Scottish Shortbread & Seasoning

I love to wander at will through antique store and thrift shops.  I recently found a treasure for only $5.  It was a heavy cast iron pan with alphabet letters.  The letters had corresponding things incorporated into them like A is for Apple, B is for Bird, C is for Cat…you get the idea.

This pan looked brand new.  In fact, it was unseasoned.  This means it needed a series of anointing’s with oil and some baking with low heat in the oven to bring it to its full potential.  You see, a seasoned iron skillet or pan turns black and the things cooked or baked in them won’t stick.  The surface will look a bit slick and there will be no rust on it.

Cast iron cooking implements are generally not washed vigorously.  My mother has a skillet used exclusively for cornbread that the bread just pops out with abandon.  That skillet is wiped down after each use, and is re-oiled lightly if needed, then placed in a warm oven for a short time if some re-seasoning needed.

A skillet left to itself will eventually rust and be rendered unusable for its intended purpose.   But with a little elbow grease, some vegetable oil, and applied heat, a cast iron piece is renewed.

I’m reminded that Christians, too, need seasoning.  As new believers we are anointed by the Holy Spirit, but if we do not renew our spirits with daily prayer and reading of the Word, we get rusty in our faith.

Well-seasoned believers can generally allow little irritations or wounding words from others to NOT deter them from their service to the Lord.  Sometimes the Lord Himself applies a little heat to our lives to bring us back to Him for a Holy Spirit renewing and remind us that He is control.

I’m still working on my new cookie mold. It’s not quite ready yet.  I have plans for an alphabet cookie tea party with my favorite 2 yr old named Ava.  Twenty six little shortbread cookies and a lesson that ‘A is for Apple’ is in our future. 

That shortbread can be made ahead of time and frozen, baked or unbaked. Go to the Nov 16, 2011 post for the recipe.

Confectionately  Yours,

Sue