Celebrate the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila with Italian Meringue!

Meringues

October 15 is the feast of St. Teresa of Avila, of Jesus. Although Spanish by birth, I am sure she would not mind a delicious Italian meringue to celebrate her entry into heaven.  Below is a recipe with a link that will help you choose a meringue dessert or answer questions you might have.

St. Teresa of Jesus, pray for us!

Italian meringue takes a little effort to make. It can be used for smooth buttercream icing and crisp but chewy meringue nests. You will need a sugar thermometer.

Using an electric hand mixer, begin by beating four egg whites until they form stiff peaks. They should stand up straight when the whisk is removed.

Next make a sugar syrup by mixing 225g/8oz of sugar with six tablespoons of water. Stir the sugar and water together over a medium heat. Dip a pastry brush in water and brush any bits of sugar from the sides of the pan down into the syrup to melt, otherwise it will turn the sugar syrup grainy. When all of the sugar is dissolved, bring it to a fast boil until it reaches 120C/250F.

As soon as the syrup reaches the correct temperature, pour it onto the egg whites in a thin, steady stream as you whisk. Be careful not to pour the hot syrup directly onto the beaters, as it may stick to them or splash back at you.

When all the syrup has been mixed, continue to whisk the meringue until it has cooled. It should be shiny and stiff. Allow to cool completely before using.

Cover with clingfilm until ready to use. Italian meringue can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.

Credit given to BBC Food Techniques,https://www.bbc.com/food/techniques/how_to_make_italian_meringue

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Credit given to BBC Food Techniques

150 Hail Marys, October 7 Feast of the Holy Rosary

 Where can you find 150 Hail Marys each in a different language? The answer is at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1899 the grounds of the monastery are as St. Francis would have like them - well-kept, beautifully manicured as befits the grounds of this holy shrine, a replica of many of the sites found in the Holy Land.

Today is October 7, the feast of the Holy Rosary. It would be a perfect day or even a perfect month to visit the shrine and spend some time praying and looking at the Hail Mary in many different languages.

The Hail Mary is one of the basic prayers of the Rosary. It recalls the angel Gabriel visiting Mary and telling her of God's great plan for her life. "Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you." Mary's cousin, Elizabeth, added to the angel's announcement as she recognized her cousin's unique place among women in creation. "Blessed are you among women." More verses were added until we have the completed prayer to honor Mary and to ask for her intercession. I hope you have the opportunity to visit the

Franciscan Monastery and to view the Hail Mary in 150 different languages sometime soon!