The time of the last harvest. When nature's bounty is put in storage for the Winter. Until recently, the shedding of pig's blood on Mother Earth was part of Ireland's Saint Martin Festival (which took place November 15th).
In
Latin America and Spain, offerings of food, candles and flowers are
made to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. The families leave them
at the graves Samhain night in a joyous celebration. Popular are
breads, candies and cakes made in the form of grinning skulls, the
eyes formed from shining violet paper. Chocolate hearses and coffins
are also offered. Farmers in Haiti make offerings of yams to their
ancestors and household gods to ensure a plentiful harvest the next
year.
Some traditional foods are: Apples, nuts or potatoes, for divination (English); Buttered oat-husk gruel (Scottish); Boosty, a mixture of potatoes, cabbage and onions (Irish); Chestnuts (Italian); Gingerbread and oatcakes (Scottish); Milk (Central European); Doughnuts, whose round shape indicates Eternity (Tyrolian); Skull-shaped candy (Mexican); Beans, peas and lentils, considered food for the poor, as penance for souls in purgatory (Southern European); Haggis - stuffed sheep's stomach (Scotland).
All
fruit-bearing trees were honored in the name of Pomona by the Romans.
Apples and Pomegranates (the later considered the fruit of the
Underworld) were especially sacred. The Irish decorated their
ancestor's graves with apples, symbols of death and eternal life --
used to ensure their forebears' speedy rebirth into the clan. When an
apple is cut horizontally, the seeds form a pentagram, then five-fold
symbol of Life. Pomegranate seeds were eaten by Persephone in the
Land of the Dead.
Some people traditionally fast on Samhain (Halloween), then have a feast the next day. Fasting frees up one's energy, which makes one more receptive to visions and communication with spirits.
Hecate, crone aspect of the Triple Moon Goddess, is also honored at Samhain. Traditionally, food is left as an offering at a three-way crossroad at midnight.
In Celtic countries, turnips or gourds were carved for "jack-o'lanterns". The pumpkin is a New World cousin of gourds that became popular among Irish immigrants as an easier-to-carve substitute.
In Scotland and Ireland, Samhain Eve is known as Hagmenai (Hag's Moon). Traditional foods such as bannock, shortbread, haggis and currant buns are consumed. Whiskey and hot pints (hot ale spiced and laced with whiskey) are drunk. Fire are started at midnight. Druids gathered within a ring of stone and chanted runes.
In the English countryside, maidens still go "souling" (singing) for soul cakes, singing rich ancient ballads such as:
Soul! soul! for a soul-cake!
I pray, good misses a soul-cake--
An apple or pear, a plum or a cherry,
Any good thing to make us merry,
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Him who made us all.
1/2 cup chopped
onion
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
2-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream
1-3/4 pear nectar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Pear slices
In a large saucepain combine onion, water and bouillon. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer covered 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
Transfer mixture to a blender. Add pumpkin. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Return pumpkin mixture to saucepan. Stir in half-and-half or light cream, pear nectar, ginger, and white pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.
Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with pear slices. Makes 6 servings.
12 fresh tomatillos,
or two 13-oz cans
4 whole poblano chiles or two 7-oz cans
1 serrano chile
2-1/2 pounds fresh pumpkin or winter squash
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 onions, diced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
8 plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or one 28-ounce can plum
tomatoes
2 cups corn kernels
1-1/2 cup kidney beans
2 tablespoons cilantro for garnish
1/4 cup green pumpkin seeds for garnish
If using fresh tomatillos, remove papery husk, toast in dry skillet to slightly char. Roast and peel chiles Place tomatillos and both types of chiles in a blender and puree.
Peel and remove seeds for pumpkin and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil and add garlic and onions. Cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Add cubes of pumpkin.
Stir in reserved tomatillo-chile sauce, and add cumin, oregano and salt. Cook for 20-25 minutes until pumpkin is tender.
Drain and quarter tomatoes. Add tomatoes, corn and kidney beans. Cook for 10 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and pumpkin; seeds.
Serves 8
1 lb lean mutton
sheep's stomach
lights, liver and heart (pluck) of a sheep
2 cups Irish oatmeal
4 onions
1/4-lb. suet
salt and pepper
Haggis is made from sheep's offal (or pluck). The windpipe, lungs, heart and liver of the sheep are boiled and then minced. This is mixed with beef suet and lightly toasted oatmeal. Add herbs, salt and pepper, onions, and a pint of the stock from the boiled pluck. This mixture is placed inside the sheep's stomach (which has been washed in salted water), which is sewn closed, and placed in a cloth. The resulting haggis is traditionally cooked by further boiling (for up to three hours) in a pan of boiling water with a plate in the bottom, although the part-cooked haggis can be cooked in the oven which prevents the risk of bursting and spoiling.
It is served on a large platter, surrounded with mashed turnips and boiled potatoes. Haggis means "hag's dish, a remnant of the prehistoric rite of communion, when the flesh and blood of the dead was consumed to ensure rebirth as new children.
