November is National Raisin Bread Month

November is National Raisin Bread Month in the United States.

This type of bread is considered to be a sweet bread. Just as the name suggests, it is bread that has raisins mixed into it. Raisins are a type of dried grape; in many regions and countries, raisin is used to specifically denote those made from a large, dark grape.

Raisin bread is normally flavoured with cinnamon, and made from a white dough, although it can be made with other flours as well. Other ingredients may also be added; these include brown sugar, honey, butter or eggs. Chopped nuts are also a common addition, such as hazelnuts, pecans or walnuts.

Henry David Thoreau is supposed to have created raisin bread in the nineteenth century, but there have been recipes around since the late seventeenth century, and bread made with raisins in it has been made since the fifteenth in Europe.

There are different types of raisin bread, including some regional specialities, such as the German stollen, which contains marzipan and icing sugar, and is served at Christmas. It is frequently eaten for breakfast, often toasted. The cinnamon swirl, which looks like a Swiss roll when sliced, is a common type of raisin bread. This would be sliced and served toasted. Other raisin breads are used to make sandwiches, or served with cheese. In the United States, bread called raisin bread must have a weight of raisins that is at least 50% of the weight of the flour used to make it.