(from Anna’s Cuisina)

Easter is certainly a time of reflection and celebrations with symbolic foods. I find the Easter traditions quite fascinating. Being of Greek Orthodox Faith, Easter is the most important celebration for our family. Dyed Eggs, Easter biscuits, special Easter bread, and long lunch on Easter Sunday where everyone cooks for an army. There is definitely no shortage of food.

In this segment, I am writing about the various traditions around the world, Shrove Tuesday, hot Cross Buns, Easter Eggs, Easter in Ethiopia, France, Peru and Greece. I would love to write more though there is only so much you can fit in a newsletter. I am happy to receive your emails or letters about your family Easter traditions as I would love to share this with everyone.

SHROVE TUESDAY? is the day before lent begins. History states that on Shrove Tuesday, families would eat every food that is associated with animals ie meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs. That is Foods that would not last for 40 days. Hence, pancakes being the one food that uses up milk, eggs and butter.

HOT CROSS BUNS? Are a traditional yeast bun, eaten on Easter Friday to mark the Crucifixion of Christ. History states that Hot Cross Buns were eaten in Honour of the Goddess Eostre. The cross represents 4 sides of the moon. Though there is evidence that the Greeks placed the cross on bread earlier. The term hot cross bun was not in the English vocabulary until 1733. Try making Hot Cross buns – I have provided an easy recipe with step by step instructions.

EASTER EGGS? Symbolic of new life. The Greek orthodox tradition is to dye the eggs red on Thursday before Easter Friday. Red dye symbolic of the blood of Christ and life. Eggs may be dyed in different symbolic colours also, sky - blue, sun – yellow, and grass – green. ??Tradition is on the Sunday; the eggs are cracked and represent the moving of the stone. The person who ends the day with whole eggs retains good health and luck for one year.

EASTER IN ETHIOPIA? Christians in Ethiopia on Easter Saturday attend a service at 8pmn and generally finishes at 3am Sunday morning. After the service the families return to their home to have a breakfast that symbolises the end of lent. A sough dough called ‘dabo’. The man of the house breaks bread “injera” and served with mutton or lamb stew “beg wot”.

EASTER IN FRANCE? The French church bells do not ring on Easter Friday or Saturday. There is an old tale that children were told that the bells were sent to visit the pope!! Madi Gras (festivals) also known as fat Tuesday last day before lent is a rather blown out celebration that has become quite popular in France.??Easter Sunday lunch commences with an omelette, and followed by roasted lamb. Desserts re varied though chocolate is the main ingredient such as Pots de chocolate or chocolate almond ganache cake. Try my Pots au Chocolate and the perfect classic omelette recipes. Simple and easy and everyone will enjoy the flavours.

EASTER IN PERU? As Peru is predominantly catholic, Easter week is important. Processions of flowers, holly incense burning and candles lit in the churches. Easter Friday consists of a soup called Chupe de Viernes (Friday soup made with cray fish, potatoes, and a variety of vegetables; finishing with a jelly made from fruit and starch. The grand finale which is Sunday lunch a soup is served “Arequipa” made from seven meats.

GREEK EASTER ?Happily I share with you our family way of celebrating Easter. On the Thursday mum and I dye Easter eggs red, on Friday we cook seafood of which can be a whole snapper is filleted, and the skeleton is used for making a fish stock for the luscious soup, the fish fillets are cooked and served with a salad. We do not have a dessert as in our tradition a dessert is a sign of celebration. We finish the meal with fresh fruit.

Then on the Saturday we make the Easter biscuits, what a mammoth task. Mum supervises the making and mixing of the mixture, then we sit down and twist and twirl and shape. The aroma of the biscuits cooking is just divine. In our spare five minutes, I make the Easter bread, that is a sweet yeast bread, plaited, glazed and decorated with a red egg.

Come Sunday, well the race is on. The menu is dolmathes, tzatziki and taramasalata, cheese triangles (triopites), Spanakopita (spinach pie), patsitsou (macaroni pie), keftethes (Greek minted rissoles), slow roasted lamb on the spit or in the oven, chickens roasted, calamari and loads of salad, pilaffi (rice cooked in a lamb broth and mixed with brown butter), bread and of course lemon to squeeze on everything. I have shared with you my tzatziki dip and slow roasted lamb recipes.

This year our Easter falls the same as everyone so Sunday lunch will be long and full of fun. Of course there will be the competition of who cooks what better, I make the rissoles that way, your spinach pie needs salt, the lamb is not ready yet!!! Then there is the clamber at the table of course grandfather sits at the head of the table with grandmother sitting at the other end. Well, the rest of the family – find a spot and sit and eat!!!!

I must laugh at one part of our celebration – if your plate is only one quarter empty my mother will ask would you like some more food. My husband being of Irish decent was and still is, amazed and bewildered at the amount of food presented on the day. My mother always states, we celebrate life and life is celebrated with the presence of food.

Try my traditional Tzatziki and slow roasted Greek lamb recipes.