The Moment Bread Went Bad
60 years ago, in a small English village, a process was developed that was a “travesty for our tastebuds”. The birth of the hyper-processed supermarket loaf. A process which to this day still affects the vast majority of our loaves - depriving us of the true taste and texture of bread. To see how we got here, we’ve been speaking to a serious bread aficionado - someone who even takes his own loaf into restaurants (despite living in Paris!).
Steven Kaplan is a true bread expert. Professor emeritus and former Goldwin Smith Professor of European History at Cornell University, he’s written extensively on the power of bread - including one rousing book called “Good Bread Is Back” - as well as training as a baker. He won’t risk restaurant bread (always bringing his own) and can describe the minutiae of the “perfect crumb”.
He’s seen bread come under attack over the centuries - but there is one moment in particular which he describes as a tragedy….
>> Watch Prof Kaplan talk to Tim Samuels about this pivotal moment
After WW2, there was a push for cheap, mass-marketed bread. Consumers were tired of the brown “national loaf” from years of rationing - they wanted soft and long-lasting white bread. In 1961, scientists at the Chorleywood milling and bakery research laboratories in Hertfordshire developed a radical solution to transform baking - which became know as the Chorleywood method. In doing so, not only did it make the average British loaf 40% softer, it also doubled its lifespan.
So how was Chorleywood different from more traditional baking? A lot of tinkering.
Scientists began to add hard fats, extra yeast and chemicals to the baking process. They soon realised that by replacing the slower mixing and kneading process with a faster mix and reduced proving time - and a cheaper low-protein British wheat - it could cut hours off the baking time. This came at a cost, though.
“Taste never mattered for Chorleywood”, says Professor Kaplan. “What mattered was cost and quantity.” Although it was a huge economic success - sadly at the cost of thousands of independent bakeries - the quality of bread depleted, Professor Kaplan says. “It was without taste or aroma. It was simply a bread you could use to hold your sandwich together.”
Over the years, there have been many critics of the Chorleywood process. With an increase in digestive problems over the last 60 years, it’s led some to draw a connection to hyper-processed white bread. Campaigners have argued that the low-protein wheats used in the Chorleywood baking process have fewer minerals and vitamins than traditional bakery alternatives, as well as containing more of the proteins associated with “leaky gut” conditions.
Dusty Springfield advertises newfangled 1960s bread
Such concern hasn’t stopped the popularity of processed white bread, though. Eighty percent of the loaves made in the UK today are still baked using the Chorleywood method. It’s used in more than 30 countries across the world, including Colombia and Ecuador more recently. In Britain alone, the white bread market is estimated to be worth approximately £1bn a year - most of which is Chorleywood.
Professor Kaplan believes that such bread production has been to the detriment of baking culture. “Chorleywood spoke to certain imperatives. It belittled the sense that bread was a gastronomic object.” By making bread so utilitarian in its purpose, it damaged the “sensorial pleasure from bread”.
So widespread has been the impact of the industrialised loaf, Professor Kaplan won’t take any risks on where he buys his bread. “If you go to the supermarket to buy bread you’re already making an error”, he says firmly. “That’s not where you’re going to find bread unless there’s an integrated, independent baking operation where you can see bread being kneaded, being shaped, being baked.”
So what should you look out for in the dream non-supermarket loaf of bread? We asked Prof Kaplan to pull together some key steps for finding that perfect golden loaf. This, after all, is a man who can describe what the perfect crumb alone should look and feel like - across 54 loving seconds.
5 Signs Of A Perfect Loaf
1 - Appearance
According to Professor Kaplan, it’s really simple, there just has to be something about that loaf you’re eyeing up that “turns you on.” The more visually appetising its appearance, the more positive the taste experience.
2 - Crust
All good bread has a crust. This is one giveaway of the Chorleywood method, which is crustless. Professor Kaplan says to look out for the “caramelised tension” that exists between the savoury and sweet notes of your loaf. Listen to the bread as you break it in two, tap it to hear its song. Maybe do this one in the privacy of your kitchen rather than the aisle of a bakery, though.
3 - Crumb
The crumb structure depends on the type of flour that was used during baking but ideally, flour extracted at 75-80% will produce a crumb that’s ochre in colour, not entirely white, almost a little bit yellow, with a pearly glow that gets gradually darker across the loaf. A good test is to cut the bread in half: there should be “little cavities” of uneven size that are built into the “flesh” of the crumb, according to our bread extraordinaire, Professor Kaplan. This is a sign of a good fermentation process. The bread should be elastic - when you press down it should spring back up at the touch, and you should feel slight moisture to it. (Watch video above for the full crumb experience.)
4 - Sensation
How does the bread feel in your mouth? Professor Kaplan says that a good loaf of bread will require little in the way of laborious chewing. It should move fluidly between the sides of your mouth. Apparently, you will get a sense of the aroma at the back of your throat (sounds ominous but it’s meant to be good, don’t worry)
5 - Aroma & Taste
How exactly do you measure aroma and taste? Well, Professor Kaplan claims that there are a few simple steps that anyone can follow to ensure they get the maximal experience from eating their bread. Bring the bread to your nose to get a true sense of it. Is the aroma intense or weak? Is there a singular smell or a multiplicity of flavours assailing your taste buds? Apparently, it’s not so dissimilar an experience to wine tasting. Professor Kaplan suggests that you ask yourself, “what does this evoke for me?” but to be honest, if it simply smells delicious you’re probably already on your way to a good loaf.
He also suggests that you ask your baker how long the bread has been fermented for - the minimum should be three hours in ambient temperature, with at least 80% of the flour extracted so you get “maximal richness of texture and taste”.
And If All Else Fails…
You can always do what Professor Kaplan does when he’s unsatisfied with bread in a restaurant or cafe - simply bring your own. Just be prepared for a few strange looks at the baguette sticking out of your rucksack.
>> Coming soon… having seen how bread went bad, we’re looking at the very best of bread - with experts weighing-in on the healthiest and tastiest loaves available to mankind.
