Possible Clues:

• Irritable, which is hard to swallow
• There's decay in it, so it's bred afresh, by the sound of it
• Having a surly demeanor
• Like kaiser rolls
• Having harsh manner like hard bread
• Cantankerous
• Well baked — short-tempered
• Like some bread that's cold and brown?
• Like pie made by chef initially out of practice?
• Gruff