Easter traditions

By: 
Keith Bryant
 This last week I had a busy photography week and weekend. 
 The Weiser day supported by the local business was a big success, and Patrick and I would like to thank everyone that came out and supported this great little town. 
 Saturday morning was spent with my friend Jon Nishioka photographing the Ontario soccer league and the afternoon was just busy at the candy shop. 
 This didn’t leave me a lot of time to plan for Easter Sunday. While I was in Ontario I picked up a ham (Sharon’s request) and worked on it Sunday morning for us to enjoy for dinner.
 The reasons for Easter is very clear with the rebirth of Christ and all that spring has to offer after a long winter. I wondered about the other Easter traditions that go along with the religious implication of the holiday. 
 The first thing that comes to mind is the tradition of serving lamb. Lamb is specifically related to Christ as in the “Lamb of God.” It is the most served food item during the end of the Lenten season.
 The concept of renewal/rebirth is responsible for the important role played by the egg in Easter celebrations. Eggs are traditionally connected with rebirth, rejuvenation and immortality. Therefore they are often associated with Easter. 
 In the early Christian calendar eggs were forbidden during Lent. This made them bountiful and exciting 40 days later. The Easter egg plays such an important role in the celebration of the season, from the Easter egg roll at the White House to the famous eggs made by goldsmith Carl Faberge from the 1880s until 1917.
 The Easter bunny is another symbolism we have held on to. The rabbit was known as an extraordinarily fertile creature, and hence it symbolized the coming of spring. Although adopted in several Christian cultures, the Easter bunny has never received any specific Christian interpretation. Still we look forward to spring when many animals give birth to the next generation of little lives. 
 The last tradition we see is the Easter candy. The tradition of exchanging decorated candies, chocolates, jelly beans and other sweets at Easter flourished in the 19th century. This became more accessible with the industrial revolution and the ability to produce large quantities of candy.
 Easter has always had a close association with food. The word comes from the name for the Anglo-Saxon goddess of light and spring, Eostre, and special dishes were cooked in her honor so that the year would be endowed with fertility. 
 I headed to my smoker this weekend and smoked the ham over maple wood and added a cola, mustard and brown sugar glaze.
Cola-Dijon-Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
1½ cups firmly packed dark brown
sugar
½ cup cola soft drink
½ cup Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
 Place ham in smoker for 2 hours at 200 degrees. Then add glaze to ham. Increase temperature to 275 degrees for one hour.

 

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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