Our Daily Bread

 Over centuries our daily bread was sacred until its importance dwindled with other foodstuffs taking over. Not so much in Germany, where visiting foreigners are always surprised by the wide variety of bread available.

My most convenient place to buy Laugencroissants (crusty croissants baked with a touch of salt) for breakfast on Sundays is a chain called K&U. This is not an original bakery, for they get most of their stuff delivered pre-baked and bake it in situ in automatic ovens. Since they bake on demand, the advantage is that you always get your baked goods fresh. Whenever I see a baking tray just coming out of the oven, I always insist on getting my croissants from there.

Note that on Sunday mornings, the selection of bread is limited compared to the choice on weekdays.
Trays with fresh croissants and real Berliners (donuts) are on the right.

Yesterday morning when I entered the shop to buy our croissants for breakfast, K&U had a flyer advertising a new loaf of bread named Urkulturkorn, meaning "originally cultivated cereals."  In addition, they guarantee to observe a "baking culture purity law"; the Reinheitsgebot for beer sends its best regards. While craft breweries originate in the States, are we in Germany entering an era of craft bakeries, or has K&U overdone its BackK&Ultur?

K&U's bread, baked based on Urkulturkorn, is advertised as having a moist, robust, full-bodied taste. It is fine-grained and has a nice bite. Ingredients of the newly created bread are whole grain flours of spelt (60%), Secale multicaule (22%), wild emmer (17%), and quinoa (1%). Secale multicaule, in German called Waldstaudenroggen, is also known as Urroggen or Urkorn, i.e., original rye or cereal. According to K&U, the taste of Secale multicaule is slightly sweet and has more fiber than modern rye.

Next time I will buy a loaf of Urkulturkorn and have a bite.

Photo added in proof: This morning's choice.

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