Pascha Baskets

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Pascha Baskets

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The Pascha Basket Tradition

After the midnight Paschal Liturgy, we all gather together to bless the Pascha baskets. These baskets have been carefully prepared with many of the foods from which we've been fasting for the past month and a half during Great Lent. There are several foods traditionally included in the basket. These are: a yeast bread, a bitter herb, wine, cheese, meat, butter, salt, and a red egg. Each has symbolic significance.

Sweet bread is always included, leavened with yeast. This is a symbol of the New Covenant; the Jews made unleavened bread, and we, the Children of the New Covenant, make leavened bread. Kulich is the traditional Russian bread, and Tsourekia is the traditional Greek braided bread. The braided form of this bread is a display of the Trinity.

The bitter herb, often horseradish or garlic, serves as a reminder of the first Passover (horseradish is eaten as a traditional part of the original Passover meal) and of the bitter sufferings which Christ endured for our sake. Sometimes the herb is colored red with beets, symbolizing the Blood of Christ. The bitter herb is also to bring to mind the Jews' forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

Wine, cheese, and butter are figurative of all the good things of life, and remind us of the earthly gifts that come from God.

Meat is included in remembrance of the sacrifice of the Old Testament Passover, which has been replaced by Christ, the New Passover and Lamb of God.

Salt serves as a reminder to us that we are "the salt of the earth."

The red egg is likened to the tomb from which Christ arose. This is because of the miracle of new life which comes from the egg, just as Christ miraculously came forth from the tomb.

Thus each of the foods in the Pascha basket have rich meaning, as does everything in Orthodoxy. Glory to God!

From "Children of the Church"

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Jordanville Paska Cheese Recipe

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Jordanville Paska Cheese Recipe

2 1/2 # Farmers cheese
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup heavy cream
5 egg yolks
4 hard-boiled egg yolks
1 1/2 # extra-fine granulated/castor sugar (not confectioner's sugar)
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. extract
Optional: candied fruit, chopped

Press cheese overnight in cheesecloth-lined colander.

Cream butter and sugar well, then sieve hard-boiled yolks and add them. Mix in raw yolks [doesn't say to cream them in]. Add vanilla and cream. Add cheese and mix well. Add candied fruit if desired.

Put double layer damp cheesecloth in 2-quart clay flowerpot (with hole in bottom). Put in paskha and fold cheesecloth over top; press (refrig) for 12 hours with brick or other weight. Unmold onto plate, decorate if desired.

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Paschal Traditions

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Paschal Traditions

Our people say that anyone who dies at Pascha -- in the course of the entire week of Pascha -- will enter into Paradise, because at Pascha hell is closed, while the doors of Paradise remain open for everyone.

Therefore the Royal Doors are never shut in church at Pascha, in order that all might know that heaven is never so near to us as it is at Pascha.

Our people always thought that at Pascha Christ comes out of heaven with His Apostles, dressed in beggar's rags, to wander the whole world over, and that He comes to people's homes in the form of a wanderer [strannik] or a beggar, in order to test people's kind-heartedness.

That is why all of us prepare all sorts of viands in such abundance at Pascha -- kulichi [cylindrically-shaped Russian Paschal sweet-breads], pascha [delicate, sweet, and creamy pyramid-shaped "candied-cheese"], eggs and meat, in order to have an opportunity to treat anyone who might enter into our home; that is why, at Pascha, we rejoice at the visit of anyone and everyone, making no distinctions as to whether we might happen to like that person or not, and why we permit no one to leave without having been feted.

At Pascha, we remember with especial compassion that there are those in the world who are sick and unfortunate. Our people always took particular pity upon those who were in prison on Pascha night. Therefore, one must always send gifts on this day -- kulich, pascha, and a red egg -- to those ailing in hospitals, and to those incarcerated in gaols.

In olden days, our Tsar' would set off to the gaols on the first day of Pascha, in order to visit those imprisoned there, and would say to them: "Khristos voskrese!" ["Christ Is Risen!"], distributing to them gifts of kulichi, pirogi [pies], meat and eggs; while, simultaneously, in the royal palace all our destitute brethren were fed.

