In Favor of Imbolc

 Let me start by saying that I do not dislike Yule. It’s really not very stressful for me. I have very few people to shop for, and our holiday dinner here will be for the two of us. I’m actually looking forward to the long weekend over which I will observe Yule this year. 

No, I’m not trying to say anything negative about Yule.The solstice time is warm, bright, and cheerful. Yule is very, very necessary for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, it celebrates the birth of the sun/god, the slow return of light and warmth.The winter solstice is the longest night; therefore the extra brightness reminds us of the light half of the year. In addition, in my wheel of the year, the new year is Yule (I’ve written about my reasons for this). By Imbolc, though, the goddess has also recovered much of her strength. 

Depending on your hemisphere and region, this time of year can be cold, gray, and wet or snowy. I, however, live in a place that isn’t usually that cold in December. Snow, when it happens, is more of a January-February thing. This past February was unprecedented and horrific, as many of you may know, but it’s typically just dark, cold, and depressing. 

The post-Yule period feels like a huge letdown after such a big buildup. The calendar rolls over and January is gray and slushy. It drags on. February may be the shortest month, but it has a way of feeling like the longest. February, rather than making us anticipate March and Ostara, heralding spring, we instead feel as though winter will never end.

It’s at this time we most need the reminder that the sun is growing stronger day by day. The days themselves are lengthening a little at a time. Imbolc, also known as Candelmas, is also about flame because of its connection to Brigid. Imbolc is also related to the pregnant ewes and the milk their bodies were starting to make. I guess you could also look at a cozy, glowing celebration as a way of cheering up a new or soon-to-be mother, in a way. 

Light lots of candles. Build a fire if possible. Decorate with dried orange slices and red chilies. Eat spicy food and traditional (and cooling) dairy dishes. Have a warm drink. Put some brandy in it. Get warm. Bask in the light. If there is snow outside, bring in a bowl of it and cheer as it melts. Help usher winter back to its slumber for a few months. Acknowledge the Cailleach and thank her for her gifts of winter solitude, silence, and rest. Remind Persephone it’s nearly time to return to her mother. Dance in a spiral to honor the sun and know that the earth will spring to life again soon. Carry an ember (figuratively) with you. Ostara will be there soon. 

C is for Cauldron

The cauldron is much more than a simple pot used for cooking over a fire. The cauldron is a symbol of Cerridwen.  In Welsh mythology, Cerridwen is the keeper of the cauldron of inspiration and transformation.

  The leprechaun’s pot of gold is a cauldron full of coins.  The cauldron has appeared in mythology and literature throughout the ages.  Who can think of Shakespeare and not picture the three witches making their diabolical potions while chanting about newt eyes and bat wings?   

 It is not only a cooking vessel, but also a symbol of the divine feminine.   I see the cauldron as a symbol of the womb, a place of amazing growth and transformation, the place from which all life springs forth.  As a cooking vessel, I see the cauldron as a place of amazing transformation as well.   

As in the womb, a few basic elements combine to create something completely new and different.

Years and years ago, I bought a little cast iron “cauldron” on eBay.  It has been used for spirit flames, for burning the old year’s problems at Samhain, and for making black salt.   These days, I use a Dutch oven for some things, but my big soup pot is my modern cauldron.   Even a slow cooker can be used for a modern cauldron (since it seems to take nearly a year and a day for some things to cook!).

In the fall and winter, I enjoy making soups and stews and other comforting things that bring nourishment and warmth.   Humming as I work, stirring deosil for positivity, I happily putter around the kitchen around my modern-day witches’ cauldron, making culinary magic happen.  As I do so, I am reminded of the sacredness of food and flame.  I think of warmer days when the earth gives up her bounty to sustain us through the darker part of the year.

A cauldron (or a pot) is an essential tool for me.  Give me a pot (cauldron), wooden spoon (wand), and a good knife (athame, anyone?), and I’m quite happy.   Cooking is the most basic form of magic for me, having been doing it since I was quite young.   I recognize the individual gifts and elements each ingredient contributes to the final project, and above all, I honor the cauldron’s sacred power of transformation.   Much like Cerridwen’s cauldron, mine is also full of inspiration.

