Everything Changes
At one point in time the breadbox was seen on almost every kitchen counter in the United States and England. The average breadbox is 16 inches wide, by 8 to 9 inches in height and depth. A little larger than the typical size of a loaf of bread.
Bread dates back to per-Egyptian cultures along the Nile River. Looking across our planet, across the different cultures you will find there are different forms of the traditional load of bread.
Originally, bread was made in the individual household. It was usually eaten within a few days of it’s making. As societies became more urban. Grains started to be ground into flour in mills. Some households took flour ground in mills and baked it in their home ovens. Then traded the unused bread for needed items in their community.
We can thank the early days of the Roman Empire for turning bread making into a profession. The first recorded bakers’ guild was established in 168 BC.
More than simple loaf of bread was being baked. Forms of flour, water, and yeast grew into other bread type products like bagels, muffins, cakes, and donuts.
It is not known exactly when the breadbox was started being used. The oldest known bread box is in the National Museum of American History. It dates to only 1890. It was used to transport bread from Washington DC to outline counties.
The purpose of the Breadbox was three-fold.
- Keep the bread from becoming dry and hard.
- Prevent length of time before it started molding.
- Keep bugs away from the bread.
Since World War II bread was started to be package in plastic bags, and additives were put in the bread to help it keep it’s freshness longer. These advents have lead to a reduced need for a breadbox.
In the greater Boise Area, I only found on store that stocked a breadbox. I found several stores including Home Depot, Lowe’s and Amazon where you could buy a breadbox online, but not in the brick and mortar store.
In my daily travels, I questioned ten people if they had a bread box. Only one person said she did. Over half of them knew what a breadbox was and had seen one.
The breadbox in a period of less than a hundred years rose to popularity for the kitchen counter. As quickly as it gained in popularity it declined. That brings me back to my subtitle, ‘Everything changes’. Somethings stay around for longer periods time than others. But everything changes in the end.
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