The history of bread goes back at least 30,000 years. The first bread produced was probably cooked versions of a grain-paste, made from roasted and ground cereal grains and water, and may have been developed by accidental cooking or deliberate experimentation with water and water. The first bread produced was probably cooked versions of a grain-paste, made from roasted and ground cereal grains and water, and may have been developed by accidental cooking or deliberate experimentation with water and grain flour. Descendants of this early bread are still commonly made from various grains in many parts of the world, including lavashs, taboons, sangaks, Mexican tortilla, Indian chapatis, and other grains. Mexican tortilla, Indian chapatis, rotis and naans, Scottish oatcake, North American johnnycake, Middle Eastern pita, and Ethiopian injera. Flat bread of these types also formed a staple bread that was used to make the bread. bread of these types also formed a staple in the diet of many early civilizations with the Sumerians eating a type of barley flat cake, and the 12th century BC Egyptians being able to purchase a flat bread called ta from stalls in the village streets. The ritual bread in ancient Greek offerings to the chthonic gods , known as psadista was made of fine flour, oil and wine.

Prehistory

The earliest archaeological evidence for flour, which was likely The earliest archaeological evidence for flour, which was likely processed into an unleavened bread, dates to the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe, around 30,000 years ago.[3] During this period of human history cereals During this period of human history cereals constituted just one of many food sources exploited by hunting and gathering;[4] palaeolithic European diets were based mainly on animal proteins and fats.[3] Ceremonies were held in the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe, around 30,000 years ago. fats.[3] Cereals and bread became a staple food during the Neolithic, around 10,000 years ago, when wheat and barley were among the first plants to be domesticated in the Fertile Cretaceous region. Wheat-based agriculture spread from Southwest Asia to Europe, North Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. In other parts of the world cereals such as wheat, barley and barley were the first plants to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. parts of the world cereals such as rice (East Asia), maize (the Americas) and sorghum (sub-Saharan Africa), which are also sometimes made into bread, were independently domesticated and formed the basis of the Fertile Crescent. independently domesticated and formed the basis of alternative agricultural systems.[5] Around the world, the shift from varied hunter-gatherer subsistence to agricultural diets based on predominantly agricultural systems has been a major challenge. Around the world, the shift from varied hunter-gatherer subsistence to agricultural diets based predominantly on a cereal staple such as wheat bread marked an important turning point in human history. in many ways nutritionally deficient compared to hunting and gathering, cereal crops allowed agricultural societies to sustain much larger populations than had previously been possible, but this was not the case. Though in many ways nutritionally deficient compared to hunting and gathering, cereal crops allowed agricultural societies to sustain much larger populations than had previously been possible, which in turn led to greater economic specialization, social complexity and eventually the rise of civilized states. civilised states.[6]

The development of leavened bread can also probably be traced to prehistoric times. Yeast spores occur everywhere, including the surface of cereal grains. Yeast spores occur everywhere, including the surface of cereal grains, so any dough left to rest will become naturally leavened.[7] Although leavening is likely of prehistoric origin, the earliest archaeological evidence suggests that it is not. Although leavening is likely of prehistoric origin, the earliest archaeological evidence is from ancient Egypt. Scanning electron microscopy has detected yeast cells in some ancient Egyptian loaves. However, ancient Egyptian bread was made from emmer wheat and has a dense crumb. In cases where yeast cells are not visible, it is difficult, by visual examination, to determine whether the bread was made from emmer wheat. In cases where yeast cells are not visible, it is difficult, by visual examination, to determine whether the bread was leavened. As a result, the extent to which bread was leavened in ancient Egypt remains uncertain.[8]

The importance of bread in the formation of early human societies cannot be overstated. From the western half of Asia, where wheat was domesticated, cultivation spread north and west, to Europe and North Africa, and enabled humans to become farmers rather than hunters and foragers. This in turn led to the formation of towns, as opposed to the nomadic lifestyle, and gave rise to more and more sophisticated forms of societal organization. Similar developments occurred in easterm Asia, centered on rice, and in the Americas with maize.

