All content and illustrations © Anna Franklin unless otherwise specified | Email Anna

Pagan Feasts

By Anna Franklin & Sue Phillips

Food is very much a part of Pagan festivals. This book commences with an introduction to the Wheel of the Year, the cycles of growth and the ritual relevance of the feast. This is followed by chapters on each festival, discussing the themes of each celebration together with recipes for food, wine, beer and incense. The ritual importance and significance of the ingredients is also covered in depth.

REVIEWS

“Another excellent publication...carefully researched”

Beltane Fire

“I bought this book because it was by Anna Franklin, one of my favourite Pagan authors. It is full of information on how to celebrate the Eight Pagan Festivals- there are hundreds of recipes, all with seasonal ingredients, together with ideas for altars, incense recipes, plus lore, history and a chapter of rituals. Furthermore there is information on handfasting ceremonies and celebrations, and full moon (esbat) rites and food, preserving, wine and mead making, and preparing ritual food. I don't know how I mananged before I got this book- it has the information of ten other books, and with Anna Franklin you can be sure that the information is accurate.”

Amazon.com review

“With so much rubbish and mis-information published on pagan festivals, it's a refreshing change to find two authors with such intimate knowledge of the subject. A powerful blend of pagan ritual and practial advice. An excellent reference book for all pagans, wicca people and Celtic minded individuals.“

Amazon.com review

ISBN 186163 009 3

£15.95

Published by Capall Bann

 In the past people were acutely aware of the passing of the seasons and what each had to offer in terms of food, herbs and animal behaviour. Mankind also was bound to the Wheel of the Year, its turning determining his activities - times for planting, times for weeding, times to gather seeds, times for harvest. During the summer and autumn a variety of plentiful food would be available, during the winter there would only be stored produce and the few vegetable foods that survive the frosts. In the months that were counted as early spring [the end of January and February] even stored produce, unless the harvest had been particularly good, would have been largely consumed, and only the return of spring and the greening of the land   could save the population from starvation.

In a time when food is always available in the shops we tend to forget the importance of the agricultural and pastoral year which was everything to our ancestors. The festivals of the Craft attempt to make us more aware of the natural cycles and our part in them.

The tides of the year weave a magical pattern in which all things are intertwined. In our seasonal celebrations, and in our feasts, we try to honour and reflect these magical connections  of herbs and plants  with the seasons.

MAI BOWL

1 handful woodruff

¼  pint water

1 pint white wine

2 pints champagne or sparkling wine

Method

Soak the herb in the water for two hours.  Strain and add the wine and champagne.  Serve in glasses decorated with woodruff flowers.

Woodruff marks the turning of the wheel to summer. This is a traditional German May Day drink.

NETTLE SOUP

2 onions

1 clove garlic

2 potatoes

1 ½ pints vegetable stock

½  pint milk

Leaves stripped from 10 nettle stems

Fresh parsley to garnish

Method

Peel and chop the onion, garlic and potatoes, fry gently in some oil until soft. Add the nettle leaves and the stock. Boil for 20 minutes. Liquidise, the return to the pan,  add the seasoning and the milk and reheat. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Nettle grows abundantly all over the British Isles and are best picked for eating before June. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and improve the circulation of the blood, lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Nettle tops can be boiled and served as a green vegetable.

Nettle is a herb of transformation; used at Beltane it marks the leaving behind of the winter and past painful experiences, and embracing the warmth of the coming summer.