Bread and the Mediterranean Diet
That bread is part of the Mediterranean diet is an indisputable truth. But how far does this tradition go back and how did it arise?
The concept of the Mediterranean diet, as you probably know, has a good few millennia of history behind it: in fact, it’s considered ancestral, that is, that it comes from a very remote and ancient tradition. The culinary contributions that today are included under the concept of “Mediterranean diet” are the result of chance or, rather, they have been produced by the civilisations that have inhabited the Mediterranean for many centuries.
The Mediterranean was for a long time a commercial route where various cultures connected, as of course did their cuisine. The ancient Romans, who were inspired by the Greeks, considered bread, wine and oil symbols of their culture. These are foods that, without a doubt, are also part of what is considered the “Mediterranean diet.”
Although the concept is easy to use today, it was not until the mid-20th century that Leland G. Albaugh actually coined the term “Mediterranean diet.” It all came from a report commissioned by the Greek government, which sought to improve the health of its population after the ravages of the Second World War. Albaugh studied the situation and drew one main conclusion: the inhabitants of Greece, despite the poverty caused by the war, enjoyed a long life with few cardiovascular diseases. Why is this so? Albaugh believed that the explanation lay in how they ate: the olive oil they used on their vegetables, legumes, yoghurt or cheese, among other products. He called all this the “Mediterranean lifestyle.”
Wheat also played an important role in Antiquity. Although the exactorigin of its cultivation is unknown, it is known that the Spanish word forwheat, trigo, derives from the Latin “triticum”, which refers to the process ofseparating the grain and the husk. Some authorities point out that theEgyptians were the first people to make bread, although it is believed that theRomans consolidated it as an art and school, given that they created the firstOfficial College of Bakers.
Today, fortunately, bread is as widespread as it is commonplace. And, if you have a bakery or cafeteria, naturally you’ll include it in your assortment of products. How to do it? With pre-baked bread, which gives you all the traditional guarantees and qualities in a profitable, simple and practical manner. Baking pre-baked bread is also very easy: you just need to defrost it and give it a blast in the oven. Thanks to some excellent artisan bread suppliers that make it very easy for you to buy frozen bread, you’ll have no rival. And that’s a promise.
The breads you need in your establishment
And from centuries ago until this very day, because the latest launches in the world of bread have really made their mark. The loaf of bread made with sourdough is, first of all, an unbeatable product; if it has a pH 4.8 of sourdough, even more. Two specifically stand out for their flavour and texture: the buckwheat loaf and the country loaf. Loaves are also very versatile, because they can be used both for a delicious breakfast in the morning and to prepare succulent sandwiches at any time of day. You can’t live without loaf bread, no doubt about it.
The water bread range, on the other hand, is also a safe bet these days. And with that there are several options. The water bread load, for example, is ideal for preparing very crunchy toasts and is especially delicate thanks to its dough, which is very moist in its preparation. The water bread formula is also transferred to water bread, a loaf that’s notable for its high moisture content, which gives it a fresher crumb and greater durability. It also has an attractive artisan, rustic appearance due to being baked on a stone sole. Another option is the water bread sandwich, which can turn a good sandwich into an exceptional sandwich, and which follows an artisan tradition that lends it an incomparable texture.
Lastly, rustic bread is notable for its extremely high hydration and its slow preparationprocess, which produce a crunchy, light and durable bread. A truly exceptionalbread, in part also because of its extraordinary alveolate crumb.
There’s no doubt that many centuries have elapsed since the Mediterranean diet and the Romans began to discover the power and potential of bread. Today, it’s clear, you have no excuse to not include it in your business.
