Crete has never been self-sufficient in terms of grain, in contrast to other crops. That being said, in the past the growing of wheat and other cereals, especially barley, was always a primary concern.
Wheat provided daily bread and rusks (paximadi), as well as a wealth of other foodstuffs made from it, such as cracked wheat (chondros and xinochondros) and different types of pasta (magiri, macaroni, chilopittes, triftoudi, landouridi etc.). On religious feast days and other special occasions, numerous special kinds of bread are served at the festive table: prosfora and arti blessed and offered at church Christ loaves (Christopsoma) at Christmas and New Year milk bread (galatero) at Easter eftazima ('bread kneaded seven times') wedding loaves (gamokouloura) small baptism loaves (trividia) Lazarus loaves (Lazaroi).
