The hot cross bun: There's more than meets the eye to this Easter treat
It's Easter, and the time has come to gorge oneself on a whole load of sugary treats as per centuries of tradition.
One of these is the hot cross bun, wafting on supermarket and bakery shelves with a fruity aroma that sends many of us giddy before we've even shoved it down our gob.
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For those who don't know, it's a sweet bun that traditionally has currants or raisins, plus spices such as cinnamon baked into it, with icing shaped in a cross for the Christian holiday. Dabble a bit of butter on top and it is pure magic.
The treat has become an easter staple in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the British Isles, where you can't turn your head without having one shoved in your face, because it's Easter, remember?
Before you dig in, here's what you should know about this baked treat.
You're meant to only eat them on Good Friday
You'll likely see them on sale in supermarkets as early as January, but traditionally hot cross buns are only meant to be eaten on Good Friday. You've already had one, haven't you.
It's not surprising that many of us have sticky fingers, shovelling these down in the months and weeks before the traditional day -- because it's far too good to be kept as a once-a-year treat.
Selling hot cross buns outside of certain days was once a crime
If this rule existed today, supermarkets wouldn't know how to fill the gap between Christmas and Easter.
Under Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1592, the London Clerk of Markets ruled that selling hot cross buns on any day except Christmas, Good Friday or at burials was an offence punishable by giving them all to the poor. Hot cross buns, smashing capitalism since the 16th century.
They can save you from shipwrecks and bad cooking
The hot cross bun isn't just a sweet treat, because according to superstition it is the bringer of good luck. For instance, if you bake them on Good Friday they won't go off or mouldy for one year. You can kiss refrigeration and preservatives goodbye.
Feeling a little bit off yourself? Shred them and you'll be cured from your ills. If you're planning your next voyage to the East Indies to secure a shipment of cotton and indigo, then a few buns will save your boat from shipwreck.
Terrible at cooking? Hang these in your kitchen and you'll be protected from fires and ensure perfectly baked bread. Yes, a few of these around the house will save you from the scorn of your entire family who are convinced you still eat microwaved dinners.
Bakers protested about the early sale of hot cross buns in Australia
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Long-time fodder for mindless television discussion and social media outrage, the argument against the early sale of hot cross buns is a trite excuse to pen a rant laden with exclamation marks on Facebook.
Knowing this, bakers took to the streets of Melbourne in December 2015 to protest against the early baking of hot cross buns, in what may have been a clever publicity stunt. These bakers argued that releasing them to the people early was devaluing the tradition of having them for Easter, making them just another product.
Also the Easter bunny needed a break, apparently, even though we're pretty sure it just deals with eggs.
You can buy hot cross bun flavoured gin
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If you're thinking of making your Easter a little more adult, here's a way to turn it right up.
In the UK, you can now buy gin that tastes like hot cross buns. Described as a "beautiful gin infusion with citrus, sultanas and Easter spices" -- it's certainly an improvement to the duty-free Midori in the kitchen that's too embarrassing to take to a dinner party. Give it to us now, please.
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