Ash cake (also known as Ash bread; Fire cake) is a type of bread baked over a layer of heated stones or sand and covered-over in hot ashes, a practice still found principally in Arabian countries, especially among Bedouins.
Epiphanius (c. 310–403), in his work entitled On Weights and Measures, brings down an anecdote about the practice of baking ash cakes, and which, in Hebrew, Epiphanius calls ugoth (Hebrew: עֻגוֹתʿugōṯ, modern meaning: cakes), adding that it is the bread described in Genesis 18:6, when Sarah, the wife of Abraham, was enjoined by her husband to knead three measures of fine meal and to bake cakes for the visiting angels.
When the bread (fine flour) has been kneaded and has afterward fermented, it is kneaded again. They bake this bread not in an oven but on a rock. Collecting smooth stones and piling them upon the ground, by means of much brushwood they heat them until they make of the smooth (stones) glowing embers. Then they remove the ashes from them, cover them with dough, and again spread the ashes over all the dough, spreading it out as one loaf, and hence it is called "hidden," because [it is] concealed in the ashes.[1]
According to Epiphanius, the Hebrew name for this bread is derived, etymologically, from its manner of being baked as "bread that is hidden." Once the bread is baked, it is removed from the ashes, and the ashes brushed-off the bread before allowing it to cool.
In northern Yemen, ash cakes were called ğamrī (Arabic: جَمْرِي), typically made thick, and baked directly over coals kept in a special vessel made of basalt-stone.[2] In Arabia, ash cake is served with a treacle of date syrup (dibs) and with clarified butter (samne).
In northern Iran, ash-cakes are prepared by laying out the dough over live coals carried in a brazier, upon which dough several pieces of hot coals are also carefully laid. Since the bread comes out hard and dry, it is customarily practised to break up the bread into small pieces and to mix it with butter and work it with one's hands to be formed into a ball before it can be made palatable.
In North America, ash cakes were primarily made by using cornmeal.[3]Indigenous peoples of the Americas using ground corn for cooking are credited with teaching Europeans how to make ash cakes.[4] The manner of preparation varied, although one popular method was to brush aside the hot ashes, lay a large collard green leaf upon the hot earth or cast-iron oven, upon which was poured a batter of cornmeal, and over which was laid another collard green leaf, and the hot ashes piled thereon.[5][6]
In Europe, ash cakes were made into a small, round and flat loaf, usually consisting of a little wheat and sometimes rye, baked under an inverted iron pan over which the ashes of the fire were heaped.[7] This was almost exclusively the bread of the peasants.[7] In French, this type of bread was called fougasse.[7]
Classic literature
In classic Hebrew literature, the words עֻגַת רְצָפִים in 1 Kings 19:6 are explained by a consortium of commentators (Rashi,[8]Radak,[8]Joseph Kara,[8]Ralbag,[8]Malbim, among others) as having the connotation of a cake baked on hot stones, coals or cinders. The ash-cake described by A. Mizrachi (Arabic: ğamrī) is also baked directly over coals and thought to be a delicacy in South-Arabia.[9]
^Epiphanius (1935). James Elmer Dean (ed.). Epiphanius' Treatise on Weights and Measures - The Syriac Version. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 49. OCLC 123314338.
^Mizrachi, Shalom (2018), "The Yemenite Cuisine", in Rachel Yedid; Danny Bar-Maoz (eds.), Ascending the Palm Tree: An Anthology of the Yemenite Jewish Heritage, Rehovot: E'ele BeTamar, p. 132, OCLC 1041776317
^The American heritage cookbook and illustrated history of American eating & drinking. New York: American Heritage Pub. Co. (distributed by Simon and Schuster). 1964. p. 13. OCLC 958135782.
^McClurken, James M., ed. (1981). Oral History Interview Transcripts Tombigbee Historic Townsites Project. Vol. 6. Lansing, Michigan (Michigan State University): Ft. Belvoir Defense Technical Information Center. p. 1136. OCLC 227579758.
^Freedman, Robert Louis (1976). "Native North American Food Preparation Techniques". Boletín Bibliográfico de Antropología Americana (1973-1979). Pan American Institute of Geography and History. 38 (47): 110. JSTOR 43996285., s.v. Ash Cake Cherokee
^ abcBailey, Adrian (1975). The Blessings of Bread. New York: Paddington Press. p. 30. ISBN0846700611.
