Another Feast of All Saints

The Sixth Annual All Saints' Day party was last night.

The food was good.

The company was lively, the kids were uproarious, the singing was lovely, the game was fun.

And also there was good food.

This year, we asked everyone to bring a food related to the Bible. Or, rather, food "related" to the Bible. The tenuous associations made me glad that nobody among us makes a hobby of theology. One of the burdens of hosting is that we had to sample something of everything, but Darren and I valiantly rose to the challenge. It was very full-filling. Hahaha. (I can't believe I let that stand.)

We asked everyone to write out what they brought, and the justification for it. As follows:

Katie S.: "Bitter" herb bread.

Leah D.: A fruit tray. "Forbidden fruit: Eat at your own risk!"

Daniel and Rachel S.:
Bread with goat cheese "because David brought cheese and bread to the front lines of battle;
Ham: "Arise and eat!"

Jesse and Charlessa McConnell:
Deviled eggs: "The term 'deviled' first meant 'highly spiced' and was first used in 1786. Today, it has a more general term of something with spice. 'Deviled' relation to the Bible: obvious."
Puppy Chow (Chex cereal coated with peanut butter and chocolate): "Because even we gentile 'dogs' get to eat the crumbs that fall from the table. Matthew 15:22-28."

* Stuart loved the puppy chow. He thought it was frosted shredded wheat cereal and wanted some for breakfast this morning.

Peter and Kelly S: Croissants, some with apple, and some with chicken: "Croissants were originally in a cross shape. They're cut into pinwheels in reference to the wheels in Ezekiel 1."

Peter and Julie L: Kung Pao chicken: "The Kings from the East brought some yummy Oriental food!"

Leah G: Little loaves of wheat bread and Goldfish snack crackers: "Seven loaves and a few small fishes"; grape jelly: "fruit of the vine" jelly.

Suzanne S:
Prodigal meatballs: "The prodigal son went from the pig sty to the fatted calf. These meatballs are made with pork and veal."
Famine cookies and pistachio nuts: "What Joseph's brothers took back to Egypt as a bribe to Joseph: "... take a little gift: a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. -- from Genesis 43)."

Grace M: Death in the Pot Stew (our synopsis, as we lost Grace's card): "The school of the prophets gathered food for stew, and someone put in poisonous gourds. 'Man of God, there is death in the pot!' they wailed to Elisha. Elisha threw in meal and the stew was safe." Grace said she didn't have meal, but checked Betty Crocker, who said that cornstarch could be substituted.

Deidre and Jeremiah M.: Garlic Mashed Potatoes: "Okay, Deidre, what on earth does garlic mashed potatoes have to do with the Bible?" "Well, there was a day that God created vegetables, right?"

Darren and Sara: Beef stew: "Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of 'pottage.' It was probably lentils, but we feel sure that Jacob would have made beef stew if he'd thought of it."

Nina and Dana S.: Chocolate-covered Chinese noodles: "John the Baptist ate locust legs!"

* This appetizing dish was big hit with the under-10 crowd. Addie didn't want Nina to take them back home.
"I'll give your mom the recipe," Nina promised.
"But we don't have any pretzels!" Addie protested.
"Actually, it's called Chinese noodles."
"But we don't have any Chinese noodles!"
"You can get them at the store."
"The store with the kids' playroom, or the one without?"
"Either one."
"But the grocery store doesn't know anything about China!"

This year we did do something that we could back up straight from Scripture: we made tied fleece blankets. I'd already bought the fleece and cut a fringe all around. Throughout the night, people tied the fringes, so by the end of the party, we had two child-sized blankets ready to be donated to the local women's shelter. In the Bible, James says that "true religion" includes taking care of widows and orphans; and he further warns that it's no use to say to someone "be warm and well-fed" if you don't give him anything to warm or feed him. We hope a warm, bright blanket will make a couple of displaced children and their mother a little happier.

The first year we hosted an ASD party, the younger set included: Addie. This year, the children's contingent included: Addie, Stuart, Daphne, Mollie, Evan, Mary, Liam, Gracie, Cary, and Jeremiah. Talk about an increase in volume, in many senses of the word! Fortunately, Daniel S. made sure that our new playroom was completed in time for the party, so our Grown-Up Party was interrupted only occasionally by free-range children. All of whom seemed to enjoy themselves, judging from the noise.

It was, as usual, enormous fun. Our guests always get into the spirit of things, making this party an event we look forward to hosting all year.

-- SJ