THE HISTORY OF CROISSANT

The History Of The Croissant

Bakers Maison has an undying love for all things baked. As an authentic French Bake House, one pastry however is the ultimate indulgence. Hand-made with pure butter and a feast for the eyes, the croissant is a momentous part of French history. But what is the history of the croissant?

A brief history of the crisp, crescent comestible we all know and love is a tale full of culinary legends. People often think of France when they hear mention of the croissant, but Austria is the true country of birth for this famous pastry. Its Viennese, not French!

The ‘kipferl’ was believed to be the spiritual ancestor of the croissant. Austrian based, the kipferl is a crescent-shaped morning sweet made plain, with nuts or other fillings. It is a denser and less flaky bread, made with a softer dough. The history of the kipferl dates back to the 13th century where it is referenced as a “sweet” and wasn’t until the mid-16th century that the Austrian treat became part of the ‘morning pastry’ category.

The turn of the 17th century saw the first recipe for the style of dough that would be popularised by croissants was documented. Appearing in “Le Pâtissier françois” by François Pierre de La Varenne, was the recipe for “Pâte feuilletée”, more commonly known as ‘puff pastry’.

Later that century, Vienna and Buda gave birth to two more tales of the origin of the croissant. One such legend states that it was created in Buda to celebrate the defeat of the Ummayyad forces by the Franks in the Battle of Tours, with the shape representing the Islamic crescent moon.

Another origin story comes from Vienna, where the delicious, flaky pastry was created to celebrate the defeat of the Ottomans by Christian forces in 1683. The croissant was created as a reference to the Ottoman flags, an honour to the bakers who prevented the Turks’ tunnelling underneath their city by giving alarm to Christian authorities.

A more romantic tale from the 18th century, tells a story of the croissant often attributed to Marie Antoinette. The Archduchess of Austria was known not to eat at royal dinners, only to sneak away and eat and drink the sweets and coffee of her country. Her love of kipferls and christening of the kipferl as the “croissant” is rumoured to have brought it in to fashion in the high society France of the time. As pastry was reserved only for high society and royalty the credibility of this story could carry some weight.

Yet, the first verified historical evidence of the croissant has been attributed to August Zang and his upscale pastry shop, Boulangerie Viennoise in the early 19th century. The bakery-like shop specialised in treats from his native Vienna, most notably the kipferl. His kipferl was made with flakier dough than traditional sweets, and people began to refer to it as a croissant because of its crescent shape.

A French Baker name Sylvain Claudius Goy wrote a recipe in 1915, that would cement the technique that remains at the heart of baking the modern croissant. His use of yeast differentiated his rolls from traditional puff pastry’s and gave birth to the croissant of present day.

In the first half of the 20th century, the croissant was baked and beloved by adoring French bakers and all who enjoyed it. After World War 2, the rise of mass-produced food only boosted the pastry’s popularity in France, Europe and the world over. By the end of the 20th century, the croissant took the foodservice industry by storm thanks to the introduction of flash freeze technologies, with take away ‘croissanteries’ and fast-food chains now able to sell croissant breakfast sandwiches and savoury pastries.

Today, the reach of the croissant goes far and wide with France, Austria, Argentina, Italy, Poland, America, Australia and many other countries having notable and delicious variants.

The history of the croissant is a story of the ages, with different countries, battles and royal figures defining what this delectable pastry is today! The croissant isn’t just a part of history, it is history.

The long and chequered past of this flaky treat has seen a number of variations on the original recipe. Bakers Maison have maintained our French heritage with 12 layers of buttery goodness, hand-rolled, flash frozen and ready to be freshly baked on your premise. A delicious addition to any menu whether they are served as a standalone snack or filled with gourmet ingredients.

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THE BENEFITS OF WHITE TEA

Benefits Of White Tea

Health benefits of white tea include a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and an improvement in oral health. It has antioxidant and anti-aging properties which help in maintaining good health and wrinkle-free skin. It protects the skin from harmful effects of UV rays. With its antibacterial properties, white tea also protects the body from various infection-causing bacteria.

It provides relief to diabetics from symptoms such as decreased plasma glucose levels, increased insulin secretion, and excessive thirst (polydipsia). Intake of white tea also helps in losing weight.

There are different types of tea that exist in the market. Green tea, black tea, hibiscus tea and chamomile tea are examples of types of tea that people are used to. Intake of tea has for a very long time been known to have positive effects on human beings and this is why people refer to it as the key ingredient to wisdom, happiness, and perfect health.

