ANCESTRAL FOOD. HERBAL WISDOM. MAGICAL COOKERY. SEASONAL CELEBRATION.
If you’re looking for a vegan dish for the upcoming Celtic holiday Imbolc, I suggest Flummery! Dairy products were sacred to both Brigid the goddess and St. Brigid the saint, but from Ireland, Scotland, to Wales, oatmeal was – and still is – almost a sacred food of its own! While I’ve never heard of […]
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I’ve been celebrating Imbolc for over a decade and each year I discover more layers to its mythology and food lore. Last year over at Gather Victoria Patreon, I created a Cailleach Ale Cake (the oldest spirit in the world) in honor of the dark counterpart of Brigid, the Gaelic Cailleach, one of the oldest […]
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Note: This recipe was originally shared at Gather Victoria on Patreon. It was originally a recipe for Imbolc but for reasons that will soon become apparent- I thought I’d share it here for St. Patricks Day! The serpent will come from the hole On the brown Day of Bríde, Though there should be three […]
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This is an excerpt from the Winter Holiday Edition of the Gathery E-Cookery book on Gather Patreon In a culinary fusion of western and eastern goddess traditions, this Golden Rice Pudding is made with primrose infused cream and spiced with saffron, cardamom, orange zest and a touch of candied ginger. It is my offering to […]
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Today, the ancient rites of Imbolc, or Imbolg, are largely observed on St Brigid’s Day on February 1st, lasting till sundown on Feb 2nd. However, this Celtic holiday welcoming the first stirrings of spring and the arrival of the “bright” or “exalted” one, the goddess Brigid (Brigit, Brighid, Bride, Bridget, Bridgit, Bríde) was originally a “moveable feast” […]
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Happy Imbolc! In celebration, I’m sharing this recipe for Whiskey Milk Punch from the Gather Victoria ECookery book (for Gather Patrons) which is called Scailtin in Ireland. It can be dated back to the 1700s where it was commonly served in a punchbowl and drunk warm in a mug – but I’m serving it over […]
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There is nothing like cake to celebrate a special occasion, and Imbolc is no exception. I think this round golden sponge cake is a wonderful addition to any Imbolc Feast -also known as Brigid’s Feast of Fire. It’s kept gorgeously moist with brushings of lavender and rosemary syrup (between cake layers), but the slight tang […]
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The grace of a grey bannock is in the baking of it… Scottish Proverb Oatcakes or Bannocks were traditionally eaten on old-world feast days to mark the changing seasons. And roundabout Feb 1st or 2nd, they were known as “Bannoch of Bride” in honor of St. Bride or Brìghde. St Bride of Brightness, as she […]
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Nothing says Imbolc better than the bright yellows of lemon, butter, and egg yolks. So what happens when you infuse a sweet, zesty, creamy, lemon curd with the aromatic herbs of the sun? Glorious food magic is what! Lemon Tassies are old-fashioned dessert tarts filled with easy-to-make citrusy curd. And while no one is sure […]
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If you live in the Pacific Northwest, violets are likely popping up their lovely blue little heads somewhere near you – right now. (Unless you’re like me and are blanked under a foot of snow). But if not and you’ve left your Valentine Treat to the last possible minute (as I have) well, violet sugar […]
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Note: I’ve updated this post many times over the years; this is the latest version. I love the ancient feast days that once celebrated the turn of the seasons. Take the old Celtic spring “feis” (feast or festival) known as Imbolc, Imbolg, or Brigid’s Feast of Fire, one of my personal favorites. It inaugurated the […]
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I’m sharing this recipe for Rose Sugar Navettes (little boats) in honor of the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene on July 22nd. These are eaten across Provence, as they have been for several centuries, to commemorate the arrival of the “Three Marys” at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (after the crucifixion) in a divinely guided, rudderless boat. While they are traditionally […]
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It’s time for Lilacs! White Lilacs, that is. Lilac is associated with the month of April, which is associated with Venus, the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty. Appropriately, the white lilacs are in full glorious bloom here in Victoria. The “Early Flowering Lilac” Syringa x hyacinthiflora blooms 2 weeks earlier than colored lilacs, closely […]
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This recipe round-up of Hallowed dishes, sweets, and treats is not meant for October 31st but for November 6th when the traditional Celtic festival of Samhain (Summers End) was celebrated. On this night the veil between the worlds was at its absolute thinnest and carving ghoulish gourds, donning scary costumes, and trick or treating were […]
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Tomorrow I will gather blossoms in my garden as part of my annual summer solstice ritual. Each year I preserve these in magical floral extracts which I use in baking and cocktails and others will be consumed directly in cookies, cakes, or tarts later that evening during a Midsummer picnic. This floral-infused lemon tart is […]
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Soon the blessed Winter Solstice will be here, and thank Goddess for the return of the light! For the Germanic and Northern European peoples from which I descend these dark days were preoccupied with the old winter magic known as holiday baking. Cakes, breads and buns, tarts, and strudels were prepared to celebrate the imminent […]
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A berry, a berry, a red rowan berry, A red rowan berry brought me beauty and love. The Story of the Fairy Rowan Tree Samhain is right around the corner so it’s time to post the recipe I promised for Rowan Berry Caramels. These lucky charms will not only dispel evil spirits and satiate hungry […]
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I bet you didn’t know that today is the birthday of the Rowan Tree or Mountain Ash. In Russia, Ryabinnik, September 23rd was the day the rowan berries were considered sweet enough for harvest, and harvest they did. Baskets of rowan berries were cooked into jam, jelly, confiture, kissel, wine, kvass, bread, pies, and candy […]
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One of the most abundant, nutrient-dense, healing, and beautiful foods of autumn, is the wild rosehip. Why is why over at Gather Victoria Patreon I’ve devoted an entire mini cookbook to the ruby red fruit of the family “pomme’. Once a staple in cuisines around the world, I find many people today aren’t quite sure […]
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It’s the time of the year when the sun’s powers are at their height and plants are brimming with life-force energy. This is why I’m sharing this very special libation from the Gather Victoria ECookbook, Black Balsam. Inspired by my Latvian ancestry, Black Balsam is hailed “true taste of a Baltic Summer” and is the […]
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Round and golden as the sun, filled with lush plump strawberries and perfumed with rose petals, this cake is inspired by Goddess Cuisine. I created it last year for Gather Victoria Patreon in honor of the Green Holyday (known today as Trinity Sunday). Its motifs mirror the sacred embroidered textiles known in Russia and Ukraine […]
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Ah, deviled eggs. For me, the snow white beds filled with mounds of rich whipped golden yolks are not only a thing of voluptuous beauty –but possibly a perfect mouthful. So imagine my delight last year when I discovered Chef Jacques Pepin’s technique of browning them to caramelize and crisp their fillings. Pure culinary genius. […]
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