Bread is at least 30,000 years old. Countless amounts have been baked, and it’s quintessential within nearly every community since it was first discovered. As technology advanced, we went from unleavened flatbreads, made simple and quick, to more elaborate types. From yeast to sourdough to a sweet bread leavened with sodium bicarbonate, it’s one of the most diverse foods. Sweet or savory, independent or with a meal, it’s guaranteed to taste amazing.
The best thing since sliced bread is probably sliced bread. Its versatility shines in every situation it could be placed in. Sandwiches are perhaps the most classic medium for demonstrating its useful nature. White, ultra processed Wonder Bread, or sourdough, or a baguette, or, even whole wheat, there are so many flavor bases for your sandwich. From something tough and more firm to what might become soggy fast but is still delicious, you can eat it for breakfast in a sandwich with egg and bacon; you can eat it for lunch with peanut butter and jelly or with ham and cheese; you can eat it for dinner as a sub with meatballs and provolone.
Bread, no matter your time frame and expertise, can be made easily. Unleavened bread such as matzo or a tortilla is foolproof, typically consisting of flour, water and salt. Other breads can have yeast or sodium bicarbonate, resting for a time to allow for it to rise. Sourdough is typically considered to be the most difficult type of bread to make, but if you know how to treat your sourdough starter, I’ve found it’s not so difficult.
My favorite part of going to the grocery store is the bread aisle. It smells savory and warm. Despite my love for grocery store bread, I prefer to make bread as often as I can, sometimes making three loaves in an equal number of days. I love homemade bread. It may be more effort, but there’s more reward. The thicker crust and soft crumb is amazing. I like to dip it into olive oil and vinegar, something you just can’t enjoy with store bought bread.
My second favorite part of the grocery store is the baked goods part, where there are fresh-baked loaves, doughnuts and bagels. The convenience it offers, for a quick snack or a part of a labor-intensive meal, this part of the store provides the consumer with all of the necessary blueprints for a good time.
A very common expression in my house is, “have you eaten anything other than bread and cheese today?” and often the answer to that is no! Even if I will die of malnutrition, at least I did it from something honorable. Bread can go with anything. From the infamous grilled cheese to dipping your garlic bread into pasta sauce, every form and combination is amazing.
Sweet breads are the hallmark of a good breakfast. My favorite part of hotels is the little case of breads with cinnamon and lemon swirled in. Sure, they leave you rather hungry after, but it’s worth it. Like a suitable dessert after breakfast, or sometimes eaten independently with just coffee, their flavor can hardly be beat. Biscotti is a perfect example of a sweet bread that can be snuck in anywhere. As dessert or as a snack or at tea time with your cuppa, never shy away from a good biscotti.
My favorite thing to bake is croissants. Over the summer I experimented with pain au chocolat, which is the perfect breakfast bread. It’s sweet, savory, flaky and you get to eat chocolate for breakfast. They are easy to make and even easier to eat.
The moral of the story is that early humans seriously knew what they were doing, harvesting wheat and turning it into bread. From Pompeii’s Panis Quadratus to our modern take on sourdough, bread is a staple. Its versatility has shone and will not soon be forgotten.
