Zoe's Feast

Have you ever seen the film Babette's Feast?  It's the story of a French refugee arriving at the door of 2 elderly and austere Scandinavian spinsters to work as their housekeeper and cook.  Babette works quietly for years before winning 10000 francs in a French lottery and instead of using the money to move back to Paris she spends all of it on the creation of a sumptuous banquet to end all sumptuous banquests in order to show her appreciation for her hosts and their congregation. 

Well tonight I had the taste of a Babette in the making.  Her name is Zoe, and she is the 13 year old granddaughter of my friend Donna.  She spent 2 days preparing an amazing meal for us. We began with a lovely bruschetta appetizer and then sat down to the main meal of stuffed ravioli and bacon wrapped shrimp and spinach salad.  Did I mention that Zoe made the ravioli from scratch?  Did I also mention that she makes up her own recipes?

Then we finished with a dessert of raspberry mousse with our initials created in chocolate.  (Mine is sideways in the picture.)  All I kept thinking was "Holy Food for Holy People".....you could taste the love.  And it was definitely a Eucharistic moment.  Thank you Zoe for sharing your creative gift.  May your passion for preparing such feasts continue as you bless all those who partake of such a grace as this.