Once
again we approach one of the most important dates in the calendar of our
Scottish ancestors - Beltane Day on 1 May. It was a date marked by
fire, the day of Spring fire-festivals, maypole dancing, and the day
when cattle were driven to their Summer pasture in the uplands. In
Scottish Customs, Sheila Livingstone writes of the herdsmen's
role at Beltane - "Cattle were made to pass through the smoke of the
Beltane fire on May the first in order to cleanse them. This
custom came from the Druids and was eventually Christianised as
protection from evil in God's name and to guard against sickness or
murrain. At one time cattle, especially bulls, were sacrificed at
Beltane and it was thought to be particularly effective if there was a
crescent moon. This was also the time in the Highlands when the
flocks were taken to the shielings or Summer pastures. Anyone
meeting the procession had to give them a blessing. The evening of
the arrival at the pastures a shieling feast was held where lamb was
usually served and ale was drunk. Charms were supposed to have
extra powers at Beltane and the cattle were often blessed and sprinkled
with urine."
Visit
www.beltane.org for details of this
year's Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh.
Unfortunately the beginning of May can also bring a
cold snap of a few days which is known as The Gab o Mey. April has
proved to be anything but Spring-like so we hope that 2005 doesn't see
The Gab o Mey, but instead sees the weather improve. However it might be
as well to have this week's recipe Clansman's Coffee on hand in case The
Gab comes.
Clansman's Coffee
Ingredients: 1 oz whisky; 3/4 oz
Sambucca; black coffee; whipped cream
Method: Wipe the rim of a goblet with a
piece of lemon and dip it in brown sugar. Pour the spirits and
coffee into the glass, add sugar to taste, and float the whipped cream
on top. Decorate with grated chocolate.
