ORTHODOX
CHRISTIAN CULTURE
Food / Flowers
/ Blessing of Homes
FOOD FOR PASCHA
Easter Day Recipes.
The Orthodox Church has been around now for some time in this world and like all long
lived (eternal) institutions it has its own particular ways of celebrating and its
opposite fasting.
As a worldwide institution it has a huge range of traditions (as opposed to Tradition - of
which there is only one). Each little village has its own traditions which are lovingly
observed as we bind ourselves ever more closely to God our creator who renews all things
through the Gospel.
For people living in Britain this is an exciting time as we come to sift through these
traditions (and of course our own) and decide which are for us to keep and which we shall
either discard or allow others to follow in some far off village!
Easter (or Pascha - Passover as it is also known) is preceded by a fast of forty days
during which time it is usual for church members to abstain from all vertebrate animal
products and alcohol. I.e. no milk, cheese, eggs, meat, fish or beer, wines and spirits.
During this time the diet is vegan with the addition of (CHEAP) shellfish. This sort of
fasting also occurs on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year and for the periods
leading up to Christmas, the Dormition and the feasts of Saints Peter and Paul. At Easter
there is a breakfast feast after the Divine Liturgy of Easter Day. As well as all the
special activities -like dancing, fireworks, bonfires, music, parties and singing there
are certain traditional foods to be had at this feast (known as the "Feast of
Feasts") - different depending on where you live. Here are some ideas:
Generally:
Soups: There are a number of soups that prepare the ex-faster for a rich onslaught!
Roast Lamb (Jesus the Passover Lamb). Often spit roasted and served with sweet sauces
(e.g. Plum Jam - the sweetness of the resurrection) and piquant sauces (e.g. mint jelly
the herbs the women took to the tomb).
Red or decorated eggs (representing either the stone before the tomb or the empty tomb or
the new life in Christ.) Eggs are gently hardboiled in onionskins and salt until they are
a deep red and then oiled to keep them fresh. Alternatively white eggs are painted with
non-toxic paints with scenes from the Resurrection or symbols of Christ, the Church etc.
They are handed out at the end of the service and everyone goes about greeting everyone
else with the joyful cry "Christ is risen!" to which the answer is "He is
risen indeed!" and they then crack their eggs together. If it breaks it is eaten, if
not the winner has another go with someone else (just like conkers in UK). Even the fierce
person who has to tidy up later has sparkles in the eyes and smashes eggs with abandon!
Cheeses and creams. Cheeses and cheesecakes, rich puddings and trifles of various types
are made. These will be decorated as before and have candles sticking out of them.
Sweet breads and cakes. Many different types of bread and cake are made, some have real or
fake eggs set into or on them. All are decorated with elaborate Easter symbols.
The recipes: keep in mind that every household has its own traditions when it comes to
cooking. The recipes vary quite a lot, as you will see later.
From Britain:
Simnel Cake.
Makes one 2Ocm/ 8in round cake.
225g/8oz/ cup butter, softened
225g/8oz/generous cup caster sugar
4 eggs, beaten
500g/1 1/41b/3.3 cups mixed dried fruit
115g/4oz/ 0.3-cup glace cherries
45ml/3 tbsp cream sherry (optional)
275g/10oz/2.5 cups plain flour
15m1/1 tbsp mixed spice
5m1/1 tsp baking powder
675g/111/41b/41/42 cups yellow marzipan
1 egg yolk, beaten
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/ 325F,Gas 3. Grease a deep 20cm/8in round cake tin, line with
a double thickness of greased greaseproof paper.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.
Stir in the dried fruit, glace cherries and sherry. Sift the flour, mixed spice and baking
powder, then fold in.
3. Roll out half the marzipan to fit the cake tin. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the
cake tin and place the round of marzipan on top. Add the other half of the cake mixture
and smooth the surface.
