Today is the second Ember Days of Pentecost or Summer, but the first Ember Days of Summer to receive an optional observation. Confusing, isn’t it? When a lesser feast day (such as Ember Days, which are all optional days) falls on a feast of greater importance, the greater day is observed. This year, Mary’s visit to her cousin, Elizabeth, took precedence over the first Ember Days.
There are those who will argue that Ember Days are nothing more than pagan observations. This would be true, in that Romans observed the changing of the seasons with feasts similar to Ember Days. When the Church first embraced Ember Days to acknowledge the seasons, it was in part to make the transition from Roman beliefs to Christian beliefs easier for the Romans to understand. Yet Ember Days do not acknowledge a different god or set of gods for each changing season, but one God – the God who created seasons in the first place. It is only right and just to give Him thanks for all He has created.
Ember Days also have a connection to the Eucharist. The Church offered the first-fruits during Ember Days (summer or Pentecost is wheat) and prayed for the priests to be ordained. The harvests of wheat, grapes and oil have a purpose in the liturgy of the Mass, becoming the Bread of Life that we receive each Sunday and other Holy Days of Obligation.
The Church has done away with the universal celebration of Ember Days. This was done before Vatican II, but fully eliminated from the calendar with the revisions of Vatican II. Most Catholics, not ordained or practicing the Traditional (Latin) Rite don’t even know about Ember Days. In our house, while we do not follow the old ways of fasting and prayer that was once associated with Ember Days, we do give thanks to the Lord above for all He has done.
On the Secular Calendar, the first Friday in June is National Donut Day while June 2 is both Rotisserie Chicken Day and Rocky Road Day. Rocky Road got me to thinking – often walking a path of faith can seem a bit like a Rocky Road – filled with temptations, distractions and pitfalls. But the rewards of Rocky Road can be sweet. What is Rocky Road? It’s the addition of Marshmallows and nuts to things like fudge or ice cream. In this case, I’ve taken my favorite Fudge recipe, Fantasy Fudge, and made it “Rocky”. Enjoy!
Rocky Road Fantasy Fudge
3 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
5 oz can Evaporated Milk (about 2/3 cup)
12 oz package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
7 oz jar Marshmallow Crème
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Mini Marshmallows
Note: Do not use sweetened condensed milk!
Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Lightly butter the foil.
Note: A 9-inch square pan will yield thick chunks of fudge. If a less thick piece of fudge is desired, use a 9 x 13-inch pan.
Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-quart saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for 5 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Off heat, add the chocolate and stir until the chips have completely melted. Fold in marshmallow crème; stir until no streaks of marshmallow cream remain. Add nuts, vanilla and mini marhsmallows; mix well.
Pour the fudge mixture into the prepared pan; spread to cover the pan completely.
Note: Work quickly as the fudge will set up in no time.
Cool completely at room temperature. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan and transfer to a board. Peel off foil before cutting into squares.
Sing to the Lord a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful
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