Anodized Cookware Dangers

   This editable Main Article is under development and not meant to be cited; by editing it you can help to improve it towards a future approved, citable version. These unapproved articles are subject to a disclaimer. [edit intro]This article discusses the staple food called bread.  For Bread the music band Teflon Coatings see Bread (music).(CC) Photo: Hayford Peirce
Homemade basic white bread whose only ingredients are flour, water, salt, and yeast.Bread is a staple food that is generally prepared by the baking of dough, although steaming or frying are alternative techniques. It consists, minimally, of flour and water; salt is used in most cases, as well as a leavening agent such as yeast. There are many varieties of bread, with preferred types varying from region to region. Different kinds may contain sugar, dairy products, spices, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, some of which, however, are used primarily for decorative or flavoring purposes. Although its importance in today's world has been greatly lessened by the wide availability of other nutrious foodstuffs, for many centuries bread was often the primary food for millions of people and of entire cultures, so that bread frequently has a significance beyond mere nutrition. The Lord's Prayer, for instance, contains the line "Give us today our daily bread", and bread has often been called "the staff of life." And a "bread-winner" denotes a household's main economic contributor who may have little to do with literal bread-provision.
Fresh bread is prized for its taste and texture, and retaining its freshness is important to keep it appetizing.  Bread that has stiffened or dried past its prime is said to be stale. PTFE Coated Modern bread is often wrapped in paperor plasticfilm, or stored in airtight containers such as a breadboxto keep it fresh longer. Bread that is kept in warm moist environments is prone to the growth of mold.  It becomes stale more quickly in the low temperature of a refrigerator, although by keeping it cool, mold is less likely to grow. A good way to keep bread fresh is to put it in the freezer, thus allowing it to stay fresh for several weeks.
Contents1 Usage2 Etymology3 History4 Cultural and Political Importance5 Types6 Composition and Chemistry6.1 Formulation6.2 Flour6.3 Liquids6.4 Leavening6.4.1 Chemical leavening6.4.2 Yeast leavening6.4.3 Sourdough6.4.3.1 San Francisco sourdough6.4.4 Steam leavening6.4.5 Bacterial leavening6.5 Fats or shortenings7 Breads across different cultures7.1 Bread in Germany7.2 Denmark and Bread