Bread Of Heaven

Yes, the Bible has a lot to say about life and death. But it also has a lot to say about bread. There’s transubstantiation – and the episode with the loaves and the fishes. Scholars of bread are still debating the time when Jesus changes Simon’s name to Pitta. And “You ask for a miraculous sign, but Naan will be given”. But one thing is certain – when God establishes his kingdom on earth, bread will play a big roll.

I’m already a convert. I don’t just love it for mopping up. I love it for its smell. I love it for itself. I am still amazed at the flavours a baker can pull out of a grain. Especially when you consider that flour has no real flavour to start with. So when I got busy with the street food revolution, good bread was bound to be a part of it. That’s why I’m signing up to the Real Bread campaign. People reckon that all of our bread is ‘real’. Big mistake.

Current legislation allows manufacturers to use substances known as processing aids during bread production without declaring them on the label. They can include enzymes — some of which are known allergens — or substances of known animal or GM origin. I’m getting hold of a bag of so-called ‘improver’, used to pep up commercial bread, to try — live — on Jenni Barnett’s BBC Radio London this Sunday after 11am. Can’t wait?