Maltese bread
 Maltese bread | |
| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Malta |
| Region or state | Qormi |
Maltese bread (Maltese: Il-Ħobż tal-Malti, tal-malti) is a crusty sourdough bread from Malta, usually baked in wood ovens.[1] It is typically eaten with spread olive oil (Ħobż biż-żejt), where the bread is rubbed with tomatoes (as with the Catalan pa amb tomàquet) or tomato paste, drizzled with olive oil and filled with a choice or mix of tuna, olives, capers, onion, bigilla and ġbejna.[2] The practice of making the bread is considered a 'dying art'.[3]
In Qormi
[edit]Qormi is the main city for bread making in Malta, with a large number of bakeries. During the rule of the Knights Hospitaller, it was known as Casal Fornaro meaning the bakers' town.[4] Nowadays an annually held festival, Lejl f'Casal Fornaro (a Night at Casal Fornaro), takes place in Qormi on the third Saturday of October.
The role of bread in Maltese politics
[edit]Some of the earliest descriptive accounts of Malta note the dependence of the island's inhabitants on bread for survival.[5] The impact of the British colonial government's liberalisation of the import of grain in 1837 and its failure to provide basic food provisions in the aftermath of World War I are both factors believed to be linked to the Sette Giugno riots.[6][7]
Bread in the Maltese language
[edit]There are a number of idioms in the Maltese language relating to bread as the basis of survival.[8]
- (Maltese: ħobżu maħbuż), his bread is baked, meaning the person is well-off.
- (Maltese: tilef ħobżu), he has lost his bread, meaning the person has lost their job.
- (Maltese: x'ħobż jiekol dan?),[9] what bread does he consume?, an expression used when enquiring after a person's character.
- (Maltese: jeħtieġu bħall-ħobż li jiekol), he needs it like his daily bread, used when a person is in great need of something.
- (Maltese: ħaga li fiha biċċa ħobż ġmielha), something which provides a lot of bread, used to describe a profitable endeavour.
- (Maltese: ma fihiex ħobż), it procures no bread, used to describe a profitless venture.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "The culinary art and culture of 'Il-Ftira Maltija' has been recognized by UNESCO - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
- ^ Malta, Lovin (2017-01-21). "7 Ways To Use Maltese Bread That Will Have You Salivating". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
- ^ "Watch: The rising cost of bread and Malta's dying art - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
- ^ Cassar Pullicino, J. (1956). "Social Aspects of Maltese Nicknames" (PDF). Scientia. 22 (2): 87. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-23. Retrieved 2017-02-24.
- ^ D'Autun, J.Q. The Earliest Description of Malta quoted in Cassar, C. Fenkata: An emblem of Maltese peasant resistance? Archived 2018-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kliewer, Greta. Maltese Bread: a changing symbol of the island’s identity [1]
- ^ Blouet, pp. 188-189
- ^ Cassar, C. Fenkata: An emblem of Maltese peasant resistance? Fenkata: An emblem of Maltese peasant resistance? Archived 2018-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Smith, Jen Rose (2019-10-15). "50 of the world's best breads". CNN Travel. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
Further reading
[edit]- "Hospitaller Period: The Maltese Historical Perspective of Bread". Maypole:Nenu The Artisan Baker. 2012. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016.
- Blouet, Brian (2004), The Story of Malta, Progress Press
- Buttigieg, Noel (2011). "Is Bread Male or Female? Gender and Power Relations". Proceeding of History Week. Archived from the original on 1 March 2016.
- more Archived 2022-06-21 at the Wayback Machine.
- Gatt, Guzi (2008). "Il-Hobz tal-Malti" (PDF). L-Imnara. 9 (32): 35–39. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- Lanfranco, G. (1983). "Tal-Ħobż; l-Għajn tal-Ilma" (PDF). L-Imnara. 2 (7): 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
- Dwar il-Ħobż f'Malta / G. Lanfranco. L-Imnara. 4(1991)2=15(29-32) Archived 2022-06-21 at the Wayback Machine