Traditional dishes for baptism. The menu of the festive table for baptism

On January 19, the Christian community around the world celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord. On this day, the main action is the threefold consecration of water, which symbolizes renewal, cleansing from sins. Water endowed healing properties, becomes “svyantsona”, “sanctified”, saint. They begin to bless water in churches on the evening of January 18, and after that each owner hurries home to bless every corner of his house with the help of spikelets, clean it, protect it from evil spirits. Of course, such a holiday is accompanied by certain traditions and rituals.

Christmas Eve January 18

On the eve of January 18, you should observe strict post. In the evening, Epiphany Christmas Eve comes. The name itself - Christmas Eve - already tells us that the main dish on the table this evening should be juicy. So, they called in a special way cooked millet porridge with honey and raisins. Strictly speaking, it can be not only millet porridge. Now housewives cook juicy from rice and even corn grits.

In different areas, poppy seeds, nuts, prunes, candied fruits are added to the porridge. Porridge is flavored with vegetable oil, hemp or sunflower, nut milk. This meal is also called Hungry Kutya or Lenten Kutya, because it should not break a strict fast. Moreover, according to popular belief, at this time they walk on the earth evil spirits, and if they suddenly wander into the house, then they simply will have nothing to profit from and will have to go further. Mandatory in Epiphany Christmas Eve there should be consecrated water on the table. It is customary to put a certain number of dishes on the table: 7, 9 or 12, as on Christmas Eve. Of course, on January 18, the meal is more modest than Christmas.

You can start eating on Epiphany Christmas Eve only after the first festive services have been held in the churches. As a rule, this is the second half of the day. The meal begins with the fact that everyone at the table drinks three sips Epiphany water, crossing himself and reading a prayer. After that, they proceed to kutya. In some places, there used to be such a custom: kutya had to be eaten to the end, after which the children loudly banged their spoons on an empty plate and sang “Get out, Kutya, from Pokutya!” Sometimes with such shouts and roar they drove Kutya even down the street. Thus, our ancestors saw off the merry Christmas time and said goodbye to them until the next year.

Then it's time for the rest of the dishes. As a rule, these can be lean pies, cheesecakes, fish dishes, dumplings, cabbage rolls or cabbage rolls, lean borscht with beans, oatmeal or wheat pancakes. In some regions, special ceremonial cookies in the form of crosses are baked. Hostesses always take a responsible approach to the preparation of this sweet, because often “crosses” are baked personally for each guest. Sweet, ruddy, well-baked crosses promise health, success, well-being to the family. But whose cross is underbaked or burnt, troubles and ailments await him. The hostess is supposed to feed this cookie to the poultry, and instead offer the guest another one baked in reserve.

Of course, all this should be done in secret from the person to whom the cookies were intended. Prepare "crosses" on honey or yeast dough. Lenten biscuits are kneaded in vegetable oil, skorny ones are baked with the addition of eggs and butter. It is believed that the ceremonial food on Christmas Eve gives health, removes ailments, therefore, before the housewives, of course, the remaining kutya was treated to domestic animals.

Epiphany January 19

Epiphany morning on January 19 is also customary to begin with blessed water. According to tradition, the first thing to do is to read a prayer with thanks, wash yourself, put yourself in order, and then, crossing yourself, drink three tablespoons of baptismal water. On this day, she has a special healing power. Interestingly, according to many studies, such water does have special structure and does not lose its properties for several years.

Probably, many noticed that even after long-term storage Epiphany water does not change color and does not become musty in taste. It is believed that if suddenly someone fails to plunge into the hole - "Jordan" on Epiphany, then their health reserve and vitality can be obtained by drinking plenty of Epiphany water on this day. Even if a person is prescribed medication on an empty stomach, you should still drink water first and then take the medication.

It is interesting that our ancestors, after drinking Epiphany water, drunk on an empty stomach, necessarily ate “crosses” or pancakes baked with honey. There was even a sign: the more pancakes you can eat, the more benefits await you this year.

There are also certain requirements for the Epiphany dinner, which are dictated to us by the traditions of our ancestors. Like the night before, kutya (or sochivo) must be present on the table. Lenten and fast food should be put equally. They start lunch with kutya, then eat meatless dishes. And only then proceed to the modest ones. These are cereals with butter and cream, rich soups, lard, homemade sausages, jelly, baked pork. It used to be customary to bake even a whole pig. It was placed in the center of the table, and the owner himself cut off a piece and treated the household and guests. It's funny that the youngest member of the family also had his own role in this ceremony: he was supposed to climb under the table and grunt funny, amusing all those gathered.

