COLUMN: Around the World: Lent
Paul Nickerson
Issue date: 2/25/10 Section: News
In the wake of Lent, it is interesting to look at the different celebrations around the world. Although many countries and cultures practice similar traditions due to widespread Catholic influences, there is one aspect of celebration that brings uniqueness to each place: food.
As written by Jennifer Forker, in her article, "Lent Around the World," "Personal renewal and sacrifice need not taste bland." It is under this preface that Forker continues her article, discussing the varying culinary traditions during the Lenten season. Apart from the tradition of forgoing meat, Forker writes that, "some Orthodox faiths also abstain from dairy, seafood, oil, and wine."
Forker writes of the varying Lenten foods from countries such as Russia, Greece, and India. According to Forker, Russian Orthodox Christians will abstain from any sort of fish or bird.
She writes, "Wednesdays, the strictest days of lent, they also give up oil and wine." Forker continues, "Meals during lent are simple, such as cabbage soup [...] and borscht."
In Greece, according to the article, "Greek Orthodox Great Lent Food & Traditions," by Nancy Giafyllia, people refrain from "foods that contain animals with red blood [...] and products from animals with red blood [...] and fish and seafood with backbones." The goal of this diet, writes Forker, is to return to the Edenic Diet.
Forker writes, "there are numerous beans dishes, tomatoes, and pasta." Forker also mentions many sweets, such as "cookie and cake recipes adjusted to omit the dairy, such as butter."
Shrove Tuesday, according to the article "Shrove Tuesday 2010," written by Mandy Barrow, is celebrated in many countries, including Sweden, Germany, France, and Iceland.
Barrow writes, "Shrove Tuesday is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent." For this reason, says Barrow, pancakes, containing egg, butter, and fat, forbidden during Lent, are consumed.
According to the article "Comida Mexicana para La Cuaresma," Mexicans observing the lent prepare "meatless dishes are particular to Lent, known as comida cuaresmena." The author continues and says, "many of these delicious Lenten foods are little-known outside Mexico and some other parts of Latin America."
As written in the article, "vendors are currently offering very large dried shrimp for caldos (broths) and tortitas (croquettes)." These foods, specific to the Lenten season, are usually prepared with fish, and therefore, "the price of fish and seafood in Mexico goes through the roof due to the huge seasonal demand for meatless meals." Although many families would eat such meals as bread pudding, some families prepare meals such as boned trout, a dish that "would be ideal for an elegant Lenten dinner."
As written by Jennifer Forker, in her article, "Lent Around the World," "Personal renewal and sacrifice need not taste bland." It is under this preface that Forker continues her article, discussing the varying culinary traditions during the Lenten season. Apart from the tradition of forgoing meat, Forker writes that, "some Orthodox faiths also abstain from dairy, seafood, oil, and wine."
Forker writes of the varying Lenten foods from countries such as Russia, Greece, and India. According to Forker, Russian Orthodox Christians will abstain from any sort of fish or bird.
She writes, "Wednesdays, the strictest days of lent, they also give up oil and wine." Forker continues, "Meals during lent are simple, such as cabbage soup [...] and borscht."
In Greece, according to the article, "Greek Orthodox Great Lent Food & Traditions," by Nancy Giafyllia, people refrain from "foods that contain animals with red blood [...] and products from animals with red blood [...] and fish and seafood with backbones." The goal of this diet, writes Forker, is to return to the Edenic Diet.
Forker writes, "there are numerous beans dishes, tomatoes, and pasta." Forker also mentions many sweets, such as "cookie and cake recipes adjusted to omit the dairy, such as butter."
Shrove Tuesday, according to the article "Shrove Tuesday 2010," written by Mandy Barrow, is celebrated in many countries, including Sweden, Germany, France, and Iceland.
Barrow writes, "Shrove Tuesday is a time of abstinence, of giving things up. So Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is the last chance to indulge yourself, and to use up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent." For this reason, says Barrow, pancakes, containing egg, butter, and fat, forbidden during Lent, are consumed.
According to the article "Comida Mexicana para La Cuaresma," Mexicans observing the lent prepare "meatless dishes are particular to Lent, known as comida cuaresmena." The author continues and says, "many of these delicious Lenten foods are little-known outside Mexico and some other parts of Latin America."
As written in the article, "vendors are currently offering very large dried shrimp for caldos (broths) and tortitas (croquettes)." These foods, specific to the Lenten season, are usually prepared with fish, and therefore, "the price of fish and seafood in Mexico goes through the roof due to the huge seasonal demand for meatless meals." Although many families would eat such meals as bread pudding, some families prepare meals such as boned trout, a dish that "would be ideal for an elegant Lenten dinner."
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