1 lb pork
1 lb ham
1-1/2 c bread crumbs
3/4 cup milk
2 beaten eggs
Pinch marjoram and pepper
Grind the pork and ham together. Then in a large bowl, mix all ingredients together.
10 large cooking
apples, skinned
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup syrup
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
Chop the apples into 1" square pieces, making sure seeds and core are not used. Mix ingredients together and set aside.
Take a handful of the pork mixture and make a 6" wide patty, about 1-1/2 inch thick. Place this in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Spoon apple mixture and put in the center of the patty. Taking care not to allow any of the apple mixture to escape, pull up the side of the patty and form it into a ball, enclosing the apples. When all the pork has been used, place the balls in an oven which has been preheated to 350°F. Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Sauce:
Heat the following ingredients together in a small saucepan and pour over the e balls bout 30 minutes before they are finished baking.
1/2 cup orange
juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 T dried mustard
1 t powdered cloves
1 cup water
Pinch allspice
2/3 cup oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs
2 cup pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
3 1/3 cup flour
2/3 c raisins
2 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 c chopped nuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9x5 in loaf pans. Cream sugar and oil until fluffy. Stir in eggs, pumpkin, and milk. Blend flour, soda, salt, baking powder, and spices, then blend into pumpkin mixture. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into pans. Bake about 70 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. (from, don't laugh... the Betty Crocker cookbook!)
1 package yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 lb. butter
2 cups milk
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon
Dissolve the yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar in the lukewarm water and let it stand in a warm place. Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the milk which has been scalded and slightly cooled and then add the yeast. Sift the flour with the salt and cinnamon and add to the mixture, kneading for a few minutes. Place in a bowl and allow it to rise in a warm place to double its bulk. Shape the dough into round buns and bake at 375 degrees F. for about thirty minutes or until lightly browned. Originally, these cakes were shaped like men and women and were given raisins or currants for eyes.
4 quarts apple
cider
4 oranges
6 sticks cinnamon
12 whole cloves
12 whole allspice berries
2 bottles white wine
Heat apple cider in an 8-quart saucepain. Peel oranges with a vegetable peeler in long strips, removing only the orange rind and none of the white membrane underneath. Add the orange rind, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and wine.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
Yule (the Winter
Solstice) is the time of the dying of the Holly King and the birth of
the Oak King. It is the time of the rebirth of the Sun, and round,
golden foods are appropriate. Sweet foods were consumed to ensure
sweetness for the new year.
Some traditional foods are: Fruits, nuts, candy for children (German); Boar's head or goose, plum pudding, nuts, oranges (English); Spiced beef (Ireland); Cakes flavored with saffron or cardamom, raisins, and almonds (Swedish), to represent Sunlight. Shortbread, originally a large round cake, was notched to symbolized the sun's rays.
Mulled wine and eggnog are also traditional. In Scandinavian countries, Glogg is consumed. Chestnut roasting is a Norse pagan custom which was brought to the British Isles. Interpretation of the popping chestnuts in the Yule hearth fire is also still popular - the more noisy the popping, the better the luck. Wassail was drunk to each other's health, then brought outside to the orchards to "wassail the trees".
3 cups canned or
cooked chestnuts
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup melted butter
Salt and pepper
1 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
Brandy
Put the chestnuts through a food mill or mash. Add cream, 1/4 cup butter, then salt and pepper. Mix 1/4 of the butter with the cracker crumbs, then mix with the chestnut mixture. Put in thyme and marjoram, then add a splash of brandy for taste.
Can be seasoned with thyme and marjoram. Add brandy to taste.
Place
on a rack in an open roasting pan. Roast at 325° until tender
(about 30 minutes per pound). Do not baste, however price in several
places so that some of the fat will drain off. Turn often to brown
evenly. Pour off fat as it accumulates.
1/2 cup
flour
1-1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped suet
1/2 t salt
1/2 nutmeg, grated
1/2 t. ginger
3/4 c seedless raisins
3/4 c currants
3/4 c sultana raisins
1/2 c candied fruit peel
1 apple, peeled and grated
Grated rind and juice of a lemon
3 eggs
1/2 c stout
Mix the flour with the bread crumbs, sugar, suet, salt, and spices. Add fruit, peel, nuts, apple, and lemon rind. Beat the eggs and add to the stout and lemon juice. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. You want a soft consistency. Moisten with more stout if necessary.
Pour into greased 6-inch bowls and cover with wax paper, the with floured pudding cloths, and secure them well at the side. Boil them in a large pot, with the water coming three-quarters way up the sides of the bowls, for 5 to 6 hours. Add more water when necessary. Makes 2 puddings.
When they are cooked, take off the wet cloths and cover the bowls with dry cloths. When cold, store in a refrigerator. When you want them, boil them again for 2 to 3 hours and serve with brandy butter. 12 servings. Serve with sprigs of holly.
1/2 c butter
1 c sifted confectioners sugar
3 t brandy or Irish whiskey
1 cup butter
1/2 cup confectionery sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Beat the butter until soft and gradually add the sugar. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and work into the butter mixture with the hands. A tablespoon of vanilla or some freshly ground nutmeg may also be added. Knead the dough well until no cracks appear. Roll it out to the thickness of 1/4 inch and cut into squares or any desired shape. Bake on a greased sheet at 375 degrees F. for about twenty minutes.