For this blog post, I will share two recipes.  One is for a soup cooked on top of the stove, and the other is for a dish that is cooked in the crock pot.

Curried Peanut Soup

I like making this for Imbolc because the spiciness and earthiness remind me that Mother Earth is awakening slowly in the northern hemisphere.  The warmth cuts through the winter’s brutal cold, and the lovely color reminds me of the sun and the first golden flowers of spring.

1 medium onion, chopped

5 or 6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped

1-2 chilies, seeded or not, chopped

2 small sweet potatoes (about 2 cups), peeled and cubed

1/3 cup natural peanut butter

1 ½ cups coconut milk, light or regular

2-3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons each ground cumin and hot Madras curry powder

8 cups chicken broth

In your soup pot/cauldron, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the onions, ginger, and chilies.  Cook for 5 minutes before adding the garlic.  Cook 2-3 minutes longer.

Add the sweet potatoes, cumin, and curry powder.  Stir to coat everything with the spices.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender (15 minutes).

Add the peanut butter and stir well. 

Ladle the chunky parts of the soup into a blender. Add the coconut milk and puree until smooth.

Return the mixture to the pot.  Heat gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

This recipe makes a pot full of sticky sweet, rich and satisfying baked beans.

½ bacon, cut into 1” pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 ½ cups navy beans, cleaned and sorted

¼ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup tomato paste

¼ cup molasses

½ cup apple juice or cider

2 teaspoons each ras el hanout and smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Water to cover the beans

If you are cooking beans in a crock pot/slow cooker as in this recipe, you don’t necessarily have to soak them.  

Put the chopped onion in the crock pot first.  Then, add the bacon and the beans.

Dollop in the tomato paste and brown sugar. Pour over the molasses.

Add the liquid and stir to combine.   Cook on low for 8 hours or high for about 5-6 hours, until beans are tender.

Season with salt, pepper, ras el hanout, and smoked paprika before serving. 

Oh, so *that* explains it!

When writing about autumn, one of the adjectives that gets tossed around is “introspective”, as in ‘Autumn is an introspective time’.  Hell, I’ve used it myself.   It’s not that it isn’t true; it’s that I’ve finally figured out the connection I have to winter.  Introspection is the keyword.

Introspection – n.  The examination of one’s own thoughts, impressions, and feelings, especially for long periods.

During the autumn and winter, we have months and months in which to turn inward and examine our beliefs and feelings.   Some people, however, spend most of their time this way.   That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  I don’t believe it makes that person selfish or narcissistic or self-absorbed in any way; rather I find very sensitive people tend more toward introspection because it’s just…easier somehow. At least it is for me.

I’m also a very introverted person.  I wasn’t always that way, but things happen and personality traits can changed.  Nature vs. nurture.  I’m shy.  I communicate better through writing than speaking, especially when it comes to dealing with deep feelings.  Some things only come out through writing, you know?

At work, in the classroom, I’m all open and energetic. I sing, I dance, I perform. ( I rarely sing or dance, but has been known to happen. )  Outside of the classroom, I am quiet.  I moved to the other side of campus to be on my own, away from the other offices.  There are three of us in that part of the building, and we don’t bother each other.  It’s so nice. 

Whoa.  I’m going off on a tangent.  To sum up, I like autumn because, well, I *am* autumn in a lot of  ways.  I like being alone with my thoughts.  I like to take time to examine what I’m feeling and how I perceive things.  I’m quiet and I like being alone sometimes. 

Autumn is the perfect time for that.  The weather often keeps us inside.  Autumn is the time of death so that rebirth may occur.  It’s a spooky time of year for some.  We’re reminded of our own mortality.  The shorter days give us more time to think about death… Maybe that’s just me.  Maybe it’s because of the SAD and clinical depression. Who knows.   I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on autumn and why you like it/identify with it.

