Tradition of Eastern Europe: butter in the form of lambs

12 april 2015

Colored eggs are a standard attribute of Easter for many families. Moreover, what about butter in the form of a lamb?

This Easter tradition is very popular with families of eastern European origin. Initially such forms of butter were handmade and virtually at home. Then companies, producing butter and dairy products, adopted such way to decorate their products.

Susan Wagner from Denmark, whose family owns Danish Maid, producing butter, says that prior to 1970 workers on their milk factory laid butter in wooden forms, and then immersed in ice water, to fix the form. Such work was very time-consuming.

Today Wagner continues to use forms of wood, but since then the process has been updated and automated. Before sending to the groceries, butter is packaged in special plastic boxes. This year for the Easter season they manufactures about 155 000 units.

The same production appeared and in the US. This year butter factory in Chicago began manufacturing mould-made butter two months before the holiday. It is already on sale in eight states throughout the Middle West and East coast.

Pastry or butter in the form of lambs are widespread in Easter gift baskets and on festive tables abroad.