THE COMENIUS eBOOK

PORTUGAL ....................................................................................................... 4

Portuguese Festivities and Food .................................................................... 4

December ....................................................................................................... 5

Christmas & New Years Eve ........................................................................ 6

January ......................................................................................................... 10

Wise Kings Day ......................................................................................... 11

January and February ................................................................................... 12

The annual killing and preserving of the pig ............................................... 13

February ........................................................................................................ 15

Carnival ...................................................................................................... 16

March and April ............................................................................................. 17

Easter ........................................................................................................ 18

May ............................................................................................................... 20

First of May – Worker Day ......................................................................... 21

June .............................................................................................................. 24

Popular Saints ........................................................................................... 25

Cabbage broth-green ............................................................................. 25

Grilled Sardines ...................................................................................... 26

Grilled Pork ............................................................................................. 26

November ..................................................................................................... 27

All Saints Day ............................................................................................ 28

“Dia de S. Martinho” ................................................................................... 29

ITALY ............................................................................................................... 31

Products of the Province of Lucca ............................................................... 31

Extra Virgin Olive Oil ..................................................................................... 32

The Wine ....................................................................................................... 33

Farro (spelt) .................................................................................................. 34

Formenton Ottofile ........................................................................................ 35

Altopascio Bread ........................................................................................... 36

Farina di neccio ............................................................................................. 37

Renaissance Court Recipes .......................................................................... 38

Leg of lamb ................................................................................................... 39

Bream ........................................................................................................... 40

Onions ........................................................................................................... 41

TURKEY........................................................................................................... 42

Turkish Culinary Traditions ........................................................................... 42

Introduction ................................................................................................... 43

Familiy Table ................................................................................................. 44

Houseguest Table ......................................................................................... 45

Special Event Dinners ................................................................................... 46

A) Ramadan and holiday dinners ............................................................. 46

B) Sacrifice Holiday Dinner ...................................................................... 48

C) Birth ..................................................................................................... 48

D) Wedding Dinner .................................................................................. 48

E) Death ................................................................................................... 48

F) Holy Nights .......................................................................................... 48

G) Ashura ................................................................................................. 49

Turkish Collective Tables From Past To Present .......................................... 50

A) Central Asia Period ............................................................................. 50

B) The Seljuk Period ................................................................................ 50

C) The Ottoman Period ............................................................................ 50

PART 1 ................................................................................................... 50

PART 2 ................................................................................................... 51

D) ATATÜRK‟S TABLE ............................................................................ 52

Coffee Culture ............................................................................................... 53

Proverbs related to dinner table customs ...................................................... 54

SWEDEN.......................................................................................................... 55

Easter ............................................................................................................ 56

Midsummer ................................................................................................... 57

Crayfish party ................................................................................................ 58

Mårten Goose ............................................................................................... 59

Christmas ...................................................................................................... 60

POLAND .......................................................................................................... 61

Culinary Traditions in Poland ........................................................................ 61

Christmas ...................................................................................................... 62

WIGILIA - Christmas Eve ........................................................................... 62

24th of December ...................................................................................... 62

Traditions at the table… ............................................................................. 63

Tradition on a plate .................................................................................... 64

Easter ............................................................................................................ 68

Blessing baskets ........................................................................................ 70

Fat Thursday ................................................................................................. 72

PORTUGAL Portuguese Festivities and Food

December

Christmas & New Years Eve

The traditional Christmas meal in Portugal is eaten during the evening of

Christmas Eve and consists of codfish with vegetables and boiled potatoes.

(Salted Cod cooked with potatoes and cabbages) (Bacalhau cozido com batatas e couves)

Every house has a rich table set in the living room full with traditional food,

cakes, fried cookies, nuts and other goodies!

(Christmas table) Mesa de natal

The traditional Christmas cake is 'Bolo Rei' (which means 'King Cake') and is

placed in the center of the table.

(Table of sweets) Mesa de doces

The traditional „Bolo Rei‟ is a cake of brioche mass, stuffed and garnished with

a hundred sugar preserved dried fruit bits or perfumed liquor or orange tree

flower.

