Shrovetide festivities this week also include a festive menu. Of course, we cannot do without the main signature dish – pancakes. What else can you treat yourself to for seven days?
Maslenitsa is an ancient Slavic holiday of pagan culture, which was recorded after the adoption of Christianity. This year Maslenitsa falls on the week of February 20-26.
Shrovetide or Cheese Week is the last week before Lent. At this time, in addition to entertainment and culinary delights, you should think about forgiving grievances, over reconciliation with enemies, and cleansing your thoughts.
Pancakes became the main dish of the Pancake Week and symbolized the sun. Actually, in honor of pancakes soaked in oil, this week began to be called Pancake Week. Pancakes were prepared in different ways and from different types of flour – wheat, rye, buckwheat. They were served with fillings, seasonings, sauces.
According to Christian customs, it is allowed to eat dairy products and eggs, fish on Shrovetide, meat on the eve of fasting is already excluded.
The table these days has always been plentiful, with many fatty hearty dishes and alcoholic drinks. The dough was used to make pies, pancakes, dumplings, cheese cakes, pies, potato pancakes, brushwood, pancake cakes. The fish was fried, boiled, salted and smoked, and fish aspic was also put on the table.
Monday – “meeting” – Maslenitsa begins. On this day, they created from henchmen
materials and straw stuffed animal, which was installed in the main square. The women left their business and went to the inn to relax a little, chat and drink.
At home, the first pancakes were kneaded, according to tradition, they were distributed to the homeless and the needy, so that they remembered the loved ones of the dead. Everyone invited each other to visit and exchanged family recipes.
On Maslenitsa, it is customary to conduct a ritual of divination by pancakes for young girls. It refers to the first pancake baked on the first day. Smooth edges of the pancake promise a happy marriage, uneven – it is better to take a closer look at the groom. If the pancake easily turned over – there will be a wedding, if it stuck to the pan – the bride and her parents will live for three more years. If the pancake turned out to be thin, then there will be a calm measured life ahead, and if it is thick, you will have to work hard and hard. A toasted pancake promises health, and a pale pancake promises disease.
Tuesday is called “flirting”, because on this day it was customary for young people to flirt with girls. Also, on this day, brides were often appointed to the bride, in order to plan a wedding after fasting. On this day, dumplings with cottage cheese, pancakes, pies are prepared. And also on Tuesdays, it is customary to serve pancakes with black and red caviar, red fish.
Wednesday – “gourmet”. On this day, the tables are full of pancakes and you can eat them without restrictions. On this day, sons-in-law are supposed to visit their mother-in-law, who prepare honey cakes and sbiten for their second sons – a drink made of honey and spices, alcoholic and non-alcoholic at will.
On Broad Thursday it is customary to get distracted from all household worries and completely go on a spree and rest. Traditional dishes of this day were used to bake dough figurines symbolizing spring – larks, pigeons and swallows.
Friday is also called “mother-in-law’s evening” – on this day, mother-in-law came to the sons-in-law with a return visit, to taste the daughter’s pancakes.
Saturday “sister-in-law gatherings” the ritual of burning a scarecrow of Maslenitsa took place. Together with him, unnecessary things were thrown into the fire, symbolizing the troubles of the past year. In the evening, everyone gathered for a hearty dinner of dumplings, pies and chicken pies.
“Forgiveness Sunday” ends the Pancake Week with folk festivities, games and amusements. On this day, it is customary to go to all relatives and ask for forgiveness for all insults and misunderstandings. On Sunday, hearty tables were laid, at the head of which were pancakes, pancakes, pancakes, pies with cabbage.
At the service in churches, the rite of forgiveness is performed: the priests ask for forgiveness from the parishioners, and they ask each other. It is impossible not to forgive on this day, but if the offense is still great, it simply says – God will forgive.
And on Monday, February 27, strict Lent will begin, and the culinary table will switch to a lean menu.