Archives at Zinester: April 11, 2006 - Extra Special Treat - Hart Dowd.. Storytime

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Our new chief historian and researcher for Storytime Tapestry is Hartson Dowd. He is taking on his new position with a bang and has offered several submissions on Lent, Easter, and Passover. I will be sending out one a day during this religious season.

LENT, or “Holy Spring,” is a forty day period before Easter when members of many Christian groups prepare for the coming of Easter.

It begins on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on Holy Thursday, with the beginning of the mass of the Lord’s Supper.

In Orthodoc Churches, this season is called the Great Lent. The Eastern Church does not skip over Sundays when calculating the length of Great Lent. It begins on Clean Monday, it ends on Friday before Palm Sunday.

Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. It is a time when people do without certain things they enjoy, especially food, so that they may be reminded of the importance of the Lenten season-----Jesus’ sacrifice. It is a time to focus on God’s love for us.

One symbol that represents the prayerful season of Lent is the pretzel. Pretzels were probably first made by monks using the unleavened dough of Lent. The twists in the pretzel are said to re[resent hands crossed in prayer.

Some say the monks would make pretzels and feed them to children as they taught them about prayer.

Ingredients:

(6 large 12 small)
3 ? C of flour
4 T brown sugar
2 tsp. salt (sea salt preferably)
1 Tblsp yeast, dissolved in the water
1 C water (120°) fairly warm but not hot.

2 t baking soda mixed with 1 Cup hot water (in a small bowl)

1 egg beaten with 1 teasp. water
(in a small bowl)

soft pretzels, with different toppings

Toppings can be;
Coarse Salt
Sesame seeds
Parmesan
Cinnamon Sugar

Directions:Mix water/yeast,brown sugar and salt in a food processor, or a large mixing bowl. Add flour and mix until dough is smooth. Add more flour if sticky. (If possible let the dough sit overnight in a bowl or plastic container in the refridgerator.)

Divide the dough into 6 or 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, very thin, a little bigger than a pencil. Shape into an upside down U shape on your table. Bring the ends together and twist them. Flatten the ends and bring to the top of the pretzel and press in the dough to secure making it look like a pretzel. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
Now let the pretzels raise for a 45 minutes or till about double in size. Dip in the water-soda solution. Brush with beaten egg and water solution. Sprinkle with;

Coarse salt,
sesame seeds, and/or parmesan cheese, or
Cinnamon sugar

Bake in hot oven 450 degrees (225 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes or until well browned. Brush with melted butter and eat!