At Pascha, we go, as well, to exchange a Paschal kiss [khristosovat'sya] with the dead who lie in their graves. We go to the cemetery, place a red egg on each grave, and sing Paschal prayers, in order that the dead, too, might hear: "Khristos voskrese!"

Once upon a time, in the Kiev Caves, where many dead are buried, a priest loudly exclaimed during Paschal Mattins: "Khristos voskrese!" And suddenly... all the dead resoundingly replied to him: "Voistinu voskrese!" ["Truly He (Christ) Is Risen!"].

*Translated into English by G. Spruksts from the Russian text appearing in "Pravoslavnaya Rus'" ["Orthodox Rus'"], No. 7 (1556), 1/14 April 1996, p. 12. English-language translation copyright by The St. Stefan Of Perm' Guild, The Russian Cultural Heritage Society, and the Translator. All rights reserved.

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How to put together a Traditional Pascha Basket

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How to put together a Traditional Pascha Basket

If the weather is good, the blessing will be done outside on the lawn, with all the parish gathered around, and a huge array of brightly-decorated and overflowing baskets awaiting the censer, holy water, and blessings, which are chanted in the ancient tones, and accompanied by the congregation led by a cantor.

It has been brought to my attention that perhaps they might wish to prepare a basket for the service, but don't know how. Here is how it is customarily done. There are traditional foods among every Slavic group; Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Hungarian, Serb, Croat, Slovenian, Montenegrin, Macedonian. (Yes, Macedonians are Slavs - and so was old Philip-One-Eye and his prodigy of a son, Alexander. Macedonians remain Slavs, though most of the Western world considers them "Greek," in its ethnic rather than it's national sense. It is an error).

KULICH: It is symbolic of Christ Himself, who is our True Bread. Usually it is baked as a round loaf baked with a golden crust decorated with some symbol indicative of Christ, such as a braided cross, a lamb or something like that. Sometimes a cross of dough is placed on tope, and the entire loaf rimmed with a braided plait of dough giving it a crowned effect. Sometimes the abbreviations (in Greek or in Cyrillic - XB does NOT equal "ex bee" but "cha vuh," the initials for "Christos Voskres!" - "Christ is Risen!"

PASKA CHEESE: (Slavic "Hrutka" or "Sirets") A custard-type cheese shaped into a ball which has a rather bland but sweet taste, and is intended to be indicative of the moderation that Christians should have in all things. Also, creamed cheese is sometimes placed in a small dish and decorated with initials or patterns by placing peppercorns or cloves in appropriate patterns.

HAM: (Slavic "Shoon'-ka") The flesh meat popular among Slavs as the main dish for several reasons: a) the richness of its meat which is symbolic of the great joy and abundance of Pascha and b) of the richness of the joy in Christ we ought to have, and c) our freedom from the Old Law, now that all things have been "made clean in Christ" (as indicated to Peter in the dream on the rooftop at Joppa). Being freed from the Old Law and from the death which is the wage of sin, all things are now permissible to eat - and ham, the most forbidden of all the old "unclean" foods is now symbolic of our TOTAL redemption. Many will include meats like roasted lamb, roast beef and other foods prepared well ahead of time - foods which can be enjoyed without a lot of last-minute preparation. Those who have been preparing all week are already exhausted, and looking forward to sitting down and doing nothing for a few hours.

BUTTER: (Slavic "Mas'-lo") Usually the butter is shaped into a figure of a Lamb or of a three-barred cross and decorated in much the same fashion as the cheese. Butter is to remind us of the goodness of Christ that we ought to be demonstrating to all men by our lives in Him.

KIELBASA: (Slavic "Kohl-ba'-ssi") A spicy, garlicky sausage of pork, veal, beef and other products. Indicative of God's favor and generosity.

BACON: (Slavic "Sla-ni'-na") A piece of uncooked bacon cured with spices. Symbolic of the lavishness, the overabundance of God's mercy toward us.

SALT: (Slavic "Sol'") A condiment necessary for flavor reminding Christians of our duties toward others to "flavor" the world.

EGGS: (Slavic "py-san'-ky") Ukrainians use highly decorated eggs with symbols and markings made with beeswax. Extremely complicated and intricate designs, some of which have taken me a full week to make in the completion of a single egg. The word "pysanky" derives from the verb "pysat'" - "to write." Hence, "an egg which has been written/drawn upon." Indicative of new life and of resurrection. There are some fascinating pious legends concerning the origin of these pysanky. Russians use a blood red/scarlet egg indicative of Christ's shed blood and as a symbol of new life.

