Todays Magazin from SZ is focusing on Bread. Great I think.
They are also presenting two of my role models: Chad Robertson, baker at Tartine and Mathias Dahlgren, chef at Grand Hotel. Cool, these guys changes the world and their philosophies are worth spreading.
I am very happy that SZ are doing a special about something so simple and intimate as Bread. However, when “Sauerteig” often seem to be a brand than an actual ancient technic, today’s German Bread Market is everything but uncomplicated.
I think a special about Bread in Germany demands at least one article about the Quality situation in the market.
I started baking my own Bread out of Water. Flour and Salt since it was practically impossible to find a Berlin bakery that reaches the quality that I want in the Bread I eat. I have baked for, and traded my bread with, thousand of Berliners who expressed the same frustration.
Dear SZ; Why make 5 pages on “Why is the German Bread becoming more expensive?” and not bring up the very relevant question; “Why is the German Bread often so cheap?”
Malin
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The other day I saw a post about Bread Exchange on Funtasty. I like how you are thinking Anke. Saving money on buying cheap bread won’t make you rich.
Picture from the Bread Exchange movie by Antje Taiga
6 Comments on “SZ Magazin Thema Brot”
I agree with everything you say here. I often marvel at how “German Bread” seems to be an internationally recognized (and praised) brand, and yet the number of bakeries in Berlin that even bake in-house are dwindling… I could count them on both hands.
I don’t know how it is elsewhere (like in southern Germany, where food traditions can be richer and more longstanding, since they were not as affected by the Wall years), but it really saddens me that people are so obsessed with cheapness over quality here, they are making it difficult for real bakeries to stay in business over “Kamps” and “Backwerk”!
I also started baking my own bread a couple of years ago, and when they heard it, a lot of people asked me, “but isn’t that so much more expensive than just buying bread?”
They completely missed the point!
Thank you for your article! I think the problem is: Berlin is just not Germany. :)
In the village of my grandma (deep in the forests of the “Vogelsberg”, hehe.) they have a “Backhaus”, not a bakery. When I was child (20 years ago), there was a time once in a month when every household was able to bake their breads there in a big stoneoven heated with fire. And that was no vintage or eco thing, it was just their way of life. Mmmh, I have so good memories of that special smell!
And I really have to say – bread an buns in Berlin are really bad quality. But trust me, you will find perfect bread everywhere else in Germany. :)
Thank you for your comment Katinko!
I can assure you that I did not only talk about Berlin. Over the last 2 years where I was sales Manager for LVC I travelled average 170 days throughout Germany/CH/A and I was able to make a pretty deep testing on Bread throughout the whole country.
I can def agree with you that there are tons of great Bakeries in Germany – both in north/south/east/west. In Baden and Bavaria I found some of my fav. The Kunstmühle in München is an example of a bakery that is baking only a few different kinds of breads and simply specializes on what they are good at to not loose the quality.
However, it has been a change in the market over the last 40 years and. It is not only in Berlin where most bakeries bake with yeast or additives – regardless if it is called “Sourdough” or not. You need to be running a really big business if you should be able to offer your customer a daily offer of 20 different baked goods and NOT use the so called “Back mischungen”. Especially if you should be able to sell the bread as cheap as for 2-3 euros. And this is the case all over the coutry and not only in Berlin. I am not the only one seeing this development and several good documentaries has been filmed on the subject the last 10 years. I have been visiting principals on the German “BackmeisterSchulen” throughout Germany (also in Hessen) and they all share a frustration about the development on the market. It is becoming harder and harder to survive by making artisan Bread.
Are you living in Berlin yourself? In fact, there are several places in Brandenburg that still offer the stone oven once a month. I cant wait to try it out one day :) Maybe you should join me?
I think it’s pretty funny, that SZ is making a special on bread – too bad I missed it!!
Anyhow, the bread-situation in Germany is frustrating and disappointing, as is the overall food market situation. Look at the farmer’s markets, where everyone sells the same from the Grossmarkt, just for a different pricing. Or the produce selection at the supermarkets.. and so on and on.. need to start a revolution.
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Hi Elmlid, Nice article. The bread situation is the same everywhere not just in germany. big business can bring the price down and feed people cheaply as bills goes up.
I am an artisan baker in loved with sourdough. I have been making artisan bread using only organic flour here in the uk for the past 13 years.
I love to live in Berlin in a couples of years and would like to meet artisan baker passionate about making good bread. I like to start something there but I like the idea of sharing idea and project. If you know bakers in Berlin I would love to meet them.
keep making good bread. we need more people like you. thanks