Stollen is more like a cake than bread. Having lived now for 4 years in Germany, I can never imagine eating what we call bread in the US again...these soft spongy loaves. In Germany people eat bread with numerous textures, grains, flavors, sizes, etc. Depends on what you like, I guess.
flukz, where did you live in the u.s.?
come to nyc for good bread. wonder bread is sort of a joke here, but it has it's place.
my family and i are bread people. that is to say that while first impressions are often dominating, the bread served with a meal in a european style restaurant sets the tone for how the rest of the dishes are recieved.
imo, you can't beat nyc bagels, but i wonder how they are in north eastern(ish) europe?
the local sesame/semolina/italian loaves (round or long) are known for the crust, toasted wheat and nutty flavors.
or the polish rye - good crust, moist but not doughy center. same goes for the pumpernickel, but with a deeper flavor.
then there's the whole grain breads that have everything from dried fruit, seeds, and nuts in the mix with several type of grain flour.
while spongy white breads still takes up about half of the supermarket shelves in the suburbs, there are now a myriad of breads offered from many different bakeries. everything from 15 grain, to artisan breads, to european ethnic types.