Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen by Scott Cunningham Read Free Book Online

Carrots eaten on the first day ensure a sweet year. 46
    An old ritual: on New Year’s Eve, place a loaf of bread and a penny on a table. Leave overnight. This will provide plenty to eat in the coming year.
    Be sure to have a well-stocked pantry at this time.
    Imbolc
    (February 2)
    Imbolc is an old festival connected with the coming of spring and the growing warmth of the sun. In some areas of Europe, this day marked the emergence of a few brave plants from beneath the snow. As such, Imbolc was an occasion for feasting.
    Because the sun was usually seen as the source of the earth’s fertility, Imbolc (known in Catholicism as Candlemas) was a solar festival. Practitioners of pre-Christian religions lit fires and carried torches in ceremonial processions to urge the sun’s “return.”
    Appropriate foods for Imbolc are spicy and hot, in honor of the Sun. Those utilizing garlic and chili peppers are suitable, as are curried dishes.
    Ostara
    (circa March 21)
    Ostara, the spring solstice, marks the astronomical start of spring. This was a time of joyous celebration, for the killing months of winter were over. Plants sprang from the ground in ways that seemed miraculous to our ancestors.
    Because the burgeoning growth hasn’t yet fruited, sprouts are very appropriate. Seeds of any kind (including pine nuts, sesame, poppy, sunflower, and pumpkin) and green, leafy vegetables also vibrate with the season’s energies.
    Flower dishes are also traditional. Rose, mustard, squash blossom, nasturtium, carnation—all can be added to more conventional dishes to bring the flavor and energies of the season into your diet. Never use flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides.
    Eggs are a welcome addition to the diet. If you wish, color them red, yellow, and gold in honor of the sun. Flavor foods with sage for good health.
    Beltane
    (May 1)
    We still observe May Day, a contemporary version of an ancient European Pagan religious celebration. In earlier times, Beltane was connected with the dairy, and so ice cream, yogurt, cheese, custard, quiche, and all other dairy foods are appropriate fare.
    Oatmeal cookies and oatmeal bread also fit the symbolism of Beltane, the high point of spring. This customary food comes from Scotland. Many centuries ago, oatmeal cakes known as bannocks were used in Scottish rituals.
    May wine is a tasty drink. It is made from white wine, fresh woodruff, and strawberries.
    Midsummer
    (circa June 21)
    The summer solstice is an ancient time of magic. Great fires were lit on hilltops in honor of the zenith of the sun’s strength.
    Fresh fruits (which are increasingly available as autumn nears) are fine midsummer foods, as are any dishes that use fruit as a major ingredient.
    In keeping with the heat of this holiday, flaming foods are also appropriate.
    Lughnasadh
    (August 1)
    Lughnasadh is the first harvest—the promise of spring’s planting realized. Sometimes known as the Feast of Bread, Lughnasadh is a time for kneading, baking, slicing, and eating this basic food. Lughnasadh originally marked the first-harvest festivals of earlier European peoples, for whom it didn’t fall on a specific date.
    Prepare a few whole-grain loaves on this day if you make your own bread. For something simpler, yet in keeping with the energies at work, make some corn bread.
    Other traditional foods include all berries, crab apples, and grains. Barley soup, popcorn, and even beer (due to its ingredients) are also appropriate foods.
    Mabon
    (circa September 21)
    Mabon marks the second harvest. The bounty of nature is dwindling. Earth begins to pull her fertility from the land. Humans and wild animals alike scramble to gather as much food as possible in preparation for the hard winter ahead.
    Grains are appropriate for Mabon—particularly corn. Corn chowder, boiled ears of corn, and creamed corn fit Mabon symbolism well.
    Beans, squash, and all other fall vegetables are also perfect for this