Good Friday ~ Another March Holiday
OK, here I go again ~ talking about food on another religious holiday. I have a good reason though. According to Wikipedia, Hot Cross Buns do have Christian roots. "In many historically Christian countries, the buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, with the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. They are believed by some to pre-date Christianity, although the first recorded use of the term "hot cross bun" is not until 1733." You can read more about Hot Cross Buns on Wikipedia.
Hot Cross Buns
As kids, we always had fresh-from-the-bakery Hot Cross Buns from Good Friday until Easter. Yup, we ate them all three days because that's the only time Mom brought them home. Today, I see them in the stores weeks before Good Friday. A marketing ploy to be sure!
At the bakery, we only made them the week before Easter and they had to be pre-ordered. The holidays came so close together and we were already baking wholesale pies and cheesecakes like crazy. We were burned out and Hot Cross Buns were just an add-on for our customers. How could we say NO during Easter?
Our rich buns were buttery soft and melted in your mouth. They were filled with black and golden raisins, with just a touch of nutmeg and cardamom to make you wonder what the spices were.
So, get down to your favorite bakery (not the grocery store, yuck!) and pick up a six-pack of fresh, hand rolled Hot Cross Buns. When you get home, make a pot of tea and dream of bunnies and ham!
I desperately want hot cross buns that I'm actually thinking of attempting to make them on my own! Now THAT'S desperate! Do you have a recipe you'd recommend?
Posted by: Erika Martin - Stampin' Mama | March 21, 2008 at 11:07 PM
I love the little Easter chick...very cute.
Posted by: peabody | March 24, 2008 at 09:55 PM