Assumption Day and First Fruits

August 15, the feast of the Assumption, is a harvest feast day and associated with "first fruits". We are reminded that Mary goes before us in Faith and also as a first fruit of the Resurrection, of which all the faithful will experience at the end of time (1 Corinthians 15:20-21). In many Catholic counties Assumption Day marks the period for invoking blessings on various "fruits" or fruiting plants - - particularly vineyards/grapes, fruit trees, grains, and herbs.

One idea is to serve "First Fruits" shortcake and topped with whipped cream - symbolizing the clouds of the sky in scenes depicting Mary being raised into heaven. You can use a variety of fruits on packaged shortcake cups.

A very simple idea along the same lines is a fresh fruit tray with whipped cream for dipping.

Grapes are especially associated with the feast of the Assumption. Armenian communities all over the world bless grapes on Assumption Day. Great trays are piled high with ripe grapes and carried to church, where they receive the blessings of the priest. Since grapes so often have this prominence in Assumption feasting we will often have this refreshing grape enhanced salad on this feast day.

Silverglade Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

6 cups spinach, rinsed and stemmed

6 ounces cheese, shredded or cut into julienne strips (Cheddar or Jack or combo)

2 cups seedless grapes, halved

Dressing:

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons brown sugar

4 slices bacon, fried crisp, drained, & crumbled

2 green onions, sliced thin

Directions:

To prepare dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil. mustard, and brown sugar. Stir in bacon pieces and onion. Refrigerate. In a large bowl combine spinach, cheeses, and grapes. Toss with dressing. 

O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary, Pray for us. 

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King St. Louis IX, French Food, & Hospitality

King St. Louis, Feast Day: August 25

St. Louis, king of France from to 1236-1270, was known for his generosity and hospitality. Every day King Louis had 13 special guests from among the poor to eat with him, and a large number of poor were served meals near his palace. During Advent and Lent, all who presented themselves were given a meal, and Louis often served them in person. To remember King St. Louis of France on his feast day let us recall his hospitality with a French dish.   Ratatouille is a hearty French dish and the vegetable ingredients are abundant now in late summer.  It seems a fitting dish to prepare in honor of King St. Louis and experience a little French cuisine.  And in the spirit of King St. Louis, invite some guests to share the meal with you. 

Easy French Ratatouille

Makes 4-6 servings

1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onions
2 medium bell peppers
3-4 medium zucchini
2 large tomatoes
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1/8 cup loosely packed basil, sliced into ribbons
Salt and pepper

Peel the eggplant (if desired) and chop into bite-sized cubes. Transfer them to a strainer set over a bowl and toss with a tablespoon of salt. Let the eggplant sit while preparing other  ingredents. Dice the onions and chop the peppers, zucchinis, and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Mince garlic. Veggies will be cooked in batches. 

Warm a teaspoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and salt to taste. Sauté until the onions have softened and are just beginning to brown, (approx. 10 minutes). Add the peppers and continue cooking until the peppers have softened (approx. 5 minutes). Transfer the onions and peppers to a clean bowl.

Add another teaspoon of oil to the pot and sauté the zucchini with a generous pinch of salt until the zucchini has softened and is beginning to brown (approx. 5 minutes). Transfer the zucchini to the bowl with the onions and peppers.

Rinse the eggplant under running water and squeeze the cubes gently with hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to pan and sauté the eggplant until it has softened and has begun to turn translucent (approx. 10 minutes). Transfer the eggplant to the bowl with the other vegetables.

During cooking, a brown glaze will build on the bottom of the pan. If it looks like this glaze is starting to blacken, turn down the heat. To dissolve the glaze between batches add 1/4 cup of water or wine into the pan and scraping up the glaze. Pour the deglazing liquid into the bowl with the vegetables.

Finally add 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the pan and sauté the minced garlic until starting to turn golden. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and sprigs of thyme. As the tomato juice bubbles, scrape up the brown glaze on the bottom of the pan.

Add all of the vegetables back into the pan and stir until everything is evenly mixed. Bring the stew to a simmer, then turn down the heat to low. Stirring occasionally, simmer for at least 20 minutes or up to 90 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Just before taking the ratatouille off the heat, stir in the basil.   Bon appetit!

St. Louis, Pray for us!

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Root Vegetable Harvest Recipes for October Saints

October is late harvest time all over the world. The Polish especially have a tradition of emphasizing the and celebrating the harvest season. Late September usually brings frost, so most often only the root crops, like cabbage, turnips, beets and carrots and perhaps some grains are being harvested in October. Old Polish legends talk about harvesting these late root crops and sowing of winter wheat on or just after October 16 which is St. Hedwig’s Day or Sw. Jadwiga in Poland. She is a patroness of Poland and it is said that she sweetens these crops if they are left until that date. 

Sw. Jadwiga, jesli deszcz nie pada
To do kapusty Pan Bog miodunada.

