Garlic bread facts for kids
A common variation of garlic bread
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| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Course | Entree or side dish |
| Serving temperature | Cold, warm or hot |
| Main ingredients | Bread (typically a baguette), garlic, olive oil or butter |
| Variations | Garlic pizza base, tomato bread |
Garlic bread is a super tasty side dish or snack. It's usually made from bread, like a long baguette or a chewy ciabatta. The bread is covered with garlic and either olive oil or butter. Sometimes, people add extra herbs like oregano or chives to make it even more flavorful.
After adding the garlic and oil or butter, the bread is either grilled until it's crispy or baked in an oven. This makes it warm and toasty.
Often, garlic bread is made by partly slicing a baguette. This lets the garlic and oil soak into the bread while keeping it in one piece. Then, the cuts are filled with minced (very finely chopped) garlic and oil before baking. Another way to make it is to use butter and garlic powder. Or, the bread can be cut into separate slices, and each slice is seasoned individually.
Some kinds of garlic bread have different cheeses on top. Popular choices include mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, or Feta. Some restaurants even use a special kind of butter called clarified butter instead of olive oil.
Contents
The History of Garlic Bread
Garlic bread has a long and interesting history. It comes from an older Italian dish called bruschetta. Bruschetta first appeared in Italy around the 1400s. Its roots can be traced all the way back to Ancient Rome. Back then, people would toast bread and rub it with garlic and olive oil. This was a simple way to enjoy bread and use up stale loaves.
Garlic Bread Around the World
Garlic bread is a very popular food in many places. It's enjoyed in homes, restaurants, and food shops all over the world.
Garlic Bread in Europe
Garlic bread is a favorite across Europe.
- In countries where German is spoken, like Germany and Austria, it's called Knoblauchbrot.
- In Greece, garlic bread often has extra ingredients like olives and onions, giving it a unique flavor.
- In France, especially in a region called Provence, it was known as chapon. It was often served with salads. In other parts of France, like Quercy, it was a simple crust of bread rubbed with garlic, a pinch of salt, and a drop of walnut oil.
- In England, people usually use butter instead of olive oil when making garlic bread.
Garlic Bread in North America
Garlic bread has been a popular item on restaurant menus in the United States since at least the 1950s. It's often served with Italian pasta dishes, especially lasagna and spaghetti.
In the 1970s, a company called Cole's Quality Foods in Muskegon, Michigan, started making frozen garlic bread. This made it super easy for people to buy and bake garlic bread at home.
See also
In Spanish: Pan de ajo para niños
