The Bread Exchange: Tales and Recipes from a Journey of Baking and Bartering

by Malin Elmlid

An ode to a life warmly lived, The Bread Exchange tells the story of one woman's hunger for greater meaning in her life and how it has been enriched by the sharing of her handmade bread. From her cozy kitchen in Berlin to a flat in London, from a deck in New York City to huddling around a tandoor in Kabul, the author shares discoveries, stories, and recipes from her inspiring travels. A busy fashion-industry professional with a bread-baking obsession, Malin Elmlid started offering her loaves to others in return for recipes, handmade goods, and, above all, special experiences that come from giving generously of yourself. Here is a book of tales and reflections, of wanderlust connections, and more than 50 recipes for Malin's naturally leavened breads and other delicious things collected on a journey honoring the staff and the stuff of life.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Foodie, Travel

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2014

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the idea of the Bread Exchange and was really looking forward to exchanges, especially the stories that went with them. If half stars were allowed, I'd give this book 2.5 stars.

The first story made me laugh out loud!

He handed the tickets to me as we stood in front of the entrance of the Berlin Philharmonic's concert hall. They were for two seats in his family's balcony to hear his father, a famous viola player, play that night. I followed him through the winding corridors and steep stairways of the stunning concert building. We did not know each other. But I knew that he liked bread. And he knew I loved viola music. (The Bread Exchange)

Even though I am a violist, and wonder not only who the "famous viola player" is but also what he played that night, and I promise that the viola aspect was NOT the reason I got the book out of the library! I got the book out because I was curious about Malin Elmlid's bread. And about her exchange system....

I was really intrigued that Elmlid's passion for good bread had led her on such great adventures. And I'm sure her bread is delicious. But for those new to bread baking who are looking for tips on how to bake sourdough bread, they would be better off following the Elmlid's advice near the beginning of the book.

There are a lot of good bread books and if your are looking for ones that describe the processes more in detail, I would recommend Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson, Dough by Richard Bertinet, and River Cottage Handbook No.3 by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. (The Bread)

I am a huge fan of all three of those men and agree heartily that Chad Robertson's book "Tartine Bread" is a must-have (although I find his method of capturing yeast to be wasteful of flour, so we prefer Jane Mason's method for capturing wild yeast that is laid out in her book "All You Knead is Bread").

If you're looking for the River Cottage Handbook No. 3, the author is Daniel Stevens. Hugh Fearneley-Whittingstall's contribution to that book is to introduce it.

Reading through it, it seems that Elmlid's sourdough bread recipe would be quite confusing for someone just starting out in breadmaking. It's not that breadmaking is rocket science; it's just that it's the kind of thing that you almost need to know the answers to the many questions before you know what to ask. Elmlid doesn't really lay out those answers, particularly the answers to the zillions of questions about capturing yeast and how to know if the bubbling sludge is ready to go.

A sourdough starter is nothing but flour and water that, by standing on its own for a few days, starts fermenting. (This Is How I Did It)

Of course, this is true. But there's a tiny bit more to it than this. Sure, once the starter is working, it's wonderful. But hand-holding really helps at the outset (particularly after the failures...).

Sometimes you are simply unlucky. [...] Be patient! When I made my first sourdough starter in Berlin, it took about three weeks until I had a happy energetic starter to bake with. Sometimes it just doesn't work. Be patient, try again, and it will work.(Troubleshooting)

This is true. However, what is missing from Elmlid's instruction is how to tell if a starter is happy and energetic.

As for the rest of the stories for the exchange, but I have to be honest. They didn't quite live up to my expectations and none had the wonderful aspect of subtext of the first Berlin Philharmonic story. The other stories all seemed to be more about Elmlid and her flour/oven/housing searches than about the exchangers and exchanges.

Not that there is anything wrong with the several recipes laid out in the exchange. They look to be correct. Their presence without extra stories just simply make this book yet another cookbook.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't sure I bought the idea that this person had a wonderful round the world adventure by trading bread for wonderful experiences. I can't imagine I would get very far doing that sort of trade. I suspect the author had a lot of money and connections and the bread giving was a token idea for the book. I wasn't wild about the photography and many of the recipes were ones that went with nice bread which is just about anything.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can I say, BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS! Seriously, although some of the recipes were a bit unreachable for me in my current life, I loved pouring over her adventures, and pretending I could also go on the journey. How simple to start so many friendships and connections through a simple trade.

