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Update Sourdough History
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This adds another timeline for the sourdough bread history, adds more
information and more references.
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hendricius committed Dec 4, 2023
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59 changes: 59 additions & 0 deletions book/figures/fig-sourdough-history-timeline.tex
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@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
\begin{tikzpicture}
% Draw horizontal line
\draw[line width=1pt] (0,0) -- (\textwidth,0);

% Define the width of each segment
\pgfmathsetlengthmacro{\segmentwidth}{\textwidth/13}


% Lines for periods
\draw[stealth-stealth, line width=1pt] (0,-4.2)
-- node[midway, timeline_timespan] {Historic breadmaking} ({\segmentwidth * 6},-4.2);
\draw[stealth-stealth, line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth * 7},-4.2)
-- node[midway, timeline_timespan] {Modern bread} ({\segmentwidth * 13},-4.2);

% Regularly placed events
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*3.3},1.5) -- ({\segmentwidth*3.3},0.3)
node[at start, above, timeline_event] {6000 BC: First beer in Egypt};
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*5.95},2.5) -- ({\segmentwidth*5.95},0.3)
node[at start, above, timeline_event] {70 BC:~First water mill};

\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*11.50},2.5) -- ({\segmentwidth*11.50},0.3);
\node[timeline_event, above, anchor=east] at ({\segmentwidth*13.50},2.5) {1950:~Modern Wheat};

\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*12.20},-3.25) -- ({\segmentwidth*12.20},-0.3);
\node[timeline_event, above, anchor=east] at ({\segmentwidth*13.20},-3.5) {2020~COVID-19 Pandemic};

\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*8.85},-1.25) -- ({\segmentwidth*8.85},-0.3)
node[at start, above, timeline_event] {1785:~Steam mill};
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*10.60},1.5) -- ({\segmentwidth*10.60},0.3)
node[at start, above, timeline_event] {1868:~Commercial yeast};
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*8.8},0.75) -- ({\segmentwidth*8.8},0.3)
node[at start, above, timeline_event] {1680:~Discovery of microorganisms};
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*10.80},-2.5) -- ({\segmentwidth*10.80},-0.3)
node[at start, below, timeline_event] {1885:~Electrical mixer};
\draw[line width=1pt] ({\segmentwidth*10.57},-1.75) -- ({\segmentwidth*10.57},-0.3)
node[at start, below, timeline_event] {1857:~Isolated Yeast};

% Lines to events
% Cultivation of Einkorn
\draw[line width=1pt] (0,1) -- (0,0.3);
\draw[line width=1pt] (0,1) -- (0.25,1);
\node[timeline_event, above, anchor=west] at (0.25,1) {12000 BC:~Cultivation of Einkorn};

% Sourdough in Jordan
\draw[line width=1pt] (0,-1) -- (0,-0.3);
\draw[line width=1pt] (0,-1) -- (0.25,-1);
\node[timeline_event, above, anchor=west] at (0.25,-1) {12000 BC:~Sourdough in Jordan};
% Events

% Indicators for period
% Draw months and month separators
\foreach \i/\month in {0/12000, 1/10000, 2/8000, 3/6000, 4/4000, 5/2000,
6/0, 7/1500, 8/1600, 9/1700, 10/1800, 11/1900, 12/2000, 13/2100} {
% Separators
\draw[line width=1pt] (\i*\segmentwidth,0.1) -- (\i*\segmentwidth,-0.1);
% Events for timeline
\node[timeline_event, below] at ({(\i)*\segmentwidth},-0.1) {\month};
}
\end{tikzpicture}
152 changes: 129 additions & 23 deletions book/history/sourdough-history.tex
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -57,16 +57,24 @@ \chapter{The history of sourdough}%
extinction, humans appeared.

A few hours later after the arrival of humans, a more subtle culinary
revolution was unfolding. By \num{12000}~BC, just 5 seconds before our metaphorical
revolution was unfolding. By \num{12000}~BC, just 5 seconds before our metaphorical
midnight, the first sourdough breads were being baked in ancient Jordan. A blink of
an eye later, or 4~seconds in our time compression, Pasteur's groundbreaking work
with yeasts set the stage for modern bread-making. From the moment this book
began to take shape to your current reading, only milliseconds have ticked by~\cite{Yong_2017}.
began to take shape to your current reading, only milliseconds have ticked by~\cite{Yong+2017}.

