The History of Bread: Origins, Social Status and Types
The history of bread stretches back 10,000 to 12,000 years to Mesopotamia and Egypt. See how it began, what its color said about class, and the main types.
Who doesn't know bread? Young or old, everyone is familiar with it. Bread is known for how easy it is to eat, and it fills the stomach, so it is no surprise that people often reach for it when hunger strikes. It is usually a breakfast staple or a snack for relaxed moments. With ever more shapes and flavors, bread never gets boring.
The History of Bread
The history of bread is said to go back 10,000 to 12,000 years. According to historical records, this flour-based food was first developed in Mesopotamia and Egypt. At the time, people simply ate wheat grains as they were. Then someone found what was considered a better way to prepare the grain: crushing it and mixing it with water into a paste. That paste was heated over a fire and then dried. This was the first bread.
Over time, the technique kept evolving into the bread we know today. Roti canai in India, pita in the Middle East and tortillas in Mexico are all examples of how bread-making developed. Some of the evidence for the history of bread can be seen in the ruins of the city of Pompeii.
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Bread as a Mark of Social Status
Bread has a very long history, and its development continues to this day. As noted above, bread was first developed in Egypt, then spread to Greece and eventually across the whole of Europe. Because of this development, wheat and bread came to carry their own meaning and social status in those days.
The color of the bread set the upper class apart from the lower class. The darker the loaf, the lower the social standing of the person eating it. This was tied to the quality of the flour. White flour was very expensive at the time, so only the upper class could afford it.
Types of Bread
As technology has advanced, so have the kinds of bread. In the past, people knew only sweet bread and plain white sandwich bread, but today there are many different types. So what kinds of bread are out there now? Here are a few of them.
- Country Bread
Country bread, better known as continental bread, is made without sugar or margarine. It is most familiar in European countries and uses only 5 main ingredients: flour, yeast, salt and water, with no improver. The crust is usually crisp and crunchy.
- Rye Bread
Rye bread gets its name because it is made from rye flour that has gone through a long fermentation of about 12 to 24 hours. To add flavor, acid is usually added to the dough, which is why it is also known as sourdough. This type of bread is best known in Germany and Italy.
- Grain Bread
Grain bread is made not from flour but from whole wheat kernels, so its texture tends to be harder.
That is the long history of bread, which has led to the many kinds of bread we have today. We hope this was useful.
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