Why you should eat Shrimp Tempura today

This is Ember Week in Lent.  During the week after the 1st Sunday of Lent we observe the Ember Days of Lent.  

“Ember” derives from Anglo-Saxon ymbren, “a circuit or revolution (from ymb, “around”, and rennen, “to run”), the annual wheel of the sun.”

Winter, spring, summer and autumn all had their Ember Days under the Catholic Missal until 1962.   Now, Embertides are only observed by the most traditional of Catholics and Anglo-Saxons. 

In Latin we call the Ember Days the Quatuor Tempora, or "four times" of the year.  This Latin term gave rise to a form of food which we think of as a Japanese creation.

In the 16th Century. Spanish and Portuguese missionaries settled in Nagasaki, Japan.  From their interest in inculturation and out of sensitivity for the ways of the people, they tried to make meatless meals for Embertide, which is a fast time.  They started deep-frying shrimp.  The Japanese ran with and developed it to perfection.  This is “tempura,” again from the Latin term for the Ember Days "Quatuor Tempora". 

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2010/02/wdtprs-ember-friday-in-lent-1962mr/

Learn more about Embertides:  http://www.fisheaters.com/emberdays.html