St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Coffee

Un caffè, per favore.

Coffee in Italy is an intrinsic part of daily culture, especially espresso. Pier Giorgio, being an Italian was very much a coffee drinker. Friends attested to spending time with him drinking coffee. He references his coffee drinking in letters. Frassiti USA has a great post about Pier Giorgio and his coffee - A Cuppa Joe/Una Tazza di Giuseppe which includes this portion of a letter to his mother. 

"Now, dear mama, I’ll tell you what I am eating and how many times. I have breakfast at 7 in the morning; bread, coffee, milk, butter and marmalade, then at 10 bread and salami or something; at one we eat and there’s always a soup, a plate of meat, vegetables and the usual potatoes and then almost always some dessert. At four in the afternoon coffee the same as at midday. So, you see, dear mama, that I am very well." 

One beautiful aspect of modern saints is how relatable they are and drinking coffee is something we can relate to. What a simple and enjoyable way to celebrate his canonization next Sunday morning - with an espresso, or cappuccino, or other coffee of your choice in honor of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. Whether you brew it home or stop in a coffee shop, let's tip a cup for St. Pier Giorgio Frassati. 

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Pray for us!

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St. Carlo Acutis Canonization Treats

A Millennial Saint and a Gen X Treat 

The first Millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, was born in 1991 and Nutella was invented/marketed in 1964 ushering in the Gen X period.  Nutella was apparently a favorite food of soon-to-be Saint Carlo Acutis. Since he is an Italian and Nutella is an Italian invention - developed by (Pietro and) Michele Ferrero (of Ferrero Rocher fame) an Italian Catholic with a devotion to Our Lady and her apparition at Lourdes - it is a simple and meaningful suggestion to celebrate his upcoming canonization (September 7) or his feast day in October (Oct. 12). 

For more information on the the Catholic connections to Ferrero Rocher and Nutella see our Catholic Cuisine post, Our Lady of Lourdes Candies.

For inspiration there are recipes here at Catholic Cuisine that are made with Nutella:
St Monica's Tears
Cream Puff Cake
Acorn Treats

And for an even more simple approach, Nutella is great as a dip, filling, or topping for many foods, so it is an easy way to celebrate the canonization or feast day. 

Get a jar and use it for dipping:

• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Apple slices
• Vanilla Wafers
• Graham Crackers
• Pretzels

Or for topping:

• Ice Cream
• Cheese cake
• Waffles
• French toast
• Crepes

Or for filling:

• Vanilla Wafers
• Graham Crackers
• Cream puffs

St. Carlo Acutis, Pray for Us!

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St. Anthony "Little Tongues" Linguini

In a recent post for St. Mark's feast day I suggested a penne pasta dish for the pasta shape symbolism of quills. As shared then, there are hundreds of kinds of Italian pastas, and each one has its own special name and the names are usually symbolic to the shapes. I am finding it fun to make a connections for creative dish or celebrations for saints and their symbols.

Linguini is a long flat pasta, (thinner and more narrow than fettucine). Linguine means “little tongues” in Italian due to this shape. It is a versatile pasta and often used with a savory seafood sauces.

 In thinking of the significance of the tongue shape for any saints, I thought of several with a tongue association. St. Anthony of Padua, whose feast is June 13 was known as a gifted preacher. When his crypt was opened, they found that the saint’s body had been reduced to dust and bones, but his tongue was intact and life-like. This was taken a sign from God confirming the ardent gifts of preaching and teaching that Saint Anthony had enjoyed on earth. There are also a couple saints who are referred to as "honey-tongued" doctors - St. Ambrose and St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Pasta is a great option because it is quick to prepare and can be paired with a prepared sauce or simple seasoning and make an easy feast day meal or side. I decided to pair some linguine with pesto for a light side dish. In addition to being delicious pesto contains basil as a main ingredient. There is a custom in Italy of giving pots of basil away on St. Anthony's feast day and so I have come to associate basil with St. Anthony. Including a basil component to the linguine increased that symbolism, but any Italian sauce or flavoring would be appropriate for this beloved saint, who died in Italy. Thinking ahead to the other possible tongue symbol saints, a honey based pasta sauce seems fitting.

So I hope you consider an easy side for St. Anthony's feast day - "little tongue" linguine in remembrance of his eloquent preaching.