[edit] Antiquity

There were multiple sources of Airborne yeasts could be harnessed by leaving uncooked dough exposed to air for some time before cooking. Pliny the Elder reported that the Gauls had been exposed to air for some time before cooking. Elder reported that the Gauls and Iberians used the foam skimmed from beer to produce "a lighter kind of bread than other peoples. Parts of the ancient world that drank wine instead of beer used a paste composed of grape must and flour that was allowed to begin fermenting, or wheat bran steeped in wine, as a source for yeast. The most common source of leavening however was to retain a piece of dough from the previous day to utilize as a form of sourdough starter.[ 9]

The idea of a free-standing oven that could be pre-heated, with a door for access, appears to have been a Greek one.[10]

Even in antiquity In ancient times the Greek bread was barley bread: Solon declared that wheaten bread might only be baked for feast days. By the 5th century bread could be purchased in Athens from a baker's shop, and in Rome, Greek bakers appeared in the 2nd century BC, as Hellenized Asia Minor was added to Roman dominion as the province of Asia;[11] the foreign bakers of bread were permitted to form a collegium In the Deipnosophistae, the author In the Deipnosophistae, the author Athenaeus (c.A.D. 170-c. 230) describes some of the bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries available in the Classical world.[12] Among the breads mentioned are griddle cakes, honey-and-cookies, and pastries. mentioned are griddle cakes, honey-and-oil bread, mushroom-shaped loaves covered in poppy seeds, and the military specialty of rolls baked on a spit. The type and quality of flours used to produce bread could also vary, as noted by Diphilus when he declared "bread made of wheat, as compared with that made of barley, is more nourishing, as the bread is made of wheat, and the bread is made of barley. barley, is more nourishing, more digestible, and in every way superior." In order of merit, the bread made from refined [thoroughly sieved] flour comes In order of merit, the bread made from refined [thoroughly sieved] flour comes first, after that bread from ordinary wheat, and then the unbolted, made of flour that has not been sifted."[13] The essentiality of bread in the diet was reflected in the name for the rest of the diet. reflected in the name for the rest of the meal: ópson, "condiment", i.e. bread's accompaniment, whatever it might be.[14]

[edit] Middle Ages

Peasants sharing bread, from the Livre du roi Modus et de la reine Ratio, France, 14th century. (Bibliothèque nationale)

In medieval Europe, bread served not only as a staple, but also as an ingredient in the diet. In the standard table setting of the day the trencher, a piece of stale bread roughly 6 inches by 4 inches was served. In the standard table setting of the day the trencher, a piece of stale bread roughly 6 inches by 4 inches (15 cm by 10 cm), served as an absorbent plate. At the completion of a meal the trencher could then be eaten, given to the poor, or fed to the dogs. It was not until the 15th century that trenchers made of wood started to replace the bread variety.[15]

[edit] Modern era

The industrialization of bread-baking was a formative step in the creation of the modern world.[16] Otto Frederick Rohwedder is considered to be the father of sliced bread. In 1912 Rohwedder started work on inventing a machine that sliced bread, but bakeries were reluctant to use it since they were concerned that the sliced bread would go to a different level. It was not until 1928, when Rohwedder invented a machine that both sliced and wrapped the bread, that sliced bread caught on. A bakery in Chillicothe, Missouri was the first to use this machine to produce sliced bread.

For generations, white bread was the

For generations, white bread was the preferred bread of the rich while the poor ate dark (whole grain) bread. However, in most western societies, the connotations reversed in the late 20th century, with whole grain bread becoming preferred as having superior nutritional value while white bread became associated with lower-class ignorance of nutrition. ignorance of nutrition.[17]

Another major advance happened in 1961 with the development of the Chorleywood Bread Process which used the intense Another major advance happened in 1961 with the development of the Chorleywood Bread Process which used the intense mechanical working of dough to dramatically reduce the fermentation period and the time taken to produce a loaf. The process, whose high-energy mixing allows for the use of inferior grain, is now widely used around the world in large factories. In total contrast, traditional breadmaking as seen for example in French bakery, is extremely time-consuming, as the dough is mixed with yeast and requires several cycles of kneading and resting in order to become ready for baking, and to produce the desired flavor and texture.

