New year wreath

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The Münsterländer New Year's wreath is part of the classic New Year's pastry . Its shape and ingredients have a strong symbolic meaning.

origin

Munsterländer New Year's wreath

Bread is one of the oldest and most important human foods. In addition, it also has strong symbolic meaning. In North Rhine-Westphalia and especially in the Münsterland , it is a tradition to give away pastries as lucky charms on various holidays and festivals in order to pass on a special blessing to families, friends and acquaintances. So there is, for example, at Easter, the Easter bread, Easter wreath or Easter cakes to Nicholas the Stutenkerl and the birth of a child to Kroamstuten .

The New Year's wreath has a long tradition in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a special form of the widespread New Year's pastry . It is a yeast pastry woven from several, sometimes different strands of dough, which is traditionally baked at the turn of the year and given away to acquaintances and friends who you meet on New Year's Day. It should accompany the recipient into the new year with good wishes.

The tradition of the New Year's wreath is also known in Saarland . The godchild has to visit their godparent or godmother on New Year's Day and wish them a Happy New Year. It says the following saying: "Cheers Neijoohr, e pretzel like e Scheierdoor, e wreath like e Oweplatt, do werre ma allegar vun full." (High German: Happy New Year, a pretzel like a barn door, a wreath like a stove top, we're all fed up.). Boys usually get a yeast pretzel, girls the yeast wreath.

ingredients

The wreath consists of a yeast dough , which is made from different types of light flour in the classic preparation. In addition to wheat flour, whole wheat flour , spelled flour and whole spelled flour can be used. The ratio of wholemeal flours to the other flours should be 1: 3. The dough is prepared as a classic yeast dough with yeast, milk and a little butter and then, after kneading, divided into mostly three strands of dough. The strands of dough are filled with raisins, marzipan, chopped almonds, chopped pistachios and brandy.

Meaning of the wreath

The ingredients that are used in the wreath, as well as the wreath shape, have symbolic meaning:

  • The first strand of dough is filled with a mixture of marzipan, almonds, pistachios and brandy. It stands for joy and happiness that the new year should bring to the recipient.
  • Raisins are kneaded in the second strand. They stand for health and strength. The third strand has no other additives in the bread dough and stands for naturalness, grounding, reflection on the essentials and yourself.
  • The wreath shape stands for a successful year. The network makes it clear that all three elements are needed for the year to be successful: joy, happiness, health, strength but also a good feeling for yourself, your own needs, recognizing your own limits and potential and staying true to yourself.

literature

  • Manfred Becker-Huberti: Celebrations, festivals, seasons p. 163 ff, ISBN 3451260352

Web links