What is a festival without a feast? In the northern hemisphere, at this time of year, foods for celebration were left over from the previous harvest and kept edible mostly by smoking, drying or storing in a cool, dark root cellar. Traditional foods include potatoes, carrots and any root vegetable and people in ancient times were getting near the bottom of their root cellar by now. Many cultures relied on corn as a main staple of their diets. In old Europe "corn" meant the most prevalent grain grown in the area: wheat in England; oats or barley in Scotland and Ireland; and wheat, barley and rye on the Continent. These grains were made into porridge, flatcakes and breads. Meat was sparse, yet of greater variety than most of us eat today. There was smoked, salted or spiced red meat, plus rabbit, venison, quail, partridge and other wild game. Villagers raised chickens, ducks and geese. Fresh, smoked and salted fish of all kinds were staples and eels were a special delicacy. The beef available to the ancients was less than tender. "Corning", named for the corn-sized salt granules used in the curing allowed beef slaughtered at Samhain to last into the cold of winter without spoiling and tenderized it too. Protein also came from non-meat sources: dried peas and beans, eggs, milk and cheese. Dried herbs were used to flavor slightly rancid meat or months-old vegetables - especially dill, fennel, sage and probably parsley. Dried mushrooms were common too. The main sweetener was honey. Fruits included apples, pears blackberries and plums. The apples could have been stored in a cold cellar, but the rest would have been dried for winter storage. To wash it all down, people had ale, cider, mead and fruit wines as well as wines made from vegetables - including the turnip! Milk was probably also served since this is a celebration of the "freshening" of the goats. Indeed, it was often a "milk festival" and Oimelc means "milk of ewes". There are a number of websites and books that have recipes for Candlemas or Imbolc, as the holiday is also know. You might want to check out: http://www.moonsweb.com/candlemasrecipes.shtml or http://swankivy.envy.nu/precipes.html. The book Candlemas - Feast of Flames by Amber K & Azrael Arynn K has a great selection of recipes, from ancient to modern day. For fun, I've included the following recipes from Circle Round - Raising Children in the Goddess Tradition, by Starhawk, Diane Baker and Annie Hill. Braided Brigit Bread The warm color and flavor of this bread come from the tomato paste and herbs. 2 T yeast ½ C warm water pinch of sugar 1 C milk 1 egg ¼ C sugar ¼ C vegetable oil 1 t salt 1 clove garlic, pressed ½ t each dried oregano, thyme and basil 4 T tomato paste water 5-6 C unbleached white flour 1 egg yolk, beaten Dissolve the yeast in warm water sprinkled with the pinch of sugar. Combine the milk, egg, sugar, oil, salt, garlic and herbs in a large bowl. In a measuring cup, place the tomato paste and add water until it reaches the 1/2 - cup point. Pour into the milk mixture and stir well. Add the yeast mixture. Begin adding flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough can no longer be stirred. Turn out onto a floured board and knead, continuing to add flour to keep the dough barely dry. This is a loose and soft dough, so be careful how much flour you add. Don't let it get stiff. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat both sides. Let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes to an hour. Punch down. Cut the dough in half, divide each half into thirds then roll into thick coils. Braid three coils into a loaf and pinch the ends together. Set on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Repeat with the other three coils. When the loaves have doubled in size, paint all surfaces with the egg yolk and bake for 35 minutes in a preheated 375-degree oven. Bananas a la Brigit This being a fire holiday, presents a fine opportunity to bring some drama to the celebration meal. This dish, known commonly as Bananas Foster, tempers the fireworks with vanilla ice cream. The flames burn away the alcohol. 2 bananas 2 T butter 4 T brown sugar 1 oz rum or brandy ice cream Cut bananas in half crosswise, then again lengthwise. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the sugar and let it bubble briefly. Add the bananas and cook over a low heat until lightly browned, about five minutes. Warm the liquor in a small pan, gently pour it over the bananas in the skillet, and then light it with a match, being sure your arm is out of the way. The alcohol flares up dramatically. Let the flame burn out, then spoon over scoops of ice cream. Serves 4. Bright Blessings, Susan Eckert