Crackling bread: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:23, 19 May 2012

Latest revision as of 01:04, 5 April 2025

(59 intermediate revisions by 33 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Bread flavored with cracklings}}

{{unreferenced|date=May 2012}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Crackling = Infobox/docbread

| image = Pompe aux grattons unbroken.jpg

|bodystyle =

| caption = Pompe aux grattons, a type of crackling bread from central France

|title = Crackling Bread Information

| alternate_name =

|titlestyle =

| country = [[United States]], [[France]]

|image =

| region = [[Southern United States]], [[Bourbonnais]]

|imagestyle =

| creator =

|caption = Crackling Bread

|captionstyle course =

| type = [[Bread]]

|headerstyle = background:#ccf;

| served =

|labelstyle = background:#ddf;

| main_ingredient = [[Cornmeal]] or [[flour]], [[cracklings]]

|datastyle =

| variations =

|header1 = Crackling Bread

|label1 calories =

|data1 other =

|header2 = Place of Origin - Southern States of the United States

|label2 =

|data2 =

|header3 = Time period of Origin - Time of Slavery in the United States (Officially abolished in 1865)

|label3 =

|data3 =

}}

Bread flavored with [[cracklings]] is found in several cuisines:

'''Crackling bread''' is a Southern Cuisine which mainly consists cracklings and a type of bread, usually containing cornmeal. [[Cracklings]] are extremely similar to [[pork rinds]] and [[chicharrones]], and dish made of fried pork rinds. Another name for Cracklings is gratons or grattons, dubbed by the Cajuns. During times of slavery, servants would be given pork skin, which they would then deep-fry and incorporate into cornbread batter. Since those times, this rich food has become international. Many countries, including Italy, have had an interesting history corresponding with cornbread as well. Substitutes for the pork skin include raisins and candied peel.

* '''Crackling bread''', in the [[cuisine of the Southern United States]] is a [[cornbread]] incorporating cracklings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes|title=Recipes|website=Food Network}}</ref>

==History==

* '''''Pompe aux grattons''''' or '''''brioche aux griaudes''''', in the [[French cuisine|cuisine of central France]], is a bread, [[tart]], or [[brioche]] incorporating cracklings. It is a specialty of the [[Allier|Bourbonnais]].<ref>François-Régis Gaudry, ''Let's Eat France'', {{isbn|1579658768}}, p. 382</ref>

As mentioned previously, servants in times of slavery would make due with what was at hand, such as pork skin or lard for flavoring food. Slaves were given mainly undesired scrapes of food from their owners' tables. By obtaining weekly cornmeal rations from their owners, and lard from a slaughtered pig, slaves were able to create a hearty dessert. Delicacies such as Crackling Bread helps servants tremendously by letting them indulge in a tasty treat once in a while, keep their spirits high and their will strong.

* ''Pan de [[chicharrones]]'', in the [[cuisine of Argentina]] and the [[cuisine of Uruguay]], is a wheat flour bread incorporating beef cracklings and [[tallow]].

==In American literature==

==To Kill A Mockingbird reference==

Crackling bread is mentioned in the novel ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]''. It is the narrator Scout's favorite snack. Calpurnia, the family's cook, prepared it for Scout after her first day at school. "It was not often that she made crackling bread, she said she never had time, but with both of us at school today had been an easy one for her. She knew I loved crackling bread." Calpurnia and Scout had had an argument during lunch and to try to repair the bond between them she made crackling bread.<ref>"To Kill a Mockingbird", Harper Lee, Chapter 3</ref>

In the book, [[To Kill A Mockingbird]], Crackling Bread is referred to when Calpurnia, an African American servant of the Finch family, bakes Crackling Bread for Scout Finch as an apology. "'Shut your eyes and open your mouth and I'll give you a surprise,' she said. It was not often that she make crackling bread, she said she never had time, but with both of us at school today has been an easy one for her. She knew I loved crackling bread." This goes to show that cuisine in Southern Alabama is quite unique in the usage of food on hand. In an overall sense, Crackling Bread is a symbol for the theme of the book; one of which is prejudice. Scout enjoys Crackling Bread, regardless of the place of origin or who invented it. She is simply judging how it tastes and how delicious it is. This suggests that assessing somebody or something by their inherent qualities rather than background is imperative. One should be judged solely on their individual aspects, unmindful of their race or place or origin. Crackling Bread is a cuisine invented by African American servants during times of slavery, but Scout enjoys this delicacy nonetheless. This cuisine also helps to unite Scout and Calpurnia by letting Scout sample African American culture. Scout enjoys Crackling Bread for what it tastes like, rather than the origin, suggesting that people should not stereotype against races and instead should base their impressions on individual characteristics.

==References==

{{Reflist}}

{{portal|Food}}

{{French cuisine}}

[[Category:Pork dishes]]

[[Category:Breads]]

[[Category:Cuisine of the Southern United States]]

[[Category:BreadsSoul food]]

[[Category:Argentine cuisine]]

[[Category:PorkAmerican pork dishes]]

[[Category:French breads]]

{{bread-stub}}