(Traditional “Bolo Rei”) Bolo Rei

People drink Porto wine, traditional liquors and eat 'azevias' and 'felhozes'

(Portuguese biscuits and sweets).

After the meal, people go to church for the 'Missa do Galo' or 'Mass of the

Rooster' service.

(“Mass of the Rooster” service)

Missa do Galo

After the service people return home, and open their presents.

(Christmas Presents)

Presentes de Natal

On Christmas Day (25th December) the table of the living room remains

untouched and people still enjoy their goodies!

Families come together and have Christmas Day lunch, usually stuffed turkey.

(Stuffed turkey) Peru recheado

January

Wise Kings Day

It represents the day when the three Wise Kings of the East adored the Infant

Christ. It takes place on January 6 - the day of Epiphany. This ritual also

represents the Roman times when the parties in honour of Saturn took place.

(Wise Kings) Reis Magos

January and February

The annual killing and preserving of the pig

One of the most important ceremonies in rural households is the annual killing

and preserving of the pig.

(Killing of the pig) Matança do porco

This event occurs in late January or February and usually takes two days, since

it involves making sausages, smoking ham ( presunto, ), and salting several

other parts of the pigs, including the belly ( toucinho ).

The noon meal on the first day is called sarrabulho and consists of rice, innards,

and the blood of the pig.

(Sarrabulho)

February

Carnival

As in many other European countries, Portugal also celebrates Carnival.

We also have Carnival parades and people having fun.

The traditional food is all that was cooked and preserved from the killing of the

pig.

March and April

Easter

Traditionally, on Easter Sunday, we have a meat plate:

- Generally kid goat or lamb, but a lot of times also Pig (roasted pig or

ham).

(Lamb) Cabrito

In some regions they include in the Easter menu a stuffed pie of several meats

and eggs.

(Bôla)

The bread that was eaten on Easter Sunday was whiter than the homemade

bread and it was considered a goody.

The desserts of Easter time show an entire variety of special sweets; the form

of baskets with painted eggs of several colours, crowns with eggs, brioches and

pies but above all the chocolate eggs and the almonds are the most

representative.

May

First of May – Worker Day

This is a very typical tradition in the Algarve. In May, we celebrate Spring,

Nature and abundance.

This tradition includes going to the country, having picnics, singing, dancing and

eating snails.

Tradition says –“Atacar o Maio”- attack May by eating dried figs seasoned with

anise and drink “medronho”, a special firewater, also typical in the Algarve.

During the three first days of May it is still traditional to make big puppets with

pieces of cloth, decorate them and put them on the top of the houses, on the

roof or in the garden. These puppets are known as “Maios” if they represent

men or “Maias” if they represent women, they symbolize Spring and fertility.

This is a pagan tradition that goes back to the Roman times.

This is the traditional cake in Monchique. It isn‟t a dry cake it has a particular

strong taste and it is very easy to

cook.

The tradition of eating this

cake on the 1st of May has

no relationship with the

Worker‟s Day. This celebrates

the arrival of the woodpecker,

the bird that announces the

right time to start planting. So

Foia was the favourite place for

young boys and girls to

celebrate and have fun.

June

Popular Saints

They are naturally popular parties.

They take place between June 13 (Santo António) and

June 29 (São Pedro).

During these days people come to the streets and eat

some popular foods.

Cabbage broth-green

Portuguese national plate, consisting of a soup prepared with olive oil, potatoes

and green cabbage finely cut with garnished of slices with garlic, and

accompanied with corn bread and red wine. The Portuguese-cabbage, has to

be cut in very fine ribbons

(cabbage broth-green)

Caldo Verde

Grilled Sardines

The sardines are prepared in the simplest way: salted and roasted on the coal,

accompanied by boiled potatoes with skin, mixed salads (tomato, green pepper

and lettuce) and corn bread.

(Grilled sardines)

Sardinhas Assadas

Grilled Pork

This meal usually substitutes the sardines when the option is meat instead of

fish.

Just as the sardines they are cooked in the same way: salted and grilled in the

coal, accompanied by the same mixed salads.

(Grilled Pork)

Febras assadas

November

All Saints Day

All Saints‟ Day is observed by Christians around the world. In Portugal, church

ceremonies are held in memory of the patron‟s saints of chapels, churches and

parishes.

