Lent

Lent is the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day. During Lent people remember that Jesus went into the wilderness to think about his life. He had a difficult time there and he was hungry. His followers have tried to keep Lent as a time when they lead simple lives. They might give up something, do something special for other people or try to live a better life themselves.

Pancakes

For centuries, the English have celebrated Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent. It was a day for fun and especially for eating pancakes. In fact, the fried flat cakes became so important to the holiday that is now more often called Pancake Day, or Pancake Tuesday.

Long ago, strict Christian Lenten rules prohibited the eating of all dairy products, so housewives would make pancakes to use up their supplies of eggs, milk, butter and other fats. They could be easily made and cooked in a skillet or on a griddle. Families ate stacks of them and they were eaten as a sign of self-indulgence before the fast.

Early English recipes called for wheaten flour, eggs, butter or lard, a liquid (water, milk, ale or wine) and flavourings such as white or brown sugar, spices (nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger), orange flower water, scented sugars or liqueurs.

The pancakes were fried in butter or fat and served flat or rolled and sprinkled with powdered sugar, topped with preserves or doused with alcohol. Even the church bells that rang early on Shrove Tuesday morning summoning everyone to Confession and to be "shriven" became known as Pancake Bells. They also reminded all to use up the "forbidden foods" before Lent. An old London rhyme went "Pancakes and fritters, say the bells of St. Peter's."

Simnel Cake

Although it is now often associated with Easter, Simnel Cake was traditionally eaten on the fourth Sunday in Lent. This is Mothering Sunday, halfway through Lent, when people were allowed to relax and enjoy themselves. It was once known as Refreshment Sunday.

If we go back in history to a time when many young girls left home to go into domestic service, we find that they rarely went back to visit their families. Mothering Sunday was one day when the girls were allowed to go and visit their mothers, bringing presents. Simnel Cake was one of those presents. The cake is a rich fruit cake decorated with plaited marzipan and 11 marzipan balls (possibly representing the 11 faithful disciples?). The name Simnel comes from the old French ‘simenel’, meaning fine flour.

Hot Cross Buns

The tradition of Hot Cross Buns dates back to pagan times, when the cross represented the moon and its four quarters and, when the Romans arrived in Britain, they introduced spiced buns which were marked with the sign of the cross. History tells us that the pagan Saxons made crossed buns in honour of Eostre, the goddess of spring. This pagan practice was adopted by the Christian Church.

On Good Friday in 1361 it is recorded that small spiced cakes, marked with a cross, were distributed by Father Thomas Rockliffe to the poor of St Albans. After this, it became traditional to make and eat hot cross buns every Good Friday.

Hot Cross buns are traditionally eaten for Good Friday breakfast. Because they are fruity and spicy, they break the fast when rich food has been given up for the period of Lent. The cross, of course, is a reminder of how Jesus died.

Easter Eggs

Easter eggs are from a very old tradition that predates Christianity. Eggs are a good symbol of Spring and new life. Decorated eggs were exchanged long before Easter became a Christian festival, as a symbol. The egg is nature's perfect package. It has, during the span of history, represented mystery, magic, medicine, food and omen. It is the universal symbol of Easter celebrations throughout the world.

Before the egg became closely entwined with the Christian Easter, it was honoured during many rite-of-Spring festivals. The Romans, Gauls, Chinese, Egyptians and Persians all cherished the egg as a symbol of the universe. From ancient times eggs were dyed, exchanged and shown reverence.

In Pagan times the egg represented the rebirth of the earth. The long, hard winter was over; the earth burst forth and was reborn just as the egg miraculously burst forth with life. With the advent of Christianity the symbolism of the egg changed to represent, not nature's rebirth, but the rebirth of man. The Easter Egg became a religious symbol, representing the tomb from which Jesus broke forth and the new life within.

Decorating and colouring eggs for Easter was the custom in England during the middle ages. The household accounts of Edward I, for the year 1290, recorded an expenditure of eighteen pence for four hundred and fifty eggs to be gold-leafed and coloured for Easter gifts. In medieval times eggs were traditionally given at Easter to all servants and to children as eggs were one of the foods forbidden during Lent. Before the influx of chocolate eggs - real eggs were used.