St. Anthony of Padua, Pray for us!

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Canonization of Zelie and Louis Martin - Parmesan Lace Bowls

With the canonization this upcoming weekend (October 18, 2015) of Bl. Zelie and Louis Martin I was looking at additional ideas to add to the celebration. In previous posts, I suggested a couple recipes that were lace-themed because of Zelie's profession as a lace maker in the French region of Alencon. These quick and easy lacy-looking Parmesan bowls are a fun and delicious addition to the collection of "lace" foods. They make for a lovely presentation and are also edible!

Frico, or "little trifles" in Italian, are very thin and crisp disks made from small mounds of grated Parmesan, melted and cooled. They can be left as flat disks or formed into delicious edible bowls for a filling of salad, marinated vegetables, fruit, custard, or pasta.

Frico - Parmesan Bowls

Ingredients:

2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Chilled salad of choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Dump 1/3 cup cheese onto greased or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Spread into 5-6 inch circles. Put in oven and allow to brown in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden.

Working with one round at a time, quickly transfer cheese with a thin spatula to an inverted custard cup or small bowl. Repeat with the next cheese round. Cool completely, and then remove carefully.  It is suggested that you bake only 2 or 3 at a time so that you can transfer and form them quickly before they cool too much.

Let Parmesan bowls cool about 5 minutes before removing from flipped bowl. Makes approximately 6 bowls depending on desired size and consistency.

Divide prepared salad among the Parmesan bowls and serve.  As mentioned, the bowls can also be filled with fruit, custard, whipped cheeses, etc. Using a smaller amount of cheese can be made into appetizer sized bowls. I saw some recipes forming the bowl over a cork end, so that would be the size.

Bl. Zelie Martin, Pray for us.

Bl. Louis Martin, Pray for us.

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Mini Caprese Inspired Appetizers for Italian Saint Days

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It was made to resemble the colors of the Italian flag: red, white, and green. A clever Italian Flag-Shaped Caprese Salad was featured in past post. Since the salad is a specialty of the Island of Capri and the province of Calabria in southern Italy (which includes Naples) it is especially fitting for feast days of the saints associated with that region.  This week we celebrate San Gennaro (St. Januarius), the patron of Naples (September 19).  Two recent August saints, St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Philomena, are associated with the region as well. And then there is St. Pio of Pietrelcina next week who is not from the region, but is Italian, and this can definitely be for any Italian saint as well.

I came across this variation of the salad as an appetizer and with sun-dried tomatoes which I love, so decided to give it a try. They were quite delicious and make a fun feast day savory treat. Ideally, this would be made with the true mozzarella di bufala, a specialty of the Naples region.

Mini Caprese Inspired Appetizers

INGREDIENTS:

4 oz. fresh mozzarella ball, diced small
3 tablespoons oil-packed, sundried tomatoes, patted dry and diced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly chopped
1½ tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
30 Phyllo Shells
Flake sea salt, to garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In mixing bowl, combine mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes,vinegar and oil. Mix thoroughly. Fill mini shells with one heaping teaspoon of mixture. Garnish with chopped basil and flake sea salt. Serve.

You can buy the phyllo shells ready made (Ex: Athens Mini Fillo Shells) or make your own from phyllo dough. I adapted mine from this tutorial - cut them round instead of square. 

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Italian Flag-Shaped Caprese Salad

Here's an idea for any Italian Saint's Feast Day or Papal Celebration!  We used this idea to celebrate the Canonization of JPII and John XXIII this past weekend at the same time as we gathered for our Rome Pilgrimage Reunion.

 

Caprese salad is a common salad entrée found in Rome so we thought it quite fitting for an Italian feast! 

 

Don't forget that both St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis of Assisi are the 2 Patron Saints of Italy...It would be quite fitting for their feast days as well:)

It's very simple to put together and even more festive in the shape of the Italian flag!

Ingredients:

Typically, Caprese consists of  sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. It's that easy and it's so fresh and delicious!

*I used a fresh mozzarella log and Roma tomatoes for the flag so the shapes would correspond in size.*

 

Depending on your taste, balsamic vinegar may be added or a different blend of spices.  Dining in Rome, we rarely experienced it being served with vinegar.

