From f54a3c51f27e5d70d65e29656239bea35b4f4921 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: AsterixxxGallier <48604279+AsterixxxGallier@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Mon, 9 May 2022 22:55:49 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Tidy up history chapter (#6) * Capitalise some proper nouns * Tidy up grammar and punctuation (side note: nice pun at "The grains over time have been *bread* more and more towards containing a higher amount of gluten.") * Remove unnecessary "through" --- book/history/sourdough-history.tex | 68 +++++++++++++++--------------- 1 file changed, 34 insertions(+), 34 deletions(-) diff --git a/book/history/sourdough-history.tex b/book/history/sourdough-history.tex index 4a3353d..90f19fd 100644 --- a/book/history/sourdough-history.tex +++ b/book/history/sourdough-history.tex @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ Sourdough has been made since ancient times. The exact origins -of fermented bread is however unknown. One of the most ancient -preserved sourdough breads has been excavated in Switzerland. -However based on recent research some scientists speculate -that sourdough bread has already been made 12000 BC in ancient +of fermented bread are however unknown. One of the most ancient +preserved sourdough bread has been excavated in Switzerland. +However, based on recent research, some scientists speculate +that sourdough bread has already been made in 12000 BC in ancient Jordan \cite{jordan+bread}. \begin{figure}[h] @@ -24,42 +24,42 @@ were the reason they made better bread. It is not clear when people started using a bit of the dough from the previous day for the next batch of dough. But by doing so sourdough bread making was born. Wild yeast on the flour and in the air -plus bacteria start to decompose the flour water mixture, also +plus bacteria start to decompose the flour-water mixture, also known as your dough. The yeast makes the dough fluffy and the bacteria primarily creates acidity. Both the different microorganisms work in a symbiotic relationship. Humans appreciated the enhanced airy structure and slight acidity -of the dough. Furthermore the shelf life of such a bread +of the dough. Furthermore, the shelf life of such bread was extended due to the increased acidity. 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. This way humans created -modern bread yeasts, wine yeasts and beer yeasts. Only in 1680 +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 microscoped yeast -microorganisms. Over time with each bach the yeasts and bacteria +microorganisms. 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 +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 (source needed). 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 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 +For food and water, we are rewarded with delicious bread. In exchange, we shelter and protect the sourdough. Spores from the starter -are spread through aerial contamination or through insects like fruit flies. +are spread through aerial contamination or insects like fruit flies. This allows the sourdough starter to spread its spores even further all around the world. -Brewers would start to experiment utilizing the muddy leftovers +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 -would write about famous "Kaiser Semmeln" (Emperor's bread rolls). +would write about the famous "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 @@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ in Vienna \cite{vienna+breadrolls}. \label{sourdough-stove} \end{figure} -Only in 1857 the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur discovered +Only in 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 @@ -84,27 +84,27 @@ to leaven a bread dough could now be done within 1 hour. The process became much more efficient. During world war II the first packaged dry yeast was developed. This would ultimately allow bakeries and home bakers to make bread way faster. -Thanks to pure yeast building bread making machines was +Thanks to pure yeast, building bread making machines was possible. Provided you have the same temperature your yeast would always ferment exactly the same way. As fermentation times sped up the taste of the final bread would deteriorate. The sprouting process induced by certain enzymes is essential -to develop a fluffier texture and better tasting crust. This +to developing a fluffier texture and better tasting crust. This can't be indefinitely sped up. Soon bakeries would start to introduce additional enzymes to achieve similar properties -of sourdough breads in yeast based doughs. Sourdough almost +to sourdough bread in yeast-based doughs. Sourdough almost completely vanished from the surface. Only a handful -of true nerds would continue making breads with sourdough. +of true nerds would continue making bread with sourdough. Suddenly people started to talk more often about celiac disease and the role of gluten. The disease isn't old, it has first been described in 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 way more flat. +to ancient bread. The bread in ancient times probably was way flatter. The grains over time have been bread more and more towards containing a higher amount of gluten. Gluten is a protein that gives modern -bread it's typical soft fluffy crumb structure. The +bread its typical soft fluffy crumb structure. The gluten proteins bind together once activated with water. -Throughout the course of the fermentation CO2 is trapped +Throughout the course of the fermentation, CO2 is trapped in this protein matrix. The tiny created chambers expand during the baking process. As the dough gelatinizes while being heated the structure is fortified. This makes the bread appear @@ -114,41 +114,41 @@ the consumed proteins. There is gluten intolerance and celiac disease. When people say they don't handle gluten will it's mostly a gluten intolerance they describe. Some people describe similar issues when consuming -too much lactose. If you eat a long fermented cheese +too much lactose. If you eat a long-fermented cheese however most of the lactose has been fermented by the tiny microorganisms. People would investigate and note how sourdough bread can typically be handled better -compared to plain fast made factory breads. The +compared to plain fast made factory bread. The reason for this is that enzymes take time to work the dough. -The gluten is a storage protein from the flour. Once +Gluten is a storage protein of flour. Once sprouting is activated by adding water, the protease enzyme starts to convert the gluten into tinier amino acids that are required for sprouting. Over time you are effectively -losing gluten as it's naturally broken down. Furthermore +losing gluten as it's naturally broken down. Furthermore, traditionally lactic acid bacteria would start to decompose -the flour water mix. Almost everything is recycled in nature. -Part of their diet is to consume the proteins of the dough. +the flour-water mix. Almost everything is recycled in nature. +Part of their diet is to consume the proteins in the dough. Modern bread is faster and no longer has lactic acid bacteria. Both factors together mean that you are consuming products with a much higher gluten value compared to ancient times when natural fermentation was used \cite{raffaella+di+cagno}. -During the California gold rush french bakers brought the sourdough -culture to northern america. A popular bread became the +During the California Gold Rush, French bakers brought the 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 niche food. What really expedited +however remained more of a niche food. What really expedited the comeback of sourdough was the 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 way of making sourdough bread. Soon many realized that making sourdough bread is more complex than modern -yeast based bread. You need to maintain a sourdough starter +yeast-based bread. You need to maintain a sourdough starter and have it in ideal shape to properly ferment your dough. -Furthermore compared to a yeast based dough you can't just +Furthermore compared to a yeast-based dough you can't just punch the dough down and let the fermentation continue. -You can overferment your dough resulting a sticky +You can overferment your dough, resulting in a sticky dough mess. This complexity lead to many bakers looking for help and many thriving communities formed around the topic of homemade bread.