Book of Days Tales

Today is the third Sunday in Advent, commonly called Gaudete Sunday. The day takes its name from the first word of the introit of this day’s Mass:

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione et obsecratione cum gratiarum actione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Benedixisti Domine terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob.

[Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob.] (Philippians 4:4–6; Psalm 85 (84):1)

One of the candles surrounding the Christ Candle in the Advent wreath is rose colored, for Gaudete Sunday (Joy Sunday). Likewise, in churches that worry about such things, priests have the option to wear rose vestments instead of the normal violet or blue for the Advent season. Being a reasonably ardent Protestant pastor (with cynical edges), I don’t care about vestments at all. But colors matter in some ways. My congregations liked to have different colors on the pulpit for different seasons in accord with Presbyterian rules for worship, and I went along. Purple is the Advent color, and I always had a candle-lighting ceremony at the Advent wreath (which I wrote myself and had various families carry out) at the beginning of each Sunday service. It was a nice ritual touch.

Since rose is the color of the day, rosewater is suitable as a recipe ingredient. At Christmas I commonly use rosewater for two items – Turkish delight and marzipan.  Here is a simple recipe for marzipan which you can use to cover a Christmas cake or shape into fruits of various kinds, adding food coloring for aesthetics.  It was common in the past to use raw egg whites to bind the mixture but nowadays, for health concerns, it is better to use water. The taste is not significantly affected. The amount of rosewater is cook’s choice. You may also add vanilla if you wish.

Ingredients

175 gm caster sugar
280 gm icing sugar
450 gm ground almond
60 ml cold water
½ tsp rosewater

Instructions

Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the water slowly, mixing constantly. As soon as the marzipan comes together, stop adding water and knead gently. Roll into a log, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.