Abundant Wednesday
"Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance."
~ Epicurius
Fat Tuesday, the English translation of the French term, Mardi Gras, marks the end of the Carnival season, which traditionally begins January 6. Fat Tuesday is the last day of celebration before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, a time of abstinence, penance, prayer and sacrifice. Mardi Gras evolved into a day of excess, partly because it is the last chance for feasting before the required 40 days of fasting, and partly because the food, drinks, masks and music make for such a fabulous party.
This practice of going to excess in anticipation of a future penance is not confined to religious observances. How many of you have ever eaten a bag of chips, a burger and fries, or a box of cookies the day before staring a diet?
We often associate the idea of abundance and plenty with having a lot of stuff, be that food, money or possessions. When we have smaller amounts of these things, we feel a sense of lack.
What we often fail to recognize is that whether we are experiencing life as full and rich or scarce and limited is a matter of focus. According to quantum mechanics, the results of any observation are determined, in part, by actual choices made by the observer. It really is a question of whether we see the glass as half full or half empty.
When we are totally engaged in the present instead of looking just ahead or just behind us, we can fully participate in every moment. The simplest meal becomes a banquet when we stop and chew every bite and give thanks for the plants, animals and people who helped provide the ingredients. Morning becomes a symphony when we stop and listen to the birds in the trees. Evening can be a chamber music group performance of crickets. owls and other creatures of the night. The afternoon wind leads the leaves of the trees in an experimental dance recital.
Less is often more. Even if you don't observe Lent, spend some time during the next few weeks enjoying the abundance of simplicity. Live one week as a vegetarian and, instead of dining on fake meats, discover the deliciousness of beans, rice and fresh, organic fruits, nuts and veggies. Try going a week without your television or a day without your computer; when was the last time you listened to an entire album of music from start to finish? Play a board game instead of an electronic one. Walk somewhere that you normally drive to. For at least one hour each day, turn off your phone.
When you realize how full each moment of life really is, every day can be a celebration.
~~~~~~~~~
The Muffuletta is a famous New Orleans specialty sandwich, invented by Italian immigrants.
The Muffuletta Sandwich
This yummy sandwich is a specialty of the famous Central Grocery in New Orleans, Louisiana. The key to this tasty treat is the olive salad. Be sure to make it at least 24 hours or up to one week ahead. Be sure to use humanely-raised ham and salami. See the link for Eat Humane (under Elaborations, up and to the right) to find sources near you.
1 (12 to 16oz) whole loaf ciabatta or other Italian bread
1 to 1 & 1/2 cups olive salad (recipe below)
8 oz of sliced provolone cheese
4 oz of thinly sliced Genoa salami or soppressata (I used hot)
7 oz of thinly sliced capicola, culatello, prosciutto or other Italian ham
4-6 mild pepperoncini peppers
Olive Salad
2 cups pimento-stuffed green olives or pitted green olives, chopped
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup capers
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
To make olive salad:
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fill a glass jar and seal. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. Olive salad will keep for at least couple of weeks in the fridge. Use leftovers as an appetizer or toss with pasta.
To make sandwich:
Remove olive salad from fridge 15 minutes before making sandwich.
Slice bread in half horizontally.
Spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the olive salad (including the oil from the salad) across the top half of the bread. Repeat with bottom half of the bread.
Cover each bread half with slices of provolone cheese, layering cheese over the olive salad layer.
Layer slices of ham over cheese slices on each side.
Layer salami slices over ham slices on each side.
Top one side with sliced pepperoncini peppers.
Carefully push both sides together. Cut into 2 or 3 sections and wrap each section tightly in plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Unwrap. Cut each section in half. If serving as an appetizer, cut each section into quarters and secure with toothpicks.
You can omit the pepperoncini from the sandwich and serve them on the side, if you prefer.
You can make this sandwich, wrap the sections and then store in refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of serving. Let sections come to room temp, then unwrap, then slice.
