Bread of Life

The History of Bread

Bread, in one form or another, has been in the staple diet of man for thousands of years. Early records show that Stone Age man made solid loaves from milled barley and wheat, loaves of bread have been discovered in Egyptian tombs and the ancient Greeks and Romans both knew the importance of bread as a nutritious element of a staple diet. Although unlike today, white bread symbolised great wealth.

The Egyptians were probably the first to realise the value of cultivating wheat and baking bread as a means of feeding a lot of people cheaply and quickly. They developed a new strain of wheat that allowed for refined white bread, and isolated yeast so that they could introduce it directly to their breads. This could be called the first truly modern 'convenience' food.

Bread has a long history and is perhaps the most important item in our diet and is often referred to as 'the staff of life'.

What caused Bread to fall from Grace?

Since 1960, bread consumption has declined dramatically. Changes in wheat varieties, milling processes and industrial baking methods have all helped to make bread less popular today. There is evidence that significant numbers of people are simply unable to digest the modern breads, and actually feel unwell after eating it. What is needed is a return to traditional methods and ingredients, with proper attention to nutritional quality.

Although we are all told that cereals, especially whole grains should be a component of a balanced diet, we persist in avoiding them, or replace good wholesome grains with processed sugar coated varieties.

Industrialised Baking

The Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP) was developed in 1961 by the Flour Milling and Baking Research Association at Chorleywood, and is used to make 80% of British Bread. The process produces more bread, at a lower price. CBP differs from traditional bread making as it uses three or four times more yeast, chemical additives and enzymes and reduces the fermentation time to almost none at all. Although this method saves valuable time and costs, little or no research has been done on the effects these changes may have had on the digestibility of the bread. One drawback of CBP is that the short fermentation time prevents the formation of lactic acid bacteria within the dough. Traditional bakers used to talk about the dough being 'ripe' after long fermentations, and using the latest molecular analysis we have learnt that this bacteria is actually beneficial.

Lactic Acid Bacteria can be responsible for improving the 'bioavailability' of minerals, lowering glycaemic response (which is good for weight and diabetes control).
It can also increase the amount of important vitamins and anti-oxidants and helps reduce levels of phytic acid, which can 'lock up' certain minerals.

In response to public health concerns the industrial bakers have developed breads with all manner of additives; fibre, selected micronutrients such as calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, iron and selenium. However this now means that bread has become the carrier for whatever supplements and nutrients the scientific authorities deem to be essential.

Campaign for Real Bread

There is now a growing trend to go back to grass roots, to eat a more natural and wholesome diet. To this aim, a new group has been set up called the Real Bread Campaign. (www.realbreadcampaign.org) Andrew Whitley, author of Bread Matters is working with Sustain: (The alliance for better food and farming), to bring together bread and campaigning experts to explore what the Real Bread Campaign could achieve.

'The Real Bread Campaign aims to increase the enjoyment, production and consumption of bread made with natural ingredients, appropriate fermentation and no adulterants, so that good bread may play a larger part in the physical, mental and social wellbeing of the nation. It also promotes policies and practices that put grain and bread production at the heart of a sustainable ecological food system'.

However, the industrial production of bread has left us with a shortage of real bakers - bakers who 'feel' the quality of the dough and use only natural ingredients. There has been a small re-emergence of bakeries, but they face the same troubles as other small producers. They struggle to compete with the ridiculously low prices charged at supermarkets, and to serve a population that is ignorant of the delights and benefits of proper bread.

Janet Williams of Pilgrims Tearooms and Restaurant in Brecon has been making bread for 40 years. She uses only the finest organic ingredients and traditional methods.
I had the pleasure of watching Janet make bread and was in awe of just how effortlessly she moves through the whole process. She has a very real 'no fuss' approach to bread making.

The ingredients are weighed out ('that's the longest process' Janet claims) placed in a bowl, water added and then it's hands in. Janet doesn't believe in too much handling, and using dried yeast means she isn't worried about finding a special warm area to leave the dough to ferment. Once risen, the dough is gently kneaded a little, then rolled and folded into loaf shapes. No tins are used, as they just need washing up afterwards!
Reading books and recipes for bread making can make bread making seem mythical and daunting. The science behind the rising, the weighing, kneading, can all seem to be too much hard work. After watching an artisan at work, I realised there is no need to be daunted at all - just get stuck in!

Janet bakes many types of bread for use in Pilgrims tearooms and restaurant, and they are also sold at local farmers markets. One of her specialties is a 'Miracle Bread' said to help women during the menopause due to the combination of seeds and soya used in the recipe. Nothing artificial is added to any of the recipes, just pure natural ingredients skillfully married together to give us 'our daily bread'.

Bread Machines

Recently, thanks to the domestic bread machine, more people have tried making their own at home. The first automatic bread machines started to appear in Japan in the late 1980's and since then have gained popularity all over the world. Quite simply, they make the process simple and effortless. The end results are heart warming and rewarding, and encourage users to experiment with flavours for themselves. Although she is an expert in bread making, even Janet wholeheartedly approves of bread machines as a way of introducing people to the joys of home baked goodness.

Once explained, the science of bread making loses its ability to strike fear into the novice baker's heart. The list of ingredients for basic bread is very short, and all easily available, and preparation is quick and simple. Even Delia Smith says that it takes longer to go out and buy a loaf of bread than it does to actually make one.