By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.
William Shakespeare, Macbeth (4.1.45-6)
People believe that if you put your clothes on inside out as well as outside walk backwards on Halloween night, at midnight you will see a witch in the sky. The word Witch comes from middle English wicche, from Old English wicca, masculine, wizard & wicce, feminine, witch; akin to Middle High German wicken to bewitch, Old English wigle, divination. Wicca is a ditheistic religion, also called Witchcraft, founded on the beliefs and doctrines of pre-Roman Celts, including the reverence for nature and the belief in a universal balance. Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). Samhain is the word for November in the Gaelic languages. It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is generally regarded as ‘The Celtic New Year’.
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. And the dead returned to earth. Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. These prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. Two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain: Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead, and Pomona, to honor the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
Pumpkin carving is a popular part of modern Halloween celebration. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.
The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years. When Jack died, as the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset for the tricks, would not allow Jack into hell and sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”
People believe that if on the Halloween night, a girl carrying a lamp in her hand goes to a spring of water, she will see the reflection of her life partner in water.
People began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In Mexico, Latin America, and Spain, All Souls’ Day, which takes place on November 2, is commemorated the dead who, it is believed, return to their earthly homes on Halloween. Often, a wash basin and towel are left out so that the spirit can wash before indulging in the feast. Candles and incense are burned to help the deceased find the way home.
MELBA’S BLEEDING BRAIN: A Peach and Raspberry Gelatin Brain for Halloween
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 can (29 oz.) canned peaches in syrup
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons peach flavored syrup
Raspberry pie filling
Prepare the mold by following instructions on the mold package to oil the mold and place in a bowl for stability.
Pour milk and cream into a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Whisk the mixture well, then let it sit for 3 minutes. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking frequently to insure that gelatin dissolves. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, pour contents into another bowl and let the mixture cool for about 20 minutes.
In a bender or food processor, or with an immersion blender, purée remaining ingredients.
Pour purée into cooled cream mixture and stir well. Pour about half of mixture into prepared mold. Chill until set but not firm — about 40-50 minutes. Remove mold from the refrigerator. Carefully spoon the raspberry pie filling into the center.
If you like, you can scoop a small space before you add the filling, but be careful not to take too much or the filling will bleed through to the outside of the mold. Carefully pour the remaining gelatin mixture over the filling.
To unmold, dip the bottom of mold in a bowl filled with hot water, taking care to not let any water get into the mold. Dipping the mold for a few seconds helps to loosen the gelatin from the mold. Remove from water and dry off the bottom of the mold. Carefully remove the mold from the gelatin.
Excepts from: http://www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/gelatinbrains.html
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS, Tonight, Tonight
