Loads of fun - lots of stories behind these traditional recipes, so the reader gets a real feel about who ate these and where / when / why they ate them. Biggest drawback: there really is a reason why the British Isles are not known for their cuisine. 384 I have had this book for many years and have made multiple recipes, many of which I still make as family favorites today. This was one of the books I used to research my papers on immigration and food in Colonial America that I wrote for two of the history classes I took toward my history degree. 384 This is part cookbook and part folklore collection. It is broken down into general categories (breads, porridges, and breakfast foods, vegetables, meat and wild game, etc.). Then, at the beginning of each section, the individual recipes are listed. Between recipes you get poems, quotes, legends, some history, and little notes. The index, glossary, and bibliography are all well done and fairly extensive, which is a good mark to me. My particular copy had Catholic correspondences written in. I think the former owner had gotten the book thinking it was strictly Celtic and did not realize there was a Wiccan bent to it. I didn't know it was going to be quite so Wiccan until I read through it more thoroughly myself. The information and recipes are wonderful enough that non-Wiccans should still enjoy this book. 384 I love cookbooks with stories so this one was delightful! I don’t eat a lot of hearty soups and stews but made a few of these and they were delightful! 384 I love this book. Not only is it full of truly tasty recipes for things like Lammas bread and wassail, it has stories and legends and spells and poems interspersed throughout, with a presentation based on the Wheel of the Year. Great fun. 384
Wide variety of recipes with plenty of proverbs, stories, poems and historical information strewn throughout . I devoured this delightful text within a day. It left me wanting seconds.
Now to go and try all of these recipes! 384 There are many recipes in this cookbook that have unrealistic ingredients. However, I have found some great recipes in this book over the years and particularly appreciate that there is an index at the back which organizes recipes by sabbat. This book was particularly useful before the internet became so... searchable? Either way, I don't always cook from this book but, when celebrating Neopagan events, I usually find some inspiration here! 384 A friend in my book club was talking about how she loves to read cookbooks. I've never considered just reading a cookbook before. Celtic Folklore Cooking was a delightful start to this new reading adventure. It was filled with myth, poems, and folklore. There were recipes to delight every palate and traditions to inspire new cooking journeys.
The first table of contents in this book lays out the categories of recipes. There is a section for: beverages, breads, milk/eggs/cheese, soup, vegetables, fish/seaweed, meat, and desserts. At the beginning of each of these sections you will discover another table of content that lays out the individual recipes. This is an interesting way of laying out the sections but is perhaps not the most efficient way to find a specific dish. It makes a reader linger over the cookbook rather than just go to a page, cook, and put away.
What I loved was reading about how the traditions surrounding a certain recipe came to be or how many still use it today. There were recipes that my family still use and new dishes I hope to try. Each recipe begins with a description and folklore. The ingredients are bolded making it very easy to read while cooking. The steps are not detailed but remain simple and clear. Some of the recipes are copies of very old recipes and might take a bit more deciphering to use, but are so unique! Poems and stories also dot the pages.
You are sure to find treasures and inspiration in this cookbook!
384 This is possibly my favorite cookbook...ever. I absolutely adore it. Not just because it is based around the Celtic traditions and Pagan Sabbats and Esbats, but also...the recipes are AMAZING!
You will find something for every occasion in this book, and then some. There is a huge catalogue of recipes that can be used during the turn of the wheel (including beverages, which I always appreciate in a cookbook) according to British Celtic Tradition (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall). I loved that there was a large variety from each Celtic land (so many so called Celtic reference books forget to even include Wales or Cornwall, and focus so heavily on Ireland that one begins to wonder if they even know their Celtic history!) with traditional recipes from each country/region to satisfy all tastes. It also has a plethora of Celtic proverbs, poetry, traditions (in short story form), and a great introduction with a a break-down of each Sabbat and Esbat within the wheel of the year, and a general history of the Celts and their culinary traditions in relation to the ever-turning wheel.
Using traditional, seasonal food, and assigning each one to a Sabbat and Esbat, it really is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Celtic history, Pagan tradition (both are so centered around hearth and home, eating, drinking and celebrating), or just looking for some delicious traditional Celtic recipes - this book is THE BEST offering I have found on the market to date. Truly my most reached for cookbook! 384 This is a unique, pagan-focused historical cookbook. The recipes are interspersed with stories, rhymes, and bits of folklore. The recipes are wide-ranging. Most of them are not to my taste, but I can see this being a great resource for a certain kind of reader. 384
A treasury of delectable recipes, Celtic Folklore Cooking by Joanne Asala will help you select foods to serve at your celebrations of the Sabbats and Esbats: the festivals and ritual times for Witches and Wiccans. It is also a terrific introduction to Celtic culture. The recipes in this book were gathered during four trips the author took to Ireland and Britain, as well as visits to Scotland and Wales. She searched for people who still cooked in the traditional of their ancestors, passing down recipes from generation to generation. The result is a book that is rich in Celtic tradition. And the foods are delicious any time, too!
Like a well-stocked larder, Celtic Folklore Cooking offers plenty of tempting choices for daily meals or special celebrations. Pick from more than 200 tasty traditional dishes, all nestled among colorful food-related proverbs, poems, tales, customs, and other nuggets of folk wisdom. Each recipe lists ancient and modern holidays associated with the dish so you can select the perfect fare to complement the season. Recipes include:
- Mushroom and Scallop Pie
- Heather Wine
- Pratie Oaten
- Beestings Pancakes
- Hot Cross buns
- Figgy Pudding
- Boxty on the Griddle
- Barm Brack
- Sweet Scones
- Scotch Eggs
- Colcannon
- Cockle Soup
- Flower Pudding
- Flummery
- Mead
The ancient Celts celebrated their Sabbats with music, dance, games, food, and drink. Whether you are a solitary practitioner or a part of a larger group, food and drink should always be a part of your festivities, rituals, and ceremonies. This book can be the key to a wide variety of foods that will make you the talk of the town!
If you are involved in Celtic traditions, this book is a must. If you simply like unique recipes for foods that are as tasty today as they were hundreds, even thousands of years ago, you'll want this book, too. Celtic Folklore Cooking