WEEKLY MENU 02.26.23
Lent is impacting the Weekly Menu 02.26.23 and all the ones coming up for the next six weeks.
How is lent influencing the Weekly Menu 02.26.23? We’re going mandatory meatless on Fridays. I’m not going to lie to you – I’ve always felt bad for those people that don’t love fish or veggies during lent. And we have a couple living in the house, so we have to make sure to have tasty replacements that everyone will eat.
I remember my parents eating super smelly fish during lent – and I don’t have any idea what type it was, just that they had that while the rest of us had macaroni and cheese. I didn’t like my Mom’s Mac and cheese (she made it with tomato juice instead of a white sauce, and I was not a fan) but it was still preferable to the fish.
D always wants to know why eggs and fish are not considered meat for Lenten purposes:
Technically, it’s the flesh of warmblooded animals that’s off limits — an animal “that, in a sense, sacrificed its life for us, if you will,” explains Michael Foley, an associate professor at Baylor University and author of Why Do Catholics Eat Fish On Friday?
Fish are coldblooded, so they’re considered fair game. “If you were inclined to eat a reptile on Friday,” Foley tells The Salt, “you could do that, too.”
NPR
Sounds a little… fishy to me. Likely because there’s a conspiracy theory about it.
It sounds like the plot of a Dan Brown thriller: A powerful medieval pope makes a secret pact to prop up the fishing industry that ultimately alters global economics. The result: Millions of Catholics around the world end up eating fish on Fridays as part of a religious observance.
NPR
“Many people have searched the Vatican archives on this, but they have found nothing,” says Brian Fagan, a professor emeritus of archaeology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, whose book, Fish On Friday, explores the impact of this practice on Western culture.
NPR
I doubt anyone wrote it down. Just saying.
And as the number of meatless days piled up on the medieval Christian calendar — not just Fridays but Wednesdays and Saturdays, Advent and Lent, and other holy days — the hunger for fish grew. Indeed, fish fasting days became central to the growth of the global fishing industry. But not because of a pope and his secret pact.
At first, says Fagan, Christians’ religious appetite was largely met with herring, a fish that was plentiful but dry and tasteless when smoked or salted. And preservation was a must in medieval times: There was no good way for fresh fish to reach the devout masses. Eventually, cod became all the rage — it tasted better when cured and it lasted longer, too.
The Vikings were ace at preserving cod — they “used dried and salted cod as a form of beef jerky on their ocean passages,” Fagan says.
NPR
Fasting on Fridays wasn’t political or really economical – it was just practical. The more you know. I’ve believed that conspiracy theory for years. And it still has the ring of truth, don’t you think?
What are our preferred options?
These are our Lenten picks that you’re likely to see on the Weekly Menu in the coming weeks. We’re still leaning towards soup for Friday night.
Potato Leek Soup
Creamy Broccoli Soup
Mexican Corn Chowder
Our Favorite Clam Chowder
Cheese Ravioli in Broth
Asian Peanut Noodles
Red Beans & Rice
Ridiculously Simple Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Taco Pizza (hold the beef)
I slipped in the Clam Chowder, but I’ll have to make a backup plan for the young ‘uns. They won’t eat it even though it’s Bert’s favorite. Something they will eat is fried fish. Because who doesn’t love a fish fry? This recipe is actually a favorite for the WHOLE family.
Crispy Fried Fish
A couple of years ago we were visiting Pittsburgh on a Friday during Lent, and my Sister-In Law made an outstanding dinner (she held off on the bacon):
Pierogi Casserole
Pierogis are on the menu this week in their normal form. The OG Baby boy brought home a bag of homemades from work and they’ve been languishing in the freezer for a while. And that’s a crying shame, because pierogi make an absolutely perfect Lenten meal. And they are the food of “our” forefathers. (I’m PINO according to D – Polish In Name Only – but still.)
What are Pierogis?
If you are unfamiliar with Pierogi, they are dumplings from Eastern Europe. They are little pockets made of unleavened dough wrapped around a savory or sweet filling. They are usually cooked in boiling water, but I’ve had success cooking the frozen ones (pre-cooked) in a frying pan. Pierogis are typically filled with potato, but I have heard that they are sometimes stuffed with sauerkraut, ground meat, mushroom, cheese, and fruits.
April Golightly
Ummmm. Yes please.
Of course we’ll have the old standbys on hand as well. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup. Macaroni and Cheese (just not my Mothers recipe) and Cheese Pizza with peppers and onions. Good Friday is a family classic “breakfast for dinner” – pancakes. This meatless eating is a thing that I can totally get behind.
WEEKLY MENU 02.26.23
