bublik

plural bubliks · plural bubliki · alternative boublik

1. A traditional Eastern European bread roll, consisting of a ring of yeast-leavened wheat dough that has been boiled in water for a short time before baking.

   Semyon Akopovich would take glossy, crinkly bubliks, sprinkled with poppy seed, out of the pocket of his old coat.

   1969, Konstantin Paustovsky, translated by Kyril FitzLyon, “Wrestler Dovgello”, in Southern Adventure (Story of a Life; V), London: Harvill Press, page 154

   5 more examples

   A samovar was always in the office, always on the boil, and they could offer tea and buttered bubliks to the customers. […] He would get up and dress and say his prayers, and then sit down to drink tea—he would drink up three glasses of tea and eat two large bubliks and half a French roll and butter.

   1959, Anton Chekhov, translated by Rosa Graham, “Dushechka”, in Stephen Graham, editor, Great Russian Short Stories, New York, N.Y.: Liveright Publishing Corporation, pages 577 and 584

   Marfa called the junior waitress, handed her the order-pad and said: “A glass of tea and a bublik bun for me, Katyusha.” […] Marfa accepted the proffered watchword with a grave inclination of her head, took another sip of tea and another nibble of bublik.

   1960 April, V[iktor] Bezorudko, translated by Archie Johnstone, “Soviet Humor: The Teahouse of Nether Borsch”, in New World Review, volume 28, number 4, New York, N.Y.: N.W.R. Publications, Inc., pages 35–36

   A WOMAN WENT DOWN TO THE MARKET, CARRYING BUBLIKS WITH HER. […] ONE OF THE SOLDIERS FELT LIKE EATING, SO HE SAYS TO HER: “MA, GIVE A HUNGRY MAN A BUBLIK! […] THE POLES WILL DEVOUR THE REPUBLIC, IF WE’RE UNDERFED.” THE WOMAN SAID, “NOT ON YOUR LIFE! I’M NOT GIVING UP MY BUBLIKS![…]” […] THE POLE SEES THE FAT, WHITE WOMAN IN THE CROWD. IN A FLASH SHE’S EATEN UP, SHE AND HER BUBLIKS.

   1979, Mikhail Cheremnykh, Vladimir Mayakovsky, translated by W. Freeman, D. Saunders, and C. Binns, “A Story of Bubliks for Sale to the Public and of a Woman Who Denied the Republic”, in Mikhail Guerman, compiler, Art of the October Revolution, London: Collet’s, →ISBN

   He came back several times with small loaves of various shapes, kalachs, bubliks, pots of jam, honey and molasses, and cold sausage; […]

   1984, Vladimir Volkoff, translated by Alan Sheridan, “A Day in the Life of Aleksandr Dmitrich”, in The Set-Up, London: Methuen London Ltd, published 1985, →ISBN, page 137

   Irina is sitting at her kitchen table with ink on her face, two pencils behind her ear and another in her hand, and with the pages of her life of Galia Molokhovina spread out in front of her between the cherry povidlo and the bubliki.

   1993, Ann Oakley, “Looking Back”, in Scenes Originating in the Garden of Eden, London: Flamingo, HarperCollinsPublishers, published 1994, →ISBN, pages 262–263