2 bottles sherry
2 bottles port
1 bottle cognac
1/3 cup almonds
1 cup raisins
10 whole cloves
1 cup lump sugar
10 cardamons
6 pieces stick cinnamon
A week before you wish to use your glogg, place the almonds (blanched and shredded), the raisins, the cloves, whole cardamons, and the stick cinnamon in a saucepan with enough wine to cover. Place over low heat and bring to just the boiling point. Place in a jar and keep in a cool place. To make your glogg, add the rest of the wine to the spiced foundation and heat it in an attractive kettle, chafing dish, or "brulot" bowl. Bring to the boiling point but do not allow it to boil. In a sieve placed over the kettle or bowl, put your lump sugar and slowly pour the bottle of cognac over it, and set it aflame with a match. When the sugar has melted through, the glogg is ready. It should be served hot.
Nutmeg
Ginger root
1 lb. sugar
3 quarts. warm beer
4 glasses sherry
3 slices lemon
4 slices toast
Grate a little nutmeg and some ginger root over one pound of sugar and add one quart of the beer. Add the sherry and the lemon slices and finally the rest of the beer. Stir, taste, and add more sugar if necessary. Serve in a bowl and float the toast on top.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
In
Celtic Ireland, Imbolc is considered the beginning of Spring. It is
the beginnings of the first stirrings of life beneath the earth.
Candles are left burning all night, a tradition practiced in Rome in
honor of the goddess Februa.
Brigid, ancient Irish goddess of the smith, poetry, healing and the hearth, presides over this holiday. Bread made in the shape of Brigid's cross is traditional. Another Irish tradition are special cakes called Barinbreac which are served with ale.
Pancakes or waffles, rich with cream and round in shape, are a tradition still kept in Sweden, especially in the Laplands where dairy farming is their primary form of subsistence.
In Catholic tradition, Imbolc became the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.
1 cup dry lentils
5 cups water
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
2 teaspoons fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, cut diagonally
Snipped fresh parsley
Rinse and drain lentils. In a large Dutch oven combine lentils, water, green pepper, carrot, onion, bouillon, sage, pepper and garlic. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in sausage and heat through. If desired, garnish each serving with parsley. Makes 4 servings.
4 oz. butter
1-1/2 lbs. flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons currants
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
Sugar
Buttermilk
Rub the butter into the flour which has been sifted with the soda. Add the currants and the caraway seeds and a very little sugar. Add sufficient buttermilk to make a wet dough--one that will drop into the pan. Bake at 300 degrees F. for two hours.
2 cups whole-grain
baking mix
1 cup milk or water
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil, plus oil for waffle iron
In a medium-sized mixing g bowl, stir together baking mix, milk, egg, and oil. Let rest for 5 minutes while waffle iron is heating. Brush hot waffle iron with oil.
Place about one quarter of the batter in heated waffle iron and close lid. Cook waffles until steam no longer escapes from them (about 4-5 minutes). Remove waffles and serve at once.
Makes 4 waffles.
Whole Grain Baking Mix
2 cups pecans, toasted
and finely diced
4 cups unbleached flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1-1/2 cups dried buttermilk powder
1/2 cup soy milk
4 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1-1/4 cups oil
In a 4-quart mixing bowl, combine pecans, flours, cornmeal, wheat germ, buttermilk powder, soy flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Stir in oil and mix well. Store in airtight tins or plastic bags.
Makes about 12 cups baking mix.
1 T butter
4 cups white flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 cup buttermilk or sweet milk
Rub butter into flour. Add salt and soda, mix well with fingers. Add milk and stir into a soft dough with a wooden spoon. Knead lightly into a ball and turn out onto a lightly floured backing sheet. Flatten dough into a circle. Make a cross in the center with a knife. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
At the
Vernal Equinox, the days are equal to the nights. The Goddess
manifests Herself as Ostara or Eostre with her basket of eggs. She is
accompanied by the Hare or Rabbit, a manifestation of the God.
Hot Crossed Buns, an Irish tradition, represent the Four Directions as well as being the symbol for Earth.
Other traditional foods are: Dishes made from spring greens or sprouts; Egg dishes such as Quiche; Colcannon (an Irish dish made with cabbage and potatoes); Spring lamb (made into stew).
The egg
has always been regarded as a symbol of life. Hens also begin
resuming laying eggs when the Vernal Equinox occurs. Dyeing eggs is
an old pagan practice, said to have come about when the Goddess
Eostre presented colorful sacred eggs to a rabbit whose desire was
only to please Her. The rabbit, blessed by her joy, traveled near and
far delivering the colored eggs as symbols of Hope. Dyeing eggs can
also be accomplished with natural dyes:
2 pounds mixed greens
(any combination of sorrel, chard, dandelion, and wild fennel)
3/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing dough
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 small bunch of chervil, tough stems discarded, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
3-4 tablespoons semolina or rice
Phyllo dough
Trim the tough stems from the greens, chop or shred then, and wash them thoroughly. Spin them through a salad spinner to dry as much as possible.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet and saute the greens, tossing frequently, until as much of their moisture as possible has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and place in a large mixing bowl. Heat 1-2 more tablespoons of the oil in the skillet and saute the onions and scallions over medium-low heat until wilted and very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add them to the greens. Mix in the dill, parsley, mint, and chervil. Season with salt and pepper and add the remaining olive oil. If the filling is very wet, mix in either the semolina or rice.
