Long ago the Celts celebrated Samhain "the Feast of the Dead" when the dead revisited the mortal world and it was the end of Summer. This took place in what is now the present "Ireland."
The BONFIRE represented the end of summer. The Celts would gather together and light huge fires to ward off bad fortune for the coming year. It was believed that the bonfire encouraged dreams especially of a future husband or wife.
Halloween costumes originated when the community of Celtics would gather around the bonfire dressed in animal skins and heads. If the spirits were wandering the earth and bumped into a living Celt they though that the living Celt was a spirit too and let them go free.
The "Jack-o-Lantern" originated from an Irish myth about a man named "Stingy Jack."
The "Jack-o-Lantern" was first carved from large turnips and potatoes.
Trick or Treat first started in Ireland when the poor would go door to door to rich people's homes and ask for food or money. Later they would use that money and food to celebrate Halloween.
It is a Halloween tradition in Ireland for members of a family to get an IVY LEAF and place the perfect leaf in a cup of water, undisturbed, overnight. If the leaf is still perfect the following morning with no spots the person who placed the leaf in the cup of water can be certain to have 12 months of good health.
The BARMBRACK CAKE is a traditional Halloween cake made of dried fruit. Each cake is baked with a coin, cloth, or a ring. Every member of the family gets a slice of the barnbrack cake.
Receiving a ring means that there will be romance and happiness for the person.
Receiving the coin means a prosperous year for the person.
Receiving the cloth means a doubtful financial future for the person.
COLCANNON is a popular dish to serve on Halloween night. It is made with butter, milk, cabbage, onions, and potatoes.
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Barmbrack Cake
Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups chopped dried mixed fruit
1 and 1/2 cups of hot brewed tea
2 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon marmalade
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Soak dried fruit in the hot tea for two hours than gently squeeze the excess tea out. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch Bundt pan.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda in one bowl, set aside. Beat egg, sugar, marmalade and orange zest together in another bowl. Add the dried fruit mixture. Then add the flour mixture to the fruit mixture. Once everything is mixed together pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake the cake for about one hour or until it is lightly browned.
Allow the cake to cool two hours in the Bundt pan than remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool another hour on a wire rack. Press a coin, ring, and a tiny cloth into the cake through the bottom.
Serve and enjoy HALLOWEEN!!!!!
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Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups chopped dried mixed fruit
1 and 1/2 cups of hot brewed tea
2 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon marmalade
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Soak dried fruit in the hot tea for two hours than gently squeeze the excess tea out. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch Bundt pan.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda in one bowl, set aside. Beat egg, sugar, marmalade and orange zest together in another bowl. Add the dried fruit mixture. Then add the flour mixture to the fruit mixture. Once everything is mixed together pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake the cake for about one hour or until it is lightly browned.
Allow the cake to cool two hours in the Bundt pan than remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool another hour on a wire rack. Press a coin, ring, and a tiny cloth into the cake through the bottom.
Serve and enjoy HALLOWEEN!!!!!
