Sourdough Bread Artist, Stylist and Photographer

Linda first caught our eye with her amazing instagram account where she shares the loaves of bread that she's baked that are more like works of art. She even once made a loaf inspired by Partnership Editions' artists.

Linda and her sommelier husband Mattias live with their 12-year old son Reuben in a bohemian home on the island Stora Essingen in Stockholm. 

Tell us about yourself and where you’re from. 

My upbringing in the Stockholm archipelago has contributed to my interest in the beauty of nature. To capture the beauty, I started photography early.

At the age of 25, I was offered the opportunity to work at Bukowski's auction house, one of the leading auction houses in Europe. There I was given the opportunity to work daily with what I loved, and develop my passion for art, design, antiques and visual communication. I stayed there for 15 years.

Art and culture has always tickled my mind and been a big part of my life since early age. I love all different types of art, especially the art that affects the viewer, creates reaction, inspires and evokes emotions.

We are captivated by your bread creations, which are more like works of art - how did this all begin? 

When I realised that I couldn't eat bread because of gluten intolerance, I started looking for other alternatives because I love bread in all forms.

Our 12 year-old son Reuben loves to bake with me. One day he wanted to try cutting the bread and he got creative. Children are totally free in their thinking and often do everything without inhibitions and the result was something completely different from what I had created before. I had made an effort to make the bread beautiful and pretty while his goal was to give the bread a face, life and a personality.

The magic lies in creating a beautiful and healthy food that contains four simple ingredients: water, flour, air and time which largely provides all the nutrition we need.

Today my family and friends enjoy personal beautiful stone-age bread that when we break, all our senses are opened and everyone feels good about it.

Which artists inspire you the most?

I love art from all eras and can be inspired by art from the ancient times, Picasso, Matisse, Helene Schjerfbeck, Carl and Karin Larsson to more contemporary artist or even children's drawing.

Which artists do you collect?

I am a collector but not in the sense that I have to have something from a special artist, usually it is "Love at first sight" that makes me buy or save for art.

What’s your lockdown routine?

I am a morning person and always wake up before everyone in the family, around 7 o'clock.

Love quiet lonely mornings and always start with breakfast, tea, sourdough bread with marmalade or honey, reading the news in the old school paper. After breakfast, I practice yoga for 20 minutes every morning through national TV. Simple and unpretentious.

Then I start a sourdough if the bread starts to run out or I sit down with my computer I live on an island and often take a walk around it every day.​​

Which restaurants do you miss the most?

 In Sweden, many restaurants have been open under lockdown and even exclusive restaurants have started with take-away offerings. So we have been able to enjoy good food but we have mostly been eating it at home… Sadly many restaurants did not manage to stay alive after Corona and had to totally shut down, but we all are trying to support our locals.

What are your tips for baking at home?

Just start! It's easy, I’m not into complicated recipes, so this is really something that everybody can do. The only thing you need is actually water, flour and salt.

If you don’t have the patience to make your own sourdough just go to the nearest small bakery and ask for some starter, they usually give it away, at least here in Sweden.

The most important thing though is that the sourdough is vibrant. I usually pour everything out and feed the sourdough starter around 5-6 hours before baking. 

The first thing you’ll do when Lockdown is over?

Going out to my parents with a lot of gifts and flowers and cooking together. I also long to meet my friends, go to art museums and flea markets.

Linda's Sourdough Recipe:

Ingredients:

550 g lukewarm water

25 g honey 

25 g unrefined sea salt

300 g sourdough starter

Around 800 g organic Dinkel flour 

Method:

Start with mixing with water, salt, honey and sourdough in a big bowl.
(It’s really important that the sourdough is vibrant)

Pour in the flour and stir a little sloppy for half a minute. This is called ”autolyse”

Let it rest under a kitchen towel half an hour. 

Start to fold it a minute. (Google how to fold a sourdough)

Let it rest one hour and fold it again, let it rest between 30 min to an hour. 

Depending on the temperature in your kitchen it can now be ready to put in a 
banneton (bread basket) 

Time to ferment in the refrigerator (around 5 degrees) for at least 12 hours. This process is very important.

The next day or after 12-24 hours it’s time to bake the bread. Turn the oven on 250-275 degrees. This is always difficult to say exactly so you have to try your oven. 

Take out the bread from the fridge and turn it around on a plate with baking sheet paper. If you want to make a pattern put som flour on the bread and use a super thin bread scoring lame.

Now it’s time to put it in the oven. Around 30-45 min, when it’s 96-98 degrees inside it’s ready.

Let the bread cool down and rest on a rack before cutting. You can do it!!