Confirmation Party Foods

People often wonder what to serve at celebrations following the reception of sacraments. "Are there foods that are traditional for the various sacraments?" and "What kinds of foods might be symbolic for the sacrament?" are questions I have heard. Last spring we highlighted First Communion Celebrations in Catholic Cuisine's first From Thy Bounty Fair, but there have been only a few post related to foods which would be fitting for a Confirmation celebration.

Our family recently celebrated a confirmation and I wanted to share some of the ideas we had for the party that followed. Since we are still in the Confirmation season, hopefully some of these ideas will be helpful to you or spark other ideas. And of course any ideas that would work well for a Confirmation party could also be incorporated into a Pentecost celebration as well.

Our party included some typical buffet-fare (deli sandwiches, potato salad, and chips) which we accented with several special Confirmation themed foods we though would be symbolic of the day. Our buffet included:

• "Fruits of the Spirit" Salad (Though we used only 7 fruits - more like the gifts - rather than the 12 fruits. And no dressing was used, just the fruits.)


• Seven-layer bean dip (7 again to represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit)


• "Tongues of Fire" Salad (A green tossed salad with strips of red, yellow and orange bell pepper on top)

A fun and sweet treat for after the meal was Dove chocolate - calling to mind the dove imagery of the Holy Spirit.

And the main centerpiece of the celebration was the cake which we decorated with the dove and tongues of fire representing the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

We first traced and cut out a paper dove the size and shape we wanted for the cake top. We placed that on the frosted cake (chocolate was used so that the white dove would stand out) and traced around the outline with a toothpick.

When the pattern was lifted we had an outline of a dove to fill in with the white frosting. We used a star tip to fill in the body and one of the tips with the elongated hole (either the leaf or rose tip) to form the feathers. We pulled a toothpick through the frosting to give the feathers a more "feathery" appearance. The tongues of fire, the beak and the rays from the doves head were piped on with yellow-orange tinted frosting.

If you have ideas for foods to celebrate a Confirmation, please share then with us. If you have a link to a blog post that would be great. Either leave your link or idea in the comments section or send it to me at mary.cathcuisine at gmail dot com. I'd love to do a follow-up post, a mini From Thy Bounty Fair, if there is enough response.

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Flames of Pentecost Cupcakes

With Pentecost coming quickly upon us, it's a good time to revisit some past posts with ideas for bringing the spirit of Pentecost alive in our meal and dessert preparations. In addition to the awesome birthday cake idea (Happy Birthday Church!) just shared by Robina there is A Cake for Pentecost from last year as well. Don't forget the Portuguese Holy Ghost Sopas shared by Amy or Evelyn Birge Vitz 's Twelve Fruit Salad from A Continual Feast. More ideas can be found in Jessica's Menu ideas for Pentecost Sunday and Pentecost suggestions are also mentioned in Jenn's two part series "Staples of Our Feastday Celebrations" - Wine and Bread.

I always like to have a simple option on hand if time is tight on feast days. For us cupcakes are an easy dessert to pull together. Here is a simple Pentecost cupcake decorating idea with two variations for "flames."

Using white frosted cupcakes add thin sliced strawberry "flames" to represent the tongues of fire.

Or add some red and yellow food coloring to small amounts of extra frosting and dab on swirl frosting "flames."

And check out Meredith's Sweetness and Light blog for her lovely strawberry topped cupcake variation from a few years ago.

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Happy Birthday Church!

Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit onto the twelve apostles. Pentecost is celebrated seven weeks after Easter, this year on May 31st. This event marks the BIRTHday of the Church as with this power of the Holy Spirit the apostles went out to be Jesus' witnesses to the world, able to speak all language and perform great acts.

"But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:8

What better way to celebrate a birthday than to have a birthday cake. Since red is the liturgical color for Pentecost, I think a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing sounds perfect. Place twelve candles on the cake representing the twelve apostles, and the lighting of the candles represents the flame of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.

"Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,

which parted and came to rest on each one of them.

And they were all filled with the holy Spirit"

Acts 2:3-4

There are so many variations of red and white cake and decorations possible, so make whatever cake combination you fancy. I am doing this for the first time this year so I don't have a picture of a red velvet cake with twelve candles on it yet. This picture is meant to sweeten your appetite to want to make this scrumptious treat to celebrate the Holy Spirit and the beginning of our Holy Mother Church.

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!

For more ideas for celebrating Pentecost, be sure to check the archives! 

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Summer Herbal Drinks with Mint and Lemon Balm

Spearmint (Mentha viridis or Mentha spicata) was particularly dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and its common names include Our Lady’s Mint, Mary’s Mint, Mary’s Leaf, Lady’s Leaf. These names are very similar in other languages illustrating the universality of naming specific plants for Our Lady. In the various names for spearmint in other languages we can see an example of this universality - in French, Menthe Notre Dame and Herba Santa Maria in Spanish. Also, according to information I read on Ann Ball' s website, mint was one of the favorite strewing herbs in the Middle Ages; it was strewn on the floors of churches and banquet halls to furnish a pleasant odor. It was used by the monks in cooking and medicinally.