^Mizrachi, Avshalom (1993), "The Yemenite Cuisine", in Seri, Shalom (ed.), Bat-Teman: ʻolamah shel ha-ishah ha-Yehudiyah (in Hebrew), Tel-Aviv: Eʻeleh be-tamar, OCLC 300553504, s.v. chapter: Breads, ג'מרי
External links
Ash Cakes Revisited 18th Century Cooking on YouTube (English)
Cooking Ash Cakes
Tutorial: Preparation of Ash-cake in Arabia on YouTube (Arabic)
March 07, 2023
cake, also, known, bread, fire, cake, type, bread, baked, over, layer, heated, stones, sand, covered, over, ashes, practice, still, found, principally, arabian, countries, especially, among, bedouins, woman, preparing, cake, over, sandalternative, namesash, br. Ash cake also known as Ash bread Fire cake is a type of bread baked over a layer of heated stones or sand and covered over in hot ashes a practice still found principally in Arabian countries especially among Bedouins Ash cakeWoman preparing an ash cake over hot sandAlternative namesAsh bread Fire cakeTypeFlatbreadRegion or stateYemen ArabiaMain ingredientsDough flour yeast water salt Epiphanius c 310 403 in his work entitled On Weights and Measures brings down an anecdote about the practice of baking ash cakes and which in Hebrew Epiphanius calls ugoth Hebrew ע גו ת ʿugōṯ modern meaning cakes adding that it is the bread described in Genesis 18 6 when Sarah the wife of Abraham was enjoined by her husband to knead three measures of fine meal and to bake cakes for the visiting angels When the bread fine flour has been kneaded and has afterward fermented it is kneaded again They bake this bread not in an oven but on a rock Collecting smooth stones and piling them upon the ground by means of much brushwood they heat them until they make of the smooth stones glowing embers Then they remove the ashes from them cover them with dough and again spread the ashes over all the dough spreading it out as one loaf and hence it is called hidden because it is concealed in the ashes 1 According to Epiphanius the Hebrew name for this bread is derived etymologically from its manner of being baked as bread that is hidden Once the bread is baked it is removed from the ashes and the ashes brushed off the bread before allowing it to cool Contents 1 Other methods of preparation 1 1 Classic literature 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksOther methods of preparation EditIn northern Yemen ash cakes were called gamri Arabic ج م ر ي typically made thick and baked directly over coals kept in a special vessel made of basalt stone 2 In Arabia ash cake is served with a treacle of date syrup dibs and with clarified butter samne In northern Iran ash cakes are prepared by laying out the dough over live coals carried in a brazier upon which dough several pieces of hot coals are also carefully laid Since the bread comes out hard and dry it is customarily practised to break up the bread into small pieces and to mix it with butter and work it with one s hands to be formed into a ball before it can be made palatable In North America ash cakes were primarily made by using cornmeal 3 Indigenous peoples of the Americas using ground corn for cooking are credited with teaching Europeans how to make ash cakes 4 The manner of preparation varied although one popular method was to brush aside the hot ashes lay a large collard green leaf upon the hot earth or cast iron oven upon which was poured a batter of cornmeal and over which was laid another collard green leaf and the hot ashes piled thereon 5 6 In Europe ash cakes were made into a small round and flat loaf usually consisting of a little wheat and sometimes rye baked under an inverted iron pan over which the ashes of the fire were heaped 7 This was almost exclusively the bread of the peasants 7 In French this type of bread was called fougasse 7 Classic literature Edit In classic Hebrew literature the words ע ג ת ר צ פ ים in 1 Kings 19 6 are explained by a consortium of commentators Rashi 8 Radak 8 Joseph Kara 8 Ralbag 8 Malbim among others as having the connotation of a cake baked on hot stones coals or cinders The ash cake described by A Mizrachi Arabic gamri is also baked directly over coals and thought to be a delicacy in South Arabia 9 See also EditList of flatbreads Johnnycake TaguellaReferences Edit Epiphanius 1935 James Elmer Dean ed Epiphanius Treatise on Weights and Measures The Syriac Version Chicago University of Chicago Press p 49 OCLC 123314338 Mizrachi Shalom 2018 The Yemenite Cuisine in Rachel Yedid Danny Bar Maoz eds Ascending the Palm Tree An Anthology of the Yemenite Jewish Heritage Rehovot E ele BeTamar p 132 OCLC 1041776317 Merriam Webster Dictionary ashcake The American heritage cookbook and illustrated history of American eating amp drinking New York American Heritage Pub Co distributed by Simon and Schuster 1964 p 13 OCLC 958135782 McClurken James M ed 1981 Oral History Interview Transcripts Tombigbee Historic Townsites Project Vol 6 Lansing Michigan Michigan State University Ft Belvoir Defense Technical Information Center p 1136 OCLC 227579758 Freedman Robert Louis 1976 Native North American Food Preparation Techniques Boletin Bibliografico de Antropologia Americana 1973 1979 Pan American Institute of Geography and History 38 47 110 JSTOR 43996285 s v Ash Cake Cherokee a b c Bailey Adrian 1975 The Blessings of Bread New York Paddington Press p 30 ISBN 0846700611 a b c d Hebrew Commentators Mizrachi Avshalom 1993 The Yemenite Cuisine in Seri Shalom ed Bat Teman ʻolamah shel ha ishah ha Yehudiyah in Hebrew Tel Aviv Eʻeleh be tamar OCLC 300553504 s v chapter Breads ג מריExternal links EditAsh Cakes Revisited 18th Century Cooking on YouTube English Cooking Ash Cakes Tutorial Preparation of Ash cake in Arabia on YouTube Arabic Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ash cake amp oldid 1135497879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
