Sender: Rare Books and Special Collections Forum <EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.BITNET>
This may seem an odd request for ExLibris members except those who work in the
area of the history of guilds etc. but any leads would be greatly appreciated.
And I'd appreciate suggestions of other lists where this might be productive.
I am trying to find sources, hopefully in English or French that would indicate
if there was or was not substantial linkage between brewers and bakers in the
past. The question refers to the role of yeast.
Yeast is used in large quantity by bakers, while brewers generate large
amounts: so it might seem that this essential ingredient would have meant that
both baking and brewing would be united in some way. Nowadays, yeasts are
being bred specially and modified genetically so that the strains used for
bread differ from beer, but this is a recent development beginning only about
100 years ago. In the few places I've tried, I can't find a history of yeast
as an ingredient. Does anyone know any obvious sources before I write to the
commercial yeast producers.
Thank you
Paul F. Lehmann
In response to the request for short biographies
though I note Alexandra Mason's biography was remarkably short!
Paul Lehmann, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Microbiology
Mycologist at Medical College of Ohio,
Born Kampala 1949, date and place of death unknown
Enthusiastic Baker since purchase of the Cake Bible
Bibliophile. (I like bookplates and worked over books)
Book collecting rather varied, especially books about fungi and fingerprinting
and East Africa. The latter two areas may be dropped soon as I get into beer
and baking history.
Married (sorry to disappoint!). Wife is starting a mainly science book
business "Galton and Gruby" named for Sir Francis Galton and David Gruby
Three daughters, one pug, a rat, a cat and a mutt
Still want those short biographies?