Instructions:

Wash and gently dry fresh basil leaves and set aside.  Slice fresh mozzarella log and tomatoes of choice.  (We used Roma) Arrange according to flag colors, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Buon appetite!

 

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A Little "Pizza Italy" With St. Benedict

Since St. Benedict was born in Italy, we thought we'd bring a little "pizza Italy" into our home today.  This take-and-bake pizza makes an easy lunch or dinner on the Feast of St. Benedict.  Warning:  Your family must like olives on their pizza!  We designed our pizza, based on the Holy Cross pictured on the back of the St. Benedict medal.  Since St. Benedict had a profound veneration for the Holy Cross and for our Savior Crucified, the St. Benedict medal was made.  The Medal of St. Benedict is one of the Sacramentals of the Church.

Ingredients:

Take-and-bake cheese pizza

1 can medium olives

20 pepperoni slices

Instructions:

Prior to baking, slice olives in half (length-wise) and arrange in shape of the Benedictine cross.  Place pepperonis in the 4 corners (5 in each corner) to mimic the circles on the back of the St. Benedict medal.  These 4 large circles hold the letters C S P B standing for the Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti (The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict). Bake and enjoy! 

+Happy Feast of St. Benedict+

C.S.S.M.L 

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux 

~(May the Holy Cross be for me a light)~

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St. Joseph Sfinge (Cream Puffs)

There is a traditional Italian dessert for the Feast of St. Joseph, celebrated on March 19, called St. Joseph's Sfinge. It is a large cream puff, filled with a delicious cheese filling and topped with a cherry.

There are many recipes that can be found for St. Joseph's Sfinge, but I have decided to try the one suggested in my most treasured liturgical year cookbook, Cooking for Christ: The liturgical year in the kitchen, by Florence Berger.

She suggests for mothers to: "Let the children help with the cream puffs. Nothing is quite so dramatic in the oven. I was always timid about trying anything so fancy, but they are really not difficult."

It sounds like fun! I am looking forward to making these with my children in honor of this great saint.

St. Joseph Sfinge (Cream Puffs)

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 pound butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sifted flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel Filling

Boil water and butter. Add flour and salt. Keep stirring until mixture leaves side of pan or forms a ball in the center. Cool. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add sugar and grated peel. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough every three inches on a greased cookie sheet, or fill muffin tins half full. Bake in a hot oven (400°) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°, and continue baking until light brown. Remove from oven. Open puff in the center of top to let steam escape. Cool and fill with:

• 1 pound cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated chocolate
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 3 tablespoons milk
• Sugar to taste
• 18 maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup glazed orange peel

Mix cottage cheese with chocolate and orange rind. Add flavoring, milk and sugar to taste. Beat until smooth and custard-like. Fill puffs. Chill until ready to use. Before serving, top with cherry and orange peel.

This recipe makes about 18 cream puffs. Pin It

Papal Polenta

October 11 marks a newer feast honoring Saint Pope John XXIII (his nickname was "The Smiling Pope"). His papacy was from 1958 to 1963. He died at the age of 81 from stomach cancer. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 3, 2000, and canonized April 27, 2014 by Pope Francis.

I found it interesting that his feast day is not the date of his death (June 3rd), but October 11, which marked the opening of the Vatican II council in 1962, the most memorable part of his short papacy.

St. Pope John XXIII was born 1881 as Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli in a village called Sotto il Monte, north of Italy in the hills around Bergamo in the Lombardy region. For more information, see CatholicSaints.Info which includes a list of writings and other outside links about this pope.

St. Pope John XXIII came from a long family line of hard working farmers that toiled the land, but who were also rich in their faith and kept close ties with family. It was these deep roots with Faith, family, and the land that helped him through his life.