Now delving deeper into the realm of sourdough, it can likely be traced to aforementioned
Ancient Jordan~\cite{jordan+bread}. Looking at the earth's timeline sourdough
bread can be considered a very recent invention.

\begin{figure}[!htb]
\begin{center}
\input{figures/fig-sourdough-history-timeline.tex}
\caption[Sourdough history timeline]{Timeline of significant discoveries and events
leading to modern sourdough bread.}%
\end{center}
\end{figure}

The exact origins of fermented
bread are, however, unknown. One of the most ancient preserved
sourdough breads has been excavated in Switzerland~\cite{switzerland+bread}.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -103,17 +111,18 @@ \chapter{The history of sourdough}%
Quickly, similar processes were discovered when brewing beer
or making wine. A small tiny batch of the previous production
would be used for the next production. In this way, humans created
modern bread yeasts, wine yeasts, and beer yeasts. Only in 1680,
the scientist Anton van~Leeuwenhoek first studied yeast microorganisms
under a microscope. Over time with each batch, the yeasts and bacteria
modern bread yeasts, wine yeasts, and beer yeasts~\cite{egypt+beer}

Over time with each batch, the yeasts and bacteria
would become better at consuming whatever they were thrown at.
By feeding your sourdough starter, you are selectively breeding
microorganisms that are good at eating your flour. With
each iteration, your sourdough knows how to better ferment the flour
at hand. This is also the reason why more mature sourdough starters sometimes
tend to leaven doughs faster~\cite{review+of+sourdough+starters}. It is crazy if you
tend to leaven doughs faster~\cite{review+of+sourdough+starters}.
\footnote{It is crazy if you
think about it. People have been using this process despite not
knowing what was actually going on for thousands of years! The
knowing what was going on for thousands of years!} The
sourdough in itself is a symbiotic relationship. But the sourdough
also adapted to humans and formed a symbiotic relationship with us.
For food and water, we are rewarded with delicious bread. In exchange,
Expand All @@ -122,39 +131,135 @@ \chapter{The history of sourdough}%
This allows the sourdough starter to spread its spores even
further all around the world.

Brewers would start to experiment with utilizing the muddy leftovers
Evidence suggests early grain grinding in northern Australia around \num{60000}~BC,
notably at the Madjedbebe rock shelter in Arnhem Land~\cite{aboriginal+grinding+stones}.
However,
a more significant advancement occurred later, as documented by
the ancient Greek geographer Strabo in \num{71}~BC. Strabo's writings
described the first water-powered stone mill, known as
a \emph{gristmill}. These mills advanced flour production
from a few kilograms up to several metric tons per day~\cite{history+mills}.

These early mills featured horizontal paddle wheels, eventually
termed \emph{Norse wheels} due to their prevalence in Scandinavia.
The paddle wheels connected to a shaft, which, in turn, linked to the central
runner stone for grinding. Water flow propelled the paddle wheels,
transferring the grinding force to the stationary \emph{bed}, typically
a stone of similar size and shape. This design was straightforward, avoiding
the need for gears. However, it had a limitation: the
stone's rotation speed relied on water volume and flow
rate, making it most suitable for regions with fast-flowing
streams, often found in mountainous areas~\cite{mills+scandinavia}.

In the year \num{1680}, a remarkable scientist by the
name of Anton~van~Leeuwenhoek
introduced a groundbreaking innovation that would
forever alter our understanding
of the microscopic world and ultimately bread making.
Van Leeuwenhoek, a master of lens craftsmanship,
possessed an insatiable fascination with realms
invisible to the naked eye. His pioneering work birthed
the first modern microscope.
What set van Leeuwenhoek apart was the exceptional quality of his lenses,
capable of magnifying tiny microorganisms by an astounding factor of \num{270}.
Driven by an unrelenting curiosity to unveil the unseen, he embarked on a
journey of exploration. He scrutinized flies, examined lice-infested hair,
and ultimately turned his gaze toward the tranquil waters of a small
lake near Delft.

In this serene aquatic habitat, he made astonishing observations,
discovering algae and minuscule, dancing creatures hitherto hidden from
human perception. Eager to share his revelatory findings with the scientific
community, van Leeuwenhoek faced skepticism, as it was difficult to fathom that
someone had witnessed thousands of diminutive, dancing entities—entities
so tiny that they eluded the human eye.

