Bread, pain, das Brot 面包

Food Notes

Bread is made from ground grains mixed with water and baked on a hard surface, resulting in a crusty exterior and a soft, aromatic interior — a structure impossible to create by hand alone.

Before the mastery of fermentation, baked bread was akin to Nordic hardtack. With the advent of fermentation techniques, the texture of bread was enriched, as the process generates gases within, making the bread fluffier with delicate air pockets.

The movement and expansion of air inside the bread enrich its texture. "Compagnons" is a term for those who share "pain" (bread), from the Latin "companio," highlighting the cultural significance of bread in Europe.

Bread, with its finely ground and processed grains, is highly nutritious. Historically, it was an efficient food source, but if laden with sugar and fats, it should be considered a dessert. When consumed, it should be done slowly to savor the texture and taste.

In cakes, the grains are ground even finer, and the sugar content often exceeds that of flour. Thus, cakes should be savored delicately, much like a large piece of fat — one does not consume a pound of fat in one sitting.