On this day it is common to buy a very typical Portuguese cake called Velhote,

or Old Man in English.

(Old Man)

Velhote

“Dia de S. Martinho”

In Portugal, St. Martin's Day is commonly associated with the celebration of the

maturation of the wine of the year, being traditionally the first day when the new

wine can be tasted.

It is celebrated, traditionally around a bonfire, eating the magusto, chestnuts

roasted under the embers of the bonfire and drinking a local light alcoholic

beverage called água-pé (literally "foot water“).

The people also mask their faces with the dark wood ashes from the bonfire.

A typical Portuguese saying related to Saint Martin's Day:

É dia de São Martinho;

comem-se castanhas, prova-se o vinho.

(It is St. Martin's Day,

we'll eat chestnuts, we'll taste the wine.)

ITALY Products of the Province of Lucca

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive cultivation has distinguished the province of Lucca since ancient times.

It developed from the cultivation Frantoio and Leccino in the 14° and 15°

centuries and it became an opportunity for commercial development.

For its characteristics it‟s ideal for a healthy diet.

It received the DOP recognition by the European Union and thanks to it it‟s

easily distinguished on the Italian and the international markets.

The Wine

The wine of the hills of Lucca and Montecarlo has a tradition that dates back to

Mediaeval and Roman times.

Thanks to the particular composition of the terrain, the mild climate and perfect

exposure to the sun the grapes have an unmistakable aroma.

The “Montecarlo” white and red just like the “Colline Lucchesi” both obtained the

DOC denomination.

The “wine and oil road” of Lucca is an alternative tourist itinerary and it‟s

important to promote local products.

Farro (spelt)

The farro (spelt) of the Garfagnana is cultivated on small plots of land which

are low in nutrient levels and the sowing happens in autumn in pre-prepared

ground.

The production is without the use of chemical fertilizers.

The spelt is freed from its outer covering and it‟s used for typical recipes like

farro soup, farro cake and farro with beans.

It has been recognized with the IGP.

Formenton Ottofile

Formenton Ottofile is a particular type of maize that has large grains of a slightly

flattened shape and a golden yellow colour.

There are usually 8 twin rows of grains around the cob, hence the name

“ottofile” (8 rows).

It also produce an excellent flour used to the production of polenta.

Formenton Ottofile maize is a variety at risk of extinction.

Altopascio Bread

Altopascio is historically known for its hospitality to pilgrims.

Now It is also known as the backer‟s town, where they produce a bread famous

throughout Italy.

The bread of Altopascio has a rectangular or long (bozza or filone) shape, a soft

consistency inside, a light gold colour and it‟s made without salt.

Farina di neccio

The chestnut flour comes from milling of the previously dried chestnuts in a

specially barn located in the chestnut woods called metato.

The barn is divided halfway up by a floor made of sticks of wool laid “canniccio”

over which the chestnuts are laid. A small flameless fire is set below for shell

the chestnuts.

Its colour is from white to dark ivory and it‟s fine to touch and to the palate.

It also used to make a particular type of polenta and cake such as Castagnaccio

and Frittelle.

Renaissance Court Recipes

Ingredients:

noodles.

For the sauce:

30 grams of stale bread,

150 gr of walnuts,

a little bit of pepper powder.

Preparation:

Prepare the macaroni, mix the bread, the walnuts and then all together until the

mixing is well blended.

Cook the macaroni in salted water, add a little bit of cooking water and pepper

and stir until the sauce is smooth. Season the pasta and serve immediately.

Leg of lamb

Ingredients:

boned leg of lamb,

salt,

sweet and sour sauce or

mustard.

Preparation:

Put the lamb into boiling salted water (flavoured with onion, cloves and bay

leaves) and boil for one hour. Serve with sweet and sour sauce or mustard.

Bream

Ingredients:

4 small breams,

100 gr of prunes,

100 gr seedless white grapes,

1 cup white wine,

2 tablespoons of vinegar,

50 gr of minced almonds,

a handful of chopped herbs

(parsley, mint, chives)

a bit of cinnamon,

a bit of saffron,

4 tablespoons oil,

salt and pepper.

