The Feast of Saint Lucy, the patron saint of sight, was just celebrated on December 13. Before the Gregorian calendar skewed time, her feast was celebrated on the winter solstice. The story of Saint Lucy is much like many of the stories of early Christian martyrs. A young girl living in a pagan world (in her case, Sicily) yearns to be a bride of Christ, but is promised by her wealthy parents to marry a man. In one legend she is punished for her love by having her eyes gouged out. In another, she does the job herself. Images of Saint Lucy usually show her with her eyes on a plate.

Of course the name Lucy, or Lucia, also reminds us of light, something in short supply on the winter solstice. Saint Lucy is one of countless myths that was re-interpreted through the lens of Christianity. Once we become attached to the details of our stories, we often forget about their mystical roots. Fortunately, they can be retrieved in food.

Saint Lucy is widely celebrated in Sweden. The tradition holds that the eldest girl of a household rises first, wears a white dress with a red sash, places an evergreen wreath and candles atop her head, and serves a breakfast of saffron buns and coffee to her family. In Stockholm, a girl is chosen to play Lucia and the tradition holds that whomever won the Nobel Prize for Literature (celebrated just three days before Saint Lucy’s feast) publicly crowns her.

The buns are called lussekatter, and much like Saint Lucy herself, the saffron was also exported from Sicily in the early Middle Ages. Saffron represented the golden light that would gradually increase in the days following Saint Lucy’s feast. They also recall the ancient Viking tradition of offering bread shaped like the sun to their deities on the solstice.

Lussekatter

• 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 packages of yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups raisins

Combine 1/2 cup of the flour with the sugar, salt, and yeast. Over low heat warm the milk and butter together. Combine the saffron and the flour mixture and beat on medium for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs and another 1/2 cup of flour. Beat for 2 more minutes at high speed. Stir in the remaining flour and continue to beat until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Put the dough on a floured board and knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl (olive oil will do) and leave to rise in a warm place, covered with a cloth until it doubles in size. Punch dough down, turn over, and let rise again.

Turn onto floured board. Shape into 3 inch rolls. Cut off pieces of dough about 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Form them into ”X” shapes and then dot with raisins. (See the image below for a variety of beautiful shapes.) Cover and let them sit for about an hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes.

The original image can be seen at http://annapernilla.blogspot.com/2008/12/lussekatter.html