According to a 2018 study, the origins of bread-like substances date back as far as 14,400 years ago in Northeast Jordon[1]. It became a staple around 10,000 years ago, starting its life as simple flatbreads [2] The first sliced bread was produced in 1912 and then from the 60s, things started to go wrong. Chemical and mechanical processes began to strip the nutrition out of it and now the average sliced bread that lines the supermarket shelves is full of a whole long line of ingredients that you can’t pronounce with nutrients added back in that have been stripped away in the processing.
Wheat and gluten has been vilified over the last few decades making way for a mad frenzy of gluten free products that now pop up everywhere. As more people become sensitive to gluten containing products or think they are intolerant, they have been leaving bread for pastures new and those pastures aren’t so glorious either.
So why has gluten become so evil? Well, it’s my humble opinion (and many others') that it is not really gluten but what has been done to wheat that has made it, and the gluten within it become problematic for so many. Around 95% of all wheat grown in the world comes from common wheat and is grown on an industrial scale using a cocktail of chemicals including glyphosate. Residues of these are found in the flour used to make bread and baked goods. According to an article from the Sustainable Food Trust, ‘varying levels of sulphur and nitrogen fertilisers change the proteins in wheat which are often the cause of many allergies’ [3]. The nitrogen fertiliser has also been shown to cause increased levels of gliadin, the gluten protein that is often the culprit of intolerances and food sensitivities.
I could go on and on but basically the message is clear. Gluten and wheat products do are not necessarily the enemy if we choose heritage grains that are grown organically, rich in nutrients, proteins and fibre and are much easier to digest. If you think about the average person's wheat consumption in modern times, it may be in the form of sliced toast for breakfast, a wrap for lunch and a pie for dinner. All made with the same toxic wheat grain.
In my bread making adventures, I’ve tried organic Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt and Rye, all of which are incredibly delicious and if used correctly, health giving. Supporting organic growers is also beneficial for you, for them, for the planet and nature so it’s really a win win. It also supports the delicate mycorrhizal fungi that supports the nutritional value of ancient grains which is destroyed in heavy, polluting industrial farming methods. I could witter on about mycorrhizal fungi but I will save that for another post because they are absolutely awesome and desperately need our support.
My family and I enjoy delicious organic homemade sourdough every week. I use a combo of flours brought from my local mill. Try looking up local mills near to you and order from them. Apparently (according to Tim Spector in his most recent book, ‘Food for life’), even the art of making the sourdough may be good for you due to the beneficial microbes in the starter! Check out this study that talks about the benefits of sourdough including improvements in glycaemic responses, satiety and digestion following ingestion.
Here is my recipe with thanks to Emilie Raffa for inspiration from her book 'Artisan Sourdough Made Simple'.
Spelt and Rye Sourdough (makes 2 x 600g loaves)
I always make two loaves at a time to save energy and put some in the freezer. I slice them up, wrap them up in a tea towel and put them in the freezer. Always wait for the loaf to cool before slicing.
Ingredients:
100g rye starter
600g organic wholemeal spelt flour
100g organic white rye flour
200 organic white spelt flour
200g organic white bread flour
100g plain organic white flour
900g warm water
3.3 tsp sea salt
(handful of seeds: optional)
Timings will vary with the seasons due to the change in temperatures, be careful of over proving in the warmer months.
To make the starter is SO easy. In a clear jar, mix 50g of water with 50g rye flour, leave with a loose lid for 24 hours. The next day, feed your starter. Take half away and then add another 50g of rye, 50g water. Continue to do this for several days until you get a lovely plump and bubbly starter that has doubled in size. When this happens it is ready to use. It’s normally a good time to use your starter about 12 hours after feeding, so if you want to make your bread in the evening, feed it about 12 hours before you want to use it and make sure it has doubled in size. I use a rubber band around the jar to gauge how much it has grown.
Around 7.30/8pm, add 100g of starter to a large bowl and whisk with 900g or warm water. Then add all of the ingredients and mix well. Leave covered for around 45mins to one hour. Then you are going to stretch and fold the dough until it starts to firm up. I normally do this about five times. Then leave to rest, set a timer for 30 minutes and do this another 2-3 times. The dough will have started quite sloppy and difficult to deal with but as you work it, it will firm up. Cover with a wet tea towel and leave overnight.
Following morning, around 7am, the mix should have grown to nearly twice the size and have bubbles on the top. Take out of the bowl and leave on the side for a few minutes. Then you can do one of the following:
1- Work the dough into two balls and carefully fold it and pop into two pre-prepared proving baskets upside down or
2- What I do because I had to chuck my proving baskets away..... I use two sheets of of greased non-toxic baking paper, shape my dough, pop it onto the greaseproof paper and then place it into the baking pot that I will cook it in. Now I understand that for all those sourdough aficionados out there, this is plain sacrilege, but it saves me time and also room in my kitchen (I don't have to find a home for proving baskets). I might also cover the top in some poppy seeds. I then pop them into the fridge for up to five hours. Once taken out of fridge, make a cut, pop the lid on and bake at pre-heated oven 240 degrees for 20mins. After 20 mins, take off lid and cook for a further 30mins. After that, I turn the oven right down to 180 degrees, take out of the pots, place on the oven shelf directly and cook for a further 10 mins. Once cooked, take out of the oven and let cool for at least one hour.
Good luck. Don't expect your loaf to have a super open crust because it is 50% wholemeal but do expect it to be nutritious and delicious!
[3] https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/news-views/growing-intolerance/#:~:text=The%20industrial%20process%20has%20been,full%20of%20enzymes%20and%20preservatives.
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