Giving Thanks...before Christmas

It seems that holiday decorations go up earlier and earlier each year, with hardly a breath between
Halloween and the hallowed season of Christmas. In our frenzied anticipation of yuletide cheer, I sense an air of desperation. I totally get it. Like the song from the musical, Mame, proclaims, "We need a little Christmas, right this very minute!" Indeed, we do. But. Let's not just skim over Thanksgiving as a day to try out roasting turkey as practice for Christmas dinner. Let's stop and relish this quiet day, Christmas's gentle sister.

With this thought in mind, I composed a little poem today for some "compare and contrast" between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Full disclosure: it's not art, but it's from the heart.

Giving Thanks Before Christmas

by Kathryn Wood Ahearn

Christmas is cake, and Thanksgiving's a pie.

Thanksgiving is earth, and Christmas is sky.

Thanksgiving's a sweater—Christmas, a gown.

One wears a cap while the other, a crown.

                                    ~

Thanksgiving's a whistler, and Christmas, a choir.

One plugs in bright lights, one stokes a warm fire.

Thanksgiving's a turkey—Christmas, a dove.

Both celebrate blessings, and friendship, and love.

How perfect Thanksgiving preludes Christmas glee,

a day to give thanks before lighting the tree.

                                    ~

Christmas will sparkle, Thanksgiving will glow.

Both honor the one from whom all blessings flow.

Thanksgiving is sunlight, and Christmas, a star,

but wise men and family both travel afar

to give up their thanks, then give presents away,

gifts from the heart by camel or sleigh.

                                    ~

They say Christmas comes but one day a year,

but a time to count blessings is always right here.

So give thanks each night as you kneel down to pray

and honor the lessons of Thanksgiving Day.

Thanks for stopping by.  Y'all come back, now (and have a Happy Thanksgiving!)

Kate

The Joys of Secret Santa...and Secret Santa Paws too

"Sophie Investigates the Secret Santa Paws Package"- Photo by K L Wood

Last Christmas, 2019, seems a whole lot longer than just one year ago. I think we need a new time measurement for 2020. You know, like one dog year equals seven human years—although that old adage has come into dispute, lately. I propose one 2020 year equals ten "normal" years. (And that, I believe, will remain indisputable.) 

Anyway, one year ago, our growing family decided it would be easier to handle, both time-wise and finance-wise, if the adults exchanged names for Christmas gift-giving for the following year. (The children would continue to receive gifts from everyone.) We picked names from an elf hat and kept them secret until Christmas 2020 gift-opening time. This led to a year of surreptitious glances and thinly

"Sophie Keeping an Eye on the Secret Santa Paws Gifts"- Photo by K L Wood

disguised inquires of clothing sizes, ears pricked to any mention of needed items, and grateful perusing of Amazon Wish Lists. It really has been great fun and a wonderful way to share (even if by video chat!) 

2020 was also our introduction to the doggy version of Secret Santa through our dogs' participation in the FaceBook group I wrote about in September, Nibblers-Patterdale Wanderers FC. Secret Santa Paws delivered gifts all over the world! 

"Some Nibbler Mates"—photos submitted by the Nibblers

"Some More Nibbler Mates"- Photos submitted by the Nibblers

The organizer kindly and wisely matched those on their respective continents to save on postage and delivery time. (Delivery time being an especially great challenge this past year!) Our dogs, five-year-old Sophie, and fourteen-year-old Minna, were the happy recipients of gingerbread squeaky toys and yummy doggy cookies! Thank you, Secret Santa Paws! (I've included more photos submitted by the Nibblers. Such a darling group of dogs and their human “beans.)

"Minna with her Secret Santa Paws Gift"—photo by K L Wood

From our home to yours, we wish you the simple joy of keeping sweet secrets and the pleasure of selfless giving (and the not-so-selfless receiving, too!)

Thanks for stopping by. Y'all come back, now. 

(And Warmest Wishes for a Merry Christmas season and a Very Hopeful New Year!)

