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April 30 -- May Eve -- Beltaine
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The following recipe is from the book: Beltane, Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration by Raven Grimassi.

Quick May Wine

Obtain a bottle of white table wine (not a Chardonnay) and pour the contents into a larger glass container that has a lid. Next, take a half-dozen to a dozen bruised fresh strawberries and slice them. Then add a few sweet woodruff leaves and the berries to the wine and chill for several hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Blessing for May Wine

Place the wine in the center of a wreath of flowers. Hold your hands over the wine, palms down, and recite the blessing:

Blessings be upon this wine, which is the essence of the secret of transformation. The blood life flows again back into Nature and summer approaches with the promise of fullness. May all who drink this wine be filled to the brim with all that is good in life.


The following recipes are from the book: Cooking by Moonlight by Kari Ann Aldrich. To purchase this wonderful book, please click the link below.

Sherry-Walnut Goat Cheese Spread
This versatile spread is wonderful to whip up for those heady days of May, when guests may be dropping by to share a walk in the garden.

Ingredients:
8 onces of soft chevre (goat cheese) can substitute cream cheese or blue cheese for the goat cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry or port
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor combine the chevre and sherry, process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and fold in the chopped walnuts, parsley, and chives. Blend well. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Store in a covered container and chill.

Serving Suggestion
Serve with garlic bagel chips or your favorite gourmet crackers.

Serves 4.



Lemon Bread
Bring the tart and juicy flavor of lemon to your Beltane table.

Ingredients: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or stick margarine, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sour cream or organic yogurt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Glaze
1/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
Juice of 1 lemon


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream and lemon zest, and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix well. Fold in chopped nuts, if desired. Spoon the batter into the greased loaf pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.

Remove the bread from the oven, and make tiny holes in the top with a toothpick.

In a glass measuring cup whisk together the granulated sugar and lemon juice, until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly pour the lemon glaze on top of the loaf while it is still warm, allowing the glaze to seep into the bread. Set the loaf on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Turn it out of the pan and cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf.

Project

Beltane Flower Garland

(If your young men balk at weaving flowers, you can substitute ivy and other vines to make a "manly" garland)

Notes: Garlands can be made out of any kind of floral material - real flowers, silk flowers, or flowers that your child has made with construction paper, tissue paper, or origami paper. This sabbat, I will give you instructions for making an origami tulip, and Kirigami (cut paper) flowers.

Once the flowers are made, attach them to a headband with glue, string, or the fasteners of your choice (you could even sew them on with thread, yarn or string).


Origami Tulip

You will need:

2 sheets of origami paper or other colorful paper that will fold easily:

  • One for the blossom
  • One for the leaves and stem.

Follow the directions below:


origami tulip

    Kirigami Flowers

    Kirigami is the art of paper folding and cutting. (Remember the snowflakes you cut out in school?)

    You will need:

    • Origami paper, or other paper that folds easily
    • Scissors

    First, fold the paper according to this diagram:


    Then cut out a shape. You can use the designs below, or create your own. The triangle on the left is what you cut, and the blue flower is what you will get when you unfold the paper.




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