[Schrödinger's nap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great photos and recipes

[Havers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brot ist ein elementares Lebensmittel, und mir ging es damit ähnlich wie der schwedischen Globetrotterin und Autorin Malin Elmlid. Seit geraumer Zeit ärgere ich mich darüber, dass fast in jeder Bäckerei das gleiche Angebot vorhanden ist. Brote mit merkwürdigen Phantasienamen, alle ausnahmslos mit dubiosen Backmischungen hergestellt, die Stoffe beinhalten, die man absolut nicht benötigt, um ein gesundes, wohlschmeckendes Ergebnis zu erhalten. Meine Konsequenz daraus war und ist das Selberbacken. Natürlich ist dies mit zeitlichem Aufwand verbunden, aber selbst als Vollzeit-Berufstätige ist das kein Problem, solange die entsprechende Motivation vorhanden ist.

Wasser, Mehl und Salz – drei Zutaten, die immer und überall erhältlich sind, mehr braucht es nicht für ein gutes Brot. Und natürlich etwas Zeit. Und genau damit startet Malin Elmlids Projekt. Mittlerweile ist sie fast rund um die Welt gereist, den Sauerteig im Gepäck. Hat viele interessante Menschenund ihre Geschichten kennengelernt. Backt ihr Brot und tauscht es gegen die verschiedensten Dinge ein. Lernt neue Rezepte kennen. Und teilt ihre Erlebnisse und Erfahrungen mit uns Lesern/Hobbybäckern auf ihrem Blog „thebreadexchange.com“ und in den Sozialen Netzwerken. Seit neuestem ist nun auch „The Bread Exchange: Vom Reisen und Tauschen mit einem Sauerteig im Gepäck - Geschichten und Rezepte“ (veröffentlicht bei Prestel) erhältlich, ein Back-Reise-Tagebuch mit vielen schönen Fotografien, in dem man ihre Geschichten und Rezeptanleitungen nachlesen kann.

Aber da der Mensch nicht nur von Brot allein lebt, findet man natürlich auch Rezepte für Aufstriche oder typische, brotlose Gerichte aus den Ländern, die Malin Elmlid bereist hat, immer verknüpft mit besonderen Situationen oder Personen, die dabei ihren Weg gekreuzt und sie nachdrücklich beeindruckt haben. Man kann es nur vermuten, aber ich denke, dass die Autorin ähnliches mit uns im Sinn hat. Sie möchte ihre Erlebnisse mit und teilen, Anstöße geben und inspirieren. Dazu animieren, dass wir uns wieder auf die elementaren Dinge des Lebens besinnen. Wie sie bereits vor einiger Zeit in einem Interview mit der englischen Zeitschrift „The Guardian“ sagte: “Eating, baking bread, sleeping, making jokes and falling in love”.

Dem ist nichts mehr hinzuzufügen!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

An ode to a life warmly lived, The Bread Exchange tells the story of one woman's hunger for greater meaning in her life and how it has been enriched by the sharing of her handmade bread. From her cozy kitchen in Berlin to a flat in London, from a deck in New York City to huddling around a tandoor in Kabul, the author shares discoveries, stories, and recipes from her inspiring travels. A busy fashion-industry professional with a bread-baking obsession, Malin Elmlid started offering her loaves to others in return for recipes, handmade goods, and, above all, special experiences that come from giving generously of yourself. Here is a book of tales and reflections, of wanderlust connections, and more than 50 recipes for Malin's naturally leavened breads and other delicious things collected on a journey honoring the staff and the stuff of life.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I fell in love with this book as soon as I took it out of the package! I loved the stories as she traveled the world exchanging her homemade breads for handmade goods, recipes and once in a lifetime experiences. Although The Bread Exchange is a big book I found myself getting through it pretty quick. I just wanted to keep reading!
I love the recipes throughout the book and the photographs are absolutely amazing! I think they add so much to the book!
I can't wait to try out some of the recipes! The Bread Exchange is a beautiful memoir that will leave you wanting more, after reading this book I'd love to travel and meet some of the wonderful people she met!
I can't say this enough I love love love this book!

