I have just watched a programme on the telly decrying grains as the downfall of the Western diet, blaming bread for obesity and diabetes. I am not impressed. Americans get fatter, and the grains get the blame.
Isn't the increased consumption of fast food, the guzzling
of soft drinks and the amount of so-called diet food scoffed not more of a problem?
We have been eating well-made bread without preservatives, filled with whole grains and made using time-honoured practices for centuries - basic, nutritious and kneaded by hand.
It is the one food that provides the most welcoming smell when wafting out of the home kitchen or restaurant kitchen window. Bad for us? Rubbish.
Here are some recipes from three different parts of the world. First, India. Roti is a simple flatbread made from flour, ghee and water. I was a nanny for a short time many years ago and was teased by the Indian members of the family when I produced crunchy roti more often in the shape of Australia than the perfect rounds expected.
I have them to thank for teaching me such a delicious technique. I mastered it in the end. Now I am teaching my eldest.
We trek to Avondale market on a Sunday just to see the waving flag advertising the Chinese steamed buns - soft, light and filled with the tastiest fillings imaginable. I decided to give it a crack at home and it is well worth the effort.
And finally, to Scotland to pay homage to my ancestors with the humble, but tempting oatcake. It is a recipe hard to resist when paired with a rich crumbling, aged cheddar and perhaps a dollop of fig chutney.
CHEF'S TIP
Stuffing a roti can make the bread more of a meal, and if you don't own a tawa (a flat cast iron cooking plate which can be bought at Indian stores), a heavy based frypan will work well.
