Category: Bread

English Muffins circa 1750s

The muffin that the English understood as a muffin -- the muffin of the "muffin man", the widely recognized itinerant muffin seller on the streets of English cities, especially London, from the mid-19th century well into the 20th -- is known internationally as the "English muffin." This differentiates from the American muffin, which is single-serving … Continue reading English Muffins circa 1750s

Bread History Workshop #17: Making Historic Breads for the Holidays

There is no lecture associated with this week's event. The week, what is usually a Bread History Seminar and Workshop will just be a workshop. Also, this week, it is on WEDNESDAY, December 23, (NOT THE USUAL THURSDAY) at 9am Pacific. This is 11 am in Columbia, noon in the East Coast, 6pm in Belgium, … Continue reading Bread History Workshop #17: Making Historic Breads for the Holidays

A Fabulous Horse Bread by Gervase Markham, 1607

The big author for horse breads was Gervase Markham (ca 1568-1637 ). Markham is the horse trainer who perfected the type of breads fed to race horses as part of a structured exercise program for race horses, thus establishing horse training on a modern basis. The custom at the time was for men to agree amongst themselves to a cross country race three months in advance and then to begin a training regime.

Cock Breads — 18th Century Breads for Fighting Cocks

The following text is from the "Royal Art of Cockfighting" by Robert Howlett, published in London, 1709. The portion of the text I reproduce here concerns the breads fed to fighting cocks -- known in the period as cock-breads. A couple things I'd like you to note. Firstly, in the section, "Of the several Ways … Continue reading Cock Breads — 18th Century Breads for Fighting Cocks

American Pullman Loaf, also called Sandwich Bread circa 1920

A Pullman Dining Car in the late 19th century. The bread on the table, right front, has rounded edges, so, it is not a Pullman Loaf. The perfectly rectangular mold-baked pullman loaf is stored efficiently and cleanly in the limited space of the train carriage kitchen. The Pullman Loaf , also often published under the … Continue reading American Pullman Loaf, also called Sandwich Bread circa 1920

Tandoor Oven 2,600 Years Ago

Terracotta woman baking bread, Cypro-Arcahic II, circa 600-480 BCEMetropolitan Museum, The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76 The tandoor oven (there are variant spellings) is ancient. There had been tandoor-style ovens for thousands of years before this terracotta figurine was made. The YouTube video that follows shows someone making an oven very similar to the … Continue reading Tandoor Oven 2,600 Years Ago

Bread on a Spit: Fragment from Atheneus

Bread on a Stick. Same as "Bread on a Spit" from 400BCE? ΕΓΧΕΙΡΟΓΑΣΤΟΡΕΣ From 6 Athenaeus 645bc ἐγὼ μὲν ἄρτους, μᾶζαν, ἀθάρην, ἄλφιτα,κόλλικας, ὀβελίαν, μελιτοῦτταν, ἐπιχύτους,πτισάνην, πλακοῦντας, δενδαλίδας, ταγηνίας. Fragments 6 I [have, provide] loaves of bread, barley cake, porridge, barley groats, rolls, bread on a spit, honey cake, cupcakes, barley gruel, flat-cakes, barley cakes, pancakes. Greek Woman Baking Bread … Continue reading Bread on a Spit: Fragment from Atheneus