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Chapter IV − BREAD AND BREAD MAKING
BREAD is the most important article of food, and history tells of its use thousands of years
before the Christian era. Many processes have been employed in making and baking; and as a
result, from the first flat cake has come the perfect loaf. The study of bread making is of no
slight
importance, and deserves more attention than it receives.
1
Considering its great value, it seems unnecessary and wrong to find poor bread on the
table;
and would that our standard might be raised as high as that of our friends across the water !
Who does not appreciate the loaf produced by the French baker, who has worked months to
learn the art of bread making?
2
Bread is made from flour of wheat, or other cereals, by addition of water, salt, and a
ferment.
Wheat flour is best adapted for bread making, as it contains gluten in the right proportion to
make the spongy loaf. But for its slight deficiency in fat, wheat bread is a perfect food; hence
arose the custom of spreading it with butter. It should be remembered, in speaking of wheat
bread as perfect food, that it must be made of flour rich in gluten. Next to wheat flour ranks
rye
in importance for bread making; but it is best used in combination with wheat, for alone it
makes
heavy, sticky, moist bread. Corn also needs to be used in combination with wheat for bread
making, for if used alone the bread will be crumbly.
3
The miller, in order to produce flour which will make the white loaf (so sightly to many),
in the
process of grinding wheat has been forced to remove the inner bran coats, so rich in mineral
matter, and much of the gluten intimately connected with them.
4
To understand better the details of bread making, wheat, from which bread is principally
should be considered.
made,
5
A grain of wheat consists of (1) an outer covering or husk, which is always removed
milling; (2) bran coats, which contain mineral matter; (3) gluten, the proteid matter and fat;
before
and
(4) starch, the centre and largest part of the grain. Wheat is distinguished as white and soft, or
red and hard. The former is known as winter wheat, having been sown in the fall, and living
through the winter; the latter is known as spring wheat, having been sown in the spring. From
winter wheat, pastry flour, sometimes called St. Louis, is made; from spring wheat, bread
flour,
also called Haxall. St. Louis flour takes its name from the old process of grinding; Haxall,
Chapter IV − BREAD AND BREAD MAKING
53
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