John Ashton
History of Bread: From Pre-Historic to Modern Times
- No. of episodes
- 42
- Latest episode
- 2026-10-31
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From ancient flatbreads cooked on hot stones to the fluffy loaves of the early 20th century, Ashton explores how bread rose alongside human civilization—its popularity evolving with shifts in agriculture, class, religion, and technology. From the temples of Egypt to the bakeries of Victorian England, each chapter slices into a new perspective on this everyday staple turned cultural icon. The book also kneads in odd bread laws, riots over pricing, and growing concerns about what was secretly being mixed into the dough. - Summary by Carrie Mae Streb