Knead-to-Know: Bread

For a small country, the Netherlands have made quite a name for themselves, through cultural efforts like making cheese, innovating the game of soccer, and building dams. However, there is one piece of national heritage that makes me most proud to be born and raised in the Netherlands: Bread. This perfect balance of crunchiness and softness might be the best invention humans have ever created. Throughout history, bread was the key to progress. It allowed us to go from farmers to space explorers. Without these gold-brown carbs, our society would not be where it is today.

My personal bond with bread is a special one. Having left home this year to move overseas, I knew some things were going to change. However, I did not give bread enough credit for the way it influences my life. Well-made bread is like a good bass player, or the last sunshine of Fall. You don’t appreciate the beauty of it until you lose it. Moving to the United States made me realize how incredible Dutch bread is. Not a single country in the world bakes their bread like the Dutch. It is soft, has lots of air in it, while still having a structured, crisp crust. On an average weekday, I would go through at least eight slices of bread, having it for breakfast and lunch. These days, having breakfast feels sad. The scrambled eggs and ranch potatoes are just not cutting it for me. It is like the girl of my dreams broke my heart after being together for ten years. Filling the emptiness she left behind with other girls’ attention will not help. This is the same for my beloved wheat spheres. Nothing beats the smell and taste of a fresh-baked, steaming loaf of bread. Perfect the way it is. To honor Dutch tradition, add a slice of cheese and enjoy this centuries-old composition of flavor and flour.

The United States of America has its pros and cons, and like all countries it has enough to improve on. Without getting political, it is clear to me: America’s biggest challenge is its bread. All bread available in the average store is processed, plain, and dense. Creativity is absent. When cooking or baking, people often say: “The most important ingredient is love”. The loafs I have observed in my time here, make me wonder whether the concept of love is known in the US at all. Only on your lucky day you might find some bread with an actual crust; however, do not get your hopes up. In the rare event of bread having a solid crust in the US, this always corrupts the soft texture inside. Taking a chance by having a slice feels like chewing on sandstone. It seems like America’s bakers are either scared of yeast or have never heard of it.

For a country that has the most Olympic medals in history, it is a good thing baking bread is not currently an Olympic event. France has the Baguette, India has Naans and Mexico has Tortillas. Safe to say, countries all over the world would bring their A-game. Currently, team USA would not even qualify for this epic battle of man and dough! When the Netherlands has the honor of hosting the Olympics again, somewhere in the future, my people are going to do everything in their power to make baking an Olympic sport. Therefore, let this be a wake-up call. Americans seriously need to step up their bread-baking game.

To give back to the country that has welcomed me with open arms, I am willing to give America a little insight into the Dutch kitchen, kickstarting the national rise of authentic bread. Pull out a pen, fasten your seatbelt, and get ready for a baking crash course: First add 9 ounces of lukewarm water to a bowl with 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of yeast. Add a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon of butter. Knead into a ball, until reaching a smooth, consistent texture. In a sealed bowl, let the dough sit in the fridge for 90 minutes. Remember, even though the American philosophy is to go bigger and faster, this part is absolutely critical. Not rushing it and letting the yeast do its job, is the difference between an American attempt, and a Dutch success. Preheat your oven, bake at 395 degrees for 25 minutes, et voilà: Your little steaming ball of happiness is ready. 

I believe bread can teach us a lesson: The best things in life require a little effort. The easiest or most efficient solution is not always the best one. Baking shows us that taking the time to create and doing some manual labor, sometimes yields infinitely better results than the faster process with machines. I hope this lesson slowly spreads through the nation. Then I might be able to one day enjoy a slice of authentic American bread. In the meantime, I will survive the American breakfasts. The experience and opportunities being a student in the United States give me, are worth a daily 8am sacrifice. However, the next time I fly home, I will raid my mom’s bread shelve, and enjoy an absolute feast, making up for the loaves lost.

About Jonathan van Lien

Jonathan is a sophomore from the Netherlands. His passion for track and field brought him to MMU, where he competes in the Decathlon. When he's not in class or at practice, he enjoys playing volleyball and frisbee golf, and sharing the gospel wherever he goes.