Boroña facts for kids

Boroña is a special type of bread from northern Spain. It is made mostly from cornmeal, which is flour made from corn. This traditional bread is very popular in regions like Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, and parts of northern Castilla-Leon. For a long time, until the mid-1900s, it was a common food in many rural areas. Boroña is often cooked in an oven, sometimes wrapped in cabbage leaves.

In Cantabria, the word "boroña" can also mean the corn plant itself, not just the bread. People there might call the bread "corn flour bread" to be more specific.

The History of Boroña Bread

Before corn arrived in Europe from the Americas (the New World), people in northern Spain already ate a type of bread called boroña. This older version was a mix of barley and rye flours. Old documents from the 1300s and 1400s show that this kind of mixed grain bread was eaten in places like Castile and Cantabria.

After the Spanish arrived in the Americas in 1492, corn was brought back to Spain. The name "boroña" was then used for breads made with millet. Some writers from that time thought this millet bread was mainly eaten by the Basques, but it was actually eaten in many northern areas.

The first time "boroña" was clearly mentioned as corn bread was in 1619. This happened in a town called Oseja Sajambre, located in the Picos de Europa mountains. This is the oldest known record of boroña being made with corn, just like we know it today.

Later, in 1794, a famous Spanish writer named Jovellanos wrote about "cornbread or cornbread" being eaten in Asturias. He included this in his report to the Economic Society of Madrid.

What Makes Boroña Special?

Boroña is usually made by mixing wheat flour (sometimes called spelled flour) with corn flour. A common recipe uses about two-thirds corn flour and one-third wheat flour. This mix gives the inside of the bread a light yellow color.

The dough is often baked in a special mold. While it used to be rectangular, today it's often shaped like a ring (toroidal). A traditional boroña recipe might even include slices of chorizo (a type of sausage) and other meats, like prime rib, baked right inside the dough! The bread is cooked slowly in an oven, often overnight, at lower temperatures.

How to Enjoy Boroña

When it's time to eat boroña, you usually cut it in half. If there's meat baked inside, you can take it out and eat it with the bread. The baked dough is perfect for soaking up the flavors of the meat.

See also

In Spanish: Borona para niños