Preparation:

Clean the fish and put it in a pot with oil, wine, water and vinegar, cinnamon,

saffron, grapes, aromatic herbs and prunes.

Add salt, pepper and a glass of water and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the almonds and serve.

Onions

Ingredients:

800 gr of onions,

5 tablespoons of olive oil,

flour,

salt and pepper.

Preparation:

Cook the onions in boiling salted water, then let them cool, flour them a bit, after

that let them become brown on a low heat with some oil.

Cook the onions until golden brown and serve hot.

TURKEY Turkish Culinary Traditions

Introduction The Turkish tribes that once took the long trek from Asia to Anatolia had carried

with much success this rich culture which stemmed from the Far and which they

had enriched with the materials gathered from every country along their

pathway to their new homeland cradling so many civilisations. The Turkish

Cuisine, one of the well known cuisines in the world, is a result of such

development.

Familiy Table

The male member of the family, father, sits at the head of the table. The

grandmother and grandfather (if present) sits on both sides of the father. The

mother sits between the children. She helps them. A cloth is spread on the

ground and a collapsible six-legged atop supports the meal tray. The spoons

are placed around the tray. There were no knives and forks on these dinner

tables.

The first dish was usually soup. The dinner starts with a “Besmele” (In the name

of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.) It was believed that eating without a

prayer would bring exiguousness. There is not much conversation during the

meal and laughter was not encouraged. The father prays his gratefulness at the

end of the dinner, everyone takes a grain of salt, puts it in their mouth and

praises the person who has cooked the meal with “God bless your hands,

mother”, “Thank you”, and “It is very nice”.

Houseguest Table

The dinner tradition for close relatives, friends, and neighbours is a little bit

different. The invitation for a dinner to a guest was usually formulated by “You

can at least come over for a bitter coffee”; or the inviting person says a usual

phrase like “let‟s eat dinner at our place, whatever God has given us”. The

guests bring some small presents for the house or for the children to thank the

host.

In very old times, it was custom to offer the guests one spoonful honey or jam.

This offer was formed in words suggestive as “let‟s eat sweet and talk sweet” of

the honey version of this proverb. Then there were other guests, that were

called the “God‟s guests”, which come unexpected to dinner time. The host is

never taken in surprise or finds himself in an inconvenient position. The guest is

seated to the table with the phrase “a guest eats what he finds, not what he

hopes”. The eldest guests‟ thanks after the meal and gives a short prayer.

Special Event Dinners

A) Ramadan and holiday dinners

Every day of the Ramadan dinner is a special event. There are two dinners

during Ramadan. It is the “iftar”, which is breaking the fast. The second is

the “sahur” dinner, which is taken in before dawn.

The dinner is set during the fasting. All, who have fasted during the day,

break the fast in the evening. The break the fast with water or an olive.

The first phase is the “iftariye” and a light meal. It is a light dish to prevent

the hungry person from eating too much at a time. It consists of jam,

olives, cheese and other similar food that is taken one by one. This is

eaten together with a slice of” pide bread”.

After the first phase, the table is left. It is time for the evening prayer.

Those who wish, may follow the azan – the call for prayer- and pray the

salaam. Then they get down to the table again. It starts with a hot soup.

There is always rice, borek and some compote. The next dish would be a

meal with meat and ends with rose pudding. Gullac, or rose pudding is

the traditional crowning of a Ramadan dinner.

The second meal – the sahur- meets the fast time. It is eaten before dawn.

There isn‟t any guest present at this dinner. It is taken within the family and

the food is chosen among food that would not make thirsty during the day

and would keep satiated for a long time. The Ramadan festivity time is a

time where most of the food is consumed. The guests during the Ramadan

Feast get sweets. Most of the sweet dishes or desserts are home made.

Various kind of food is made especially for this time.

B) Sacrifice Holiday Dinner

This dinner usually consists of the meat from the sacrifice. The first day meal

is a meat browed in its own fat. Dinner for special festive days is prepared

more thoroughly.