Though it is consumed as a common beverage, it has plenty of health benefits that can be accounted for after several studies have been carried out both in the present and in the past as well. Due to these benefits, it is considered as a better alternative than coffee, which contains a high percentage of caffeine. Green and black teas are equally beneficial but it is the white tea that undergoes the least processing, which helps in retaining high levels of phytochemicals. Due to minimal processing, the production of white tea requires much lesser time and labor as computed to black tea or green tea production.

History suggests that it may have originated in China. With changing dynasties of China in the past, the production of white tea also changed. With time, various types of this tea were created using a selected type of tea bushes.

White Tea Nutrition Facts

White tea contains nutrients and antimicrobial qualities that protect the body against the occurrence of diseases. It contains tannins, fluoride, and flavonoids such as cate chins and polyphenols. These compounds are responsible for the various benefits this tea provides.

Health Benefits Of White Tea

With so many anti-aging and antioxidant properties, this tea is indeed beneficial for all of us. The health benefits include:

Antioxidant Agent

Presence of free radicals in the body is what leads to damaged body organs. It contains polyphenols which help in neutralizing these free radicals, making them less destructive. Results of a study suggest that this tea may increase antioxidant effects of organs as well as plasma. Another study was done to investigate neuroprotective effect of white tea extract on hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity. The results of this study showed that white tea extracts with its antioxidant properties help in cell neuroprotection.

Antiaging Properties

Presence of free radicals highly contributes to an accelerated aging process that comes with other challenges associated with advancement in age. White tea with its antioxidant property may also reduce the risk of premature aging.

Skin Care

It also helps in maintaining healthy and youthful skin. Use of this tea is recommended due to its antioxidant properties which help in quick repair and recovery of damaged skin. It is also beneficial in protecting skin against the effects of ultraviolet light.

Improves Oral Health

Health benefits of white tea include improvement in oral health. The presence of polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins help in inhibiting the growth of various bacteria that may cause plaque formation. The fluoride content found in this tea may also be effective in reducing the risk of dental caries or tooth decay/cavity.

Prevents Cancer

Just like green tea, white tea may be beneficial in preventing cancer such as lung cancer. Research suggests that this tea is a potential anticancer, chemo preventive agent and its extract may induce apoptosis (cell death) and may help in preventing new cell growth in lung cancer. It has anti mutagenic properties as well.

Controls Diabetes

A research study suggests that intake of white tea may provide relief to diabetics from symptoms such as excessive thirst (polydipsia), decreased plasma glucose levels, and an increased insulin secretion.

Improves Cardiovascular Disorder

Flavonoids found in various food products such as white tea, fruits, and vegetables are associated with decreased risk of the cardiovascular disorders. These flavonoids help to decrease the blood pressure. White tea also helps in treating dyslipidemia, endothelial function, and inhibits low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Consumption of this form of a tea, rich in flavonoids, may reduce the risk of various heart conditions.

Antibacterial Agent

Diseases and medical conditions are mainly caused by pathogens, which attack the immune system making it difficult for the body to operate at a normal capacity. White tea has antibacterial properties which can protect our skin from bacteria and other germs. Various products such as hand soap are made using this tea as a key ingredient. Consumption of white tea helps in protecting our body from infection-causing bacteria and other microorganisms.

Relieves Common Cold

It is a good remedy for various common diseases. Intake of white tea provides relief to those suffering from flu and a common cold.

Weight Loss

Busy schedules and wrong choice of food can easily lead to weight gain. Shedding off that gained kilo may not be easy especially if there is no time for physical exercise. Living by a given diet plan is one of the ways out of this kind of situation. Some of these diets may not be fun to stick to unlike the intake of white tea, which is similar to any other beverage of your choice. Studies suggest that intake of white tea may prevent adipogenesis, which is the process of formation of fat cells, and may control the life cycle of these fat cells called as adipocytes.

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WHITE BREAD VS WHEAT BREAD

White Bread VS Wheat Bread

Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking flour dough and water, and usually using other additional ingredients. The dough is usually baked, but in some cultures bread can be steamed, fried, or baked in an uncoiled skillet. Bread can be leavened or unleavened. Some other widely used ingredients in creating bread are milk, sugar, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and spices.

Bread is usually made from flour wheat dough, cultured using yeast, allowed to rise, and then oven baked. Due to the high gluten levels (which gives the dough its softness and elasticity), common wheat is the major grain used in bread preparation. Bread can also be made out of other flour wheat species like durum, spelt, maize, barley, rye, and oats.

Wheat bread can also be referred to as whole grain bread or whole wheat bread. It has a higher fiber content than white bread. The flour used to make white bread often undergoes bleaching through chemicals such as chlorine dioxide or potassium bromate to remove the slight yellow color and make the baking properties predictable.

