In Colombia, the image of Jesus has been seen on the side of a mug of hot chocolate. Specifically, the face appeared on the side of the mug in a pattern of drips. Because this week, the week before Easter, is known as "holy week" by the Catholic Church, the are rumored to be investigating the appearance. In the meantime, a shrine has been set up for visitors to view the cup in the kitchen where it was discovered.

This isn't the first, nor probably the last, time that religious icons have been found in food.

[Image WKYC]

Easter is my favorite holiday. It is not that I am a devout Catholic and strictly adhere to the Lenten rules, though I do find solace in the sense of renew the season brings, rather it is the feeling of freshness that comes with Easter that never fails to raise my spirits after the long, cold winter. Even if I did not have children I would likely color eggs and create baskets just for fun. One of my favorite Easter traditions is the peek-a-boo sugar eggs. I have many memories of treasure hunts that ended with the discovery of my basket which always contained one of these treasures. The eggs are edible in the same way that a gingerbread house is edible, you can eat them but they are fairly gross and stale. But for a child it is absolutely amazing to sit and ponder just how exactly the Easter Bunny was able to create the sugary orb and insert the candy animals inside.

A few days ago, I posted about Lent, the 40 days before Easter in which there is the tradition of giving something luxury, excess and indulgence, in addition to the general guidelines of abstaining from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday during Lent (including Good Friday).

But what about those who'd like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this Friday, but also really do strictly observe the Lenten guidelines? Many will want to eat traditional corned beef. According to an article at Slate, the archbishop of Atlanta has agreed to grant a dispensation for Lent this year so that members of the diocese may eat meat this Friday as part of their St. Patrick's Day celebrations." In fact, almost a third of the diocese in the States have done the same thing.

Bring on the corned beef!

Though I'm not quite so religious now (if at all), I grew up in a semi-Catholic household, and remember many of the religious customs and traditions - eating fish on Fridays, the Communion, confession, etc. etc. etc. One of the things I don't recall ever really doing, though, was "giving up" something during Lent.

I always found it funny when other Catholic friends of mine would "give up" something that wasn't quite so difficult to give up in the first place - something like, oh, I don't know, a certain channel on TV. Doesn't that totally defeat the purpose? Aren't you supposed to give up something that will make you remember why you're doing it every time you have to hold yourself back?

Chocolate, burgers, butter, cheese - these things I could give up easily. However, there are a few things I should, but doubt I actually could, give up for 40 days for Lent:

1. Diet Coke - I need the caffeine.
2. Coffee - see above
3. Eggs - I eat at least a half dozen hard boiled eggs a week (not all the yolks, though). I know that eggs are one of the things you aren't supposed to eat anyway (which is why we have "Pancake Day"), but then what would I eat for breakfast?!
4. Wine - I don't even drink this in excess because other than tequila, wine hangovers are the worst kind of aftermath. However, dinner doesn't taste good without a glass of wine.
5. Salt - I salt everything. Sometimes (ssh, don't tell), even before I taste it.
6. Garlic - I think that after salt, garlic comes in second for "putting into everything."
7. Chilies, peppers, and anything spicy - While others may have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, I think I was born with a chile pepper.
8. Gum - My mouth is always moving, and if I'm not eating, I have to be chewing gum.