ISSUE 3 // MARCH 2021 . I AM THE VINE . In John's gospel Jesus describes himself in a number of interesting ways using the stuff of nature, symbol and the everyday: I am the bread of life I am the light of the world ​I am the door I am the resurrection and the life I am the good shepherd I am the way, the truth and the life I am the vine It is this last one: the vine , that has always captured my heart and imagination most of all. Perhaps it speaks to the nature lover and green-thumb me, the farmer, and also the child who likes to likes to watch things grow and change with the seasons. I am the vine and you are the branches, remain in me, and I will remain in you. In using the image of the vine and branches, Jesus is evoking the organic and intimate relationship we have with him as our source of love and life - a symbiosis which allows us to grow and branch out with nourishment, creativity and connection to the world around us - to love each other . The vine also speaks to the seasonal nature of our lives and faith. The shape and feel of remaining in the vine , can change year by year, month by month, day by day, even minute to minute. There are seasons I feel like the autumn vine heavy laden with fruit, waiting to be harvested, ripening in the sun, full to overflowing with ideas and energy. More often I feel like the wintering vine, dormant, in need of tender mulching, feeding, soaking in the quietness, in the cold, waiting in the dark, holding on. Other times I feel the hopeful anticipation of new leaves budding on the springtime vine, joyful growing as the sun shines brighter, promise and wonder gathering. I know the summer vine well, the steady growth and daily work of tending, training, persisting in the heat, watering at the roots, flowers fixing to fruit, connecting with those around me. But the thing is, even though the shape, feel, beauty and struggles of our lives change - Jesus, our true vine and source of love, goodness and life - remains ever present, ever loving, ever connected to us. . to contemplate . - Read Jesus's words in the gospel of John 15: 1-17 , and contemplate the images of God as a gardener, Jesus as the true vine and all of us as the branches. How do these images make you feel? Do they resonate for you right now? - Try a movement meditation using Jesus' words from John 15: First cross your arms over your chest and say, with eyes closed: "I am the Vine" Then open your arms wide as if about to hug someone and say with eyes open: "and you are the branches" Next lift your arms straight above your head and looking up say: "Remain in me" Finally clasp your hands in prayer and slowly lower them to rest in front of your heart and say: "and I will remain in you" . Repeat this movement with the words a couple of times. You could try it outside with bare feet on the grass or even sitting in your favourite chair. Does moving your body change the way you experience these words of Jesus? I have found this meditation particularly grounding over the last couple of weeks, it feels like a simple prayer in which I can re-focus my heart, mind and body to the reality that I am known, loved and connected with God as living branches to the vine. - Go for a walk. Look for markers of a changing season around you: notice the colours and textures of plants, flowers and leaves, the sounds of birds, the temperature on your face and hands, the quality of the light, the sensations in your body, the kinds of thoughts that come. - Consider these musings of poet Luci Shaw in her book "Water At The Roots": ​ “How odd that God humbles himself to be seen in the most ordinary beauties, the everyday, taken-for-granted stuff of creation! Yet his imagination is stamped everywhere we turn our eyes. The clues to divine reality are under our feet, they brush our hands, they rustle in our ears, they mark our bare legs with their sharpness, and they burn our retinas with their colour... ​We are faced with so often with things we know but still need to learn. How marvellous it is that realities as mundane as sunlight, field lilies, apple trees, ripe berries, pumpkins, and the delighted cries of young children are lenses through which we may see God.” . from the recipe book . Quince and Honey Tarte Tatin I eagerly await the autumn quinces so I can make our family favourite quince tarte tatin as well as quince paste, baked quinces and lamb and quince tagine. Such a deliciously versatile fruit! This upside tart is not super-sweet and is perfectly suitable for breakfast. The flavour of honey with the quinces and nuts in the pastry are especially scrumptious... You will need: 4 medium sized quinces, peeled, cored and sliced about 2cm thick 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons honey For the pastry: 3/4 cup almond or hazelnut meal 1 cup plain GF flour (I use 50:50 rice flour + tapioca starch) 1/4 cup sugar 100g cold butter 1 small egg Combine flours, sugar, butter and egg in a food processor and blend until smooth and they form a ball of dough. If it’s too