Divide the phyllo dough into four equal b balls. Have a large shallow baking dish or a 14-inch pizza pan, lightly oiled. Preheat the oven to 350°.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the first dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a circle slightly larger than the pan. Carefully place the dough in the pan and brush its surface with oil. Repeat with second dough ball, brushing the surface with olive oil. Spread the filling eventually atop the phyllo. Roll out the third dough ball, lay it over the filling, oil it, and repeat with the last piece of dough. Pinch together the top and bottom sheets of phyllo, turning them inward around the rim of the pan. Take a sharp knife and score the pie from top to bottom, first in equally spaced rows then diagonally to form diamond-shaped pieces. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the dough is deep golden and set. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
4 to 4-1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or strained fresh lemon juice
Combine 4 cups of the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the water, olive oil, and vinegar. Work the flour into the liquid with a fork, until a dough begins to form, then knead it in the bowl, adding a little more flour if necessary, for about 10 minutes. The dough should be silky, pliant, and smooth.l Cover and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour before using.
3 leeks
4 green onions
1/2 lb. shittake or domestic mushrooms
1 pound thin asparagus
1/4 pound sugar snap peas or 3/4 lb fresh peas
2 tablespoons butter
6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound prepared puff pastry,d defrosted
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Clean leeks, then slice crosswise into 1/4 inch s[spices. Trim green onions, and slice into 1-inch pieces. Wash mushrooms, trim stems, and slice into strips about 1/4 inch wide. Wash asparagus, discard dry tough ends, then slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Remove stems from snap peas.
Heat butter in 3 quart saucepan. Add leeks and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in onions, and cook 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add peas and asparagus. Turn off heat.
Pour into 2 quart souffle dish. Cool slightly, then refrigerate until cooled.
Cut puff pastry into a circle 2 inches larger than souffle dish. Pace pastry over top, then press onto side, smearing edges to adhere to dish. Refrigerate until 45 minutes before serving time.
Preheat oven to 400. Mix egg and water in small bowl an brush on pastry. Bake until pastry is golden brown and crisp (about 40 min.). Serve immediately. Cut pull pastry open at the table. Ladle pastry and soup into bowl.
Makes 6 servings.
1 lb young nettle
tops
3 oz barley
Chicken stock
Salt and Pepper
Gather nettle tops, wash well in salted water, and then chop finely. Add to boiling stock with the barley, simmer till tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add mashed potatoes to thicken.
4 large leeks
4 potatoes
6 cups water
1 onion
Butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper
Carefully wash the leeks and cut them into narrow strips. Peel the potatoes, slice them, and cook them in the water with a pinch of salt until soft. Mince an onion, mix with the leeks, and saute in a little butter till soft but not brown. Add to the potatoes. When the vegetables are quite soft, put them through a fine sieve and return to the liquid. Beat 2 egg yolks and mix with the cream; put in a tureen and add a little of the hot soup, stirring all the while. Season to taste. Add the rest of the soup and serve.
4 cups mashed potatoes
(cold cooked)
2 1/2 cups cabbage, cooked and chopped fine
1/2 cup butter (avoid corn oil margarine as they will not add the
needed body and flavor) or bacon fat
1/2 cup evaporated milk or cream
3/4 cup onion, chopped very find and sauteed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Saute onions (traditionalists saute in lard or grease, but butter is acceptable.). Boil the potatoes and mash them . In a large pan place all of the ingredients except the cabbage and cook over low heat while blending them together. Turn the heat to medium and add the chopped cabbage. The mixture will take on a pale green cast. Keep stirring occasionally until the mixture is warm enough to eat. Lastly drop in a thimble, button, ring, and coin. Stir well and serve.
Can also be browned in the oven, with melted grated cheese on top. To brown, Grease a baking dish, pour in the mixture, and bake for thirty minutes in a moderate oven at 350 degrees F.
1 9-in pie crust,
unbaked
8 oz pkg of Swiss cheese slices
2 tablespoon flour
1 c milk
1 small onion, sliced and sauted lightly
10 oz pkg frozen spinach (chopped) or broccoli, cooked and
drained
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash nutmeg
Cut cheese in strips. Toss with flour. In pie crust, alternate layers of onion, spinach (or broccoli) and cheese, ending with cheese layer. Mix milk, eggs, and spices. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
1 lb sausage meat
7 eggs
Bread crumbs
Salt & Pepper
Hard boil six eggs and beat the other. Cool and shell the eggs. Divide the sausage meat into six, and flatten each piece. Dip each hard boiled egg in the beaten egg, then cover evenly with sausage. Roll each in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs. Fry in deep fat until brown.
