Lughnasadh - Treats

Mead

SUPPLIES:

• 6-8 oz honey (preferably local)
• 1 gallon white wine
• 6-7 citrus or spice tea bags
• large glass stockpot
• glass bottles or jars

PROCEDURE:

1. Mix honey, wine, teabags and fruit in large stockpot
2. Bring to a boil for 1 minute
3. Simmer for 2-3 minutes
4. Let cool
5. Transfer to glass bottles or jars
6. Refrigerate for 3 days

Melon Sorbet

SUPPLIES:

• 4 cups melon, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup granulates superfine sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• (optional: 1 tsp dark or spiced rum)
• blender or food processor
• coarse siece
• wire whisk

PROCEDURE:

1. Puree the melon in a blender or food processor and strain through the seive
2. Combine 1/2 cup of melon with the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring frequently
3. Remove from the heat and add the remaining melon, lemon jiuce and mix well.
4. Cover tightly and freeze overnight (If adding the rum do it just as the sorbet is about to feeze)
5. Spoon into bowls or refrigerated melon rinds. Garnish with berrise and honeyed whipped topping (see next).

Honey Whipped Topping

SUPPLIES:

• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 tbs honey
• 1/2 cup whipped heavy cream
• wire whisk

PROCEDURE:

1. Whisk the cream cheese and honey together until smooth
2. Fold in whipped cream
3. Refrigerate.

Lughnasadh Pie
Blueberries, also known as fraughans, herts or bilberries, are connected with the ancient festival of Lughnasadh. In later years, the Sabbat came to be known as Garland Sunday, a time when the whole village would gather for a day of singing, dancing, courting, feasting and picking wild blueberries.

SUPPLIES:

1 cup sugar
¼ cup flour
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Salt to taste
5 cups of fresh blueberries
Pastry for 9 inch, 2-crust pie
Juice of one lemon

PROCEDURE:

1 tablespoon butter Combine sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt to taste. Add blueberries, tossing to thoroughly coat fruit. Pour mixture into a pie crust drizzle with lemon juice and dab with butter. Place top of pie crust over pie; seal and flute edges. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
See also: The Festival of Lughnasadh
*From Celtic Folklore and Cooking by Joanne Asala. Llewellyn Publications. 2001. http://www.irelandsown.net/pie.html

Lammas Cookies
These sunny cookies are eaten at feasts honouring the Sun God, Lugh.

SUPPLIES:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 cups flour
¼ cup Irish whiskey
¼ cup candied lemon peel
¼ cup of sultanas or golden raisins
¼ cup almonds, chopped

PROCEDURE:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add flour and Irish whiskey and beat until smooth. Add fruit and nuts and mix well. Drop dough from a tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from sheet while cookies are still warm.
*From Celtic Folklore and Cooking by Joanne Asala. Llewellyn Publications. 2001