4. Bake for 2.5 hours, or until golden and springy to the touch. Leave in the tin for 15
minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack, peel off the lining paper and leave to cool.
5. Roll out the rest of the marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Stick the marzipan on
with jam (e.g. apricot) Make 12 marzipan eggs and stick them round the edge with egg
white. These represent the Holy Apostles. Brush with more egg yolk. Put the cake on a
baking sheet and grill for 5 minutes to brown the top lightly.
6. When cool place a long thin candle in the middle (this represents Christ). Take to
Church.
From Russia:
Pascha.
Recipe 1.
Preparation 25 minutes plus chilling overnight Serves8
This is an easy and delicious recipe.
450g (1lb) curd cheese
75g (3oz) caster sugar
2.5 ml (1/2tsp) vanilla essence
75 ml (3 fl oz) fresh double cream
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, chopped
5Og (2oz) raisins
5Og (2 oz) glace fruits, chopped
1 piece preserved stem ginger, chopped glace fruit, angelica, almonds to decorate.
1. Line a 900 ml (11/2pint) basin with a double thickness of scalded muslin.
2. Beat cheese, sugar and vanilla essence together until smooth.
3. Lightly whip cream and fold into cheese mixture with almonds, fruit
and ginger.
4. Spoon into prepared bowl and fold cloth over. Cover with a saucer and
place a weight on top. Chill overnight.
5. Remove weight and plate, unfold cloth and invert pudding on to a
serving plate. Peel off muslin.
6. Decorate with glace fruit and nuts.
Recipe 2.
Serves 12.
2 eggs
100g/ 4oz sugar
142g single cream
3oz/85g butter at room temperature.
250g mascarpone
227g tub of curd cheese
250g ricotta
80g tub Boursin (naturel) or Philadelphia cream cheese
50g /2oz pistachio nuts chopped and rinsed and dried.
50g mixed dried fruit.
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp rosewater
1 tsp orange flower water.
1. Use a conical sieve or colander of about 2 pints capacity
Line it with muslin and place it over a large jug.
2. Make custard by cooking the eggs, sugar and cream in a bain-marie gently without
boiling until slightly thickened -about 5 minutes. Leave until cool.
3 Cream the butter and cheeses. Beat in the remaining ingredients and the cooled custard,
transfer to the sieve.
4Leave in the fridge overnight and turn out onto a serving dish. Serve small portions with
cream and Kulich. This is rather rich.
Recipe 3
700g Cottage Cheese
700g cream or curd Cheese
6 eggs
120m1 single cream
225g unsalted butter
I vanilla pod (or vanilla essence)
900g caster sugar
On Great and Holy Wednesday:
Pass the cottage and cream cheeses though a sieve. Place in a muslin and leave to drain
for 12 - 24 hours in a cool place.
On Great and Holy Thursday:
Place the cheese in a large pan add the eggs (beaten lightly and sieved) cream butter
vanilla and sugar mix well and on a very low heat stir constantly until the first bubble
appears, then remove from the heat. If it heats up too much the Pascha will be ruined.
Line a Pascha mould or a 20cm deep plastic flowerpot (with drainage holes) with damp
muslin. Place the pot on a wire rack and that on a tray. Pour the mixture into the mould,
making sure it fills it completely. Place the whole lot into the fridge or cold place
overnight to drain off excess fluid. Then folding the muslin over the top of the cheese
place a weighted plate on top and leave for a further two days.
On Great and Holy Saturday
Gently remove the Pascha from its mould turning it out onto a plate. The traditional mould
makes a four-sided pyramid, decorate this with candied cherries, almonds, silver balls,
and angelica and into the top place a church votive candle. (Usual decorations would be
things like an alpha and omega (((???Chi Rho (????, Orthodox Cross, the shape of an egg
and so on). Do the same with a round one. (?(???the first and last letters of the Greek
alphabet ?i.e. Jesus is the beginning and end of all things. ????are the first two letters
of the word ????????? Christ??
