Life in Northern Europe | Fermented Buckwheat Bread, Homemade Almond Mylk, Organic Bulk Food Order

In this video, I savor the last remnants of warmer weather while welcoming the inevitable arrival of rain and cold. As the months of darkness approach, I make myself cozy at home with a crackling fire and the soft glow of candles. I bake a fermented buckwheat bread and make almond milk. This is a glimpse into my life in Northern Europe.

Mixing bowl I used (Amazon DE): https://amzn.to/3toslaE
Ceramic houses (Amazon DE): https://amzn.to/46HCCNk

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Beautiful autumn in Estonia
01:32 Daily chores & preparation for buckwheat bread
04:53 Organic bulk food order
05:45 Fermented buckwheat bread
08:14 Homemade almond mylk
10:28 End results

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The days are getting shorter every day in the Northern regions, so it’s important for me to make the most of the daylight as much as possible. Also, incorporating movement into my daily routine is an essential part of my life. Combining it with nature feels like medicine for the soul and body.

While I do enjoy occasional weight training, yoga, and riding a bicycle, simple walking is what I love the most. I’m going to make a gluten-free fermented buckwheat bread, and it’s a two-day process. First, I soak 400g of raw buckwheat kernels in 500g of water for 6 hours.

In the colder months, heating the house with wood is a daily chore of mine. As of now, we can get away with one fire per day, but in the winter, we may need to make a fire several times a day, as temperatures can drop as low as -30°C. Back to my buckwheat bread.

After 6 hours of soaking, I blend the kernels and water into a smooth mixture using a stick blender. Now that the fireplace is heated up, I place the mixture on top of the fireplace to allow fermentation to begin. I let it sit there for approximately 12 hours, usually overnight.

It’s a new day! I’ve just picked up a heavy parcel from the self-service locker. I ordered some organic almonds, cacao nibs, hulled hemp seeds and cacao mass. I’m excited to use the cacao mass for making homemade dark chocolate. This evening, I’m baking the buckwheat bread.

Usually, I allow it to ferment for approximately 12 hours, but due to previous engagements, it has now fermented for 24 hours! The smell is definitely a bit funcky 😀 But it’s all good. I’m adding 1 tsp of salt, 2 tbsp of sugar, 150g of various seeds, and 2 tbsp of caraway seeds.

I don’t have various seeds other than hulled hemp seeds, so I’m using these, but I would prefer to use sunflower and pumpkin seeds. The caraway seeds give buckwheat bread a genuine ‘Nordic bread taste’; otherwise, in my opinion, the flavor might be somewhat unusual. I transfer the mixture into an ovenproof dish.

I bake it at 175°C for 60-75 minutes, until it’s lightly browned and has a cracked top. While the bread is in the oven, I’ll start making homemade almond milk. I usually soak almonds for hours in advance, but today I forgot.

I’m going with the ‘fast method,’ which involves soaking almonds in hot water for about 15 minutes or so. The regular version, where you soak them in cold water for hours, is probably better, but I don’t have the time anymore. I soak 1 cup of almonds in hot water for 15 minutes.

Then, after rinsing, I add the almonds, 3 cups of cold water, a touch of sweetener, and a pinch of sea salt to a tall container. If I’m being completely honest, I’ve never really measured almonds or other ingredients in my almond milk, but for the sake of this video, I’ve added some measurements! 😀

I blend everything together until smooth. I typically use my Vitamix, but since it’s in Finland, I use my stick blender, which works exceptionally well! I strain the mixture through a bag I purchased from a health food store. It’s meant for fruits and veggies, but it works perfectly for this purpose.

Alternatively, one could use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. I store it in the fridge up to 3 days. My bread is ready! I leave it to cool down. I’m going to Pärnu next week to do my internship in a local hospital.

I am taking this bread with me, because I need to live in a shared accommodation with a shared kitchen, so I have a feeling I’m going to eat a lot of sandwiches during those weeks! 😀