2 lbs stewing or
spring lamb, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup cubed carrot
1/2 cup cubed turnip
1 onion sliced
1 potato, cubed
2 cups sliced potato
Green beans
Fresh peas
Sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon parsley
Bit of a bay leaf
Cover lamb with boiling water, cover and simmer 1 hour. Then add the cubed potatoes and turnips, and herbs, cover and simmer 1/2 hour. Add rest of vegetables, then cover again and simmer 1/2 hour.
If stew needs to be thickened, add 1/4 cup each cold water and flour (or cornstarch) mixed together. Simmer until thickened.
1 yeast cake
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup shredded citron
1/4 cup seedless raisins
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Soften the yeast in the lukewarm water. Scald milk, add sugar and shortening, and cool. Add the beaten egg, the yeast, citron, raisins, and the flour sifted with the salt. Knead and let rise to double its bulk. Shape into buns, place on greased baking sheet, and let rise until light. Brush with a little milk and bake at 375 degrees F. for about twenty minutes. When done, cover with powdered sugar in the shape of a cross or do the same with a thin icing.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
The
word Beltaine means "bright fire", and is traditionally celebrated
with a bonfire, jumped over for luck. The Romans celebrated the
Festival of Floralia, dedicated to Flora (the Greek Maia). In France
"muguets" (lily of the valley) are worn and sent to friends -- it
said that a wish made while wearing them will come true.
The British Isles have carried on elaborate May Day celebrations to this day, celebrating with Maypoles, Dances on the Green, May Queens and colorful processions. It is also an important holiday in the Slavic nations, especially in the former Soviet Union, where large military parades dominated the celebrations. This is not entirely without precedent, since in some Celtic areas the weapon-bearing Taine or Tinne, the God of Fire, presided over the holiday. Beltaine also had it's dark side, with events such as the deaths of the first and second invasions of Ireland occurring that day, as well as major battles between the Tuatha de Danaan and their Formorian enemies.
Some traditional foods are: Strong Ale (English); Oatcakes with nine knobs, each one to be broken off one by one and offered to the Nine Animal Protectors (Scottish); Violets (which are edible); May Wine, flavored with woodruff
Other traditional foods are dairy foods and custards -- products made of goat's milk especially, since the sexually prodigious animal breeds around Beltaine.
Grape leaves
1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup chick-peas
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon parsley
Salt and pepper
Blanch the grape leaves in boiling water for about five minutes. Combine the rice with the chick-peas (either canned or cooked), the minced onion, garlic, parsley, and seasoning. Place a tablespoon of this mixture on each leaf, roll up and press together with your hand. Cook them for about thirty minutes with enough water to cover, or some tomato juice seasoned liberally with lemon. They may be eaten hot or cold. If you have no grape leaves, cabbage leaves (remove the spine) or even lettuce leaves may be used.
1 small cantaloupe
1/2 small honeydew melon
1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
4 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 8-ounce carton vanilla yogurt
2 cups milk
Carnation petals
Using a melon baller, scoop the cantaloupe and melon into balls, or use a knife to cut into cubes. You should have about 4 cups cantaloupe and 2 cups honeydew. Set aside.
In a small saucepan combined pineapple juice, sugar and ginger root. Bring to boiling, stirring until sugar dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until a thin syrup. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer syrup to a container. Add 2 cups of cantaloupe, and all of honeydew. Cover and chill overnight.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, process strawberries until smooth. Remove and set aside. Process remaining 2 cups cantaloupe until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, stir together yogurt and sour cream, pureed strawberries, pureed melon, and milk. Stir till combined. Cover and chill overnight.
To serve, drain melon balls, reserving syrup. Stir syrup into chilled soup. Ladle soup into bowls, top with melon balls and carnation petals. Serves 8-10.
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 cups plain yogurt
7 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 basket strawberries
1 mango
Preheat oven to 350. In 1 quart saucepan, heat sugar and water and stir until clear. Cook over low heat until golden brown. Pour carefully into six 1/2-cup molds, and swirl to coat bottom of molds. Place molds in a 12-inch pan filled with 2 inches of water.
In 2 quart mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, vanilla and eggs. Strain and pour into molds. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean (about 60 minutes). Cool 30 minutes, then chill for 4-12 hour. To unmold, run a knife around flan, place small dessert plate over top of mold and invert.
Slice strawberries. Peel , pit and cube mango. Toss berries and mango, and spoon around flan.
Serves 6.
2 c of milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 c unsprayed marigold petals
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon rose water
1-2 in piece of vanilla bean
whipped cream
Using a
clean mortar and pestle, pound marigold petals. Or, crush with a
spoon. Mix the salt, sugar, and spices together. Scald the milk with
the marigolds and the vanilla bean. Remove the vanilla bean and add
the slightly beaten yolks and dry ingredients. Cook on low heat. When
the mixture coats a spoon, add rose water, and cool. Top with whipped
cream, garnish with fresh marigold petals. (from Cunningham's
Wicca)
Pick violets on a sunny dry day. Remove stalks and white bases from petals. Lightly beat an egg white until it starts to foam. Dip each petal into the egg white to coat, then dip into a dish of caster sugar. Once coated, place on a sheet of wax paper and place in a very low oven with the door left ajar. Store in an airtight tin when dry. Recipe can also be used for lavenders, lilacs, pinks, primroses and rose petals.
