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Random Mon Dec 13 2010
Lussekatter Gets its Due
Today is St. Lucia's Day, a church holiday to celebrate martyrs that is marked by a procession of women, at the helm a woman wearing a crown of candles. Several different stories explain her martyrdom, but the Scandinavians symbolize Lucia by putting a crown of candles on her head to show that she could not succumb to death by fire for her sacrifice (which is most likely refusing to marry because she wanted to be a religious servant instead, removing her eyes in protest). Lucia, the patron saint of the blind, is the promise that light will once return in the winter darkness. Heavy reading for a Monday, no?
Okay, on to the food part. St. Lucia's day is celebrated with lussekatter, a, S-shaped saffron and raisin-covered yeast bun. If you're like me and aren't knee-deep in saffron, Swedish Bakery (5348 N. Clark) sells lussekatter in saffron and non-saffron varieties. You could grab a few, throw on your candle crown and head to the Swedish American Museum; at 4:45pm tonight they'll start a St. Lucia procession up and down Clark Street, returning to the museum for a party to celebrate (bring $1 for admission or a canned food donation). A church service at Ebenezer Lutheran (1650 W. Foster) starts at 7pm.
Joanna / December 13, 2010 2:43 PM
As an American-Swede in Chicago, today is my favorite of the whole year! I happily used my Rosemary-Ginger shortbread (from yesterday's canceled party) as part of my Lucia bounty for work friends today and have a great recipe for Pepparkokar (a different Swedish Christmas cookie) here: http://tinyurl.com/2uspka8
Trevlig Sankta Lucia Dag till alla.