SC - Looking for Black Bread Recipie

[Jenn/Yana]

jenne at tulgey.browser.net writes:
<< Um, Yana, when you say that, is it because there are no bread _recipes_ or
is it because there's something weird about 'black bread' that might not be
period? >>
 >IIRC, most black bread recipes contain molasses as an ingredient. This 
may be
 >what she is referring to.
 >Ras

Correct.  All modern recipes (English as well as Russian) that I have seen 
include (either singly or in some combination) coffee, molasses, or 
cocoa.  I had someone (not in the SCA) try to tell me that since Russia had 
connections with the Silk Road and therefore the Middle East that of course 
they would have used molasses and coffee as colorant/flavoring agents, but 
I'm not buying it.  As I said, I am continually digging for information and 
will let people know when I find something interesting and useful.

It may simply be that there was no "black bread" in the Russia of our 
period but only medium-dark brown breads.  My guess is that a darker bread 
was more highly favored (it is today) and with the introduction of 
molasses, cocoa, and coffee, it was possible to get a rich, darker-colored, 
and deep-tasting bread.

- --Yana