Bread and different recipes of preparing it
Element inscribed on the National ICH Registry of the Republic of Moldova
Domain: Traditional alimentation
Due to the antiquity of the aliment, bread it is prepared in an atmosphere of religiosity and mysticism. Bread signifies fertility, well-being, healthiness, well-doing, wealthiness. Researchers revealed the daily and ceremonial importance of the bread. In the Republic Moldova it is prepared bread of wheat and of barleycorn, or of wheat and maize, as modalities of combining the flour. The common flour that has often a lot of shorts was used in preparing of daily bread. The bread for celebrations and festivities is prepared of special flour. Bread was served especially to children, to ill people, and guests, being an superior aliment to corn meal. It is served in a special way when it is warm, and it is served completely different way when it is served cold or dry. Bread it is not consumed anytime, anyway, anywhere, with anybody. Consumption of bread is determined by many prescriptions and interdictions. It is daily consumed at each table, being invocated with the praying The Our Father. This moment reveals the spiritual signification of bread, as material and spiritual aliment. În ancient times, before being consumed the elder people used to make the sign of the cross over the bread. Also the father of the family used to cut the bread and he was the person who shared bread to every participant at the table. There are a lot of beliefs and superstitions about bread. It is believed that who lets the bread unfinished at the table lets some of his power with the piece of unfinished brad. Also it is believe that to know better a person means to eat some bread and salt with him. Bread and salt expels every evel doing from the house. The traditional mentality valued the bread as being sainted. It is used as ritual breat within the customs at the birth of a child, wedding or burial ritual. În the Republic of Moldova bread it is given as a gift in the memory of the dead persons – pomană. Ritual bread it is consumed at Eeaster or Christmas time ritual. To the subject of preparing bread in the Republic of Moldova was dedicated a book recently, entitled „Pâinea, aliment și simbol. Experiența sacrului”/ „Bread, aliment and symbol. The experience of sacral”, author Varvara Buzilă, București, ed. GastroArt, 2019, 347 p.[:]