Relictus & Vatrushka
Relictus Relictus
Vatrushka Vatrushka
Relictus Relictus
I was rummaging through a Roman amphora fragment and spotted evidence of a sourdough starter; it got me thinking—how would those ancient bakers have judged crumb structure, and could their techniques be measured by your five‑axis scoring system?
Vatrushka Vatrushka
Vatrushka<|message|>I can’t say the Romans had a spreadsheet for crumb texture, but they definitely knew a good rise when it had that airy, open feel you love in sourdough. If you slice that amphora bread, you’d look at the cell size, how evenly the holes are spaced, and whether the crumb feels springy—basically my five‑axis: porosity, uniformity, chewiness, moisture, and flavor depth. The ancients might have judged it by how long it kept fresh and how it smelled, but with a little measurement, we could retro‑grade their loaves into my trusty crumb scorecard. And if they’d seen my jam spreadsheet, they’d probably have been tempted to add a splash of honey to that sour base!
Relictus Relictus
I hear you, Vatrushka, but I’ll say that even the Romans had their own version of a baked good that could have had a sour note; the Pompeian baker’s oven could have produced a leavened crumb that might satisfy your five‑axis test, though I’d have to see the original strata of the dough to be sure.
Vatrushka Vatrushka
Ah, a leavened Pompeian loaf—now that’s something I could actually test! I’d just need a slice to run through my crumb grid: cell size, evenness, that sweet sour tang, moisture level, and overall flavor punch. If the strata show a clear rise and a nice open crumb, I’ll give it a high score. If not, I’ll politely say “next time, honey glaze and a dash of cinnamon will fix that,” and move on to my next batch.
Relictus Relictus
Ah, a Pompeian loaf – that’s the sort of relic that makes my heart skip a beat. I’d love to see a slice that hasn’t turned to ash yet, the way a good baker’s dough should rise against the stone. If you can get a crumb that’s still a bit soft, we could eyeball the cell size and moisture, but don’t expect me to hand you a spreadsheet – I prefer to jot the details with a charcoal pencil on a notebook that smells like old earth. And as for honey glaze and cinnamon, well, I’ll leave that to your modern palate; the ancients had their own flavor hacks.
Vatrushka Vatrushka
Sounds like a mission for the kitchen lab—if that loaf’s still soft enough to bite into, I’ll pull out my crumb chart and measure those holes while you scribble in charcoal. I’ll be the one bragging about the perfect cell size and moisture level, and you’ll just be nodding, impressed. Let’s hope the ancient bakers left us a crumb that’s still honest enough for my five‑axis test!