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Various Celebrations
Here are some thoughts about the other holidays and seasons of the year. The whole year is scattered with times to celebrate. Here are some ideas for these holidays and ways to enjoy the different seasons.
Robt Burn's Day
Robt Burn's Day
January 25th is the day set aside to honor Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet. It is also the day to pipe in the haggis. The ingredients for haggis include a sheep's stomach, oatmeal, mutton suet, lamb or venison liver, and a sheep's heart, boiled and minced. This is seasoned with chopped onion, cayenne pepper, allspice, salt, and pepper.
Get a sheep's stomach, and the night before wash it out, turn it inside out, and soak it overnight. Brown the oatmeal, and combine all the other ingredients. Only fill the stomach about half-full. Sew it up with a trussing needle and string, pierce it a few times so it doesn't explode, and place in a pan of boiling water. Boil slowly for 4 to 5 hours. Now your haggis is ready for the celebration. Haggis is traditionally served with clapshot and neat whiskey.
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is the annual holiday in the United States when our own favorite groundhog wakes up from his hibernation, pokes his nose out of his burrow, and lets us know if spring is about to be sprung. Since not everyone has grown up with this particular tradition, I thought it might be useful to provide some basic information about this specialized form of weather prognostication.
The groundhog (AKA ground squirrel, wood chuck, or whistle pig) is a kind of small, ground-dwelling rodent that is fairly common in the United States. This shy marmot hibernates all winter and comes out in the spring, making it the perfect choice for weather prediction. This has become the opportunity for a whole celebration, and there are places that see to it that the groundhog is the center of attention on his special day.
Valentine's Day Herbs
Valentine's Day Herbs
Valentine’s Day is coming, and it might be time to get out some of your favorite herbs to prepare for the celebration. For a long time, a number of different herbs have been used to attract a mate, to encourage romance, to keep lovers from straying, and to send messages to the beloved. Many herbs were once considered helpful in finding (and keeping) that special someone.
If you wanted to send your beloved a secret message, you could give them a small posy of flowers and herbs. In Victorian times, a special language was invented to “speak” to someone silently through the choice of plant material that was included in the bouquet.
Here are some common herbs and their meanings.
Basil symbolizes both love and hate.
Chamomile means to have patience.
Lemon Balm says “I have sympathy with your situation.”
Mint means wisdom.
Pennyroyal says run for it. All is discovered.
Rue is the herb of grace.
Marjoram is the herb of happiness.
May you see much marjoram in your bouquet.
Easter Eggs
Easter Eggs
Among our favorite Easter traditions is dyeing Easter eggs. Although commercial egg dyes are inexpensive and easy to buy, it is more fun to use natural ingredients to create beautiful colors. This not only allows for creativity but also offers an eco-friendly and safe alternative to synthetic dyes.
Natural dyeing is a practice that dates back centuries. Our ancestors used plant-based materials to color fabrics, foods, and other items. For Easter eggs, you can get colors from a variety of sources, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices. The process is simple and includes only a few basic steps: selecting the ingredients, preparing the dye, and coloring the eggs.
The first step in natural egg dyeing is choosing the ingredients that will create the desired colors. Each natural ingredient gives you a unique hue, and experimenting with different combinations can lead to a wide range of shades.
Chop or shred the ingredient to increase the surface area and release more color. Place the ingredient in a pot and add enough water to cover it. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour, allowing the color to develop. Strain the liquid into a bowl, discarding the solids.
Veterans Day Cake
Veterans Day Cake
In honor of Veteran’s day try a Wartime Eggless Cake (Boiled Raisin Cake)
Ingredients:
1 cup raisins
1 cup water
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup vegetable shortening or oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Boil the base: In a saucepan, combine raisins, water, sugar, shortening/oil, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan or small cake tin.
Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the cooled raisin mixture until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and serve.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day
On Thanksgiving Day, many of us are thinking of the traditional dinner of roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. I did have to wonder, however, what might have been served up by the Pilgrims in 1621 when they had the Wampanoag Native Americans over to dinner.
First of all, there was probably a lot of venison (deer meat brought by the Wampanoag guests), various wild fowl like geese, ducks, and maybe pigeons, and plenty of fish and seafood. Since there were probably no ovens yet, these meats would have been roasted over the fire or made into soups or stews.
So, if you are really interested in a historically accurate Thanksgiving feast, you will need some venison, a goose, and several trout. Your pumpkin would need to be roasted in hot coals, and your cranberries sour enough to cut paint. You may have turnips, carrots, and beans, and of course, cornmeal mush.
Or (on the other hand) you can have a modern dinner, enjoy the football, and leave the past behind. Happy Thanksgiving.
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