On Great and Holy Pascha (i.e. Easter Day - Usually in the night of Saturday/ Sunday at
the Feast)
Serve with yet more cream on slices of Kulich. (If there is no Kulich a second best is
panettone - sweet bread that supermarkets now sell.) Be warned it is VERY rich and only a
small amount can be eaten!
Kulich
8" cake tin (With high sides considerably added to with grease proof paper in a high
tower say 9" high)
3 cups warm milk
2 cups strong white bread flour 80g fresh yeast2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix yeast with some milk, pour into the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and leave
until the following day.
7 egg yolks
350g sugar
300g melted butter
I teaspoon grated vanilla pod
20g almonds (ground)
40g mixed peel
60g sultanas
Rind of one lemon
200ml crème fraiche (warmed)
1.5 - 2 kg white bread flour
Using a mixer mix egg yolks and sugar thoroughly. Gently mix half of the butter and all of
the sugar and eggs into the yeast mix, add vanilla, almonds, lemon rind, peel and
sultanas. Mix some flour a little at a time, the rest of the butter, and the crème
fraiche
Using your hands: add flour until the dough is elastic and no longer sticks to your skin.
Cover and leave until doubled in size. Then put a lump of dough into the tin) (with its
tower) to one third fill it and leave to double (about 50 minutes).
Cook at 350 F for 40 minutes and reduce to 325 F until baked (allow 30 minutes for a
smaller Kulich and 1 hour for a larger tin).
It is said that you test for done-ness by colour, firmness, a long knitting needle or
prayer! It is also said that this is by far the nicest recipe but that you need to be very
gentle when moving the second rising (it will collapse) and that you have to watch
carefully to prevent burning, raw centres and angry words.
Kolliva
Kolyva
is at the front and to the left of the Icon of Christ
Kolliva is brought to the Church and blessed in memory of a Saint or in
memory of someone who has died. There are a number of recipes for it –
some very simple.
Very Simple Recipe:
Cut pieces of cheese (e.g. Cheddar) into 1cm cubes. Mix with an
equivalent amount of green olives. Take to church.
Romanian Recipe:
Quantities to be divided as appropriate! Use wooden utensils.
1 kilo Pearl Barley boiled until soft and salted lightly. This is left
until cold.
400g minced nuts (Walnut & Hazelnut)
200g finely crushed water biscuits
Rind of two lemons
4 dessertspoons of plain flour roasted until slightly brown in a frying
pan and stirred into the crushed biscuits.
227g honey
Rum essence according to taste.
Thoroughly mix barley, nuts, lemon rind and honey
Form into 1½ thick "cake" on a wooden board, plate or tray.
The shape of this is up to you.
Coat the top and sides of the shaped moulded mixture with the biscuit
and flour mixture smoothly. This prevents moisture from the mixture
disfiguring the icing sugar coating.
Not long before going to church sprinkle a liberal coating of icing
sugar over the top (1/3 cm thick.) Use something like a magazine to
flatten this over the Kolliva.
Make a cross template from grease proof paper, place on top of icing
sugar and
Gently sprinkle cocoa on top, thus forming a chocolate cross on top of
the
"cake", then decorate with silver balls, nuts, little sweets
etc. according to family tradition, imagination and taste!
This is a very good recipe and does not give the stomachaches the Greek
version is famous for!
FLOWERS IN
THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
Cautionary note:
The Orthodox Church has been around for 2000 years. Many of its customs stretch back
long before that! The Orthodox Church makes use of local custom and in many places there
are customs local to that one hamlet which stretch back for generations. Anything said
about these customs will instantly be pooh-poohed by someone from a different area who
thinks that their customs are those of the universal Church! As with all things it is
better to act with love and let the offering come from a pure heart than be over-fussy
about correctness. In fact there is a huge variation in the use of flowers in Church.