Another Marian herb also in the mint family is lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) which was known in medieval Mary garden’s as Sweet Mary. Its lovely fragrance fills the air and could be a reminder to help us be aware of Mary's presence in our life. Lemon balm has a strong history in Catholic religious settings. It is the principal ingredient in Carmelite Water or “Eau de Melisse de Carmes” which was invented by Carmelite nuns and used both medicinally, and externally as a perfume or Eau de Toilette. Lemon balm is also an ingredient in the liquor, Benedictine, which was first made by Dom Bernardo Vincelli, a monk at the Benedictine Abbey of Fecamp in Normandy in the 16th century.

As we enter the season of summer in the northern hemisphere, cool beverages are a great way to beat the heat and find refreshment. A couple sample iced drinks which use these herbs of Our Lady are shared here.


Strawberry Mint Lemonade

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
4 cups fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
1 quart strawberry hulled, halved
1 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed

Directions
Place 2 cups water, sugar and mint in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and discard mint. Thinly slice about 1 cup of strawberries and set aside. Add 1/2 of the remaining strawberries to a blender and blend until smooth; pour into 2 quarter pitcher. Stir in sliced strawberries and remaining water. Cover and chill until serving.


Lemon Balm Iced Tea

Ingredients
approx. 2 ounces fresh lemon balm leaves
6 cups water
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
4 tea bags (black tea)
3 T honey

Directions
Combine lemon balm, the lemon slices, and tea bags in a teapot or bowl. Pour in 2 cups boiling water to cover. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags. Stir the honey and set aside to cool. Strain the tea into a large pitcher and discard the solids. Add 4 cups cold water and stir well. Refrigerate the tea until ready to serve. Pour the chilled tea over ice in glasses and garnish with lemon balm sprigs. Pin It

Sugared Flowers for Mary's Month of May

Flowers are symbolically linked to Mary in many ways - through their Marian names and the various legends. Edible flowers are a delightful garnish or adornment for cakes, desserts, salads to celebrate Our Lady during her Month of May, or at any feast day or tea time in her honor during the year. The life of a fresh flower is fleeting so their preservation by crystallizing with sugar will make them last much longer. As a decoration for an iced cake or a garnish for a dessert fresh, crystallized edible flowers bring color, fragrance and flavor to any recipe. Meredith, at Sweetness and Light, has posted about making candied violets for a Marian tea cake.

You can make your own candied flowers for your Marian treats. Use edible flowers for this project – and make sure they are ones that haven’t been treated with pesticides. The flowers in the Violas family (pansies, johnny jump ups and violets) are perfect for crystallizing. Other edible flowers that could be used include daisies, lavender, roses, calendulas, cornflowers, and blossoms from fruit trees--apple, peach, plum, orange and lemon.

Supplies/Ingredients
Edible flowers
Egg white or meringue mixture
Baker’s sugar (super-fine sugar)
Smallpaintbrush
Spoon or sifter


Choose fresh flowers. Cut flower, leaving approx. 1-2 inch stem to hold while sugaring. Gently wash the flowers under a gentle stream of water or in a small bowl with cool water. Place on paper towels and let dry completely before continuing. Remove pistils and stamens from flowers before sugaring. The egg white or meringue mixture is used to coat the petals and to adhere the sugar. We used a meringue mixture of 1 tablespoon water to 1 teaspoon meringue powder. Sprinkle powder on water and let sit for awhile before stirring to avoid the powder clumping. If using an egg white, whip until frothy before using.

Apply a thin layer of egg white or meringue mixture on each side of each petal with a small paintbrush in a thin, even layer.


Hold the flower over a bowl, sprinkle or shake super-fine sugar over the entire flower. Tap to remove excess sugar and repeat on reverse side.



When coated, place on waxed or parchment paper to dry. Allow approximately 24 hours to dry and harden completely. Carefully place flowers on cake or other dessert to garnish.

Flowers and their Marian names:
Pansy (Viola tricolor) -Our Lady's Delight

Johnny-Jump-up (Viola tricolor) -Trinity Flower

Violet (Viola odorata) -Our Lady's Modesty
Cornflower (Centauria cyanis) -Mary's Crown

Rose (Rosa) -Mystical Rose

English daisy (Bellis perennis) -Mary-love

Lavendar (Lavendula) -Flight into Egypt

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) -Mary’s Bud

[Edited to add that sugared violets would be a great addition for the feast of St. Frances Cabrini (November 13) as there is the story of her dropping violets in paper boats as a child to represent the missionaries she hoped to send out to the world]

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St. Anthony of Padua Basil Pots

And since we are talking about herbs, let's look at another herb, one associated with a June saint, St. Anthony of Padua. We have just under a month to grow some pots of basil to help celebrate his feast day in a unique way. According to the Saint Anthony of Padua website, it is customary to decorate with pots of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) on that day and to give some away to friends with prayers invoking this Saint. Hopefully posting now gives you plenty of time to get some ready and embrace this tradition.