More recently, and especially in smaller retail bakeries, chemical More recently, and especially in smaller retail bakeries, chemical additives are used that both speed up mixing time and reduce necessary fermentation time, so that a batch of bread may be mixed, made up, risen, and baked in less than 3 hours. Dough that does not require fermentation because of chemical additives is called "no-time bread" by commercial bakers. Common additives include reducing agents such as L-cysteine or sodium metabisulfite, and oxidants such as potassium bromate or ascorbic acid.[18] Often these chemicals are added to dough in the form of a "no-time bread". Often these chemicals are added to dough in the form of a prepackaged base, which also contains most or all of the dough's non-flour ingredients. Using such bases and sophisticated chemistry, it has been possible for commercial bakers to make imitations of artisan and sourdough breads, traditionally made by semi- skilled labor working in smaller shops. skilled labor working in smaller shops.

Recently, domestic breadmakers that automate the process of making bread have become popular in the home

History of bread

The history of bread dates back at least 30,000 years. The first breads produced were probably cooked grain-pasted versions, made from toasted and ground grains and water, and may have been developed by accidental cooking or deliberate experimentation with flour and water and grain. Descendants of this early bread are still commonly made from a variety of grains in many parts of the world, including lavashs, taboons, sangaks, Mexican tortillas, Indian chapatis, rotis, and naans, Scottish oatmeal cakes, North American chonek, Middle Eastern pita, and Ethiopian injera. Types of units of bread These also formed a staple food in the diets of many early civilizations The Sumerians ate a cake-type barley basically flat, while the Egyptians in the 12th century BC were able to buy bread named Street a unit from stalls up to the village in. [ 1]In the ritual breads of ancient Greece offered to the Shining God, psadista was known to be made with fine flour, oil, and wine. [2]

Prehistory

The earliest archaeological evidence of flour, which was probably unleavened and processed into bread, dates from the Late Paleolithic period in Europe , about 30,000 years ago. [3] During this period, grains constituted much of human history and were just utilized for procuring food and hunting gatherings; [4] the European Paleolithic diet was based primarily on animal proteins and fats. [3] Cereals and bread became staple foods during the Neolithic period, about 10,000 years ago, when wheat and barley plants were first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. Wheat-dominated, southwestern agriculture spread to Europe, North America, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. In other parts of the world grains such as rice (East Asia), maize (Americas) and sorghum (sub-Saharan Africa), which is sometimes also made into bread, were domesticated independently, forming the basis of a systematic alternative agriculture. [ 5] Around the world, the shift from different livelihoods of hunter-gatherers to agriculture marked an important turning point in human history when a major feed grain, such as wheat staple bread, marked the spot. Although in many ways nutritionally deficient compared to hunter-gatherer societies, cereal crops allowed agricultural populations to sustain larger populations than was originally possible, thus bringing about greater economic specialization, social sophistication, and ultimately the rise of civilized nations. [6]

The development of leavened bread also likely dates back to prehistoric times. Yeast spores occur everywhere, including on the surface of grains, so the rest of any dough left will become naturally leavened. [7] While puffing may be of prehistoric origin, the earliest archaeological evidence is from ancient Egypt. Scanning electron microscopy detected Egyptian bread yeast cells in some ancient. However, ancient Egyptian bread was made from durum wheat, which has dense crumbs. In cases where the yeast cells are not visible, it is difficult to determine whether the bread is leavened by visual inspection. Thus, the extent to which ancient leavened bread was made in Egypt remains unclear. [8]

The importance of bread in the formation of early human society cannot be overemphasized. From Asia, where wheat was domesticated, cultivation spread north and west, and the western half to Europe and North Africa, as well as enabling humans to become hunters and foragers rather than farmers. This in turn led to the formation of towns and cities, which gave rise to complex forms of increasing social organization as opposed to the nomadic way of life. Similar developments occurred in the lower and middle regions, concentrating on rice , and in the Americas with corn .