Sweet dishes are also present on the festive table: pancakes with filling (they are also called pancakes), pancakes, hearty pies, pretzels, cheesecakes. Nalistniki can be both sweet, with cottage cheese and raisins, and meat, stuffed with minced meat or liver. It is customary to drink kutya and other dishes with dried fruit, jelly or sbiten. Uzvar is a decoction of dried fruits, often apples and pears, sometimes raisins and prunes, with honey. Cooking sbiten is an art.

Sbiten drink

Black tea.

Spices: ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg taste.

Celery, lemon peel.

The mixture should first be brought to a boil, boiled for several minutes, insisted in a thermos for about half an hour. After that, the sbiten needs to be filtered and brought to a boil again.

It should be noted that almost every dish on Christmas Eve or Epiphany has its own ritual meaning. Therefore, at all times people prepared for this holiday with their soul and body, because each action had and has its own special meaning. Fasting on the eve of the holiday, a fasting meal, the subsequent divine service and three-time dipping in the ice-hole - "Jordan" in some way symbolizes the difficult path to purification, spiritualization, the second spiritual birth. It is natural that eating also turns into a festive ritual with its own symbols and rules, the observance of which not only maintains traditions and unites the family, but also in some way guarantees further stability and cohesion. In addition, after Epiphany comes the Winter Meat-Eater, which begins on January 20 and lasts until Maslenitsa.

It just so happens that each an important event In life, we are used to celebrating with a feast. An event such as the christening of a child is no exception. Unfortunately, over time, the meaning and meaning of many rituals is lost, and yet one wants to observe at least the appearance of traditions. Hence the many questions on the topic, what should be the festive table after the Sacrament of Baptism, what is prepared for the baptism of a child from food?

Now, as in the old days, there are no too strict requirements for such a feast. However, it is desirable that a couple of mandatory dishes are still present.

Food for the christening of a child: Babkina porridge

In the old days, this porridge was prepared by a midwife who helped with the birth of a baby. Hence the name of the traditional dish. Such porridge is boiled in milk, honey and butter, eggs and cream are added to it. Ready meal can be decorated by placing hard-boiled egg halves on top. In Russia, most often Babkin's porridge was buckwheat or wheat. However, in modern world no one forbids the use of rice and other cereals.

Food for the baptism of a child: Grandma's pies

Babkin's pies are another traditional treat that was prepared for christening. Strictly speaking, these are not really pies. In the old days, under this name, pastries from butter were hidden. yeast dough prepared according to a special recipe. The filling in such pies, as a rule, was not put, but they gave the most diverse form: birds, hearts, buns, pretzels. To do something similar for a modern hostess is not difficult. If you don’t want to mess around, then you can get by with purchased confectionery.

Other dishes and snacks that are prepared for the baptism of a child

Birds were usually served as the main course for baptism. At the same time, if a girl was baptized, then a chicken was baked, and if a boy, a cockerel. Now such subtleties are unlikely to be observed by anyone. It's too difficult to determine the gender of a chicken bought in a supermarket. So parents of boys can be advised to cook a goose, and duck or chicken are perfect for a girl's christening.

The presence of a wide variety of meat snacks and salads from food for the baptism of a child is not forbidden. It is desirable to have nuts on the table in a variety of ways. Firstly, it is tasty, and secondly, it is useful for a nursing mother.

Returning to traditions, it is worth recalling that children must be present at the table. After all, christenings are children's holiday. If there are no kids among the invited guests, then you can simply treat the neighbor's kids with some goodies. In the end, it is with them that a newly baptized baby will someday communicate.

The Sacrament of Baptism is not just a beautiful Orthodox rite, but also a solemn and important event in the life of every person. Flickering candles, the fragrance of incense, splashes of holy water sparkling in the gilding of icons, silent prayer and the expectation of a miracle in the air. And indeed, baptism is a miracle, because in these moments a person (whether born a few days ago or who has lived for more than a dozen years) is born a second time, from that moment he steps the cover of the hand of God and finds a guardian angel for life.

When choosing godparents for your child, remember that it is these people who will become the spiritual mentors of your blood, advisers and assistants to them in life. So take your pick godfather and godmother with all scrupulousness and prudence.

