Jidáše

The story

Jidáše take their name from Jidáš, the Czech form of Judas. The usual explanation, repeated by Czech food writers, is that the twisted rolls and coils recall the rope with which Judas hanged himself. Families made them in Holy Week, some on Škaredá středa, the Wednesday before Easter, others on Zelený čtvrtek, Green Thursday, which in 2027 falls on March 25. On Green Thursday they were eaten spread with honey. Folk belief held that honey eaten that day protected a person from snake bites and wasp stings, and another saying promised good health to anyone who ate jidáše at sunrise. Green Thursday is also the day when, in Czech tradition, the church bells fly to Rome, and wooden rattles call people to Mass in their place. The Mining Museum in Příbram, in central Bohemia, describes jidáše as a Lenten pastry of the Příbram region, eaten spread with honey, and has published a family recipe that was shown to visitors at its Easter program in a miner's cottage at Březové Hory. Shapes vary from house to house: snails, knots, figure eights and small pretzels. Bake them on Wednesday, warm them briefly on Thursday morning, and serve with butter and coffee.