There’s something different about the bread in Switzerland and Germany.
It still tastes and looks like bread.
But it’s better.
Why is German Bread Different?
It’s all about the base ingredients.
Some of the difference is due to different sources for the wheat.
Some of it is a slightly different process to create the flour from the grain.
But whatever those differences are, the bread tastes better.
Almost all water in Switzerland is drinkable, remember the water fountains?
The water quality coming from the wells, the mountain runoff, the lakes, and the springs is different from other parts of Europe or even here in the United States.
It’s better quality (just ask any Swiss).
It’s different flavors and minerals and vitamins as part of the water.
This quality doesn’t only affect the bread but other products that use local water.
All the Varieties of German Bread
The varieties found in the regular grocery store rival amounts found in artisan bakeries here in the states.
Good bread is easier to find in grocery stores. As a bonus, bakeries are also very common.
Yes, you can find some of the same varieties of bread in the United States.
But how many different types of your local grocery store have freshly baked bread?
My local grocery store has about five: sourdough, French bread, dinner rolls, sourdough dinner rolls, and wheat bread.
There are more flour types than just wheat or bleached wheat.
There’s rye, wheat, sourdough, spelt to name a few.
Beyond the flour types there’s different bread types.
We know rolls and loaves and some specialty baked goods.
German bakeries have those too, called brötchen (brootchee-en) and brot (broht).
The varieties I saw in the bakeries in Switzerland and Germany not only change it up between different flour sources but also different spices and fillings.
So even if they did make a simple sourdough loaf, there would still be variety in the form of spices or fillings.
Things more along the lines of an artisanal bakery or some of the fancy baking shows, not your local store.
The dedicated bakeries have even more than a grocery store and there are more bakeries.
The packaging changes the flavor too. Like the fresh bread here in the United States, German and Swiss bread is all packaged in paper instead of plastic.
Is German Bread Healthy?
The bread might even be healthier for you too.
Anytime I have visited, I eat more bread there than at home. Yet I don’t gain any extra weight.
The bread tastes better and it’s very accessible.
And it’s perfect when you’re making sandwiches on the go while traveling.
Just add cold cuts and cheese. (Fun fact, bread, cheese, and cold lunch meat is part of a German breakfast.)
Part of that might be the culture of walking everywhere but I think part of it is the bread too.
Can I Eat German Bread if I have Celiac Disease?
While I do not have any dietary restrictions myself I know multiple people with celiac disease, wheat intolerance, a wheat allergy, or a yeast allergy.
They struggle to eat any bread or gluten here in the States.
Thankfully, they can eat most bread in Germany and Switzerland without having to find special gluten-free or celiac friendly brands. They can pick up a regular loaf and enjoy it.
Granted they might not be able to eat the same amount of bread as somebody without the intolerance or allergy but they can still eat more than they can at home.
Something about that different flour grinding process and wheat sources makes the bread easier on their body.
Fresh Bread is the Best Bread
There’s a lot more fresh bread too.
If you get to the grocery store early enough then you’ll find them stocking their bread and it’s warm.
Swiss Construction workers’ mid morning break at 9 am is just in time to pick up a fresh “Gipfeli” (croissant) from their local grocery store.
It hasn’t sat on the shelf for days, it’s barely on the shelf for hours. In fact, in all the stores I shopped at, there was more fresh bread and baked goods in the store than factory bread on the shelves.
My own boys who love their bread, who love fresh homemade bread even better, love Swiss store bread the best.
