Since lent is obviously not the time for eating lavish meals, simple dishes and foods are predominant.

The Pretzel - You may think of the pretzel as just another snack food; it also happens to be the classical Lenten bread. Traditionally, pretzels were made from just flour, water and salt at the time fat, eggs and milk were forbidden during lent. The bread was shaped in the form of two arms crossed in prayer to remind us that lent is a time of penitence. The breads were called “little arms” or bracellae in Latin and brezel in German and today we have pretzel. Pretzels were sold on the street by vendors and were often used as a garnish for beer soup and were sometimes given to the poor.

Soup - Soup was a main staple during the Lenten season due to it’s ease of preparation and often simple ingredients. In Poland, a simple vegetable soup or split pea soup was the mainstay. In Germany and Austria beer soup garnished with pretzels was a common Lenten dish.

Hot Cross Buns - Hot Cross Buns are sweet, spiced buns often made with dried fruits, usually currants; they are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. The name originates from the cross piped in icing on the top of the bun. The cross symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus. Hot Cross Buns are closely associated with England. One legend suggests that an Anglican monk, in the 12th century, piped a cross on the buns to honor Good Friday. He then distributed the buns to the poor as well as the pagans as a means to spread the ministry. Buns have pagan roots and were used to celebrate spring festivals and the cross represented the four quarters of the moon. The buns were easily adapted for Christian use.

If you are participating in the Lenten season, here are a few recipes you might want to try. We have included the traditional Lenten foods as well as a few simple fish dishes.

Old Fashioned Pretzels
Hot Cross Buns
Potato Leek Soup
Turnip Soup with Crispy Crunchy Ham and Cornbread Croutons
Cornmeal Crusted Redfish
Panfried Catfish with Lemon and Garlic

Filed Under: Culinary History