Two of my cookbooks both mention his favorite "comfort" food was Polenta, remiscent to his peasant upbringing. The Cook's Blessings by Demetria Taylor (1965) shared this version of polenta. The other cookbook, Buon Appetito, Your Holiness by Mariangela Rinaldi and Mariangela Vicini, which treats foods from various papacies (I only hesitate a glowing recommendation of this book because it includes the so-called Pope Joan) shares some deeper insight into why this would be a favorite food:

So after he was elected pope,

People were interested to learn that in the frescoed Vatican halls the Holy Father continued his simple way of life, dedicating his early morning hours to study and prayer, and turning in for bed early in the evening, immediately after the television news. The world found out that immediately after the conclave the pontifical tailors busied themselves letting out the sacred vestments to accommodate Pope John's stout figure, and that in the gleaming kitchens, sisters of the order of St. Francis of Assisi from Bergamo prepared dishes from local peasant tradition for him, as they had done at home for their fathers and brothers: vegetables with a little meat, occasionally cheese such as Taleggio or Robiola, and, sometimes, extravagant and delicious cheese sent from France by friends who remembered the tastes of the apostolic nuncio Angelo Roncalli. But the Pope's ultimate moment of gustatory nostalgia, with its baggage of memories, history and life experience, was when the golden-yellow polenta arrived, as it did regularly, from the Bergamo countryside, in white canvas sacks. Before the empty sacks were returned to sender, the cornmeal was turned into a magical, steaming version of sunlight, shining on the table of a very noble peasant Pope.

Papal Polenta

4 cups water
1/2 pound coarse-ground cornmeal
a pinch of salt

Traditionalists say one must boil the water in a copper pot (over a wood fire). Add salt, then gradually sprinkle in the cornmeal slowly while stirring continuously, but gently. The cornmeal breaks down slowly, so stirring gently helps prevent lumps. After all the cornmeal is added, the polenta can be stirred with a little more gusto.

"In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, polenta was used instead of bread, as a base for spreads and toppings."

There are a variety of ways to make polenta. Besides the links above:

Polenta with Milk -- Piping hot polenta and cold milk was the traditional midday meal for country folk.

Polenta "Cunsa" -- Dressed polenta was spooned out of the copper pot and served in a big bowl with melted butter aromatized with garlic and grated cheese.

Polenta "Rostida" -- Roast polenta was cold polenta cut into slices and grilled in a frying pan which onion had softened in butter.

Polenta "Pastizzata" -- Layered polenta pie with tomatoes, the big dish for special occasions: alternate layers of polenta, tomato sauce, sausage, minced pork and mushrooms cooking in a baking pan, finishing with the tomato sauce and grated cheese. Bake for about half an hour.

(Taken from Buon Appetito, Your Holiness by Mariangela Rinaldi and Mariangela Vicini, 1998, New York: Arcade Publishing.)

One of my favorite stories involves another food connection with this Pope regarding apples. It could be apocryphal, or Father Z says it was actually Benedict XIV. I've always heard it was John XXIII when he was Apostolic Nuncio.

And so, the way I heard this apocryphal story, at the time St. Pope John XXIII was Archbishop Roncalli and Apostolic Nuncio to Paris, he attended a banquet and was seated next to woman who was wearing a plunging neckline, sharing too much décolletage. During the dinner, the Archbishop kept trying to give the women an apple from the centerpiece. She politely declined several times, yet he kept insisting she have it. Finally she asked "Your Excellency, why do you want me to have this apple?" The Archbishop replied, "It wasn't until Eve ate the apple that she realized she was naked."

Was this Benedict XIV or John XXIII? Probably Father Z is right, but I think since this feast day falls around apple harvest season, we can recall this story with our apple dumplings and pies. I have a dear priest friend relate while he was in seminary that several fellow seminarians would pass out apples to the co-eds sunning themselves in the common areas, recalling this story.

Apples and polenta -- both are foods appropriate to this season of harvest time.

Saint Pope John XXIII, pray for us. Pin It

A Taste of Umbria with St. Francis of Assisi

October 4 is the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis is a most beloved saint, far and wide, even with non-Catholics. His life was simple, living the Gospel and loving Christ and His Church.

Assisi is in the region of Umbria, the heart of Italy. Food delicacies such as black truffles come from this region, as do many other specialties. I'm just highlighting a few recipes that could be worked into dinnertime, with ingredients that should be on hand. On the suggested menu: Stewed Chicken and Flat Bread from Gubbio (recipes follow), Salad, Pasta such as gnocchi, and Frangipane (Mostaccioli or Paletta di Mandorla). The foods evoke a sense of the fall season, also.

