My last post (which you can read here) was about the connections between the things people in the U.S. associate with fall and a little Celtic folklore about those things. It also explored Celtic autumn holidays (Lughnasa, the autumnal equinox, and Samhain). I wanted to include in that post a discussion of food but, if I had, it would’ve taken you until this week to finish reading! Now, it's time to talk food!
But this post isn’t just about food. It’s about folklore (are you surprised?). Not all of the dishes below are Celtic in origin, but the folklore is. And that’s this week’s focus. Celebrate your Celticness this autumn by eating foods with a Celtic folklore resonance.
What does that mean? It means when you’re eating an apple dish this fall, you’re not doing it just because apples are a typical autumn fruit. Instead, you’re aware of the role apples played at Samhain. It means, as you sip your pumpkin-spiced latte, you might momentarily reflect on the magic contained in those spices. It means remembering the importance of Lughnasa, second harvest, and the fading light when you eat autumn root vegetables. And it means it's time to make cakes to welcome the return of the ancestors at Samhain.
Now, on to the food and folklore.
Hearty Autumn Dishes
Irish Stew: Traditionally, Irish stew has lamb in it. If you substitute beef, you’re really just making stew, but beef was BIG TIME important to the ancient Celts (click here to read what I mean). A bull was sacrificed at the Lughnasa and Samhain communal celebrations. So, if you don’t like lamb or just prefer beef in your “Irish stew,” go for it! I won’t tell. Here’s a recipe for the classic version.
Colcannon: Often served as a side dish with Irish stew, cál ceannann is a delicious mixture of mashed potatoes and cabbage. It’s a traditional Halloween dish rooted in the ancient celebration of Samhain. Colcannon traditionally had charms hidden in it. Divination was a chief activity on Samhain’s Eve. Each charm (such as a ring, a coin, or a thimble) predicted the eater’s upcoming year. Most cooks today omit the choking hazard.
The link for Irish stew above will bring you to a recipe for colcannon too. There are many versions of both dishes online, so you can have fun exploring variations.
Cullen Skink: a hearty Scottish soup combining potatoes, onions, and smoked haddock. It reflects the importance of the fishing industry in Scotland and the tradition of making preserved foods during the autumn to prepare for the winter. Notice the haddock is smoked, an ages-old way to preserve food. How to make the soup.
Cawl: It wouldn’t be right for me to say that this is the Welsh version of Irish stew, but it is a stew made with lamb and vegetables… Anyway, here is a traditional Welsh recipe from www.visitwales.com. Cawl usually is accompanied with Welsh cheese (such as the beloved Caerphilly) and homemade bread.
Autumn Bisque Soup: This dairy-free soup is hearty and completely vegetarian. It’s stuffed with veggies—rutabagas, celery root, leeks—and flavored with garlic, thyme, rosemary, and chives. It’s made creamy with almond milk. Recipe.
While this soup is not Celtic, it has strong Celtic folklore vibes.
Bring on the Bread!
Chilly autumn weather calls for soups and stews. And while cheese and mashed potatoes are great, what’s a soup or stew without bread? I mean, really!
Irish Soda Bread: a classic. And truth be told, you don’t need the stew. Soda bread is good anytime with anything—and on its own. And I’m not talking about the kind you pick up at the grocery store on March 17th. Make it from scratch. It’s a quick bread. No yeast or proving necessary. Buttermilk helps the bread rise.
There are zillions of recipes online, some of them unnecessarily complicated. Here’s a reasonable one. Note: I wouldn’t use brown sugar. I’d just increase the raisins a bit and omit the sugar. This recipe suggests adding caraway seeds as an option. Some people consider them essential. But I grew up with caraway-free soda bread and think the seeds make it taste like rye bread. Just know you have options.
Barmbrack: a fruit bread traditionally associated in Ireland with Samhain. Like colcannon, it was baked with charms inside for a fun fortune-telling activity. You decide whether or not you want to risk adding the charms. Recipe.
Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries and Pecans: a non-Celtic recipe, but what can I say? I’m American. Without pumpkin, it’s just not autumn. Besides, once you read the section on pumpkin pie spices, you’ll see the strong Celtic folklore association with those spices. This bread seems a perfect way to enjoy their magic. Note: the link will bring you to a recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, but the variations at the bottom will tell you how to make it more autumn-like by replacing the chocolate with cranberries and nuts.
Foods for Fun and Divination
Food is central to both Lughnasa and autumnal equinox. Lughnasa was specifically a harvest celebration at which the first fruits of the harvest were offered. These included grains, squashes, and root vegetables. The autumnal equinox, for the Celts, marked mid-autumn and the second harvest. It was a reminder that the days left to sow, reap, and store up for winter were dwindling.
