A Brief History Of Koulouri, Greece's Sesame-Seed Bread Ring

In Greece, it’s not uncommon to see busy workers running to their workplace with a koulouri (a sesame bread crown) and a cup of frappe in hand. This street food-cum-breakfast is part of the Greek ritual for eating on the go, and it can be bought plain or stuffed with La Vache Qui Rit cheese or Merenda (the Greek version of Nutella). Here is a brief history of the koulouri, Greece’s ultimate breakfast on the go.
Some historians trace koulouri’s origins back to antiquity – taken from the ancient kollyra, a type of round bread served to the slaves – and to the origin of street food. For thousands of years, street food was a way of providing the population with cheap food options. For example, during the Byzantine Empire, it is said that the streets of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) were filled with street food vendors selling a variety of items to locals and travelers. One food still common today in Greece and Turkey is the koulouri (or simit in Turkish), a ring of bread sprinkled with sesame seeds. And though Thessaloniki seems to be credited as its birthplace, it can now be found throughout the country, enjoyed by people of all ages as a snack or a quick breakfast.