Francis fasted most of his religious life, so it's not completely natural to prepare a great feast in his honor. And the only mention of favorite foods comes from his death bed. The rich noble Lady Jacoba was allowed to serve Francis, and he called her "Brother Jacoba". As he lay on his deathbed, he asked her to be called, and to bring the sweetmeats known as Frangipane, a concoction of almonds and sugar, that she had made before that he enjoyed. Without being summoned she arrived shortly after he expressed his wish, with burial shroud and the sweets he requested. Some sources say he was too sick to eat them.

I'll include the recipes for dessert first. Besides the Meringues from Assisi, we can try to recreate Francis' sweet craving. Evelyn Vitz in her A Continual Feast believes Mostaccioli is close to this requested sweet:

Mostaccioli
An Italian almond pastry

1 pound blanched almonds
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
Approximately 1 cup of flour

Chop the almonds very fine or coarsely grind in a blender

In a bowl combine the nuts, honey, cinnamon, and egg whites. Mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in enough flour to form a thick paste.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the paste until smooth and stiff. Roll out to about 1/4 inch. Cut into diamond shapes, about 2 1/2 inches long. Place the diamonds on a lightly buttered and floured baking sheet. Let dry for 1 to 2 hours.

Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for 20-30 minutes or until set. Do not let brown.

Yield: about 3 dozen

Cooking with the Saints by Ernst Schuegraf shares another recipe that might be a closer match. The recipe, according to tradition, originated with St. Clare. This is the tradition of a biscotti, a twice-baked sweetened bread:

Paletta di Mandorla
Almond Slices

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 cups flour
2 cups almonds, whole, finely chopped, or 4 cups almonds, ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add the other ingredients and knead until smooth. Form 2 rolls about 1 inch (3 cm) diameter.

Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

When cool, cut into slices 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, and toast in the oven for 3 minutes.

Frangipane today is known as a filling, Frangipane Cream. Here is a recipe from Feast Day Cookbook but there are many other versions.


Gubbio is also in the region of Umbria, and St. Francis traveled there and helped save the town from the ravenous wolf. Remembering the dear wolf of Gubbio, here's some Gubbian recipes: a simple Flat Bread and Stewed Chicken.

This is brustengo, the fried flat bread of Gubbio, fried in a flat skillet. If you make the batter ahead of time, it will thicken slightly; it should be pourable, like pancake batter, so thin it down before you use it, if necessary. Serve the bread warm as is or with prosciutto, dried sausage, and olives for an antipasto.

Brustengo
Gubbian Flat Bread

4 Cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for frying

Mix the flour, water, and salt together in a bowl.

Pour the oil to a depth of 1/2-inch into a 10-inch heavy-duty skillet or frying pan and heat until hot. Test the hotness of the oil by dropping a small dribble of batter into the skillet; if it browns and bubbles immediately, the oil is hot enough. I keep a candy thermometer in the oil to make sure it is at 375° F.

Pour or scoop and spread about a cupful of the batter into the oil, and when the bread begins to brown around the edges, flip it over carefully to brown the other side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bread and allow it to drain on paper towels.

Use up all the batter in the same way. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get at least 10 to 12 rounds.

From Ciao Italia in Umbria by Mary Ann Esposito, published by St. Martin's Press in 2002.

A fricco is a stew of sorts, and in this easy-to-prepare Gubbian-style chicken stew, it is Orvieto Classico wine that gives great merit to its flavor along with the presence of rosemary, which shows the fondness that Umbrians have for this herb in many of their foods. This dish is even better if made the day before serving.

Fricco di Pollo all'Eugubina
Gubbian Style Stewed Chicken

1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 large white onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 1/2 pounds cut-up bone-in chicken
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
4 fresh sage leaves, crumbled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup dry white wine, such as Orvieto Classico
4 large plum tomatoes, pureed and sieved to remove skin and seeds
Fine sea salt to taste
Grinding coarse black pepper

Get the olive oil hot in a large sauté pan and cook the onion over medium low heat until it is soft and translucent. Raise the heat to medium high and add the chicken pieces. Be sure they are well dried before adding them to the pan. Keep a bunch of paper towels handy for this. Cook, turning the pieces until they are browned on all sides. This should take about 5 minutes. Add the wine vinegar and allow it to evaporate. Lower the heat; add the sage and rosemary. Continue cooking over low heat for 15 minutes. Raise the temperature to high, add the wine, and allow it to evaporate. Pour in the pureed tomato juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and continue cooking uncovered for 25 minutes or until the juices thicken and the chicken is tender when pierced with a fork.

