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Of all the religious festivals celebrated by faithful of different religions around the world, few come close to the festival we celebrate today, Easter, in terms of the symbolism it portrays. The fact that this festival follows a long 40-day period of fasting and restrictive food consumption makes it unique in many ways. This solemn abstinence also adds a unique and gloomy touch to the entire festival, where the festivities are mixed with spirituality and Christians around the world observe the entire period of Lent with moderation, discipline, prayers and penance.
However, what really excites me about Easter is seeing the little boy in us. It is interesting to see adult chefs discussing the pattern of the Easter egg, the color of the bunny’s bow or the ruffle of the Easter hat. Also, I think Easter is by far the most “ symbolic ” of all festivals, from the symbolism of the egg as a symbol of rebirth, the bunny as a symbol of fertility, and 11 marzipan balls in the simnel cake as a symbol. of Jesus. true disciples.
Then there’s the folklore galore, from the Easter egg hunt in England to the silencing of the bells in France and the burning of Christmas trees in Germany. I believe that Easter is the time to reiterate our faith in our customs and traditions and to enjoy the company of friends, family and, above all, children.
Easter story
As most of us know, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after the crucifixion and has its origins in early Christianity. Many cultural and religious historians agree that the celebration of Easter converges with the observances of three religions: Pagan, Hebrew, and Christian. The word “Easter” itself is said to derive from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility: Eostre. In almost all creeds and festivals, certain prominent symbols have come, over the centuries, to signify certain attributes of the festival, and Easter generally has a higher proportion of them than most. Let’s take a look at some of those easily identifiable symbols that we all know and recognize, but have probably not given much thought. So here it goes.
Easter eggs
The most prominent symbol of the Easter holiday, without a doubt, is the Easter egg. Coloring Easter eggs and Easter egg hunts have become more of a secular cultural observance than a strictly religious one. Eggs symbolize life and birth and have been used as a symbol of regeneration and fertility.
While the egg itself is considered a symbol of life, the tradition of coloring Easter eggs is also ancient and has been practiced in churches since the Middle Ages. One argument is that due to restrictions on the consumption of eggs during the long 40-day period of Lent, people used to decorate the eggs laid during that period to separate the normal eggs that were laid during the “unholy” period.
At some point, it seems that children became associated with all the exercise, and therefore the tradition of coloring the eggs brightly and in different patterns emerged. In Orthodox Christianity, the eggs are colored red to signify the blood of Jesus Christ and His crucifixion.
Easter Bunny
The Easter bunny is also a very recognizable symbol of the Easter festivities, although it is not mentioned in religious scriptures. Besides the fact that rabbits are considered quite prolific procreators and that it is associated with fertility, the rabbit is also seen as an ancient symbol of the moon and coincides with the feast of Easter, as Easter is also celebrated according to the position of Moon.
The rabbit hole is also said to symbolize Jesus coming out of his grave. According to some accounts, the Germans practiced a tradition of an egg-laying hare called Osterhase and when they emigrated to America in the 1700s, they popularized this tradition there and eventually throughout the world.
mutton
Traditionally, the celebration of Easter almost always includes the preparation of a lamb dish, almost everywhere in the world. John the Baptist referred to Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”
Historically, lamb would have been one of the first fresh meats available after a long and harsh winter in which no livestock would have been available for consumption by common people and Easter, which falls in spring, would naturally be a time when all feasts would include the lamb as meat.
The lamb is also important in the observance of Jewish ‘Passover’, where Jews used to paint their doors with the blood of slaughtered lambs so that God would pass over their homes and not bring the calamities associated with plagues that were common. during the time. . Later, many of these Jews converted to Christianity, but the tradition of sacrificing lambs remained.
Hot cross buns
Among all the edibles sold during the Easter period, this muffin takes the cake, well, in a way. Hot cross buns are traditional Easter food in England where they are first baked on Good Friday and many break the fast with hot cross buns.
