Bread is one of those foods that is a staple in the diets of a large portion of the cultures around the world. It’s exceedingly popular throughout Europe, the Americas and parts of Asia as well as being somewhat prominent in other areas too.
Bread is versatile, it comes in many different forms, with different cultures each having their own variations. And of course, most of these variations have spread out across the world, let’s look at some of the most popular types:
Popular Types of Bread
-
Scones
There is no food more quintessentially English than a scone. Commonly eating alongside tea or coffee for breakfast, scones are quite unique on this list because although they have the same basic make up, they are not often actually referred to as bread.
This may be due to the fact that a scone is often sweetened or glazed with egg wash and would be considered by many to be a treat. But you can rest assured that there are many British folk who eat scones on a daily basis.
-
Brioche
The first French bread to appear on this list but definitely not the last. Brioche is a bit similar to the scone in the sense that it is regularly eaten as a treat. It’s flaky and rich, likely due to the large amounts of butter present in the recipe.
-
Naan
Though the name is derived from the Persian language, naan bread is Indian through and through. And years ago there were tandoor’s at the centre of Indian villages where inhabitants could bake it.
A chewy flatbread, often with some traditional Indian flavouring, naan is delicious, especially when made from scratch at home.
-
Ciabatta
Travelling back to Europe now, ciabatta is Italian and perhaps the most commonly used sandwich bread in the country, often present in traditional Italian paninis. It’s origins are also far more recent than people realize, having first appeared in 1982.
-
Pita
Originating from the Middle East, this is similar to naan in that it’s a flatbread. Pita is cooked at extremely high temperatures which causes the bread to puff up, allowing for any number of ingredients to be placed inside.
-
Tortilla
Yet another flatbread, but this one comes from Mexico. Extremely round and thin, tortillas are made from rolled corn kernels and have been a staple ingredient of the Mexican diet for thousands of years.
It’s also gained massive popularity in the rest of the world too. Especially in the form of burritos which is a common use for this type of bread.
-
Sourdough
Believed to have been first developed in Egypt. This bread gets its name from the presence of the somewhat sour-tasting lactic acid. Despite a somewhat dubious name, it’s popular, healthy and can be used in a bunch of different ways even outside of sandwiches.
Sourdough is used to make pumpernickel and lavash bread as well as in pizza bases. If you ever wanted to make a pizza from scratch, why not get yourself a good bread maker and put some sourdough together for yourself to start things off?
-
Rye
Rye is made from the rye berry, obviously, and depending on which part of the berry is used, the bread can come in light or dark variety. It’s essential for a lot of the more popular deli sandwiches and is in huge demand in the United States.
-
Whole Wheat
If you’re going to be eating bread on a daily basis, which most of us are, you should consider making whole wheat your primary source of bread. It’s made from flour that uses the entire grain. Also, is high in fiber, protein and vitamins while also sacrificing very little flavour.
-
Baguette
And finally we make our way back to France for the most popular type of bread on the planet. Well to be honest, that’s probably up for debate but baguette’s are definitely up there. Everything we love about bread is present in these wonderful stick-like loaves.
With a delicious, fluffy interior and a crispy outer layer. The popularity of baguettes comes from their capacity to satisfy multiple tastes. No wonder every movie character who has ever gone grocery shopping has emerged with at least one of these sticking out of their bag.
Again, this isn’t an official list by any means and bread is in the eye of the beholder. If your favourite bread isn’t on here, it’s not because it’s secretly nasty. It’s just that there are just so many different types. There’s a world of bread to explore and the same can’t be said for many other foods out there.