Kate

Toilet Paper...and other uncommon gifts

"A Snowy Buttercup Cottage Christmas, Jan. 4, 2017" photo by KLWood

It's gift-giving (and receiving) season, once again. We have an old friend who often surprises us with his unique choice of gifts. Among, many: a toy, zebra-striped bedroom slippers, and a particularly memorable one, a roll of toilet paper.

"Yo-Kai Whisper" photo by KLWood

The toy was a strange, little, plastic creature. It looked a bit like a ghost (as in one of Casper the Friendly Ghost's cohorts,) with one white "arm" held up at its side. Turning questioning eyes to the gift-giver, I cocked my quizzical head and raised my eyebrows.

"Go, ahead," he said, grinning. "Pull his arm down." Feeling like I was pulling down the handle of one of those "one-armed bandit" gambling slot machines, I did as instructed. I was rewarded with a silly, blubbery response and a voice telling me to ask a question and shake him. A bit, dubiously, I asked if it was going to rain and shook the creature. "It shall be, because Whisper agrees." Ha! It was a kind of "Magic 8 Ball" toy. 

It had a number of settings, including "Words of Wisdom" and would even suggest a lottery number for the day. Sitting idle for a few moments, it spluttered out a "raspberry" at me. Turns out, certainly unbeknownst by the gift-giver, it was a Japanese anime character—one of the Yo-Kai, named "Whisper." Our granddaughters knew exactly what/who it was and decided our friend was cooler than they had formerly thought. It was perfect, the next Halloween, when I dressed up as a mysterious witchy kind of woman and carried it around as my "spirit guide," answering the questions put to it by friends and, in the cafe, complete strangers, who giggled again, like children. The joyful gift of silly laughter.

"Zebra Slippers" photo by KLWood

One Christmas, he gave my husband and me each a pair of slippers. Mine were, for me, an uncharacteristically vibrant pair of black and white zebra-striped ones. Not my usual earth-toned, blend-in-with-the-background L. L. Bean types. Hmmmm. But, let me tell you. Those slippers kind of glow in the dark and, without any backs to them, they are perfect for locating and slipping into at my bedside for those cold, winter, middle-of-the-night-dark, foot-paddings to the bathroom! Thank you, my friend, for the kindly gift of comfort.

That brings us to the gift of toilet paper. Eyes twinkling, like Santa pulling a treasure from his toy sack, he pulled a roll out of his bag, and presented it to me. "Here! I thought it might come in handy with all your extra holiday visitors visiting the bathroom." Once I lowered my eyebrows to a more typical position, I nodded and thanked him, very much. And you know, he was right. That roll of toilet paper absolutely came in handy. The thoughtful gift of practicality.

"The Gift of Toilet Paper" photo by KLWood

There's one more thing about our friend's gift-giving. He doesn't limit it to Christmas or other special occasions. He shows up at our door bearing gifts for no particular reason other than to share and express his gratitude for our friendship. The delightful gift of the unexpected.

So, here's to you all, this gifting time of year. Maybe think outside the box (unless it's a box of tissues, perhaps!) May you give and receive gifts joyful, kindly, thoughtful, and unexpected.

Thanks for stopping by. Y'all come back, now!

And Merry Christmas!

Kate

December...opalescent days and lapis lazuli nights

December offers us opalescent days and lapis lazuli nights. Two beautiful gemstones sum up the final month of the year, for me. Opal–glowing white, shot through with fireworks of flaming crimson, orange and yellow, electric blue and green. Lapis lazuli–deep night-sky blue, often sprinkled with starry sprays of golden pyrite.

"Winter Sun" via pixabay.com

December days, bright with new winter sunlight, all fire and ice and eye-watering clarity, glittering the frosted morning with tiny sparkling jewels. Our twelfth-month sun glows with anticipation and promise–Hanukkah’s most enduring candle flame, Christmas’s gleaming day star. The beauty of a December sun is all the more precious for its shortening span. Dusk arrives earlier each day, dawn sleeps in a bit longer.

