SC - anthro thoughts OT

[Tara Sersen]

Russia might have obtained molasses from Persia, but I doubt they did.
Refined sugar was a more profitable cargo.  Molasses is more likely to have
become popular when expanded cane production in the New World reduced the
cost and sea transport reduced transportation costs in the early 18th
Century.

As for coffee, Sweden and Russia were among the last countries to adopt the
vice in the late 18th Century (IIRC).  Anyone interested should reference
Ukers, All About Coffee (first published in the 1920's, the current edition
is available for about $140).  I tend to borrow the 1933 editon from the
Oklahoma State Library when I need to reference it.

Without adulteration most grain meals bake into various shades of brown,
hence the term "brown bakers" for the bakers who made the common loaves
rather than the fine wheat bread of the "white bakers".  

Whole grain meal will produce a darker loaf and a whole grain dark
pumpernickle rye flour will produce about the darkest natural loaf.  I still
haven't been able to find a flour dark enough to produce a true "black
bread," but I have yet to find the kind of pumpernickle rye flour I want to
try.

Bear

> Correct.  All modern recipes (English as well as Russian) 
> that I have seen 
> include (either singly or in some combination) coffee, molasses, or 
> cocoa.  I had someone (not in the SCA) try to tell me that 
> since Russia had 
> connections with the Silk Road and therefore the Middle East 
> that of course 
> they would have used molasses and coffee as 
> colorant/flavoring agents, but 
> I'm not buying it.  As I said, I am continually digging for 
> information and 
> will let people know when I find something interesting and useful.
> 
> It may simply be that there was no "black bread" in the Russia of our 
> period but only medium-dark brown breads.  My guess is that a 
> darker bread 
> was more highly favored (it is today) and with the introduction of 
> molasses, cocoa, and coffee, it was possible to get a rich, 
> darker-colored, 
> and deep-tasting bread.
> 
> --Yana
>