“BREAD AS THE STAFF OF LIFE”

 

 

The old saying ‘Bread is the Staff of Life’ can be interpreted in many ways, but the most common one is that ‘who can live without bread?’  For centuries, bread has been the mainstay of most of the diets of the world.  Evem when you sit down in a restaurant, usually the first thing that happens is that a basket of bread is brought for you.  The first known bread can be traced back to ancient Egypt, in approximately the 20th Century BC.   The Greeks, who were probably the world’s first great cooks, were famous for their bread.

One can go to almost any country and find bread.  Bread can be particular to the region or the culture where it was developed.  Even the Asian countries, where bread as Westerners know it, is not the norm, have their own form of starchy items which would be equivalent to bread as we know it.
Listed below are some of the types of bread and the cultures by which they were developed.  Most or all of these breads can be had in the United States today, allowing us to have a great variety of this wonderful product.

 

Matzos   –   Ancient Israelites

Matzoh is an unleavened bread which is all that is allowed during Passover to commerorate the deliverance of the Israelites from the tyranny of Egyptian Rulers.  There was no time to make leavened bread during their travels, so unleavened bread was made instead.  Today, it is sold all year round and even comes in different flavors including Egg and Onion.

 

Matzos

 

Flat Breads   –           Middle East and India

There are numerous types of flat bread.  One of the more widely known is Nam from India, but most of the Middle Eastern Countries have their own version.

 

Middle Eastern Flat Bread made from Whole Wheat Flour

 

Asian Countries   –   Wrappers for Eggs Rolls &  Dumplings

China – bread is not common to Chinese cuisine, however Bao may be the exception.  Bao are usually steamed although they can be baked.  The soft dough is made with cake flour which gives it is soft texture.  They are usually filled with meat or a sweet bean mixture.  The photo below is of Cha Siu Bao (barbecued pork) after they have been steamed.   These have been rolled and cut like a jelly roll.  Most Bao dumplings are usually cut into circles and then brought up and pinched at the top.   They are usually served with a dipping sauce or Hoisin Sauce.

 

Steamed Cha Siu Bao.

Egg Roll Wrappers– these are used for Wonton, Egg Rolls and Pot Stickers

 

Wonton Wrappers

 

Rye & Pumpernickel   –   Eastern Europe

 

Sliced Rye Bread

 

 

Pumpernickle

 

Brioche & French Bread   –    France

Brioche is a type of Egg Bread.  It is very rich with lots of Eggs and Butter and some Sugar.  Another type of Egg Bread is Challah which contains Eggs and Butter and is a delicious tasting bread that is on the lighter side.  It makes great French Toast when sliced thick and allowed to dry out before making the French Toast.   Brioche are usually small items made in muffin cups with top knots.  The picture below is of Apple Brioche.  Brioche taste best when well baked, hence the dark looking color.  These are rich and tasty.  For a photo of Tomato Egg Bread please see the Tomato Odessy  – ‘Tomato Bread’. https://www.sylveeeskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Tomato-Bread-021.jpg

Apple Brioche

French Bread   –   the bread typically thought of as French even though in France there are many different types of bread.  It is known that the French like their bread fresh and usually purchase it every day.  One of the reasons is that the typical French Bread is made only with Flour, Yeast, Sugar, Salt and Water.  It is best when eaten fresh and dries out easily.  The Baguettes pictured here are a narrow version of French Bread and are delicious when eaten soon out of the oven.

French Baguettes

 

Pizza   –    Greece (Originally – More popularly thought of as strictly Italian) 

Pizza was first made in the Greek Isles.  It is thought to have derived it name from the Greek word Picea.  Picea is an adjective that describes the black coating left on the bottom of dough by the burning ashes which were used in ancient ovens.  The first pizzas were probably baked in wood burning stoves and may well have been black on the bottom from the ashes.

 

Pizza - had its birth in Greece even though it is known as Italian

Pita Bread or Pocket Bread – Originally from the Middle East but made it’s way to Greece and is more popularly thought of as a Greek Product.

 

Pita Bread - Side View

 

 

 

 

Tortillas   –  Indians of North America

Tortillas are a flat bread originally made from masa which is ground corn.  Corn Tortillas are typically used to make Tacos and Tostadas and are also used as an eaitng implement to sccop up beans and other foodstuffs.

 

Corn Tortillas

 

With the introduction of wheat tortillas are also made from flour.  The picture below is of stacked Shrimp Quesadillas made with masa de harina which is wheat flour.  Quesadillas are usually folded like a turnover.  The stacked quesadilla is a variation thereof.  Flour Tortillas are also used to make Burrittos,  Flautas and Bunuelos, a Cinnamon flavored snack food.

Stacked Shrimp Quesadillas

Corn Bread                                                The Americas

Soda Bread                                                Ireland

 

Please come back soon for further updates on this article.  Thank you for visiting SylveeesKitchen.com

 

 

 

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