text and images britt-arnhild
I read Babette´s Feast yesterday, and realized what a perfect tale it is for Holy Thursday. Have you read it? This famous tale by Karen Blixen, you know the one with Out of Africa.
Babette, the woman who flee France and ends up serving two old maids in a small village in the north of Norway. Babette who wins the Great Prize in the lottery, and spends it all on One Meal, for twelve, the two old women and their congregation.
Babette, The Great Artist, as she is also called in the book. The meal, transforming the lives of the 12. Not because they understand what they eat, what feast they are taken part in, but because the food, the drinks (the bread and the wine, the body, the blood) open their eyes, make them ready to forgive, to start again.
I have read the tale many times. With Maudy Thursday, the Holy Thursday as a background, the tale got new meaning.
A meaning to reflect on while cooking a fish soup in the tiny little cabin kitchen, for me and my family.
Babette´s Feast. The Last Supper.
We have another word for feast in Norway, gjestebud, which is a combination of two words, gjest and bud. Gjest means guest, bud is a combination of news and invitation. This makes the word gjestebud one of my favorite words. A feast for guests, friends known and friends yet to be known, an open table where being together is just as important as the food. Sharing words, and love, and what you eat.
Being together.
Øystein, Ingrid and Marius came out to Rastarbo. The meals became long. All of them filled with tales, anecdotes, laughter, sharing.......can you remember when.......let me tell you something......sure, that was when............
The tiny cabin kitchen producing food, delicious fragrances filling the cabin.
::::::::::::::::::::
We are back home. In the middle of The Holy week.
With several gjestebuds ahead.
::::::::::::
Will you host any feasts this Easter?
Tell me about it, will you?
