CHAPTER 1- Historical Background

Baking is as old as human existence. Since then,

grains have dominated the human diet. During early
centuries, wild grains were toasted and pounded
between hollowed-out stones. Then, the water was
poured into the course meal to make paste and this
mixture was laid on a heated flat stone to be cooked. It
was then where flat bread started. And this flat bread
is still evident today.

Relatively in some unknown manner the grain paste

left and collected spore and began to expand. This
happened in the Royal Egyptian family when a
baker was frightened to lose his job due to
unforgotten dough. He kneaded the fermented
dough and baked it. Surprisingly, the Pharaoh liked
the raised dough bread. That was the time when
leavened dough was born and eventually bakers
learned to control yeast in accuracy.

When the Romans conquered Greece, of course baking industry was also absorbed. In
this period the first mass production of bread was done and baking profession started.
Baker would use oil and honey for baked goodies called pastries. But when Roman
Empire collapse, the baking industry declined.

Quite significantly during the Middle Age, baking and pastry

making were again to become an important job to serve the
nobility. With the permission of the King of France, those
who were engaged in the baking industry formed an
organization to protect and improve their profession.

Apparently when America was discovered in 1492, many

new recipes were developed due to abundance of
ingredients; people learned to use cocoa and sugar when
before honey was the only sweetener used by the Pastry
Chef. The baking industry then arrived with the Jamestown
Colonist. After the French Revolution in 1789, the slaves
were freed and given the chance to perform the same labor they used to do. Public
bakeries mushroomed in the vicinity and this time not only the aristocrat were able to
eat fine pastries but the public as well. A lot of pastries had been developed in this era
that until now exists.

From Paris, a Frenchman named Marie Antoine Careme (17841833) made his noble
contributions to the pastry world during his time. He uplifts the job of the cooks into an
honored profession and designed chef uniform. He wrote a famous book “La Pattisseir
Royal” and made pastries in architectural design.

In the Modern time, advances in technology, like sophisticated ovens and some bakery
equipment and gadgets, were invented and these definitely gives great help in the
development of baking technology. As we notice nowadays, the trend changes rapidly
to cope with the increasing demand of time. Baking enthusiasts devote their time to
uplift and refine their craft.

The Evolution of Baking in the Philippines

Wheat arrived in the Philippines in the early 17 th century. Spanish
missionaries introduced the cultivation of the wheat intended for making
Eucharistic hosts. Which were baked in a flatten bread.

Wheat consumption was already evident way

back during the time of the Chinese traders
when baking technology was still primordial.
Later, wheat was grown in the Philippines but
that plantation did not prospered.

During the American occupation, the country

was importing flour from the United States. The
importation continued until 1958 when the first
flour mill begun its operations. Wheat was
being imported instead of flour which is being
practiced up to now. Since then, the
United States then has been monopolizing the wheat
market in the Philippines. In the early 1960’s, the quality of
baked products was not conducive to increase consumption
due to the outmoded pastry arts technique. When the
American established an office, it unifies with the purpose of developing the market for
U.S. wheat and baking technique was improved, thus it elevates the baking industry.

Today, it is very apparent that the progress of baking industry provides job opportunities
for Filipinos and help the Philippine economy.