The History of Baking

Kayla Cobb
Mr. Jenkins
Honors English 11
27 March 2009
The History of Baking and Pastry Cooking
Summary:
The History of Baking and Pastry Cooking by Fred Pfister is an article of the story of Fred Pfister becoming a baker/pastry chef and the history of baking. Baking is known to have began in the years of 2600-2100 B.C. Egyptians, who learned the skill from the Babylonians, baked bread. The Egyptians made breads and cakes in the shapes of animals in order to use them for sacrifices. The art of pastry cooking emerged in the Roman empire as a highly respected profession. In the time of Christ around three hundred independent bakers existed in Rome. Cato names different kinds of bread, sacrificial cakes “libum”, cakes made with flour, groats and cress “placenta”, tortes “scibilata”, pretzels “spira”, fritters, bowl cake, sweet cake, and sidrer-cake. Pastry cooking gradually spread throughout Europe and the world.
Response:
This article by Fred Pfister relates to my research topic perfectly. The research topic I chose was the history of pastries. The article states how the pastry came about and what they were used for. Such as, “ A relief representing the royal bakery of Ramses features bread and cakes, come of these were shaped in the form of animals used for sacrifices”. It states different types of baked items and pastries such as pancakes, bread, and pastries in general. Knowing which culture came up with the different types of pastries will help with my topic.
Citation:
Pfister, Fred. "The History of Baking and Pastry Cooking ." Pfister Consulting. Pfister Consulting. 27 Mar 2009 .