Easter Foods and Traditions

by Ruth Hall

Have you ever wondered how colored eggs and chocolate rabbits came to be associated with Easter church services and crosses every April? As far as historians can tell it was the early Saxons who started this whole thing. They devoted the month of April to celebration of their goddess, Eastre; she was the goddess of spring and fertility. Eastre’s sacred animal was the hare. The egg also featured in their festival as a symbol of fertility and rebirth.

As Christianity spread in the second century it made its way north to these tribes and those early Christian’s wanting to avoid hostility and being masters of deception decided to slyly slip their story of the Resurrection and the cross into this pagan celebration, since it was approximately the same time of the year. The earliest pagan Eastre eggs were painted like the colors of sunlight and spring. These eggs were colored and etched in designs and given to romantic interests and lovers.

The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the 1800’s. The “Oschler Haws”, Easter Rabbit, in German was a big event. Early Pennsylvania Dutch settlers brought this tradition with them when they came to America. The children believed that if they behaved “Oschter Haws” would lay a nest of colored eggs for them. In some hidden spot in the barn or garden the children would build a nest- boys using their caps and girls a bonnet. The fancy Easter baskets would come later as the idea caught on and became part of American culture.

Easter is celebrated in many different cultures and countries in the world and each has a way of decorating their eggs. In Greece eggs are a Crimson red to honor the blood of Christ. Austrians and Germans give green eggs as part of their festivities on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday). The Slavic people make the designs in their eggs in gold and silver. The unique designs of Austria are made using ferns and tiny plants secured to the egg and then boiled. As the eggs are cooled and the plants removed a striking white pattern is exposed.

Easter eggs in Poland and the Ukraine can be very elaborate; their beautiful patterns are called pysanki (to design and write). These designs are a work of art. They use beeswax to drawn the patterns then the egg is put into die baths after each dip more wax is etched into the egg and finally the complex work of colors and patterns evolves in the egg masterpiece.

Works Cited

Wilson,Jerry. “The Easter Page-Traditions,History and Dates of Easter.”

webstar.com/holidays/easter.Web.Feb 2011.

I was going to add a video from the history channel that has more on this subject but I can not seem to get it to load. If you want to check it out go to http://www.history.com/videos/holiday-food-easter-eggs

  Italian Easter Bread

Prep time: 25 mins.   Cook time: 30 mins.   Ready in:55 mins.

Original Recipe Yield 16 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup warm milk (120 to 130 degrees F)
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 7 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
• 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
• vegetable oil

Directions

1.  In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk and butter; beat 2 minutes on medium. Add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes on high. Stir in fruit, nuts and aniseed; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. If desired, dye remaining eggs (leave them uncooked); lightly rub with oil. Punch dough down. Divide in half; roll each piece into a 24-in. rope. Loosely twist ropes and tuck eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

From: All recipes.com