Bread, The Mighty Food
Bread is a staple food made from a flour and water dough…
….that is baked. It has been a popular food in many parts…
…of the world since recorded history.
It is one of the oldest human-made foods, having been important…
….since the dawn of agriculture and playing an important role…
…in both religious and secular rituals.
Natural microbes, chemicals, industrially produced yeast…
…or high-pressure aeration, which creates the gas bubbles that fluff up bread…
…can all be used to leaven bread. Commercial bread contains additives…
…to improve flavor, texture, color, shelf life, nutrition, and ease of production…
….in many countries.
The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.”
M.F.K. Fischer, American Writer
Here’s the main thing!
Bread: The Extraordinary Fate Of An Ordinary Food Item
Today, we’ll discuss a food that has been a part of our culture for over 10,000 years!
It may seem unbelievable, but the origins of bread can be traced back to flours…
…made from wild cereals, forerunners of the domesticated monocoque wheat…
…(first barley, millet and rye, then spelt and wheat). Bread is a universal food…
…there is no country in the world today that does not have some…
…form of bread in its culinary tradition. Bread has been a symbol of culture…
…history, and anthropology, of hunger and wealth, of war and peace…
…from Mesopotamia to the tables of the entire world. This seemingly simple food…
…not only has a history that has merged with that of civilizations…
….but it has also been a staple food and essential for people’s survival.
Sacred bread, secular bread, ordinary bread, daily bread, and bread…
…as a great metaphor for humanity are just a few of the meanings attributed to it.
Don’t stop reading!
Who Invented Bread?
The origins of bread have been investigated by a number of archaeologists…
…. anthropologists, and historians. The findings of the Natufi era discovered…
….during excavations at Shubayqa, an archaeological site in north-east Jordan…
…discovered in the 1990s, have been the focus of a team of researchers…
…from the universities of Copenhagen, London, and Cambridge in recent years.
Excavations have uncovered the traces of Natufi culture communities…
…who built small villages that served as base camps for residents…
…who returned on a regular basis. Bread was first made fourteen thousand years ago…
…four millennia before agriculture began, according to the remains of a hearth.
At least 24 of the 642 food fragments discovered are thought…
…to be breadcrumbs, according to the findings, which were recently published…
….in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Shubayqa’s bread…
…had to be flat, a little burned, and very protein-rich, similar to…
…a primitive Middle Eastern Pita. Our forefathers did not yet understand..
…the principles of leavening, but their recipe was far from foolproof.
Cereals (the ancestors of domesticated wheat, barley and wild wheat seeds)…
…were broken, shelled, crushed, and sieved. This flour was then combined…
…with water to make a dough that could be baked over embers or hot stones.
Because of this complexity, we consider the need to “design” foods…
…that are more nutritious and easier to preserve than those found in nature.
Thus, more than a simple recipe is preserved in the history of this food…
…and bread is a true symbol of human ingenuity. Wheat processing techniques…
…were a path to evolution and civilization for man. Man has learned to improve…
…his product from the primordial pullets of hand-ground cereal seeds…
…stone by stone, mixed with water, and cooked over an open fire.
The two great civilizations of the fertile Crescent, the Sumerians in Mesopotamia…
…and Ancient Egypt, each wrote a fundamental chapter in this agricultural…
…technological, and gastronomic process.
Keep Going!
Bread as Base of The Social Contract
Bread was a staple food for a large portion of the population…
…during the Roman Empire and the emperor had to ensure…
…that it was available to all. The obligation of the wealthiest..
…to give gifts to the community is known as evergetism…
…a term coined by historian André Boulanger. For example…
…the gradilis was a bread distributed to the people during amphitheatre games…
…to honor the demagogic promise to distribute bread…
…and fun to the people(Panem et circenses). There was a specific law, the edict…
…in Roman times that established that wheat bread was healthier and preferable…
…to the type of polenta (puls) and other cereal mixtures in use…
….and that it was permissible to buy wheat in public barns at a lower price…
…than the market price.
What else?
The Importance of Bread:
Over the centuries, bread has been an important staple food in many cultures.
The Bible refers to it as the “staff of life.” Since the Neolithic era, when cereals..
…were crushed and mixed with water to form a thick paste that could be cooked over…
…an open fire, humans have consumed some form of bread. To remove…
…the inedible outer husks and turn the resulting grain into palatable…
…and versatile food, stone mechanisms were used to smash and grind various cereals.
Bread can be served in a variety of ways at any meal of the day, as a snack…
…or as a component in other culinary preparations. Bread has evolved…
…into a fixture in religious rituals, secular cultural life, and language around…
…the world as a basic food.
