Given my previous tribulations with rye, any reader of this blog must know that I'm not the kind of baker to accept defeat in the face of adversity, especially in my search for wholesome German breads.
While not fortunate with all results, I still can't throw in the towel. There are too many deep flavored breads, whether with whole rye, cracked meal, vollkorn as they are named. These are whole grain loaves with only the grain and occasional additions of nuts or seed held together by nothing more then the paste made from a finer milling of grain and water. Sort of like cement, but with a lighter aspect!
In my quest for the perfect bread, I have found so many different variations of well known loaves from the German speaking lands, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria. The language in each of these particular places are common but, like the breads, vary in colloquial jargon as well. So when I try to use whatever means at my disposal to make a loaf of rye or spelt, it's a bit like deciphering the Rosetta stone! Thankfully I can wander over to Nil's site. He's is always a good guide for any sort of bread.Thankfully he has translated recipes I can't understand, and occasionally even sends me some awesome looking bread. Recently, it was a schwarzbrot, which is one I aim to bake, myself. But this loaf, (in the picture above), was one Nil's adapted from Maggie Glezer's book, Artisan baking in America. It's his adaption of a schrotbrot, a grain bread with some added seeds. My dilemma is the ingredients, and how we can decipher the grades or types.
Some definitions: My own humble efforts with bad translating tools available.
Schrot: pellet, grain, cracked grain
Fein: finely ground grain
Mittel: a coarser or middle cracked grain
Gross: Large, cracked grain
So this mystery isn't answered, yet! I am still seeking advice and knowledge regarding these various types from all sources, googled or even e-mailed in by hopefully someone knowledgable in milled rye.
For example:
Roggen/ Rye: Fill in some of the blanks!
Roggen geschnitten =cuts
Roggenflocken = Rolledflakes,
Roggenganzkorn
Roggenkleie =Bran
Roggenmehl 2500
Roggenmehl 500
Roggenmehl 960
Roggenquetschkorn
Roggenvollkornschrot fein
Roggenvollkornschrot grob
Roggenvollkornschrot mittel
Roggenvollmehl
Roggenganzkorn
Roggenmehl 2500
Roggenmehl 960
Roggenschrot extra grob
Roggenschrot fein
Roggenschrot mittel
Roggenvollmehl= whole grain flour
It's not going to be easy, especially as the state that our milling process differs here in America. It's no wonder that German rye breads aren't commonly baked or found on many bakers shelves!
If you're a German speaker, or a schrot loving home baker like me, give us a hand defining some of these mysterious terms. I am sure once we get some knowledge,we can start baking with a lot more ease and understanding!