🌹 Do You Know the Story Behind Sant Jordi Bread?
Alongside the iconic book and rose, another delicious symbol shines on April 23rd in Catalonia: the Sant Jordi Bread, featured in bakeries across the region. We spoke with its creator, the renowned Barcelona-based baker Eduard Crespo, and here are 5 fascinating facts about this special bread you might not know:
🥖 Created by Eduard Crespo of Fleca Balmes
The mastermind behind Sant Jordi Bread is Eduard Crespo, a celebrated artisan baker and founder of Fleca Balmes. He was awarded the Gold Medal by the Bakers’ Guild, becoming the youngest baker to ever receive such an honor. A true innovator with deep respect for traditional methods, Crespo was also among the first to work with Tritordeum flour, supporting our journey from the very beginning.
His bakery roots run deep — Fleca Balmes was founded by his grandfather in 1908, and today, Eduard’s daughter Georgina, the fourth generation, leads the family business.
🎉 Almost 40 Years Since Its Creation
Though it feels like an age-old tradition, Sant Jordi Bread was created just 35 years ago, in 1988, as a tribute to Catalonia’s patron saint. Originally intended for bakeries in the Barcelona province, it quickly gained popularity and spread across all of Catalonia.
Fun fact: Eduard Crespo, World Champion of Artistic Bread in Paris (1992), even had the Sant Jordi Bread tasted by the competition jury!
🍞 A Way to Include Bakers in Sant Jordi
Eduard’s goal was to give bakers a role in a celebration traditionally dominated by florists and pastry chefs. “It had to be symbolic, special, and convey meaning,” he recalls. While pastry chefs were already creating sweet treats, bakers needed their own expression of the day — and so, a savory bread was born.
🧪 Two Years of Testing and Refinement
Creating this iconic bread wasn’t easy. Eduard spent two years perfecting the recipe, determined to represent the Catalan flag (la senyera) with a handmade piece that wouldn’t require special molds. He also focused on accessible, natural ingredients, so any artisan baker could recreate it.
🌱 Naturally Colored — No Additives Needed
Here’s something many people don’t know: Sant Jordi Bread contains no artificial coloring! Its striking stripes are created with three flavorful natural doughs:
- 🧀 Yellow layer: Emmental cheese
- 🌶 Red layer: Sobrasada
- 🌰 Final layer: Walnut-enriched dough for structure and contrast
We’re proud to share our own Sant Jordi Bread recipe using Tritordeum flour, which naturally enhances the golden color and brings added nutrition. As Eduard himself says, Tritordeum is a perfect fit for this bread.
If you’d like to bake your own, download our Sant Jordi Bread Recipe with Tritordeum Flour and celebrate the day with even more flavor.
Happy Sant Jordi!
A day of books, roses… and unforgettable bread.
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