1 cup oatmeal (or 3/4
oat flour and 1/4 cup barley)
1/4 cup hot water
1 T fat
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Salt
Mix oatmeal mixture, soda and salt. Melt the fat and add to make a soft paste. Soft oatmeal over it and knead well until smooth. Roll out onto a round, very thinly, and cut into four or six pieces. Brush of surplus meal and bake on a hot griddle. Turn over when edges start to curl up. (The hot water and fat can be substituted with buttermilk). In Scotland, they were formed into 9 knobs for the 9 animal protectors.
Before the invention of baking soda, bannock was made using eggs, milk and oatmeal. These bannocks, which were kneaded entirely by hand and did not come into contact with steel, were being made up until the end of the nineteenth century.
A few
blossoming sprigs of sweet woodruff
2 bottles white wine
2 cups strawberry wine (or 1 cup strawberry liqueur)
Sugar or honey to taste
Strawberries, halved
Place woodruff in a large, clear bowl. Add the wine, sugar (or honey) to taste, and halved strawberries. Said to induce a state of consciousness appropriate for the "opening of the gates" which occurs at both Beltaine and Samhain.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
Litha, also known as Midsummer takes place on the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Like Beltaine, bonfires were also lighted on this day, especially in Ireland. Midsummer is also the time for making mead, since honey is abundant. June was (and still is) a popular time for weddings, and the word "honeymoon" comes from a gift of mead traditionally presented to the married couple.
The Feast of John the Baptist is celebrated a few days after the Solstice on June 24th (compare with that of Jesus on December 25th).
Children in Ireland and in Slavic nations sometimes drop melted wax or lead into cold water to tell the future on this day.
Some traditional foods are: Liver (now associated with the Feast of St. Anthony); First Fruits of Spring; Anything barbecued, especially pork or chicken.
1/4 cup bulger
1 cup boiling water
1 small onion, minced
15-18 sprigs parsley, minced
2 eggs
3 cups cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon oil
Place bulgur in a 1-quart bowl, and cover with water. Let rest for 30 minutes. Drain.
Place bulgur, onion, garlic, parsley, eggs, chickpeas, yogurt, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne in a blender. Puree to a smooth paste.
Shape 1/2 cup into a patty, and pat on bread crumbs. Chill 1 hour. Cook 3 minutes on the grill, turn over and cook 3 minutes more.
Serves 8.
1 lb beef or calve's
liver
1/2 pound fresh pork
1 onion
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg well beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons tomato catsup
Juice 1/2 lemon
Tomato juice to moisten
Bacon
Simmer liver 5 minutes, drain, and reserve the stock. Chop the liver with the pork and onion, chopped. Add bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper, catsup and lemon juice. Add tomato juice or reserved stock to moisten. Mix thoroughly. Line a loaf pan with Bacon. Pack in the mixture. Lay bacon over the top. bake 1 hour at 350°. Serve hot or cold.
Serves 6.
1/2 of an 8-ounce
package (3/4 cup) mixed dried fruit
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 inches stick cinnamon
2/3 cup unsweetened white grape juice
2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons currant jelly
Pit
prunes if necessary, then cut up any large pieces of fruit. In a
medium saucepan combined mixed dried fruit, water, dried cherries or
cranberries, raisins, and cinnamon. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and
simmer covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together white grape juice, tapioca, and nutmeg; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir tapioca mixture into cooked fruit mixture along with jelly. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove stick cinnamon.
Serve warm or chilled. Makes 4 or 5 servings. Serve with a dollop of vanilla yogurt.
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Warm the honey slightly and combine with the sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Sift the flour with the soda and spices and stir into the honey batter thoroughly. Let the dough rest overnight. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness; cut out with a cook cutter. Brush with the slightly beaten white of an egg, press half a blanched almond into each cook and bake at 375 degrees F. for about fifteen minutes.
1 gallon water
2 oranges, sliced
1/2 package champagne yeast
5 pounds dark honey
1 lemon, sliced
Place
the honey, water, and fruit in a 2-gallon pot over medium head. Bring
the mead to a rolling boil, skimming of any scum which rises to the
top over the next hour. Cool to lukewarm, strain out the fruit, and
add the yeast (dissolved in 1/4 cup water). Allow this mixture to
set, covered with a towel for 7 days, until the fermentation has
slowed considerably. Strain again, pouring off only the clearer top
fluids into bottles to age. These bottles should be lightly corked
for about 2 months, then tightly sealed for 6 months before
using.
1 lb heavily scented
pink or red rose petals
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups confectionery sugar
1 tablespoon rose water
Juice of 2 lemons
Makes approximately 2 1-pint jars.
Remove bitter white base from each petal. Rinse and drain.
Bring water to boil in large, heavy saucepan. Reduce to simmering, then add rose petals. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, until petals are soft.