Arrange the chicken on a platter; pour the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

From Ciao Italia in Umbria by Mary Ann Esposito.

There are many great wines from this region, particularly whites from Orvieto.

I'd add a green salad and perhaps a traditional gnocchi or some pasta to make a full feast day meal.

These are just a few ideas to help walk a little with St. Francis. He might have been smelling the aroma of the same foods being cooked when he walked the streets of Assisi or Gubbio. A blessed feast to you.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us! Pin It

Staples of Our Feastday Celebrations Part Two: Wine

Otherwise entitled "Feasting for Adults through the Liturgical Year, Part Two." Continued from Part One: Bread. I just loved Mary Ellen's Feeling Wine-y. She echoed so many of my feelings about wine and alcoholic beverages in general. It so wonderful that as a Catholic we don't have to be ashamed to enjoy alcohol. Along with bread, wine is the other component of the Eucharist. All over the world grapes are grown, wine is made and shared. For many years people drank wine (or other alcoholic beverages) instead of water because of poor sanitation. Our courtship and marriage has been highlighted by the enjoying of various wines, for extra-special occasions and evening hours after the children are in bed. And for family get-togethers the two questions are always raised, "Who is bringing the wine?" and "What kind?" Generally my extended family enjoys reds, usually Cabernets. Dh and I do try different varietals and various countries of origin. A few years ago we were enjoying all wines Spanish, especially the Rioja. We love trying rich Zinfandels (the red kind). I enjoy finding some French wine that isn't overpriced. Now that it is warmer we like the drier white wines which are more refreshing sipping wines. We got over our intimidation with wine after reading the "Tastings" Column in The Wall Street Journal by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. We've also read their books, such as:

•  The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine: New and Improved: How to Buy, Drink, and Enjoy Wine
• Wine for Every Day and Every Occasion: Red, White, and Bubbly to Celebrate the Joy of Living
• Love by the Glass

All their books are quite practical and easy reading, helping the ordinary man enjoy wine. There is no snobbery involved, but just help in understanding a bit more about wine, and making memories. I never had the opportunity like Mary Ellen, so I'm no expert, but we do enjoy the adventure. Wine was used for the institution of the Eucharist, at the Last Supper. Now it is daily used at Mass all over the world, before it is transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. I also love to think about Our Lord's first miracle at the wedding feast at Cana. Jesus and his mother were probably at a celebrating with family or close friends, and wine was a necessity, not a luxury! It was part of the social feasting aspect. What more blessing can we have for enjoying wine in social gatherings?

I have a few unorthodox suggestions for expanding and trying different wines, and incorporating them into family and feast day celebrations at home. Of course wine connoisseurs may not agree with some of my suggestions, but truly, we've found some very fine wines this way. It's fun to experiment and wander away from the usual standards. First start reading about different types of wines, the varieties from various regions in different countries. What piques your interest? Sweet wines? Bold reds? Dry white wines? Traditional varieties, or the new grapes? What countries do you want to "visit"? After all, wine doesn't only come from France and California. Then have fun trying out different wines. In my local area Trader Joes, Costco, Total Wine, and even Wal-Mart have many wines priced very reasonably, so one can experiment without breaking the bank. Read labels and descriptions and pick something that appeals to you. I'm in no way advocating buying "Blue Nun" for a blue bottle for a Marian feast or a sister's habit for a nun's feast day, but if some of the choices do come down to a choice of a label, go with what appeals to you! There are hits and misses, but the madness of this method is for a twofold purpose: enjoy the wine, and get to know a saint more deeply.

