Recipes of Home #7 - INHERITANCE

 

INHERITANCE

 

Good food and a warm kitchen are what make a house a home. – Racheal Ray

 

The Gospel of Matthew begins, “An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Mt. 1:1) The family tree is presented in three groups of fourteen generations each (to achieve this a few generations were left out). Four women are included -Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bethsheba – two are non-Jews, one played harlot to right an injustice, one was a prostitute, with another King David committed adultery.

The Gospel writer uses the genealogy to indicate who Jesus is and how God is bringing God’s kingdom. The inclusion of the women signifies to the reader that God’s redemptive plan includes gentiles and the ‘unrighteous.’ Jesus’ inheritance is explained, presenting him as an authentic Jew and a legitimate king.

Another consideration in the opening verse is the idea of ‘genealogy’ and the translation of that word. The original text (Greek) has the word genesis. The beginning of the Gospel of Matthew reads much like the Greek text of the Book of Genesis, the book of the genesis of human beings (Gen.5:1), and the book of the genesis of heaven and earth (Gen.2:4). Here in Matthew, the book of the genesis of Jesus Christ. To be drawn back to the beginning where the Word was with God, tells us more about Jesus’ inheritance, who Jesus is, and how God is coming into the world.

 

Carol Grantham shares with us the following recipe. I choose ‘inheritance’ as the word to go along with the recipe. The recipe is a heritage recipe passed through generations of German peoples. It is full of a great assortment of ingredients, differing a little from recipe to recipe. When eaten the cookie-cake is rich and filling. Just like Jesus’ genealogy there is a lot to chew-on.

 

Lebkuchen

½ cup     honey

½ cup      molasses

¾ cup      brown sugar

1                egg

1 Tbsp.     lemon juice

1 tsp        grated lemon rind

2 ¾ cups  sifted flour

½ tsp        baking soda

1 tsp          cinnamon

1 tsp          cloves

1tsp           allspice

1 tsp          nutmeg

1/3 cup     cut-up citron

1/3 cup     chopped nuts

Glazing icing (recipe at end of recipe)

1.Mix together honey and molasses and bring to a boil. Cool thoroughly.

2.stir in sugar, egg, lemon juice, and rind. Sift together flour, soda, spices and stir in. Mix in citron and nuts. Chill dough overnight.

3.Roll small amount at t a time, leaving rest chilled. Roll out ¼ inch thick and cut into oblongs about 1 ½ x 2 ½ inches. Place one inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Decorate with cherries and or sliced almonds.

4.Bake 400F about 10-12 mins. Until no imprint remains when lightly touched. While cookies bake, make glazing icing.  Brush over cookies the minute they are out of the over, then quickly remove from oven and from baking sheets. Cool and store to mellow in airtight containers with a cut piece of orange or apple, about 2 weeks.

Fruit molds, so change it often.

Yields about 6 dozen.

 

Glazing Icing

1 cup   white sugar

½ cup  water

¼ cup  icing sugar

Boil sugar and water together until first indication of thread appears (230F). Remove from heat.

Stir in ¼ cup icing sugar and brush hot icing thinly over cookies. When icing gets sugary, reheat slightly adding a little water until clear again.

 

PRAYER- Stir up in us a spirit of curiosity to study and devour the Word. Ground us in scripture that we might expand our minds and our hearts to the fullness of your inclusion and grace. Amen.