Vollkornbrot Bread

When the Bakehouse first unleashed the Vollkornbrot, the response was surprising. We had high hopes, of course, that this very traditional, very dense and chewy German bread would find an audience, but we had no idea it would gather such a quick following.

Some folks tried it out of curiosity. Some were transplanted Germans who longed for a bread as good as the ones they left behind. Some were drawn to the fact that it’s made with rye freshly ground into whole grain flour at our Bakehouse on our own stone mill.

That flour gets mixed with rye chops, sunflower seeds, sea salt and a bit of water. It's naturally leavened, and after a long fermentation period to coax out huge, tangy rye flavor, the loaves get a long, slow bake. After coming out of the oven, they "cure" for at least 24 hours before we slice into them. This is one bread that really gets better with age—unlike every other bread we sell, we recommend keeping this one in plastic in the fridge, cutting a slice when you're ready to eat it. It will keep that way for a couple of weeks, easily.

The Vollkornbrot is moist and chewy, earthy, with a pleasant sour kick to balance the sweet, nutty flavors of the grain. Slather on a good layer of the best butter you can find. Try it with a smear of Cream Cheese or top it with a slice of really great cheddar and a slather of German beer mustard for a tasty lunch.

This handmade bread's ingredients are water, whole freshly milled organic rye flour, sunflower seeds, and sea salt.

Vegan

"I haven't had such good German bread since I was in Germany... The bread is dense and solid yet easy to slice really thin (1/4 inch or less), which is perfect for eating with cheese or smoked salmon. The sourdough flavor really comes through as well."
Deborah, Frederick, MD

"The Vollkornbrot from Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, could fill a salient gap in the repertoire of your local bakery (where, if you do spot a real rye loaf, caraway too often distracts from the essential rye taste)... [T]he best tactic is to toast a thin slice... The toasted slice then begs to be completed with a generous smear of butter, smoked fish, cured meat, or cheese young or old."
Ed Behr, The Art of Eating