Like many other Finns, Simo Kuusisto, a chef who trained at the French Culinary Institute, is devoted to his native whole-grain rye bread. He began baking it in New York, then went back to Finland to work with a master baker. Though he is still the chef at the Canadian mission to the United Nations, he and his brother, Tuomas (left), turn out their Nordic breads at night, in a bakery in Queens. They are increasing production, which stands at 2,500 breads a week, because of demand on the Internet.
The dark, rough Finnish ruis, a dense sourdough brown bread made from Finger Lakes rye, is nothing like the deli rye familiar to New Yorkers. It comes in dimpled 6-inch rounds, and a larger ring shape. The breads are best split and toasted or warmed, with butter or cheese. They keep well and can be frozen.
Nordic Breads are $4 for four small rounds or one ring bread from nordicbreads.com. In coming weeks, Dean & DeLuca markets, Schaller & Weber, the Fika Espresso Bar in Midtown and a few Whole Foods markets in Nassau County will sell them, and in April they will be at the New Amsterdam Market in the South Street Seaport.
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