One of the things I love most about the Easter Season of eating is . . . Hot Cross Buns! Although they are generally available all year round now it seems, WE, in this house, only ever eat them at Easter. I think when something becomes an every day thing it loses its specialness, so that is why, like Strawberries, we only ever eat Hot Cross Buns at Easter time.
The tradition of marking buns with a cross on the top goes back a very long way. Pagon Saxons baked cross buns at this time of year to mark the beginning of Spring, in honor of their god Eostre. The cross was representative of the four seasons along with the four quarters of the moon, the wheel of life and a rebirth of the earth after the long Winter.
Christians adapted the cross when an Angilcan monk baked the buns and marked them with a cross in honor of Good Friday. It wasn't really until Tudor times, under the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, that the London clerk of markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of spiced buns at any time other than funerals, Christmas and Good Friday/Easter.
As a child I used to sing this ditty, which was actually the cry of common street-vendors, back in the day . . .
‘Hot cross buns, hot cross buns!
One ha’penny, two ha’penny, hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons,
One ha’penny, two ha’penny, hot cross buns!’
One ha’penny, two ha’penny, hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons,
One ha’penny, two ha’penny, hot cross buns!’
The buns are usually served on Good Friday, marking the end of Lent and the spices are said to represent the spices used to embalm the Saviour after His crucifixion.
Whatever your take on their significance, one cannot deny that hot cross buns are a delicious Easter flavour and a tradition that helps to mark the joys and promise of this Spring holiday, much needed by many after having gotten through a long cold Winter.
I will admit that I am a Hot Cross Bun purist. I like a traditional one, a bun without all the tweaks and chocolate bits, sticky caramel bits, whatever. Plain, spiced and studded with mixed vine fruits being my chosen poison. Not all are created equal. I like a well fruited one, so I never opt for the cheapie brands, which more often than not are sadly lacking in both spice and flavour. I would never settle for a few sad raisins me. I want an abundance of fruit!
Todd rankles at me buying them even two weeks before Easter. He reckons they shouldn't come out until Good Friday, and he has a point. However . . . he did not turn down my offer this morning of a Hot Cross Bacon Bap!
Unconventional . . . perhaps, but so delicious, served toasted and buttered, with a spread of bitter marmalade on the bottoms and a spritz of brown sauce gilding the top of that tasty bacon. Every mouthful was pure delight. Don't knock it til you try it!
*Hot Cross Bun Bacon Baps*
Serves 4
Heat the oven grill to high. Slash the fatty edge of the bacon at 1/3 inch intervalls all along the edge. Grill the bacon beneath the hot grill until your desired crispness, flipping it over and grilling on both sides. Set aside and keep warm. Slice the hot cross buns in half horizontally. Pop under the grill and toast on the cut sides only. Once toasted spread with softened butter. Spread a portion of marmalde onto the toasted bottoms of each bun. Lay three rashers of bacon, folded to fit, on top of the marmalade. Drizzle with brown sauce (if using) place the toasted top buns on top and serve.
Note - Brown sauce is what we brits call HP sauce.
I confess I was also tempted to add a layer of cheese, but I restrained myself. Needless to say these were fabulously tasty, so much so . . . that I might make us another one for lunch. Bon Appetit!
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