The flour used in white bread, however, also removes nutritious dietary fiber, B vitamins, iron, and micronutrients, which is why most health conscious people prefer to eat wheat bread instead of white bread. Wheat bread includes riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, as well as iron. White bread, often preferred by people for its somewhat sweeter taste and finer texture, remains a vital source of key nutrients to date.

However, these nutritious elements are still superior to those used to fortify the not-so-healthy products. For example, in order to obtain the fiber content of one whole loaf of wheat bread, one would need to eat 8 loafs of white bread.

High-fiber bread has been found to reduce the risk of heart attack due to its excellent fiber content. According to studies from the University of Washington, making the change from white to whole wheat bread decreases the chances of developing heart disease by up to 20 percent.

Whole wheat bread’s high fiber content also aids in the proper functioning of the digestive and excretory systems. Many earth protection advocates support wheat bread over white bread. This is because production of wheat bread, unlike that of white bread, does not require additional processes, which makes it more earth friendly.

How do we determine the real whole wheat bread from other imitations and look-alikes? Just because the bread is brown doesn’t mean it is whole wheat bread. Check out the ingredients written on the pack and make sure that the first ingredient (which is usually the one with the highest quantity) is whole wheat or whole meal flour as opposed to enriched wheat flour or just wheat flour. The presence of caramel is also an indicator that the bread in front of you is not true brown bread and has been colored instead. The general rule of thumb is: the fewer ingredients in the bread, the more natural it is. The presence of whole meal or whole-wheat flour as the main ingredient is also a good sign; it should be better both for you and the planet.

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THE BENEFITS OF GREEN TEA

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF Green Tea

INGREDIENTS-A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

Following new scientific developments, research into the health effects of green tea has advanced significantly. Studies have shown that green tea is made of several main components that contribute to its character: catechins (texture), caffeine (bitterness), and theanine (flavor), as well as various vitamins and minerals. Present in large quantities of green tea, catechins (including EGCG) are a type of polyphenol that is also a component of red wine. Catechins also give green tea its signature texture, and as a potent antioxidant, hinders dangerous free radicals in the body. Caffeine gives green tea its bitter taste, while increasing alertness, and relieving fatigue. Theanine, an amino acid, gives green tea its taste and acts as a mild relaxant. Theanine helps to relieve the jittery effect that caffeine can sometimes produce in sensitive individuals. This makes it a great alternative to coffee which not only has higher levels of caffeine, but does not contain theanine to regulate the unpleasant physical side effects. These are the main research properties included in green tea. Green tea contains a well-balanced mix of these ingredients.

CATECHIN

• Anti-tumorigenesis
• Antioxidant effect
• Inhibition of hypertension
• Anti-hypercholestolemia
• Hypoglycemic effect
• Strengthens capillaries
• Maintains elasticity of the skin
• Antimicrobial activity
• Prevention of halitosis
• Radical scavenging effect*

*Free radicals wreak havoc on normal cells in the human body, causing more rapid aging, as well as abnormal cell growth that can lead to cancer. Antioxidants, like the catechins in green tea, fight free radicals and help to prevent cancer as well as promote more graceful aging.

CAFFEINE

• Promotion of wakefulness
• Eases fatigue and sleeplessness
• Diuretic effect

THEANINE (AMINO ACID)

• Antagonistic effect against convulsive action of caffeine
  (no jittery side effects)
• Promotion of a physical sensation of relaxation
• Inhibition of hypertension
• Improvement of brain function

CAROTENE

• Anti-carcinogenicity

Y-AMINO BUTYRIC ACID

• Inhibition of hypertension

FLAVONOIDS

• Strengthening of blood vessels
• Prevention of halitosis

VITAMIN C

• Antioxidant effect
• Prevention of flu
• Health maintenance of skin and mucous membranes
• Radical scavenging effect

POLYSACCHARIDES

• Hypoglycemic effect

VITAMIN E

• Antioxidant effect
• Health maintenance of cells
• Radical scavenging effect

ZINC

• Supports immune system
• Fights colds and influenza
• Maintains taste, vision and smell

FLUORIDE

• Prevention of cavities

CALCIUM

• Strengthening and growth of bones
• Prevention of osteoporosis
• Alleviation of arthritis symptoms

SAPONINS

• Anti-fungal activity
• Anti-inflammation
• Antiallergenic activity
• Anti-obesity

THE SUPER POWERS OF GREEN TEA

For a long time, Japanese people have consumed green tea to accompany their cuisine, which relies heavily on seafood. It is said that Japanese people have naturally understood the protective properties of drinking green tea while eating sushi. The anti-bacterial properties of green tea catechins have now been scientifically demonstrated. It has been announced at academic conferences throughout the world that green tea helps prevent cancer. In the United States, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is conducting research into green tea's cancer inhibiting properties, and the results of this research should be revealed in the near future. Focusing on the properties of green tea, science is gradually proving the knowledge of our ancestors regarding the medicinal properties of tea.

