Wooden Bread Box

Today, baking has become a passion and a profession for so many people. Earlier, it was mainly considered a way of life for many. It was something that they had to earn their daily money from. But today, it has evolved from simple loaves to ornate cakes that can resemble almost anything that can be captured in a photograph. But much before cakes and pastries were made for their pure luxury, the simple loaf of bread was what was commonly made and eaten as a decent meal. Fresh batch after batch of bread was made to feed people in the town or village as well as the families of the bakers themselves. And to store the bread, they made use of bread boxes. A bread box is nothing but a box in which the bread is stored until it is consumed. Given below is more information on the famed wooden bread box that was so popular in the yesteryears.

The Design

A bread box, as mentioned earlier is a box or a container in which fresh bread is stored. It was called a bread box in America, while it was termed a bread bin in most parts of Europe. In the early days, there were two kinds of bread boxes. There were metal bread boxes and wooden bread boxes. Both were quite efficient in storing the bread. The box was designed in such a way that it had a lid on the top that was shut securely, once the loaf of bread was places inside. The shape of the box was somewhat like a treasure chest. It was bigger than a loaf of bread and sometimes even had two or three shelves within it. This facilitated the storage of multiple loaves of bread within a single wooden bread box. There are also some wooden bread box plans which have a vertical partition rather than a horizontal one. This means loaves of bread could be stacked on top of each other in the various compartments. Apart from the interior design of the bread box, there are many different types of exterior designs as well. The most common design is a large box, with either side hinges or a hinge in the front. The word 'bread' is emblazoned on the front of the box, making it quite obvious what it is used for. Some bread boxes come with a shelf on top of the lid too. So, you can place things like crockery or cutlery on the bread box too. Designs have also been carved onto the wooden bread boxes. In addition to that, there are also some boxes which have items glued onto them, quite similar to refrigerator magnets that we have today.

Its Use

As mentioned above, the use of metal for making bread boxes was also fairy common. However, with time, people stopped using metal boxes. They began to use only wooden bread boxes. One of the most important benefits of a wooden bread box was that it helped to keep the bread safe and fresh. Since it is shut tightly, there is less chance of moisture entering the box. This keeps the bread fresh for longer. And since it is strong, sturdy and secure, the bread is also safe from any kind of insects and pests that may try to enter and infest the loaves of bread. They were used mainly in the earlier days because people generally made their own bread at home. These days, there are some people who use bread boxes to store bread. But it has become more of an antique and collectible item that can be termed as a part of medieval home decor. People like to buy the original wooden bread boxes that were used by people in the past, and use them as storage or just as a show piece. There are online auctions and websites which facilitate the buying and selling of these antique items. Apart from being collectibles, some people have come up with more contemporary designs for bread boxes. They give them a more stylish look using painted wood, modern door knobs and frosted glass. So they have become a substitute for the traditional wooden bread box.

You can choose for yourself what kind of wooden bread box you would like to keep. Will it be a traditional one with engraved wood which you can buy for its look and antique value or a more modern one that you can use to actually store those loaves of fresh bread that you keep baking from time to time.