Recipes of Home #2 - GIFT

 

GIFT

Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling.

              – Cecelia Ahern

 

Cranberries are native to North America. For 1000s of years cranberries have been a food source for Indigenous siblings and are an important part of winter feasts. The berry grows wild in Atlantic Canada bogs and is rich in vitamin C. It dries and keeps well.

Cranberry farming is a sustainable crop in environmentally managed bogs, requiring a stewardship of water and land. Indigenous wisdom shares that berries are a reciprocal gift. Earth gives the gift of berries. In response the receiver has a responsibility to reciprocate. Birds, bears, and other creatures eat berries and reciprocate by carrying and distributing the seeds of the berries to other places. Cedar waxwings (type of bird) flock to trees abundant in berries and while eating sing an excited, giddy song of joy. This song of joy is a reciprocal gift.

The accompanying cranberry loaf recipe comes from Marion MacLaine. She writes, “I have been giving this loaf to family & friends for many years. For me cranberries represent Christmas."  

Gift giving, particularly of the homemade variety, is a response to the love, friendship, and kindness we have received. Baking for others is an example of reciprocity.

Advent is a season in the church year where we prepare for the coming of Jesus, for the gift of God’s incarnation among us. This makes me giddy, wanting to sing with joy like the cedar waxwings at the abundance of this gift. How do we reciprocate God’s gift?

 

Cranberry Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Grease an 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.  Line bottom with wax paper.

Coarsely chop        1 cup cranberries (frozen)

Sift together            1 3/4 cups all purchase flour

                                 1 cup granulated sugar                       

.

                                 11/2 tsp. baking powder                       

                                 1/2 tsp. baking soda                             

                                 1/2 tsp salt

Stir in cranberries

Beat together           1 egg                                                   

                                  1/4 cup vegetable oil                                                               

                                  3/4 cup orange juice

Add liquid to dry ingredients & beat for 30 seconds. 

Turn into prepared pan

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. 

 

PRAYER- Stir up in us a spirit of reciprocity. In response to the abundance of your love and grace, with joy may we give of ourselves to spread the same to all creatures and Mother Earth. Amen.