Bread in culture

Breadhas a significance beyond mere nutrition in many cultures in theWestern worldandAsiabecause of its history and contemporary importance. Bread is also significant inChristianityas one of the elements (alongsidewine) of theEucharist; seesacramental bread. The wordcompanioncomes from Latincom-"with" +panis"bread".
The political significance of bread is considerable. In 19th century Britain, the inflated price of bread due to theCorn Lawscaused major political and social divisions, and was central to debates overfree tradeversusprotectionism.TheAssize of Bread and Alein the 13th century demonstrated the importance of bread in medieval times by setting heavy punishments for short-changing bakers, and bread appeared inMagna Cartaa half-century earlier.
Like other foods, choosing the "right" kind of bread is used as a social signal, to let others know, for example, that the person buying expensive bread is financially secure, or the person buying whatever type of bread that the current fashions deem most healthful is a health-conscious consumer.
As a simple, cheap, and adaptable type of food, bread is often used as asynecdochefor food in general in some languages and dialects, such asGreekandPunjabi. There are many variations on the basic recipe of bread worldwide, such asbagels,baguettes,biscuits,bocadillo,brioche,chapatis, Challah,lavash,naan,pitas,pizza,pretzels,puris,tortillas, Roti , Paratha and many others. There are various types of traditional "cheese breads" in many countries, includingBrazil,Colombia,Italy, andRussia.
Sangak,barbari,taftoon, andlavashare the most popular breads inIran. Iranian breads are prepared in different composition, shape, size, texture, color, and flavor.
The traditional bread inChinaismantou. It is made by steaming or deep-frying dough made from wheat flour. In Northern China and northern central China,mantouis often eaten as an alternative staple to rice. Steamedmantouis similar to Western white bread, but since it is not baked it does not have a brown outer crust.Mantouthat have a filling such as meat or vegetables (cha siu bao, for example) are calledbaozi. ThekompyangofFuzhouis an example of a Chinese bread baked in a clay oven.
In theIndian subcontinent,chapatiorroti,types of unleavened flatbreads usually made fromwhole-wheat flouror sometimes refined wheat flour and baked on a hot iron griddle called atava, form the mainstay of the people's diet. Thechapati, as it became known, is an unleavened bread with a long tradition. The bread can be spelled Chapathi, Chapatti, or Chappati.Rotisandnaansare usually served withcurrythroughout the region. A variant calledmakki di rotiusesmaizeflour rather than white flour. Another variant ispuri, a thin flat bread that is fried rather than baked and puffs up while cooked.Parathais another variation onroti.Naan(leavened wholewheat bread) is baked in atandooror clay oven and is rarely prepared at home. White and brown breads are also very common, but not as common asroti.
In thePhilippines,pandesal(orpan de sal, meaningbread of saltorsalt bread) is a rounded bread usually eaten by Filipinos during breakfast. The Philippines also produces a cheap generic white bread calledPinoy Tasty.
An enormous variety of bread is available across Europe. Germany alone lays claim to over 1,300 basic varieties of breads, rolls, and pastries, as well as having the largest consumption of bread per capita worldwide.Bread and saltis a welcome greeting ceremony in many central and eastern European cultures. During important occasions when guests arrive, they are offered a loaf of bread with a salt holder to represent hospitality.
InFrance, there has been a huge decline in thebaguetteculture. In the 1970s, French people were consuming an average of one loaf of bread per day. Only a century ago, the French ate approximately 3 loaves of bread per day. Today, French people eat only a half a loaf of bread per day. In response to this decline, bakers have created a national campaign to get people to call at the bakery before and after work just as they used to. The campaign models the American "Got Milk?" campaign, plastering "Hey there, have you picked up the bread?" all over billboards and bread bags.
During the 18th century, themoral economyof France was based on wheaten bread. By supplying a sufficient amount of bread to the people, the government was able to demonstrate its strong political fitness. Wheaten bread was also thought to be indispensable to one's well-being after French medical chemists had associated gluten with several nourishing elements in plants. As bread had a high gluten content compared to other cereals, it was given a reputation of being the alimentary ideal. Consequently, consumers became extremely concerned with the quality of their wheaten bread, resulting in a meticulous surveillance of wheaten bread production; they did not want their bread to contain filler additives such as bran, rye, barley, and legume flour. At the time, bread was the most sought out food as it was considered to be essential, universal, and highly nutritive. It was typical for the average French citizen to believe that it was impossible to overindulge in bread. For many, bread became the centerpiece of every meal. All other foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meats were thought as subsidiary, or ancillary to nourishment.
