Eat some cheese and make a wish
Johannes Vermeer, The Milkmaid, 15th Century
These days I seem to be occupied with all things F. Food, fashion, folklore, friends, family, feeding people, feeling fabulous. I started a new job, closer to home, and now I have more time for cooking, baking, growing herbs, painting, and generally being actively kinder to myself, my body, and the people around me.
This week we’re celebrating Shavuot, a festival of cheese, milk, honey, greenery, fresh fruit, ripe vegetables and new grain. I have potatoes in cream cooking slowly in the oven as I’m typing this post. An intoxicating aroma of milk, nutmeg and garlic fills the house, mixing with scents of neatly folded clean laundry, basil plants growing on the porch, and fresh flowers that my husband brought home.
Creamed potatoes are the kind of dish you can throw together last minute and still end up with something wonderful for dinner. Because of the generous amounts of cream and whole milk used in the recipe, it’s not something I tend to cook every day. On special occasions, like Shavuot, on the other hand, I think creamed potatoes are totally worth it. They’re perfect with a big salad of leafy greens, red and white cabbage, halved baby tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, and some zesty radish.
The origin of eating dairy foods in Shavuot is not entirely clear. Some say it goes back to the biblical portrayal of the land of Israel as “a land of honey and milk”. Others claim it was King Solomon’s portrayal of the holy scripture itself as “honey and milk” that led to the tradition. No matter the origin, these days Shavuot is mostly about stunning cheesecakes, rich dairy quiches, creamed sauces, and a dazzling variety of cheeses.
The holiday is also about celebrating the bounty of the earth, and offering the first fruits of the season as gifts. Cheesecakes are served with lovely grapes, delicious peaches, and perfect slices of honey-sweet melons. It is a celebration of ending spring and budding summer, my favoite seasons, so Shavuot is definitely one of my favorite local festivals.
On the more spiritual plain, Shavuot is known as a magical time. My mother used to say that the gates of heaven are opened on the eve of this holiday, making it a perfect time to make wishes, say prayers whisper secrets into the night air, and have one’s dreams miraculously come true.
This year I wish for good health, a body that knows its work, time to breathe, time to work hard, inspiration to create things, a happy family, new friends, new beginnings, financial stability, peace in, peace out, and good homes for all stray dogs.
Happy holiday. Eat some cheese and make a wish!
Mirrored from Housewifing.
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