Greek Traditions Community

The tradition of making koulouria

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lalajess said:
This article is saying that Koulouri comes from an Ancient Greek word "kollikon"

greekcitytimes.com

Koulouri - Greece’s Favourite Breakfast On The Run + Recipe

If you are in Greece and after some breakfast on the run, Koulouri (Κουλούρι) is a fabulous option for you, as it’s both filling and healthy!
greekcitytimes.com greekcitytimes.com

That's all I've got for now. This is an interesting discussion!
Click to expand...
I don't know about the actual word, but it seems the food came from early Christian times "Some historians trace the Koulouri's origins back to early Christianity and during Byzantine years is when it is said to have first appeared in Constantinople. It then became popular in Thessaloniki, when the Greeks from Asia Minor brought it to the Macedonian city around 1922." from https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/06/18/koulouri-greece-breakfast-recipe/
 
redsoxdw_ said:
I don't know about the actual word, but it seems the food came from early Christian times "Some historians trace the Koulouri's origins back to early Christianity and during Byzantine years is when it is said to have first appeared in Constantinople. It then became popular in Thessaloniki, when the Greeks from Asia Minor brought it to the Macedonian city around 1922." from https://greekcitytimes.com/2021/06/18/koulouri-greece-breakfast-recipe/
Click to expand...

No matter where the word came from, I think they're delicious. The article is right, this is one of my favorite breakfasts while in Greece!
 
lalajess said:
No matter where the word came from, I think they're delicious. The article is right, this is one of my favorite breakfasts while in Greece!
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the information that is provided. As you know and speak modern Greek, I accept the use of the word "koulouri", which I even see witten on the vendor's sign, and I grant that Byzantine writings declare that it is derived from the classical word "kollikion". However, I'd like to make these clarifications: What the Byz. writings imply is that"kollikion" was a classical word. By looking at it, I see that it is the diminutive of Kollix ( the word I mentioned that is attested in classical Greek lexicons and was defined as a round loaf or roll made of of coarse ground grains; the diminutive word was undoubtedly formed from the adjective *kollik[ios] + -ion. I also noted earlier that the noun had different beginnings in different dialects, namely OY- or O-. So, Kollikion = a small roll ...., which in my Italic dialect was simply called Koulloura. The tradition survives in the making of olive oil bread rolls:
www.manusmenu.com

Olive Oil Snail Bread Rolls

Olive Oil Snail Bread Rolls - very easy bread rolls that are fun to make and delicious to eat. Olive oil bread tastes amazing and it is very common in many areas of Italy.
www.manusmenu.com www.manusmenu.com
I take "koulouria" as a generic/collective term that originally was "kouloureia" but could have been also the name of individual items. Good stuff!
 
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