The buzz surrounding daily breadstuffs
In opposition to the mainstream trend of chain bakeries and factory-made bread, quaint, artisan bakeries have sprung up where you can witness the dough being kneaded and understand the ingredients going into your morning meal.
On a damp summer morning, the first patrons begin to drip into "Backwelt," browsing the shelves stocked with baking tools and literature or filling up on various types of flour from bulk containers. Two groups of ladieschat at the rustic tables adorned with wildflower bouquets over breakfast. The chill vibe is amplified by Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" playing softly in the background, while a cheerful employee serves up steamy coffee and a fresh strawberry sponge cake – a daily creation of owner Christina Bauer. The Austrian blogger, author, and farmer is the mastermind behind "Baking with Christina", penning several cookbooks, and operating a farm in Lungau with her husband.
Christina Bauer's love for baking and recipe development is evident. A few years back, she began whipping up rolls for the farm's holiday visitors in the morning, eventually transforming into a bustling side business. She began teaching baking classes in herown kitchen, and in 2021, she opened "Backwelt" in her hometown of Tamsweg, combining café, bakery, and shop. The cozy aroma of sweet pastries fills the air, the strawberry filling melts on the tongue, and a content smile graces Christina Bauer's face.
She clearly envisions a calming, welcoming atmosphere. The 37-year-old woman brushes away a stray blonde lock, explaining: "This is a place where people feel comfortable and there's no stress. Everyone has time, and everyone's happy to learn more about baking here."
Christina Bauer regularly welcomes visitors from all over Austria and Germany on guided tours. The events are always fully booked, she says, with the crowd eagerly participating in baking courses in the large kitchen and enjoying the delectable products straight from the oven. Hearty breakfast options, such as a brioche roll, jam, and cheese, are also available and hail from the local farmers and suppliers in Lungau. "We use almost exclusively regional ingredients. Then, I know exactly what's in it," Christina Bauer explains. "Even the flour we sell unpackaged comes from Austrian grain."
Liesbeth, Till, and Sofi
The concept of letting customers watch the kneading process is in high demand. The appreciation for freshly baked goods is off the charts. Austria, particularly Germany, is known for its diverse bread selection: with around 3200 registered varieties, UNESCO declared German bread culture an intangible cultural heritage in 2014. Whole grain bread is extremely popular. Many Europeans pine for the crispy crust that is scarce in countries primarily worshiping white bread. As early as 1941, Bertolt Brecht complained in his diary during his exile in the USA: "There is no real bread in the states, and I love bread."
Our go-to bread sellers have shifted. According to the Central Association of German Bakers, the number of artisanal bakeries in Germany has plummeted from approximately 55,000 to 9,607 businesses servicing 45,000 sales points across Germany over the past 60 years. A centuries-old tradition struggles to keep up with cheap bread from supermarkets and bakery kiosks. However, lines form outside establishments like "Sofi Bakery" in Berlin, the authentic sourdough bakery "Brotique" in Stuttgart, "Till & Brot," the business of bread sommelier Tillman Gurka in Freiburg, or "Liesbeth" at Mainz Harbor: Small businesses where high-quality, often regional ingredients are transformed by hand into captivating baked goods in a cozy setting, like miniature artistic masterpieces. To savor this opposition to cheap bread, one often needs to dig deeper into their wallets and settle for organic fare.
"Our Homemade Bread"
A luxury lifestyle is also peddled beyond the bread of existence. The "Sofi Bakery" website, for example, offers T-shirts and sweaters displaying the bakery's address, cobalt blue tote bags, ceramic plates, and granola in a jar. Premade orders for the famous "Berlin Loaf" are also available to skip lines. It's no coincidence that the name sounds like an expensive fashion commodity – behind the exclusive Berlin bread manufactory is Danish chef and gastronome Frederik Bille Brahe, whose Copenhagen restaurants cater to the fashion elite and celebrities, such as his sister, renowned jewelry designer Sophie Bille Brahe, and his wife, top model Caroline Brasch Nielsen. Needless to say, the minimalist interior and design would feel right at home in a lifestyle magazine.
Over 50,000 followers flock to the "neighborhood bakery" on Instagram – the local bakery that sells its produce with elegantly chic photos. The new cult bakeries share this common trait: They target a younger generation of bread enthusiasts through social media marketing and boast wide-reaching impact. In the case of Austrian Christina Bauer, over 168,000 people eagerly await updates from the bakery.
folks often get tired of mass-produced bread and enjoy the DIY approach at home. As Christina Bauer puts it in her cooking guide, "The sensation of kneading dough, the dusting of flour from your fingertips, the aroma of freshly baked loaves - once you've tasted homemade bread, you're hooked for life." In her café, she proudly admits serving nothing but homemade goodies: "Our staple is a traditional blend, our household favorite, a bread we can't afford to run out of."
Christina Bauer ensures that her bakery uses mainly regional ingredients for its food requirements, believing in the quality and transparency that comes with it. The rustic atmosphere of "Backwelt" allows customers to learn about baking and enjoy homemade breakfast options straight from the oven.
