Subject: History of breadmaking

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 1995 15:35:43 GMT

I'm looking for a good book on the history of breadmaking, especially one which
includes information on alternative leavenings (and recipes as well).  In
addition, I'm looking for historic bread recipes, especially for traditional
French breads (like the large sourdough boule which French villagers and
peasants would haveade).

Thanks

SPR

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From: [email-masked] (Karoline Wallace)
Date: 13 Jan 1995 20:00:15 GMT

The latest "National Geographic" talks about Egyptian (Old Dynasty) break
making, and the scientists even recreated a bakery they unearthed and
baked bread in it!  Have a look, it's very interesting.  Good luck

> French breads (like the large sourdough boule which French villagers and

*******************************************************
Karoline Wallace
Computing & Information Systems
College of General Studies, University of Pennsylvania
Tel: (215) 898-5522   Email: [email-masked]
Graduate student of Foodways and Culture
*******************************************************

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From: [email-masked] (Henry Troup)
Date: 13 Jan 1995 20:32:36 GMT

>I'm looking for a good book on the history of breadmaking, especially one which

Try Elizabeth David's _English Bread and Yeast Cookery_ for starters. 
And ask in rec.food.sourdough, too.
-- 
  Henry Troup - [email-masked] (Canada) - BNR owns but does not share my opinions
     "Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love."

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From: Bruce Bourque <[email-masked]>
Date: 17 Jan 1995 20:17:48 GMT

> French breads (like the large sourdough boule which French villagers and

And I also am looking for somewhat the same thing... specifically a
recipe for a non-yeast leavening, such as would have been used to start
sourdoughs before commercial yeast was available. I have a relative with
a candida yeast infection who cannot eat yeast-risen bread. Were there 
ever leavenings used that were in fact not yeast-based, and can they
be reproduced today? There are lots of 'sourdough starters' in bread
cookbooks, but they are in fact started with yeast. 

Anyone out there know anything about this?

Thanks

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From: [email-masked] (John E. Taylor III)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 07:37:37 -0500

In article <[email-masked]>, Bruce Bourque
<[email-masked]> wrote:

> [email-masked] wrote:
> >
> > I'm looking for a good book on the history of breadmaking, especially one...
>

Sourdough starters all are basically cultures of _Saccharomyces cerevisia_,
either started with commercial cultures of the "baker's yeast" strain, or
>from  captured wild yeast strains.  Some of the non-commercially started
starters contained hops in addition to yeast nutrients such as flour and
sugar; the hops tended to inhibit other microorganisms and favor the _S.
cerevisia_.  But if your relative cannot eat yeast-risen bread, then
sourdough is not an alternative, just more of the same.

--
John Taylor    (W3ZID)     |  "The opinions expressed are those of the
[email-masked] |   writer and not of Rohm and Haas Company."

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From: [email-masked] (Henry Troup)
Date: 18 Jan 1995 16:09:23 GMT

>> a candida yeast infection who cannot eat yeast-risen bread. Were there

It's soda bread time. I've had candida, and we ate an all-rye soda
bread adapted from the Elizabeth David bread book.
-- 
Henry Troup - [email-masked] (Canada) - BNR owns but does not share my opinions
	       "Water isn't fish" - A rule of acquisition

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From: [email-masked] (Par Leijonhufvud labtek)
Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 16:43:28 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>Anyone out there know anything about this?

Just mix flour and water and let stand in the kitchen for a few days; 
most grains are "contaminated" with various wild yeasts, which will then 
grow and reproduce. As long as it smells "yeasty" you are fine.

/P{r

-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Name:   Paer K.G. Leijonhufvud          Oh, *practice*. I don't mind 
Email:  [email-masked]   *practising*. So long as we
Voice:  +46-(0)8-758 8459               don't have to do it for real...

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From: [email-masked] (M. Najarian)
Date: 18 Jan 1995 16:27:34 GMT

As to a book on the history of breadmaking, I'm inordinately fond
of Elizabeth David's _English bread and yeast cookery_ which has
FINALLY been brought back into print over here (Newton, MA: Biscuit
Books, 1994). Yes, yes, it's very Euro-biased, but the detail she
goes into is just glorious. And a great bibliography too. I cannot
recommend it too highly.

As for sourdough baking, check out Daniel Leader's _Bread Alone_
(NY: Morrow, 1993). I've not yet read it myself, but a sour-
dough-baking friend of mine really likes it. Lots on trad'l French
loaves.

And as for growing your own yeats(s), did anyone catch that bit in
(I think the most recent issue of) the Nat'l Geographic where the
author left dough out on the balcony of a Cairo apt to gather local
airborne yeasts?
-- 
M. `Naj' Najarian            <<clever epigram goes here>> 
Fraxinus Research Services   voice (hah!): 610.756.6888 
P.O. Box 65                  fax/data: 610.756.6400 
Kutztown, PA 19530  USA      email: [email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Matthew Hill)
Date: Tue, 24 Jan 1995 17:07:29 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
>sourdough is not an alternative, just more of the same.

NOw that answers a question I have long had.  Ihave encountered in 
settler's literature references to using hops in raising bread.  No
one has been able to provide me information on the process.  Presumably,
the process is simply a capturing of wild yeasts with the hops killing off
the less desirable ones.  
 
Re the original request - How about near-eastern 'unleavened' breads. 
Matzoh, of course, if you like it but isn't pita unleavened. 
Does Salt-Rising bread involve yeast. 
Tortillas certainly don't.  Nan?
 
Matthew Hill ([email-masked])