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We know that breads have been made for at least 7000 years, based on the archaeological record. But it's likely that bread (using wild yeasts) has been made for much longer than that.
Once critical factor in making bread, at least traditional 'leavened' bread where yeast is the rising agent is the capture and storage of the yeast culture. The recipe below tells you how to make 'leaven', a live yeast culture and gives a taste of how our forebears might have kept their yeast cultures alive and flourishing.
Once you have your leaven or yeast culture, you can now use this to make your bread: Leavened Bread
Of course, once you have your basic bread recipe you can play around with it to make a richer variant, as for feasts: Rich Bread. Or you can add fruit and herbs or other flavourings to make it different and potentially more interesting: Fruited Bread
We know quite a lot about Roman breads because of the works of such writers as Cato and Apicius. Though a number of the breads that survive are actually either special types of breads used at feasts or large meals or they are breads used for sacred purposes or as offerings. This, of course, does not make the bread recipes given here any less tasty!
Libum
Hapalos Artos
Boletinos Artos
Mustacei
Streptikos Artos
Libum (Diced Cheese Bread)
Breads during the Medieval period were also fairly similar to their ancient and Roman counterparts. Though one major development was the advent of: Sourdough Bread. The Medieval period also sees the development of risen cakes that are also termed 'breads', such as the classic: Gyngerbrede (Gingerbread).
A special form of bread, known as a 'trencher' (I have a Trencher recipe here) was also used instead or a plate and the ingredients for a meal would be piled on this bowl-shaped bread and both the bread and its contents would be consumed.
Because more books and manuscripts survive from the Elizabethan period we have more knowledge of the breads and bread-like cakes produced during this time. Examples include:
To make Knotts or Gumballs
The Victorian period was the time where the cookery writer came to prominence, exemplified by Mrs Beeton and the clebrity chef, Charles Elme Francatelli. As a result, the Victorian era is the period of the birth of the modern recipe book. As a result we have a wealth of information and recipes on all kinds of Victorian breads, leavened buns and loaf-like cakes. These recipes, as they are redacted for this site, are presented here.
Apple Bread
The term 'modern' is being used in a very 'fast and loose' way here. The breads in the list below originate from all over the world and some have very ancient roots, indeed. These are modern breads only in the sense that they are still cooked and consumed to this day:
The recipes below are all for 'cornbreads' though not strictly a 'bread' in that it's not risen with yeast it is used as a true bread would be and so i've included these recipes in this section, but given them their own table:
It should also be remembered that all pizzas are served on a true bread base. As a result here is a collection of the various pizza base recipes on this site.
The recipes presented here are for confections called 'breads' but which are actually, in terms of any meaningful definition cakes. They all have a raising ingredient and many are cooked in loaf tins, which may account for the confusion in terminology encountered.
Below is a table of varous fruit-based breads, ranging from banana bread to pumpkin bread with many variations in betwen. These are really cakes, using baking soda as a raising agent, but which are invariably cooked in a loaf tin.
The following 'breads' all have a starch source other than flour to bulk-out the cake. Many of these recipes are African in origin.
The following buns or cakes all have yeast as a rising agent. In effect they're 'sweet breads' though they are often classed in culinary terms as cakes:
Finally we have another type of cake or biscuit that's generally called a bread — and that's 'gingerbread'. The original recipes for this go back to the Middle ages where bread was used in the prodution of this confection. Gingerbreads can range from hard biscuits to risen cakes and here are a selection of recipes from throughout the ages:
| Gyngerbrede | Course Ginger Bread |
| Gingerbread | Oatmeal Gingerbread |
| Gingerbread Men | Plantain Gingerbread |
| Torth Sinsir Hen Gymreig | Apple Gingerbread |
Recipe Information: 56
Tea making is complex. Learn more about growing and preparing tea.
Recipe Information: 35
According to tradition, marmalade came to Scotland in 1797 when Mrs Janet Keiller had to do something with a ship-load of ripe oranges her husband had bought. From this was born Dundee Marmalade and this bitter-sweet product has been a traditional part of Scottish cookery ever since. Here you will find recipes that include marmalade as an essential ingredient.
Recipe Information: 113
Chocolate brownies are the ‘anytime treat’ of the US. Regardless of the occasion from the 4th July to Christmas Brownies are a favourite snack time desert.
Recipe Information: 113
Tea bags of various situations are now there which meet the essential of the grouping.
Recipe Information: 114
Have you ever asked yourself which is best? Gas or electric cookers. I always found gas cookers an easier fit. Most ones I have seen have a rubbery hose pipe that connects to an usual fitting.
Recipe Information: 56
By choosing to drink organic fair trade coffee you will be directly contributing to the maintenance of a sustainable society. However, in order to truly understand this amazing concept you must first unravel the true meaning behind organic and fair trade coffee.
Recipe Information: 35
Those obsessive about wild foods will source a whole meal from the wild. But this is not the way that it's best to start with or even to keep going with wild foods. It's far better to gather a few fruit, wild greens or mushrooms and to add these to your everyday cookery. This way you get an introduction to the range of wild foods available and you begin to extend your cookery by adding wild ingredients.
Recipe Information: 113
One of man’s basic needs and probably the most important, too, is food. Without food, one cannot get proper nourishment
Recipe Information: 115
Here is a simple step-by-step guide to letting you get the most from your cake baking. This article takes you through some of the history, science and practicalities of cake making so you will know not only what to do, but why your should do it. Armed with this information you can turn out perfect light and creamy cakes time after time...
Recipe Information: 35
Pork and Aubergine in Hot Sauce is a classic Chinese dish, heavily influenced by the cuisine of Sichuan, China, with its use of hot chilli sauce and mouth-tingling Sichuan pepper (actually a citrus fruit rather than a true pepper!). Learn the secrets of this simple but delicious dish today.
Ancient recipes, Roman Recipes, Meideval Recipes, Elizabethan Recipes, Georgian Recipes, Victorian Recipes
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