Serves 4 to 6 as a main course,
8 to 12 as an appetizer
~ Epicurius
Fat Tuesday, the English translation of the French term, Mardi Gras, marks the end of the Carnival season, which traditionally begins January 6. Fat Tuesday is the last day of celebration before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, a time of abstinence, penance, prayer and sacrifice. Mardi Gras evolved into a day of excess, partly because it is the last chance for feasting before the required 40 days of fasting, and partly because the food, drinks, masks and music make for such a fabulous party.
This practice of going to excess in anticipation of a future penance is not confined to religious observances. How many of you have ever eaten a bag of chips, a burger and fries, or a box of cookies the day before staring a diet?
We often associate the idea of abundance and plenty with having a lot of stuff, be that food, money or possessions. When we have smaller amounts of these things, we feel a sense of lack.
What we often fail to recognize is that whether we are experiencing life as full and rich or scarce and limited is a matter of focus. According to quantum mechanics, the results of any observation are determined, in part, by actual choices made by the observer. It really is a question of whether we see the glass as half full or half empty.
When we are totally engaged in the present instead of looking just ahead or just behind us, we can fully participate in every moment. The simplest meal becomes a banquet when we stop and chew every bite and give thanks for the plants, animals and people who helped provide the ingredients. Morning becomes a symphony when we stop and listen to the birds in the trees. Evening can be a chamber music group performance of crickets. owls and other creatures of the night. The afternoon wind leads the leaves of the trees in an experimental dance recital.
Less is often more. Even if you don't observe Lent, spend some time during the next few weeks enjoying the abundance of simplicity. Live one week as a vegetarian and, instead of dining on fake meats, discover the deliciousness of beans, rice and fresh, organic fruits, nuts and veggies. Try going a week without your television or a day without your computer; when was the last time you listened to an entire album of music from start to finish? Play a board game instead of an electronic one. Walk somewhere that you normally drive to. For at least one hour each day, turn off your phone.
When you realize how full each moment of life really is, every day can be a celebration.
~~~~~~~~~
The Muffuletta is a famous New Orleans specialty sandwich, invented by Italian immigrants.
The Muffuletta Sandwich
This yummy sandwich is a specialty of the famous Central Grocery in New Orleans, Louisiana. The key to this tasty treat is the olive salad. Be sure to make it at least 24 hours or up to one week ahead. Be sure to use humanely-raised ham and salami. See the link for Eat Humane (under Elaborations, up and to the right) to find sources near you.
1 (12 to 16oz) whole loaf ciabatta or other Italian bread
1 to 1 & 1/2 cups olive salad (recipe below)
8 oz of sliced provolone cheese
4 oz of thinly sliced Genoa salami or soppressata (I used hot)
7 oz of thinly sliced capicola, culatello, prosciutto or other Italian ham
4-6 mild pepperoncini peppers
Olive Salad
2 cups pimento-stuffed green olives or pitted green olives, chopped
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup capers
2 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
To make olive salad:
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fill a glass jar and seal. Refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. Olive salad will keep for at least couple of weeks in the fridge. Use leftovers as an appetizer or toss with pasta.
To make sandwich:
Remove olive salad from fridge 15 minutes before making sandwich.
Slice bread in half horizontally.
Spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the olive salad (including the oil from the salad) across the top half of the bread. Repeat with bottom half of the bread.
Cover each bread half with slices of provolone cheese, layering cheese over the olive salad layer.
Layer slices of ham over cheese slices on each side.
Layer salami slices over ham slices on each side.
Top one side with sliced pepperoncini peppers.
Carefully push both sides together. Cut into 2 or 3 sections and wrap each section tightly in plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Unwrap. Cut each section in half. If serving as an appetizer, cut each section into quarters and secure with toothpicks.
You can omit the pepperoncini from the sandwich and serve them on the side, if you prefer.
You can make this sandwich, wrap the sections and then store in refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead of serving. Let sections come to room temp, then unwrap, then slice.
Serves 4 to 6 as a main course,
8 to 12 as an appetizer
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