Who invented the bread? This question is asked by every thinking person at least once in a lifetime. Many are interested in the question of where the bread was invented and how long this happened. We will answer these and other questions in our article, highlighting in detail the history of the appearance of a food product obtained by baking, frying or steam processing of dough.
What should be understood by the word "bread"
Bread is a product that is obtained using the heat treatment of dough. A large number of different recipes and methods for its preparation are known. It is important to know one thing: in the basis of each recipe, in any case, is flour from grain.
Grain is the main crop that has been consumed by humans for the past 10 thousand years. Cereals are divided into legumes and bread crops. In our article, we will pay particular attention to grain crops - amaranth, daguss, spelled, buckwheat, corn, millet, moghar, wheat, oats, rice, barley and rye.
The bulk of grain crops belongs to the cereal family, mealy amaranth - to the amaranth family, buckwheat - to the buckwheat family. The high nutritional value of grain crops is due to a large number of carbohydrates, proteins, enzymes, a vitamin complex, provitamin A and K. However, primitive man did not immediately have the culinary skills. Who invented the bread? And how did people come to this?
The story of the appearance of bread
It is known that bread appeared in the New Stone Age. In appearance, it resembled a baked gruel, which was prepared using water and cereal. How did people come up with bread? What preceded the advent of bakery products?
The life of our ancestors about fifteen thousand years ago was quite complicated. The main concern of people was thoughts about food. Somehow, in search of food, they drew attention to cereals, which were the progenitors of modern rye, wheat, oats and barley.
The people noticed that the thrown grain into the earth returns a much larger number of grains back. After this observation, for a long time, ancient people for a long time ate raw grains. Then they managed to grind them between the stones, receiving cereals. A little later, someone suggested that the resulting cereal can be cooked. So the first flour and bread appeared, which in appearance looked more like liquid porridge. Since that time, bread has occupied a major place in national food, preserving it to our time. In which country did they come up with bread? Who was involved in the production and improvement of bakery products?
How the process developed
Around the third millennium BC, the Egyptians began to use yeast for the preparation of bakery products. In addition, they came up with the first ovens for bread production. A little later, following the example of the Egyptians, they began to bake bread and the Greeks. The Romans worked on improving the process: they spent more time grinding the grains and commissioned new kilns.
In the form of yeast, natural fermentation was used, which was achieved by holding the dough in the open air for 24 hours. Other natural yeast is also known: a fermented tincture of grape juice and bran or beer.
By the year 100 AD, the Romans had fully mastered baking bread and began to share their skills with Europeans. And already in the Middle Ages, bakeries began to appear almost throughout Europe.
Recipes and methods of making bread slightly changed depending on the geographical location and prevalence of cereal crops: Greeks, Romans, ancient Egyptians and Jews used wheat and barley. Residents of England and central Europe used oatmeal, Americans and citizens living in southeastern Europe used corn, used rice in the east, sorghum and durra in Africa, and Slavs made bread using rye.
Who invented the bread: interesting facts
As it turned out, in medieval times, stale bakery products were used as utensils in Europe. Several pieces of such bread (10 by 15 cm in size) were laid on the table and served food. After eating, pieces of stale bread were given to pets or eaten on their own.
Another cognitive fact is also known related to bread, bakery products and the history of Australia. A large number of settlers were exiled to the mainland precisely for the theft of bread. The first bread store was opened on the mainland by a Sydney citizen named John Palmer, who ended up in Australia, sailing on a warship.
In addition, there is an interesting relationship. It turns out that those who invented bread and knew how to bake baked goods always enjoyed great authority. So, for example, the baker in ancient Greece held a fairly high public post. In the Roman Empire, a slave who knew how to bake bread was 10 times more expensive than a skilled gladiator. In Germany, the killer who took the baker’s life was usually punished more severely than for any other crime.
History of bread in Russia
In Russia, the main type of bread was considered sour black bread. In addition, white grains were also prepared and hearty, sifted with a sieve. However, not all people could afford to eat bakery products. For ordinary people it was very expensive.
Bread was in price. As in other countries, on the territory of Russia, bakers were treated with respect and honor. In lean times, bread was more expensive than before, and in order to increase the number of bakery products produced, various vegetable additives were added to the flour.
In the middle of the XVII century (according to the population census), there were 2367 artisans in Moscow, of which 52 were baking bread, 43 - baked gingerbread cookies, 7 - baked pancakes, 12 - prepared hearty bread. At that time there were many bakeries called “bread houses”.
At the beginning of the XX century, bagels, kalachi, bagels and pretzels began to come into fashion in Russia. Nowadays, more than 500 types of bakery products are baked, including loaves, bagels, rolls, various pastries and other bakery products.
Finally
Of course, bread is one of mankind's greatest inventions. It is prepared using hundreds of different recipes, adding a variety of ingredients, spices, and seasonings to flour and water. The resulting bakery products use both an independent product and in sandwiches and sandwiches.