04 Jan Eat, Drink & Be Mairit!
Eat, Drink and Be Mairit!
Scotland is a land of romance and history, with many traditions that stretch back thousands of years. In fact, here in Scotland, our love of traditions can only be rivalled by our love of food and drink, and when the two meet in Ceremony, well you know you’re in for a braw time!
Many people will be familiar with the Quaich ritual, where a couple share a wee dram from a two lugged cup to symbolise trust, unity & sharing, but as we all know from our mammies, when alcohol is involved it’s usually a good idea to have something in your stomach to absorb it! (“Ye need tae line yer stomach if ye’s ur gonnae go oot and get steamin”!!). Particularly if you have been starving yourself for months so you can fit into your dress or kilt!
The ‘Cake & Ale’ ritual, where a couple take communion by making an offering of cake to each other is popular in Wiccan & Pagan Ceremonies, and can be a fun but meaningful addition to your Ceremony. However, as with any ritual, care & attention to detail is important, and so while in a traditional wiccan Ceremony, the cake (or cookies) would always be handmade with love, what I’ve found is that couples tend to be so busy with the organisation and planning of their celebrations that they end up just buying a cake. Which means on more than one occasion, I’ve turned up to find an M&S Lemon Drizzle Cake (usually still in it’s box) on the altar table! Now there’s nothing wrong with that if M&S is part of your love story, but not if it’s just for convenience.
Much as I love a cheeky wee Asda tray bake, when it comes to your Ceremony, it’s just a naw!
So what can you do to ensoul your Ceremony if you would like to break bread with your betrothed as part of your moment?
Ideally you and your partner would make time to bake your own Ceremony cake or treats, but if this is not an option then have a think about what/how you can add depth to this ritual. Could one of your mum’s or grannies do a wee bit of baking? Do you have any wee ones in the family and if so, could they bake some yummy cupcakes? What if instead of having a hen or stag do, both groups did a bake off and this was brought along to be shared during the Ceremony?
For 2023, I’m introducing my own take on the Cake & Ale by introducing the ‘Clootie Dram ’ into my bag of rituals, which is where instead of sharing a yum yum fae Greggs, you would share a slice of delicious slice of handmade clootie dumpling, washed down by a wee dram of the 2023 Aye Do Whisky! (Dalmore 12)
But haud on! Whit on earth is a Clootie Dumpling I hear you ask!
Clootie Dumplings are a traditional steamed Scottish pudding made with dried fruit and spices, but it’s the way it’s cooked that makes it really special. Once all the ingredients have been added, they are wrapped in a ‘Cloot’ (Scots for cloth) that has been sprinkled with flour, and this forms a delicious layer around the outside of the dumpling. They are traditionally eaten with custard or ice-cream, but are just as delicious on their own, and you can eat them hot or cold.
The Aye Do Clootie Dumplings I use are from Clootie McToots in the village of Abernethy where I live, where they are handmade every day in the wee kitchen at the back of the shop. There are a whole range of flavours and sizes so you can even share a bit with all your guests. You can also buy a kit and make your own at home!
And the icing on the Clootie? They come presented in a beautiful satin lined Harris Tweed jacket.
Every part of your Ceremony should be put together will thought, care, attention… and a great big sprinkling of love 🥰
How sweet is that?! 🤣
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