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Welcome!
Welcome to Bread Through History! Allow me to introduce myself. I am a passionate artisan bread baker and student of history who loves to combine these two hobbies. On this blog, I’ll be baking a...
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The Catholic History of Pretzels
The exact origins of pretzels are unknown, but most sources cite 7th century monks in Italy or Southern Germany who adapted the Greek ring bread, which is itself derived from communion bread. The monks...
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Discovering the Lineage of Babka
Today, we will focus on the so called “Jewish” form of the buttery, eggy pastry known as babka. The “Christian” form is just as delicious, but is less prevalent in the New World than its Yiddishe...
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Irish Soda Bread: More Pocahontas than Patrick
‘Round the 17th of March, bakeries here in New York City explode with soft crumbly loaves of Irish Soda Bread. Varieties can be brown or white, and flavored with caraway or raisins. All are delicious....
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English Muffins: From Wyclife to the Muffin Man
Unlike most European breads, the origins of the English Muffin are known indisputably: an English immigrant named Samuel Thomas started producing them in his Chelsea, NY factory in the 1880s. Pretty...
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One Jew’s Quest for Historically Accurate Matzoh
Each April, one Jewish holiday in particular strikes fear through my carbohydrate-sustained heart: Passover. Passover, or Pesach, is the celebration of the Israelites’ emancipation from slavery in...
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Pain d’Egalite: A Bread Worth Fighting For
Pain d’Egalite has probably the most complex and important history of any bread. With it, however, comes a legacy of conflict and hardship. The original formula for Pain d’Egalite, three quarters wheat...
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Focaccia: A Case Study in the Evolution of Bread
Few breads are closer to their roots than Italian focaccia. Focaccia, a chewy, tangy, and wonderfully oily flatbread is eaten in its various forms all over the Italian peninsula. Some are square, some...
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Brioche: The Powerful History of a Buttery Pastry
The history of brioche, the sweet, buttery French bread, is long and filled with remarkable encounters. While modern restaurants proclaim the merits of brioche buns for use as hamburger platforms, the...
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From Venetian Crusade to Triangle Trade: The Not-So-Sweet History of Poundcake
Few breads can rival the simplicity and ingenuity of the poundcake. Though humble in name and appearance, the poundcake is rich in history (and of course flavor). Don’t allow it’s short ingredient list...
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The Multiple Significances of Challah: a Historical and Religious Analysis
My family has a weekly bread tradition, honed through the years: we buy a challah, sweet and fresh, from Zaro’s bakery in Grand Central Terminal. The practice of consuming challah on the Jewish sabbath...
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Bread and the Rise of Civilization
The division of societies into different social groups begins with grain, which, from its earliest domestication has always been a sign of power and influence. Early hunter-gatherers were nomadic...
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Baozi: The Steamed Bun in Chinese Literature
The humble bao, a staple of the Chinese diet, has proven to be an irresistible source of inspiration for two prominent authors, Lu Xun and Eileen Chang. Both authors, although writing in...
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