Points around globe can trace Easter’s traditions
- Scott Daniels: We Ate Well and Cheaply
- March 31, 2023
- 689
I remember being at an amazing Jewish owned deli in Akron many years ago. There were bowls of complimentary house made dill pickles on every table, and a case filled with beautiful cakes and other goodies.
It also offered table service, and a family of four, mom, dad and two boys, slid into the booth behind me. I remember that day because the sons were the most awful examples of surly teenagers ever, snarlingly demanding to know why they couldn’t have a BLT, or a ham sandwich.
Of course, Jewish people don’t consume pork, and those parents did a lousy job of making sure their kids knew that. Mom and dad said nothing as the server tried hard to keep her smile. “I’m sorry honey, we don’t have any ham,” she offered. I still shudder thinking about it, and that deli has been closed for decades. Food traditions, especially ancient religious traditions, must be respected.
As Easter approaches, there’s a holiday dinner to plan, and many of us will put a big ham into the oven. I prefer lamb, but it’s hard to find even at Easter time and no one else in my family is a fan.
One might wonder why it is that pork is off the menu for Jewish people, and the likely answer is simple. Though the very earliest Christians converted from Judaism and retained the practices of their faith, many of those who came to Christianity as time went on did not come from Judaism or start with the same background. For them, eating pork was normal and they continued the practice. Eventually, the two religions diverted on the old law.
Many things are associated with our Easter table, with traditions, which can be traced to points around the globe. Hot cross buns have been around for centuries, but they aren’t found in literature until the early 1700s, with the rhyme, “one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns.” They’re a yeast bun with a cross either slashed into the top before baking or formed using thin lines of white icing after.
Something I’ve not heard of before is simnel cake, which is similar to a Christmas fruit cake served for tea at Easter. Simnel cake is adorned with 11 balls of marzipan, symbolizing the apostles minus Judas.
Lamb has been a part of the Easter and Passover meals long before the time of Christ. It transferred to both tables and continues to be an Easter staple today for many families. My favorite meal for Easter is lamb, flat bread, olives and wine.
Easter bread comes to us from many cultures, with Greek and Turkish versions tucking colored boiled eggs into braided dough before baking. Others are more like Christmas stollen and an Italian version is a dove shaped panettone.
We eat hard boiled and deviled eggs at Easter because they symbolize fertility and the tomb of Jesus.
The old American standard, ham, goes back a very long time, again before Easter began. Its tradition at Easter seems to have little more meaning beyond being readily available in Europe.
The ham recipe my family uses goes back through my German heritage to when my ancestors on that side arrived here 300 years ago. In a more solid way, my great grandmother passed the recipe to her daughters and granddaughters. It’s extremely simple and delicious, though I’ve learned the hard way you must start with the right ingredients.
For this, you need a bone in ham. The size doesn’t matter—just get something big enough for your family, about a half pound per person. Generally, you cook a ham for 35 minutes per pound, but we’re gong to throw that out the window. If you have to slice it with a knife, it’s not ready to eat.
Also, please don’t substitute cola for beer, or molasses for brown sugar. That’s a whole other thing.
EASTER HAM
One half or whole ham, bone in.
1/2 to 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 bottle of good lager beer
2 dried bay leaves
Freshly ground pepper
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Place the ham in a large roasting pan, fat side up. Add several grinds of pepper, then pack the brown sugar over the surface. Surround it with the beer and add the bay leaves.
Cover and bake for the minimum time recommended, then check every half hour or so. During the last couple of hours, uncover the pan and keep an eye on the liquid level, adding more if needed. When done, it should pull apart easily.