Passover and Easter

Whatever your particular theistic inclinations happen to be, this time of year is pretty darn important for a goodly portion of the world’s people. Family gatherings are common, with traditional ceremonies and, of course, food.

A couple of years ago, I volunteered to make a couple of things for our extended family’s Easter dinner. I decided to do some reading up on historically significant foods for the holiday.

After a bit of research, I came across Hot Cross Buns, which were a traditional Good Friday feature. Mine came out deliciously, which was doubly cool since I hadn’t made them before.

Wikipedia’s article on the hot cross bun has a good section describing some of the historical background.

In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Their ingredients mean that people who are following lent are able to eat them as they traditionally contain no eggs or other dairy products. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, being allegedly used in rituals in paganism. However, there is no original evidence for this origin, and the first recorded use of the phrase is not until 1733.

Good stuff.

This year I decided to look for a traditional dessert, and coincidentally came across this article in the Chronicle about the Passover treat, macaroons. I’m really excited to try these out. (Recipe available in that article.) They have their own traditional stories attached.

While the notion of Food As History or Food In Family Traditions is not a new concept for anyone who has paused to think about it, I really enjoy being able to share these stories with family and friends. It’s like eating a bit of history, connecting with humanity all the way into the distant past.