December nights, deep velvet blue, swirling with distant stars that, for a time, look near enough to touch. So many wishes, so many prayers, floating up to that star-spangled sky. Gazing into those heavens, I can feel

"Starry Night" via pixabay.com

the human longing for peace and purpose, love and wisdom, comfort and joy. December ushers in the longest nights of the year, bidding us to ease into the darkness, resting our busy day-working bodies and minds, inviting us to light the home fires sooner, to gaze longer into the hearth and candle flame.
December is a month of magic, miracles, and mystery–threads connecting these two stones. The iridescent opal, flashing with its rainbow hues, looks as though it must have been brought into the world by pure

"Opal" via pixabay.com

magic. Such enchantment touches some deep chord within me, triggering visions of infinite possibilities and dreams of things unseen. The cosmic blue of the lapis lazuli draws me inward, to sink into its depths and float among its gilded stars, a color so divine, Renaissance artists reserved its ultramarine powdered pigment for the Virgin Mary’s gown.  

"Lapis Lazuli" via Pixabay.com

I invite you to pause in the midst of your busy holiday preparations and celebrations, to brighten your spirit with December’s opalescent days and dream deep into its lapis lazuli nights.


Thanks for stopping by! Y'all come back now.

Kate

Ghosts of Christmas Past...God bless us, every one

Buttercup Cottage Christmas photo by KL Wood

Our house is haunted. Not the spooky, howling Halloween sort of haunting, but the gentle kind that nudges at your heart and sparkles in the Christmas lights. Living in our little cottage on West Church Street, I feel the spirit of more than one hundred Christmases whispering through the rooms. Lean years, bountiful years, marching in a parade spanning five generations of weddings, funerals, birthdays, and holidays. And Christmases. Especially the Christmases.

When our realtor introduced us to it in the spring of 2012, we felt at home the very first time we crossed the threshold. Despite the fact that the house had stood empty for many years, the spirit of family love was imprinted in its walls, and palpable in the air. This will make a wonderful Christmas House, I thought. And it did. A house with the warmth of Christmas spirit throughout the year, blooming and overflowing with it each December.

Mama and Daddy Christmas Spirits photo by KL Wood

It seems fitting then, that this year our home is sweetly haunted by one spirit in particular. One who loved Christmas with all her heart. My mother. Mama passed away, here in her bedroom, on December 26, 2016. When she returned home to us under hospice care, after a brief hospital stay, we all prepared for the bittersweetness of her final days. Mama had two goals: to celebrate her 93^rd birthday on December 16^th, and celebrate Christmas with her children, grand and great-

grandchildren. She achieved both.

On her birthday, Mama rallied enough to get dressed and out of

Christmas Tree 2017 photo by KL Wood

bed, donning a party hat and video-chatting on a computer with her great-grandchildren who were still at home in the snows of upstate New York. As she slipped in and out of consciousness during her last days, we overheard her, on more than one occasion, telling my father to wait a little longer. Daddy passed away in 2001.

On Christmas day, she had enough periods of wakefulness that she could interact with all of us, including those two precious great-granddaughters who made it in time to hug their Nana one more time. Then, on the afternoon of the 26^th, surrounded by family, she crossed over as gently as the extinguishing of a Christmas candle. As a matter of fact, death at Christmas has become a bit of a family tradition. In addition to Mama’s passing on the 26th, both my father’s oldest sister and my mother’s oldest sister died on December 25^th in years past.

Sophie and Minna's Christmas Dream Time photo by KL Wood

In some ways, of course, this makes for a tough holiday season at times. My family is used to me welling up with tears on a pretty regular basis, whether upon hearing a particular Christmas song, hanging ornaments on the tree, or preparing one of Mama’s Christmas staples: collard greens, boiled with ham hocks. So whether this is your first or your fiftieth holiday season without loved ones, welcome those tears as a reminder of the depth of love you share with them and know, in your heart, their spirits are present among the glitter and glow of your decorations and within the notes of the Christmas music you hold dear.

