Finally: Das Brot

Rotterdam is a breeding ground for bread. From star bakers like Menno ’t Hoen to microbakeries that sell semi-legally from home. They usually bake in the French tradition. But now there’s a microbakery specializing in German bread: Das Brot. Marjan is happy.

After 15 years of experimenting and endless baking, Lotte Smelik has finally dared to make the switch from a permanent office job to baking professionally. With an extra push from her German boyfriend, who suffers from Brotheimweh.

Sourdough
‘It could have happened a little sooner,’ Lotte admits. ‘But yes, that permanent job. And getting the hang of sourdough simply takes a long time. Every aspect of sourdough baking affects the end result: the flour, the amount of water, the proofing time… So it takes a long time to make a genuinely good product without “improvers” and other unnecessary things.’

At last, decent German bread in the Netherlands.

Smelik hopes to open her own brick-and-mortar bakery one day. For now, though, she bakes at the Rotterdam creative community hub, Keilewerf. Bread ordered online can also be collected from her there on Fridays from 5–7 p.m. and Saturdays from 1–3 p.m. Besides a fixed selection, there are seasonal and filled loaves, and eventually Kaiser rolls and Laugenbrötchen (such as the Bretzel) too.

Long proofing time
Mainly German bread, then. With excursions elsewhere. But what exactly is the difference between French and German bread? ‘German bread—especially thanks to the longer proofing time and different baking method—is more pronounced in flavor, sturdier, and has a thicker, crispier crust. It’s simply a more distinctive bread.’

German bread has a more pronounced flavor than French bread.

Smelik continues: ‘And it offers much more variety. From very heavy sour rye bread to spicy, cracker-like Austrian bread that shepherds take with them into the mountains. That sourness, in turn, has to do with fermenting at higher temperatures. Although ultimately, everything in bread-making influences everything else.’

Distribution
Smelik is still looking for distribution points for Das Brot. So sign up, Amsterdammers. Or should I move to Rotterdam?

More information and online ordering via Das Brot.