Friday Night Candlemas Supper

Did you know that the Presentation of the Lord, Candlemas, and Ground Hog Day are celebrated on the same day?

According to Merriam-Webster’s online site, “Candlemas is observed on the same day as Groundhog Day, and it commemorates the occasion when the Virgin Mary, in accordance with Jewish Law, went to the holy temple in Jerusalem both to be purified 40 days after the birth of her son and to present Jesus to God as her firstborn.”

How nice, but it’s not observed on Groundhog Day, rather that’s the other way around since Jewish Law and the requirements for purification date back far before Punxsutawney Phil ever went looking for his shadow. Shadow and light. Light and shadow. Since ancient times, a procession of lit candles has marked the observance of this day, hence the name Candlemas. The observance comes from Scripture, in the Gospel of Luke, when Simeon proclaimed that God’s salvation was “a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.”

The idea behind Groundhog Day comes from an old English folksong.

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come Winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go Winter, and come not again.

It seems there is some strange connection between what an animal sees on Candlemas and the length of winter. Typically, the animal in question just happens to be a groundhog. Although I have never been able to understand a correlation between sunshine on February 2 and a longer winter.

Once upon a time, there were those who felt the Christmas Season should be the forty days between Christmas and the Presentation of both the Christ Child and Mary in the temple. That the Candlemas signal the end of the Christmas Season rather than the Epiphany, or the celebrated 12 Days of Christmas. Personally, I like our tradition of packing away Christmas after the arrival of the Magi. Although with all the work involved in decorating in the first place, a longer Christmas to enjoy would be nice.

Spring will be here soon enough. Followed by summer, and the need to pack away the comforts soup brings until the fall. Just as faith warms the soul, so does a nice bowl of soup. The difference is that faith warms for all eternity, while soup is but a moment in time.

Steakhouse Onion Soup
4 large Yellow Onions
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Flour
1/2 cup White Wine
4 cups Beef Stock
2 cups Chicken Stock
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
4 slices French Bread
2 cups shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Peel and thinly slice the onions. Break apart, set aside.

In a large stockpot or Dutch Oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until the onions are golden brown and beautifully caramelized. Sprinkle the flour over the onions, combine well for an oniony-roux. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour the wine into the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add both beef and chicken stocks together into the pot. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, season with black pepper and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat to low; simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Slice the French Bread. Brush 4 slices with olive oil. Place bread under the broiler to lightly toast.

When ready to serve, place a piece of toast into each oven-safe soup bowl. Ladle soup into the bowls. Top with a generous sprinkling of Swiss cheese, followed by the Parmesan Cheese. Place bowls on a baking sheet to steady them, then place under the broiler for about 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Serve with remaining French Bread and enjoy.

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Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the King of Glory may come in!