Traditional Ukrainian Ritual Breads & Bread Pastries

DescriptionBread is not only a staple food in Ukraine, it is also a symbol of prosperity, divinity, and hospitality. Since the first agrarians settled the Ukrainian land, grains, porridges and breads have become sacred objects of worship and rituals, closely connected with folklore and traditional customs. Recipes are given for basic breads, Christmas kolach, Easter babka & paska (with ornaments), pastries (makivnyk, pampushky, pyrohy, medivnyk), and Wedding korovai with doves and shyshky.Christian priests and monks in Slavic countries for centuries fought against the phenomenon called dvovirХya — double faith. On the one hand, peasants accepted baptism and the new Christian holidays. On the other hand, they still persisted performing ancient rites and worshiping old pagan cults, even when the ancient deities and myths on which those were based were completely forgotten.28 pages