Baptism is an important event that happens only once in a lifetime. Therefore, for a long time there was a tradition to celebrate this significant event, gathering relatives and friends around a rich and satisfying table. And the name of this feast is christening.

AT old times the main figure at the christening was the midwife, because it was she who was revered and thanked for helping the woman in labor to ease the pain, and the baby to be born as quickly and painlessly as possible. Therefore, one of the obligatory treats at christening was the so-called "grandmother's pies" - small products made from sweet yeast dough (buns and bagels, flowers, horseshoes, ears, pretzels, etc.).

In addition to baking, “babina porridge” or kutya was an obligatory guest on the festive table. Of course, each hostess cooked this dish in her own way, with secrets and tricks known only to her alone. It differed from lean sochi in that the cereals were soaked in milk, and the finished porridge was richly seasoned with butter, cream, and egg yolks. Baptismal porridge was served in a large pot, which was then carefully smashed against the corner of the table. The porridge that remained on the table and in the hands was treated to everyone at the table: part was eaten by the mother of the newborn, part was treated to the guests (not forgetting to grab a handful for their children). But the father of the child had to taste the eminent porridge "with fun" - horseradish, mustard were added to the dish, a large number of salt and pepper. Thus, in a comic form, they wanted to show the parent at least part of the torment that his wife had to experience during childbirth. Among other things, a chicken or a rooster was often baked in baptismal porridge (depending on what gender the man who was born was), and along with the porridge, they put scrambled eggs, aspic, ham and other equally tasty, satisfying and appetizing dishes on the table.

In addition to all of the above, children present at the festival were presented with small gifts, such as walnuts, beans and peas. This was done so that the newborn was talkative and eloquent, that is, his words "fell like peas." Much later, a tradition appeared (which came to us from Europe) to give small guests (and adults too) gifts in the form of small beautiful boxes or bags filled with white and multi-colored delicious dragees.

You can create a festive menu for christening in a modern version, focusing on taste preferences guests who will gather at the table in your house. Of course, do not forget that the preparation of the menu for the feast, in which the children will participate, must be given special attention. Choose dishes that both children and their parents can enjoy. The christening menu should be varied and tasty, but this does not mean at all that the festive table should be filled with a huge number of unusual foods, overseas fruits and expensive gourmet drinks.

I bring to your attention 2 menu options for the baptismal table. Perhaps you would like to decorate your holiday strictly in accordance with the proposed options, or it may be that you will replace some of the dishes we have proposed with dishes that are more familiar to you.

Menu for christening number 1

January 19 is one of the most revered Orthodox Christian holidays - the Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany. The name is due to the fact that, according to the Gospel, on this day, during the baptism of Christ, the phenomenon Holy Trinity. Menu holiday table on this day, as well as on the Christmas Eve preceding it, since ancient times it has been distinguished by abundance and diversity. Traditional Epiphany holiday table menu necessarily included special cookies, pies or pancakes with honey, kutya, as well as a whole pig, which was baked in the oven. The eldest in the family had to personally treat each household member.

In the spirit of tradition

To prepare special cookies - the so-called crosses, you need to knead the dough from 250 g of flour, 1 egg, 125 g of butter and 65 g of sugar. To taste, salt and a little vanillin are added to it, as well as, if desired, a glass of cognac or rum. From this point holiday table menu feast should begin. When the dough acquires elasticity and a uniform consistency, it is rolled out into a layer and cut into strips, which are then folded in the shape of crosses and baked on a greased baking sheet until golden brown. The center of each cookie can be decorated with a drop of icing or candied fruit.

Tasty and healthy

Another dish traditionally included in holiday table menu at Baptism, - juicy. To prepare it, 1 cup of peeled wheat grains must be washed and boiled until tender. After that, after cooling, a little sugar and honey are added to them. 50 g of poppy seeds are poured with boiling water and left to steam for about 10 minutes. Taking small portions, then the poppy should be crushed in a mortar and added to the wheat. 50 g of pitted raisins are also pre-brewed with boiling water and also added to wheat. 100 g of lightly toasted walnuts and 100 g of vegetable oil are also added there. Everything should be mixed thoroughly.

