Bread

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods, with evidence of flatbread production dating back 14,400 years to a Jordanian site. The discovery of leavened bread — caused by wild yeast fermenting grain — was likely accidental and transformative. Bread became the dietary staple of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and medieval Europe. In many languages, 'bread' is synonymous with food itself. Sourdough bread, the oldest form of leavened bread, uses wild yeast and lactobacillus bacteria in a starter culture. Some sourdough starters are over 100 years old and passed between bakers like heirlooms. The bread-baking renaissance of the 21st century has made artisan sourdough a cultural phenomenon.