Add sugar and lemon juice. Bring back to boil, then simmer 30 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken. Add rose water.
Allow the mixture to bubble up well. When the bubbles have turned into foam, test for setting point. Put a spoonful of the jam on a cold saucer, allow to cool, then push the surface; if it wrinkles, it is ready.
Allow the jam to cool slightly, then pour into sterilized jars, label and seal.
1/2 oz. violet
powder
1 oz. orrisroot
1/2 oz. rose powder
1/2 oz. heliotrope powder
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
4 drops oil of roses
10 drops chiris
20 drops oil melisane
20 drops oil eucalyptus
10 drops bergamot
2 drams alcohol
Gather rose petals when the roses are in their richest bloom, but not when the dew is on them, and pack in a jar in layers two inches deep, sprinkling about two tablespoons of fine, dry salt upon each layer. Continue this until the jar is full, adding fresh petals and salt daily. Keep in a dark, dry, cool place. A week after the last relay is gathered turn out the salted petals upon a broad platter, mix and toss together until the mass is loosened. Then incorporate thoroughly with the ingredients given above; pack in a clean jar, cover lightly, and set away to "ripen." It will be ready for rose jars, etc., in a fortnight, and, if kept covered, will be good and fragrant for twenty years.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
Lammas (Loaf
Mass) or Lughnasadh is the first harvest of the grain. In northern
areas, rye, barley and oats are being harvested, while in southern
ones rice, corn and millet are the ripened crops. Breads are made
from the first grains, and can be baked in the shape of a man to
commemorate the God.
Grains were also dedicated to the Harvest Lord, and whiskey, distilled from barley, is sacred to this sabbat in Scotland. Other beverages, such as ales, are dedicated to the Goddess at this time and set aside for Esbats.
In the British Isles, the first sheaves of corn were placed over church doors, and processions were conducted in honor of the Corn Maiden.
Some traditional foods are: Oatcakes (Scottish); Loaves made from new grain of the season; Toffee; Seaweed Pudding; Blueberries in a basket that are offered to one's sweetheart (Irish); Corn and Beans.
3 cups water
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can black beans, pinto beans, or great northern beans,
rinsed and drained
1 14-oz can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup sliced carrot
1 cup chopped onion
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers
2 tablespoons instant beef or chicken bouillon granules
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minedced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt and pepper
1 beaten egg white
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon cooking oil
In a 4-quart Dutch oven, combine water, beans, undrained tomatoes, corn, carrot, onion, undrained chili peppers, bouillon, chili powder, and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small mixing bowl combine egg white, milk and oil. Add to flour mixture; stir with a fork just till combined. Drop dumpling mixture into 6 mounds atop the bubbling soup. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not lift lid while dumlplings are cooking. Makes 6 servings.
1 medium cucumber
1 green bell pepper
5 green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium tomatoes
2 stalks celery
1 avocado (optional)
1 small bunch parsley
12-15 leaves fresh basil
1 sprig fresh oregano
2-1/2 cups small white beans, cooked
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 can tomato juice (46 oz) or 5-1/2 cups vegetable broth
Peel cucumber and discard peel. Remove seeds and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Remove and discard stem and seeds from bell pepper. Cube bell pepper. Trim root ends from green onions, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. Dice tomatoes into 1/4-inch cubes. Slice celery and avocado into 1/4 inch cubes.
Reserve 10 small perfect sprigs of parsley for garnish. Mince remaining parley, 1/3 cup. Mince basil to equal 1/3 cup. Mince oregano to equal about 1 tablespoon.
Peel cucumber, pepper, onions, garlic, tomatoes, celery, avocado, parsley, basil, oregano, white beans, oil, vinegar, salt, cumin, and tomato juice in a 4-quart soup tureen. Stir to mix thoroughly and chill 4-12 hours. Serve with sprigs of parley.
Makes 12 cups.
In a
large mixing bowl, combine two cups of milk warm to the touch, two
packages of dry baking yeast, one teaspoon salt, one half cup of
honey and one fourth cup of dark brown sugar. Cover the bowl and set
it aside in a warm place until it has doubled (about half an hour).
Add to this mixture three tablespoons of softened butter and two cups
of unbleached white flour, and stir until bubbly. Then mix in one cup
of rye flour and two cups of stone-ground whole wheat flour. With
floured hands turn this dough out onto a floured board and gradually
knead in more unbleached white flour, until the dough is smooth and
elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers (8 - 10 minutes). Place
this dough in a greased bowl, turning it so that all surfaces are
greased, then cover with a clean cloth and keep it in a warm place to
rise until it is doubled in bulk, about one hour. Then punch it down
and divide in half. Shape into two round slightly flattened balls and
place on greased cookie sheets Cover these and return to a warm place
until they double again. (When this final rising is over you may do a
blessing and incise a pentagram shape on the loaves if you wish.)
