TIP OF THE DAY: Enjoy Your Favorite Counter-Seasonal Foods
|
|
Today is National Hot Cross Bun Day.
“Hot cross buns,” you think. “Aren’t they for Easter?” This sweet yeast bun, dotted with currants and topped with an icing cross (originally the cross was simply knife cuts in the dough), is believed to predate Christianity. Food historians note that the cross bun was eaten by the ancient Saxons to honor the goddess Eostre. The cross is believed to have symbolized the four quarters of the moon; the name also crossed over to Christianity (Eostre is believed to be the origin of “Easter”). While the bun, considered an Easter bread, is traditionally served on Good Friday, once you’ve made them, you’ll want them all year round. So make a batch for brunch today and enjoy them as you contemplate today’s tip: |
|
|
If you really like something, enjoy it more than once a year. A stuffed turkey with sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce is delicious in any season, as is a slice of pumpkin pie. (Almost everyone makes it with canned pumpkin, so the principal ingredient is just as good no matter what the season.) Why have egg nog only for Christmas and New Year’s Eve? (Well, there are the overwhelming calories, but perhaps that’s beside the point.) We enjoy ice cream on the coldest January day and hot coffee in the dog days of August. So even if you enjoy the specialness of gingerbread during the holidays, don’t hold back. After all, National Gingerbread Day is June 5th. The food holiday calendar is begging you to eat outside the box. Learn more about all the food holidays, starting with how the holidays get created.
|
||