C) Birth

The fresh mother is given milk, dairies, onions, bulgur – cracked wheat pilaf-

, lentils, sherbet, sweets that is believed to enrich the mother milk. Other

foods such as chick beans, beans and some fruits are considered as

harmful, also cold water is not given to the mother

The fresh mother has many guests that bring her many presents and also

milk, yoghurt, eggs, soup and other food. The hosting family offers the

guests a special sherbet, called the “lohusa sherbeti”.

D) Wedding Dinner

Wedding dinners hold a special place in Anatolia. The families want to give

their children for their wedding. Apart from the invited ones, everyone is

invited to this dinner. Anyone who wishes to eat just gets into the house

while passing by, eats and drinks and goes.

Many regions in Anatolia have wedding dinner menus. Yoghurt soup, pilaf

with meat, keshkek, helva, sweets.

Wedding dinner is usually made by professional cooking women. These

were called “cooker”s and are used to cook for hundreds of people.

E) Death

Neighbours and friends bring food to the funeral home between 3 and 7

days. On the day, the deceased person leaves the house, helva is made

and distributed.

It is still tradition to give a meal or food on the 3rd, 7th, 40th and 52nd days

after the death. These are offerings for the soul of the deceased person and

that the funeral guests should not claim right from the deceased person. In

some regions, the persons preparing the grave get a meal called “digger‟s

rattle”.

F) Holy Nights

Different regions have different sweets and desserts for holy nights. The

most know is the “lokma” dessert. In bigger cities is now customary to sell

Holy Day Bagels.

G) Ashura

The Ashura is one of the most known desserts in Turkish culinary culture. It

is served between the 10th and 20th day of the Muharram month of the

lunar calendar. It contains 40 different ingredients and is distributed to the

neighbours.

Some relate it to the “Kerbela” incident in history in order to cook this Ashura

for the soul of the fallen there. Some relate to Noah‟s pudding, which is

made from the last ingredients in the Noah‟s Arc that was left when they

found land.

Turkish Collective Tables From Past To Present

A) Central Asia Period

Meal was a symbol of social rules. In Central Asia, Turks gathered together

during weddings and feasts. The Khans and squires had to give food and

meals to the people. This is still a tradition in Turkish social life.

According to the “share” principle, not everyone could take a part of the

mutton that he wishes; it was determined prior which person receives which

part.

It was also a punishment for people, which have committed a crime, not let

these participate to the “share”. Denying someone a meal was a punishment

and tool of discipline, by humiliation.

B) The Seljuk Period

The Seljuk cuisine mostly included different kinds of bread and kebab.

Today‟s Konya Cuisine reflects the Seljuk Cuisine in its best way.

Seljuk Sultan‟s dinner always included game meat. “Chasnigir”, a palace

incumbent was serving at the sultan‟s table and his only duty tasted the food

before the sultan to prevent the sultan from being poisoned.

C) The Ottoman Period

PART 1

The Ottoman culture in Anatolia and Rumelia and the cuisine and meal

traditions as an important part of this culture have developed and

become more famous with the historical accumulation of the Asian Turks.

The Ottoman Cuisine and food culture consists the diversity of historical

and cultural accumulation and richness of the geography and climate

together with the prosperity of the sea.

The people of the palace had two main meals a day. A brunch and a

dinner right after the afternoon prayer.

The meals were taken on a low table called “bulgari” by sitting on the

floor. The table itself was not modestly dressed and luxury was avoided.

The meal itself would not take long

The food was not distributed for each person in different plates, but

instead each food was in one plate and everybody eats from this plate.

Knife and fork was not used, but wooden spoons. After the meal, rose

water, fragrant water was served and water pitchers, bowls and towels

given to clean the hands.

The generousness of the sultan was always reflected to the tables. There

were strict rules at the table for behaviour and hierarchy.

During the period of the Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror, the sultans

started to eat only with their family members. The imperial council of the

sultan shared a different table. The lower ranked officers sat at the table

after the superior ranked officers leave and were eating the leftovers. It

was also a sign of loyalty, that these tables were meaning symbolizing

the hierarchy starting from the sultan to the lowest ranked officers.

PART 2

The kitchen and services of the Ottoman cuisine showed great diversity

from sultan to sultan. The services and table manners have started to

change during his reign of sultan Abdulmedjid and became more

European.

