DEAR SUN SPOTS: Mexico Congregational Church, UCC, 163 Main St., will hold a special Advent service Sunday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m. 

The Rev. John Hogue will offer a sermon titled, “Thumb Island Elephants,” based on a true story from 1909. The congregation will have the opportunity to sing many carols. Communion will also be observed. 

In the United Church of Christ, the communion elements are bread, including gluten-free, and grape juice, and everyone is invited to partake. All are welcome to attend the service. The 10 a.m. worship service will not be held on this date. 

Thank you for all you do, Ms. Sun Spots. — No name, Mexico

ANSWER: This is a reminder and I think this service topic is very intriguing. I wondered what elephants had to do with a church’s Christmas celebration and the following information came up in an Amazon e-book link: “Loved by millions who heard this funny and moving short story on radio, read by Steve Burt, the clergyman known as New England’s Christmas Story Pastor, and excerpted from his collection, “Christmas Soup for the Soul.” On Christmas Eve 1909, a Barnum & Bailey circus wagon carrying elephants overturns at a railroad crossing, forcing a town to come together to save the mother elephant and baby.” 

DEAR READERS: In yesterday’s column, there was a request for an old-time flapjack recipe. I shared a recipe for American flapjacks and today I’ll share a recipe for what is called a flapjack in Great Britain. 

A flapjack in the UK is a flat, chewy oat bar that is baked in the oven. Think of those oaty, sweet granola bars and you’re close to imagining what a UK flapjack is. The recipe below is from Allrecipes.com. If you can’t find golden syrup, honey with a touch of molasses has the closest flavor profile (one part molasses to three parts honey). You can also substitute maple syrup but you may need to add a bit more oats. 

If anyone has anything more to say about flapjacks, I’m all ears, and I’m sure our reader who asked for a recipe will be grateful for the tips. 

For those who don’t know, golden syrup, or light treacle, is a thick, amber-colored, sweet syrup made from inverted sugar (glucose and fructose) from sugar cane or beet, offering a rich caramel flavor, often used in British baking. 

UK Flapjacks: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 4 tablespoons golden syrup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter and sugar have melted. Stir in 3 cups old-fashioned oats and 1/4 cup raisins until coated. Pour into a greased or parchment paper-lined 8-inch square baking pan. The mixture should be about 1-inch thick.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden. Cut into squares, then leave to cool completely before removing from the pan. Makes 10 squares.

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