Merry Christmas, everyone. And may the loving Spirits of Christmas, gently haunt you.

Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back, now.

And Warmest Christmas Wishes!

Kate

Sage Advice about Holiday Thyme...and other seasonal herbs

"Bill's Turkey" by KLWood

For many of us the holidays, stretching from Thanksgiving to Christmas, are alive with aromas that transport us to days gone by, full of the love and warmth of family and friends. A good part of this comes from a mixture of herbs we often use with turkey and stuffing (or in the case of this Southern girl--dressing, which is baked outside the bird.) Today we take a look at that traditional concoction of aromatic herbs and explore the individual components to discover the qualities of their essential oils.

Thyme: Warming, pain relieving, circulation aid

Sage: Aids respiratory, reproductive, and nervous systems

Marjoram: Warming, antispasmodic, circulation aid

Rosemary: Analgesic

By Stacy Spensley from San Diego, via Wikimedia Commons

Black Pepper: Warming, pain relieving, circulation aid

Nutmeg:  Relaxing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, bactericidal 

So, whether you sprinkle the herbs on your turkey, stir them into your dressing (stuffing,) or add their essential oils to your favorite carrier oil/lotion and rub it on yourself, the scents of the season will bring you comfort and joy!

Have a wonderful holiday season, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! 
Kate

Cats and Christmas...they go waaay back

"Madonna of the Cat" 1523 by Guilio Romano
(cat beside Mary's foot)

Ever look closely at the markings on a tabby cat's forehead? In nearly every case, you will find a capital letter "M" prominently displayed above their lovely feline eyes. Legend has it, this distinctive marking stands for "Madonna" or "Mary," as in Mary, the Madonna, the mother of Jesus. Here's the story, just in time for Christmas. I guarantee you'll never look at a tabby cat, again, without seeing the "M" and remembering the tale.

"Madonna with the Cat" 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci

On the night Jesus was born in a Bethlehem stable, Mary-- like most new mothers-- found herself with a fretful baby unable to settle him down to sleep. Among the animals sharing the space was a little tabby cat that, seeing Mary's distress, lept into the manger and snuggled up beside the baby. Purring softly, the cat lulled Jesus to sleep thus earning Mary's maternal and eternal gratitude. To thank the kitty and memorialize such kindness, she placed her mark, an "M," on the cat's forehead. To this day, every tabby cat bears the Madonna's initial.

"Hide and Seek" photo by K L Wood

There is another legend that a mother cat, nestled below the manger in which Jesus was placed, gave birth to a litter of kittens just as Mary, herself, gave birth.

Cats and Christmas. Who knew?

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! And a very Merry Christmas to all!

Kate

Photo of Tabby Legend ornament created by K L Wood

Santa's Evil Twin...Krampus

"Greetings from Krampus!" 1900s Greeting Card

In North America children look forward to the coming of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and his wonderful toys for "good little girls and boys." But what of the not-so-good children? Traditionally they are left bereft of gifts, with only a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings. Kind of sad, that. But it's nothing compared to the attention those children receive in Austria and other Alpine countries from a dark being who accompanies Saint Nicholas on his rounds on December 5th, the eve of the St. Nicholas Festival.

A truly horrific-looking creature--horned, cloven-hooved, wildly hairy, with a long pointed tongue lolling from his mouth-- this is Krampus. He usually carries a bundle of switches with which to strike ill-behaved children. In modern renditions, he just rattles the bundle in a menacing way but the threat of physical punishment for those more naughty than nice is loud and clear. He often carries a big sack, or even a wash tub, on his back for collecting wicked kiddies to carry back to his abode. We won't even talk about what he might do when he gets them home, but...they never come back...

