Bread in Different Cultures - Term Paper Example

of Year: Introduction. food is very important in our life and bread being a staple food to most of the countries and importance to their culture. It commonly involves the preparation and cooking of dough by mixing flour and water with additional of other ingredients depending on different cultures’ recipes. Ingredients may include fat, yeast, salt, sugar, fruits, and vegetables among others. The dough is usually prepared mostly through baking while other ways are by steaming and frying. The inner part is known as the baker while the hard outer part of the bread is the crust. The crust nature of the bread differs from the way and type of the bread prepared. Bread is mostly taken as part of the breakfast meal and beside other meals depending on a culture. Most of the breads known are the white bread that is made up of the endosperm and wheat flour and the brown bread which is known to be more healthier because of the additional whole grains that increases the fiber content. France The French stick which is known as bread baguette is the popular type of bread within the France community. It’s a crusty long thin loaf which has a standard weight of 250 grams. The bread baguette bread has different forms of bread depending on the type and size. They is the molded bread which is made up of a crispy golden brown crust with a thinner crust than the rest, ordinary bread crust and the floured bread which is basically covered with wheat flour before being cooked. The white ordinary French bread is the most common type with several variety types of bread from the flute(double size of the baguette),couronne(the ring shaped bread),ficelle(long and very tiny loaf which should be eaten while fresh otherwise the inside dries up quickly while baked) and the batard(half the normal loaf). In france, most peoples’ day begin with breakfast which consists of bread, coffee or chocolate that is drunk using a bowl. Bread is also taken around four by the students from school. The French people consider meal as part of their rights and leisure activity. The French food is famously believed to be healthy and encouraged to be taken throughout the year by individuals. It consists of well baked fresh bread, milk fruits, local cheese, vegetables and high quality ingredients. The main ingredients used to make the French bread include water, flour,salt and yeast and some eggs and other ingredients if required. The first step involves kneading which involves the mixing of all the ingredients in a bowl and forming smooth and elastic dough. The dough is greased and turned to let the dough ferment and rise. On a slightly floured surface, punch the dough down and divide into two. Make an egg paste with a one tablespoon of water and apply on the dough. Roll up each of the longer side of the dough and let it ferment for 30-40 minutes. The dough is then shaped by further diving into smaller sizes. Grease the baking plate and bake the loafs preheat under 190 degrees/c or cover them with foil to avoid browning. Remove the loafs and then pester again with the egg paste and bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove and serve while hot. Arabia. The Arabic bread is also known as pita. Its a round pocket like bread widely consumed in the middle eastern and Arab countries. Pita allows the bread to open providing a scoop where various sauces or food are placed like kebabs and used mostly as a type of sandwich and taken regularly as for any meal or a side dish. The pocket in the bread is formed after the steaming that puffs up the dough. The scooping of the pita bread with vegetables, salad and even herbs make it healthy taken as a meal which contains less calories and no cholesterol. Pita is also taken in times of special occasion like the Islamic celebration known as idd and their holy month Ramadan. The main ingredients used in preparing Arabic bread include yeast,water,teaspoon of sugar, little salt(a pinch),tablespoon of nonfat milk powder or half a glass of milk depending on the size of flour to be used(more flour more milk) and less cooking oil. It’s simple to prepare pita because it doesn’t require technical procedure for its preparation and uses brick oven for its cooking. Flour, milk and salt are mixed in a bowl and then a mixer of yeast, sugar and water are poured into the flour.oil is later added and then knead the mixture ensuring that the flour and water balances. This will depend on the absorption on the flour forming stiff smooth dough. Divide the dough into smaller balls and place them in a floured surface for sometimes. Role the balls out one after the other and then cook it by placing it on the oven plate. Let one side becomes brown or some ‘bubbles’ formed and flip the bread on the other side till it cooks. Cover the bread with a towel to keep it warm. Mexico The sweet Mexico bread is one of the most famous kinds of food most eaten in the country after tortilla. It’s mainly taken as breakfast meal which is one of the delicious piece or as a desert after lunch or dinner main meal. It’s known as the traditional Mexico bread. They are variety of the delicious traditional Mexico bread which is of different names depending on the size, style and flavor. Some of them include cochas, elotitos, limas, picon, ojo de buey among others. The different in flavor and shape differ within certain towns showing their uniqueness. The bread also gets to be featured in special occasions. A type of the Mexico bread known as rosca de reyes is prepared around January 6 symbolizing the western Christian traditional known as epiphany also known as the three wise kings day. The ingredients used in the preparation of rosca de reyes are basically flour,water,egg yolks, grated orange,yeast,chopped fruits, unsalted butter and sugar. In order to prepare at least two breads, mix water to ½ kg flour together with 10g of yeast,60g of sugar, pinch of salt and yeast forming a smooth elastic dough. Let the dough ferment for about 2 hours and the add the remaining ingredients together with water and mix them till the dough appears sticky. Add butter and fruits and mix again. Pour the dough into an oiled container and cover to let it ferment for 20 minutes. Make balls out of the dough and make holes to each of the ball. Then place the balls into the baking plate for 3 hours to let them cook. Conclusion. Bread is an important staple food for most of the people in the world which are prepared and taken differently with important tradition use. Bread is taken as a light food as the common breakfast meal that is believed to have a healthy nutritional context. Bread is therefore an important aspect and meal for most of our birthright. Bibliography Benanbaum, Rose Levy. The Bread Bible. New York: W.W Norton and Company, 2003. 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