Real Bread A baking tradition lost but not forgotten
There was a time in the not too distant past when a baker would visit their local grain grower to purchase grain to bring back to their home or bakery . Whole kernels would be stone ground at a local quarry using animal or human power . The fresh flour would be used to produce a bread that was a perfect representation of the local terroir or “ flavor of the earth .”
Historically across Europe , bread was a tapestry that told a story of a region . Grain varieties were carefully selected for their success at growing in a specific area and passed down through the generations . The type of bread that was made reflected the special characteristics of the local grain .
by andrew roy
Bakers would provide feedback to farmers about which varieties worked best , and farmers replanted seeds saved from those varieties . As years passed , farmers , millers , and communities evolved together with their grains and breads .
In those days breads were usually baked to a dark finish to help preserve freshness . While the deeply caramelized crust offered a whole range of delicious flavors and textures , the flavor of fresh milled flour and the unmistakable tang of naturally leavened sourdough was tucked inside . Bakers knew that the sourness from the natural fermentation would help preserve the bread as it aged so dough was often well fermented and full of flavor . photo : andrew roy
In France , archaeologists have found that community bathhouses were often located near a community wood fired oven , often serving as a local gathering place . After the daily bread baking was completed , the residual heat from the wood fired oven was used to dry herbs , cook porridge , and hearty stews . Everything from the baking process was used ; nothing was wasted . The ash from the wood was reclaimed and used as fertilizer . The crumbs were gathered from around the oven and used as animal feed . Every last bit of heat from the oven was used to produce food . As a baker myself , I can imagine villagers busily baking , working , and pausing to talk as the baking took place in these community spaces .
As European peoples began to migrate to North America from their ancestral homes , the love for their local breads traveled with them , bringing bundles of grain and sourdough starters from their respective homelands . This process seeded North America with a wide range of naturally leavened European-style sourdough breads , specific to the immigrant populations that settled in each region .
Over time , with changes due to greater industrialization and transportation , the bread landscape began to shift . Grains were now able to be transported long distances by railcar . Large mechanized bakeries were established and bread could be transported from region to region like other commodities . This process dramatically altered traditional breads . With the process of baking bread in mass quantities came its optimization for a long shelf life .
28 plenty I autumn harvest 2021