"St. Nicholas and Krampus" 1896, Austrian newspaper illustration

So children, if you've made the naughty list this year, you can count your lucky stars you live in the USA.  A lump of coal left by Santa is a lot better than a lump on the head doled out by Krampus but, just to be on the safe side, it doesn't hurt to be extra nice these last few days before Christmas!

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! (And remember, "he knows if you've been bad or good...")

Kate

How Old IS That Fruitcake?...a Christmas confection timeline

A Slice of American Fruitcake, photo by Stu Spivack via Wikimedia Commons

Pecan Pie!, photo by Steve Snodgrass via Wikimedia commons

There are legendary fruitcakes said to be passed down through several generations, doubtless hard and dense enough to second as doorstops during the "off season." But when did this Christmas treat that so many love to hate, much in the same spirit as tacky Christmas sweaters, first appear? Or candy canes, or eggnog, or pecan pie, for that matter? It often surprises me how recent some foods are and how ancient are others. In a recent post I mentioned that chocolate candy did not come on the scene until 1830. Imagine! Before then, chocolate was only ingested as a beverage or as a cake ingredient. Thanks to the wonderful website, foodtimeline.org, and to Smithsonian.com, I bring you a list of Christmas foods and their dates of origin. (Of course, due to the nature of the beast, the dates are sometimes not on the nose, but are certainly in the ballpark. How's that for throwing three idioms into one short sentence!) See the special eggnog recipe at the end.

Bobs Canes, photo by BitterSweetHorror
via Wikimedia Commons

Stuffing: 5th century
Gingerbread: 11th century
Mincemeat Pie: 12th century
Fruitcake: 13th century
Plum Pudding: early 15th century
Syllabub: 16th century
Turkey: 16th century
Eggnog:* 17th century
Sugarplums: 17th century
Buche de Noel: 19th century        
Peanut Brittle: 19th century
Pecan Pie: Late 19th century
Red and White Striped Candy Cane: Turn of 20th century
Cheese Ball: turn of 20th century
Jellied Cranberry Sauce (what my sister-in-law calls "Old Fashioned Round"): 1941

Rum Balls: 1940s

"Classic" Green Bean Casserole: 1955
Bishop's Bread (with chocolate chips:) 1959
Spiral-cut Honey Baked Ham: Patented 1952, TradeMark 1957, Available in 1960s
Red Velvet Cake: 1960 (not to be confused with Red Devil Cake from 1930)

We just had our annual Christmas Candlelight Tour Weekend, here in Edenton, NC, where the doors of festive homes are thrown open to admiring visitors. One of the really nice aspects of the event are the free venues housed in 18th century houses where confections and 18th century beverages are happily passed out to us all. One of the most richly luscious is the traditional *eggnog available at the Barker House. In the spirit of the season (and, yes, this eggnog does have spirits aplenty,) I am posting the following Colonial American Eggnog recipe from George Washington himself! Feel free to make your own adjustments to the alcohol contents. ;>}

*George Washington's Eggnog

Makes about 3 quarts

Egg Nog, from Chow.com     

Ingredients:

1 pint brandy

1/2 pint rye whiskey

1/2 pint Jamaican rum

1/4 pint Sherry wine

12 eggs, separated

12 tablespoons sugar

1 quart whole milk

1 quart heavy cream

Directions:

1-MIX LIQUOR FIRST.

2-Separate yolks and whites of the eggs*.

3-Add sugar to beaten yolks and mix well.

4-Add combined liquors to the yolk and sugar mixture, drop by drop at first, slowly beating it all the while.

5-Add cream and milk and mix thoroughly.

6-Beat the egg whites* until stiff and gently fold these into cream liquor and yolk mixture.

7-Let this sit in the refrigerator for several days.

Enjoy (responsibly!)

Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...y'all come back now! And have the Merriest of Christmases!

