diff --git a/book/figures/fig-sourdough-history-timeline.tex b/book/figures/fig-sourdough-history-timeline.tex new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e5871049 --- /dev/null +++ b/book/figures/fig-sourdough-history-timeline.tex @@ -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} diff --git a/book/history/sourdough-history.tex b/book/history/sourdough-history.tex index ff916fb8..ff378786 100644 --- a/book/history/sourdough-history.tex +++ b/book/history/sourdough-history.tex @@ -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}. @@ -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, @@ -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. @@ -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 @@ -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 diff --git a/book/references.bib b/book/references.bib index 6184dc4e..e34552cb 100644 --- a/book/references.bib +++ b/book/references.bib @@ -98,6 +98,82 @@ @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}, @@ -105,7 +181,7 @@ @article{switzerland+bread 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}, @@ -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},