Medieval History
Wary of separate celebrations and traditions, Jakie and Oliver long ago came up with Hanukris, and we finally made good on it this year. Ah, Hanukris, a time of togetherness and unity - when we can pull together the best of all traditions. It's all about mirth and melding. Pedar gave a most excellent homily (everyone looks forward to the Hanukris homily), intoning meaningfully about the true meaning of Hanukris. We're still looking for a deity, striving for a female one just, you know, to keep things going - but thus far, Hanukris Kristin isn't inspiring anyone. Hanukris Kafka and Hanukris Kali are right out. We're contemplating Hanukris Kalanit (the name means flower which would be lovely, but might not be irreverent enough) (because God forbid we should take our parody seriously!). :-)
As with any holiday, the feast is key. It took Rebecca and I about two seconds to come up with the Jewish side of the feast: lamb and latkes, of course. A fabulous combination of flavors, plus, if you say it out loud, it sounds really, really delicious. Go ahead, try it "Lamb n' Latkes." Mmmm. The, as it was soon dubbed, "Christian side dish" was harder to come up with. I had the honor of looking through a Minnesota church cookbook, but the amount of cream of mushroom soup used in unthinkable combinations was too much. So I went for green beans with shallots - probably Presbyterian in its sparseness. Turning to English dessert traditions of this time of year, however, I did come up with...
...a Trifle!!! Definitely the most mis-named dessert of all time. It's not dessert, it's architecture! And endless in its possibilities. Mine was pound cake, whipped cream with Grand Marnier, and for the layers kumquats in syrup and wine-poached cranberries. A Happy Hanukris was had by all!!! All of this made me so grateful for friends and our laughter and the ersatz utopias we create that nonetheless can take on plenty of meaning.
- Briefly Noted -- Accessus: A Journal Of Premodern Literature And New Media
Readers of Modern Medieval will want to go take a look at the inaugural issue of Accessus, a publication of the Gower Project. This excellent-looking first issue includes the following essays that bring together disability studies, medieval studies, manuscript...
- Glimpses
Oliver's been questioning Santa's existence, though at this point he has "no evidence that Santa does not exist," as he puts it. But, crafty kid that he is, he thought of leaving the iPhone with its built-in camera and asking Santa in the...
- Thanksgiving
The marvelous, stealthy magic of traditions makes it so that I cannot tell you when reading Art Buchwald's Thanksgiving column became one in our house. All I know is that every year thinking of Miles Standish as Kilometres Deboutish cracks...
- Earth, Water, Wind & Fire: Stonehenge By Bernard Corwell
Stonehenge by Bernard CornwellThis month in the Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction Group on Goodreads, the Ancient Group Read book is Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell. I read this book a couple years back and loved it. Gave it five stars....
- Transitional
Martin church near Horncastle in Lincolnshire, has a fabulous chancel arch. This narrow arch is a text book example of the Transitional style, the moment when Norman architecture gradually gave way to Early English Gothic. ...
Medieval History
Happy Hanukris Everyone!
- Briefly Noted -- Accessus: A Journal Of Premodern Literature And New Media
Readers of Modern Medieval will want to go take a look at the inaugural issue of Accessus, a publication of the Gower Project. This excellent-looking first issue includes the following essays that bring together disability studies, medieval studies, manuscript...
- Glimpses
Oliver's been questioning Santa's existence, though at this point he has "no evidence that Santa does not exist," as he puts it. But, crafty kid that he is, he thought of leaving the iPhone with its built-in camera and asking Santa in the...
- Thanksgiving
The marvelous, stealthy magic of traditions makes it so that I cannot tell you when reading Art Buchwald's Thanksgiving column became one in our house. All I know is that every year thinking of Miles Standish as Kilometres Deboutish cracks...
- Earth, Water, Wind & Fire: Stonehenge By Bernard Corwell
Stonehenge by Bernard CornwellThis month in the Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction Group on Goodreads, the Ancient Group Read book is Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell. I read this book a couple years back and loved it. Gave it five stars....
- Transitional
Martin church near Horncastle in Lincolnshire, has a fabulous chancel arch. This narrow arch is a text book example of the Transitional style, the moment when Norman architecture gradually gave way to Early English Gothic. ...