[color=Magenta]Soul cakes



a small round cake which is traditionally made for All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead. [1] The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Hallowmas singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory.



The tradition of giving Soul Cakes originated in Ireland and Britain during the Middle Ages, [2] although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.[3]



The cakes were usually filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, or other sweet spices, raisins or currants, and later were topped with the mark of a cross.[4] They were traditionally set out with glasses of wine on All Hallows Eve, and on All Saints Day children would go "souling" by calling out:[5]

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[color=Magenta]Barmbrack Bread



Barmbrack, or Bairin Breac, is a seasonal Celtic bread typically served during Samhain as the center of a divinatory ritual that revealed fortunes to its recipients for the coming year. To make a traditional Barmbrack, trinkets and charms are always added into the mixture. Upon cooling, pieces of the cake are carefully cut and eaten and the charms divined........Each charm should be wrapped carefully in parchment paper and placed in equal intervals through the bread before its final rise.



Placed in the barmbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth and a ring. Whovever received in their slice the pea, would be unmarried; the stick, would be a fighter (or wife beater!); the cloth or rag, would be poor; and the ring, would be wed within the year.

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[color=Magenta]Colcannon



a traditional Irish dish made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt, and pepper. It can contain other ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions, chives, garlic, boiled ham or Irish bacon.



**An old Irish Halloween tradition was to serve colcannon with prizes of small coins concealed in it, as the English do with Christmas pudding. This is still done today and small amounts of money are placed in the potato



Colcannon used to be --and still is-- eaten in Ireland on Halloween night, and is one of the most traditional Halloween recipes there is. Colcannon is wonderfully flavorful, incredibly filling, and oh-so warming on a cool Autumn night. To make it even more traditional, make a well in the center and fill it with real butter. Dip each bite of colcannon in the butter before eating.

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[color=Magenta]Samhain Meat Pie

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[color=Magenta]Samhain Cider

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Well after reading about the true origins of Halloween I decided that I will try and celebrate it in it's traditional way (as much as I can) this year. Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I look forward to it like kids look forward to Xmas, which I absolutely despise anymore. Thats another holiday people seem to forget it's real meaning... Here are some recipes and links to a traditional Samhain (Halloween) dinner or feast.WOW those are some interesting meanings. Personally I will use different items and medallions. The stick is probably the most mouth dropping for meI read this on a few other sites as well but they only have the wife beater part. Not sure I will be adding a stick.Be sure to let guests know before they eat it! Saves a broken toothOk this sounds really goodI love potatoes and you add some butter, well I'm in!Here is some additional reading on this dish and its traditionsSince this time of the year means the ending of the planted harvest and beginning of the meat harvest, why not have a stew or meat pie?! From what I have read its a lot like Irish Sheppard's Pie or Sheppard's pie in general...You are able to substitute with your own choice of meat if you wish. I will probably add a few more veggies to the mix myself..These are just some of the foods one would have had at a Samhain meal. I will be making this for Halloween. I will post pics at a later dateOther foods that were indulged in as well during Samhain are:Turnips, Apples, Gourds, Nuts, Mulled Wines, Beef, Pork, Poultry, Breads,