The History of Yeast Breads

The cooks of the Neolithic period are almost singlehandedly responsible for bringing yeast breads and beer into existence. Most of these early breads were unleavened, with variations on size, shape and even grains used from culture to culture.

We do know that the Egyptians were using yeast for bread and beer making by 4000 B.C., but we believe the discovery of yeast as a leavening agent happened entirely by accident. It’s likely that the world’s first barley crops came from the Fertile Crescent of Mesopotamia.

It’s also believed that bread making came before beer making. Neolithic cooks learned by chance that if they used grains that had been sprouted and dried, their bread tended to keep for longer periods. The concept was well known by the time we find evidence of the first beers. The Egyptians dried the grain, and then made it into dough that was partially baked. They would then soak that dough in water and allowed to ferment before the drink was considered palatable.

The Egyptians were also the first civilization to use a portable oven. They formed a beehive shaped object out of clay, which was divided into two parts. The top portion was where the bread was laid out for baking, while the bottom portion was reserved for the tinder. The Jews used an oven that had a similar shape, but theirs was made of polished stone instead of clay. This sturdy construction carried over to the home, where early Jewish people had standing stoves built into the main rooms of the home.