Full Long Night’s Moon-12 December 11:38am
Mother’s Night-20 December

Winter Solstice, Yuletide/Jul/Yule, Midwinter, Alban Arthan, Feill Fionnain, Gwyl Canol Gaeaf - 21 December 7:03am ET

Birth of Freyja-27 December
New Moon-27 December 7:23am
Hogmanay-31 December

“So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, fest, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!”
- Susan Cooper, The Shortest Day

This is a time of abundance, celebrating the Sun, the return of Light and to bring prosperity and abundance to one’s life. The traditional food for Yule feature solar shapes and colors as well as what is readily available this time of year. Dried fruits, cheeses, meats, nuts, mulled drinks and plenty of rich spices are the hallmark of these celebrations. Embracing the merriment of the season and the promised return of the Sun and longer days with a bountiful feast. As a native of the northern climate our feasts often feature that which has been preserved from our harvest. As a child our luxury was an orange tucked deep within our holiday stockings, a lovely solar symbol that was treasured and enjoyed during the short winter’s nights ahead. Our feasts laden with apples, meats, spices, cheeses, dried fruits, richly spiced breads and warm drinks offer many a fond memory and inspire me to offer the same for my family.

So for this Yuletide season take what is available to you in your area, gather together with friends and family. Share a dish from your past in a potluck gathering, or gift to a neighbor, food pantry or soup kitchen. Share the abundance and then gather and give thanks with those you hold dear on this the longest of nights.

For those in the baking mood, please feel free to check out my collection of Yule cookie lists, 13 types of cookies baked yearly over the last five years as well as one candy list. This is a fantastic way to gather your covenmates, friends, family and have a wonderful time baking together.

http://apagans.lifeontheridge.com/cookies2008.html

I found this recipe about 15 years ago, perhaps in an old Victoria magazine. For years since this has been requested by family at the holidays.

Victorian Jam Coffeecake

Crust:

1/4c. flour
1/4c. sugar
3/4tsp. ground cardamom
3Tb. cold unsalted butter

Cake:

1 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8tsp salt
1c. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
3 Tb. melted butter
1/2c. Damson apricot, plum or blueberry-lime(I actually made a batch one year-quite tasty) preserves or rhubarb marmalade-anything really but try to go with something not too sweet and more tart. The Damson plums do quite nicely here-if you can find them.

1) In a small bowl, combine 1/4c. flour, sugar and cardamom. Cut in butter until coarse crumb in texture. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 c. flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and set aside.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, ricotta and oil.

4) Make a well in the center of dry ingredients (the stuff in the large bowl) Pour in egg mixture and stir until just combined, batter will be lumpy and stiff.

5) Spread in a greased 8in springform pan or a greased and floured 8in x 3in layer cake pan.

6) Dot preserves over surface of batter. With a knife, gently swirl through batter to create ripples. smooth top with knife. Sprinkle with crust mixture.

7) Bake at 375deg for 40-45 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

8) Cool on rack 10 min before removing springform sides or cool in cake layer pan 1 hr. Loosen edges w/ knife. Serve warm or room temperature. Best if served same day (gets a little dry if longer but the cardamom flavor really stands out if served later)

8 servings

This is a Winter Solstice must in my family. A time consuming process to make the tiny, bite sized balls but well worth the effort.

Kottbullar (Swedish Meatballs)

(I use equal amounts of pork, turkey and or lamb instead of beef)
1/2lb fine ground beef
1/2lb fine ground lean pork
1/2lb fine ground lamb (all meat should be twice ground)
2 TB breadcrumbs
1/4 cup cream
5 TB butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 TB finely chopped shallot
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp grated fresh lemon rind
2 TB finely chopped parsley
1 TB salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
2 eggs
3 TB butter
2 TB vegetable oil

For the Sauce
2 TB flour
1 cup stock
1/2 cup sour cream
2 TB finely chopped fresh dill or 1 TB dry dill weed
1/4 tsp lemon juice salt

Prepare the meat balls at least an hour before you plan to cook them so they may be chilled before cooking. Soak the crumbs in the 4 Tb. of cream for 5 minutes, then put them in a large mixing bowl with the 3TB butter & ground meats. Sauté the 2 Tb. butter in a small frying pan and cook the chopped onion, shallots and garlic over moderate heat for 5 min. or until softened and color lightly. Add them to the mixing bowl then add the lemon rind, parsley, salt, pepper, and thyme. Beat the 2 eggs lightly with a fork and pour them over the meat. With a large spoon, beat this mixture vigorously until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the meat loses its granular texture. Form into small balls, about an inch in diameter. The quickest, easiest way to do this is to drop a heaping teaspoon of the meat in the palm of your hand and after moistening the other hand with cold water, roll it lightly over the meat until you have shaped it into a ball. Place the meat balls, as you finish them, on a baking sheet or platter lined with wax paper. And refrigerate for 1 hour to firm the meatballs. For more firmly crusted meatballs, roll each lightly in flour just before frying them. Cover them with another sheet of waxed paper, and chill for at least an hour. When you are ready to cook the meatballs, melt the 3 Tb. butter and 2 Tb. oil over high heat in a large heavy frying pan. When the fat begins to sputter, lightly drop into the pan enough meat balls to cover the bottom about three quarters full. At once slide the pan back and forth over the burner so that they roll around in the hot fat; this will help them to keep their shapes and to brown evenly. After a couple of minutes, turn the heat down to moderate, and cook the balls 6-7 minutes longer, or until they are crisp brown all over and cooked through. With a slotted spoon, transfer the finished meatballs to a shallow casserole and continue with the remaining meatballs until they are all cooked.

