My fellow Catholics, we are smack in the middle of the Lenten Season.
In parts of Europe, people celebrate heartily before the start of Lent, commemorated by Ash Wednesday. In the German-speaking region (i.e., Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Belgium), the Monday before Ash Wednesday, called Rosenmontag, marks the highlight of Karneval with street parties and parades. Throughout, there are street parades featuring beautifully decorated floats and costumes. Float participants toss candies and other treats to the crowds, while the participants walking alongside the floats often offer glasses of wine or beer. It’s easy to become intoxicated at these parades.
My daughters eagerly anticipated the small parade in Langsur, the village where their grandparents live, knowing they’d receive plenty of candy. They dressed up, Becca as Eevee and Sarah as a mermaid, and brought along bags. Despite the parade’s modest size with only a few floats and groups, they still collected a decent amount of candies, chips, and popcorn. Now, we just need to ensure they consume them over a reasonable amount of time, not in just a couple of days.
A larger parade took place in Trier, just a 20-minute drive from Langsur. Unfortunately, both Tobi and I had work commitments, so we couldn’t take them to watch. Their cousin, Paul, lives there and participated with his mom, as it was a school holiday. He mentioned receiving hardly any candies as adults around him were eagerly grabbing what was being thrown. So, perhaps it was for the best that we didn’t attend. It would have only disappointed the girls.
Following all the festivities, drinking, and eating, we now embark on 40 days of sacrifice leading up to Easter. I always give up something during these 40 days, and this year, I’m abstaining from Instagram and Facebook. I’ve noticed that when I’m procrastinating or bored, I turn to scrolling on these two online platforms. I’ve replaced that habit with reading the news and books. A couple of weeks into Lent, and I’ve already finished quite a few books, thanks to my Kindle Unlimited subscription, which offers subscribers an online library of more than 4 million digital titles, including audiobooks and magazines. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood, and I readily embraced the Kindle when it first came out. I’m now on my third Kindle and find it challenging to read physical books, especially since I enjoy reading at night when the room is dark. It’s just so convenient!
As it’s now the Lenten season, we’ve been observing Fish Fridays (not necessarily limited to fish, but abstaining from meat). I stumbled upon a recipe online at the NY Times website, which has a humorous name: sardine salad. Typically, we think of vegetables as the main component of a salad. However, according to Merriam-Webster, a salad can consist of small pieces of food, such as pasta, vegetables, meat, or fruit, usually mixed with a dressing or set in gelatin. With that definition in mind, this recipe is unquestionably a salad.
Sardine Salad
(adapted from the NY Times website)
Serves 1 for a meal
1 tbsp minced red onion or shallot
1 tbsp lemon juice (substitute calamansi juice or apple cider vinegar)
½ tsp lemon zest
1 125-g tin of sardines, in olive oil, drained, bones removed (if desired), and chopped
1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ of a large celery stalk, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped dill or parsley, optional
Bread for serving
1. In a small bowl, mix the minced onion/shallot, lemon juice, zest, and a large pinch of salt. Set aside and let the onion macerate for around 5 minutes to remove the sting.
2. Add the chopped sardines, mustard, olive oil, and celery. Mix well, then season to taste.
3. Spread on sourdough bread or pandesal for a quick meal. 4. This can also be made ahead and will keep for up to 3 days when refrigerated.*
