Pumpernickels

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of dark, dense bread made from coarsely ground rye flour
2. A traditional German bread characterized by its slightly sour taste and distinctive dark color
3. A bread variety often enjoyed with spreads or used as a base for appetizers, known for its unique flavor and texture

Etymology: Pumpernickel's most famous backstory is a myth. Legend says Napoleon, served this dark rye in Westphalia, found it so coarse that he declared it fit only for his horse, Nicole, and the name stuck as "pain pour Nicole," or "bread for Nicole." It is a charming tale, but it does not hold up, and it is not where the word comes from. The real origin is a German dialect insult. In Westphalian German, "Pumpernickel" joins "Pumper," meaning "fart," with "Nickel," a word for a rascal or goblin that derives from the male name Nikolaus, or Nicholas. The name may have started as a jeer aimed at a person, or at the bread itself, by outsiders who found the loaf heavy and sour. The insult apparently stuck to the loaf, which is dense, slow-baked rye that has long been a staple of the region. The plural "pumpernickels" is simply the count form of the bread, used when referring to several loaves.

Synonyms: rye bread