On St. Hedwig's, if it's not raining
God grants honey to the cabbage.

Another mid-October feast is tied into Polish harvest lore. It is also said that by St. Luke's Day (Sw. Lukasz), October 18 all the work in the field should have been completed. They might chant:  "Sw. Lukasz day, co w polu szukasz?" (Translated: "On St. Luke's Day, what are you looking for in the fields?"). And of course there is St. John Paul II's feast on October 22. 

So to celebrate the late harvest season and the root vegetables, to recognize a couple October saint feast days, and give a nod to my Polish heritage, I have a couple hearty recipes to share. 

Roasted Root Vegetables 

1 T olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 turnip, peeled and diced
1 yam or sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 t dried rosemary
1 t dried thyme
1 pinch salt
1/2 t black pepper
1-2 T balsamic vinegar, optional for drizzling.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a baking sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to combine. Place mixture on a baking sheet and bake approximately 30 minutes. Turn vegetables every 10 minutes until vegetables are tender and slightly browned. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving.
Makes 6 servings.

Polish people make a lot of zupa (soups), and starting with the cold weather and the harvest, soup is a wonderful addition to any meal.  Here is one that combines some of the root vegetables that are common in Polish fare.

Cabbage Kielbasa Soup

1 small head cabbage, shredded
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
4 cups water
3 T cider vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 pound Kielbasa sausage, halved, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, chopped
1 t caraway seeds
1/2 t pepper

In a Dutch oven or large kettle, saute the cabbage, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add water, vinegar and brown sugar to cabbage mixture.  Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 60-70 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes 8-10 servings.

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St. Peter in Chains Feast Day Bread

"Liberation of St. Peter" by Murillo

"On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter, secured by double chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison. Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, “Get up quickly.” The chains fell from his wrists." ~Acts 12:6-7

The feast of St. Peter in Chains was a feast day commemorated on August 1st to recall St. Peter's miraculous release from imprisonment and the dedication in the 4th century of the church Pietro in Vincoli - St. Peter in Chains in Rome . The church holds the reliquary containing the chains of St. Peter.

The feast day is no longer on the current liturgical calendar but definitely one that can be recognized. I think the imagery of chains is very vivid - one that makes an impression, so would be good to talk about and discuss with our children. 

This feast was also called "Lammas Day" or "Loaf Mass Day" because this day was offered as thanksgiving for the wheat harvest, used for the bread that becomes the Eucharist. Florence Berger discusses the connections between the liturgical year and agrarian life.

Bread is the most common product made from wheat – it is used to celebrate in all cultures and is symbolic of life and abundance.  We have discussed its significance in past posts here; Staples of Our Feastday Celebrations Part One: Bread and Bread – A Staple of the Liturgical Year Celebrations.  So making a bread of some sort to commemorate this day would be appropriate. And shaping it into links to form a bread chain uses that vivid image to a dramatic culinary advantage. Use any bread or pretzel recipe, such as the one suggested by Jessica in her St. Peter’s Keys post or even a pre-made refrigerator dough in a pinch.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 package yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

4 cups flour

1 egg (optional)

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in warm water.  Add the sugar and salt.  Mix in the flour and knead until the dough is smooth.  Roll out dough and form into desired shape - in this case into links. Connect the links to form a chain. Brush the dough with a beaten egg for a golden finish if desired. Bake in a preheated oven at 425˚F for 15 minutes.

Another idea that came to mind with the chain shaped dough was to place it along the outside ring of a pizza crust so the pizza would be circled in chain. A dinner idea for the feast day. Blessings to all!

~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Because of the symoblism of this feast and since St. Peter is their patron, The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter has asked all of its apostolates around the world to dedicate Friday, August 1 to a day of prayer and penance for the Christians who are suffering terrible persecution in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East.

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Fruits of the Harvest Fair

You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.
~Isaiah 9:3

Today at Catholic Cuisine we rejoice in the Lord, as we enjoy and share glimpses into the harvest happenings in our homes. Fall, because of it's focus on harvest and preparation for the winter, has traditionally been a time for giving thanks for the bounty of gifts we have received. Whether that bounty is grown in the field or orchard or hunted on the land we rejoice in God's goodness and generosity. Enjoy the fruits of this fair. We hope it holds ideas for you to use with your bounty.

Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.~ Mark 4: 28-29

Ana Braga-Henebry's Journal deliciously chronicles the entire harvest of the bounties of their splendid garden over the last several months. From this week's yummy pesto back through their season of fruitful harvesting, you can see the joy this abundance has brought them.

Jessica’s gang had an opportunity to share in the harvest of plums at the home of their priest earlier in the season. There is so much joy in the faces of these little harvesters - truly a reminder to enjoy these gifts with the heart of a little child. And here is the recipe for plum cobbler that they made with them. Looks delish!
Fruits of the vine, a product that is very much a part of our faith. Michaela shares the abundance of the fruits of her grape vine. A harvest being enjoyed by many.