Here’s the thing…
Types of bread
Sourdough Bread
Sourdough relies on naturally occurring wild yeasts rather than packaged yeast.
You’ll need a sourdough starter to make sourdough, but the extra effort…
….is well worth it when you bite into that tangy, chewy slice.
Go on…
Egg Bread
Because of the high proportion of eggs in the dough, challah…
…and brioche are extra rich. These breads are delicious on their own…
…no need for toppings!. Taste of Home also makes…
…a delicious batch of French toast.
Dutch-Oven Bread
You have more options than a standard loaf pan when it comes to baking bread.
Cast-iron skillets and oven-safe dutch ovens are excellent bread vessels.
We also like this pan, which was created by bread bakers for bread bakers.
Keep going…
French Bread
While there are many types of French bread , some of the most popular…
…kinds like baguettes and boules have an extremely crusty exterior…
…and a chewy crumb, making them perfect for tearing, dipping…
…or slathering with butter. It’s not uncommon for these breads…
…to require a lengthy preparation process.
Italian Bread
Italian breads are especially delicious fresh out of the oven…
…because they are super soft and have a light, chewy crust. There are…
…many different types of Italian bread, but this one goes well…
…with your favorite Italian pasta dishes or just a pat of butter.
Beer Bread
Beer bread uses the fizzy fermentation of your favorite brew instead of yeast.
It’s frequently flavored with additional ingredients such as cheeses, herbs, or honey.
Don’t stop, its not over yet!
Fruited Yeast Bread
For holidays, many cultures make special-occasion breads. The loaves…
…may be jam-packed with dried fruits, citrus zests, and nuts…
…and they are certainly deserving of a toast. Another impressive holiday bread…
…to try is this twisted star bread.
Soda Bread
Ireland is often associated with soda bread. It’s a quick bread that only rises…
…with baking soda. The result is a dense, moist, and hearty loaf…
…if you want to lighten it up a bit, add some baking powder…
…but don’t let your Irish forefathers catch you!
Breadsticks
Breadsticks are a delicious side dish for an Italian meal, whether they’re soft…
…and pillowy or thin and crunchy. For a quick appetizer, combine them…
…with your favorite marinara sauce.
Dinner Rolls
White flour is used in traditional dinner rolls to give them a soft, pillowy texture…
…that goes well with meats, soups, and stews. There are also variations made…
…with wheat flour, herbs, spices, cheese, and a variety of other ingredients.
Crescent Rolls
Crescent rolls, like dinner rolls, are meant to be served alongside your favorite meal.
They’re made with a soft, fluffy dough that’s cut and rolled into an accordion shape.
Bagels
Cream cheese, please! Bagels are a morning staple characterized by a dense…
…chewy bite. They’re ideal for making sandwiches or slathering with spreads.
A bagel, also spelled beigel historically, is a bread product that originated…
…in Poland’s Jewish communities. It is traditionally made by hand…
…into the shape of a ring from yeasted wheat dough that is roughly hand-sized…
…boiled briefly in water, and then baked.
Last but not least…
Cornbread
Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal that is associated…
…with Southern American cuisine and has Native American origins.
The bread is unique thanks to its reliance on cornmeal, giving it an almost gritty…
…and super-absorbent texture. Cornbread can be baked, fried, or steamed…
but its very rarely found. Steamed cornbread is mushier, chewier…
…and more resembling cornmeal pudding than traditional cornbread.
Cornbread can be made into corn cakes by baking it.
Keep reading!
Articles All About Breads For You!
Choose The Best Bread For Grilled Cheese
To make a sophisticated nuanced, grown-up grilled cheese, you’ll need something…
…a little tougher than white bread. The most fundamentally satisfying of all foods…
…is good bread, and good bread with fresh butter is the greatest of feasts.
Knead Bread Dough in The KitchenAid Mixer? Is It Fast?
KitchenAid mixer is becoming a more important and useful tool in your kitchen.
Food processing, meat grinding, grilling, pasta production, kneading bread…
….and a variety of other KitchenAid mixer functions are all possible with this mixer.
Don’t hesitate to read this article to learn more about it!
Can You Bake Banana Bread in Glass?
Yes, banana bread can be baked in a glass loaf pan. In a glass loaf pan…
….a delicious banana bread recipe can be baked. If you’re not careful, however…
…your bread will come out dark on the sides. When baked in glass loaf pans…
…banana bread often turns out darker than usual. Don’t hesitate to read this article…
….to learn more about it!
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
