Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Lent in a mug

 This Lent I shall be drinking my black coffee, or even sipping my gruel from a mug like this, courtesy of Richard Collins.
Thank you Richard a very welcome pre-Lent gift.

Gruel recipe from an 19th Century Workhouse
1lb of oatmeal
1 gallon of water
a little salt

Mix the oatmeal with a little cold water to make a paste
Put the rest of the water in a pan
Add the mixture and boil for 10 minutes
Add the salt 
Ideal for Lenten parish parties. On feast days a chopped carrot, turnip or even both maybe added but be careful of undue luxury and self indulgence! The unmortified have been known to even add an onion; such wanton extravagance!

14 comments:

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

Poor Father, you'll be eating glue for Lent? toast and hummus is 'kosher' Lenten fair, I think, and a little more variety going on.
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plus grain, always grain and water - some call it whisky, but no, no, it's simply an ancestral marrying of grain and water, full of spirit.
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alas no wine, so far.
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God give you much mercy and mountain moving faith during this lent, Father.
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p.s. if you became a distributor of those mugs, Father I'd buy a few.

Gungarius said...

"Gruel Recipe from a 19th Century Workhouse". Be careful Father, people working for the government might read this. Don't want to inadvertently give them any more welfare reform ideas! :-)

nickbris said...

That looks like "living high on the Hog" We should be FASTING

Fr Ray Blake said...

Viterbo, I take great consolation in Lent from St Theresa who says, 'God judges our intentions not our actions'.
I often add two turnips and even a sardine but don't tell anyone, please.

Unknown said...

That recipe seems suspiciously similar to porridge, a delicacy in my part of the world. Such decadence, Father!

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...

Fr. so long as you keep the hummus thing under your hat - the turnips and sardines are just stopping by for a howdya do, on the way to Waitrose as far as I'm concerned.
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p.s. intention and execution - i wish were better at making these two like each other.

Gungarius said...

1lb of oatmeal in your gruel. We only ad one ounce and it were luxury.

Anonymous said...

Viterbo, you may order mugs from Richard Collins at Linen on the Hedgerow site. It's for the annual Chartres Pilgrimage.

Richard Collins said...

Thank you Father, a blessed Lent to you and your providentially fortunate parishioners.

Our Lady of Good Success-pray for us. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I scaled down the recipe to 1 oz to half pint of water. The result is not unpleasant, but no luxury either. I shall experiment with turnip, carrot and onion, as suggested. Perfect lenten fare for those who live only for pleasure in the Lord.

IanW said...

... and a little wine for the stomach's sake. Or perhaps, in this mission territory, a small beer?

Genty said...

Please, Father, can I have some more?

Unknown said...

I like to make oatmeal (as we call it in US) using non fat milk instead of water. It adds just the right amount of sodium. Two of my children love this and make it themselves. Some chopped fruit and a dash of cinnamon and you've got yourself a deliciously satisfying breakfast or lunch.

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