FW: SC - Ice

[Decker, Margaret]

> I wonder if another reason for this quantity differance might also be
> in how we view bread. We think of a pound of bread being a lot, as
> what, a whole loaf? Until some of the specialty breads became popular,
> I think the modern ideal of bread was a light loaf. It is possible
> that the medieval ideal was the opposite. 
> 
The quality of the bread depended upon the quality and type of flour.
Manchet, which is a small wheat loaf of fine flour, was expected to be small
and light, where rye from the flour of the first boulting would not.  

> The following passage is from a book I've just gotten and just started
> to read. "Those Who Worked - An Anthology of Medieval Sources" edited by
> Peter Speed. Italia Press, New York 1997. ISBN 0-934977-40-2
> 
> "Some men are deceivers and liars, like the craftsmen. The shoemaker
> says, "See, these are two most excellant soles;" and he has burned
> them before the file, and lies and cheats you of your money. And the
> baker floods his dough with yeast, so that you, who thought you had
> bought bread, have bought mere air for bread." [Sermons]
> 
> This was apparently written by Berthold von Regensburg, a German Friar
> of the mid-thirteenth century. "Social Life in England from the 
> Conquest to the Reformation, by G.G. Coulton, 1918.
> 
Millers and bakers were often considered liars and thieves.  And while some
of that is true, the view was largely based on the idea that turning a
profit was a form of usury.  The stringent commercial regulations of the
middle ages were designed to give a basis to prove a complaint of fraud  and
to protect the profit of the craftsman.  Many of these regulations went into
effect during the 13th Century, so there may be no conflict between
Berthold's opinion and reality.

Under the Assize of Bread and Ale (England), the baker was required to
produce loaves of a standard size and weight, with a price set by the cost
of the grain used to make it. The law originated early in the 13th Century
and was officially set in its form in 1266.  The Assize was adjudicated in
various courts which were granted the privilege of the Assize.  


> I was interpreting this to mean an airy loaf was bad, but maybe
> just an unusually airy loaf was thought so. Other thoughts?
> -- 
> Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
> Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
> 
Given the slow acting period leavens, the idea of flooding the dough with
yeast is humorous.  What Berthold is probably talking about is using less
dough to shape a loaf of bread, then over-rising to make it look like a
standard loaf.  Under most circumstances, the aeration in the crumb will be
slightly larger than in the properly prepared loaf.  

According to Elizabeth David, modern Englishmen like heavy breads with fine
aeration while the French prefer crusty breads with light, airy crumb.  This
is strange because the English have used yeast barms for baking for
centuries, while the French bakers were constrained by law to using levains.
The light, airy crumb of a baguette requires the use of a concentrated
yeast.    

Bear
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