Korovai
A large decorated ceremonial wedding bread of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
Also: karavai, korowaj
The korovai is a round wedding bread, decorated with dough birds, flowers, leaves and sometimes a symbolic sun or periwinkle wreath. In Ukraine the baking is a ritual of its own, done by married women, called korovainytsi, with songs, because a failed bread was thought a bad omen. The bread is presented to the couple, who may bite it, and pieces are given out to the guests. Other spellings are karavai and korowaj. Smaller, simpler versions are made today.
Region: Europe