There is a wide variety of traditional breads inGreat Britain, often baked in a rectangular tin form. Round loaves are also produced, such as theNorth East Englandspecialty called astottie cake. A cob is a small round loaf. Acottage loafis made of two balls of dough, one on top of the other, to form a figure-of-eight shape. There are many variations on bread rolls, such asbaps,barms,breadcakesand so on. TheChorleywood processfor mass-producing bread was developed in England in the 1960s before spreading worldwide. Mass-produced sliced white bread brands such asWonderloafandMother's Pridehave been criticized on grounds of poor nutritional value and taste of the loaves produced.
InSpain, the traditional bread is in a long loaf, similar to the French baguette but wider. One can buy it freshly made every morning in the traditional bakeries, where there is a large assortment of bread. A smaller version is known asbocadillo, an iconic piece of the Hispanic cuisine. In Spain, especially in the Mediterranean area, there have been guilds of bakers for over 750 years. The bakers guild in Barcelona was founded in 1200 AD.There is a region called Tierra del Pan ("Land of the Bread"), located in the province ofZamora, where economy was in the past joined to this activity.
According toGuinness World Records, Turkey has the largest per capita consumption of bread in the world as of 2000, with 199.6 kg (440 lb) per person; Turkey is followed in bread consumption by Serbia and Montenegro with 135 kg (297 lb 9.9 oz), and Bulgaria with 133.1 kg (293 lb 6.9 oz).
Flat breads of many flours are a widespread alongLatin America, the most common probably beingsopaipillas.Chileis the second largest consumer of bread per capita worldwide.
Corntortillasare the staple bread in most of Mexico, bread rolls in many varieties are an important daily food for city dwellers. Popular breads in Mexico include thebolilloroll andpan dulce.Pan dulce, which is Spanish for "sweet bread", is eaten in the evenings with hot drinks like traditional hot chocolate.
Chapatibreads are common in theCaribbean IslandsandGuiana.
InPeru, bread has many variations due to the diversity of Peruvian cuisine. People usually eatpan de pisoandpan serrano. There are also some kinds of bread made of potatoes; these are currently popular in the Andes.Bizcochosare sweet bread usually eaten with some butter andhot chocolate. A dough made with cooked pumpkin or squash, often shaped and fried into doughnuts and served with a sweet fruity dipping sauce, is a traditional favorite. Bread is an ingredient ofsopas de ajo,gazpacho, andsalmorejo.
InColombiaandVenezuela,arepasare a common type of bread made with corn flour, usually filled for making diverse sandwiches.Arepa de huevo[es]is a type of arepa from theCaribbean coast of Colombia.
Many breads inParaguay,Braziland Northeast ofArgentinaare made with flour and cheese, likechipa,sopa paraguayaandpão de queijo.
In theRio de la Plataregion sopaipillas are calledtorta fritaand are fried in cow fat, other type of bread that is commonly found isgalleta de campaña, a grease dough made of layers,roscasare a type of bread inUruguaythat is commonly eaten onsemana santa(Easter), they are usually filled either withchicharronesorquince cheese.Pan de migais a bread that is specially made for makingsandwiches de migaand mostly is not consumed on another way, same aspebetesthat are commonly filled with ham and cheese. A type ofcroissantcommonly found inRio de la plataisMedialuna.
In theHorn of Africa, notablyEthiopiaandEritrea, a bread calledinjerais made from a grain calledteff.This is a wide, flat, circular bread that is in a similar shape of a tortilla and is also used as a utensil to pick up food.
Also consumed is a thick and chewy fried bread that is smothered in oil beforehand. Therghifabread is a staple in the food of Morocco and consists of several layers of lightly cooked bread.
In Egypt, bread is calledaysh(aish merahrahoraish baladi) and the ancient proverb has it that "life withoutayshis not life". The typical Egyptian bread is circular, about 6 inches across, often baked in small neighbourhood bakeries and bought still warm.
Traditional breads in theUnited Statesinclude cornbreads and various quick breads, such as biscuits. Rolls, made from wheat flour and yeast, are another popular and traditional bread, eaten with the dinner meal.