HORSERADISH: (Slavic "Hrin") Horseradish mixed with grated red beets. Symbolic of the Passion of Christ which is still in our minds, but which is sweetened with some sugar because of the Resurrection. A bitter-sweet red-colored mixture which reminds us of the Blood and suffering of Christ, at which great price was purchased the astonishing gift of our Redemption.

WINE: In some places it is also customary to include a bottle of wine. Poorer areas of Eastern Europe tended to ignore this element of the basket (i.e., Southern Poland, Northern Czechoslovakia, Northeastern Hungary), but American descendants are beginning to include them once again.

The articles are placed in a WICKER basket, and a ribbon or bow is tied to the handle. A DECORATED CANDLE (usually available from the parish at little charge) is placed in the basket and it at the time of blessing. A LINEN COVER, normally quite intricately embroidered with various Resurection themes and symbols of Christ, or simply an intricate multi-colored border and the words "CHRISTOS VOSKRES" OR "CHRIST IS RISEN" (depending which language is more appealing to you), is placed over the food when it is brought to the church.

Following the Resurrection Matins and the Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection, the baskets will be taken outside onto the lawn, where they will be placed into a large circle, in the middle of which will stand the priest, the altar boys with the processional cross, censer and incense, and the holy water, along with the cantor of the parish. It will usually be about 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. by this time. As soon as everyone has their basket prepared, their candles lit and quieted down, the priest will begin the opening chant: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," the cantor will reply, and the foods are blessed, in three different groups with three different blessings. First will be blessed the bread products, then the dairy products, then the meat products.

It is customary to break one's Great Lenten Fast with foods blessed at this time and only then proceeding to the foods now ready on groaning tables, foods which have been in process of preparation for the past three days.

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PASKA and KULICH recipes!

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KULICH (Pascha Sweet Bread with Raisins and Almonds)

INGREDIENTS :

1/4 oz. package of active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. dark rum
small pinch crumbled Spanish Saffron threads
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large whole eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

GLAZE

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. almond extract

Proof the yeast in a large bowl with 1 tsp. of the granulated sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water for 10 minutes, or until it's foamy. While the yeast is proofing, in a small saucepan scald the milk over moderate heat, stir in the rum and the saffron, and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Add the milk mixture to the yeast mixture with the remaining half cup of granulated and one cup of the flour. Blend the sponge well and let it rise in a warm place, covered with plastic wrap, for at least an hour. Stir in the butter, the whole eggs, the yolks, the salt, the raisins, the almonds and the 2 cups of the remaining flour, or enough flour to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it, kneading in enough of the rest of the flour to keep it from sticking, for eight to ten minutes, or until it's smooth and elastic and has developed a sheen.

Put the dough into a buttered bowl, turn it to coat it all over with the butter, and let it rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for an hour and a half or until it's doubled in bulk.

While the dough is rising, butter the inside of a 2-pound coffee can and line the sides with a sheet of wax paper. Cut a circle of wax paper and place it in the bottom of the can. Cut the wax paper which extends beyond the can into strips and fold the strips over the outside of the can. Punch down the dough and knead it 3 or 4 times, and put it in the can. Let the dough rise, covered with a kitchen towel instead of the plastic wrap, in a warm place, for 45 minutes to an hour. Or until it has risen to the top of the can. Bake the KULICH in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow with a thunk when tapped. Turn the KULICH out carefully onto a rack, and let it cool - UPRIGHT, not on its side. The KULICH may be prepared a day in advance and kept tightly wrapped and chilled. Great and Holy Friday or Great and Holy Saturday are the traditional days to make it, and it isn't eaten until immediately after the Resurrection service when it, along with the PASKA and other foods are the first eaten from the newly-blessed foods in the baskets folks bring to church specifically to be blessed.

MAKE THE GLAZE: Whisk together the confectioner's sugar (sifted) the lemon juice, the almond extract and 2 teaspoons of water (or enough to make a pourable glaze) in a bowl. Set the KULICH on a plate and drizzle the glaze over it, letting the glaze drip down the sides. Let the KULICH stand until the glaze has hardened and then transfer it to a serving plate.

