One of the best things about Fr. Leo’s book Grace Before Meals is how it is divided by different seasons, from religious holidays (the Feast of the Sacred Heart) to sports team gatherings. The recipes and “Let’s Talk.. Let’s Listen” portion of each relate to the of each of these times through the year. He suggests great ideas to help
One recent one I can recall is from July 16– we try to have something with caramel on the feast of Our Lady of Carmel. I know, it’s not “Our Lady of Caramel,” but it does help us to remember Our Lady that day in a “sweet” way.
Since we are Italian at our house, we’ve got lots of food-based traditions that relate to the liturgical year. My husband makes his family’s Sicilian savoiardi (ladyfingers) recipe on St. Joseph’s Day, and we serve both fish and pizza on Christmas Eve. (I’m not sure why the pizza, except that traditionally Christmas Eve was a day of abstinence from meat; both my family and my husband’s family had this tradition).
What are some of your favorite faith-based food traditions?
Strangely, one of my family’s favorite foods is mazto ball soup! No, we are not Jewish, nor do we have Jewish heritage. My own mother, who loves to cook for her family, perfected a recipe when I was a child. It became a comfort food for when my sisters and I were sick, or simply something to look forward to after a long day.
Now I make matzo ball soup as well. My version is a bit heartier than the traditional, with more chicken and vegies. But the fluffy, warm, filling maztos are definately there.
More recently, my children and I have begun to celebrate Passover with an aunt and friends who are Jewish. My children, who have been raised on mazto balls always inform me that the passover matzos (made by a caterer for the temple) are not as good as mine. But the deep meaning of shared food in a religious setting is not missed on them. These matzo balls are different from any other night! Just like the entire seder. We now associate matzo ball soup with the gathering of Passover- a remembrance that has dual meaning for us as Catholics.