How to Create a Traditional Hallowe'en Feast
Pagan Sabbat Samhain Customs Vary, but All Include the Banquet
Sep 30, 2009
The room is decorated with potted or silk chrysanthemums, marigolds and asters, pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn. Interspersed are figurines of the Sabbat including black cats, owls, spiders and witches and miniature brooms. This is the scene for a traditional Hallowe'en feast.
Traditional Hallowe’en Celebration
Candles are lit, thanks for the harvest are given and departed loved ones are fondly remembered. A lighted black pillar candle rests in a cauldron or other fireproof container in an inch and a half of water.
Celebrants will write one or more negative things to be banished from their lives on a piece of paper. To release negativity, one by one, the papers are put into the candle’s flame, to burn into ashes, then dropped into the water before the flames reach one’s fingers.
Traditional Hallowe’en Feast Recipes
Traditional fare for Hallowe'en includes meat, corn, beans, squash, turnips and other root vegetables, nuts, pumpkins, apples, pomegranates, grapes and cider. The tablecloth is black. Orange tapers in copper or brass holders decorate the table.
Mulled Apple Cider – Combine 2 quarts of apple cider, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 10 cloves and 12 allspice berries. Boil, stirring occasionally. Blend in 2 cup of bourbon. Serve while hot. This can be refrigerated and reheated before serving. Don’t boil. For a non-alcoholic version, replace bourbon with cider.
Clam/Vegetable Chowder – Sauté 4 slices diced bacon with 1 tablespoon of crumbled dried thyme in Dutch oven. Drain and set aside. Put 1 cucumber and/or zucchini, 1 bell pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 large tomato, 6 garlic cloves, 6 sprigs parsley and ½ lemon with peel through food processor. Add 1 teaspoon of celery seed, 2 cups of diced raw turnips, potatoes, carrots, 2 cups of frozen or canned corn and bacon. Mix well. Pour 3 quarts vegetable juice over mixture and blend well. Bring to boil. Simmer for 1 ½ hours or until raw vegetables are done. Add 2 (10 oz,) cans chopped or baby clams and juice. Simmer for ½ hour.
Smoky Pork and Sauerkraut – Drain 2 (1 lb.) cans sauerkraut. Soak in ice water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the sauerkraut. Sauté 3 medium thinly sliced onions in 1 Tbs. vegetable oil until tender. Add sauerkraut, 2 sliced apples, 5 peppercorns, ¼ cup of gin and 2 cup of dry vermouth. Mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover pan and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Add 12 cooked smoked sausage links, 12 thin ham slices and 12 smoked pork chops. Cover and simmer for ½ hour. Discard peppercorns.
Apple, Grape and Almond Salad – Blend ¾ cup of lemon yogurt and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice together. Add 4 cored and chopped red apples, 2 cups of sliced seedless grapes and 1 cups of sliced toasted almonds. Mix well. Chill overnight.
Pickled Zucchini – Mix 1 ¼ cups of water, 2 teaspoons of mustard seed and 10 peppercorns together. Bring to a slow boil and cook for 10 minutes. Toss together (all thinly sliced) 4 unpeeled zucchinis, 1 Vidalia onion and 2 garlic cloves. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature for 5 hours. Refrigerate overnight. Drain liquid before serving.
Pomegranate/Orange, Walnut and Cranberry Compote – Simmer 1 cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of grated orange peel, ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon together until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Add seeds from two pomegranates, 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts and 1 cup of dried cranberries. Simmer for 5 minutes or until cranberries are plump and liquid is thickened. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Pumpkin Pudding – Beat 1 (6 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix and 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk together according to pudding package directions. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Thoroughly blend mixture with 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves. Chill overnight.
Articles Related to Hallowe’en
Readers who enjoyed this article might be interested in Halloween Celebration Urban Pagan Style, along with Halloween FAQs and Traditions and Halloween Pagan Celebration.
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