Our Lady of Mount Carmel

I am running around like a mad thing today, and not doing what I should be doing on such a day as this, which is sitting still, thinking and listening. Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This is a title for the BVM in her role as the Patron of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were hermits who lived on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. They referred to Our Lady as the 'lady of the house', and sought her blessing and protection in all things. I do not know too much else about them.

One thing I do know is that the Carmelites have some great saints. And, today's feast must give a clue to how that happened.

I also know that any feast of the Carmelites is a good excuse to make something sweet in the kitchen.

Back in October I posted a recipe for Pan de Santa Teresa. I cannot think of anything more appropriate for today. Let nothing trouble you. Trust.

Pan de Santa Teresa

3 cups of milk

3 tablespoons of sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 Lemon zest

12 slices of French/Italian uncut bread (can be a little stale)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon cinnamon mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar (for sprinkling)

Olive Oil or butter for frying

Mix together the milk, sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon zest. Gently heat the milk mixture to ensure the flavours mix. Slice the bread into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place the bread in a large flat dish and cover with the milk. Beat the three eggs and pour them into another large flat dish. Take each slice from the milk and cover it quickly through the egg, then fry until it is brown and crusty. Try not to let the bread get too too soggy in the milk. Sprinkle the fried slices with cinnamon sugar. Enjoy with coffee slowly. This is enough to feed 4 hungry people.

Yum.