lyrics – Sugar And Spice… Among Other Things

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!

If you have no daughters,
give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
– Roud Folk Song Index Number (13029)

Almost every parent, guardian or caregiver has heard of the predefined set of nursery rhymes (ranging from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to Ba Ba Black Sheep), especially when trying to make the young mind learn a bit of the English language, rhymes and songs. The above song “Hot Cross Bun” is no stranger to the set of these rhymes. However it was the smell of freshly baked buns (butter buns, fruit buns mainly) from the bakery near my workplace that would account for the sudden thoughts of “Hot Cross Bun” ( originally an English street cry) being dredged up from the grey cells. Like those memories that linger, thoughts of a pot of tea with fresh buns do enter the list of sudden urges for the taste buds occasionally.

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hot_cross_buns_-_fig_and_pecan.jpg

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This spiced sweet bun usually made with fruit and traditionally marked with a cross (as sugar toppings or partially sliced through) was associated with the end of Lent and is usually eaten on Good Friday. At times, spices are also added. These days hot cross buns are available all year round at most places, even in the supermarket chains with varieties like toffee, orange-cranberry, salted caramel and chocolate, apple-cinnamon, coffee flavoured, white chocolate and raspberry, banana and caramel, sticky date and the list goes on to being more creative and flavoured in certain bakeries and delis.

The exact origin of “hot cross buns” was historically believed to be associated with the rise of Christianity. During the Lent period, plain buns were made without any dairy products and eaten hot or toasted. Although archaeological evidence suggest that the Greeks (6th century) may have marked cakes with a cross. While one theory states that the Hot Cross Bun originated when where Brother Thomas Rodcliffe, a 14th Century monk at St Albans Abbey (1361), developed a recipe (similar to hot cross bun) called an ‘Alban Bun’ and distributed them to the local poor on Good Friday. Though the London street cry,”Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs. With one or two a penny hot cross buns”, which had appeared in Poor Robin’s Almanac (1733) was the first ever definite record of hot cross buns. On trying to trace if these buns were made earlier than 18th century London, records of recipes come to a blank.

Source:https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/hot-cross-buns-363471

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More of interest are the numerous traditions and beliefs surrounding these “hot cross” buns. While one says that buns baked and served on Good Friday will not spoil or grow mouldy during the subsequent year, others encourage keeping these buns purely for medicinal purposes or are carried along for long sea voyages to protect against shipwreck. Few kitchens may have a “hanging hot cross bun” which gets replaced every year, done so as to protect against fires and ensure that all breads turn out to be perfect and exquisite.

Be it the Lent season or not, hot cross buns are one of the best spiced buns are to have, especially hot or toasted ( or cold as per preference). The more the variety, the better. Moreover, one doesn’t need to wait for the right time to indulge that heavenly taste and flavour. With creative flavourings on the rise, these buns are definitely worth a try.

Source:https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/hot-cross-bun-loaf/

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One of the most widely acclaimed stage movies which was previously made as a musical is “The Phantom of the Opera (2004)”.It was originally based on Gaston Leroux’s novel “Le Fantôme de l’Opéra“.The setting of novel was based on the rumours that Leroux had heard about an actual Paris opera house from the time it was constructed.

However what struck me in the entire book and movie was that the story revolved around characters who were masked onstage i.e. a masquerade. In fact on going through the lyrics from “Masquerade” song enacted in the scenes of the opera, it is impossible not to wonder if our lives revolve like one huge masquerade ball.
“Masquerade!Paper faces on parade.
Masquerade!Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade!Every face a different shade.
Masquerade!Look around,there’s another mask behind you!
Flash of mauve,Splash of puce.
Fool and king,Ghoul and goose.
Green and black,Queen and priest.
Trace of rouge,Face of beast, Faces.
Take your turn.Take a ride.
On a merry – go – round In an inhuman race…….”

At times our life resembles like a masquerade party; rich with excitement and grandiosity, filled with enigma and spectacles!! Yet the reality is that we live in a world where very often people adorn their masks as a shield to their true self. This begs the question: Who to trust ? Who to believe ? Who is who ? is it another facade, another mask to hide behind?
In fact, St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “¹⁴And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.¹⁵It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 New International Version (NIV))

It is a sad and lonely game we play hiding the real us, masking ourselves with different masks and hiding the real authentic us. In fact, the real “us” is shadowed by the more tempting aspects of the world namely power, fame, strength, meanness and worst of all, “the people pleaser” or the doormat mask. Do we need the masks or do we don on the mask using the pretext of society ? The answer may be difficult but will echo our characters from within.