A baker tells: So he bakes the bread of Jesus new!

A baker tells: So he bakes the bread of Jesus new!

bread is more than just a staple; It tells stories. A remarkable baker in Kaiserstuhl in southern Baden Kaiserstuhl has searched for the bread for the bread of biblical times. Matthai's Ehrer, the owner of a bakery in Endingen, has trained to become a bread sommelier and bakes flatbreads, which are supposed to cause the tastes of Jesus, so to speak. "I would never have dreamed of what you can achieve as a small baker from the country with bread," says Schwehr. This passion is no coincidence, because his baked goods have become known beyond the borders of the 9,000-inhabitant town.

Schwehr's best -known work is the so -called "bread of Christ" - a simple flatbread made of water, flour and salt. In order to discover the recipe for this historical bread, the baker dealt intensively with historical sources and carried out its research in various institutions, including the historical institute of the University of Mannheim and the Museum of Bread and Art in Ulm. The Bible, which contains around 270 positions, in which reference is made to “bread”, also provided important information about this staple and its meaning in the front Orient.

The symbolism of the bread

The bread has deep meaning in the Christian tradition. An artistically decorated bread loaf in churches on the altar is often placed on Thanksgiving festivals, for example. This is not only a symbol of gratitude for the gifts of nature, but also a sign of sharing and the responsible handling of food. Oberkirchenrat Matthias Kreplin from the Evangelical State Church in Baden explains that the broken bread plays a particularly central role in the last sacrament when Jesus says: "This is my body." The deeper meaning of this statement illustrates how tight bread is interwoven with faith and life itself.

Matthias Schlehr's "bread of Christ" is not just a food. The baker describes a flatbread that has a small hole in the middle, as well as striking notches that serve to make easier portioning. These characteristics were inspired by archaeological finds in Pompeii, which show that such bread was baked in ancient times. Interestingly, the hole was created by removing dough to hand over the bread as an offering to the priest.

baker as storyteller

Schwehr not only presents his “bread of Christ” in the sales room, but also brings his stories closer to the audience in lectures and tastings. This makes him a special kind of storyteller that connects the old with the new. While his bakery is particularly popular with parishes at Easter, he is part of a much greater tradition. In Germany there are more than 3,000 different types of bread, all of which have their own character and taste. This diversity was even recognized in 2014 in the nationwide list of the intangible cultural heritage of the National UNESCO Commission.

Bernd Kütscher, director of the Academy German Bakery in Weinheim, noted: "A pretzel tastes different in Swabia than in Bavaria." In order to perceive and appreciate these differences, Kütscher founded further training training for bakers to bread sommeliers in order to expand the knowledge of bread in an international context. "After completing the first English -language course, we have 258 bread sommeliers in 13 countries," he said. This form of further training not only promotes knowledge of the products, but also the culture and the sensory skills that are necessary to taste the fine differences between the breads.

In training, the prospective bread melters learn to formulate specific descriptions for taste, consistency and even the scent of bread. "We have developed our own 'bread language'," said Kütscher, "because it lacked words that can precisely describe these experiences." The academy has built up helpful resources that combine bread nuts with expressive words - from the "scent of the crumb" to the "accent of the surface".

The efforts to promote the bread sommelier should help to give bread again the importance that it once had in society. Kütscher reminds that the bread price in European history has always played a key role in combating famine. "It brings people together and even changed society," he adds. Bread was never just a food, but always a symbol of community and life.