Fruits of the Season: Oranges

Oranges, like most citrus fruits, are good for purification. They also, according to Cunningham, carry love energy as well. Oranges are one of the fruits that are fresh during the winter and their bright orange color reminds us of the sun that slowly starts to return at Yule.

Oranges, tangerines and grapefruits are wonderful little reminders of the sun. Dried slices of these fruits can be used to decorate wreaths or hung around the kitchen as a garland for Yule. Just having a bowl of citrus fruits on the table in the kitchen or dining room can bring some cheer. Their bright hues add a splash of color to what is an otherwise drab time of year.

A garland of dried citrus slices can also add a nice touch to your Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree. Add some sticks of cinnamon hung with festive ribbon, a garland of cranberries, and some lights and you have a beautifully decorated tree.

To dry citrus fruits, slice them into ¼-inch slices. Squeeze out some of the excess juice and dry on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet in your oven. Set the oven to about 150 degrees F. Leave the door slightly ajar and dry for 5-6 hours.


Another idea for this holiday season is a pomander. What, you may be asking, is a pomander? Well, a pomander is basically a medieval air freshener. It’s a preserved orange, usually, that has been studded with cloves. They aren’t terribly difficult to make. You can find instructions all over the internet. For your convenience, I will include instructions below.





A pomander is a great thing to have in your house, not only because it smells good but also because of the combination of citrus and cloves. These make great protection/purification charms. Get together with your family or magical group and make these. Make some out of small tangerines and hang them on the tree. They make great housewarming gifts. I clearly remember the pomander hanging in the broom closet at my mom’s house when I was growing up. I believe my granny had at least one as well.

To make a pomander you need:

1 orange
1 ounce whole cloves
1 tablespoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
Sandalwood oil or orris root powder *
Toothpick, ice pick, or something else to make holes in the orange
Tape
Paper bag
Ribbon

*Orris root powder comes from a type of orchid. One website recommends using the sandalwood as a preservative instead, as some people are allergic to orris root. It’s used to make ice cream here in Turkey, as well as sahlep, a popular winter beverage. You may not be able to find it, so sandalwood oil is probably your best bet.

1.Knead the fruit in your hands to loosen it up a bit.

2. Mix the spices together with the sandalwood oil (several drops).

3. Use masking tape to mark off a crisscross design on your fruit. This is where you will place the ribbon.

4. Using the toothpick or other sharp object, poke holes on the parts of the orange that aren’t covered in tape. Insert a whole clove into each hole.

5.Place the spice mixture into a paper bag. Roll the orange in this mixture until it is completely covered.

6. Leave the orange in the bag in a cool, dry place for 4-6 weeks until is it completely dried out. Roll the orange in the spice and oil mixture daily. If you notice any mold on your fruit, throw it out and start again. You’ll know it’s ready when it sounds hollow when you tap on it.

7. Shake off the spice mixture. Place the ribbon where the tape was. Sew the ends of the ribbon together to make a loop for hanging. Now your pomander is ready.

If you are using this as a protective charm, separately charge the spices and oil and the fruit. You can recharge the spice mixture every day when you roll the orange in it, or as you see fit.

Winter's Bounty

In the Northern Hemisphere, winter is upon us. Many places are still enjoying mild or warm temperatures, while others are experiencing cold, rain or even snow. Long gone are the fresh, fragrant herbs of summer, the plump juicy fruits and crisp colorful vegetables. What’s a person to do? Surely we can’t be expected to sit in our homes eating uninspiring, lifeless junk food!

Fortunately we have the gift of agriculture to help sustain us, unlike our earlier ancestors, who had to live on preserved foods throughout the long winter months. We know have access to a huge variety of produce all year round. What could be wrong with this? Well, one issue is the fact that certain things just aren’t in season this time of year. Using hothouses to forcibly grow out-of-season produce wields tasteless, inferior products that are nowhere near as lovely or tasty as the fresh, seasonal foods.