Undeterred by skepticism, he continued his relentless pursuit of the unseen,
directing his lens towards a brewer's beer sludge. In this obscure medium,
van Leeuwenhoek made history by becoming the first human to lay eyes upon
bacteria and yeast, unraveling a previously concealed world that would
revolutionize our understanding of microbiology~\cite{Yong+2017+Leeuwen}.

At the same time brewers would start to experiment with utilizing the muddy leftovers
of the beer fermentation to start making doughs. They would notice
that the resulting bread doughs were becoming fluffy and compared
to the sourdough process would lack the acidity in the final product.
A popular example is shown in a report from 1875. Eben Norton Horsford
A popular example is shown in a report from \num{1875}. Eben Norton Horsford
wrote about the famous \emph{Kaiser Semmeln} (Emperor's bread rolls).
These are essentially bread rolls made with brewer's yeast instead
of the sourdough leavening agent. As the process is more expensive,
bread rolls like these were ultimately consumed by the noble people
in Vienna~\cite{vienna+breadrolls}.

As industrialisation began the first steam-powered grain mill
was developed by Oliver Evans in \num{1785}. Evans' design incorporated
several innovations, including automated machinery for various
milling processes, making it more efficient than traditional water
or animal-powered mills. His steam-powered mill marked a significant advancement
in industrial technology for bread making~\cite{evans+mill}.

\begin{figure}[ht]
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{sourdough-stove}
\caption{A bread made over the stove without an oven.}%
\label{sourdough-stove}
\end{figure}

Only in 1857, the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur discovered
The biggest advancement of industrial breadmaking happened in \num{1857}.
The French microbiologist Louis Pasteur discovered
the process of alcoholic fermentation. He would prove that
yeast microorganisms are the reason for alcoholic fermentation
and not other chemical catalysts. What would then start is
what I~describe as the 150 lost years of bread making. In 1879
the first machines and centrifuges were developed to centrifuge
pure yeast. This yeast would be extracted from batches of sourdough.
and not other chemical catalysts. He continued with his research and
was the first person to isolate and grow pure yeast strains.
Soon later in \num{1868} in the Fleischmann brothers Charles
and Maximilian were the first to patent pure yeast strains
for bread making. The yeasts offered
were isolated from batches of sourdough. By \num{1879} the machinery was built
to multiply the yeast in large centrifuges~\cite{fleischmann+history}.
The pure yeast would prove to be excellent and turbocharged
at leavening bread doughs. What would previously take 10~hours
at leaving bread doughs. What would previously take 10~hours
to leaven a bread dough could now be done within 1~hour.
The process became much more efficient. During World~War~II
The process became much more efficient. What ultimately made making large
batches of dough possible, was the invention of the electrical kneader.
Rufus Eastman, an American inventor, is often credited with an
important advancement in mixer technology. In \num{1885}, he received a patent
for an electric mixer with a mechanical hand-crank mechanism.
This device was not as advanced or as widely adopted as later
electric mixers, but it was an early attempt to mechanize mixing
and kneading processes in the kitchen using electricity.
Eastman's invention represented an important step in the development
of electric mixers, but it wasn't as sophisticated or popular as
later models like the KitchenAid mixer. The KitchenAid mixer,
introduced in \num{1919}, is often recognized as one of the first widely
successful electric mixers and played a significant role
in revolutionizing kitchen appliances for
home cooks~\cite{first+mixer}~\cite{kitchenaid+history}.

During World~War~II
the first packaged dry yeast was developed. This would ultimately
allow bakeries and home bakers to make bread much faster.
Thanks to pure yeast, building bread making machines was
possible. Provided you maintain the same temperature,
your yeast would always ferment exactly the same way.
allow bakeries and home bakers to make bread much faster and
more consistently. Thanks to pure yeast, building industrial bread
making machines was now possible. Provided you maintain the
same temperature, same flour and yeast strains fermentation
became precisely reproducible. This ultimately lead to the development
of giga bakeries and flour blenders. The bakeries demanded
the same flour from year to year to bake bread in their machines.
For this reason, none of the supermarket flour you buy today is single origin.
It is always blended to achieve exactly the same product throughout
the years.

