A cross quarter is coming up. Feb 2, or thereabouts, depending on your tradition is a Crossquarter, a day that falls smack between a Solstice and an equinox. Various cultures around the world have various customs associated with this day. In some areas it is/was known as Imbolc, the time when ewes give birth and start producing milk. In other areas the goddess of grain was honored with bread. In other areas it was seen as the awakening of the fields, with offereings to be made to the earth for a fertile growing season. And in some religious circles it is known as candlemas, when candles are blessed, and made for the rest of the year.
Whew! And don't forget Groundhog day...or any other number of things associated with this time of year..take your pick, look out your window, investigate your heritage, look to your spiritual faith and choose which aspect is most meaningful to YOU. After all, a holy day is only what we make it!
So, when it comes to the menu...if your focus is on the milk aspect, how about a lovely sheep's milk cheese. Here is a HUGE list of available options
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Sheep%27s-milk_cheesesOf course any cheese or dairy based recipe would suit...a cream soup, a pudding for dessert. The real issue as to whether or not it's an appropriate holiday food is does it speak to YOU? Does it reconnect you to something that feeds your spirituality? The earth, our predecessors, our heritage, our dependence upon nature, etc.
If you are approaching the cereal aspect of things...make some bread, or for a twist, some home made granola. Or instead of rice..cook up some whole grain you haven't tried before, many are available, spelt, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, millet to name some of the readily available options. They cook up just like rice, one part grain to two parts water, bring to boiling, stir, turn to low heat and give them about 45 minutes to do their thing.
As you cook and eat, focus on where the food comes from, on the people who work the land, drive it to the processing plant, package it, drive it to the store, stock the shelves, etc. In your heart thank them for their efforts. Think of the generations before us and what they did to bring grain to the table. Enjoy the wholesome goodness.
Break bread with others. Sit down and have a real meal with family or friends.
Put out seed for the little creatures, the birds and squirrels (and groundhogs!)
Homemade candles anyone? I mean seriously is there ANYTHING better than the scent of beeswax?
They are easily made, buy wire core wick at your local craft shop, buy beeswax...if you can get it from a local bee keeper, it's less processed and smells like heaven. An easy way to make the candles is to use tiny jelly jars, set the wicks in place, pour the wax, you are done. Or, for a more advanced project, you can dip tapers the old fashioned way, tie the wick to a stick, dip in wax, dip in cool water, dip in wax...etc till the candle is the thickness you desire.
Then you can bless your candles, ask for guidance, protection and blessing in the upcoming cycle of seasons.
Depending on where you live, Feb 2 may signal a midpoint in winter, the beginning of spring, the hottest part of summer, or the time when the sun really seems to be returning to the sky...or making it's retreat. Go with what YOUR seasons are signaling you...and choose your recipes to feed your spirit, to connect your senses to what is taking place in your soul.
My version of that is to begin, on Feb 2, a season of austerity. Each year, at this time, I begin six weeks of "fasting"....in order to get in touch and sort out my relationship to material things, and distiguish between wants and needs. I do this in a non judgemental sense. There is nothing inherently better in feeding a need rather than a want, but it IS useful, for me, to know the difference. As the winter stores of food wanes outside, and my palate begins to weary of "winter" food, as I begin to get a little stir crazy from being stuck inside, but hopeful because the sun is rising earlier and earlier...I find it a perfect time for cleaning my house, body and soul
Basically, I simplify things, cut the fat...sort clutter, donate what's worthwhile to the local thrift store, prune my wardrobe, eat nourishing food, work on a project I've been putting off, etc. I don't have to do ALL these things, because that would not be simplifying anything. I choose a focus for the year based on what is going on with my life, but I do tend to include a food based fast of some type.
Now...I've gotten static from many people, telling me that no god, spirit, etc benefits from me going without. I agree. I don't practice my faith to appease or benefit anyone but me, it's about MY spiritual growth, MY soul.
When I fast from a food I like, this is what happens, every time I think of that food, or reach for that food I am reminded that I chose to set aside this season to look at certain spiritual issues. My not eating the food is about being reminded what I AM feeding my soul. It's like the string tied round one's finger, or a note scribbled on the palm of a hand. I also tend to wear a ring on my thumb during this season, just to remind me, when I see or feel it, of what I chose to focus on. In that way fasting is good for my soul.
And I also learn about my relationship to food, and to that particular food, and to "stuff" in general. My attitudes, attachments, preferences, and priorities...it's always interesting to see where I am with these things. I haven't yet decided what I will fast from this year, but I will share this. I don't always choose something that would be considered "bad" for me. Because that is not the point, to slip in some New Year's resolution into this, to kill two birds with one stone...hey, as long as I am fasting...may as well give up a bad habit. That is not what this is about. I may give up bananas, which I eat with breakfast everyday, there is nothing wrong with bananas, they are a habit, and not having them would be a reminder at the start of each day that I am focusing on a spiritual issue.
I also haven't chose which particular spiritual issue I will focus on. That always comes to me in time though, life and my aching soul tell me very clearly what to look at, which relationship in my life could use a little evaluation.
So, perhaps today's blog is less about recipes for particular dishes and more about recipes for life.
I'll be back in a few days with some actual food recipes for this crossquarter...minus the poached ground hog...
but today I wanted to share some food for thought.
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