Butter Lamb

Most people when they think of Easter don't exactly think of butter.The same goes for the Easter Lamb, unless your cooking it in butter you don't think of butter.I do however think of Butter at Easter time.It wasn't always so.A pound of butter molded into the shape of a lamb was not always on my list of Easter symbols.
 I recently married into a Polish family that works hard at keeping the Polish traditions, heritage and beliefs in their holiday celebrations. Expanding my knowledge of other country's customs and tradition has been a very enjoyable journey.
  I didn't realize until just recently when asked to think about butter and what it means to me that I considered butter an important Easter tradition.I did not know what the Butter Lamb represented or why it was on the table all I knew for sure was every Easter with out fail the Butter Lamb is on the table. As I write this my husband tells me it is THE LAMB OF GOD. (Why the butter molded into a lamb and not the actual lamb being passed along the table?)I have questions not always do I get answers.
  This year I was more aware of the Lamb then normal. I am sure that was because butter was on my mind.While shopping the week before Easter with Bill we stopped at the dairy case for something or other and there sitting off to the side in it's pretty yellow box with the large cellophane window saying louder and clearer then all the chocolate bunnies and colorful eggs" I am Easter" was the perfectly molded Butter Lamb.
   Easter Sunday arrives bright and beautiful,full of sunshine and holiday cheer.As we gather around the dinner table so long it runs the length of 2 rooms to accommodate us all very comfortably I notice the Lamb is not in its usual place of honor in the very center of the table.I have no fear I just know that it will soon appear on the table.
  The hostess begins to seat herself having made sure everyone is comfortable and ready for a feast.Half way down to her seat she notices the Lamb is missing. With a quick look around and even faster movements our hostess is back up and placing the Lamb proudly in its honored place.
   The Lamb in place the hostess seated we can now share the blessed egg and say grace and eat.Dishes all hot and steaming being passed from one person to another,plates filling up with amazing speed,family and friends sharing  good food,great stories and making wonderful memories.As I sit back and watch this warm and happy scene unfold before me a smile comes to my lips as I notice the Butter Lamb being passed along the length of the table,looking less and less like a Lamb with each cut of the knife.As testament to the sweet creamy taste of that butter is the quick lick of the fingers on the right hand as the left hand passed the butter dish along the table.There really is nothing better then butter no matter what the shape.
 So as it turns out when I think of Easter I think of family,colored eggs,ham and
                                                                BUTTER

If you look hard you can see what is left of the butter lamb,now about  to become  a part of dessert!

                               

Photo thanks to Kate Oleykowski