Rusk Bread

[paymanz]

rusks are probably better type of bread, most of the time

Of all foods bread is the most noble: Carl von Linné (Carl Linneaus) on bread

He praised the virtues of dry rusks, which he regarded as the best type of bread owing to their capacity to absorb the most saliva in chewing and, thus, to stimulate digestion.

Fresh bread, particularly if eaten warm, had the opposite qualities of rusks. Linné emphasized that soft and fresh bread does not draw in as much saliva and thus remains undigested for a long time, “like a stone in the stomach”. He strongly warned against eating warm bread with butter.

 

[Korven]

"By way of illustration he told an example reported by a doctor who lived in a town near Amsterdam. Most of the inhabitants of this town were bakers, who sold bread daily to the residents of Amsterdam and had the practice of attracting customers with oven-warm bread, sliced and spread with butter. According to Linné, this particular doctor was not surprised when most of the residents of this town “suffered from bad stomach, poor digestion, flatulence, hysterical afflictions and 600 other problems”.​

...“suffered from bad stomach, poor digestion, flatulence, hysterical afflictions and 600 other problems” this pretty much sums up why we're all here

 

[Korven]

"When eaten warm, however, it was thought to be damaging to the nerves and particularly to the eyes, according to Linné's source Jacobus Bontius. In 1642, Bontius was the first western physician who supplied scientific documentation of the disease beriberi, much later recognized as thiamin deficiency."​

Also, fascinating how the refined grain - beri-beri connection was made some 400'ish years ago.

I wonder what the transgenerational effects are from thiamine deficiency being passed on from generation to generation - it's probably been going on since agriculture became a thing. I'm likely deficient as hell.

 

[Inaut]

In Greece, a traditional bread is rusk. They typically re-hydrate it with water before serving. I've heard that heating the bread (or drying it) makes the fiber more digestible

 

[Vinny]

In Greece, a traditional bread is rusk.

In Cyprus as well.
Never thought of it as something beneficial.

 

[Inaut]

what about milk rusks...?? Sounds delicious (if you decide to eat bread) and the calcium from milk may minimize phosphate from the grain

 

[Vinny]

what about milk rusks...?? Sounds delicious (if you decide to eat bread) and the calcium from milk may minimize phosphate from the grain

It used to be a traditional snack in my home country given often to children, with salt added. It is called попара (popara).
There was also another version, with homemade red wine instead of milk.
For some reason tho, in my childhood, I was given the milk version only.

 

[michael94]

I've never heard of rusks until this thread, it is a very uncommon word in America I guess. I guess we would call them croutons or stale bread but obviously we have biscotti and other such products.

In Greece, a traditional bread is rusk. They typically re-hydrate it with water before serving. I've heard that heating the bread (or drying it) makes the fiber more digestible

So they bake the bread and dry it purposely? We have some products like that but they are sold in the crackers section ( not to be confused with wheat flour crackers which are unleavened ).

 

[lvysaur]

Rusks are extremely popular in Indian stores I've seen. They're very hard and dry.

I agree with the overall point here, which is that because of their texture they require salivary output, and necessitate slow eating. All those things are also characteristic of NORMAL bread, relative to potatoes/rice. It could also explain why people often feel better eating rice/potat with vegetables, rather than alone. It's all about the salivary output and the quickness of eating.

Rice, used in India both as bread and as porridge, was judged as good and satisfying food if eaten cold. When eaten warm, however, it was thought to be damaging to the nerves and particularly to the eyes, according to Linné's source Jacobus Bontius.

IMO slow-digesting carb sources are superior. I can't really speak for cooled rice and its resistant starch, but whole grain bread, basmati rice, and amylose potatoes digest much better for me than the quicker-digesting alternatives (white/sticky/red)

 

[Quelsatron]

funny, knäckebröd (cracking bread) is a very common traditional kind of dried bread in sweden. Could it be the influence of von Linné?

 

[bistecca]

Jeanne Louise Calment was a French supercentenarian from Arles, and the oldest human whose age was well-documented, with a lifespan of 122 years and 164 days .Her breakfast consisted of coffee with milk and rusks. She enjoyed daube (braised beef) but was not keen on boiled fish. She had dessert with every meal, and said that given a choice she would eat fried and spicy foods instead of the bland foods on the menu/ She made herself daily fruit salads with bananas and oranges She enjoyed chocolate, sometimes indulging in a kilogram (2.2 lb) per week After the meal, she smoked a Dunhill cigarette and drank a small amount of port wine.

Jeanne Calment - Wikipedia

 

[akgrrrl]

Einkorn, people. The original staff of life.

 

[Lollipop2]

Einkorn, people. The original staff of life.

+1 Because of this thread, I made some rusks with my 4 day stale Einkorn bread. Yummmy...But I must say the Einkorn bread and by extension, the rusks are dense!

 

[opson123]

funny, knäckebröd (cracking bread) is a very common traditional kind of dried bread in sweden. Could it be the influence of von Linné?

Common in Finland as well. It's pretty much the only type of bread our schools provide for free. All the way from kindergarten to university.

 

[Luann]

it's funny, the other day I took a prescription pain medicine for toothache, which i usually try not to do. as luck would have it, i had a pretty serious reaction and basically coudn't get out of bed for like a whole day. just so nauseous and tired.

during that time i asked for only oyster / wheat crackers until someone finally went to the store and got me some.

 

[akgrrrl]

+1 Because of this thread, I made some rusks with my 4 day stale Einkorn bread. Yummmy...But I must say the Einkorn bread and by extension, the rusks are dense!

Very nice! All the usual things from stale bread like french toast, bread pudding, stuffing, are fabulous using Einkorn. Sourdough makes for lighter options, killer waffles!

 

[charlie]

Einkorn

I need to try this.

 

[Lollipop2]

I need to try this.

You will love it @charlie but definitely read on jovialfoods.com about baking bread with Einkorn. It needs less water. I use all purpose Einkorn and do not feel a need to adjust the liquid in my cookies, pancakes, cakes etc. only in my bread.

 

[charlie]

You will love it @charlie but definitely read on jovialfoods.com about baking bread with Einkorn. It needs less water. I use all purpose Einkorn and do not feel a need to adjust the liquid in my cookies, pancakes, cakes etc. only in my bread.

Thank you! I was going to ask you if you were making it or buying it. This is definitely on my to do list.

 

[Lollipop2]

Thank you! I was going to ask you if you were making it or buying it. This is definitely on my to do list.

I will make a pdf of my recipes and upload it somewhere lol and tag you.