Nordic Bakery
It’s hard to pick up a food or lifestyle magazine right now without a mention of Scandinavian cuisine. It’s super hot with or without the mention of Rene Redzepi’s Copenhagen restaurant Noma being named the best restaurant in the world for 2010.
Honestly though, until very recently the closest I had come to Scandinavian food is the IKEA food hall. However, on a recent mini-break to Copenhagen I discovered that Denmark was not just about meatballs and herring. As a baker with a sweet tooth I was blown away by the wonderful selection of pastries (wienerbrød) and dark seeded rye breads. My Norwegian colleague recommended Lagkagehuset Bakery; and this heavenly place became my starting point each day where I eagerly waited for my number to be called as I qued for my new favourite pastry Tebirkes – a light flaky pastry folded over a marzipan spread and sprinkled with white poppyseeds.
Back at the hotel restaurant I made yet another unexpected discovery: a crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside round dinner roll that I literally could not stop eating. I inquired with the waiter how the bread was made and she revealed that it was cooked similar to Yorkshire pudding and, to boot, was made with a mix of Manitoba flour and durham wheat.
At home in London I was still dreaming of that very special bread and thought perhaps I might be able to find it in the city that has everything. One search led to another and although my search so far has come up empty handed I did manage to stumble across a fantastic bakery & café in Marylebone called Nordic Bakery. The minimal shop is true to its origins with contemporary Scandinavian furniture that is beautifully designed and food to match. I was most intrigued with their bread and have fallen for the “rye quartet” – this unique and utterly delicious bread is made in Finland and is perfect lightly toasted with a smear of cream cheese and topped with fresh smoked salmon and a thin cucumber slice. It’s Marylebone prices so bring your wallet but you wont be disappointed.
Michael Clark
Michael is a banker with a love for bread. His desire was kindled by morning visits to a local bakery while holidaying in France. He was struck by the passion of the bakers and the simplicity of hand made bread— 4 ingredients; flour, salt, water and yeast. He soon found himself experimenting in his own kitchen, before recruiting a master baker to show him the ropes. Wanting a taste of the real thing, he traded his holidays for midnight shifts in one of Canada's leading artisan bread bakeries. To quote Michael, “there is nothing more satisfying then the solitude of waking up early, hand kneading the dough, smelling the aromas coming from the oven and then slathering a hot piece of bread with some delicious butter”. An avid traveler, he seeks out crusty loaves and the people who make them around world. When not working in The City, Michael can be found in his London kitchen or his local pub