Crackling bread: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Bread flavored with cracklings}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Crackling bread

| image = Pompe aux grattons = unbroken.jpg

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

| alternate_name = Gratons

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

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

| creator =
| course =

| type = [[Bread]]

| course =

| served =

| type = [[Bread]]

| main_ingredient = [[Cornmeal]], or [[porkflour]], rind[[cracklings]]s

| served =

| variations =

| main_ingredient = [[Cornmeal]], [[pork rind]]s

| variations calories =

| calories other =

| other =

}}

{{unreferenced|date=June 2012}}

{{originalresearch|date=June 2012}}

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

'''Crackling bread''' is a Southern Cuisine which mainly consists of cracklings and a type of bread, usually containing [[cornmeal]]. [[Cracklings]] are extremely similar to [[pork rind]]s and [[Chicharrón|chicharrones]], a dish made of fried pork rinds. Another name for Cracklings is gratons or grattons, dubbed by the Cajuns. During the time 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 do with what was at hand, such as pork skin or lard for flavoring food. Slaves were given mainly undesired scraps 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, keeping 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 the dessert by 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}}