Kitchen prayers for culinary miracles

I would like to offer up a prayer to God for the gift of flourishment!

At the start of my year…. I was not a gifted cook and I would super stress inside the kitchen…. I am a little scared of cooking…. unfortunately, many years ago some trauma with a cooking lesson at school….one which cannot be mentioned…. although Father you know my forgetfulness and the accidental burning of the pan handle….

I could mention the near possibility of burning down the school home economics room….and father you know the shame this bought to my mother….and the detention with many lines that came to me…. line 1…you will not burn our school down…. repeat!

However, after the offer of extra art lessons and no further admittance to the school kitchen, the cookery teacher and my mother were suitably calmed and life carried on.

I wonder if anyone can remember the sitcom, Butterflies and lovely Wendy Craig who played housewife Ria from the 1970s…. Ria was my hero…Ria was pretty and she burnt dinner and she was still loved…I wanted to be Ria…..even if it meant uncooked Turkey…Ria was cool.

Father, you know that despite the disastrous cooking and the paranoia of folk around me, if I even thought of trying anything adventurous in the kitchen, lips would be pursed and tut tuts emitted…however father you knew that I would try to be a little better eventually and this sad and tragic year, the Covid year, was the time Ria has finally taken a backseat and Mary-Rose has got her baking hat on….

Father, I am pleased to say that I have flourished in the kitchen…I have baked….I have cooked many different meals and most importantly they tasted okay….sorry Ria…you may not be my hero anymore and I may just have grown up a little bit now but my cake is good….it sits expectantly under a coating of port and sherry……waiting for the crown of marzipan and Icing….no cherry on top but a tiny little Christmas Robin awaits his perch on top of my Christmas Cake….

Mother would finally be proud and my cookery teacher surprised!

Ria you are my hero secretly but I am glad I made this cake….it is a new beginning and my flourish  moment

Father, you are the reason I can do the things I do and I do them in love for you….

Amen