• Simnel cake
• Lamb
• Fish + poultry

• Fish is one of the foods permitted during the Lenten fast and is a symbol of the early church. Most denominations observe Friday as a day of abstinence due to it being the day of Christ’s sacrificial death. The actual day of Christ’s crucifixion was originally called God Friday but later changed to what we now know as Good Friday.



• The Lenten fast would see religious believers abstaining from meat and all meat related products such as milk, cheese and eggs ­ very much like a Vegan diet. Early Christianity associated fish with Christ, which gives us an indication as to the reasons for allowing fish to be eaten during Lent when most food was prohibited by the rules of religion.



• Many years ago, the most common fish to be eaten on Good Friday was the Red Herring because its supply was plentiful and it was cheap. However, its taste left a lot to be desired and so the offensive flavour was usually masked by lashings of mustard to make the herring more appetising.



• Up until the 19th century a small ceremony was held on Easter Sunday at Kings College in Oxford to signify the end of the fasting. This was symbolised by serving a red herring, shaped to resemble a man riding away on horseback, as the first dish at the high table.



• Fish is commonly served on Fridays in modern times thanks mainly to the connection with Good Friday and the age-old observation of abstinence.

POULTRY

• Chicken has long been a modern favourite for Easter Sunday dinner mainly due to the baby (spring) chicken being associated with birth and new life. Chicken is also less expensive than lamb these days, which helps to explain its popularity.



• In addition to Christmas, turkey is served at Easter and, for many, has become the traditional meat for Easter Sunday. Thanks to the USA, the turkey was most synonymous with Thanksgiving and Christmas. This was because it’s large enough to feed many people at any one time, which is essential at all big gatherings, and it obviously tastes delicious. Eating turkey at Easter is a relatively new custom and one that has been helped along by the traditional Christmas dinner and the turkey producing industry itself.