Borodino bread is one of the national Russian dishes, widespread throughout the country. Its exact history is unknown, there is a romantic legend associated with the emergence of this product, but historians cannot confirm or deny it. It is reliably known that the modern recipe appeared in 1933 - before that, there is no mention of Borodino bread in any source.
Legends about the origin of Borodino bread
Not only professional bakers, but also many historians are familiar with the legend about the origin of Borodino bread, but they cannot officially confirm these stories. According to legend, in 1781, a daughter named Margarita was born into the rich princely family of the Naryshkins. By the time of their girlhood, this was a profitable party for many suitors, and the parents decided to marry the girl to Pavel Lasunsky, Major General, who did not like Margarita at all. The newly-made family did not exist for long, love between the spouses did not appear.
Later, the girl met Colonel Alexander Tuchkov, love broke out between them. They swore allegiance to each other and did everything possible to create a family - after five years, the lovers were able to get married. Margarita accompanied her husband on military campaigns until she gave birth to a son in 1811. She had to stay at home and raise a child. Once she had a dream that her fate would be decided in Borodino - in a place that she had never even heard of.
In 1812, the famous Battle of Borodino took place, during which Tuchkov died. Margarita searched for his body on the battlefield, but never found it. The woman decided to build a church on this place - this is how the Savior Not Made by Hands arose, in which she settled. At the church there was a bakery where rye bread with caraway seeds was baked, which had several valuable qualities - it did not stale, it was stored for a long time, it had a pleasant taste and a beautiful appearance. His recipe was invented by Margarita herself, together with other nuns.
They say that for a long time this bread was a memorial dish in memory of the Battle of Borodino.
Another version of the appearance of this bread says that its recipe was created by the famous Russian chemist Borodin. The scientist once traveled to Italy with his colleagues, where he came up with the idea to bake rye bread. Although historians are skeptical about this legend, since rye does not grow in the south.
Scientists say that the name of the bread is not connected either with the name of the chemist or with the name of the place of the great battle - perhaps the word "Borodinsky" has the same roots with the word "fermentation".
History of modern Borodino bread
The modern recipe for Borodino bread appeared in 1933 as a result of the development of the Moscow Baking Trust. It was bread made from rye flour with the addition of rye malt, molasses and coriander. Nowhere before this name was mentioned, therefore there is a version that it was then that Borodino bread appeared. Although similar recipes existed at the end of the 19th century - for example, rye bread with caraway seeds.