[Sarah Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first got this book I expected it to be just a cookbook, but it is so much more than that. It is filled with stories of the author's life as she journeyed around finding these recipes, meeting new people, and learning more about the cultures in each location. I learned and saw how each place was different and how their cultures are integrated into their foods. I was also surprised to see how much time and energy goes into each batch of bread. When I think of baking bread, I think of a same day bread maker that sits on your kitchen counter and makes the process seem simple. However, the recipes in this book require dedication and care and for the individual to put love in each loaf. I look forward to making some of these and experimenting with my own types based on the starter mixes described in the book. I would highly recommend this book if you want to learn more about the ways in which culture and life styles influence food in different parts of the country.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bread Exchange is a beautiful book filled with entertaining stories, gorgeous pictures and some very interesting recipes from around the world. I haven't made any of the recipes yet but most of them sound like they will be delicious. I will be definitely making the Bread Exchange Sourdough Bread recipe sometime soon. It is a beautifully rustic bread that is made black by adding charcoal powder. This book would be lovely as a gorgeous coffee table read. Just flipping through the pages and looking at the photography gives you glimpses of various cultures. Not only are there pictures of all the recipes (which I really like in a cookbook), this book provides a story behind all of the food.

Overall, The Bread Exchange is gorgeous book that is so much more than just a biography or cookbook.

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Shilpa · Rating 3 out of 5]

l love bread. I could live on bread alone. And I don’t know why prior to this, I have never attempted to make bread in my home. But Malin Elmlid may just inspire me to. Her book The Bread Exchange includes tales and recipes from a journey of bread making and bartering. My first thought was how fitting the name of the book was. When I think of the most memorable bread moments – devouring a warm loaf – I think of it as a sharing moment. You never just buy a whole loaf by yourself and eat it all (although now from the sounds of it, that may not be completely impossible to fathom).

Review: http://www.sukasastyle.com/2014/11/br...

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted to eat something right out of a book or visit the locations? I felt this way about the book. My goal is to hold dinner parties and bake my way through this book. The book is filled with breads, soups, a quiche, and drinks. It's fun reading Malin Elmlid's journey and the places she visits. The book is full of gorgeous pictures. It'ss pictures of the locations she talks about, the people, and of course the food. I received this book through a first reads giveaway, but would've bought this book if I found it in the book store.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part travelogue and part cookbook, the text managed to tackle a topic that can get soppy (trading items with good people around the world) with just the right amount of awe at the many decent people there are. The author wasn't self-indulgent in her reminisces, and her photos and stories helped bring places like Kabul and the Sinai to the front of mind for Westerners. I liked her matter-of-fact way of telling semi-connected vignettes. I also hadn't heard of her exchange, so that was interesting to learn about.

[Empath Warrior · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and artistic book! I decided to give this book to my friend for a Yule present because she loves making bread. I am so excited to see what she thinks! I flipped through the book and was very impressed by the quality of the book in materials and content! I would absolutely recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book personally inspiring, though I didn't connect with the author. I respect her journey, etc. but I found her main sourdough recipe a little haphazard. It made me want to travel to Europe, make bread by hand and give instead of take. Took only one recipe away, but it's a fantastic crustless quiche that I'll be making over and over again.

[Lenni Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the pictures and stories that accompanied the book. I even tried some of the recipes, they were pretty good. It helps some of us that have not gotten to travel the world feel a little better traveled :)

[William Graney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just for bread freaks like me, this would be of interest to anyone who likes food. Interesting stories of bread exchange and recipes from around the world. I found the chapter on Kabul particularly interesting.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book filled with deeply personal writing and recipes that hold a mirror to the people and places the author visited, sourdough starter in tow. Such a simple concept. Good for her for thinking of it.

[Desi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book didn't want to put it down!!!!!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free through the Goodreads giveaway. I can't tell you which recipe is my favorite, because I have really loved all of the ones I have made so far. Thanks

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy arrived today, just flipping through it.. I can't wait to sit down with a cup of hot tea & read this book - and then make bread !
Took me a while to read this but great book !

[Debbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow what a beautiful masterpiece of love and great ideas!

[robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, this book makes me wish I'd lived a more beautiful life. The bread quite aside.

[Queer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and the recipes enchanting. There's nothing too elaborate but I think that fits the tone of the author's blog. Also I wish I had this life.