ABC of Czech The bread-and-butter matters

Chléb Almost every nation in the world has its own special type of bread. In this part of Europe, the most typical variety is dark bread that comes in large round or oval loaves - bochník, seasoned with caraway seeds.

Topinky Czech bread has a dark brown crust - kùrka - which is either glazed or dusted with flour. Czech bread is most typically eaten sliced, spread with butter, cheese or lard, or with ham or salami as a sandwich. Slices of bread can also be fried in oil till golden-brown - then they are called topinky. With fresh garlic rubbed in they are a real delicacy but you can imagine how heavy they are.

If the same dark bread dough is used to make smaller shapes, rolls and buns - they are called dalamánky.

White bread rolls are called rohlíky - they are the shape of a banana but straight - and white bread buns are called housky. They come in many varieties: they can be just plain or sprinkled with poppy seeds or crystal salt. As far as shapes are concerned, a bun can be plaited - then it's called pletýnka. If a star shape is pressed onto the bun, then it's called hvìzdièka - a little star - or kaiserka from the German word for emperor.

Rohlíky Another traditional type of white bread is veka (which is also another word for loaf). It is used almost exclusively to make the typical Czech open-faced sandwiches - chlebíèky (yes, "little breads") - with ham, eggs, mayonnaise, salmon and what you like, that are usually served at such events as exhibition openings and office parties.

In the last fifteen years, many Czechs have changed their habits as concerns bread and baked goods as many foreign varieties of bread have been introduced on to the Czech market. Now you can buy French bread - bageta, toast bread - toustový chléb, bagels - bagely and all kinds of wholegrain products - celozrnné peèivo.

But dark bread chléb and bread rolls rohlíky continue to be a staple in the Czech diet.

And that's all for today, till next time dobrou chu» - bon appetit!