Modern wheat, specifically the high-yielding and disease-resistant
varieties commonly grown today, began to be developed in
the mid-20th century. This period is often referred to as the
\emph{Green Revolution.}

One of the key figures in this development was American
scientist Norman Borlaug, who is credited with breeding
high-yield wheat varieties, particularly dwarf wheat varieties,
that were resistant to diseases and could thrive in various
environmental conditions. His work, which started in the
1940s and continued through the \num{1960}s, played a crucial role in
increasing wheat production worldwide and alleviating food
shortages~\cite{green+revolution}.

As fermentation
times sped up, the taste of the final bread would deteriorate.
Expand All @@ -168,7 +273,7 @@ \chapter{The history of sourdough}%

Suddenly people started to talk more often about celiac disease
and the role of gluten. The disease isn't new; it has first
been described in 250 AD~\cite{coeliac+disease}. People
been described in \num{250}~AD~\cite{coeliac+disease}. People
would note how modern bread has much more gluten compared
to ancient bread. The bread in ancient times probably was much flatter.
The grains over time have been bred more and more towards containing a higher
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -208,8 +313,9 @@ \chapter{The history of sourdough}%
culture to Northern America. A popular bread became the
San Francisco sourdough. It's characterized by its unique
tang (which was previously common for every bread). It
however remained more of a niche food. What really expedited
the comeback of sourdough was the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
however remained more of a niche food while industrial bread
was on the rise. What really expedited
the comeback of sourdough was the \num{2020} COVID-19 pandemic.
Flour and yeast became scarce in the supermarkets. While
flour returned yeast couldn't be found. People started
to look for alternatives and rediscovered the ancient
Expand Down
87 changes: 86 additions & 1 deletion book/references.bib
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -98,14 +98,90 @@ @article{jordan+bread
howpublished = {\url{https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6077754/}}
}

@article{fleischmann+history,
author = {Fleischmann History},
title = {History of Fleischmann's},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.fleischmannsyeast.com/our-history/}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{evans+mill,
author = {Jeremy Norman},
title = {Oliver Evans Builds the First Automated Flour Mill: Origins of the Integrated and Automated Factory},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=3567}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{first+mixer,
author = {United States Patent office},
title = {Eastman Mixer for cream, eggs and liquors},
howpublished = {\url{https://patents.google.com/patent/US330829}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{egypt+beer,
author = {Smithsonian Magazine},
title = {World’s Oldest Industrial-Scale Brewery Found in Egypt},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-oldest-industrial-scale-brewery-found-egypt-180977026/}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{kitchenaid+history,
author = {KitchenAid},
title = {KitchenAid Brand History},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.kitchenaid.com/100year/history.html}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{aboriginal+grinding+stones,
author = {First Peoples - State Relations},
title = {Fact sheet: Aboriginal grinding stones},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au/fact-sheet-aboriginal-grinding-stones}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@article{aboriginal+grinding+stones,
author = {First Peoples - State Relations},
title = {Fact sheet: Aboriginal grinding stones},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au/fact-sheet-aboriginal-grinding-stones}},
note = {Accessed: 2023-12-04}
}

@book{history+mills,
title = {Archaeological Evidence for Early Water-Mills. An Interim Report},
journal = {History of Technology},
number = {10},
author = {Wikander, Örjan},
year = {1985},
pages = {151--179}
}

@book{mills+scandinavia,
title = {Waterwheels and Windmills: Five machines that changed the world},
author = {Mark, Denny},
year = {2007},
pages = {36}
}

@article{green+revolution,
author = {Borlaug, Norman},
title = {Contributions of conventional plant breeding to food production},
journal = {Science},
volume = {219},
number = {4585},
pages = {689-693},
year = {1983},
doi = {10.1126/science.219.4585.689}
}

@article{switzerland+bread,
author = {Pasquale Catzeddu},
title = {Flour and Breads and their Fortification in Health and Disease Prevention},
pages = {37--46},
year = {2011}
}

@book{Yong_2017,
@book{Yong+2017,
place = {London},
title = {I contain multitudes: The microbes within US and a grander view of life},
publisher = {Vintage},
Expand All @@ -114,6 +190,15 @@ @book{Yong_2017
pages = {5--9}
}

@book{Yong+2017+Leeuwen,
place = {London},
title = {I contain multitudes: The microbes within US and a grander view of life},
publisher = {Vintage},
author = {Yong, Ed},
year = {2017},
pages = {39}
}

@article{egyptian+bread,
title = {Investigation of ancient Egyptian baking and brewing methods by correlative microscopy},
volume = {273},
Expand Down

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