The Spanish language dictionary of the Royal Academy, in its 1783 edition, already includes this meaning for the word mona: “Valencia and Murcia. The cake or donut that is baked in the oven with eggs placed in it in their shells for Easter, which in other places they call hornazo.” However, its origin could well be another, Mona “munna” in Arabic, which means gift.
Since ancient times, in many cultures the egg was a symbol of birth and resurrection. The Egyptians buried eggs in their tombs, and the Greeks placed them on the graves. From the Romans is the proverb “all life comes from an egg.” Legend says that the job of the person who helped Christ carry the cross to Calvary, Simon the Cyrenean, was selling eggs. It is evident that when the Church began to celebrate the Resurrection, back in the second century, it did not have to look far to find a popular, easily identifiable symbol.
The vestiges of egg-mona among the rich were wrapped in gold leaf; The common people dyed them with color with cochineals, or boiled them with leaves, flowers or bark.
In 1880, in Germany, Easter eggs had the value of a birth certificate. Once the egg was dyed with an indelible color, an inscription with the name and date of birth of the boy or girl was engraved on the shell. These Easter eggs were reliable proof of the identity of the individual.
In the 18th century, the Easter cake in Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia was already the traditional gift from the godfather to his godson, and the number of eggs corresponded to the child’s age up to twelve. At that moment, and as the final point of this gift, the number of eggs rose to thirteen. The cake that accompanied them was a simple pastry confection, known as coca or Easter roll, although it could take various forms, as was the case in France with the “pains d’épice”.
For boomers, the monkey is made of boiled egg, embedded in a brioche with keys, almost always zoomorphic; sometimes fish, sometimes duck and even fardatxo.
It was a common gift during the Easter holidays. The Pascuero kit was made up of mona, Easter sausage, lettuce, spring onion… Wrapped in a bag with the traditional checkered scarf. He would go to the river to have a snack, jump rope and climb the bucket as a family.
During these days, traditional ovens and pastry shops in the city of Valencia are in full activity. In one week they bill almost 3% of the entire year, based on artisanally made cakes, panquemaos and raisin and nut cakes. In this there is no trick or cardboard, as there is in large stores.
For 37 years, the Guild of Bakers and Pastry Chefs of Valencia has been distinguishing the best ovens in these specialties. The winners of this edition have been:
Horno Moreno Ponce C/ del Dr. Gil y Morte, 10 in València, best “Traditional Easter Mona”
Oven l’Artesana C/ de la Barcelonina, 10 de Valencia, best “Panquemao”
Masanet Oven Avd. del Cardenal Benlloch, 71 in Valencia, best “Raisin and Walnut Cake”
San Antonio de Benagéber Oven, best innovation “Matcha and Mandarin Tea Panquemao”, and also won the award for best “Artistic Mona”
But here I leave you my lifelong infallibles:
THE BEST EASTER CUTES
Forn de Manuela C/ Benidorm, 12 Barrio de Campanar
Ovens Cifre Solaz Avd. Constitución, 246 Valencia / Avd. de Campanar, 5
Forn de les netas de Rafelet C/ Alta del Mar, 61 Barrio de Nazaret
German Furnace C/ Major, 132 Nazareth Ward
La Tahona del Abuelo C/ Gorgos, 6 / Los Ángeles, 84 / Conde de Alaquàs, 1 Cabanyal
Bakery-Pastry Maria Velarte C/ de l’Alqueria d’Asnar, 3 Pobles del Sud (Castellar)
THE BEST PANCAKES
Forn de les netas de Rafelet C/ Alta del Mar, 61 Barrio de Nazaret
Oven Cifre Solaz Avd. Constitución, 246 Valencia / Avd. de Campanar, 5
La Tahona del Abuelo C/ Gorgos, 6 / Los Ángeles, 84 / Conde de Alaquàs, 1 Cabanyal
Oven de Vicente García Avd. Old Kingdom, 6 Valencia
Forn Llàtzer C/ Aparicio Albiñana, 5 Valencia.
Oven San Pablo Avd. Baró de Cárcer, 25 Valencia
THE BEST RAISIN AND WALNUT CAKES
Oven de Vicente García Avd. Old Kingdom, 6 Valencia
Forn de Manuela C/ Benidorm, 12 Barrio de Campanar
Oven Cifre Solaz Avd. Constitución, 246 Valencia / Avd. de Campanar, 5
Oven San Pablo Avd. Baró de Cárcer, 25 Valencia
Forn de les netas de Rafelet C/ Alta del Mar, 61 Barrio de Nazaret
La Tahona del Abuelo C/ Gorgos, 6 / Los Ángeles, 84 / Conde de Alaquàs, 1 Cabanyal
