Brown bread
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brown bread is a designation often given to breads made with significant amounts of whole grain flour, usually rye or wheat, and sometimes dark-colored ingredients such as molasses or coffee.
Contents |
[edit] Irish brown bread
Irish brown bread is a form of Irish soda bread made with whole wheat flour, preferably (according to some) stone-ground.
[edit] New England brown bread
New England or Boston brown bread is a type of dark, slightly sweet bread (usually a quick bread) popular in New England. It is cooked by steam in a can, or cylindrical pan.
Brown bread's color comes from a mixture of flours, usually a mix of several of the following: cornmeal, wheat, whole wheat, graham flour, or rye, and from the addition of sweeteners like molasses and maple syrup. Leavening most often comes from baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) though a few recipes use yeast. Raisins are often added. The batter is poured into a can, and cooked in a double boiler. While most variations are quick breads, and can be made in less than an hour, several commercial brands are available. Brown bread is somewhat seasonal, being served mostly in fall and winter, and is frequently served with baked beans.
Brown bread is closely related to an earlier bread known as "rye and Indian" (from "Indian" cornmeal) or "thirded" bread from its use of rye, cornmeal, and wheat flours. Unlike modern brown bread, thirded bread is generally yeast-raised and baked rather than steamed.
[edit] References
- Lyon, Amy, and Lynne Andreen. In a Vermont Kitchen. HP Books: 1999. ISBN 1-55788-316-5. pp 68-69.
- Sheridan, Monica, The Art of Irish Cooking. Multiple publishers, copyright 1965 by the author.
- Sloat, Caroline (ed.), Old Sturbridge Village Cookbook 2ed., Globe Pequot Press, 1995, ISBN 1564407284, p. 204.
- Strickland, Ron. Vermonters: Oral Histories from Down Country to the Northeast Kingdom. New England Press: 1986. ISBN 0-87451-967-9.