However some historians date back the use of knife and fork back to

Sultan Mahmood II, though apart from the foreign guests in the palace,

the ordinary course of a meal and table remained the same traditions of

the old and the Islam.

In the 19th century, there weren‟t many changes apart from the practical

ones, such as the use of knife and fork and eating a high table. After

Sultan Abdulmedjid, the Ottoman Palace has hosted the foreign guests in

a western way. Many European dishes were served. Also the cookers

uniform has changed.

The most important change is the high table. Therefore the service has

also changed. Meal service was given by special trained servants.

D) ATATÜRK’S TABLE

Ataturk, who grew up during

war and shortage of food,

would never choose between

meals and never ordered

special food. He knew that his

folk could not afford meat, so

his table also lack of meat at

many times. He stated also

that eating too much food is a

waste and unhealthy.

We see at Ataturk period, that

the time spent at the table

extended. He used the table

to discuss problems of the

nation.

As a Turk he also liked traditional Turkish food. Although he aimed in every

aspect of his life modernity, only one aspect remained traditional – food.

Coffee Culture

Coffee is the last point after any meal. It can be with sugar, less sugar, medium

sugar according to the liking of the person.

Coffee is a way of conversation in our country. “One cup of coffee has a

memory of forty years” is said to enforce the friendship and relationship in the

society.

Since coffee is a way of conversation it is also used during the conversation

held to see marriageable girls by women. The woman actually comes to

observe the girl, that serves the coffee.

The culture does not allow children and youngsters to drink coffee with elders.

This behaviour is considered as disrespectful.

Coffeehouses, earned their names as places to drink coffee. These places have

changed to places to drink tea instead of coffee, since coffee became too

expensive.

Beside coffee, there are other important drinks in our

culture such as boza and salep. These are especially

known as winter-drinks and boza, because of its nutrients

has been given to the soldiers, also to keep them warm.

Proverbs related to dinner table customs

As in the Turkish proverb “the water for the younger, the word for the elder”, the

elder person is the one who earns the respect of the younger ones. The elder

person starts with his meal.

Surely there is a connection between the “food” and the “belly”. The Turkish

tradition does not allow filling the stomach completely. The proverbs support

this such as:

“The one who eats less becomes an angel; the one who eats much puts him to

danger.”

“The one who eats less eats every day; the one that eats much eats only one

day.”

The sources of these proverbs are surely based on the advices of Mohammed

the Prophet:

“Eat, drink but don‟t waste”

“Leave the table without satiated”.

SWEDEN

Easter

- The end of march or the beginning of april

- Salmon, herring, potatoes, lamb, eggs

- Beer, påskmust, shots

- Egg painting, dress up as witches, search for candy, easter bunny,

decorate twigs

Midsummer

- Between 19 of June - 25 of June

- New potatoes, matjesill (kind of herring), sour

cream, chives, strawberries

- Beer, shots (snaps), lemonade

- Dance and play games

- Pick flowers

Crayfish party

Helan går, sjung hopp,

fa-de-ral-lan-lal-lan lej!

Helan går, sjung hopp,

fa-de-ral-lan lej!

Och den som inte halvan tar,

han heller inte helan får.

Helan går!

Sjung hopp, fa-de-ral-lan-lej

- Celebrates in the begining of August

- Crayfish, baguette, crisp bread,

seasoned cheese, shri mps

- Beer, lemonade, shots (snaps)

- Not meatballs, potatoes or herring

- Festive hats, aprins, napkins with lobster

motive

Mårten Goose

- 10 of November

- Celebrates mostly in Scania

- Its also celebrated in Germany

- Blacksoup, goose, apple pie

- The menu was crated in Stockholm in 1850

Christmas

- 24 of december

- Meatballs, ham, sausage, mustard herring, graved

samon, rice pudding, potatoes, Mr. Jansson

- Mulled wine, shots, beer, root beer

- Santa Claus

- Dance around the tree.

- Watch Donald Duck christmas show

POLAND Culinary Traditions in Poland

Christmas

WIGILIA - Christmas Eve

24th of December

In Poland, Christmas Eve is more celebrated than Christmas.

Traditionally Poles fast whole day until the evening.

