The Roots Of Rye Bread

Rustic rye bread is nourished with knowledge, tradition and time.

- Ally McManus

Rye is a grain that is similar to wheat but darker in colour, and has an earthier taste with a denser texture. This grain has a high tolerance for growing in cold climates and originally grew hidden in wheat fields as a common weed.

When ground from a grain into flour to make bread, rye boasts many health benefits. Rye bread is rich in fibre, contains less gluten than white bread (which makes it better for people sensitive to gluten) and contains an abundance of nutrients. These vitamins and minerals include magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and potassium, as well as antioxidants.

Although rye bread is widely consumed in Europe, the rustic bread is gaining traction in Australia due to its health benefits and delicious flavour.

Honouring knowledge and tradition

“Rye bread, to me, is a 100 per cent rye, wholegrain, dark, dense and heavy bread with a moist inside (because of the way we cook it),” reveals Ket Baker founder and owner, Miek Paulus. “It is delicious with savoury toppings. Butter, smashed avo and poached eggs just got a fourth dimension of enjoyment! It’s a bread where you eat only thin slices of it and that keeps for over two weeks if stored well,” continues Paulus. Belgian-born and French-trained, the artisan baker lives on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula with her family, where she has been making 100 per cent sourdough croissants, breads and smallbatch pastries from her rustic, sustainable shed bakery since 2016. Lauded as “an artisan bakery with a big heart”, Paulus is passionate about making delicious and nutritious bread “that you’ll love and that will love you (and your guts) back”.