Good morning! Today, as I’m sure most of you will know, is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. For as long as I can remember I have always given something up for the lent period. As a child it was always chocolate. I would then always over compensate on Easter Sunday and, without fail, end up feeling horribly ill.
I enjoyed writing about wedding traditions last week and thought, as there were so many I didn't cover, that I would continue with another for you all today.
I’m going to start with a very tenuous link to Ash Wednesday. Beginning on Ash Wednesday some people like to give up things they over indulge in for 40 days. I absolutely love making (and eating) cakes so for me this is years lent is going to involve a ban on cakes and all things sugary (this is not going to be a fun month and a half). SO this leads me on (not so smoothly) to the tradition of the weddingcake.
The original history of the wedding cake is unclear but the Romans had a cake during their wedding ceremony (made from wheat flour, salt and water). In Medieval times the cake could be thrown at the bride (a bit like confetti) to symbolise fertility (I imagine brides will be very pleased that this no longer happens!). After the ceremony cake and other baked goods would be piled up high and the couple would have to try to kiss over the top. If the newly married couple succeeded without knocking it over they would have a lifetime of prosperity.
In Britain early wedding cakes would be flat and have fruit and nuts to symbolise fertility. A ring would also be put inside the wedding cake and the guest who found the ring would have a happy year.
It was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who set the stage for the modern wedding trend. The white dress and the big sugary cake made their entrance!
How many of you kept the top tier of your wedding cake to use as thechristening cake of your first child?
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