dry you can add a teaspoon of water / if it’s too wet add a tablespoon of flour and continue until you achieve the right consistency. Roll dough out onto a floured surface or a piece of baking paper and roll out into the shape of the pie dish or tin you will use. My dish is about 22cm wide. Set aside. In a frying pan melt honey and butter together until small bubbles begin to form. Lower the heat and gently sauté quince slices, turning them with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes or until they begin to soften. Place a circle of banking paper in your pie dish or tin: arrange quince slices on top and pour any remaining honey butter juices on top. Next gently ease your piece of pastry over the top tucking the edges down over the quince. Bake in a moderate oven 160’c for 45mins to 1hr - the pastry will look golden brown and the quince will begin to blush red around the sides. ​Invert the tart on a big plate or wooden board and enjoy warm or cool with cream, greek yoghurt, cheese or just by itself... Leek, Silverbeet and Sheep's Cheese Tart for the pastry: 1 + 1/2 cup GF plain flour 125g good quality butter 1/2 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream Using your fingertips rub butter into flour. Add salt and sourcream and knead into a ball until smooth. Cover in plastic-film and refrigerate for an hour. for the filling: 6 baby leeks or 3 medium sized ones big handful of swiss chard leaves 1/2 cup sheep feta (goat's would work well too) 4 large free range eggs 1/2 cup whole milk salt and pepper to taste Cut leeks in thirds and slice lenthwise. Heat 2 tablesoons of butter in a frying pan and gently sautee leeks until golden and beginning to caramelise In a bowl beat eggs, cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Roll out your pastry and gently ease into wide tart dish that has been greased with butter beforehand. Blind bake shell at 180'c for 20 minutes (the pastry will puff up a bit so you'll need to weigh it down with baking paper and some rice or weights). Cool a little. Scatter shredded swiss chard leaves in the shell. Pour in egg mixture and arrange golden leeks on top. Bake in a moderate oven at 180'c for 25 minutes or until golden. Hot Cross Buns This is my gluten-free adaption of the traditional hot cross bun enjoyed on Good Friday as we remember the beautiful significance of the cross. You will need: 1 cup warm milk (any kind will do) 1/2 cup rice sourdough starter OR extra 1/4 cup milk 1 1/2 tsp natural dried yeast 2 tablespoons sugar/ honey 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter 2 whole eggs 1/3 cup psyllium husks 1/2 rice flour 1/2 cup buckwheat flour 1/2 cup arrowroot/tapioca starch 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground ginger 3/4 cups soaked dried fruit of your choosing. zest and juice of 1 orange + 1 lemon Whisk milk, sourdough starter (or milk), yeast, honey, oil, eggs and psyllium husks in a large bowl. Next add your flours, spices and fruit and stir to combine - don’t over mix as this will compact the flours: it should look like a wet dough - the consistency of thick, lumpy soup. Cover bowl with a clean tea towel and let it rest for 30 minutes. When you come back to it the mixture should see former and more dough like. The psyllium husks help absorb the moisture without making it too dry. If it’s still “sloppy” add an extra 1/4 cup each of the flours mentioned above. Now, "grease" your hands with a little olive oil and scoop out a big heaped tablespoon of dough at a time - the oil on your hands will stop the dough sticking. Place balls close to each over on a baking tray lined with paper or dusted with GF flour. Once all the dough has been shaped into buns - cover them with a tea towel and let them sit to rise in a warm place. Next make your crosses by mixing together: 4 tablespoons plain GF flour (or 2 tablespoons each of rice flour and tapioca starch) 2 teaspoons of olive oil 2 tablespoons water Whisk together in a small bowl or jug. It should be a thin paste consistency. Add more flour or water as needed to achieve this. Scoop paste into a piping bag or a plastic zip lock bag (which you can easily snip the corner off). Pipe crosses onto each bun. Bake in a hot oven at 190-200’c for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of your buns. They should look golden in colour when baked. While the buns are still hot - brush them with warmed marmalade/apricot jam or honey over the buns. You need about 3 tablespoons of jam for the lot - I find this is a wonderful way to use up the jam or the marmalade nobody seems to be eating. These buns are best enjoyed warm! Eat then within 3 days or slice up and freeze for another time. . Embracing Easter . Last year I collaborated with my local church to produce the "Embracing Easter" workbook which guides you from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday with daily reflections, scriptures, recipes and ideas for celebrating this special season of new life and renewal at home. If you'd like to