The other day I stumbled onto a secret recipe. It lists all the ingredients to Turkish Delight. And this is not just any exotic dessert. It is the very treat that the White Witch used to tempt little Edmund Pevensie in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I don't know if C.S. (Jack) Lewis ever wrote down the recipe. But if He did, I am sure they would have looked something like this:
Ingredients: 2 cups granulated sugar (Because sin always taste good for a season), 1 1/4 cups water (Because temptation tries to convince you that you will never get caught), 1 lemon, the peel cut into strips, the juice squeezed and strained (Because sin eventually turns bitter), 1 orange, the peel cut into strips, the juice squeezed and strained (Because sin may appear to be wholesome at first), 4 tablespoons unflavored powdered gelatin (Because a good lie needs a plausible story to hold everything together), 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (Because sin looks appealing from the outside), 1 tablespoon cornstarch (Because temptation must thicken and take a form that you can consume)
Instructions:
Dissolve the granulated sugar in half of the water over medium heat.
- Add the strips of lemon and orange peel and the juices.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Soak the gelatin in the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Strain the mixture into a shallow, dampened pan or onto platters, and let it set for 24 hours.
- Cut the candy into 1-inch squares.
- Sift the confectioner's sugar and cornstarch together into a shallow dish.
- Roll the pieces of candy in the mixture.
- Store the squares in boxes with more confectioners' sugar and cornstarch between each layer.
Turkish Delight dates back to the time of the Ottoman Empire. According to legend, the unique sweet was created by a Sultan who wanted to please his many wives. It became a daily treat served at the Sultan's table. The West discovered Turkish Delight thanks to traders who found the candy in Istanbul.
Sin usually tastes sweet for a season. But sin always results in cavities (destruction) and root canals (pain that goes down to deepest nerve). It is quite interesting that just like the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, C.S. Lewis uses food and the human appetite to capture the essence of temptation. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things" (Philippians 3:18&19). Men have always seemed to be led by their stomachs. Our appetites can be our undoing if we allow them to consume us.
In the novel, Edmund loses out on getting a gift from Aslan, the Christ figure in the story, because he was with the White Witch when the other Pevensie kids receive their gifts. Sin causes us to lose out on what God has in store for us. Although God's love can erase any sin, we may still have to live with the consequences of our actions.
What is your Turkish Delight? I know what mine tends to be.....
