Traditional Foods for the Spring Holidays

With the advent of spring, a number of holidays are also approaching. These are Easter and Passover as well as more traditional festivals with roots in pagan rites and ceremonies. Though the reasons behind each of them are different, a shared theme is the flourishing of hope and freedom, change for the better and the renewal of life. During these festivals, food has always played an important role. For some people this was the time when they stopped fasting; for others, it was the celebration of the Earth's fertility. Eggs, for example, have been enjoyed in all the aforementioned traditions during these holidays. Regardless of their creed or beliefs, all religious groups agree on the importance and sacredness of food. Therefore, one way of honoring and developing understanding towards differing beliefs is through familiarizing ourselves with the foods they prepare and eat during their most important holidays. Passover Passover is one of the longest continually observed religious traditions on Earth. It has been followed without interruption for about 3500 years. Traditionally celebrated over a seven or eight-day period, it is considered one of the most important holidays among Jewish people. It is a symbol of the deliverance of the Hebrew people from their captivity and exodus from Egypt. Passover meals are called Seder and are usually held on the first or second night of Passover.

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The foods usually eaten during the Seder have a direct as well as symbolic importance in Jewish history. For example, there are the three matzo (a type of flat unleavened bread, 'poor person's bread'), made solely from flour and water, the maror (horseradish or other bitter herbs which symbolize the bitterness of slavery) and the charoset (a sweet mixture of fruits and nuts which symbolizes the mortar that holds bricks together, which the Jewish people used during their days of enslavement in Egypt). Other foods included in the Seder are the z'roah (a roasted goat or lamb bone, which symbolizes the Pesach sacrifice, a lamb offering which was made during the Passover eve in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem) as well as the Baytza (a hard-boiled egg, which has a number of historical connotations attached to it, some of which also include the idea of fertility and birth). Easter

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For Christians, Easter is connected to the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion. Hard-boiled eggs are considered one of the most pivotal and important dishes during Easter. They symbolize the emergence of life from darkness and death, thus a symbol of resurrection. In orthodox Christian traditions, crimson painted eggs are still presented, symbolizing the blood of Christ. There are also other foods, such as hot cross buns, which some claim are derived from ancient Anglo-Saxons who used to prepare small wheat cakes in honor of the springtime goddess Eostre (where the name of Easter is derived from). Christian tradition also includes lamb as one of the central dishes during the holidays, which dates back to the Jewish tradition and the z'roah. In Christian symbolism, the lamb's meaning is that of the Lamb of God, a reference to Jesus Christ. Pagan traditions

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Finally, there are a number of foods and rites which are derived from pagan rituals. Their symbolism is usually connected to the coming of spring and the reemergence of life. Rabbits, for example, are a symbol of the fertility of springtime. Throughout time they have mixed with the Christian tradition and have become related to Easter and egg hunt. As pagan and Christian traditions have become  mixed up over time, sometimes it is hard to say which of the meals were adopted and from whom. One of the foods traditionally consumed during springtime and Easter, apart from eggs or buns, is ham. By the end of winter people knew that soon food would once again be plentiful and therefore would serve their best and tastiest remaining cured meats such as ham. Last but not least, candy is also a prominent delicacy during this time – it is derived from the pagan idea that one can assume the qualities of a given symbol by consuming it. Thus, through shaping candies like rabbits or eggs it was considered that people would benefit from the symbolism which they attached to them – that of fertility and life. More often than not, it transpires that we have more in common with other people and religious groups than we suspect. Since large groups of people have, throughout time, converted from one faith to another, or have lived closely together over a long span of time, they have often come to adopt similar habits and rites. Thus, becoming curious about our neighbors' celebrations and choice of foods can help us see how much we actually have in common, which is ultimately one of the aims of most religious and spiritual traditions. Photo credit for the featured image: Suzie T / Foter.com / CC BY