1. AGRUPAMENTO DE ESCOLAS DE CINFÃES PORTUGAL

2. At the beginning of the times, Easter, as we know it today, didn’t exist. The Easter word comes from the Hebraic “Peseach”, which means transition, passage. Our Christian Easter is an adaptation of the Jewish Easter celebrations that celebrated the freedom of the Jewish people and the escape from Egypt to the Holy Land.

3. This is a party celebrated by the Christian religion, which on that day celebrates Jesus Christ's Resurrection. Easter day, on the first Sunday after the first moon that follows to the equinox of the Spring, relapses between 22 of March and April 22. It is the time of the full renewal of Nature and, Easter happens, naturally, after the abstinence of the Lent. Numerous cultural and culinary traditions mark this party. The 40 days period preceding the Easter Sunday - the Lent, is, to the Christians, a time of praying, penitentiary and abstinence because the religion prescribes that, for a week from 14 to 21 of the month of Nissan (beginning of Spring) the followers should refrain from any fermented food (alcohol, cereals, dry vegetables, etc.) and it is forbidden to eat meat on Fridays.

4. The Easter traditions of Portugal revolve around religion, food, and a connectedness to family and community. On Easter Sunday, the custom is to have a large meal with all of the family together. We have a meat plate: generally kid goat or lamb, with roasted potatoes, vegetables and fresh bread. But a lot of times also Pig (roasted pig ). In some areas they include in Easter menu a stuffed pie of several meats and eggs. The bread that was eaten on Easter Sunday was whiter than the bread homemade. The meal is followed by different desserts among that we have Pão-de-ló, Folar da Páscoa, Amêndoas which are a candied almond dish.

5. On the whole side, hard-boiled eggs, natural or colored are typical. The habit of offering colored eggs or Easter decorations starts in Portugal, in the XV th century.

6. Cabrito ou borrego assado no forno (Kid goat or sheep roasted) Ingredients  1 kid goat of medium size  125 butter gr or olive oil (enough)  100 bacon gr  4 onions  4 cloves of garlic  2 laurel leaves  1 parsley branch  2,5 dl of white wine  1 paprika teaspoon  500 gr of potatoes  Salt and pepper Preparation Prick 2 onions, the cloves of garlic and the bacon finely. Join them 50 g of butter or olive oil, paprika, 1 dl of white wine and season with thick salt and pepper. Pick up the kid goat and clay it with the prepared. Place in the fund of recipient to roast the remaining onions cut in slices. On these it places the kid goat, join a parsley branch and the parrot and let to be like this 24 hours, in fresh place. In the following day pour the remaining white wine over the kid goat and dispose it over the potatoes cut at rooms. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the remaining margarine cut in mouthfuls on the kid goat and on the potatoes and take to roast in the oven, watering once in a while with the sauce that is going forming. Accompany with roasted potatoes, rice and lettuce salad.

7. The desserts of Easter time show an entire variety of special sweet; from baskets with painted eggs of several colors, crowns with eggs, brioches and pies but, above all, the Easter Folar and the Pão-de-ló are the most representative …

8. . … as well as chocolate eggs and the almonds.

9. Folar da Páscoa (Easter Folar) Ingredients  1 kg flour  250 gr butter or margarine  35 gr of baker's ferment  100 gr of sugar  3 eggs  5 dl of milk  Salt  1 spoon of coffee of herb-sweet  1 teaspoon of cinnamon Preparation Dissolve the ferment in some warm milk and, with 200 flour g, make a ball. Leave it. Meanwhile, we work the remaining flour with the eggs, the sugar and the milk, until obtaining a very light mass, with plenty of body. Add the margarine later, the salt, to herb-candy and the cinnamon. Work well the mass and, finally, join it the ferment that was to leaven. Mix until the mass to come off of the hands and of the bowl. Cover with a cloth and let to leaven during 2 at 5 hours in warm place. Elapsed that time, divide the mass in balls and flatten them. On each one it places 1 or more hard eggs, according to the size of the base of the mass. Hold the eggs with some mass ribbons. Paint with a brush with egg yolk and cook in hot oven.

10. Folar da Pascoa is a symbolic breads for Easter, and are traditional throughout many European countries with Catholic, Christian and Orthodox backgrounds. There are various different versions, but all seem to have the common theme of a cross, shape to represent the crucifixion of Christ. And many times, it encircles one or two eggs, representing rebirth or fertility. The Portuguese, Folar da Páscoa, is known, together with the Italian version, as the two most popular breads made internationally, at Easter!!! In Portugal, there are two main regional versions: the basic northern version flavored with lemon and/or anise, and the south one, that is very sweet – the Algarve version, which is more like a cake that resembles a cinnamon roll with allspice and caramelized sugar. Other versions include: candy coated almonds, instead of eggs and even ham as well.

11. Pão-de-ló Ingredients  1 kg flour  250 gr butter or margarine  35 gr of baker's ferment  100 gr of sugar  9 eggs  3 eggs yolks  375 g sugar  150 g flour Preparation In a bowl beat the 12 egg yolks with sugar until a thick and whitish cream. Then add the flour and leave it to hit a few more minutes. Beat the egg whites and wrap them gently in the batter. Grease and flour a way to stack with 26 cm in diameter. Pour the mixture into the form and bake at 180 º C for 30 minutes. When well cooked allow to cool before unmolding.

12. In the Northern regions of Portugal, o COMPASSO - the priest, or a representative, accompanied by a few more people, carrying the crucifix, decorated or not with flowers, passes through the town.

13. Those who are Catholics leave their door open and marked them and the entrances with rosemary in order to designate their homes. They can also prepare wonderful carpets, with flowers, for the COMPASSO.

14. On Easter Sunday, and in some places in the following days, the COMPASSO enters in the home of parishioners giving the “Good News" and the Easter blessings. Family members, friends and neighbors gather and kneel in the main room where the priest gives them the cross to kiss.

15. The table is set for the priest and his companions. They eat and rest a little!!! Some years ago, a coin, for the priest, was placed in an orange!!!! Nowadays, the money is placed in an envelope…

16. Young children and unmarried youth visit their godparents and receive a gift from them at Easter-time. They will have also visited them on Palm Sunday, seven days before, when the children will have given their godparents flowers or even a plant.

17. Easter is a time of new beginnings! End !… April 2011