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How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?
― Julia Child
Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.
― James Beard
The dwarf bread was brought out for inspection. But it was miraculous, the dwarf bread. No one ever went hungry when they had some dwarf bread to avoid. You only had to look at it for a moment, and instantly you could think of dozens of things you'd rather eat. Your boots, for example. Mountains. Raw sheep. Your own foot.
― Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad |
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For several thousand years, since before even the beginnings of what we call civilization, humans have been making and eating bread.
It wouldn't be until the 17th century C.E. that the primary active ingredient in many breads -- yeast -- was understood to be a microscopic, unicellular organism, but, as is typical, our ancestors were able to use it to make delicious loaves.
The significance of bread, though, goes beyond its mere use as food. For many cultures, bread -- in some form or another -- has cultural, symbolic, or religious significance as well, and that's where we come in as bakers of Fantasy.
Essentially, bread is made from some form of starch (usually grain), water, and yeast. In this, it is similar to beer (in fact, the primary leavening yeast used for breadmaking is the same as that used in brewing). But that is where the resemblance ends. Beer is, of course, mostly water, while bread is, well, solid. Also it doesn't usually make people inebriated.
Other ingredients can be added, as well: spices, fruit, seeds, etc. Between this and what sorts of starches are involved, a bread style can reflect a culture's environment or history. While nowadays we can source ingredients from almost anywhere, for most of human history you used what grew, or you could grow, nearby.
As for cultural significance, consider how bread is used in, say, religious rituals, or as a metaphorical stand-in for prosperity. We call someone who earns money for his or her family the "breadwinner." Heck, two persistent slang terms for "money" itself are "bread" and "dough." When we have guests over, we "break bread" with them. Sometimes, historically, this has been a signal of truce or negotiation.
Consequently, we already associate bread with far more than just satisfying hunger. And as Fantasy writers, description of bread is one more tool for illuminating a particular culture.
I'll note that for some cultures, bread doesn't play a very big role (though other starch-based products such as rice or noodles can substitute), and that is something that can be acknowledged as well.
So next time you're writing a fantasy scene, consider what sort of bread (or other staple) to use. This can be realistic, in a historical context, or something appropriate to non-terrestrial fantasy. Be sure to include other senses beyond just sight; the smell or taste of bread can be powerful imagery itself.
And now if you'll excuse me, I have the sudden urge for a sandwich... |
Some slices of Fantasy to chew on:
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Last time, in "Imagery" , I had a discussion about imagery in Fantasy.
Ugly Christmas Sox  : I need to work on my setting descriptions. Sometimes I forget that the reader can't see what is going on in my head.
I think that one of the great balancing acts we can do as writers is to provide just enough description without going overboard. Where that dividing line is, I don't know.
brom21  : This was insightful and it helped me. Besides sight and sound, smell is useful to use in fantasy battle scenes. You could use the scent of blood and sweat, the smell of dirt or grass to convey imagery. You might even use the smell of smoke with burning buildings or castles. Thank you for the three points!
Yes, those are excellent examples.
Annette  : Why did Hemingway go to a wine shop to drink coffee? Does he think we're buying his story?
I think in fantasy, it's better to give examples that have nothing to do with the real world. Saying that something is as wide as the Grand Canyon can be OK. But what about writing "the chasm was wider than the green valley that stretched as wide as the eye could see on my home planet."
I would find it more verisimilitudinous (is that a word? it is now) if the narrator named the valley. "The chasm stretched as wide as the eye could see, wider than the green Symphony Valley." But I'm just one person.
So that's it for me for February -- stay warm (or cool if you're on the bottom of the planet), and until next time,
DREAM ON!!! |
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Fantasy: February 10, 2021 Issue [#10608]
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