Sara Ingemann Holm-Nielsen gives us on a regular basis, chosen fresh news from Scandinavia. Sara is a very sensitive person , in love with trends and style, she is also a talented writer and the brain behind “Quote a Gentleman”.

We can’t get enough of our breads in the Nordic countries. Rye bread, whole wheat, multi grain, crisp bread, gluten-free, organic, vegan, yeast-free etc. – a field that continue its growth. Even the traditional sourdough bread has felt the power of a trend from eco-lovers to locavores. There are sourdough blogs, sourdough bakeries and now the first ever sourdough hotel in Stockholm, Sweden. Despite the eco-friendliness and the healthy lifestyle choices there is also an invaluable social aspect of the spread of home-made bread. It gives an opportunity for homemade food lovers to create networks for passing on knowledge, sharing experiences and exchanging ideas.

The sourdough hotel, that’s part of Urban Deli in the hip Sofo district of Stockholm started almost 2 years ago and has been on everyone’s lips ever since. The whole new concept developed in collaboration with the local artist, Josefin Vargö, for her Living Culture project, and the bakery agreed on housing the collection of sourdough samples. The project became sort of an ‘intangible’ and immeasurable resource of sociological knowledge about how people around Sweden use sourdough. The most interesting findings regarding the project was; that there is something more about home-baked bread than people’s willingness for sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Baking your own bread may be a metaphor for giving the best to those who we care about. In this sense, besides nourishing the body, home-made bread is also a key piece for people bonding with each other. Making, sharing and celebrating it can simply give a feeling of social belonging on every day basis.