russian black bread
bread wasby far the most important food in russian until this century. in the nine-teenth century, the russian peasant ats on average 3-3 pounds of bread a day and even more at harvest time. white breads now popular in moscow and other large cities, but it is the ryes that are the est-know and - loved of russian breads . there are numerous types of black breads, varying in color, density and sour/sweet flovor. molasses, favored throughout the baltic states, is frequently added, ang orginall the breads would have been made on the sourdough prin-ciple, alhough some today are yeast-leavened. many are similar to germanrye breads, since techniquse and styles cross borders as easly as weather. a classic russian black bread, however, is usually made with an equal blend of rye andwheat flourusing a sourdough starter . it is spiced and baed on the bottom of the oven. a rund loaf, t has an attractive, coase top. it is. normally rougly broken rather than cut and is often ea with soups and stews. in ukraine a version of a black rey bread is know as chyi khilb, which is another large round loaf.