Breads

Just as spices have been central to everyday cooking through the ages, bread in its many forms has long been a staple across the globe. Together they form a long-celebrated partnership. The Simplest Breads, whether leavened or not, are the flatbreads that feature in daily diets from India, Central Asia, Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East to Mexico and South America. These breads cook quickly, thus requiring less fuel, making them economic in all aspects of their production. At the Other End of the spectrum is the wild child of the bread world — the ancient pain de campagne, levain or sourdough. It uses no added yeast; instead, the ‘starter’ collects natural yeasts from the air. Needing commitment, loving and nurturing for assured success, these are the breads of artisan bakers. Bread Celebrates the richest and simplest pleasures of daily living. It is an expression of earthy culture and is fundamental to our everyday eating habits. Bread is the staff of life, part of our historical development and a mainstay of our modern diet — offering roughage, providing energy, acting as a carrier for other foods. The making of bread is comforting, tactile and empowering, a response to some primal urge and a skill too often overlooked and ignored in our acceptance of the instant and the immediate. Bread-making offers a physical sensuality — and with the addition of the zestiness of spices, it opens up a whole new world of food discovery. Whatever Bread you choose to bake or buy, the breaking of bread at the table symbolises a bond of friendship, giving and generosity.