The History of Bread Making: A Universal Lens

If there is one food that encapsulates culture, history, religion, geography, and politics, it would arguably be bread. This seemingly simple food, made from just water and flour, has spread across most continents and symbolizes humanity’s evolution from hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural communities. Explore the history of bread making below.

The Origins of Bread

Like many food stories, bread’s journey begins far back in time. As humans transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agricultural communities, they began to cultivate grains. Through experimentation, they discovered that pounding these grains with stones (essentially milling) and mixing them with water produced a simple dough that could be baked on a hot stone or over an open fire. The result was likely a flat, rustic, and tough bread—very different from what we know today.

In ancient Mesopotamia, in regions that are now Iraq and Syria, societies such as the Babylonians, Assyrians, and Sumerians refined bread-making techniques, laying the foundations for future generations, most notably the Egyptians.

A significant part of bread’s evolution is tied to ancient communities settling around the Nile River. The river’s annual floods made the surrounding lands fertile and ideal for growing grains such as wheat and barley. As these communities expanded, so did the development of waterways and agricultural techniques.

It is believed that the ancient Egyptians accidentally discovered leavened bread, perhaps by forgetting some dough and observing that it had risen over time, or by experimenting with leftover yeast from beer-making. The Egyptians then began experimenting with leavened bread, producing a paste from wheat and water and leaving it out in the sun to ferment. This marked the beginning of fermented bread as we know it.

Bread then travelled across the Mediterranean to Greece, where it became a celebrated art form. The Greeks explored different baking techniques, including sifting flour and incorporating ingredients like olives, honey, and herbs into their doughs.

During the Middle Ages, bread became a tool of control within Europe’s feudal systems. Feudal lords regulated the use of communal ovens and imposed bread taxes on peasants. In France, low crop yields and widespread famine among the lower classes eventually led to bread riots in 1789, sparking the beginning of the French Revolution.

With the Industrial Revolution came the mechanisation of production, which in turn improved the efficiency of milling, dough mixing, and even bread slicing. This, along with the introduction of manufactured yeast in the 19th century, fundamentally changed bread-making. The new processes allowed for mass production, making bread cheaper, quicker to produce, and more widely available.

The Resurgence of Sourdough

In an increasingly industrialised and automated world, artisanal practices have become a trend. A prime example of this is the resurgence of sourdough, which reached its peak during the Covid lockdowns.

Sourdough is made from a fermented starter, a mixture of flour and water left to sit for a few days. This fermentation process activates the natural bacteria and yeast present in the flour and environment, which feed on the sugars in the flour and produce carbon dioxide. This gas creates bubbles in the dough, causing it to rise.

Sourdough is favoured by many for several reasons, most notably its taste, which due to the fermentation process is slightly tangy. Many also prefer it because they find it easier to digest compared to mass-produced sliced bread, claiming that the fermentation process helps pre-digest the gluten.

Whatever people’s reasons for preferring sourdough over other breads, an important aspect of sourdough is the conversations it has sparked. Those who become familiar with sourdough and its process gain an appreciation for the labour and time it takes to make, the importance of high-quality grain, and how the surrounding environment affects the behaviour of the dough. Inevitably, making bread opens discussions about money, time, labour, agricultural practices, and sustainability.

Food Museum Sourdough

If this article has left your mouth watering and piqued your curiosity about sourdough baking, we invite you to participate in our sourdough workshops happening this October. We’ve also started selling our house-made sourdough in our shop, freshly made during our oven sessions and workshops. Follow us on social media for updates on when fresh bread is available.

You can also explore the history of bread making around our site, including in our working 18th-century watermill.