Pumpernickel

Pumpernickel(English:/ˈpʌmpərnɪkəl/;German:[ˈpʊmpɐˌnɪkl̩]) is a typically dense, slightly sweetrye breadtraditionally made withsourdough starterand coarsely groundrye.It is sometimes made with a combination of ryeflourandwhole rye grains( "rye berries" ).

Pumpernickel

A very dense wholegrainWestphalianpumpernickel
Type	Rye bread
Place of origin	Germany
Region or state	Westphalia
Main ingredients	Ryeflour,rye berries
Media: Pumpernickel

At one time it was traditionalpeasant fare,but largely during the 20th century various forms became popular with other classes throughdelicatessensand supermarkets. Present-day European and North American pumpernickel differ in several characteristics, including the use of additional leaveners. The less dense North American version may eschew rye grains, have coloring and flavoring agents, added wheat flour, glazed crust, a higher baking temperature, and a dramatically shortened baking time.

Etymology

A very dark, dense wholegrain pumpernickel

The word supposedly stems from an oldBavarianterm for "hard", either referring to the process used to grind the grain into flour, or the density of the final bread product.

ThephilologistJohann Christoph Adelung(1732–1806) states that the word has an origin in the Germanic vernacular, wherepumpernwas aNew High Germansynonym for beingflatulent,andNickelwas a form of the nameNicholas,commonly associated with agoblinordevil(e.g.Old Nick,a familiar name forSatan), or more generally for amalevolent spiritordemon.Hence,pumpernickelmeans "farting devil" or "devil's fart", a definition accepted by the publisherRandom House,and by some English language dictionaries, including theMerriam-Webster Dictionary.TheAmerican Heritage Dictionaryadds "so named from being hard to digest". A variant of this explanation is also given by the German etymological dictionaryKlugethat says the word is older than its usage for this particular type of bread, and may have been used as a mocking name for a person of unrefined manners (a "farting Nick" ) first. The change of meaning may have been caused by its use as a mocking expression for the (in the eyes of outsiders)unrefinedrye bread produced by theWestphalianpopulation.

TheOxford English Dictionarydoes not commit to any particular etymology for the word. It suggests it may mean a lout or booby, but also says "origin uncertain". TheOEDcurrently states the first use in English was in 1756.

Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionarygives the etymology as being the German word for a rackety goblin, a coarse lout, and rye-bread — possibly from its giving forth a sound likepumpwhen struck.

Germany

Pumpernickel has been long associated with theWestphaliaregion of Germany, first referred to in print in 1450. Although it is not known whether this and other early references refer to precisely the bread that came to be known asPumpernickel,Westphalian pumpernickel is distinguished by use of coarse ryemealand a very long baking period, which gives the bread its characteristic dark color. Like most traditional all-rye breads, pumpernickel is made with an acidicsourdoughstarter, which preserves dough structure. The acid inactivates the ryeprotein,amylase,which converts thestarchtosugar.That sourdough starter is sometimes augmented, or replaced, in commercial baking by addingcitric acidorlactic acidalong withcommercial yeast.

A slice of very dense flatmalt-colored Polish pumpernickel

Traditional German pumpernickel contains no coloring agents, instead relying on theMaillard reactionto produce its characteristic deep brown color, its sweet, dark chocolate, coffee flavor, and its earthy aroma. To achieve this, loaves are baked in long narrow lidded pans 16 to 24 hours in a low-temperature, about 120 °C (250 °F), steam-filled oven. Like Frenchsandwich bread,or aPullman loaf,Westphalian pumpernickel has little or no crust. It is very similar to ryeVollkornbrot,a dense rye bread with large amounts of whole grains added.German pumpernickel is often sold sliced in small packets in supermarkets, where it may be paired withcaviar,smoked salmon,sturgeon,and other expensive products on anhors d'oeuvrestray.

Netherlands

Pumpernickel varieties are popular in theNetherlands,where it has been a common part of the diet for centuries.It is known there asFries roggebroodor 'Frisian rye bread', as this variety of rye bread originates in the Dutch province ofFriesland,and is significantly different from, for example,Brabants roggebrood,rye bread made with yeast, from the province ofNorth Brabant.

North America

The term "pumpernickel" is often used in North America, especially in the United States, to refer to an airy style of dark-colored wheat-and-ryesandwich breadorbageloriginally popularized byJewish delis.These products often forgo the sourdough starter, long bake times, and steaming, and instead usebaker's yeastand short dry bakes that do not allow for the same degree ofMaillard browningas traditional German methods. To compensate, ingredients such asmolasses,caramel color,coffee,andcocoa powderare added for both color and flavor.Some shops and bakeries, especially those in Canada, do use recipes that produce a traditional dense loaf.

See also

• List of breads
• Rugbrød
• Schwarzbrot
• Jewish rye bread
• Pumper Nic

External links

• pumpernickelat theMerriam-Webster Online Dictionary
• How to make an American pumpernickel breadArchived2008-05-11 at theWayback Machine
• How to make authentic German pumpernickel bread
• Description of Schupp "bon pour Nicol" quotation