Saturday 23 April 2011

APRIL MISCELLANY


Happy Easter !



Since the time of the ancient Teutonic world the egg has been regarded as a bringer of luck and symbol of fertility, a joyful gift to celebrate the return of spring.

Although egg painting was known in pre-Christian Greece the custom did not reach Northern Europe until the 17th Century when the Turks conquered Byzantium, causing many of the inhabitants to flee northwards, taking their traditions with them, including the custom of painting eggs.

Written records show that the Easter Bunny as egg bringer first appeared on German soil in 1682, in the company of cockerels, foxes and donkeys, who were all deemed "responsible" for the delivery of eggs. It seems most likely that the rabbit won against the competition because of its high symbolism. Like the egg, the ancient Greeks, Romans and Teutons also revered the rabbit as a symbol of fertility.


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The Sun Enters the House of Taurus

He that is born under Taurus shall be strong, hardy, and full of strife. In his youth he will despise every person and be ireful; he shall go on pilgrimage and live among strangers. He shall be rich by women and yet shall experience many pains by women. he shall be grieved by sickness and venom at twenty-three, and in peril of water at thirty-three, and shall live eighty-five years and three months.

The woman shall be effectual, labouring and a great liar. she shall have many husbands and many children. She shall be at her best estate at sixteen years but then sickly, and if she escape, shall live seventy-five years. She ought to bear rings and precious stones about her.

As well man as woman shall be likened to the bull that laboureth the land, but when the seed is sown, he hath but the straw to his part. They shall keep well their own and be reputed unkind.

From The Kalendar of Shepheardes 1604

o-o-o-o-o


And finally, a bit of advice from a recent guest at a meal for six at my table:

"If you are planning a dinner party which you foresee as being "sticky", start off with messy shellfish. It's bound to lighten the atmosphere and get the guests talking to each other."

He gave me this advice because I had cooked chicken breasts, stuffed with blue cheese and olive paste and wrapped in Parma ham, the whole thing tied with butchers' string.

I served them in a dish of sauce, decorated with herbs, all of it cooked there and then, while the guests were waiting; a great success and very tasty;  if only I had remembered to snip and remove the string before serving.

I can confirm that rushing back to the kitchen for several pairs of scissors, which are then handed round the table,  will break any lingering ice as easily as the largest platter of shellfish you care to serve.



34 comments:

  1. thanks for the easter info and the tips for making guests feel more comfortable friko. the chicken - wow i'm in!!! steven

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  2. Yes, I think cutting the string from the poultry pouch would, indeed, serve to break the ice.

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  3. I love gatherings with little glitches that take away all the stuffiness. It sounds fun and delicious.

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  4. What a beautiful picture you have chosen for the history of the Easter egg, Friko. A friend and I had just been discussing the "why's" of Easter rabbit/Easter egg (and no Internet handy to search out the answer). So thank you for this nice surprise. We here in Wisconsin USA have had only snow-covered ground for surprises lately. Poor bunny has a challenge ahead!

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  5. Friko, your blogs are ALWAYS so interesting, enlightening and fascinating. Today I especially liked the part where it says the woman "...ought to bear rings and precious stones about her." I had just so advised my husband of the same thing, and now your blog has confirmed that I was on target! :)

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  6. Very interesting! The history of the Easter Bunny is fascinating, and I'm hoping that he will bring me some of your stuffed chicken, after which I will do research in the Kalendar of Shepheardes to discover the fate of a Libra man. Happy Easter!

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  7. what fun around your table Friko
    wonderful dish you served
    Happy Easter..be filled

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  8. Being a Taurus myself, I can say that al least some of that is wrong as being a great liar is definitely not my strong suit. and I only had two husbands. so far.

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  9. As horrifying as it may be to the host, these little 'mistakes' can make the event (and in turn the meal) more memorable!

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  10. Mmmh - that looks very appetizing! Wish you a Happy Easter!

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  11. That picture of eggs and boxes is just stunning, Friko. SO beautiful.
    Your blog is almost always fun, and your tips are very timely. I enjoyed the advice about getting guests to mingle happily: string and scissors are as good as seafood any time!
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  12. haha...you cemented a memory in their minds with the twine...but the dish sounds delish....we just colored eggs last night and my hands are still multi colored...

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  13. "The woman shall be effectual, labouring and a great liar." Interesting to include that last in a trio of attributes. Wonder what gives rise to it.

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  14. I read this twice to make a good comment...but it seems I am more than brain-dead today.

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  15. Hello Friko, Happy Easter to you and yours - after that lovely explanation on the easter egg and bunny custom, hopefully the Easter Bunny will make a stop at your house to deliver some eggs.
    The chicken recipe sounds delicious and I've forgotten to remove the string from Rouladen in the past with the same result - as long as it tastes good that is all that matters.

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  16. Hier sind sie meist rot und werden aneinander geschlagen, um zu sehen, welches heile bleibt.