We purchased some small terra cotta pots at the craft store and painted them to remind us of St. Anthony. His symbols include the lily, bread, Christ Child, book, fish. We used acrylic paints and Sharpie markers to decorate the basil pots. To help keep paints from fading or wearing away (especially if pots will be used outside), use 2 coats of a clear acrylic indoor/outdoor sealant such as Krylon spray to coat after painting.

After filling them with potting soil we planted some Sweet Basil. Now we will tend the pots for the next several weeks and hopefully by June 13 have some decent basil plants to decorate our table and to give away to friends for their kitchens or patios. Keep a pot of basil nearby and you'll always have some of this fresh herb to add to your cooking.

Some basil growing tips:

*Basil is sentivite to cold and is best grown in hot, dry conditions.

*Basil will grow best outdoors, but can be grown inside placed in window with lots of sun.

*Pinch off the growing tips to make the plants bushier.

*Remove flower spikes to prolong your harvest.

*Add a small amount of fertilizer every month or so.

*Water at the base of the plant avoiding showering the leaves and stems.
*Basil can also be propagated very reliably from cuttings.

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Thyme - The Virgin's Humility

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is a delicate green, perennial herb with a faint clove aftertaste. It is often used herb in French cuisine. Leaves and sprigs are used in salads as garnishes, in clam chowder, and French, Creole, and Cajun cuisines. Thyme works well with veal, lamb, beef, poultry, fish, poultry stuffing, pâtés, sausages, stews, soups, stocks, bread, herbed butters, herbed mayonnaise, flavored vinegars, mustard, and bean and lentil casseroles and its flavor blends well with those of lemon, garlic, and basil.

Thyme is indigenous to the Mediterranean area. It came to America with the first settlers. Recognizing the antiseptic properties of thyme, the Egyptians used it in the embalming process and the Ancient Greeks found it to be a good fumigant.

There are many plants and herbs associated with the nativity. One legend has it that thyme was included among the hay used to make a bed for the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, so it is often considered one of “Mary’s bedstraws” of which there are several.

The thyme was on Sweet Mary’s Bed,

To bring her courage rare,

While shepherds lifted up their hearts,
In silent joyful prayer.
~From Herbs and Herb Lore of Colonial America by the Colonial Dames of America.

In Marian Garden literature, thyme is commonly referred to as The Virgin’s Humility. It is one of those cases where an attribute of the plant seemed to symbolize a virtue of the Blessed Mother. Am still looking for the specific explanations of connections of thyme to this virtue of Mary’s humility. Most likely is seems that as a plant that is a delicate creeping plant that lies low to the ground it would be symbolic of the lowly nature of humility.

St. Alphonse Ligouri writes beautifully and in depth of the humility of Mary in The Glories of Mary. Speaking of a revelation to St. Bridget, he says, “God was pleased to make known to us that the humility of His Blessed Mother was such that she was humility itself.”

Mary’s Magnificat reflects most profoundly her deep humility of heart, open to divine grace.

Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
~Douay-Rheims translation

So as you use this herb in your kitchen's it can be a time to meditate on the Our Lady's humility, for as St. Bernard says, "Humility is the foundation and guardian of all virtues."

Creamy Baked Fettuccine with Asiago and Thyme
1/2 pound fettuccine pasta
1 cup grated Asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1 (8-ounce) containers creme fraiche
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Add fettuccine to boiling water and cook until tender but still firm, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Combine the 1 cups Asiago cheese, creme fraiche, Parmesan, thyme, salt, pepper, cooked pasta, and pasta cooking liquid. Toss gently until all the ingredients are combined and the pasta is coated. Place in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Asiago cheese. Bake about 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Makes approx. 4 servings (recipe easily doubled).

Edited to add:

I meant to add some information about creme fraiche as I had never cooked with this before and know that it might be challening to find. Creme faraiche is a traditional soured cream commonly used in Europe. It's more diffiuclt to find in US except in specialty stores and is quite expensive, I guess. On-line I found many "recipes" for making a suitable variation to use in recipes which call for it. Basically you take a cup of heavy cream, heat on low until it is tepid, add a tablespoon of cultured buttermilk. Stir together and pour into a glass jar or bowl. Partially cover and let stand at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours, or until thickened. It keeps for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

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