Kate

The Year Christmas was Cancelled...how 17th century Puritans took the Merry out of Christmas

Twelfth Night, 1668, Jan Steen

London, December 25, 1640: The first of the Twelve Days of Christmas finds all shops closed, churches open for special services, holly and rosemary adorning homes and places of worship, carols being sung, wassailers rewarded with specially brewed Christmas ale and punch, people dancing in the streets, card games and other sports played, actors performing on stage, mincemeat pies baking, plum puddings bubbling, and Father Christmas overseeing it all. Christmas is in the house!

The Examination and Tryal of Father Christmas,1686, Josiah King

London, December 25, 1645: All shops open for business as usual, churches closed, not a holly berry or rosemary sprig in sight, no carols sung, no special food or beverages (mincemeat pies confiscated and bakers of such, duly fined,) no games, no dancing, no plays, no playing and Father Christmas has been exiled. Christmas has left the building!  

Oliver Cromwell, 1656, Samuel Cooper

The difference? The reign of a Puritan-based Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell. Anything smacking of revelry was denounced and soldiers were even ordered to roam the streets sniffing out any illegal substances, ie: mincemeat pies and Christmas puddings. As with many acts of extremism there was some basis for this reaction against all things Christmasy. Seems some segments of the populace had turned the Twelve Days of Christmas into one gigantic, raucous, (often bawdy) party with little left of the religious other than the church services. Thus the Puritans threw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak, and left England bereft of even the sweetest and most pious celebrations. In addition to ridding the country of traditions handed down since pagan days and wrapped up in festive Christmas ribbons (mistletoe, decking the halls with boughs of holly, Yule logs, etc) the anti-Catholic Puritans were intent on taking the "mass" out of Christmas, as well. Thus Christ's Mass (Christmas) became known as Christ-tide and was set aside only as a time of fasting and private prayer--if observed at all.

Christmas Pudding, London,
James Petts per Wikimedia Commons 

Christmas was not so easily legislated or threatened out of the hearts of the people, however, and many carried on quiet, clandestine celebrations during the long, dark days of mid-winter. When Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, both Charles II and Father Christmas were welcomed back with open arms. By December of 1660, Christmas celebrations were back in full swing although some of the earlier more rowdy aspects were toned down and a more family-friendly holiday warmed the hearths and hearts of England.


Have a good couple weeks, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...Y'all come back now!

Kate

Christmas Verses for the Printer's Devil...an 18th century poem of a Colonial Christmas

"The Mistletoe Bough" by Francis Wheatley, 1790

This week I beg my Reader's pardon and indulgence as I celebrate this busy and beloved Christmas week, with little time to research and write, with a poem I've just discovered which gives an amusing look and first person insight into 18th century American Christmas traditions. It was written in the late 1700's by St. George Tucker of Williamsburg, Virginia. The term "Printer's Devil" refers to a printer's apprentice, often the youngest, who spent much of his time stained with black ink. As my husband was a printer's apprentice in his younger days, this poem is especially dear to me. 

 "Christmas Verses for the Printer's Devil"
                   by St. George Tucker

Now the season for mirth and good eating advances,
Plays, oysters and sheldrakes, balls, mince pies and dances;
Fat pullets, fat turkeys, and fat geese to feed on,
Fat mutton and beef; more by half than you've need on;
Fat pigs and fat hogs, fat cooks and fat venison,
Fat aldermen ready the haunch to lay hands on;
Fat wives and fat daughters, fat husbands and sons,
Fat doctors and parsons, fat lawyers and duns;
What a dancing and fiddling, and gobbling and grunting,
As if Nimrod himself had just come in from hunting!
These all are your comforts—while mine are so small,
I may truly be said to have nothing at all.
I'm a Devil you know, and can't live without fire,
From your doors I can see it, but I dare not come nigher;
Now if you refuse me some wood, or some coal,
I must e'en go and warm, in old Beelzebub's hole;
Next, tho' I'm a devil, I drink and I eat,
Therefore stand in need of some rum, wine and meat;
Some clothes too I want—for I'm blacker than soot,
And a hat, and some shoes, for my horns and my foot;
To supply all these wants, pray good people be civil
And give a few pence to a poor printer's devil.