Caution:

• Children should not drink green tea as there are no studies on its pediatric use.
• Sometimes green tea may cross-interact with medications like adenosine, benzodiazepines, and birth control pills.
• If you suffer from liver, kidney, or heart problems or hypertension, talk to your health practitioner before you drink green tea.
• Drinking more than 5 cups of green tea a day may lead to more risks rather than benefits.

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THE HISTORY OF BREAD

The History of Bread

It is widely believed that the domestication and cultivation of wheat and other grains directly influenced human transition from nomadic people to domesticated, stationary people. In most parts of the world this transition was completed as wheat and subsequently bread became significant dietary staples. However, people continued nomadic ways where cultivation of grains was either not feasible or not desirable.

The earliest breads were more like porridges and flat cakes. Grains were mashed with water or milk and were eaten either raw or cooked, providing nutrition and sustenance. The porridge became thicker and more paste-like, and eventually this paste was cooked either on a hot rock or in an early subterranean oven, creating a more mobile product. Twenty-first-century descendants of those earliest breads include Middle Eastern pita bread, Indian naan, and pizza.

The first leavened breads were invented nearly seven thousand years after flatbreads were introduced into the diet. To put the history of bread on a timeline continuum, it is necessary to start nearly ten thousand years ago. About 8000 b.c.e. the first grinding stone, called a quern, was invented in Egypt, and the first grain was crushed. The modern Indian chapatis, made from unleavened whole wheat flour, and Mexican tortillas, made from corn, resemble the breads produced at that time. Between 5000 and 3700 b.c.e. Egypt began organized grain production along the Nile River Valley. At this time bread became a staple food that often was used in trade and barter, and it began to migrate to other cultures.

About 3000 b.c.e., also in Egypt, varieties of wheat that were tougher, that is, more tolerant of weather and environment, were developed. It is widely thought that, owing to the Egyptian skill with brewing beer and the warm climate, wild yeasts attracted to the flour mixtures created the first sourdough. Recognizing the fermentation process, bakers began to experiment and developed the first purposefully leavened breads. By about 2500 b.c.e. the first true sourdoughs were in regular production in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions.

In about 2300 b.c.e. the cultivation of grain began in India along the Indus Valley. Around 1500 b.c.e. horses took over the task of plowing and the first iron plowshares were introduced. In about 1000 b.c.e. yeasted breads became popular in Rome. The circular quern, the basis for milling until the Industrial Revolution and the basis for so-called stone-ground flours in the twenty-first century, was developed by about 500 b.c.e. The water mill was invented in Greece around 450 b.c.e. Consequently culinary historians credit the Greeks with ushering in bread baking as an art form.

In Rome the first bakers guilds were formed as a means of unifying the craftspeople around 150 b.c.e. Well-to-do Romans insisted on the more exclusive and expensive white breads. Darker whole wheat and bran breads were for the masses, an attitude that persisted well into the twentieth century in Europe and North America. By about 100 c.e. Mexican natives made the first stone-ground corn tortillas. By 300 c.e. the Greeks had developed more than seventy different types of bread, showing their penchant for furthering the bread baking craft. Around 600 c.e. the Persians developed a windmill prototype that changed the face of bread production.

In medieval times bread baking became a status symbol in Britain. The upper classes preferred fine, white loaves, while those of poorer status were left with the whole wheat, bran, and coarser breads. By 1066 hair sieves were employed to sift the flour, producing a finer white flour. In 1569 in England, Queen Elizabeth I united the "white and brown" bread bakers to form the Worshipful Company of Bakers. The Great Fire of London in 1666 reportedly was started by a baker. In 1683 the bagel was introduced in Vienna as a thank-you gift to the king of Poland.

Wheat was first planted in the United States as a hobby crop in 1777. During this century the earl of Sandwich gave his name to the sandwich, originally meat between two slices of bread. In 1789 mobs calling for bread helped trigger the French Revolution. In 1834 the roller mill was invented in Switzerland. Rather than crushing the grain as in stone-ground methods, the steel roller mill breaks open the grain, allowing easier separation of the germ, bran, and endosperm. This invention drastically changed milling around the world and increased the consistency of milled flour.

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