As a matter of fact, Saturdays at my grandparents’ house are among my fondest childhood memories. If anyone asked me to describe them, I would instantly recall the fresh fragrance of baked bread. Saturdays in the village smelled like bread and pastries, as every household was filled with that enticing aroma.

In the villages of Moldova, bread is rarely bought from the grocery store or the local market. Any woman would feel offended by the assumption that she didn’t bake her own, as she takes great pride in preparing bread in generous quantities. And it’s not only bread—there are bagels, pies with every imaginable filling, garlic buns, small sweet cakes, jam rolls. Saturday was a wonderland for every child.

By the time my cousin and I woke up, Grandma would have already kneaded the dough and let it rest under a clean cloth in the dark. We would take our tea outside, as every available surface in the kitchen—even the chairs—was occupied by dough. By midday, we would be wolfing down fresh slices of bread with butter and jam.

The ritual culminated with us, the kids, bringing some of the hot pastries on a plate to share with our neighbors. Of course, we never returned empty-handed—each neighbor refilled our plates with their own fresh baked goods.

Why Saturday and not any other day of the week? I suppose it comes from the Christian tradition of attending church on Sunday, when women bring fruits, sweet treats, and pastries as offerings.

With few exceptions, bread has been at the center of people’s meals since ancient times. A religious and superstitious feeling is attached to bread, especially in communities that abide by one of the three Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. A piece of bread found lying on the floor is immediately picked up and respectfully placed on the table. As a child, your parents will teach you to respect bread and never throw it away, lest you offend God.

In my country, there’s a superstition about baking bread on Easter—women must wake up at sunrise and remain silent throughout the entire process of preparing, kneading, and baking the dough. It’s believed that the person making the bread should have a pure heart; otherwise, the bread won’t turn out right.

Nowadays, baking homemade bread—especially with sourdough—has become a trend. Women attend workshops to learn the craft and bring the know-how back to their own kitchens.

To me, bread is inseparable from the memories of my childhood. When I close my eyes, the smell of Grandma’s bread still lingers.

Image credits: hello aesthe