The Great Wheat Shortage of 1797 - Bread for the Commoners

Summary

This video script transports viewers to the 18th century, where a scarcity of wheat led bakers to innovate with substitutes in bread making. The treatise 'On the Art of Bread Making' from 1804 is highlighted, detailing the use of potatoes to extend the precious wheat flour, creating a surprisingly white and tender loaf. The script guides through the historical recipe, emphasizing the importance of the right dough consistency and fermentation time, ultimately resulting in a delicious and historically significant bread.

Takeaways

• 🍞 Bread was the most important food component in the 18th century, especially for everyday laborers who survived on beer and bread.
• 🛒 Bread was regulated in the 18th century, with its price and weight determined by the price of wheat at the time.
• 🌾 Demand for white wheat bread was high, but crop failures in the 1630s, 1690s, 1740s, and 1790s made it difficult to supply, affecting the availability of wheat.
• 💰 Wealthy individuals could afford white bread or import it, but common people needed alternative sources of sustenance when wheat was scarce.
• 📚 The 'Treatise on the Art of Bread Making' from 1804 addressed the issue of feeding the common man during times of wheat scarcity.
• 🌾 Substitute ingredients for wheat mentioned in the treatise included peas, oats, maize (corn), barley, and even non-grain items like potatoes and turnips.
• 🥔 Potatoes were particularly highlighted as a substitute that could be used to stretch the wheat supply and maintain the appearance of white bread.
• 📝 The treatise provided specific recipes for potato bread, including detailed instructions on how to prepare the potatoes for bread making.
• 🍞 The potato bread recipe aimed to create a loaf that was similar in appearance to white wheat bread, potentially deceiving customers about the use of substitutes.
• 👨‍🍳 The process of making potato bread involved boiling potatoes to a pulp, sieving them for consistency, and mixing with wheat flour, yeast, and salt.
• 🔥 Baking the bread in an earthen oven was suggested for the best results, emphasizing the importance of the baking method on the final product.

Q & A

What was the most important food component in the everyday man's diet in the 18th century?

Bread was the most important food component in the everyday man's diet during the 18th century.

Why did people in the 18th century not bake their own bread?

Most everyday laborers in the 18th century did not bake their own bread; they went to the baker to get the bread they survived upon.

How was bread regulated in England before the 18th century?

Bread was regulated in its price and weight for hundreds of years before the 18th century, with the price of the loaf being tied to the price of wheat at the time.

What type of bread was in high demand during the 18th century?

White wheat bread was in high demand during the 18th century, as opposed to the dark, inexpensive household loaves.

What challenges did the 18th century face in terms of wheat production?

The 18th century faced numerous crop failures in the 1630s, 1690s, 1740s, and 1790s, which were often due to weather problems such as very cold summers that would cause the wheat crop to fail.

How did the rich and the common man differ in their access to white bread during wheat shortages?

The rich could still get their white bread as they could afford to buy expensive bread, possibly even imported from the continent or North America, while the common man needed alternative sources of bread.

What is the significance of the book 'Treatise on the Art of Bread Making' from 1804?

The 'Treatise on the Art of Bread Making' was significant as it provided solutions for feeding the common man during times when wheat was scarce and expensive, including entire chapters on substitute ingredients for wheat.

What were some of the substitutes for wheat mentioned in the 'Treatise on the Art of Bread Making'?

Some substitutes for wheat mentioned in the treatise include peas, oats, maize (corn), barley, and buckwheat, as well as non-grain items like potatoes and turnips.

Why were potatoes particularly useful as a bread substitute in the 18th century?

Potatoes were particularly useful because they could be used as an additive to stretch the amount of wheat used in a loaf, and they resulted in a very white loaf that was similar in appearance to a regular white wheat loaf.

What is the basic recipe for potato bread as described in the 'Treatise on the Art of Bread Making'?

The basic recipe involves boiling one peck of potatoes until reduced to a pulp, then kneading them with two pecks of wheat flour, yeast, and salt into a dough, allowing it to ferment for two hours or more before shaping into loaves and baking.

How did the use of potatoes in bread making affect the final product's appearance and texture?

The use of potatoes in bread making resulted in a moist and tender loaf that was almost indistinguishable from regular white wheat bread, making it an excellent substitute without the customers knowing the difference.

What is the importance of using the best butter when trying the potato bread recipe?

Using the best butter, such as specialty or high-quality options like Kerrygold, enhances the flavor and overall experience of the bread, making it more enjoyable.

Why is baking the bread in an earthen oven recommended in the script?

Baking the bread in an earthen oven is recommended because it makes the best bread, providing a unique texture and flavor that is difficult to replicate with other baking methods.