Viking bread in theory and practice

Viking bread in theory and practice

by Baron Refr orolokarr Fiachson, OL

Theory

Archeological record

Breads

Bread fragments found at Birka, Ljunga, Västergården, Vrå, Folåsa

Found mostly in burials and cremation graves

Grains

Barley, oats, wheat/emmer/spelt, rye

Peas, vetches, flax, fat-hen (Chenopodium alba), pine bark

Tools

“Dish iron”

Stone hearths

ovens

Fermentation

Sourdough

Several of the extant breads show evidence of gas bubbles and fermentation (in the form of degraded cell walls)

Dairy products

Skyr

Fil mjolk

Practice

Barley lefse

Barley flour

Salt

Eggs

Milk

Make the consistency of crepe batter and cook similarly.

Crackers

Barley, oat, and/or wheat flour

Salt

Flax seed, quinoa (optional)

Liquid (goat or cow’s milk, buttermilk, thin yogurt)

Make a firm dough and roll out the thickness of a cracker

Bake in a low oven until hard and dry

Hard tack

Barley, oat, green pea, rye, spelt, emmer, or wheat flour

Salt

Sourdough culture, buttermilk, yogurt, fil mjolk

Make like playdough, let ferment 1-3 days

Make breads the size/shape of veggie burgers or pilot crackers

Prick with a skewer

Bake in a low oven or dehydrator until hard and dry

These can also be made less dry and eaten fresh

Barley “tortillas”

Barley, oat, or wheat flours

Salt

Milk (cow, goat), buttermilk

Make a flexible dough like tortillas

Roll or press very thin

Bake on a griddle until browned but flexible

Bibliography

Hansson, Ann-Marie. On Plant Food in the Scandinavian Peninsula in Early Medieval Times. Stockholm: Archaeological Research Laboratory  Stockholm University, 1997. Print.

Mardewi, Yoke. Wild Sourdough: The Natural Way to Bake. New Holland Publishing Australia Pty Ltd, 2009. Print.

Moritz, L.A.: Grain-mills and Flour in Classical Antiquity. Oxford Univ. Press, 2002. Print.

Reinhart, Peter. Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads : New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor. Berkeley  Calif.: Ten Speed Press, 2007. Print.

Wood, Ed. World Sourdoughs from Antiquity. [Rev. ed.]. Berkeley  Calif.: Ten Speed Press, 1996. Print.