In the morning children decorate a Christmas tree.

When the first star appears in the sky,

the feast begins…

Firstly, we share a wafer with our family.

We wish the best in the upcoming year to each other.

It is a symbol of a reconciliation and forgiveness.

Traditions at the table…

Under the tablecloth there is hay, which symbolizes a place where Jesus

was born- a stable.

There should be an even number of people at the dinner.

According to tradition, we leave a free plate for a lonely wanderer.

Tradition on a plate

There should be 12 dishes for dinner and they should contain Mother

Nature‟s gifts from the field (bread), from an orchard (prunes in the fruit

stew), from the forest (mushrooms) and from the water (fish).

In our Christmas tradition each nourishment has its own meaning:

• fish- resembles baptism, resurrection and immortality

• bread- resembles prosperity and the beginning of a new life

• cabbage- it is connected with a force that turns nature back to life

after winter

• pea- has to protect against sickness

• mushrooms- has to facilitate getting connection with the world of the

dead

• wafer- resembles unity and concord

• dishes with honey- have to assure people favour of the supernatural

forces

Some of Polish traditional Christmas Eve dinner dishes

When we finish eating or maybe rather overeating, we are literally ”button-

shooters”, but as tradition says: ”You have to try every dish, whether you want

to secure yourself abundance of food in the upcoming year”.

Before Xmas After Xmas

It‟s said that if you keep a scale from a Christmas dinner carp and put it in your

wallet it will bring good luck and multiply money.

After a meal, we open presents brought by Santa Claus, in Poland called

”Mikołaj”. But in Poland the donor depends of the region- it can also be a Child

(Dzieciątko), an Angel (Aniołek), ”Gwiazdor” or ”Dziadek Mróz”.

In Poland, during the Christmas period, we have performances illustrating the

birth of Christ called „jasełka”.

Easter

Easter is the most cheerful festival in Poland. It is celebrated solemnly.

It commemorates the death and Ascension of Christ . Before Easter there is

Last.

A week before Easter we celebrate Palm Sunday.

On this day we go to church and bless Easter palms made of a bundle of willow

tree twigs, flowers.

A week before Easter is full of work.

Housewives make traditional dishes and household members clean the house

together. In our country by cleaning the house we also ”get rid of winter” from

our houses.

On Saturday people decorate Easter eggs.

Some use food colouring, but some dye eggs in onion stock to get a golden

colour or in a beetroot stock to get a red colour.

Many people decorate it with paper cuts or cut out floral patterns on an egg with

a razor.

Blessing baskets

On Saturday we also go to church to bless baskets with food. There are

certain foods that we put in a basket by custom.

o Eggs- symbolize the victory of life and resurrection (rebirth)

o Bread- guarantees well- being

o Horseradish- has to keep us healthy and strong

o White sausage- symbolizes affluence

o Salt and pepper- has to repel evil

o Lamb or chick figurine – symbolizes Resurrected Christ

On Sunday morning we have a ceremonial breakfast and we eat food we

blessed the day before. We also symbolically share an egg with our

family.

After that children start looking for the presents brought and hidden by

The Rabbit.

For lunch we have „żurek‟ (white borscht) – traditional Polish soup made

of sourdough . We also eat white sausage.

After Easter, on Easter Monday Poles splash water on each other.

Fat Thursday

It is a festival that takes place every year, on the last Thursday of a carnival.

On this day Poles eat:

Donuts

„faworki‟

In the past people gorged on the day before the Ash Wednesday.

As time passed, the period of eating a lot of food before the start of Lent was

extended. Because of other traditions (not working on Sunday, fasting on

Friday) the climax of carnival and gluttony was moved and finally became Fat

Thursday.

Why donuts?

On this day it has to be fatty and unhealthy, so deep fried donuts and “faworki”

are perfect.

Firstly Polish donuts were salty and made of bread and …pork fat .

The tradition of eating sweet donuts was started in the end of 18th century.

People say that you have to eat at least one donut, if you want to gain success.

I don‟t know if it‟s true, but I‟m sure that you can gain some kilograms after Fat

Thursday.

Our special thanks to all teams

Portuguese Comenius Team