The pagan origins of Christmas

Many of our modern Christmas traditions began hundreds of years before Christ was born. Some of these traditions originate more than 4000 years ago. The addition of Christ to the celebration of the winter solstice did not occur until 300 years after Christ died and as late as 1800. Some devout sects, like the puritans, forbade their members from celebrating Christmas because it was considered a pagan holiday.

So what is the history behind these traditions?

The Christmas tree is derived from several solstice traditions. The Romans decked their halls with garlands of laurel and placed candles in live trees to decorate for the celebration of Saturnalia. In Scandinavia, they hung apples from evergreen trees at the winter solstice to remind themselves that spring and summer will come again. The evergreen tree was the special plant of their sun god, Baldur.

Exchanging gifts at a winter celebration is also pre-Christian and is from the Roman Saturnalia. They would exchange good-luck gifts called Setae (lucky fruits). A big feast was inevitable, just like we do today.

Mistletoe is from an ancient Druid custom at the winter solstice. Mistletoe was considered a divine plant and it symbolized love and peace. The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is Druid in origin.

Even the date of Christmas, December 25, was borrowed from another religion. At the time Christmas was created in AD 320, Mithraism was very popular. The early Christian church had gotten tired of their futile efforts to stop people celebrating the solstice and the birthday of Mithras, the Persian sun god. Mithras’ birthday was December 25. So the Pope at the time decided to make Jesus’ official birthday coincide with Mithras’ birthday.

So, if you are celebrating any of the western traditions this season, remember that you are feasting on borrowed traditions in order to celebrate the birth of Christ.

With that said, following are a couple of great, maybe a little non-traditional, dishes that can spark up your holiday table.

Happy holidays!

Jan Jorgensen & Staff

Two Chefs

Dairy less celery root soup with chicken livers, Granny Smith apples and thyme.

1/4 cup diced bacon lardoons

6 sprig thyme

3 cups diced (small) celery root (peeled)

2 quarts chicken stock

Juice from 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Soup

Cook the bacon in a medium sauce pan until fat is rendered, add 6 sprigs of thyme along with the celery root, add stock and simmer for 20 minutes, remove and discard thyme sprigs, puree soup until smooth, strain and season with lemon juice and salt and pepper, set aside and reheat before serving

Apples

4 tiny Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced into 1 inch rounds)

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Brush the apples with the melted butter and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for approx 20 minutes or until caramelized and tender. Remove from pan and deglaze with the apple cider.

Chicken livers

4 chicken livers

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Saute the livers approx 2 minutes on each side, season, set aside, cut into 1/4’s.

Assembly

Place apple slices and livers in 4 soup bowls, ladle the heated soup over the “garnish,” sprinkle a little chopped parsley and serve.

Rack of lamb with cumin scented porcini mushrooms, golden raisins & mashed potatoes.

2 cups sliced porcini mushrooms

1 1/2 tablespoon butter

Pinch of cumin

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 cup water

Olive oil

1/2 cup golden raisins.

Mushrooms

Sautee mushrooms in the butter along with cumin for approx 2 minutes, add vinegar, water, olive oil and raisins, and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Rack of lamb

Trim the rack for excess fat and sinew, season with salt and pepper, brown the rack in a hot skillet with a splash of olive oil, move into a preheated 375 degree hot oven and roast for approx 15 minutes, or until cooked medium-rare. Let rest 5 minutes, flipping it over (back and forth) to let the juices run.

Mashed potatoes

Don’t think I need to give a recipe for mashed potatoes, but a golden rule; add salt ONLY after cooked, use cream cheese and sour cream instead of butter and cream (just an idea).

Assembly

Place a dollop of mash in the middle of the plate, slice a double cut lamb chop and place on top, next ladle the porcini mushrooms and raisin concoction on top….

Enjoy

Then again a cooking class as a participant or as a gift for the holidays might secure you a great meal in the future, Holidays or not.

Jan Jorgensen

Chef/Owner Two Chefs Restaurant, Pinecrest

For information visit www.twochefsrestaurant.com.


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