Yes, we can go to the freezer section of the grocery store and buy lovely frozen spinach, raspberries, tender peas, and even asparagus. These fruits and veggies were picked at their peak and frozen to preserve their flavor and vitamins. Canned produce is okay too, but the quality isn’t quite as good as frozen. The taste, too can be a bit off-putting. I’ve found that beets, corn and beans are the only veggies that taste okay out of a can. Everything else, to me, tastes like, well, the can.

Happily we can still find fresh fruits and vegetables growing even in winter. Some things may still need to be shipped from one part of the country to the next, or from another country, but at least these things are being harvested while they are in season, as opposed to being grown in a greenhouse somewhere.

What can we eat at Yule? What about at Imbolc? Yule is right around the corner and some of you may already be planning your winter solstice meals. At Yule we celebrate the sun’s returning, This is the longest night of the year, and in some places it is very cold, so we need hearty, satisfying food to give us energy and to ground us after a ritual.

Let us first take a look at what the season offers us in the way of fruits and vegetables. Then we can begin discussing properties of those foods, and ways to prepare them.

Some of the vegetables available in winter include Brussels sprouts, leeks, cabbages, parsnips, sprouting broccoli, and kale. These vegetables pack a nutritional punch, contribute their green hues to the season, and are all protective foods! How nice that so many protective foods are available to us during this dark half of the year. We can begin adding these foods to our diet to fill ourselves and our homes with protective energy.

We also have turnips, rutabagas (I’ve never eaten one of these. Has anyone?), bok choy, artichokes, celery root, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts. Artichokes are also protective. Chestnuts and sweet potatoes are love foods.

Fruits of the season include citrus fruits such as clementines, oranges, blood oranges and grapefruits, as well as kumquats, pears, persimmons (another food I’ve never tried but have seen at the markets here in Istanbul), kiwi, bananas, red grapes, pomegranates, and cranberries.

Citrus fruits are good for purification. Many of the fruits available in the winter are a deep red or orange, the color of the sun we are welcome into our lives again. These fruits make lovely decorations for the altar or the table, as well as a tasty addition to your Sabbat feast.

As you can see, we do not have to have a boring diet in the winter. Even though our bodies crave heavier comfort foods such as thick stews and holiday sweets, we can still incorporate fresh produce as well. The next few posts will discuss ways of using some of winter’s bounty for food, magic, and decoration. We will also continue exploring dark goddesses. Keep reading!

Leftover Magic

Thanksgiving leftovers? Never fear, the kitchen witch is here! I wasn’t able to enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving feast this year, but I am still here with ways for you to use up some of the leftover food you may have, and stir up some witchin’ in the kitchen to boot.

The following soup is just the thing to lift you out of the post-Thanksgiving slump. In fact, it’s good for helping lift you out of the winter doldrums, so it’s a good one to hang on to until spring. Plus, being a spicy soup, it’s good not only for warming and protection, but you can also serve it at Imbolc.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

First, let’s talk about that pumpkin. As we have discussed before, this is an excellent symbol of the harvest. Its round shape represents fertility and abundance. The seeds are also symbols of fertility and can be toasted and eaten, or dried and marked with runes for divination. If you like to do things the slower way, maybe you’ve purchased a pumpkin and roasted it yourself. If so, good for you. Roasting the pumpkin intensifies the flavor and brings out a lovely sweetness. If you’re short on time, however, canned or raw pumpkin will work just as well. This recipe is partially about the spice.

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
1 hot red chili, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ½ cups pumpkin (used canned or roasted, whichever you have)
3 cups water
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth
1 14-oz can coconut milk
3 tablespoons butter or oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, melt butter and cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chili, and spices. Stir to coat everything with the spice mixture and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the pumpkin, water and broth and simmer, covered for about 30 minutes. Add the coconut milk and continue simmering for another 5-10 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in your blender or use a stick immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Soup can be thinned with a little extra water or stock if it’s too thick for your liking.

Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves if desired.

Not in the mood for soup? You can also turn this into a satisfying, chunky curry to serve over rice. Use cubes of roasted pumpkin instead of canned, and omit the water and stock, keeping the coconut milk.