretty standard sandwich on wheat bread, and grabbed a loaf of wheat bread from the shelves of the quaint retail space that epitomized my city boy vision of a small-town general store.

When I received my sandwich, I was nothing short of impressed by the sheer quality of every single ingredient. The bacon was cut thick and hit that very special sweet spot of not too chewy and not too crunchy. The lettuce was crisp and the tomato was flavorful. The homemade bread, without a doubt was fresh and lightly toasted, giving you that delightful light crunch without forfeiting the softness of a freshly baked loaf.

Truly one of the spot-hitting kind of sandwiches, if you know what I mean.

With my bread in hand, I set out to match the sandwich at home. Not even close. In spite of using my own quality ingredients and the Bread Basket’s fine bread, there’s something about the craftsmanship of the sandwichmaking at this establishment that is simply top shelf.

The Bread Basket is located at 815 Blandford Rd. in Russell. Due to the state’s current COVID-19 restrictions on dine-in eating establishments, it is recommended you contact this establishment directly for hours of operation.