Serve this with freshly-brewed coffee. It's best NOT to butter it ... it's quite sweet enough as it is. Enjoy.

PASKA (Russian Pascha Cheese Mold)

INGREDIENTS:

2 large whole eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 lbs. packaged farmer cheese, (or small curd cottage cheese, ricotta, or similar cheese), drained between several layers of paper towels for half an hour (or left to hang in a well-washed muslin pillowcase overnight and drain into the sink), and forced through a sieve
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. freshly-grated orange zest
1/3 cup finely-chopped almonds
1/4 cup dried currants plus some additional for decoration finely-diced glaceed cherries for decoration angelica for decoration
KULICH for an accompaniment (see previous recipe)

Beat the whole eggs and the yolk together with the sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Add the cream, scalded, in a thin stream, beating constantly as you add it, and transfer the custard to a heavy saucepan. Cook the custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it's thickened (175 degrees or so on a candy thermometer), BUT DO NOT LET IT BOIL! Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, and let it cool down stirring occasionally.

While the custard is cooling, in another bowl with the electric mixer cream the butter, add the cheese gradually, beating all the while, and beat the mixture at moderate speeds for five minutes. Beat in the custard, the vanilla, the orange zest, the almonds and 1/4 cup of the currants. Line a 7- to 8-cup new clay flowerpot (Or specially made Paska Mold) with a double layer of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth, and add the cheese mixture, packing it tightly and smoothing the top level. Fold the ends of the cheesecloth over the top. Put the flowerpot into a small bowl, and weight the top of the cheese mixture with a four-pound weight that just fits inside the pot (you can get a small plate and put another coffee-can filled with water on top of the plate to make the weight). Chill the PASKA for at least 12 hours or overnight. Again, this recipe, like the KULICH, is traditionally made on Great and Holy Friday afternoon, following the Vespers service, and not eaten until first thing after the Resurrection Liturgy on Pascha Sunday morning.

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Palm Sunday to Pascha: Orthodox Customs

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Palm Sunday to Pascha: Orthodox Customs

An Arabic tradition is to hold candles decorated with flowers for Palm Sunday along with palm branches. Greeks hold crosses woven from either palm branches or bay leaves on Palm Sunday. Slavic peoples receive kitty willow branches on Palm Sunday. These are adaptations due to climate in the country of origin of these people.

Greeks greet each other with "kali anestasi" or "Good Resurrection" on Great and Holy Friday.

In the Russian tradition, the faithful carry home the "Thursday Fire" - the candles that we hold during the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels on Holy Thursday night. The flame is used to light the lampada in the family's Icon Corner where it remains burning for the whole year.

In the Greek tradition, on the other hand, the Paschal light is taken home instead. After the Resurrection service, the faithful do not blow out the candles, but hold them during the entire Paschal Divine Liturgy. Every time the Troparion "Christ is Risen.." is sung or the celebrant exclaims "Christ is risen!" everyone in the congregation lifts his candle high as the choir sings or responds with "Indeed, He is risen!" After the service, the faithful take the fire home to light the lampadas in front of their icons. At mealtimes, the candle is lit as the family sings "Christ is risen.."

The red egg that the celebrants presents to the faithful at the end of the Paschal Divine Liturgy is also a tradition. The egg represents Christ in the tomb. Breaking the egg is symbolic of the Resurrection.

Slavic people and by some Greek families observe the tradition of bringing a basket of food to be blessed after the Paschal Divine Liturgy. The basket usually contains bread (made with eggs and milk), cheese, meat, eggs, butter, salt, and other foods that the family plans on having for their Paschal celebration. There should also be a lit candle, symbolizing the Light of Christ.

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Further Pascha Recipes, Sermons and Traditions of the Church

Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

You can find more Pascha traditions and recipes at http://www.angelfire.com/pa/slavic/pascha.html

Also funny is that many Old Believers call Paska, Kulich and Kulich, Paska. Funny, huh?

I hope this thread is useful for new converts celebrating their first Pascha!

Last edited by 尼古拉前执事 on Mon 29 March 2004 12:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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