Ancient

There were early fermented breads available from several sources. Yeast could be exploited by leaving the raw dough exposed to air for a period of time before cooking. Pliny the Elder reported that the foam used to produce beer in Gaul and Iberia skimmed off "one lighter than other kinds of bread." In various parts of the ancient world, drinking wine instead of beer consisted of a paste made with grape juice and flour allowed to begin fermenting, or bran steeped in wine yeast, as a source. However, most of the prevailing sources of puffing were to be retained days before a piece of dough was utilized as a form of yeast starter . [9] Ideally, a separate oven can be pre-heated, and an Access on the door seems to have been a Greek one. [10]

Even in antiquity there was a wide variety of breads. In ancient Greece barley bread, bread was: Thoreau declared that the baking of wheat bread could be a feast for only a few days. By the 5th century AD bread could be purchased in a bakery store in Athens, and in Rome, Greek bakers appeared in the 2nd century BC, as Hellenized Asia Minor joined the ruling Roman sub-province ; [11] bakers of foreign bread were allowed to form a collegium in the Deipnosophistae, as described by the author Athenaeus (cad170-c. 230) some of the classics of bread, cakes, cookies and pastries existing in the world. [12] Among them are mentioned breads of skillet cakes, honey and oil breads, poppy-seed-covered mushroom-shaped cakes, rolls on a toasted spit military specialty. Different types and qualities were also used in the production of bread flour can, as noted by Diphilus when he declared that "bread made of wheat, as compared with barley, is now superior in every respect to that made of barley, being more nourishing and digestible." In the Medal of, Bread made of bread is more moist and more digestible. " In the medallions, bread made of flour refined [thoroughly sifted] above all else, and after this, bread made from common wheat, and then ungated, made of flour not yet sifted." [13] Diet. " [13] The necessity of bread in the diet is reflected in the name of the meal for the rest: ópson, "condiment," i.e., an accompaniment to the bread, whatever it may be. [14]

Medieval

Peasants shared the bread, from the ROI of the crime, etc. Livre du Raine de la Rabe , France, 14th century. (Bibliothèque Nationale)

In medieval Europe, bread served not only as a staple food, but also as part of the service of the table. On standard table days a trencher was established, a piece of dry bread about 6 inches by 4 inches (15 centimeters by 10 centimeters) absorbed by the plate, served over. At the end of a meal the ditch digger could then be eaten, given to the poor, or fed to the dogs. But it was not until the 15th century that trencher made of wood began to replace the bread variety. [15]

Modern Era

The industrialization of baked bread is a world. The gradual formation of modern creations in[16] Otto von Rohwedder is considered to be the father of sliced bread . In 1912 Rohwedder began work on inventing a machine for slicing bread, but bakeries were reluctant to use it because they were concerned that the sliced bread would go stale. It wasn't until 1928 that Rohwedder invented the two sliced and packaged breads, which were captured on the bread slicer. Achille's Cosy Bakery, Missouri was the first to use this machine to produce sliced bread.

For generations, white bread was preferred in abundance while the poor ate bread rye (whole wheat) bread. However, in most Western societies the connotation of bread was reversed in the late 20th century, with whole wheat becoming preferred because of its excellent nutritional value, while white bread became nutritious with ignorance of the lower classes. [17]

Another major advancement with occurred in 1961 with the development of the process of Chorleywood Bread in which the dough is produced with intense mechanical processing that greatly reduces the fermentation cycle and the time required for the bread to be produced. This process, with its high-energy mix used to make inferior grains, is now widely used around the world in large factories. In complete contrast, traditional bread, as seen in the example of French bakeries, is very time-consuming because the dough is mixed with yeast and kneaded and rests for several cycles before it becomes ready to bake and produce the desired flavor and texture.

Recently, especially in smaller retail bakeries, chemical additives are being used to speed up both times, reducing the time necessary to mix the leavening, thus allowing breads, which can be mixed in batches, sub-batches, risen, and baked in a couple of hours to less than 3. Doughs, which don't need to be because of what is known as the "no time bread", are made by the commercial Bakers chemical additives. Fermentation. Common additives include: reducing agents such as L-cysteine or sodium metabisulfite, and as oxidizing agents such as potassium bromate or ascorbic acid. [18] Typically, these chemicals are added to the dough in a prepackaged base form, which also contains most or all of the non-flour components of the dough. Using such a base and advanced chemistry, it is possible for commercial becks to make bread that is traditionally made by semi-skilled laborers working in small stores by artisans and yeast to imitate.

Recently, the automation of the process of domestic bread machines, bread making has become a popular home.