This Week's Festivities

The following festival information comes from The Wicca Book of Days by Gerina Dunwich. Food suggestions are from my mind, and any recipes are from teh interwebz.

Sept. 4

At sunrise on this day, the Changing Woman Ceremony is held annually by the Native American tribe of the Apache in Arizona. The rite, which lasts four consecutive days, marks the coming of age of a pubescent girls, who ritually transforms into the spirit-goddess known as Changing Woman and blesses all who are in attendance.

Food suggestion to mark this event: I recommend making a batch of Cait Johnson's Three Sisters Harvest Stew. Squash, corn and beans are important plants to many Native American tribes.


Three Sisters Harvest Stew by Cait Johnson (Witch in the Kitchen)

2 tablspoons olive oil (TB)
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lg. carrot, ch9opped into 1-in. pieces
3/4 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 can beans, drained (pintos, for example)
1 cup giant dried white corn, soaked overnight in cold water and then simmered in boiling water until tender, or 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tsp. crumbled dried sage
sea salt
1 chipotle pepper (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Water or vegetable broth, as needed

In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and stir to coat with the oil.

Saute until golden, then add the garlic, carrot, squash, beans, corn, sage and sea salt to taste, and the chipotle pepper, if you desire. Though the pepper is optional, the smoky taste is reminiscent of the first hearth fires of the season, perfect for autumn.

Simmer the stew, adding the water or broth as needed, until the squash is tender, then add the parsley and stir thoroughly. Serve piping hot.


Sept. 5

In ancient Rome, the Roman Games, in honor of the god Jupiter, begin annually on this date and lasted until the thirteenth day of September.

Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of good luck and prosperity, is honored on this day throughout Indian with a parade and a festival of rejoicing.

Recipe suggestion: Muttar Pulao (recipe on my other blog). This is a dish of peas and rice. Rice is a good food for prosperity, and peas are for love.


Sept. 6

An ancient Inca blood festival called Situa was held annually on this date to ward off the evil spirits of illness and disease. As part of the ceremony, parents would eat a special cake consecrated with the blood of their offspring.

Recipe suggestion: Make thumbprint cookies with your children. Eat the cookies that have been consecrated with the thumbprint (and fingers) of your precious ones.


Sept. 7

Healer's Day. This is a special day dedicated to all women and men who posesss the Goddess-given gift of healing and who use it unselfishly to help others.

Daena, the Main Goddess of the Parsees, is honored on this date each year with a religious festival India.

Recipe suggestion: For Healer's Day, make and share chicken soup with your friends and family.

Chicken Soup (from homecooking.about.com)

* 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
* 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
* 1 (6- to 7-pound) chicken
* 2 quarts chicken broth or canned low-sodium broth
* 1 quart cold water, or as needed
* 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
* 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 bay leaf
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 cups egg noodles
* Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish


Heat the oil in a brothpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces. If there are any pads of yellow fat in the tail area, do not remove them. Add the chicken to the pot and pour in the broth. Add enough cold water to cover the ingredients by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.

Reduce the heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is very tender, about 2 hours.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard the parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Let stand 5 minutes and degrease the soup, reserving the fat if you are making matzo balls.

Discard the chicken skin and bones and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Add the noodles and cook until done, about 10 minutes. Stir the meat back into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot. (The soup can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.)

Yield: 12 to 14 servings