When talking about the fruits of the harvest here in North America, no discussion it seems would be complete with mention of apples and pumpkins. They seem almost synonymous with autumn bounty.

Jenn first reflects with gratitude on the bounties of her own garden (tomatoes) and of the nearby community farms (apples & pumpkins). It has given her a time to remember in prayer a friend as well as a time to plan for making some favorite recipes. She shares a great outing the family took this weekend where they revelled in the apple and pumpkin harvest.

Mary of St. Athanasius Academy is also enjoying the bounty of that region. They recently relocated to an area rich in apple orchards, something quite lacking in the state they left behind. So they are enjoying the harvest of this basic and delicious fruit and tell all about the fun family trip to the orchard.

With the bounty of these particular fruits of the harvest and sometimes an overabundance, it is always helpful to have some recipes to enjoy.

Dawn's Apple Crisp sounds like the perfect fall treat.

JoAnne has a helpful and easy to follow Apple Pie tutorial.

Amazing and scrumptious come to mind with Donna's Apple Dumplings.

Michele was surprised by how simple yet delicious this pumpkin bread was to bake.

Pumpkins being a particular favorite at our house, I have included some of the favorite pumpkin recipes of our family.


The fruits of the harvest often come in great abundance. With that abundance comes a need to preserve and save much of the fruit for the future days when the earth is barren of the fresh fruits.

Jodie is new to the blogging world, her blog created especially to be able to participate in the fairs. Welcome, Jodie. She will be well prepared for the months to come considering this very complete post on food prep, preserving, and storing . She also shares a touching tribute to her grandmother, at whose side she learned the skills that serve her well in preserving and putting up the bounty of the harvest. And personally, I love the geographic reflections on living in the high desert. This is the area where I grew up and I was feeling a bit nostalgic reading it.
Marci is quite a pro when it comes to putting up fresh foods. Here she shares the basics and helpful tips for a variety of food preservation methods. It's listed by specific foods. What a fun and busy place her kitchen is in the fall.

Angi shares her gratitude for the generous friends and family who shared the abundance of bounty with them. This enabled Angi to can and freeze quite a bit of the frutis for future use.
This site was suggested by a reader as a helpful resource for canning.

We also have several contributed posts on the bounty we receive from the animals.

The Bee is small among flying creatures but her produce is the best of sweet things. ~Sirach 11:3

Another fun fruit of the harvest we don't always think of is honey, which does come from a very small animal. Septmeber is the traditional honey harvest and Donna shares a great outing to an aviary watching a beekeeper in action. Just look at all that beautiful golden goodness.

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. ~Genesis 10:9
Trina tells us of the bounty of a successful hunt in the way only a proud mama can do. She also shares a couple recipes for enjoying this bounty.

One is from a friend:
Put venison or elk roast in the crock pot with onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon & water/ or beef broth, and Seasoning salt. Cook all day, then shred and use as taco meat,Enchilada meat, put in Mexican soup, or even stew.

And this one from allrecipes.com:
Again put roast in the crock pot and add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix, and 1 1/2 c. water. Serve over noodles.

Theresa is experiencing her first autumn in Alaska and was the recipient of a generous gift from a friend's hunting bounty. Here she shares that she is grateful for the bounty and now is looking for ideas and recipes for using it. Check the comments for some readers’ recipes.

And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, nor shall you gather the gleaning after your harvest; you shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God. ~Leviticus 23:22

And on a final note, I wanted to share an experience that my children and I had last week when we helped to glean a farmer's field. It really brought home the idea of being thankful for our bounty and the call we have as Christians to share of that bounty.

Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.

We hope you have enjoyed the fair. If you have contributions to add, I'll continue to take submissions and insert them into the fair.

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Fruits of the Harvest Fair Reminder

Just reminder about the upcoming From Thy Bounty Fair which will be published here on Monday.

The Fruits of Our Harvest (October 13): How do you give thanks? What do you do with the bounties of your harvest? Whether you grow your own, shop at the farmer’s market, visit an orchard, or hunt off the land you are benefiting from the bounties of God’s creation. Let's share our recipes, ideas, and thoughts on the bounties that God provides. I will be hosting the fair here on Monday. Submit your blog links, ideas, or pictures to me at Trail_trekkers at comcast dot net or leave them here in the comments section.

Looking forward to the wonderful array of fall bounty you will share, whether it be fall menus, putting up preserves, baking, freezing, drying, or simply enjoying the bounty in its natural fresh picked state in the moment. And it doesn't have to be a post you did this year. Past posts are welcome.

You adorn the year with your bounty; your paths drip with fruitful rain.

The untilled meadows also drip; the hills are robed with joy.

The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys blanketed with grain; they cheer and sing for joy.

~Psalms 65:12-14

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