Ordinary use of flowers:
In the Orthodox Church flowers are often brought into the Temple by members of the
congregation and placed in vases in front of the icons or on the floor underneath icons.
It is often the case that completely different colour schemes clash gloriously with each
other as one person’s offering sits by another’s. Flowers are not placed behind
the icon screen. Frequently, on the feast day of the event or saint, flowers are place on
or round the relevant icons where they gently wilt and are cleared away the next day.
There is usually no roster for bringing in flowers – they appear according to the
whim of the bringer.
Special events:
Pascha (Easter)
The icon of Jesus Christ risen from the tomb is sometimes mounted on a staff and
carried in procession. This is decorated with red and white flowers, as can be the rest of
the temple. The "St. George’s Flag" is the flag that flies over the empty
tomb of Christ in Jerusalem (white background and red cross). So red and white has come to
represent the Resurrection. The flowers tend to be wired onto the icon frame.
Holy Cross
A small cross is placed on a tray of flowers. The flowers are simply laid on the tray.
When people come to venerate the cross they receive a flower from the tray.
Great and Holy Week (week before Pascha):
Palm Sunday
In Britain sticks of English palm (goat or pussy willow about a foot long) are
decorated with other flowers. What usually happens is that a stick is taken and two or
three flowers with their stalks are wired onto it. These are placed in baskets and blessed
before the Palm Sunday Procession. They are then handed out to the congregation who hold
them throughout the rest of the service and frequently take them home and preserve them
dried in their icon corners.
Good Friday/ Holy Saturday
Some of the services on these days take place about a temporary tomb holding an icon of
the dead Christ. The tomb is usually made of wood and is carried in procession. Usually
every surface of the tomb is completely covered in foliage and flowers wired onto the
structure of the tomb. The decoration is entirely up to the team of church people who will
spend many hours planning and executing their design. Pretty frequently there is no
discernable design – as many flowers as possible are wired onto the tomb in en
exuberant expression of love for God. This is more important than any other factor. This
is certainly the main display of floral art in the year.
Weddings:
This depends on the local customs. In the wedding service, however, the groom and bride
are crowned with circlets. These are sometimes of flowers wired on to a basic crown. These
crowns are then dried and taken home where they are stored for the rest of the
couple’s lives. One often sees elaborate flowers at weddings – sometimes arches
with flowers wired densely on them. These are usually white to match the white clothing
(i.e. baptismal robes) of those taking part.
Funerals:
Again this depends on the part of the world. British people who are Orthodox Christians
tend to follow ordinary British customs. The coffin is left open, of course, and flowers
are sometimes inside the coffin. In other places other customs prevail – in parts of
Romania for example small fir trees are cut down and surround the open coffin on its way
to the church. These stand upright so it looks as if a small forest is on its way! In
parts of Greece huge displays of flowers (wreathes 2m across) are often carried in
procession and propped up on easels either side of the coffin.
BLESSING OF HOMES
At the time of the Holy Theophany many Orthodox homes invite their priest
to visit and bless the house with Jordan water. "Jordan
water" is holy water reserved from the Great Blessing of Waters at the
end of the Liturgy of the Feast. The priest starts the service in the
family room where the icon corner is situated. He uses a small table
for this purpose covered with a fair linen cloth. On it are placed a
container for the water, his blessing cross, candles and at least one icon
which should be the Theophany icon. The priest prays and then he and
the people process round each room of the house singing the troparion hymn
of the Theophany, the priest blessing the house and sprinkling the water as
he goes. At the end of the short service, the family will be offered
some of the Jordan water to drink. This water or some other such
supply is kept fresh in the icon corner throughout the year for the family
to use in its prayer times. In this manner the Baptism of Christ and
their own baptism is ever kept fresh in the hearts of family members.
Jesus said to the Woman at the Well in Samaria (St. Photini):-
"... the water that I shall give (him) will become (in him) a spring
of water welling up to eternal life." [John 4:14]
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