It’s a funny old world. In Germany you can take a year-long brotsommelier course to qualify as an official bread sommelier. Riots in Kenya have halted government plans to send the price of bread sky high. And Japan’s sacred mountain has inspired an unusual type of bread that takes flavour to new heights… pun intended! Here are some of our favourite bread news stories.

Become a certified bread sommelier

Bread can be sweet, malty, sour, umami and more, with endless fabulous flavour sensations to enjoy. Germany has at least 3,200 different sorts of bread, a vital part of the country’s food heritage and recognised as such by UNESCO. Bearing all that in mind, it’s no surprise the German Baking Academy’s Certified Bread Sommelier programme is so popular with artisan bakers.  In 2023 the Academy introduced its first English language Bread Sommelier certification and the first batch of international students – most of whom are already skilled master bakers – graduates this year.

The idea – which is brilliant – is to make bread in all its glorious variety as important as fine wines. The students learn to speak ‘Weinham Bread Language’, specially created to describe bread’s appearance, aromas, and flavour in a standard way.

Introducing mountainous Fujisan bread

Bakers have celebrated the magical shape of Japan’s Mount Fuji with all sorts of weird and wonderful recipes, and the flaky layered milk bread called Fujisan bread looks like a winner. It blends Japanese and French baking techniques into a sort of brioche-croissant to create the mountain’s peak, a bread with a buttery, doughy, stretchy feel that’s ideal for tearing and sharing.

The recipe uses bread flour and cake flour, taking quite some time to make. The dough is just the start of the adventure, which also involves a watery roux called tangzhong and a complex braiding and folding process. This is what gives the bread its soft, gooey texture and keeps it that way for longer than average. Some bakers fill their fluffy Fujisan bread with cream and smother it in powdered sugar for a snow-like effect, others leave it wonderfully, fragrantly plain.

Kenyans riot over bread tax

The Kenyan government has dropped plans to levy a 16% rise in the price of bread after people took to the streets in protest. The police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse furious protesters in Nairobi, dozens were arrested, and lawyers joined the crowds outside police stations chanting for them to be freed.

Since coming into power in 2022 President William Ruto has tried to bring in several very unpopular taxes in an effort to deal with the country’s spiralling national debt. But it looks like a bread tax isn’t going to wash with Kenyans.

India urgently needs climate-resilient wheat

Scientists are desperate to develop and share a variety of climate-resilient wheat strains to help secure the future for India’s 1.4 billion people. It matters because, in 2022, hot weather arrived early in the areas where India grows its wheat, killing crops, driving an emergency export ban and creating a distribution programme to protect stocks. In 2023 the same happened again and the 2024 crop is estimated to be even lower, making it likely India will be forced to import wheat for the first time in six years.

As climate change continues to affect the world’s weather, the threat to food production is growing and science is coming under increasing pressure to create crops that can cope with extreme heat, drought and floods.

Introducing Palestinian Taboon bread

Like almost everywhere else on earth, bread is a staple in Palestine. The most popular are Shrak, AKA Markouk bread, which is often used to serve rice, plus Palestinian Kmaaj, a version of pita bread, and Palestinian Taboon bread, named after the ancient style of clay oven it’s baked in.

Taboon bread bakes super-fast inside the clay oven. The baking method makes the dough incredibly airy inside and unusually crispy on the outside, and a unique smokey fragrance adds extra ‘delicious’ to the experience. But, like many breads across the world, Taboon is more than just food. Baking Taboon bread preserves the country’s cultural heritage through sharing skills and customs. And as such it is a powerful representation of Palestine’s pride, culture, cuisine and history.

Go posh with your garlic bread

Garlic bread is a mini-masterpiece of flavour on its own. But add truffle butter and the famously earthy flavour transforms everyday garlic bread into an elevated treat so tasty you’ll be hooked. You can buy truffle butter ready-made, or make your own with truffle oil or truffle paste. Either way the result is absolutely epic.

Our artisan bread brings people back for more

Whatever you’re serving it with, however simple or complex, our artisan bread makes every meal special. Give ours a go and we reckon you’ll never look back, nor will your customers. Click here to request a box of free samples sent direct to your door.