Ash cake facts for kids
Woman preparing an ash cake over hot sand
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| Alternative names | Ash bread; Fire cake |
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| Type | Flatbread |
| Region or state | Yemen, Arabia |
| Main ingredients | Dough (flour, yeast, water, salt) |
An ash cake (also known as ash bread or fire cake) is a special kind of bread. It's baked in a unique way: over hot stones or sand, then covered with hot ashes. This ancient cooking method is still used today, especially in Arabian countries by people like the Bedouins.
Contents
What is an Ash Cake?
Ash cakes are a type of flatbread. They are made from simple dough, usually with flour, yeast, water, and salt. The way they are cooked makes them special. Instead of an oven, they use the heat from hot stones or sand.
How Ash Cakes are Made
First, people gather smooth stones and heat them with lots of brushwood until they glow. Then, the ashes are removed from the stones. The dough is placed directly on the hot stones. More hot ashes are spread over the dough, covering it completely. This is why it's sometimes called "hidden bread" – because it's hidden in the ashes while it bakes! Once baked, the bread is carefully taken out, brushed clean of ashes, and allowed to cool.
An Ancient Story About Ash Cakes
A long time ago, around 310–403 AD, a writer named Epiphanius wrote about ash cakes. He mentioned that in Hebrew, these cakes were called ugoth. He connected this to a story in the Bible from Genesis 18:6. In this story, Abraham asked his wife, Sarah, to quickly prepare some fine flour and bake cakes for some special visitors, who were actually angels. This shows that baking bread in ashes is a very old tradition!
Different Ways to Bake Ash Cakes
People around the world have made ash cakes in various ways, using different ingredients and methods.
Ash Cakes in Yemen and Arabia
In northern Yemen, a thick ash cake called ğamrī (Arabic: جَمْرِي) was common. It was baked right over hot coals in a special stone pot made of basalt. In Arabia, ash cakes are often served with sweet date syrup (called dibs) and clarified butter (called samne).
Ash Cakes in North America
In North America, ash cakes were often made using cornmeal instead of wheat flour. Indigenous peoples of the Americas taught early European settlers how to make these cornmeal ash cakes. One popular way was to clear away hot ashes, place a large collard green leaf on the hot ground, pour cornmeal batter onto it, then cover it with another collard leaf and pile hot ashes on top.
Ash Cakes in Europe
In Europe, ash cakes were usually small, round, and flat. They were often made with wheat or sometimes rye flour. These cakes were baked under an upside-down iron pan, with hot ashes piled on top of the pan. This simple bread was mostly eaten by farmers and common people. In French, this type of bread was known as fougasse.
Ash Cakes in Old Writings
In old Hebrew writings, especially in 1 Kings 19:6, the words עֻגַת רְצָפִים are used. Many old scholars and writers, like Rashi and Malbim, explained these words to mean a cake baked on hot stones, coals, or cinders. This shows that the idea of baking bread directly on hot surfaces or in ashes was well-known and important in ancient times. The ğamrī ash cake from South Arabia is also baked over coals and is considered a special treat.
See Also
- Flatbread
- Bedouin cuisine
