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Rachel Khoo

The Khoo Times

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Eat/share/listen with Malin Elmlid @ The Bread Exchange (plus giveaway)

This month I had the pleasure of catching up with the lovely Malin Elmlid of the The Bread Exchange. I've always been a firm believer in the power of food to bring people together. And Malin's story of how she traveled around the world, trading bread and stories is a beautiful example of this - it really shows how the simplest things in life bind us together. For regular updates, you can follow The Bread Exchange on Facebook and Instagram - and the book is now out in Europe, you can buy it here.

Image credit Katrin Weber

(eat) my fail-safe dish...? A really good loaf of bread, served with my favourite butter whipped up with sea salt is not only fail-safe but also one of the few dishes I can eat endlessly and never get tired of. I see bread as a main course with well-paired sides, rather than a side dish eaten served with your meal. I guess that’s what happens when you find a really really good loaf of bread.

(eat) favourite restaurant/cafe/bar and why…? From experience I would answer a café from my hometown, Krusenstjernska Gården in Kalmar. It is a garden café located in the old part of the city Kalmar in Sweden. The café is not that easy to find since it is hidden behind a high wooden wall.

What I love about this place is the simplicity and closeness to the garden. There is nothing extraordinary about the food apart from that it is homemade; they make their own classic Swedish cookies and kanelbullar, and they only server filter coffee. You take your tray with you into the gated garden and sit down with your “fika” ("break") under a tree. I can stay for hours with a good book.

Image credit Fred Bschaden

(share) can't get through the day without... A walk around the block. I love to arrive somewhere and to go out for a wander. I used to take my bike everywhere, but nowadays I plan a little bit more time and try to walk as much as possible. I have realised this is one of the best ways for me to calm down, so I guess I could not do without it ☺

(share) recent inspiring find I've discovered online... I actually spend very little time online these days (apart from news and travel research) so I would rather share what I find offline. I pick up most of my food inspiration from outside the kitchen, mainly when visiting markets and dedicated producers. I love to just be outside; meeting and listening to people, and spending some extra time talking with my favourite fish shop or butcher. I really do not want to rush when I buy food.

If I could give one offline tip it would be Lotta Lundgren's latest book "Tio lektioner i matlagning" (Ten advices on cooking) which hopefully will be out in English soon - it's a really good read!

Image credit Farzana Wahidy

(listen) a tune I turn up on the radio... Anything with a heavy baseline and a beat deep enough to make me move my hips.

(listen) a quote that resonates with me... "Everything great that happened in the world first took place in someones imagination“ Astrid Lindgren.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Malin!

Giveaway alert - please note this competition is now closed.

Malin has very kindly agreed to give away two copies of her beautiful new book. For your chance to win, just post a comment below saying what your favourite bread - or dish involving bread - is and why. Bonus points for those who share the competition on your own social media channels.

The competition is open until Wednesday 22nd October, where I'll be drawing a winner. Make sure to include your email address when you comment, so I can contact you if you win. Good luck!

Please note this competition is only open to those living in Europe. 

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