By Rosalyn Queen
The 28 days of February have quietly slipped away and we are now into March. There are so many events to observe in March that we will have much to do. A lot of us will be attending Mardi Gras parties to celebrate the coming of Lent. The first Wednesday of March will be Ash Wednesday and this is the official beginning to usher in Easter. On Ash Wednesday, most of us will go to church to receive ashes which is a cross drawn on our foreheads by the priest while he recites to us the prayer ending “and into dust thou shall return.”
Lent is a season leading up to Easter when Christian’s do some sort of penance, such as attending mass daily or some sacrifice that prepares them for the “Risen Christ” on Easter Sunday. Many Christians do not eat meat on Wednesday or Friday during Lent. Each individual will choose their own form of penance,
Getting ready for Easter means the baking of Easter Bread. This is definitely an Italian custom and most members of the family participate in this custom.Muchallatta is Italian for Easter Bread. I am going to include my family recipe for Easter Bread. 2 packs of dry yeast, 5 pounds flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 6 eggs beaten, 2 tsp salt, 2 sticks butter, 1pint warm milk, 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons anise seed. Mix water and warm milk together and sprinkle yeast over the mixture and stir so that yeast will start to work, Place dry ingredients in large mixing bowl and mix well. Make a well in mixture and add milk mixture, eggs and melted butter. Before starting to knead mixture, make a sign of the cross over bowl. Knead mixture vigorously until it becomes elastic and pulls away from bowl. Rub top of dough with oil, cover, place in a warm spot and let rise until it doubles in size. Place dough in loaf pans and let it rise again. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about twenty minutes until bread is golden brown. Easter bread is delicious toasted and buttered. it freezes well.
Just one of many Easter customs.
Another holiday to celebrate is St. Patrick’s Day with Irish stew and other Irish specialties.
Surely March means the beginning of Spring with March 9 marking the beginning of Daylight
Saving Time.
Stay optimistic, stay healthy and until next week “Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”