Imbolc Lavender & Rosemary Seed Cake

January 17, 2019.Reading time 12 minutes.

There is nothing like cake to celebrate a special occasion and Imbolc (on February 1st) is no exception. And I think this “naked” sponge cake would be a wonderful addition to any Imbolc Feast! It’s kept gorgeously moist with brushings of lavender and rosemary syrup (between cake layers) but the slight tang of the Mascarpone […]

Dutch Puff Pancake with Lemon Curd & Primrose Cream

January 27, 2018.Reading time 12 minutes.

My favourite childhood food was (and still is) the pancake, so I’m pretty happy that from Imbolc (Feb. 1st) to Candlemas (Feb.2nd) to Shrove Tuesday (Feb 13th) – there are going to be plenty of opportunities for ceremonial indulgence! I’ve started off celebrating the season of pancakes with this scrumptious Dutch Puff laden with Lemon […]

Rosemary Oat Bannock For Imbolc

January 15, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

The grace of a grey bannock is in the baking of it… Scottish Proverb Oatcakes or Bannocks were traditionally eaten on old-world feast days to mark the changing seasons. And roundabout Feb 1st or 2nd, they were known as “Bannoch of Bride” in honour of St. Bridget or Brìghde. This goddess (and later saint) of […]

Gather’s Guide For Celebrating The Midwinter Festival Of Lights

January 11, 2018.Reading time 9 minutes.

Rediscover the ancient food magic of the Midwinter Feast of Lights. Known to the Celts as Imbolc or Brigid’s Feast Day, it celebrated the arrival of the sun goddess Brigid (and the first stirrings of spring) with oodles of candles and plenty of magical foods – all of which ensured Brigid’s blessings in the coming […]

Imbolc & The Rites of Women: The Midwinter Festival of Lights

December 15, 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

Across the world, for thousands of years, our ancestors celebrated the turn of the seasons through sacred feasts and plenty of magic. Marking the astrological alignments of the sun and moon, theses activities had one central purpose – to harmonize human activity with the great cycles and forces of nature, thereby ensuring fertility, abundance and […]

Lavender Tea Milk Punch: A Libation to Toast the Returning Light

January 27, 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

For my ancient ancestors, February was a time of great anticipation for the coming growing season. To ensure bountiful crops, productive livestock and healthy mothers and babes, they practiced fertility and purification rites—many of them featuring milk. Recreate some of this intention for your own feast day with a creamy, decadent libation fit for dairy-loving fairies, goddesses and the rest of us. Cheers!

Rosemary & Lavender Lemon Curd “Tassies”: Here Comes The Sun!

January 27, 2017.Reading time 8 minutes.

Nothing says Imbolc better that the bright yellows of lemon, butter and egg yolks. So what happens when you infuse a sweet, zesty, creamy, lemon curd with the aromatic herbs of the sun? Glorious food magic is what! Lemon Tassies are old-fashioned dessert tarts filled with easy to make citrusy curd. And while no one […]

Infused Wassail Cider: A Recipe For Blessing The Earth (and Ourselves)

January 10, 2017.Reading time 13 minutes.

Yes, the sun has begun her official return. But as I write this, frost shimmers, the ground is frozen and every footstep crunches. And it’s easy to understand why our ancestors, as the pantry grew lean, wanted to give mother nature just a little loving nudge in waking up. So to me, in the barren starkness of […]

Recipes for a Feast of Light: Reviving the Magical Foods of Imbolc

January 20, 2016.Reading time 17 minutes.

I love the ancient feast days that once celebrated the turn of the “wheel of the year”. Marking celestial alignments such as solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarter days, these “holy days “are the origin of most of our modern holidays. And no matter what ancestral culture you descend from, it’s a pretty safe bet that most […]