With Georgina Protheroe Beynon

Joseph of Arimathea March 17th. (Apologies to St. Patrick) Patron of traders, tin miners, undertakers, embalmers, & all connected with funerary rites

All we know of Joseph from the bible, is that he was a brave disciple of Christ, rich enough to buy his own exclusive tomb (Matt 27:57-60) and a member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43). Luke calls him "Good and upright" and records that he disagreed with the Sanhedrin on the night when Caiaphas and Annas illegally set Jesus up for judicial murder. Later, against the tide of fear and suspicion, Joseph asked Pilate for the body of Jesus for ritual burial. With Nicodemus, he prepared the remains embalming them with myrrh and aloes within the linen shroud.(John 19:40)

A tradition dating back to the middle ages has it that Joseph was the Keeper of the Holy Grail. (?) He was said to be the uncle of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the ancestor of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Galahad. Legends say that he left Palestine, after the resurrection, landing in Somerset. Granted land on "the Isle of Glass" he planted his staff on Weary Hill and founded a church dedicated to Our Lady, at the instigation of the Archangel Gabriel. His staff bloomed to a thorn bush, which despite later puritan pruning, continues to bloom at Christmas to this day. Blakes hymn, "Jerusalem," asks questions whose answers we all would love to know.

THE RECIPE:
"Jerusalem" artichokes came to England from North America. In 1617. These short knobbly tubers make wonderful velvety soup and are particularly suitable for diabetics, containing no sucrose or potatoey starches.
Fill a bowl with cold water and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Peel and chop 1 kg/2 lbs Jerusalem artichokes putting them straight into the lemony water to keep 'em white.
Melt 50gr/2 oz butter in a pan.
Dice a large onion, half a celery stick and one or two fat cloves of garlic.
Add to the butter, cover pan and leave over gentle heat to sweat for a couple of minutes.
Now add the artichokes..
Pour on 1.1 litres/2 pints of chicken or vegetable stock and cook until the vegetables are soft.
Puree the mixture returning it to a well-rinsed pan and stir in 275mls/ half a pint of rich milk or cream, bringing the soup gently to just below boiling-point.
Season to taste with white pepper and a little ground mace or nutmeg, stir in another 50gr/2 oz of butter
Once amalgamated, serve with crumbled cooked bacon or chopped parsley, or a sprinkle of sumac or grated zest of lemon, and chunks of fresh bread.