Where does white bread come from?

White bread's journey is long and fascinating! Here's a simplified breakdown:

1. The Wheat Plant: It all starts with wheat, a grain that's been cultivated for thousands of years.

2. Milling the Wheat: The wheat kernels are ground into flour. This process removes the bran (outer layer) and germ (nutrient-rich part) of the grain, leaving mostly the endosperm, which is mostly starch. This is what makes white bread white.

3. Mixing the Dough: Flour is mixed with water, yeast, and other ingredients like salt and sugar. This forms a dough that rises due to the yeast.

4. Baking the Bread: The dough is shaped and baked in an oven, transforming it into the fluffy loaves we know and love.

5. Refining the Flour: While bread making has been around for centuries, white bread as we know it today emerged in the 19th century. This was partly due to the development of roller mills, which could produce a finer, whiter flour. This refining process removes many of the nutrients found in the bran and germ.

In summary: While white bread has been a staple for many, it's a more refined product than whole wheat bread, which uses the entire grain kernel.