April 10 |
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Anniversary of the Death of
Elizabeth Barton
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Elizabeth Barton was a 16th century psychic known as "the
holy maid of Kent." When she was seventeen, she had a serious illness
during which she saw visions of heaven and hell and the departed souls
who lived there. In one of her visions, she was told to visit a special
shrine of the Virgin Mary. She was taken there on a stretcher and placed
before the statue and suffered some type of seizure after which she
awoke and was cured.
A subsequent vision instructed Elizabeth to become a nun
and she retired to convent and began to prophesy. Many of
her prophecies were fulfilled and within a short time she was being
asked for help by thousands of people, including respected members of
the clergy. Her fame as an oracle
increased for the next eight years.
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Unfortunately, Elizabeth became involved with some religious political
opportunists who used her as a tool to try to prevent the marriage of Henry
VIII and Anne Boleyn.
The nun claimed to have received messages from an angel who told her to
tell Henry that, if this marriage took place, God would devastate the
country with a plague that would kill thousands.
Her threats were considered treasonous and Henry had
Elizabeth and some of her associates arrested and tortured. Elizabeth
eventually confessed that some of her revelations were fraudulent and was
sentenced to be hanged. At the hanging, she uttered a deep sigh as her neck
was broken and the sound of the sigh was said to have been heard for several
miles.
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Soupir de nonne
(Nuns Sighs)
Soupir de nonne are fried choux pastry dusted with confectioners' sugar allegedly invented by a nun in
Alsace in the eighteenth century. The
are also called called pet de nonne
(nun’s farts) which is less
applicable to the legend of
Elizabeth Barton's death and possibly the most
unappetizing name in culinary history.
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Special Equipment
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Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
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4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
fat for deep frying
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Instructions
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Heat fat
in deep fryer to 375º F.
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Sift sugar, flour, and salt. Add butter and water in a
medium saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Add flour mixture and
stir quickly with a wooden spoon over medium heat until dough leaves the
sides of the pan and forms a ball.
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Remove pan from heat and beat in eggs thoroughly one at a
time. Beat in vanilla.
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Drop by tablespoons in oil. When dough puffs and becomes
golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle
with confectioners’ sugar.
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© 2011 Gordon Nary |
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