Although hot cross buns are quite popular for Easter, they probably have pre-Christian origins. These buns are believed to have been made to celebrate Eostre, the goddess of fertility, by the pagans. The four quarters of the cross on top of the buns were said to represent the phases of the moon, while the bun itself symbolized rebirth after winter.
The word ‘bun’ is also said to have Saxon origins, where it meant ‘sacred ox’, the sacrifice of which was practiced during pre-Christ times. An old belief also says that if you bake hot cross buns on Good Friday, they won’t spoil until next year. As bakers we’ve had pretty limited success with that, but buns are also said to have medicinal properties and if someone gets sick, a small piece of hot cross buns can cure them, even from serious illnesses.
Lilies
Among the non-food symbols of Easter, the lily flower is among the most recognizable. Also known as the ‘apostles of hope clothed in white’, the color of white lilies is said to symbolize the purity of Jesus Christ. The trumpet shape of the lily flower also represents the sound of the trumpet that announced to the world the resurrection of Jesus, which came to be observed as the feast of Passover. The process through which lily flowers grow is also said to be a symbol of resurrection, as lilies grow from bulbs that are underground for a long period. Lilies are also mentioned in the Bible and some think that white lilies sprouted in the Garden of Eden when Eve’s tears fell to the ground. Lilies are also said to grow where the tears of Jesus fell from the cross. In any case, since lilies abound during the spring season, these have long been the preferred choice of flowers for decorations for Easter and other ritual traditions.
Recipes
Since we are at Easter, I would like to give you two recipes that can be tried at home. These recipes are traditional and quite modern in the way they are presented. Lamb has been the preferred meat for Easter preparation for a long time and we will make a lamb steak but in a slightly different way. Cooking lamb perfectly is something that requires a bit of experience and culinary knowledge, but this steak, made from minced lamb, doesn’t require high levels of expertise and can be prepared in no time. Other than that, we will make the famous hot cross buns and appreciate how simple they are to make. So here it goes:
Ingredients
• Minced lamb: 500 g
• Lamb fat: 50 g
• Chopped onion: 50 g
• Garlic minced: 25 g
• Chopped rosemary: 2 g
• Whole eggs: 2
• Fresh breadcrumbs: 50 g
• Worcestershire sauce: 5 ml
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil: 20 ml
For the sauce
• Fresh mushrooms: 100 g
• Minced garlic: 20 g
• Butter: 10 g
• Parsley: 10 g
• Cream: 20 ml
• Red wine: 50 ml
Method
• Mix all the ingredients of the steak. Marinate for at least two hours.
• Form flat patties and grill over medium-high heat for about 6-7 minutes on each side. You can also fry them with a little oil as if they were hamburgers.
• Remove from heat and cover with aluminum foil.
• In the same skillet, add the butter followed by the garlic and mushrooms.
• Once the mushrooms are tender, add the red wine and cook until most of it evaporates.
• Add the broth or a little water to adjust the consistency. Add the chopped parsley and finish with the cream.
• Return the steaks to the skillet and cook with the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with your choice of mixed vegetables.
Ingredients
• Flour: 500 g
• Yeast: 20 g
• Milk: 250 ml
• Butter: 50 g
• Sugar: 50 g
• Salt: 5 g
• Mixed nuts: 100 g
• Black currant: 50 g
• Mixed spice powder (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom): 2 g
Method
• Heat the milk a little and add the sugar and yeast, dissolve. Let stand for about 30 minutes.
• Add all the other ingredients and form a dough. Let it sit for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
• Knead the back and let it rest for 30 minutes.
• Form balls of about 50 g each and place them on the baking tray. We let it rest until it doubles in size, depending on the weather and room temperature, this can take between two hours and four hours.
• To make the ‘cross’, take a tablespoon of flour and mix with a little water or milk and a little sugar; The resulting mixture should have a pasty consistency.
• Place the dough in a cross shape on each bun.
• Bake in a moderately hot oven at about 200 ° C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove and spread immediately with melted butter. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
• Can be kept up to seven days at cool temperature. Do not refrigerate.
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