    Gegessen wird meist Lamm / Ziege vom Spieß, in den Dörfern, weil halb Athen auf dem Land ist.

    Frohe Ostern dir.

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  17. Your top picture is lovely – the light, the eggs, the decoration. I did not know you were a gourmet cook – your dish sounds memorable and tasty and the string certainly would give it a “je ne sais quoi” as we say. Good cooking and witticism, I would have loved to be there.

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  18. Invite me to dinner!!! It looks like a serious yum!

    Happy Easter!!!!

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  19. Even as a child I thought the Easter bunny was a bizarre thing, always sharing a weekend with images of Christ nailed to the cross. How weird.The history of it is fascinating.

    I dearly love the Kalendar of Shepeardes, and can't wait until you get to October, Libra.

    That chicken looks utterly fantastic; who needs scissors? I would have ripped it open with my bare teeth: ha! ...OK, sorry I'm hungry right now, just got back from a run in the hills and supper won't be ready for another hour, maybe longer if I continue leaving long comments on peoples' blogs.

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  20. Friko, those eggs are beautiful, and your history of decorated eggs, Byzantium, bunnies and all the rest has got me re-informed about these customs that we continue to carry on.

    Without saying much more, let me thank you for the Taurus info, since my mom is a Taurus.

    And finally, let me tell you how delicious that chicken dish sounds and looks. If only I could have sampled it! I bet that any dinner party hosted by you would find the guests very happy and relaxed and delighted to be in your company, with or without scissors.

    Happy Easter! xo

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  21. Du tust alles mit so viel Sorgfalt und weisst sogar von den Ursprüngen der christlichen Tradition. Dein Blog ist nicht nur schön und oft sogar lustig, sondern auch sehr lehrreich!

    Dir wünsche ich also frohe Ostern, liebe Friko!

    Renée

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  22. The Paashaas has left eggs hidden all over Holland and the big mechanical bunny/hare that has been bowing and bobbing at shoppers in the supermarket can take a rest till next year .
    I'm now going to upend myself in the 'fridge to see if I can find the ingredients for Chicken Friko ..... it sounds delicious .
    Happy Easter !!

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  23. Such an interesting post Friko, I hope you have a wonderful Easter x

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  24. Excellent advice - and mouthwatering food.
    Your header is so pretty.

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  25. Thank you for the history of Easter Eggs etc! Great photos too!

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  26. I loved your blog today from the beautifully decorated eggs to the delicious dinner and the horoscopes as well. Cutting the strings on the chicken would be like opening a gift and isn't that what Easter is all about? I could not think of a tastier gift either!! In Toronto it is still cold so the painted flowers on your eggs are my spring blossoms today. Thank you. My brother is a Taurus. I will share this info with him. Have a thoroughly Happy Easter Day today Friko. Keeping the chicken wrapped as a gift was the perfect way to serve it. I hope your dinner friends are appreciative. =D

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  27. My daughter reports that in her little town here in VA they held a procession on Palm Sunday with palms and a donkey. The weather is wonderful and all my tulips are blooming at once. Folks are shoveling pollen hereabouts. Haven't seen any rabbits, but lots of eggs. Di

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  28. Beautiful tableau, Friko! Was melted wax used to delineate the pattern as the Greek Orthodox do?
    Your "cordon bleu" looks so elegant! I would have loved to chew on the tasty string myself! :)

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  29. I well remember my egg painting phase, now you mention the subject. I also made a few into 'Wobbly Weebles', by coating with papier mâché after weighting the base with some Pollyfilla. What a game that was... Delightful tripartite post Friko!

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  30. It's all about having fun, even if the meal is not as FAB U LOUS as yours looks. Oh my, drool on chin. If the host is comfortable, the guests will likely be at home too.

    That recipe sounds divine. We eat very little meat, but yesterday we roasted a leg of lamb a la Jamie Oliver, and I must say, I will never be able to totally give up meat. :-)

    Happy Easter a day after!

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  31. That chicken sounds absolutely delicious (except for the string bit)!

    Happy Easter, Friko, though I'm sure I'm too late by now. Its already late Monday night here. I hope you had a wonderful day :)

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  32. Better than burning yourself on the fondu! Sounds like a lovely menu anyway. Easter Blessings to you and yours.

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  33. Friko, this is such a wonderful post. Warm and funny. Lots of history to learn. Just let me say that the Easter Bunny is a scrary thing. I agree with Kerry. The two juxtaposed images always have given me a brainquake.
    Now I know about the Kalendar of Shepeardes and am very intrigued. Going to google.
    Hope your Easter was happy and full of warmth.
    As for the chicken . . . well, that was meant to be eaten by picking it up and eating it like a sandwich! I wouldn't have let you cut my string away. But then, I have lots of desert blood and don't like things like silver to get between me and my food. :)

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  34. And here I thought that the Easter Bunny hid eggs because he didn't want anyone to know he'd been sleeping with chickens! (My husband's joke, told to break ice at sticky moments)

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