Category: Worldwise

Passover, which is known as ‘Pesach’ in Hebrew, begins this Friday.  Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt.

During the first two nights, Passover is celebrated with a home ritual known as the Passover seder.  The seder, which means ‘order’ in Hebrew, is celebrated around a dinner table and includes the retelling of the Passover story from the Torah (which is the Old Testament.)  The food and wine is blessed, Passover symbols are deciphered and freedom and social justice is discussed, all while singing and eating takes place.

Food is enormously important at Passover and carries much symbolism, history and culinary expression. Here are a few of the platters that are served and what they represent:

Matzah

Matzah is unleavened bread eaten during Passover. When the Israelites learned that the pharaoh had given them leave to exit Egypt, they didn’t want to wait for their bread to rise in case he changed his mind.  Therefore matzah symbolised the Jewish people’s hasty transition to freedom.

Karpas

Karpas is a green leafy vegetable, usually parsley, which represents the fact that the Jews initially thrived when they got to Egypt.  It was only with the commencement of the reign of a new pharaoh, who was threatened by the growing size of the Israelite community, that they were enslaved.  This turn of events is commemorated during the Seder by dipping the karpas into bitter salt water, which represents the tears shed by the Israelites.

Charoset

This is a paste-like mixture of fruits, nuts and sweet wine or honey.  It is symbolic of the mortar used by the Israelite slaves when they laid bricks for the pharaohs’s monuments. 

If you have any Jewish friends, don’t forget to say ‘chag sameach’ to them which translates to ‘happy festival’ and is the Hebrew equivalent of ‘happy holidays.’

Maybe we should consider a new Israeli Munchachos snack based on one of these traditional meals? What do you think? Or do you have any suggestions for our next country of inspiration?

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

Did you see our Instagram posts about our new Belgian-inspired Brussels Sprouts flavour posted on April 1^st? Well, guess what? We’re not producing any such thing! APRIL FOOL! We wouldn’t subject you to that. Brussels Sprouts are reserved for Christmas, and Christmas only! 

But what is April Fools’ Day and what are its origins?

Like so many dates in the British calendar, its roots remain a bit of a mystery. 

Some historians attribute its origins to France and the fact that April 1^st used to be the first day of the year until it was changed to January 1^st when the Julian calendar switched to the Gregorian calendar. Because the world was a bit of a different place in the 16^th Century and information wasn’t so easy to come by, the people that didn’t know about the new system became the butt of jokes and hoaxes.  

Others consider the origins of the date to be found in the bible. It is written that Noah mistakenly sent a dove out of the ark on the 1^st April before the water had abated. To mark this error, the tradition began of sending messengers out on an unnecessary errand on 1^st April.

Another origin story is from Ancient Rome where people dressed up in disguises to mark the festival of Hilaria at the end of March.  

These days the date is marked with much hilarity throughout the media.  The press prints nonsense stories and social media is awash with pranks, such as the British Transport Police’s Tweet yesterday:

Fed up of having to endure stinky sandwiches and smelly snacks on trains?

As part of new anti-social behaviour legislation, those caught eating offensive food items while in transit could face a penalty fare of up to £2,000.

Check before you travel 👉 https://t.co/kePXd0M6Yz pic.twitter.com/Or9LRThRsw

— British Transport Police (@BTP) April 1, 2019

Did you fall for our prank? Or were you disappointed that we’re not producing a Brussels Sprouts flavoured children snack? 

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.

This year, the 20^th March marks the Spring Equinox, which is officially the First Day of Spring. Hooray! 

The term ‘equinox’ means ‘equal night’ and indicates that date upon which the daytime and nightime have equal lengths. From this date on the days will become longer and the nights shorter as we head towards the summertime and the warmer weather.  

The Spring Equinox also marks the beginning of Nowruz, a 13-day celebration of the Persian New Year. They spring clean and then celebrate with lavish feasts whilst the children pain eggs that represent fertility.  On the last Tuesday before the Equinox, they jump over bonfires which symbolises the leap into new year and the feeling of renewal that the new year offers.

Furthermore in Mexico’s Yucatan Penninsular, including at Chichen Itza which appears on our delicious Mexican snacks, people gather to celebrate the entrance of the sun god. Every year on the spring equinox, the light of the sun makes a play of light and shadow which makes it look like a serpent in slithering along the steps of the pyramid.

We are just looking forward to a bit more heat and to enjoying our tasty adventures in the sun! Welcome Spring – we salute you! 

Sign up to Munchachos here and download our FREE app to explore, have fun, learn loads and get worldwise.