Pies and buns

Lenten pies are made from dough, for which it is necessary to thoroughly mix 800 g of flour, 20 g of dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. To them add 2 glasses of water, in which a small amount of cognac is diluted. The dough should be left to rise for 20-30 minutes. After that, he is crushed and left again for about the same time. As a filling, for example, mushrooms are suitable. 800 g of mushrooms must be boiled and mixed with 350 g of pearl barley, also previously cooked until tender. A little onion is added to the resulting mixture and all together are lightly fried in a pan. Pies are formed from small pieces of dough, in the middle of which they put the filling. Bake in the oven until golden brown.

Cereal abundance

Another dish without which it is impossible to imagine holiday table menu on this day, - kutya, which can be made from any cereals. To prepare the first option, wash and boil 1 cup of rice in 1 liter of water. To it is added 0.5 cups of washed pitted raisins and 100 g of honey, slightly diluted with warm water. If desired, you can add 50 g of crushed walnuts and 100 g of candied fruit or marmalade. You can cook kutya from a mixture of wheat and pea grains. They are washed, poured cold water and boil until done. After that, grind, add a little vegetable oil and add some salt. This dish is eaten cold.

Folk drinks

As a drink for a feast, sbiten is best suited. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of honey and 3 tablespoons of sugar in boiling water. After that, 2 tablespoons of black tea leaves, grated zest of half a lemon, a stalk of celery and spices to taste (for example, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves) are added there. Boil for 10 minutes. Insist for some time in a warm place, then filter and bring to a boil again. Drink sbiten both hot and cold. Instead of this drink, you can make jelly, for example, from apples or any other fruit.

Preparation for Baptism began on Epiphany Christmas Eve. On the eve of this bright holiday, they necessarily held general cleaning in the house and prepared traditional ceremonial dishes. In another way, this day is called Hungry Kutya. So it was called because before the first star it was impossible to eat anything, it was allowed to drink, but very little.

When the first star rose, everyone sat down at the Lenten table. On Epiphany Christmas Eve, Lenten kutya, uzvar and other Lenten dishes must be on the table. The meal certainly began with illuminated water. And the number of dishes, as on Christmas Eve, should be seven, nine or twelve. At first, they ate kutya, washing it down with uzvar, and then they moved on to eating other dishes. These could be lean pies, "crosses", pancakes, dumplings, donuts, lean cabbage rolls, sometimes fish dishes.

On January 18, all housewives bake "crosses" - ceremonial cookies. There are many signs associated with baking. For example, if the cross is well baked, yellow-pink, then it will give success, health, well-being. From the person who got such a cookie, you can then look for sympathy, intercession, and advice for a whole year.

If the "cross" is with breaks, cracks, this predicts changes in fate, difficulties. But an undercooked or burnt “cross” will bring sadness, mental trauma, and illness. Such "crosses" cannot be eaten. The hostess who baked bad cookies must feed them to the birds outside. According to signs, heavenly creatures will relieve grief. The people to whom the bad cookies were intended do not need to know about the bad omen. They are treated with spare ruddy "crosses", therefore good mood no one spoils on a holiday.

Cookies "Crosses"
Dough:
1 glass wheat flour, 2 eggs, 150 g butter, 100 g sugar, 2 tablespoons of rum or cognac, vanillin, salt, cinnamon.

Divide the resulting dough into several parts. Roll each part into a sausage, divide into two parts and lay them, in the form of a cross, on top of each other. Grease a baking sheet with oil and place in a hot oven. Sprinkle finished "crosses" with powdered sugar.

After the "crosses" they served pancakes or pancakes baked with honey. There was a sign that the more you eat these pancakes, the more money will be next year.

Kutya
From the Greek "kutia" - "boiled wheat". Kutya can be prepared from any cereal, we suggest cooking from rice.

1 liter of water, 1 glass of rice, 100 g of honey, ½ cup of raisins, 100 g of marmalade or candied fruit, 50 g of peeled walnuts. Rinse and boil rice, add raisins. Stir honey in a small amount of water and mix with crushed walnuts. Combine and mix everything. Decorate with marmalade or candied fruits.

Uzvar
Uzvar is a compote of dried fruits with the addition of honey. To prepare it, dried fruits must first be poured with cold water for several minutes and rinsed well. Then pour water into a saucepan and dip the dried pears into it. They need to be boiled for about twenty minutes, after which you can omit the rest of the dried fruits - prunes, apples and raisins. Now you need to cook for another ten to fifteen minutes, add honey and remove from heat. Strain and serve.