Saint Anne, Our Heavenly Grandmother

So often in our Christian Faith, we forget about the human side of Christ’s divine life. He was born to Mary, just as Mary was born to Saint Anne. Saint Anne was the Lord’s maternal Grandmother, and is considered our Heavenly Grandmother, too.

What we know of Saint Anne comes from Apocryphal Literature (widely believed to be true, while not authenticated). Much of this comes from the Protoevangelium of James, dating back to around the year 150. These writing were based on oral tradition within the early Church.  We are told that Anne, wife of Joachim, was advanced in years and that her prayers for a child had not been answered.

“Once as she prayed beneath a laurel tree near her home in Galilee, an angel appeared and said to her, ‘Anne, the Lord hath heard thy prayer and thou shalt conceive and bring forth, and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world.’ Anne replied, ‘As the Lord my God liveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life.’ And thus, Anne became the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

And the Heavenly Grandmother to us all.

Today is also National Coffee Milkshake Day. I think it’s only fitting on this, Saint Anne’s Feast Day, that I share with your a Coffee (of sorts) Milkshake recipe invented by my grandson, Kiddo. Enjoy!

Mudslide Milkshakes
8 scoops Coffee Ice Cream
1/4 Kahlua
1/2 cup Mexican Mudslide
Whipped Cream as desired
Chocolate Syrup to taste
Maraschino Cherry Juice
2 Butterfingers Candy Bars

Note: Mexican Mudslide can be made from “scratch” or found in the liquor section of most markets. We use Chi Chi’s Mexican Mudslide mix made with rum.

Place four tall glasses into the freezer to chill well.

In a blender, place 4 scoops of Coffee Ice Cream, Kahlua and Mexican Mudslide. Pulse to blend. Add remaining 4 scoops Coffee Ice Cream, give a few quick pulses. If the mixture is too thick, add more Mexican Mudslide to thin. If too thin, add more ice cream.

Pour mixture into tall, well chilled glasses, top with whipped cream, a drizzle of Chocolate Syrup, and splash of cherry juice. Cut or break candy bars in half, garnish each glass with a half a Butterfingers, broken side down.

Serve and enjoy.