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Although there's hundreds of different types of bread and
bread-making traditions throughout the world, virtually every
variety is a nutritional, inexpensive and versatile food.
As popular in times of poverty as it is in times of plenty,
bread is a universal staple.
Origins of Bread
According to ancient legend, the first loaf of bread was baked
accidentally by an Egyptian slave in about 2600 BC. The slave
was making traditional flour and water wafers, but he fell
asleep and didn't notice that the fire had gone out before
his thin, hard little cakes were baked. The dough rose overnight
and in the morning the slave was delighted to discover that
he'd made a much tastier meal than he'd meant to. Bread became
so popular amongst the ancient Egyptians that they used to
bury bread with their departed loved ones, to sustain them
on their long journey to the afterlife.
In other cultures, too, bread has had important ideological
connotations. Muslims used to believe that bread was a gift
from Allah, and it was not allowed to be sold, but only given
away. Even today bread plays a fundamental role in the Christian
Eucharist, where it symbolises the body of Christ. At the
time of Passover Jews eat only unleavened bread, to commemorate
their ancestors' flight from Egypt, which was so hasty that
there wasn't time to wait for the bread to rise.
Breads From Around the World
Many of the world’s different varieties of bread developed
due to the peculiar customs, beliefs, means and tastes of
a community. Some have proved so popular that their recipes
have spread throughout the world.
French Baguette
The baguette has come to be something of a symbol for France.
Enjoyed throughout the country with butter, jam, any one of
France's 365 varieties of cheese and a nice glass of vin rouge,
anyone who's sampled an authentic French baguette will be
well on the way to understanding the nation's obsession.
The typical two foot loaf is actually a relatively new invention.
At the beginning of the 20th century, bakers sought a way
to meet customers' demands for bread which had the maximum
amount of crust, and the elongated loaf known as a baguette
(literally 'stick') was born. Its dimensions, texture and
taste are strictly monitored to ensure that every baguette
measures up.
Though it has captured the imagination of the nation, the
baguette is certainly not the only variety of bread available
in France. Even before the days of baguettes bread had a part
to play in the country's national identity and history. Few
history scholars will be unaware of the infamous words of
Marie-Antoinette who, having been told that the peasants were
staving because they had no bread, proclaimed 'Let them eat
cake!' . Her ill-advised attitude is regarded as one of the
factors which precipitated the French Revolution.
Bagel
The invention of the small round roll known as a 'bagel' is
attributed to a Jewish baker who lived in Vienna, Austria
in 1683. The Polish King Jan Sobieski had successully protected
the people of Vienna from Turkish invaders, and the baker
wished to express his heartfelt thanks to the monarch. As
King Jan was a keen horseman, he baked him a special roll
in the shape of a riding stirrup (called beugal in his native
language).
Bagels have remained a favorite of the Jewish people since
that time, and Jewish immigrants brought bagels with them
when they settled in other countries, including America, at
the beginning of the 20th century. These days a bagel bakery
is a familiar sight on high streets in many countries.
Irish Soda Bread
Soda bread is a traditional Irish bread which has been baked
on the Emerald Isle for centuries. Ireland's climate is entirely
unsuited to the cultivation of hard wheat, from which yeast
is derived, so Irish peasants began to use baking soda instead.
Soda bread is simple to make and country folk didn’t
need to rely on commercial bakeries but could bake their own
bread at home, over a wood-fired hearth.
Over the years two main methods of making soda bread developed:
it could be baked either in the pot or on a blackstone, an
iron tray placed over the embers of the fire. Plain soda bread
is still a popular accompaniment to any meal in Ireland, but
the sweeter variety containing raisons, currants and caraway
seeds is generally reserved for tea-time.
Brioche
Brioche is another popular French bread, which is often served
with jam or a savory fillings as an accompaniment to tea or
coffee. The Parisian brioche is made by placing a small ball
of dough on top of a larger one, and the strangely shaped
roll became known as brioche a tete (literally 'head').
Some claim the bread was called brioche because it was first
baked in the town of Brie. Others assert that the first brioche
was kneaded using brie cheese. In fact, it's most likely that
it was named after the old Norman verb broyer, meaning 'to
pound', referring to the vigorous preparation of the dough.
Ciabatta
The Italians are among the world's most experimental cooks.
Almost every region has its own variety of ciabatta bread:
ciabatta from Lake Como is light with a crisp crust, in Tuscany
and Umbria it is denser and in Rome it is usually seasoned
with olive oil, salt and marjoram.
The word ciabatta comes form the Italian word for 'slipper',
referring to the shape of the bread. However, experts can't
agree on where the first ciabatta came from: some claim it
was Lake Como, others think it was Trentino and still more
maintain it was Padua. Whatever it’s origins, ciabatta
has become a popular sandwich bread or accompaniment to Italian
dishes all around the world.
Challah
Challah is traditional braided Jewish bread, which is loaded
with religious symbolism. It is baked for the Sabbath and
religious festivals (excluding Passover) throughout the year,
and is often known as egg bread, since just one loaf requires
at least half a dozen large eggs. This gives the bread a light,
slightly sweet flavour.
Strictly speaking the word challah doesn't actually refer
to the finished loaf, but to a small piece of dough which
is baked separately, then burnt to commemorate the destruction
of the Temple in Jerusalem.
There are a great many different recipes for challah. Some
cooks sprinkle the read with poppy or sesame seeds before
baking, to symbolise the manna which fell from heaven to sustain
the Israelites when they wandered in the desert. |
