St. Philipp Melanchthon Kirschenmichel

History

St. Philip Melanchthon’s day on February 16th interestingly commemorates his birth day and not his death day, probably due to the fact that he died on April 19th, a day which would often fall during Holy Week or the Octave of Easter. When this happens the Church usually finds another date to observe a commemoration of its saints, especially when they are as notable as the Reformer Melanchthon.

Keeping this mid-February date in mind, we have a few suggestions for how you might choose to set aside the day of the Christian Calendar to use it as an opportunity for your household to become better acquainted with St. Philip and his considerable mark on the Lutheran faith. Of course, in line with his role in the Reformation and his closeness to Martin Luther, celebrated just two days later on February 18th, you can always look to our Reformation tradition post and St. Martin Luther Lutherbrot for inspiration, utilizing the day to remember his broader theological work.

Yet you can also focus more on St. Philip Melanchthon’s own biography and life, especially noting his birth in Bretten, Germany, and his life during the Middle Ages in Germany. Thinking about both location and time, there are many traditional recipes that harken back to this period and place, reminding us of the culinary customs of this culture that are interesting to learn about.

Kirschenmichel

One such traditional recipe from the southwest Palatinate region in this timeframe would have been Kirschenmichel, or cherry bread pudding. After you’ve made, it you’ll easily see why it has had and still has such a beloved standing within German society. Dating back to at least the Middle Ages, this traditional dish features fruit known to come from the region from which Melanchthon hailed and is the perfect dish for his February commemoration as bread pudding is often thought of as a cozy winter dessert.

Although considered a sweet dish, it can sometimes be served as a main dish after a savory appetizer and certainly tastes of comfort, combining bread that is a few days old with egg, milk, and sugar and gently folded in cherries. To serve, feature it with slivered almonds, vanilla, cinnamon, powdered sugar, ice cream, or even a hot vanilla custard sauce. It is sure not to disappoint!

Ingredients

Approximately 300 grams of stale bread (rolls, slices, etc.)

1 ¼ cups warm milk

3 large eggs

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 15-ounce jar cherries, drained

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

pinch salt

1–2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×12-inch casserole dish.
2. Slice or cube rolls or bread slices. Put them into a bowl and cover with milk, stirring gently and sitting for about 10 minutes to soak.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, granulated sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and almond extracts. Gently stir in the milk-soaked bread and well-drained cherries.
4. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
5. Cool slightly if you’d like to serve it warm, or cool completely to room temperature. Dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.