Beat a whole egg with a tablespoon of water and brush over the
loaves. Bake at 300 degrees for about an hour, or until they sound
hollow when tapped on the bottom. (from The Wheel of the Year)
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup milk
Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and add the corn meal. Beat the egg, butter, and milk. Pour the liquid into the dry mixture and combine rapidly. Butter an 8 x 8 inch pan and place in the oven until piping hot. Pour the batter into the hot pan and bake for about twenty-five minutes at 425 degrees F.
Corn King - Can be formed from Corn Bread batter. Add more flour to make a stiff dough, then shape.
Click here to
return to the top of the page.
Mabon
is the true Thanksgiving. Seeds are gathered and stored for next
year's crops, berries and fruits are harvested and made into jams and
jellies. It is the time of the first crop of Apples. A traditional
way of celebrating Mabon is to select the best of the harvest
(whether grown or store-bought) -- vegetables, fruits, nuts and
herbs, and give it back to Mother Earth with prayers of
thanks.
Both the Salmon and Hazelnut are sacred in Irish tradition -- receptacles of the Wisdom of the Goddess. An Irish toast goes "Slánte an bhraddáin chugat" -- May you be as healthy as the salmon (lit. Health of the salmon to you). The Hazelnut is interchangeable with the Almond in southern climates.
Other traditional foods are: Blackberries (sacred to the Virgin Mary); New wine; Goose (a sacrifice to Saint Michael); Cakes of oat, barley and rye (Scottish); Salmon (Irish); Hazelnuts (Irish).
Harvest Soup2 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup pureed raisins or currants
2 T dried minced onions
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon allspice
Salt to taste
Cut squash and zucchini into bite-sized pieces. Place all ingredients in a soup pot and simmer on low heat until squash is tender. Serves four.
2 cups canned
salmon
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste
Chopped onion, green pepper and/or celery, if desired
Mix all ingredients, then put into a buttered baking dish. Set in a pan of hot water 1 inch deep, and bake at 350° until firm (about 30 minutes).
Serve hot with Mustard or cold with Cucumber Sauce.
Cucumber Sauce
Pare cucumbers, then grate or chop finely, and drain thoroughly. Season to taste with salt, pepper and vinegar.
Salmon
1 cup white wine
2 quarts. water
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 chopped onions
2 carrots
1 stalk celery
4 sprigs parsley
2 shallots
6 peppercorns
1 clove garlic
2 whole cloves
Salt
Bring
the wine and water to a boil. Add the vinegar, the vegetables, and
spices and simmer gently for about half an hour before adding the
fish. Unless you have a fish boiler it is advisable to wrap your
salmon in a piece of cheesecloth to facilitate handling. Simmer,
never boil, the fish, allowing twelve minutes to the pound. Remove
skin and serve on a warm platter.
2 sticks unsalted
butter
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped slivered blanched almonds, lightly toasted
(hazelnuts can be substituted)
2-1/4 cups unsifted white flour
Confectioner's sugar for coating
Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast chopped almonds on ungreased baking tray for 5 minutes, stirring twice. Remove almonds and let cool. Beat the butter until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of confectioner's sugar, egg yolk, almond extract, orange blossom water, and almonds. Mix in flour until dough is soft, but not sticky (use more flour if nec.). Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and shape accordingly (into a crescent, "S" shape, or oval). Put on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Cookies are done when white on top and slightly golden brown on bottom. Let cool completely, then place on waxed paper. Sift confectioner's sugar over them, then roll until completely covered.
Dough:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Tiny pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
6 cups
blackberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and nutmeg. With a blending fork or fingers, work in 1/4 cup butter. Stir in, little by little, the milk until the dough holds together but is still soft. Turn out on a floured board and roll into an oblong 1/2 inch thick. Brush with the melted butter.
Mix together the filling ingredients, then sprinkle half of the fruit mixture over the dough. Put in a pan with the fold on the bottom, then put the rest of the fruit mixture around the roll.
Bake 30 minutes. Cut in slices and serve with whipped cream.
SOURCES:
The Old Farmer's Almanac, 1997, Yankee Publishing, Dublin NH
The Art of Irish Cooking, Monica Sheridan, Gramercy Publishing, MCMLXV, New York.
Llewellyn's 1997 Magical Almanac, 1997, Llewellyn Publishing, St. Paul MN.
Traditional Scottish Recipes, 1976, Canongate Publishing Ltd., Edinburgh, Scotland.
Better Homes & Gardens Soups and Stews, Better Homes & Gardens Books, Des Moines, 1993.
Seasonal Vegetarian Cooking, California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, 1987.
Kochilas, Diane. The Greek Vegetarian, 1996, St. Martin's Press, New York.
Campanelli, Pauline. The Wheel of the Year, 1989, Llewellyn
Cunningham, Scott. Wicca, 1988, Llewellyn
McCoy, Edain. The Sabbats, 1994, Llewellyn
Serith, Ceisiwr. The Pagan Family: Handing the Old Ways Down, 1994, Llewellyn
Telesco, Patricia. A Witch's Brew, 1995, Llewellyn
Bremness, Leslie. The Complete Book of Herbs, 1988, Penguin Books, London.
Farmer, Fanny Merritt. The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, 1965, Little, Brown & Company Limited, Canada.
[return to the goddess page] [return to what? magazine]
