The most festive baking season is on, with most homes in Greece and the diaspora setting out to prepare their vasilopita, the Greek good luck cake for New Years Eve.
The sweet, often bread-like cake is only made for the new year celebrations and recipes for this cake differ depending on the region of Greece one is from. There are two dominant recipes for Vasilopita, one being a tsoureki-style bake with its origins in Asia Minor and the other a vanilla/lemon like cake (the recipe varies) sprinkled with with caster sugar and cinnamon or cacao, more commonly seen in Central Greece.
Dedicated to St. Basil (Vasili), Greek Orthodox Church’s version of Santa Claus, the cake is baked with a hidden coin, that is meant to bring fortune, love and health to the person that ends up eating the piece the coin landed in.
Before baking, the trinket is put into the dough. In most homes, a new year’s prayer is shared when the cake is being cut. The cake is then split into slices for each family member and guest, with the recipients queuing up from oldest to youngest. Until everyone has received their piece, no one is allowed to dig into their own slice. The head of the household cuts a cross into the vasilopita, usually when the clock strikes midnight, and then proceeds to cut a slice for the divine and each person present. The first piece is dedicated to Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, and the third to the house or St. Basil. The one who gets the coin in their slice, is said to have good luck brought upon them for the next 12 months.
Why a coin?
Born in Caesarea, Cappadocia in 330 AD, St Basil was born into a wealthy family. He went on to study theology in Constantinople, and built the Basiliad church outside Caesarea of which he became Bishop. His philanthropic nature, led him to distribute his wealth among the poor.
One day however, a siege was brought upon the city. With no wealth to hand over to the enemy as ransom, St Basil had to call upon the community for their help. They jumped at the chance, handing over anything of value they had, including gold and jewels. The enemy was so touched by their generosity, he withdrew his threats.
Once the treasures had all been mixed, it was difficult to know who owned each piece of gold and jewels. So to make it fair, St Basil requested that his deacons bake small loaves of bread, placing a piece of treasure at the centre of each. Miraculously, the recipients each ended up with the treasures that were rightfully theirs.
Since then the tradition has evolved, with the treasure a coin placed in the centre followed across the Greek diaspora, and in many Balkan and Eastern European countries where it is not associated with St Basil.
source : https://neoskosmos.com
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