CHILL FOOD – WITH MEL MORRIS
October 23rd, 2003 by susanna
Part Two: Autumnal Feasts and Fates
Mel Morris continues her fascinating food series with a look at the origins of Halloween fare. Next up: cold’n'flu bustin’ miracle comfort food…
If you thought Halloween was a concept dreamed up by American candy makers, or that bonfires on the 5th of November are all to do with Guy Fawkes, think again. Since the very early days of Britain, Pagans and Celts have celebrated at the end of October and the beginning of November with seasonal foods and great fires.
In the Pagan calendar 31st October is New Year’s Eve (called Sawhain). Autumn has arrived, the harvest is gathered in – what better excuse to enjoy the fruits of your labours with your friends and family, and give thanks for having enough food to see you through the long, harsh winter? So why the ghosts and ghoulies? Well, why limit your celebrating to living family and friends? Invite your dear departed to join in your good fortune too. Who knows, it might even help you with next year’s harvest or help you divine the future.
New Year is also a great time to start afresh. And that includes the fire. Communities would build big fires and a representative from each household would be sent to collect embers to start a new fire in the home. The easiest way to carry home the coals was in a hollowed out turnip, sometimes with a carved face on it to scare away evil spirits.
Now, if you fancy discovering the roots of these great British traditions (or just having an excuse for another New Year Party), here is the food you will need to be truly authentic.
Apples are a must have. (Forum readers will be pleased to note that this also includes cider.) Find out the identity of a future spouse by cutting an apple in half around the middle and eating half the apple in front of a mirror at midnight on Halloween. Your intended’s face will appear. Of course, this could depend on how much cider you have drunk.
Cakes and sweeties are also essential. Ghosts are especially benevolent towards children and everyone knows that the best way to lure children to the table is with sweet stuff. Combine the cakes and the apples with apple tarts or warming apple crumble.
Without modern preservation methods not everything could be saved for the Winter. So Pagans would serve things they couldn’t preserve by salting or drying – a hearty stew would cover this aspect admirably.
And, of course, all that pumpkin flesh needs using up after carving out all those lanterns:
Put the pumpkin flesh on a tray in a fairly hot oven until it is soft and browning on the outside. Sweat off a chopped onion, some garlic and some spices (curry powder, cardamon, cumin or whatever you have to hand) in some oil in a pan. Add the pumpkin and cover with vegetable or chicken stock (from a cube is fine). Cover and cook for an hour over a low heat. Cool and puree in a blender or pass through a sieve. Serve warm with just a drizzle of cream.
And a happy Sawhain to you all.
Part One: Festival Nosh
