In the tradition of opening a door on an Advent calendar, we open today’s post to reveal…
… there’s 2 days to Christmas Day…
and today’s spice is…
… Horopito
A pinch of spice
Horopito has a sweet fragrance and a peppery, slightly bitter tangy taste with notes of citrus and apple. It can be used instead of pepper to season food. Horopito is an ancient plant dating back millions of years when Aotearoa was a part of the giant southern continent called Gondwana. There has been recent enthusiasm towards using local ingredients in cooking here in Aotearoa. Indigenous plants like horopito are showcased by many as a ‘new’ ingredient in cooking. Use horopito in rubs for roast meat or sprinkle as a seasoning instead of pepper to bring a tangy flavour to your Christmas dishes.
A pinch of the Christmas story
But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.
Luke 2:19 (CEV)
A pinch of reflection
We surround ourselves with familiar things to help us feel safe and comforted. This extends to our daily routines, the friends we keep, the way we function as well as how we live out our faith. When something new crosses our path it makes sense that we can find it refreshing or threatening. We are constantly faced with decisions whether to explore that which is new to us or turn away and stick with the known and familiar. God works in the familiar spaces, places, and ways that we love and find comforting. Yet God is also at work in the new. When Mary gave birth to Jesus, she was thrust headlong into a new and uncharted path. We don’t see her running from God’s plan. Instead, we hear in the words from the first Christmas story, Mary taking time to think and wonder.