"One a penny, Two a penny...Hot Cross Buns". If you have ever taken piano lessons, you most likely know that tune. It's in all beginner piano books. I can't seem to get it out of my head since a morning customer left just the other day, humming the melody with a six pack of Hot Cross Buns in hand. Cross Buns are a Lenten specialty and so we are making them everyday right now. Lent is a period of "giving up" or fasting prior to Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and continues until Easter Sunday. These glazed, yeast-raised buns are similar to a coffee cake and contain small currants. Stories abound about their origins. Yet, the common thread throughout, is the symbolism of the Cross which adorns the top of the bun. In the 12th century an Anglican monk was said to have placed the sign of the Cross on the bun to honor Good Friday, the Christian Holy day known as the day of the Cross. Since the buns are low in sugar and rich in symbolism, they have become a "permissible" treat among the faithful during the Lenten season. Though forty days seem like a long time...time does have a way of flying. The countdown to Easter has already begun, and so our days for cross buns are truly numbered. Stop by and pick-up this seasonal favorite. Share the story and maybe even hum a bar or two of the melody on your way...."One a penny, Two a penny...
Hot Cross Buns".
Posted 2/25/15
