Feasting at Bealtaine

(Left, common Wood Sorrel, which blooms around Beltane, was often used in spring recipies.)

By Francine Nicholson

Bealtaine comes at such a welcome time, with the sun increasingly shining and the warmth chasing away memories of cold, snowy or damp winter. Still, in earlier times in Celtic lands, Bealtaine was when crops were just sown and the stored results of the previous harvest were dwindling. Except for soft cheese and butter made from the milk of cows and sheep and the shoots of new herbs and salad greens, food would not be plentiful until harvest time. Still, for the feast every family put its best foot forward.

Today, with our modern ideas of what constitutes proper foods for a feast, we would probably be disappointed by what was traditionally served for Bealtaine in much of Ireland or the Scottish Highlands: oatmeal porridge or soup. Kevin Danaher wrote that it was a sign of good household management if a woman still had enough meal to make porridge or grain soup for the feast. So, it was a point of pride to serve such dishes at Bealtaine—even if one had to put aside some meal and save it for some time ahead! Any of the following Scottish recipes would be suitable:

Skirlie Pudding: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotvege.htm#skirlie

Porridge (Scottish): http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotvege.htm#porridge

Oatmeal Soup (Scottish): http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotsoup.htm#oatmeal-sp

Less traditional alternatives that still use meal and grain would be Soda Bread Pudding With Irish Whiskey Sauce (http://www.coastalcooking.com/032298.html) or Applesauce Irish bread (http://www.motts.com/moms/bake/bread6.htm).

Wood sorrel has been eaten as a salad green in Ireland for centuries. It becomes available in time for Bealtaine. Try this recipe for Irish Sorrel Soup: http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~owls/irish2.htm#sorsoup

Just for fun, here’s a medieval recipe for a "salat" that might well have used wood sorrel: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/recipes/ethnic/historical/med-european-coll.html#5

For recipes using other wild vegetables that might be collected, see http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/wildwveg.htm

When the wild seas of winter had calmed, the rural people supplemenetd their diets with soups and puddings made from seaweed. The following link describes the basics of cooking with seaweed. http://seaweed.ucg.ie/cooking/Cooking2.html

Other recipes using various types of seaweed are a Seawood Soup (Scottish) (http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotsoup.htm#seaweed-sp) and Honey And Lemon Carrageen Pudding (http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~owls/irish2.htm#honlem).

Milk products such a soft, new cheeses, were the staple of Irish and Scottish diets in the summer. Crowdie was the Highland version: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotsprd.htm#crowdie

Caledonian Cream was made with crowdie: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotdess.htm#caledon

The website owner describes Cranachan as "a tasty cream crowdie which makes a delicious dessert and whose flavourings and sweetenings can be varied according to taste." The main ingredients are cream or ice cream and oatmeal plus your choice of flavoring or fruit. Check out the recipe at: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotdess.htm#cranachan

Donegal Cream is an Irish variation on the same theme: http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~owls/irish2.htm#doncrem

Main dishes using milk would also be appropriate for Bealtaine. Newhaven Creams are a type of fishcake served with a milk-based parsley sauce. For Bealtaine, substitute wood sorrel instead of parsley to lend a traditional touch: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotfish.htm#newhaven

Alexander Carmichael recorded that in communities where the flocks and herds were being taken to summer pastures, the community or kin-group first celebrated by feasting on a male lamb. Carmichael suggested that the lamb was probably sacrificed to the deities in earlier times. He was probably right, but, even then, most of the sacrificed animal would probably have been consumed by the people. The following recipe combines mutton and milk: http://www.backhaul.net/scotcook/scotmeat.htm#gigot

A Welsh version of stuffed loin of lamb is Fnllyn Bara Lawr Ae Oen Cymreig Alewn Crwstyn. There’s a recipe at: http://soar.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/ethnic/welsh/recipe15.rec.

Or perhaps you’d prefer to serve lamb in the form of Forfar Bridies (pies): http://recipes.wenzel.net/f/forfar_bridies_(irish).html, or Irish-style Lamb Stew (by James Beard): http://recipes.wenzel.net/i/irish_stew_by_james_beard,_chef_&_cooking_teacher.html

Vegan celebrants may prefer to substitute Welsh Selsig Morgannwg (Glamorgan Sausages) as in this recipe: http://soar.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/ethnic/welsh/recipe18.rec

Summer means that bees are making honey! To prepare for this year’s batch of mead, refer to the sites available here: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/brewing.html

And the following Welsh recipe is surely meant for Bealtaine feasting for it combines oatmeal, lamb, and honey. Serve a sorrel salad or soup alongside and a cream afterwards and you’ll have the best of past and present! (http://www.webaware.co.uk/bestofwales/wmgarden/recipes.htm#honeyroast)

Here’s an alternate version of Cig Oen Cymreig gyda Saws Mel, Garlleg a Gwin Gwyn (Welsh Lamb with a Honey, Garlic and White Wine Sauce): http://www.tourism.wales.gov.uk/frameless/wales_the_nation/welsh_lamb.html

Bealtaine also marked the opening of hunting in medieval times. Perhaps you can find a venison steak from a specialty butcher and try this recipe: http://www.tourism.wales.gov.uk/frameless/wales_the_nation/welsh_venison.html

Also consider including the foods that are found at this season where you live. Perhaps this is when fiddleheads are available in your market, as well as rhubarb and new peas. Here’s a recipe for Welsh Tarten Riwbob (Rhubarb Tart): http://soar.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/ethnic/welsh/rhubarb-tart.rec and another for Irish Fresh Pea Soup (NOTE: you have to scroll down to the recipe after reaching the site): http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/~owls/irish2.htm#frespea.

Finally, for fun here’s an essay on rural Irish cooking and dining in 1the nineteenth century: http://www.outlawcook.com/Page0112.html.

This article in the Celtic Well E-Journal is © Copyright 1999 by Francine Nicholson. Sections may be freely quoted, provided the author is properly cited with the URL and the words"electronic version." You may link to this site, but please do not copy this web page and its dependent web pages without contacting one of the Celtic Well List moderators.