Bread: A Global History (Edible) - Hardcover

William Rubel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1861898541 ISBN 13: 9781861898548

Publisher: Reaktion Books, 2011

Synopsis

What food is more basic, more essential and more universal than bread? Common to the diets of both rich and poor, bread is one of our oldest foods. Loaves and rolls have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and excavated from ovens in Pompeii that were buried when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. From the sixteenth-century English peasants' bread made with pea flour and rye, to the grain-wasting, pure white bread of the French court, from the crusty sourdough loaf made by artisan bakers to the doughy 'sliced white' found in every supermarket, there is a bread for every time and place in history. William Rubel takes us on a journey to discover breads around the world, from Mexican pan dulce to French baguettes and German pumpernickel, and shows how the kind of bread you eat reveals who you are. He also describes the techniques of bread-making, from ancient recipes leavened with brewers' yeast to the factory-made sandwich loaf. Containing a glossary of over one hundred different breads from around the world, Bread will be an inspiration for all bakers, as well as anyone who enjoys a simple slice.

About this title

Review:

"Through Rubel's eyes, this seemingly simply category of food--a side to any dish and vehicle for any topping--tells a cultural history of humans from the center of the table. . . . Rubel clearly has a deep fascination for the world of bread, and will give a taste of that same fascination to readers."

--Abi Stokes "Newcity "

"A cute 150 page history of baking, from Mesopotamia to the present. . . . Neither too light nor total fluff."

--The Fresh Loaf

"In discussing bread one can 'find oneself talking about some of the largest issues of history and society, ' as William Rubel notes in his sprightly primer . . . [he] is well versed in early history and archaeology . . . engaging as well as controversial."

--Wall Street Journal

"A fun, smartly written series appropriate for a popular audience that likes to eat . . . the Edible series books provide level-headed and enjoyable overviews of food culture . . . These will create a little library that any foodie will be proud to show off . . . aesthetically pleasing volumes with decent content that would make good presents."--Winterthur Portfolio, on the Edible series

--Winterthur Portfolio

"Bread: A Global History is an informative and lighthearted book about our staff of life. The book is slender to the hand, but packed with history, facts, and stories. . . . Fascinating."

--In Mama's Kitchen

About the Author:

William Rubel is a freelance food historian and the author of The Magic of Fire: Cooking on the Open Hearth (2002).

About this edition

• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1861898541
• ISBN 13: 9781861898548
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 160