B(re)aking Bread

B(re)AKING BREAD by Deborah Culverhouse | photography by M. Rickard

Bread. It’s possibly the first comfort food in history. The word itself, or it’s baking aroma can bring a flood of memories. There is scientific evidence to suggest that bread was being made over 30,000 years ago by prehistoric people. From a historical perspective, in Mesopotamia the Sumarians used it for wages. Its presence is documented in the Bible: the phrase "breaking bread," a communal act, can be found in scripture many times over. Bread can even start revolutions because wheat is a commodity, and scarce, expensive flour can make a loaf of bread a product to guard!

During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat cake.” During the Great Depression and World War I, photos of bread lines are painful reminders of terrible shortages. The Versailles Treaty sanctions against Germany created a shortage of flour, which led to inflated bread prices, which is believed to have contributed to Hitler's rise to power. In Venezuela, in 2017, President Nicolás Maduro accused the bakeries of attempting to have him ousted. The present COVID-19 pandemic brought about a run on stores for flour and yeast, and as someone who has made sourdough bread for years, I found myself suddenly beset with requests for sourdough starter. In May, my most prized birthday gift was a 1-pound package of yeast!

Bread, whether sliced warm with butter, dipped in oil, toasted with homemade jam (see the summer issue of TLM for a fantastic recipe) grilled with cheese, used to build a favorite sandwich or to stuff a turkey, this humble food is a true staple in the world's diet, and what a diet it is: google search bread, and you’ll find the options are dizzying; they are as vast and varied as are our global cultures.

There is history in favorite bread recipes. Deanna mentions that her recipe has been a go-to for 30 years. It was served at a social function while she was working in Munich. Monica recalls her grandmother sharing how, in Tandoor India, the neighborhood had a community oven in which the women would take turns baking their naan. Marie credits her mom for teaching her to experiment with recipes, and her baking creativity motto is, “ooh-let’s try something new!” All three women agree that their recipes are perfect for expressing creativity.

The memories that can be made while sharing bread with friends and family are as good as, well, bread! Have fun, enjoy the process, and let the resulting aromas bring back and build memories. Thank you to the following featured bakers who have generously allowed TLM to share their recipes with you:

NAAN BREAD RECIPE

BY MONICA MALHAN

Naan Bread By Monica Malhan

INGREDIENTS/DIRECTIONS

Prepare the dough the night before baking. 4 cups flour 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 egg beaten, 1 tsp yeast, 1 cup yogurt – warmed to 80 degrees, ½ cup milk – warmed to 80 degrees, ¼ cup water – warmed to 80 degrees.

directions In a small bowl, add warm water, top with yeast, and set aside to bloom. In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients. Add the egg, warm yogurt, and yeast water. Knead together all ingredients until it comes together in a sticky and elastic dough. Let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Use butter to coat your hands, and gather the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl and dough with a damp cheesecloth or tea-towel and let it sit overnight.

You will use a pizza stone or cookie sheet lined with foil to bake the naan. First, place it on the oven rack on the top shelf, and heat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Knead the dough a couple of times. Separate it into equal size balls, keeping them covered with the cloth so as not to dry out. Lightly dust a surface with flour, and roll each ball into a thin oval/round shape. Working quickly, place the rolled-out dough onto the hot baking surface, a couple at time so as not to crowd. It will begin to puff. Flip the dough after a couple minutes--it should have brown spots. Cook another couple of minutes.

If desired, you can brush the dough with seasoned butter when flipping or when finished. Garlic, fresh herbs, or seeds of choice are all delicious add-ons!

For additional bread recipes including: Dutch Oven and Cheddar Beer Bread, grab a copy of the Fall issue of TLM from our headquarters located at 4528 W. 26th Avenue in Kennewick, WA!