How did ancient humans see tall growing grass (wheat), think to harvest it, mill it, mix it with water then put the mixture into fire to make ‘bread’?

Question

I am trying to comprehend how something that required methodical steps and ‘good luck’ came to be a staple of civilisations for thousands of years. Thank you. (Sorry if this question isn’t correct for ELI5, I searched and couldn’t find it asked. Hope it’s in-bounds.)

In: 1505

Answer 1

Incremental steps lead to bread.

Gathering— later cultivating— wheat? I mean, wheat is just another edible seed, it was on the menu since paleolithic times.

Soaking and cooking wheat? Makes it easier to chew, tastes better, and, though it’s hard to recognize it from ground level, unlocks better nutrition.

Smashing and grinding wheat berries? Makes them cook faster; you need less firewood. Now you’re got a kind of porridge. (Btw, this porridge might often become alcoholic, which is a bonus.)

You might want to make to-go porridge, so maybe you’d clump up a handful of it and dry it out by the fire. Now you’ve got something between granola and crackers.

Hey, you get better crackers if you grind the wheat finer!

Hey, have you tried these crackers Sin-apla-adisa makes, the puffy ones? They still keep for a few days, and they stay kinda chewy on the inside. Way better than the ones grandma used to make.

And that’s basic bread.