Bread in Northern Italy tastes like crap. You know why? Because they are stubborn.

Centuries ago, the Pope levied a prohibitive tax on salt in regions of Northern Italy (basically Tuscany). So the Tuscans revolted and made their bread without salt. It is terrible beyond words. I know that, and they know that. Hundreds of years since the tax was repealed they still make their bread without salt (I have no idea why bread needs salt to taste good, but believe me, it does).

The thing is it’s not even a charming, old world tradition like hand rolling pasta, or playing vinyl LPs. It’s just a bad idea, born of stubbornness. It’s the bread equivalent of saying that the world is flat.

In the business world it’s disguised as "that’s just the way it’s done," or "my industry has to bill by the hour."

Are you sure? Or are you stubborn?