"'Griindonnerstag" (literally: green Thor, to whom the nettle was dedicated ) - Thursday- tradition- and after whom Thursday is named, also in ally is the day on which greens are eaten. English, again reminds us of the adoption But this custom, which only originated of forgotten heathen traditions. around 1700, actually developed out of a In most of the Catholic regions, the bells linguistic error: originally the day was grow silent - they "fly to " - , and the called "Greindonnerstag" - the Thursday call to prayer is carried out with wooden for "greinen" (crying) before the day of noise instruments like ratchets and rattles. , . But this custom, like so many others, can The nettle and cabbage soup - still only be found in the country, in cities it has found in some regions of North and Cen­ long been forgotten. tral Germany-, which used to be prepared in honor of the Germanic god of thunder,

Shrovetide and Lenten Fare ------·------

Days of or a longer period without Up until1491, the rules of fasting were words "Ego te papto Carpam", adding as food may be encountered in one form or so restrictive that even butter, eggs and theological justification that his ecclesiasti­ another in all the large religious com­ cheese were forbidden - meat was of cal office gave him the power to make a munities. The reasons for demanding such ~ourse not permitted. But there is an ex- Christian of a heathen by means of bap­ abstinence have always been the same: ception to every set of rules: in West­ tism, so that he was also capable of turning human beings lived in a form of society phalia, were granted dispen­ a piglet into a carp. which already knew forms of organization, sation from the prohibition of using lard as The rules of fasting have encouraged the and they had learned the principles of early as 1015. Julius III finally issued European and to invent a stockpiling, which allowed them to take general dispensation for the consumption wide range of special recipes, as the 40 care of food supplies generally without of dairy products in 1552. In the monas­ days of before in particular paying attention to the seasons. This teries, however, various methods were in­ placed enormous demands on the monas­ nevertheless increased the danger of vented at an earlier stage of how to classify tery kitchen for it to serve up those foods poisonous substances collecting in their animals among the permitted class of wa­ which were permitted in ever-changing bodies, because the food was not so very ter dweJlers: beavers, otters, dabchicks, varieties, even going as far as to alienate varied as it had previously been among herons and swans were named as aquatic certain dishes, e.g. fish disguised as roast early gatherers. The religions therefore animals, and could thus be eaten. St. Au­ lamb, or large fish on which the cooks adopted the custom of issuing regulations gustine is said to have declared that ducks would place a set of deer antlers to give the concerning hygiene ~nd other health in general were to be classed as fish - impression that it was a venison dish. Be­ measures, and observance of these regula­ although this is no doubt a myth - while an sides these recipes, there is also Lenten tions used to strengthen community feel­ abbot in Southern Germany succeeded in pastry which was originally used in ritual, ing and to emphasize its distinction from baptizing a sucking pig as a carp with the and many a dish which is still in use today. unbelievers or from those belonging to ------The majority of recipes for Lenten fare foreign religions. also stems from the monasteries. Convents Fasting came to Germany with the con­ became well known in particular for their version of the country to in pastries, such as the Dominican Order in the 8th and 9th centuries. Particularly du­ Bad Worishofen, which was encouraged ring the Middle Ages, extremely strict ru­ by Pastor Sebastian Kneipp to coJlect its les were laid down for fasting and a vigi­ recipes. ------lent watch kept that they were observed, purgatory being the punishment for those who broke their fasting. There were not only the 2 days of fasting every week, on Wednesday and Friday, but above all the 40 days of Lent before Easter. This also coincided with hygienic considerations: during the winter, the food eaten con­ tained a great deal of fat -large quantities of salty, cured beef and pork and smoked meats and sausages. Fasting at the end of winter simultaneously meant purging the body and preparing for the festive board of Easter and Spring, which was again re- plenished with fresh food.'- ______