The History of Bread
Bread is one of the most popular foods in the UK, and it has been around for thousands of years. Wheat has been used to make bread throughout the ages, but many other foods, such as rice, potatoes, and cereals, have also come from the land we eat from.
Ireland
The earliest evidence of bread making in Ireland dates back to the Stone Age, when bread was baked on a baking stone over an open fire. Later, during the Iron Age, the baking stone was replaced by an iron griddle, which was used for traditional soda bread well into the twentieth century.
Egypt
Grain was stored in special houses and crushed with a pestle and mortar before being mixed with milk, honey, and various fruits to produce various loaves for various occasions.
The Romans
They made leaven (raising agent) from millet and bran moistened with water and kneaded with mold from wine and beer. The Romans cultivated many varieties of wheat and discovered that grain could be ground more efficiently between two circular stonesu2013 one rotating and one stationary.
The Normans
The Normans encouraged the use of wheat for bread making after their invasion of Britain in 1066, and large ovens were built into their castle walls that were used by the entire community. Some loaves were large and flat, and were used as plates, while others were known as trencher loaves.
The Middle Age
Bakers’ guilds were formed to protect the interests of their members and to establish trade regulations, such as the weight and price of bread. As towns and cities grew in size, bakeries gradually opened for business.
10th-15th Century
Modern bakeries produce various types of bread, mostly sliced and wrapped, and a wide range of bread products are now available, including Vienna rolls, French baguettes, Pita bread, and so on. Today, our tastes in bread are influenced by foreign travel.
When did wheat bread come out?
At the archaeological site of Shubayqa 1 in Jordan’s Black Desert, charred crumbs of a flatbread made by Natufian hunter-gatherers from wild wheat, wild barley, and plant roots between 14,600 and 11,600 years ago have been discovered, thousands of years before the earliest known making of bread from cultivated wheat.
What bread originated Ireland?
While soda bread is most commonly associated with Ireland, it was invented by Native Americans, who were the first to use pearl ash, a natural form of soda formed from wood ashes, to leaven their bread without yeast.
When did people first start eating bread?
The 14,000-year-old crumbs suggest that ancient tribes were quite adept at food-making techniques, and that they developed them earlier than we had given them credit for. According to accepted archaeological doctrine, humans first began baking bread around 10,000 years ago, which was a critical period in our evolution.
What bread tastes like 4000 years ago?
A self-described “bread nerd” created a sourdough loaf using yeast extracted from 4,000-year-old artifacts. “The aroma and flavor are incredible,” he said.
Who first invented bread?
According to legend, the first bread was baked in the Middle East, specifically Egypt, in or around 8000 BC, using the quern, the first known grinding tool. Grain was crushed, and bakers produced what we now know as chapatis (India) or tortillas (Mexico).
Do they eat soda bread in Ireland?
Irish soda bread is a dense, unleavened bread made with flour, buttermilk, salt, sugar, and baking soda instead of yeast. It is filling and was introduced around the time of the Irish potato famine of 1845-1849.
What is traditional Irish food?
Irish cuisine is a cooking style that originated on the island of Ireland or was developed by Irish people, with dishes such as Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, boxty, soda bread (primarily in Ulster), coddle, and colcannon as examples.
Why do they call it Irish soda bread?
“Irish soda bread” refers to a slightly sweet white bread made with eggs and butter and studded with raisins and caraway seeds in the United States; the “soda” in the name refers to the baking soda (or “bread soda” in Ireland) used to leaven it instead of yeast and kneading.
Do humans need to eat bread?
Bread is relatively low in essential nutrients when compared to other foods such as fruits and vegetables; it is high in calories and carbs but low in protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals; however, the nutrient profile can vary greatly between different types of bread.
What bread did our ancestors eat?
Before white bread became ubiquitous, large numbers of “our ancestors”u2013and obviously this varies depending on which part of the world they lived inu2013started eating white bread in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
How did they make bread in the old days?
Early humans made bread by mixing crushed grains with water and spreading the mixture on stones to bake in the sun, later baking similar mixtures in hot ashes. The ancient Egyptians are credited with creating the first leavened bread, possibly by allowing a batch of dough to rise before baking.
When should you eat Irish soda bread?
Irish soda bread is a hearty, delicious baked treat that is traditionally served on St. Patrick’s Day, but it can be enjoyed year-round for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
What is traditional Irish soda bread?
This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother’s and has been passed down through the generations. It’s dense, yet soft, and has the most incredible crusty exterior.
Is sourdough bread the same as soda bread?
Sourdough uses its naturally occurring yeast, which contains lactic acid, whereas soda bread uses buttermilk, which is converted into bread through a quick chemical reaction rather than fermentation, resulting in a much milder flavor and a more biscuit-like texture.