By Samhain, harvest time was over. It was time to preserve foods and stock up for the winter. But food still played an important role in this festival. The ancient Celts considered Samhain a highly magical time and they tried to tap into that magic, especially for divination. At the communal bonfire celebration, the Druids sacrificed a bull and performed sacred rituals to understand what the coming year held in store.
Everyday Celts engaged in divination too, as much for entertainment as for knowledge. Fortune-telling activities ranged from looking into a mirror or gazing into a bowl of water all the way to hanging out in graveyards at midnight. Young women tried to learn about who their true love was and what married life with him would be like.
Apples were a favorite fortune-telling tool. If a woman could successfully peel the entire skin off an apple in one continuous strand, she then tossed it over her shoulder. On landing, the peel would curl the initial of her true love’s name. If she were more curious (or brave or…well, you decide on the adjective), she would eat the apple while looking into a mirror. Then, according to folklore, her true love’s image would appear in the mirror.
But would she and her beloved live happily ever after? Celtic folklore offers two foods to help determine this: cabbages and hazelnuts. I recommend hazelnuts. You’ll see why. Note: anyone of any gender can use the following methods to divine his / her romantic future. But again, I strongly recommend against the cabbage method.
Cabbages: Blindfolded, run through a cabbage patch at midnight. Stop when you feel it’s the right time. Bend down and randomly pick a head of cabbage. Take it home and cook it (maybe in colcannon). If it’s tender and sweet, life with your beloved will be wonderful. If the cabbage is tough and / or bitter, you might want to find a new beloved. And one more time: don’t do this! Use the hazelnut method.
Hazelnuts: There actually are two hazelnut methods. A) Place two hazelnuts (one representing you and the other your beloved) in a flame-resistant container. Light a match and place it between the nuts. If they move towards each other, rejoice! Happiness is yours. If they move away from each other, the relationship will be short-lived or difficult. If the nuts dance, the romance will be an emotional rollercoaster ride. B) From a pile (or bag) of hazelnuts, pick one at random and eat it. If it's sweet...well, you know.
Pumpkin-Spiced Magic
Admittedly, we Americans love our pumpkin spice. Many non-U.S. born people do too. “Pumpkin spice” is a collective name for the spices traditionally put in pumpkin pie: allspice, cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg. They’re pretty popular—collectively or individually—and are used in cuisines of many cultures.
They’re in this post not only because of their association with autumn, but because Celtic folklore attributes magical properties to them. Samhain, as said above, is a magical time, so it’s a great time to tap into the magic of these spices. Besides, they make everything smell and taste so good!
Celtic folklore identifies all of these spices as having healing and protective properties. See my post, “Pumpkin Spice Sprinkled with Celtic Folklore” for details about the health benefits modern science attributes to them. All of these herbs, also, according to the Celts, are associated with passion, romance, and the heart. Here are some special properties the lore claims each spice has.
Allspice: this spice is energizing and boosts determination. Also, it attracts luck and money.
Cinnamon: a powerful spice said to aid in success. It strengthens you and heightens passion. This spice is said to attract prosperity as well as raise your psychic awareness. It attracts love and romance.
Clove: provides mental clarity. Attracts friendship. Wear it for protection.
Ginger: This spice increases your sensuality. It attracts new adventures and may make you feel feisty and ready for anything! In addition, it is said to increase confidence, success, and prosperity.
Nutmeg: Tuck a nutmeg berry with you for luck. It provides protection. It attracts money and prosperity. And—just in case you need this—nutmeg, according to Celtic folklore, is effective in breaking hexes.
Ready for that pumpkin-spiced latte now? Of course, there are tons of other delicious ways to bring these powerful spices into your life” apple pie, pumpkin bread, sauteed apples and red cabbage, gingersnap cookies, and so many others. Here are three more possibilities
Spiced Carrots: Cooked in white wine and spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup: made rich with cream and sherry and warmed with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Pumpkin Charlotte: It looks fancy, but just mix the ingredients and refrigerate overnight.
Host the Ghosts
At Samhain, the veil between this world and the Otherworld is at its thinnest, allowing occupants of each to crossover into the other. Celtic folklore says that, on Samhain’s Eve (October 31st), the ancestors come back for a visit. So, place a chair by the fire and lay out a nice spread of food to welcome them home. These spirits seem to be particularly fond of goodies, so be sure to have some on hand. Here are a few to get you started.
Milk Chocolate Graveyard Cake: decorated with cookie dirt and tombstones.
R.I.P. Cake: a simpler graveyard cake. It can be made from scratch or with a cake mix and canned frosting. The decorations are easy.
Halloween Spice Cake: an unadorned adult cake seasoned with four of the five magical spices.
Pumpkin Rum Cake: an even more adult cake with spirit for the spirits!
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Slán go fóill
All artwork for this post (except for the Ukranian flag and the GIF) by Christine Dorman via Bing Image Creator.
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