Have a good week, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...Y'all come back now...

and a Merry Christmas to one and all!

Kate

Syllabub Anyone?...18th Century Festive Holiday Drinks

"The Sense of Taste" by Philip Mercier (circa 1689-1760) 

Ah, 'tis the season for raising a toast of good cheer or simply sipping something warm and wonderful by candlelight or a crackling fire. The 18th century had its share of Christmas "spirits" whose tasty descendants still grace our tables and tickle our taste buds today. One of these that made its way from 16th century Tudor England into my own 20th century North Carolina childhood is that creamy, luscious concoction known as Syllabub, a frothy blend of sweetened wine or cider and rich cream. I had such fond memories of this holiday treat, I even named a dear, big, beautiful Maine Coon Cat of mine, "Sir Syllabub" ("Bubba" for short.)

Syllabub. The origins of the name are speculative but it's so much fun to say aloud, isn't it? Rolls around your tongue and then just pops right out. A multi-syllabic party in your mouth! Syllabub was a very popular, festive beverage in 18th century Colonial America, as well as in Great Britain, and many recipes of the period show a goodly amount of variations on the theme. There are even recipes that involve milking a cow directly over a bowl of sweetened wine or cider. I think I'll pass on that one this year, thank you very much. There are two basic forms of Syllabub, one in which the sweetened wine/fruit juice is whipped into heavy cream in such a way as to remain consolidated, and one in which the liquid drains out of the mixture leaving the wine in the bottom of the glass and the thick cream on top. For this latter method, there were special Syllabub drinking vessels with a spout from which one could drink the liquid and use a spoon for the creamy froth on top. 

North Carolina Scuppernong Grapes,
 photo by Kathryn Louise Wood

My childhood memories are of the type that stays consolidated, served chilled, and is a cross between a drink and a dessert to be eaten with a spoon. Now, my family's roots are of the tea-totaling Methodist and Baptist variety and alcohol was not considered acceptable holiday fare so our Syllabub was made with "soft" cider made from apples or Scuppernong grapes. HOWEVER...once in a while (no one claims to know exactly how it happened) that cider might sit in the pantry for quite a spell waiting for Christmas and could (under just the right, mysterious circumstances) have a little extra kick about it, bordering on the "hard" side. When that happened, there would be a bit more of the "silly" in the Syllabub.

In the weeks to come I will share other 18th century holiday recipes but, for now, I will give you directions from some historic cookbooks for Syllabub. You may adapt these instructions with modern methods and ingredients and still enjoy a traditional treat with which your ancestors would feel at home. The first is closer to the kind of Syllabub of my youth (replacing the wine-- Rhenish and sack-- with "soft" cider...of course...) The second is of the liquid on the bottom, cream on the top variety.

"To Make Everlasting Syllabubs"

Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy, London 1758

~Take five half pints of thick cream, half a pint of Rhenish, half a pint of sack, and the juice of two large Seville Oranges; grate in just the yellow rind of three lemons and a pound of double-refined sugar well beat, and sifted. Mix all together with a spoonful of orange flower water, beat it well together with a whisk half an hour, then with a spoon fill your glasses. These will keep above a week, and is better made the day before.~

"Lemon Syllabub"

Elizabeth Raffald, The Experienced English Housekeeper, London 1784

Detail from"The Sense of Taste" by Philip Mercier (circa 1689-1760) 

~Put a pint of cream to a pint of white wine, then rub a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar upon the out rind of two lemons, till you have got out all the essence, then put the sugar to the cream, and squeeze in the juice of both lemons, let it stand for two hours, then mill them with a chocolate mill, to raise the froth, and take it off with a spoon as it rises, or it will make it heavy, lay it upon a hair sieve to drain, then fill your glasses with the remainder, and lay on the froth as high as you can, let them stand all night and they will be clear at the bottom.~

Enjoy your Syllabub mustaches!

Have a good week, dear Reader. Thanks for stopping by...Y'all come back now! 

Kate