WORDS « Previous | All Archives | Next »


St Olaf
April 05, 2006
01:23 PM

St Olaf

Since I have decided to grant the bold Olaf a second crack at hitting the history books by naming an egg dish in his honour, I thought it only fair to find out a thing or two about him.
Up to this I only knew that there is a chapel in Waterford , now deconcecrated and used for Irish dancing classes, which bears his name, presumably something to do with our Viking past.

Well he turns out a bit of curates egg himself.

Known also as Olaf Haraldson, Olaf The Fat and (my personal favourite) Olaf the Thick, he was the first Christian King of Norway (from 1015 to 1028) and died trying to impose the same religion there by the sword.
Thus the (Vatican recognised) sainthood, he comes out as a Christian Martyr.

So far so good.
If you examine the Eggs Olaf recipe and consider the amount of butter and eggs in it,it seems that he, as in Olaf the Fat and indeed Olaf the Thick, is a natural for it.

Apparently he is usually depicted carrying a food basket as a symbol of charity.
(Another plus.)

His other patronages are a little more difficult to tie into a breakfast dish though.

He is the patron saint of both Norway and of Kings, fair enough as he could lay claim to both.
Also (presumably because of the huge sword he carries) he has one culinary connection.
He is the patron saint of Carvers, close to catering OK but not much good for Eggs.

His last patronage is even more inappropiate for a breakfast dish.
(One which I saw as, perhaps, being carried upstairs on the morning of Valentines Day.)
He is the Patron Saint of "Difficult Marriages".

But then maybe he has the fixings of same, in the Eggs?

Marriage Counsellors please note.


0 Comments
« Previous | All Archives | Next »