By Robert Strybel
The Easter Lamb cake has long been the centerpiece of the festive Polish table at which families gather for Święcone (Easter Brekafast) and dinner. If you have a family heirloom recipe for this traditional Polish favorite as well as an old-fashion, cast-iron lamb mold that has been in the family forever, then by all means use it this Easter.
If not, bake one using a recipe found online. Lamb molds are produced by the Wilton and Nordic Ware companies. If that is too much work and effort, get a store-bought Lamb Cake. It will still be a “Polish” lamb Cake” if done up and presented properly.
The commercial powers that be have worked overtime for decades to “bunnify” Easter, bombarding the market with chocolate rabbits, candy eggs, green-paper grass and loads of jelly beans. Their ads often include images of little bunnies, baby chicks and cute little lambs.
But that is not what Easter is about. Whatever recipe you use or wherever you purchase your store-bought cake, an absolute must is for the Lamb of God, representing the Risern Christ, to be seen wielding the triumphal Banner of Resurrection. It is easy enough to improvise. To your flagstaff stick attach a white, paper flag, emblazoned with a red cross spanning the enire flag’s surface.
Place the Lamb on an oval platter slathered with frostng which wilł “glue” the cake to its base. Surround the Lamb with real Polish pisanki (Easter eggs) or the carved wooden varriety. Decorate the surrounding area with sprigs of boxwood (bukszpan), pussy willows, hyacinths and forsythia – all spring blooms associated with Polish Easter. To you and your loved ones:
Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych – Wesołego Alleluja!
THE POLISH CHEF
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