Colder Weather And Fun Play Acting

Good Morning from Frosty Florida! 

I enjoy getting out of bed at first light, grabbing a cup of coffee from the Keurig… or as in these days, a cuppa hot tea and head out to our courtyard as the songs of the various birds gently take me into the start of a new day.  However this morning, some early risers in Northern Florida, woke to a light sprinkling of snow, while we, in SW Florida were jolted a bit by 39 degree temps.  This, as many of you know is not considered “normal” for this neck of the woods.  The explanation by the meteorologists is a cold front that seems to love hanging around which has been giving us cooler temps all last week and into this week.  The natural instinct is to hunker down and embrace cozy nesting. Needless to say, I am inside, snuggled into my favorite chair with a lightweight throw around my shoulders, keeping my hands warm from the heat of my steaming cup of green tea.  The only illumination is the twinkling lights of my 4 foot Winter Woodland Tree, perched on a table beside our gas fireplace, which is giving off a warm glow along with the crackling fire.   I smiled thinking of a favorite Norman Rockwell Christmas setting.  However, I have removed and packed away all Christmas decor with the exception of the small tree in the corner.  So many of my blogging friends have ‘Thanksgiving trees’ carried over into ‘Christmas’ and into ‘Winter’ (soon to be Valentine’s) trees, so I thought I might try it with my Woodland Christmas tree which can certainly linger on as a ‘Winter tree’ as there is nothing of Christmas on it. We’ll see how long it remains…so far it is not taking up much space and provides the warm glow I need on a chilly Winter morning.

The Last Supper….

Last Friday, I asked the Bible study ladies to wear a scarf (or some such garment) as we were in the ‘Last Supper’ part of our study on Jesus.  I told them not to eat lunch as I would be providing foods that might have been eaten on that fateful Thursday evening before the arrest, crucification and resurrection of Jesus.  They were eager to participate and we had a wonderful time, basically eating with our fingers or scooping up with bread and matzah crackers.

In my research, I found the following foods that Jesus and His disciples might have eaten which were from the Mediterranean Region.  Pomegranates, honey, figs, dates, grapes, wheat/barley bread, fish, lamb, goat, eggs, beef, chicken, sheep and goat’s milk to make butter and cheese, legumes, beans, lentils, chickpeas, spinach, beets, kale, radishes, turnips, leeks, garlic, wild carrots, onions, cucumbers, watermelon, squash, and wild herbs.  Olives, olive oil, vinegar, peaches, apples, pears, nuts, walnuts, almonds, carob and pistachios.

There was a challenge in my meal prep to serve an authentic meal of those Biblical times, but I did a lot of research and hopefully remained true to that era. My menu was determined from the results of ItalianArchaeologists who used Biblical tests, Jewish writings and Archaeological finds to reconstruct the menu.  This history shows it was a simple, yet symbolically rich meal consistent with Jewish customs of the time and not the elaborate feast often depicted in art such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting. The meal would have contained Unleavened Bread (Matzah): Mentioned in the Gospels as Jesus broke it for His body. Wine:  Also mentioned in scripture, symbolizing His blood, Lamb: A Passover tradition, likely roasted. Bean Stew (Cholent): A slow-cooked, thick, festive dish.  Bitter Herbs/Greens:  Representing the bitterness of slavery.  Charoset/Haroset:  A sweet paste of dates, nuts spices and/or fruit.  Olives:  Often served with herbs and Olive oil.  Dates & Figs: Common fruits of the era.  This everyday cuisine of foods like beans/lentils, olives, dates were staples in 1st century Jerusalem, reflecting typical 1st century cuisine.  The meat could have also been fish which was plentiful, particularly Tilapia which was common for the Mediterranean region.

I sat the simple table with a tan table covering and used wooden plates and clay drinking cups.  No flatware, although I added little scoops that might have been made from wood or stone, but we found we did not need them.  You might notice a Ram’s Horn on the table which might have been used to call the meal together.

For the centerpiece I used a wooden scene of the Tomb, Angel, Cross and a couple of the women figures…. this signified the resurrection which took place about 4 days after the Last Supper. 

I also used clay pitchers for the Wine, Pomegranate juice and Water. I had ordered a clay “lamp” from a shop in Jerusalem which I lit for a brief time using olive oil.  It reminded me of the story of the 10 virgins keeping watch with their oil lamps.  It was surprising to me to see the amount of light this little lamp puts forth.  For the Napkins, I used kitchen towels.

For a timeline of events: The Last Supper Meal most likely took place on Thursday, sometimes called Maundy Thursday.  Then Friday was the Arrest, Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus with the Resurrection on Sunday.

I prepared the Roast Lamb Chops using olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper.  And because we were eating with our fingers, I sliced each roasted chop into smaller slices.  

I chose to use Beans/lentils for the Cholent and seasoned with leeks, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and a little honey and they were delicious. We used unleavened bread to scoop the thick bean stew.

Another favorite with the Bible Study Ladies was the Haroset.  We used the crispy matzah as a scoop.  The Haroset was made with apples, dates, raisins, figs, cinnamon, and wine and I cooked this mixture just long enough to soften the apples and meld the ingredients.  It is a thick, sweet paste-like mixture. yummy.

I added raisins and golden raisins to small clay dishes along with figs, dates, walnuts, honey, hummus and olives in oil.

Bitter greens was an easy fix using arugula, chicory, endive, spinach, kale with a few radishes, romaine and cucumbers.  I prepared a dressing of lemon, vinegar, honey, and olive oil.  The breads were also used with the bitter greens.

We enjoyed this Last Supper especially since we were on the chapter in our study book which depicted the events leading up to this supper.  The only issue I had with this presentation was my head gear kept getting in the way while preparing the different foods.  Perhaps I should have researched how those earlier sisters kept their wearing apparel secured and out of the way of open fires. 🥰

Thank you visiting Colder Weather and Fun Play Acting.

Blessings Always

 

John 15:12 “This is my command:  Love each other as I have loved you.”