1. Follow the feasts in the Church that incorporate wine and blessings. The older form of Roman Ritual contains several blessings for wine or the New Roman Ritual. There are specific feast days officially connected to the blessing of wine, such as the feast of St. John the Evangelist on December 27 and St. Blaise, February 3. There are also local church traditions connected with wine, such as the upcoming feast of the Transfiguration in Rome. In France on St. Martin of Tours, November 11, Beaujolais Nouveau is drunk. Both celebrate the new wine in various stages. There are also annual blessings of grapevines in spring and of the harvest of grapes in the fall.
2. Find a winery or type of grapes grown near where the saint was born or lived, or even where his remains are held. It's fun to pinpoint the region of origin or mission territories or relics of saints. Finding out about the wine of the region helps one understand the local climate and geography. Arid and dry? Very wet all year? Mountainous or coastal? I find I can understand the saint and his daily hardships when I learn about where he/she lived. How about a Spanish saint, such St. Josemaria Escriva, who was born in Barbastro, Spain? He was born near the Somontano Region, which produces several varieties of wine. For more Spanish ideas see Spanish wine and map of regions. Cava, port, and sherry would also fit into the Spanish heritage. Frascati, a refreshing white wine, would be perfect for any pope's feast day, particularly those that fall during summertime. While on a trip to Rome, we had a day excursion nearby the pope's summer residence, Castel Gandolfo. We enjoyed with our dinner the local wine, Frascati, and found out that it is a favorite with Romans (including the Pope) during the summertime. St. Robert Bellarmine was from Montepulciano, which is a town in Florence, but also a type of wine grape is from that area.

3. Find the type of drink from time period of saint or an old winery that dates from around time of saint. Since the majority of saints on the calendar are mostly from Europe, the choices will generally be European wines. But Blessed Junipero Serra is an outside example. He founded many of the older vineyards during his mission work in California. According to the fun book The Bad Catholic's Guide to Wine, Whiskey, and Song: A Spirited Look at Catholic Life & Lore from the Apocalypse to Zinfandel by John Zmirak and Denise Matychowiak, Mission wines have been used in the United States since 1769. The priests needed wine to say Mass, so they planted their own vineyards. Angelica is the first variety produced. "Private companies raising the old Franciscan grapes include Robert Mondavi and Gallo. Angelica is often bought by churches for use as altar wine at Mass by priests..." (By the way, I highly recommend The Bad Catholic's Guide to Wine, Whiskey, and Song. Don't be put off by the title. The book is sometimes irreverent, but nothing sacrilegious or contrary to the faith. It's an A to Z approach to various beers, ales, wine, etc. with short lessons on the Catholic Church, the Catechism, history, and culture. It's delightfully written and has good recipes, too.) Loosely one could use American Mondavi or Gallo wines to cover feasts like the angels, Saint Anthony, Saint Francis, Saint Junipero Serra and any other saints used for Californian missions.
4. Find vineyards/wineries named after saints, feasts, religious orders, popes, maybe same country of origin. We've tried California's Franciscan for Franciscan saints, Italian Feudi di San Gregorio for our family's name saint, St. Gregory and other Italian saints. One special treat wine for us is Châteauneuf-du-Pape. According to Zmirak, "[t]his spicy, dense variety of wine is usually red, and typically excellent". The name means "the pope's new Chateau or Castle", with the papal keys usually found on the label. The vineyards were established during the time of the Avignon Papacy or Western Schism. So I would consider using this wine for a) French saints near this region, b) for saints like St. Catherine of Siena, who worked so tirelessly to bring the pope back to Rome, and also for c) Papal saints, just because the visual of the papal keys on the label is great for discussions.
5. Match the wine to the type of personality of the saint. For St. Jerome, St. Paul how about fiery, red, bold wines, like Zinfandel? For St. Therese the Little Flower seems fitting to have a dessert or sweet wine. St. Francis and St. John Bosco seem so fun and joyful that a bubbly or sparkling wine would imitate their personality. And for St. Augustine or St. Thomas Aquinas, it seems only a scholarly port would do.
6. Choose a seasonal saint wine. Consider cool whites for summer saints and reds to warm oneself during the winter months. Also consider Wassail or mulled wines for those cold times.
7. Have the liturgical colors reflected in the wine. For feasts of Virgins, Popes, serve white wines. For feasts of Martyrs, Apostles, Bishops and Cardinals, serve red. For the Solemnity of Pentecost, serve red wine. For the Solemnities of Easter and Christmas and Epiphany, serve white and maybe white sparkling wine, like Champagne or Cava. It does go against our family tradition to suggest whites for the high feast days, because our favorites are reds, and for big feasts and family events, red is the wine of choice. We just spend a little more for a fancier wine.

It looks overwhelming written out, but I'm really not suggesting anything out of the ordinary or difficult. It's the process and the enjoyment of wine in a social setting that's fun.

A toast to the love of our Mother Church and her saints! Pin It