SAUCE: Make the sauce in the same frying pan. If the fat remaining in it is a good deep brown; pour off all but 3 Tab. of it, if not add 3 TB of butter. Remove from heat, with a wooden spoon, stir into the pan 2 Tab of flour and mix it to a smooth paste with the fat Return the pan to a low heat and cook this roux slowly for a minute of so, stirring all the while. Then add the cup of stock. Raise the heat to moderate and, with a wire whisk, beat this sauce together until it boils, thickens and becomes quite smooth. Then turn the heat down to low simmer. Still using the whisk, stir the sour cream into the sauce, about a Tb. at a time. Use more than ½ cup if you like the sauce fairly thin. At the last, add the fresh dill, lemon juice, salt to taste. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the casserole. When you are ready to serve them, reheat the meatballs slowly without letting the sauce boil. Serve with extra sprinkling of fresh dill.

This is an old family tradition with a twist. Sausage rolls with a dab of chutney give a rich holiday flavor. I typically make my own chutney, spiced rhubarb, apple, blackberry, etc. Though Major Grey’s Chutney works really well for a hot, spicy zing, a huge hit with my family last year.

Sausage Rolls

1 egg, beaten
12-ounce package pork “breakfast” sausage links
1 pkg puff pastry sheets
1 cup chutney of your choice

Unfold the puff pastry sheets (roll out if necessary) and cut into three-inch wide strips. Place a link of sausage on centre of each puff pastry strip, top with a 1/2 TB of chutney. Brush the edges of the strips with beaten egg, then roll up the filled puff pastry into cylinders (the seams should be on the bottom of each cylinder),

Brush the puff pastry cylinders with beaten egg, then cut into one and half inch rolls. Place the rolls seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a 400* oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 15 more minutes, or until the sausage rolls are golden brown. Serve while warm. Makes about 20 sausage rolls.

Roast Pork with Maple and Mustard Glaze

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1 cup real maple syrup
4 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

Stir together the maple syrup, mustard vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set glaze aside.

Place pork roast in a shallow roasting pan. Spread glaze evenly over pork roast.

Roast pork in a 350 degree F (175 degree) oven. Cook until internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, and let rest about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Makes 8 servings

This recipe isn’t typical for the holidays but the sunny yellow of the cream filling is so suitable for celebrating the return of the Light!

Norwegian Skolebrod

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 egg, beaten

3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup milk
1 drop vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add melted butter, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar and cardamom. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until shiny and pliable. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Divide the dough into twenty four equal pieces and form into rounds. Place the rounds on to lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
Brush risen rolls with beaten egg. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until nicely browned with pale sides. Cool completely on wire racks.

To make pastry cream: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until well combined. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of milk. Place the remaining milk and the vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil and whisk it into the yolk mixture.

Pour the mixture into the saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and spread the pastry cream over the plastic to cool it as quickly as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until cold. Place the cooled pastry cream into a pastry bag and fill the buns with cream.
Makes 24 servings

optional fillings, vanilla pudding, french pastry cream

This is a recipe I have had for fifteen years or more, sadly part of the directions were eaten away by mice while packed away in my parent’s barn several years ago so I tried to recreate it from memory. These are moist, rich, dark cakes…stout is definitely the better choice of the two to use in this festive recipe.

Dublin Tea Cakes

1 jar (1lb) mixed candied fruits
1 pkg (10oz) currants or raisins
1 1/2c. chopped walnuts
2TB grated orange rind
4c. all purpose flour
2tsp. apple pie spice
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1c. butter
1 1/3c. firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1c. stout or dark ale
heavy cream, whipped
candied cherries
walnut halves

Grease/dust with flour or line 24 muffin tins
Combine candied fruits, currants, nuts, orange rind in a very large bowl
Sift flour, apple pie spice, baking soda, salt onto wax paper.
Sprinkle 3/4 c. mixture over fruits and nuts, toss to coat.
Beat butter, brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl with mixer for three minutes or until fluffy.
Add stout and mix well.

Stir in remaining flour, 1 cup at a time alternating beating well after each addition.
Pour batter over fruits and nuts and mix well. pour into muffin tins.
Bake in a slow oven, 275* for 1 hour. Let sit and cool 10 min and turn out on rack to cool completely.

Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap then in aluminum foil. Store tightly covered at room temp.
Just before serving, pipe a circle of whipped cream on top.
Garnish with a candied red cherry and walnut if desired.

yields 24 cakes

Blessings of the Season!

_______________________
By Stephanie Lowell-Libby ©Copyright 2008