Have you ever suffered from a meltdown in the kitchen? A Yorkshire pudding that refuses to rise? Burnt chips? or worst of all a cake with a soggy bottom?
Well don’t worry, because if all else fails, you can always call for help from a higher power.
It seems that since cooking was invented, kitchen catastrophes have not been far behind and so each culture has revered its own God or Saint to pray to for help.
In the Norse mythology of Northern Europe, Andhrímnir is the go to guy when it comes to food. In truth he’s a bit of a one trick pony, but what a trick it is.
The chef in Valhalla, where warriors killed in battle reside, each day he slays a might boar Sæhrímnir and cooks it in his cauldron. He serves it in the banqueting hall washed down with mead from the milk of a goat. Remarkably, Sæhrímnir is restored to life overnight and the process repeated.
Meanwhile in India legend has it that a discussion between the Gods about the essentials of life led to widespread famine. The world was saved by the Goddess Annapurna who had realised that whilst deities can live without food, humans cannot. Seated on a throne she distributed food to the hungry – thankfully she had four arms so it only took half the time.
In third century Rome when the Emperor Valerian demanded that the Archdeacon Lawrence hand over the treasures of the Church, he instead gave them away to the poor.
For this crime he was chained to a gridiron which was then placed over hot coals. Despite enduring pain for some time Lawrence is said to have looked his persecutors in the eye and told them “I’m done on this side, turn me over.” It was a one-liner which led to him being named not only the patron saint of cooks, but also of comedy.
If praying to the cookery Gods seems a last resort, there is an alternative. At SK foods we offer a wide choice of UK and international dishes that turn out perfect every time without the need for any divine intervention.
About Jane Beesley
Development & Innovations Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
