The Order of St John’s founder, Blessed Gérard, with bread, at the Fine Arts Museum, Valletta.

Brown bread might today be considered a perk for the health-conscious, but three centuries ago only the poorest of the poor ate dark bread.

Known as pane misturato, brown bread was for the poor, while the rich ate white bread.

“Nowadays it’s quite the opposite and it denotes that you afford to eat healthily,” food researcher Noel Buttigieg said, pointing out that bread was a symbol of social hierarchy in the 18th century.

Made of a mixture of wheat and barley – as the term misturato implies – bread was even black at times, and there are documents that specify who was provided this type of bread.

“There is a document at the Santo Spirito, Rabat, which speaks of the bread prepared for different people within the hospital. The darkest went to the slaves, and patients were given bread according to their background, while white bread was distributed among doctors and higher staff.”

This is one of the documents Dr Buttigieg will be speaking about tomorrow at an event on Bread and Bakers in 18th century Malta, organised by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Slow Food Malta and the International Institute for Baroque Studies.

Nowadays it’s quite the opposite and it denotes that you afford to eat healthily

In the 18th century, managing bread transcended its nutritional values; it had political, economic and social significance. It made up some 80 per cent of people’s diet and at times of shortage, the Grand Master even granted a specific license to corsairs to capture ships carrying wheat.

Smuggling and stealing wheat from the Order’s bakery was punished severely. A 1742 court case shows that 60 people were arraigned and 30 were handed a sentence – including a life of rowing for the two master bakers – when wheat and bread started going missing at the Order’s bakery.

Ta’ Saminu Bakery. Photo: Daniel Cilia

Meanwhile, as baking moved from a domestic to a professional job, laws were enacted about the quality of the bread and consumers’ safety.

Bread had to be stamped by the bollatore – a baker chosen by the Grand Master – after he approved its quality and weight.

Dr Buttigieg noted that in Maltese culture there was also a great confluence of bread and religion, not just when it came to the rite of the Eucharist.

In fact, different types of bread are associated with feasts, such as the ħobż ta’ Sant’Antnin, and the qagħaq tal-Appostli.

“Also, during a wedding, the groom carried a bread ring – a symbol of infinity – on a sash hanging from his shoulder. A groomsman would meanwhile carry what is known as a qarċilla on his head, which was usually a figure of a couple made from bread.”

Those interested can book a seat for the lecture at the Phoenicia hotel, Floriana, tomorrow at 6pm through https://ticketengine.faa.org.mt or www.faa.org.mt.