There are many types of bread, each with different characteristics and uses. For example:
Origin: Jewish, originally from Germany, Poland, migrated to North America
Characteristics:
round bun with hole in middle
dense with chewy crust
slightly enriched
boiled briefly before baking
Uses:
eaten fresh or toasted
sliced in half
spread with butter or cream cheese
smoked salmon is a popular filling
eaten as a breakfast
Origin: France
Characteristics:
long thin loaf
crisp golden crust, slashed with diagonal cuts on top
open crumb
made from only white flour, water, salt and bakers’ yeast
stales quickly
Uses:
as a table bread
cut in half lengthwise and filled with ham or cheese
for Vietnamese sandwich banh mi
Origin: China
Characteristics:
white roll
soft, fluffy, tender texture
slightly sweet
steamed
yeast leavened
Uses:
filled with savoury or sweet fillings
Origin: Scotland
Characteristics:
bread roll
fine soft tender crumb
smooth soft top
made from white flour, yeast, salt, milk, sometimes lard or butter
Uses:
traditional morning roll eaten for breakfast
filled as a sandwich, often with meat
Origin: France
Characteristics:
light, rich tender white cake-like bread
enriched with butter and eggs
yeast leavened
baked in round fluted mould wider at top than base with a small ball of dough on top (topknot)
Uses:
eaten at breakfast or afternoon tea
toasted as accompaniment for pâté
Origin: Jewish
Characteristics:
Fine white flour, water, sugar, salt, yeast, and eggs
Long braided-loaf shape and golden skin after baking.
Tastes slightly sweet with a very soft interior.
Uses:
Plays a crucial role in many Jewish holidays like Shabbat
Origin: India
Characteristics:
Water and wheat flour
Cooked by a flat skillet (called tava) and open-flame after that
Origin: Italy
Characteristics:
white, rough oval, broad, flattish, baggy shaped loaf, named after an ‘old slipper’
large holes in the crumb
yeast leavened with biga starter, which gives slightly sour taste
includes olive oil
made from very wet dough
Uses:
sandwiches
Origin: England
Characteristics:
Yeast, wheat flour, butter, sugar, salt, eggs, and milk
Baked
small, flat, and round bread eaten for breakfast, especially in North America, New Zealand, and Australia.
Uses:
Normally, cut horizontally, then serve with jam, eggs, bacon, etc.
Might contain multigrain, raisin, apple cinnamon, whole wheat, etc.
Origin: Italy
Characteristics:
flat, yeast leavened bread
made with white flour and olive oil
the top is dimpled with finger indentations
often sprinkled with rosemary, olive oil and sea salt before baking
dense, soft, tender crumb
crisp crust
Uses:
as a table bread
sandwiches
as part of an antipasto
Origin: Common to cuisines of Caucasus such as Iran, Armenia
Characteristics:
thin bread
soft, pliable when fresh
crisp, brittle when dry
usually made with wheat flour
yeast leavened
baked in a tandoor
sometimes sprinkled with sesame or poppy seeds
Uses:
as a wrap when fresh
traditionally, dried lavash is rehydrated
served as a cracker with dips etc.
Origin: India
Characteristics:
teardrop-shaped, leavened flatbread
traditionally baked in a tandoor (Indian oven). The dough is slapped against the walls where it sticks and bakes quickly over the fire
made with white flour and yoghurt
pliable, puffy
soft, chewy texture
Uses:
table bread with Indian meals
traditionally used in place of cutlery to scoop and wrap food with right hand
Origin: Middle East
Characteristics:
thin flatbread
oval or round
baked in oven
bread puffs up in baking, leaving hollow pocket inside
slightly yeast leavened
made from wheat flour
soft and pliable
Uses:
dipped in sauces and dips, such as hummus
broken up in soups
used for scooping up food
pocket is stuffed with fillings, such a felafel, meat, vegetables
stale pita is toasted for fattoush (salad)
Roti
Origin: Malaysian
Characteristics:
Consists of flour, fat (normally ghee), and water
Then kneaded, flattened, oiled, and folded prior to proofing to create more layers.
After that, they will flatten the dough ball again.
Uses:
usually enjoyed on breakfast (or as a snack). Indeed,
also a popular bread in neighboring countries, like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei.
Some versions come with fillings like eggs and onions. But in Malaysia, Roti Canai is mostly served plain to pair well with curry.
Origin: Mexico
Characteristics:
round thin
pliable and soft
speckled with brown
unleavened
made from ground maize
cooked on hot ungreased griddle
Uses:
eaten as bread
used as a plate and spoon
filled to make tacos and enchilladas