In any baker's shop can be seen among the plethora of baked goods cakes: so-called even today large round donut and platting. Kalach - old name of Russian white round bread with a pen. Before his contemporaries came only two varieties kalaches - Murom and Moscow in Moscow rolls, hot as fire. Many proverbs and sayings related to the Russian people with the word, the symbol of well-fed, rich and free life.

The origin of the word "loaf"

In ancient Russia rolls baked in the form of a large castle with a round bow, for which, as the handle, kept the townspeople, eating delicious bread. The origin of the name of the bread is still going historical debate. Linguists argue that the word "loaf" is derived from the "colonies", meaning "wheel, circle": round white bread resembles a wheel. Historians attribute the name of the "loaf" to the Tatar name that sounds also means "be hungry", that is, do not eat the roll, is fed, quench your appetite delicious bread.

History and Biography

Cakes known as a separate bakery product in Russia from the XIV century as a recipe borrowed Tatar unleavened bread. However, unlike the two loaves that Russian loaf of wheat flour cooked on rye sourdough. Very different and the shape of bread: central circular part of the roll is called "zhivotok with lip" and a pen, or a bow, also called "perevyaslo." Baked loaf of bread in the oven the same time for all parts at the same time they are different in shape and size, and therefore the degree of zazharistosti-baked and completely different.

For reasons of hygiene of the handle of the roll only held, but had never been eaten, and gave to the poor dogs. From extant expression "get to grips", that is to start eating temples from the roll, to reach the extreme poverty, losing shape. In the old days preparing an old hand, pretty tough and soft, kovritschenskie. Depending on the recipe, preparation method and place baking cakes were divided into krupchatye, smesnye, crushed, Murom, Moscow, and other obvarnye. The price of such rolls is measured by money, Russian coins minted in the Moscow principality since the XIV century. Price was on the bread alone money, two money penny and hit the jackpot, which was quite high value on the market.

One of the most striking features of the roll - his ability to long stale. As a symbol of the Russian land, from the XIX century cakes were frozen and transported from Moscow to Paris, on the ground they were thawed, turning into the hot towels served as freshly baked bread, even after a couple of months. In 1734 in Moscow there was the "Decree on the grain weight and kalachnom" where Podyachev was charged high duty to see to it that Kalachnikov, bakers bake cakes strictly in the specified weight.

Russian folklore and a roll

Many proverbs and sayings of the Russian people, which reflects great wisdom associated with the bakery product:

• Do you want to eat cakes - do not lie on the stove
• Bread - Kalach grandfather
• Feed roll, but in the back of a brick
• His bread is sweeter than another's Kalach
• Gag does not loaf - not perezhuesh
• Me Nothing will tempt
• Living soul up chaet
• Nothing uneasy: would Yerofeyich (vodka) with Kalach
• From one furnace, but not one rolls
• Podyachev loves hot loaf.

Kalac has always been a symbol of wealth, fullness, prosperity, because it was baked from white flour instead of rye, as usual, the rolls were a treat that poor people could afford only on holidays. "With up - white face", "From the snout, but in Kalashny number." The proverb "Necessity teaches rolls is" not inconsistent with this symbol: extreme poverty make to work to earn a tasty loaf.

Kalac and today remains an edible souvenir Russian capital, which has preserved not only the shape but also an old technology, and baking recipes. The essence of the roll in its unforgettable taste, in the form, the content. The dough is kneaded and rubbed a long time, do batch, baked by a special process, so it turns out unique taste and special aroma of fresh bread.

Today kalatches called all sorts of bakery products, can be found around the donut called "Saratov loaf" and other similar "rolls." Keeping traditions, origins, their transfer to future generations - it is all the people, the culinary traditions and old technology - part of the general culture.

I made a deal as baked loaf.

Jeanne Pyatirikova