[Sca-cooks] "Actual bread?" WAS gingerbrede

[Terry Decker]

> Now I'm very curious as to what "actual bread" may be! The definition  for
> bread that I've always worked with is that of my religious  community --
> you don't make the blessing over bread unless the item in  question is (1)
> made of only the four basic ingredients: flour, water,  salt, and yeast,
> AND (2) is baked -- not fried, roasted, boiled, or  any other preparation,
> but baked. Is there a different definition of  bread when speaking
> culinarily rather than religiously? *puts on  glasses, gets notebook and
> pen ready*
>
> Judith / no SCA name / all about the FOOD

Bread is a mixture of meal and liquid, stiff enough to be called dough,
which is then cooked by direct or indirect heat.

Of your four ingredients only flour and water are necessary.  Salt is a
flavoring agent and a moderator of yeast.  Yeast is a leavening agent and,
general, only useful when the flour contains gluten.  Water can be replaced
by other liquids, such as milk.  Other spices can be used to add flavoring.
Fats (butter, olive oil, eggs, etc.) are added to soften the crumb, modify
the crust, and improve the flavor.

I've used sticks, stones, griddles and a number of different ovens to 
prepare bread.

Definitions as to what constitutes bread and other types of dough products 
largely depend on culture.  Your religious community has a definition of 
bread that is correct within the boundries of that community, but may not be 
correct
when compared to the recipes in a baker's manual or a Sudanese sheepherder.

As for Adamantius's "actual bread," I suspect he is referring to a leavened 
wheat flour double rise bread with or without any of a number of additional 
ingredients that would be added by a professional baker.  That would be in 
opposition to some of the chemical extrusion processes that produce edible 
items that might fall under the loose definition of bread.

Bear