Friday 15 February 2008

Lenten Fare

Running out of ideas for suitably penitential lenten recipes? The Diocese of Arkansas has come up with a quantity of suggestions, which you can sample here.

Having looked at the recipes with more attention today, I can confirm that most of them are truly penitential: I wasn't aware that Americans are still quite so attached to canned food. All but a few recipes seem to involve combining one can with another. There is a recipe for chowder, which involves combining a can of potato soup with a can of salmon. Now that's penitential!

It reminds me of my aunt's (God rest her soul) story of an American visitor to her home; this would be in the 1960s, I should think. She went down the garden to pull some carrots, and her visitor accompanied her. Up came a fine carrot, which she placed in her trug. She heard an intake of breath at her side, followed by an appalled 'you're gonna eat that?'.

5 comments:

Hilary Jane Margaret White said...

If it weren't for beans on toast and grilled cheese sangies, I'd certainly starve in Lent.

Oh, and tinned sardines.

Nothing like a nice late night toasted sardine sandwich with lots of mayo.

Mulier Fortis said...

Ummm... lentils? I think I'll stick to bread and water, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Those "red" lentils fall apart in cooking very rapidly, so I make them into a puree. Like "mash" only orangey. Cook them with a little chopped onion, salt and pepper. They're great as a side with some kind of fish (sausage in non-Lent cooking). I yike 'em, as one of my little nephews says. I also freeze meal-sized portions for later, since I am a priest who cooks for himself (and cleans, and, and, and, and.........)

Anonymous said...

I am originally from Arkansas--from Little Rock, actually, the seat of the diocese. This post made me laugh because my grandmother's recipes always call for cans of this and that, so I never know exactly what might really be in one of her dishes.

To be fair, she also gardens and values her fresh produce above all else.

Josephus Muris Saliensis said...

Dear Hilary Jane Margaret... mayo is full of eggs, so definitely banned in Lent!

Much perseverance and holy Lenten joy to you all, with or without the excellent lentils!