Korean Egg Bread Named Among the World’s Best Breads
Standing Alongside Baguette, Ciabatta, and Karepan
“A Treasure Hidden in Every Loaf,” Praised by CNN
Egg bread, a representative winter snack from Korea, has been selected by CNN as one of the “50 Best Breads in the World.”
On October 18 (local time), CNN introduced 50 iconic breads from around the globe that reflect the cultures and food traditions of each country, including Korea’s egg bread on its list. Regarding this feature, CNN noted, “Bread may be easy to make, but it’s not easy to define,” highlighting a variety of breads shaped by the unique traditions and environments of different regions.
Korean egg bread drew attention for its unique composition, with a whole egg baked inside an individual portion of flour dough. The article’s author, Jen Rose Smith, described it as “a treasure hidden in every piece,” and introduced egg bread as “a personal-sized wheat bread baked with a whole egg inside.” She added, “Adding ham, cheese, or chopped parsley gives it a sweet and savory umami flavor, making it a hearty street snack that helps Koreans get through the cold winter.”
This list also included traditional breads representing various regions around the world, in addition to Korea. Examples include Armenia’s “Lavash,” Afghanistan’s “Bolani,” Bangladesh’s “Luchi,” and Brazil’s “Pao de Queijo.”
In particular, CNN praised Brazil’s traditional cheese bread, “Pao de Queijo,” stating, “The very fact that cassava is used as food is a triumph of kitchen creativity,” and explained, “Indigenous peoples of South America developed safe methods to process cassava roots, which naturally contain potentially lethal cyanide, transforming this ingredient into a culinary star.”
Other breads familiar to Koreans, such as France’s “Baguette,” Italy’s “Ciabatta,” Japan’s “Curry Bread,” and America’s “Biscuit,” also made the list.
Regarding “Ciabatta,” which originated in Italy in the 1980s, CNN reported, “It may look like a bread from the past, but in fact, it’s a modern creation that sparked the artisanal bread renaissance.” The network also evaluated it as “a turning point in the artisanal bread craze that arose as a reaction against the industrialized food system after the 1960s.”
Japan’s “Curry Bread” was introduced as a snack that combines portability and popularity. CNN described it as “an invention that turned a sit-down meal into a snack you can eat with your hands,” and noted, “This bread is so popular in Japan that it even inspired a crime-fighting superhero animation named after it.” This refers to the popular character “Curry Bread Man” from the Japanese animation “Anpanman.”
Through this selection process, CNN emphasized that “bread is not just food, but a product that fully embodies the history, culture, and creativity of each country,” highlighting the diversity and originality found in food culture.
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