A soft, round bread roll, especially popular in British cuisine, often used for sandwiches.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Old English or Scottish Gaelic. First recorded in English around the 1500s, the term became especially associated with British regional bread-making traditions. Some etymologists suggest it may relate to the Old Norse word 'boppa' or express the sound of kneading bread.
A 'bap' is so iconic to British culture that different regions have different names for essentially the same roll—in some places it's a 'cob,' in others a 'roll'—showing how geography shapes even our basic vocabulary! The traditional method of making baps involves steam in the oven, which creates the signature soft, floury crust.
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