Cornbreadis made from cornmeal and can differ significantly in taste and texture from region to region. In general, theSouthprefers white cornmeal with little to no wheat flour or sweeteners added; it is traditionally baked in a cast-iron skillet and ideally has a crunchy outside and moist inside. TheNorthusually prefers yellow cornmeal with sometimes as much as half wheat flour in its composition, as well as sugar, honey, or maple syrup. This results in a bread that is softer and sweeter than its southern counterpart. Wheat flour was not available to the average North American family until the early 1900s when a new breed of wheat termedMarquiswas produced. This was a hybrid of Red Fife andHard red winter wheat. Marquis grew well and soon average Americans were able to have homemade wheat bread on the table.Homemade wheat breads are made in a rectangular tin similar to those in the United Kingdom.
Spoon bread, also called batter bread or egg bread, is made of cornmeal with or without added rice and hominy, and is mixed with milk, eggs, shortening and leavening to such a consistency that it must be served from the baking dish with a spoon. This is popular chiefly in the South.
Sourdough biscuits are traditional "cowboy food" in theWest. TheSan Francisco Bay Areais known for its crustysourdough.
Up until the 20th century (and even later in certain regions), any flour other than cornmeal was considered a luxury; this would explain the greater variety in cornbread types compared to that of wheat breads. In terms of commercial manufacture, the most popular bread has been a soft-textured type with a thin crust that is usually made with milk and is slightly sweet; this is the type that is generally sold ready-sliced in packages. It is usually eaten with the crust, but some eaters or preparers may remove the crust due to a personal preference or style of serving, as with finger sandwiches served withafternoon tea. Some of the softest bread, includingWonder Bread, is referred to as "balloon bread".
Though white "sandwich bread" is the most popular, Americans are trending toward moreartisanalbreads. Different regions of the country feature certain ethnic bread varieties including the Ashkenazi Jewishbagel, the Frenchbaguette, the Italian-stylescali breadmade inNew England,Jewish rye, commonly associated withdelicatessencuisine, andNative Americanfrybread(a product of hardship, developed during the Indian resettlements of the 19th century).
Bread has symbolic roles in theAbrahamic religionsofJudaismandChristianity.
During theJewishfestival ofPassover, only unleavened bread is eaten, in commemoration of the flight from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites did not have enough time to allow their bread to rise, and so ate only unleavened breadmatzo.Challahis a traditional Jewish bread eaten forShabbatand holidays (except fast days), based on the ancient practice of thedough offeringto kohanim (priests).
In theChristianritual of theEucharist, bread is eaten as asacramenteither as asymbolic representationof the body of Christ or, as in theCatholic liturgy, as areal manifestationof the body of Christ.Specific aspects of the ritual itself, including the composition of the bread, vary from denomination to denomination. The differences in the practice of the Eucharist stem from different descriptions and depictions of theLast Supperwhich provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist.TheSynoptic Gospelspresent the Last Supper as a Passover meal and suggest that the bread at the Last Supper would be unleavened. However, in the chronology inGospel of John, the Last Supper occurred the day before Passover suggesting that the bread would be leavened. Despite this point of disagreement, theCouncil of Florenceof the Catholic church agreed that "the body of Christ is truly confected in both unleavened and leavened wheat bread, and priests should confect the body of Christ in either".
Some traditions ofWiccaandNeo-Paganismconsume bread as part of their religious rituals, attaching varied symbolism to the act.
Some have rejected bread entirely or rejected types of bread that they consider unhealthy. Reasons for doing so have varied through history: whole grain bread has been criticized as being unrefined, and white bread as being unhealthfully processed; homemade bread has been deemed unsanitary, and factory-made bread regarded with suspicion for being adulterated.Amylophobia, literally "fear of starch", was a movement in the US during the 1920s and 1930s.
In the United States, bread sales fell by 11.3% between 2008 and 2013. This statistic might reflect a change in the types of food from which Americans are getting their carbohydrates, but the trends are unclear because of the concurrent effects of theGreat Recession.  Bread market remains challenging. Food Business News, 17 September 2013It is also possible that changing diet fashions affected the decrease in bread sales during that period.
Theancient Egyptiansused moldy bread to treatinfectionsthat arose from dirt in burn wounds.In the early 20th century,penicillinwas isolated from molds growing on bread, and became one of the most important antibiotics in use.