Every residential quarter in a medina has a communal oven where the residents who do not have an oven at home, can have their bread baked for a small fee. Trays of raw dough are brought to the communal oven each day to be baked into khubz, a round and dense flat bread about the size of a pita. The bread is made with white flour; but can also have whole wheat flour added, and semolina is sometimes sprinkled on the top.
With all the bread around, the baker relies on an identifying mark, made by the dough owner, to know whose bread he's baking.
Comments (6)
Maria, this is a great post!
Thanks!
Posted by candi | February 6, 2009 10:48 PM
Posted on February 6, 2009 22:48
I love this. It seems so civilized and special to bake bread this way.
Posted by Barb Cabot | February 6, 2009 11:43 PM
Posted on February 6, 2009 23:43
Love these photos. Such a beautiful blue on those walls. And I just love the idea of communal ovens.
The bridge with the angel is in Castello, close to the Arsenale. I think the angel is older than the bridge - she's a nice one!
Have a great weekend! Looking forward to seeing which Venice bridge you post.
Posted by Annie | February 7, 2009 7:18 AM
Posted on February 7, 2009 07:18
More great photos and info!
Posted by Cindy Ruth | February 7, 2009 9:57 AM
Posted on February 7, 2009 09:57
A communal oven. Somehow, that makes a lot of sense to me.
Posted by Eden | February 7, 2009 10:27 AM
Posted on February 7, 2009 10:27
Wouldn't that be cool to have here in the US. Very practical idea to have markings to tell the bread apart. Great photos! Love learning more about the culture in the residential quarters in a medina.
Posted by girasoli | February 7, 2009 5:27 PM
Posted on February 7, 2009 17:27