Happy May Day!

Beltane or Bealtaine,  is the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held on 1 May, or about midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, it was widely observed in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. 

Beltane is one of the four main Celtic seasonal festivals—along with Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh—and is similar to the Welsh Calan Mai.

What To Look forward to On Beltane

Beltane is all about appeasing the Fairies and Forest guards. In olden times, people would place 3 pieces of black coal beside the butter churn so the fairies would not steal them. 

One of my favorite May Day treats is Honey Cakes. The secret to this cake really lies in the balance of ingredients. The cake-making steps themselves are easy. 

The tradition of making honey fritter cakes the night before May 1st dates back to the Celtic belief that the veil between worlds is thin during those hours, and that it is necessary to appease fairies and other creatures not of this world.

Beltane Honeycakes Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup sweet white wine 
• 2 tablespoons white sugar 
• 1 egg
• 1 cup honey 
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 pinch cardamom *optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• neutral oil for frying

Cooking Directions

1. Beat the wine and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. 
2. Combine the flour, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, and sugar in a small bowl. 
3. Stir into the egg mixture. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes. In the meantime, combine the honey and the nutmeg in a small bowl.
4. Heat ½-inch of the oil in a frying pan until hot, but not smoking (350F). 
5. Drop the batter into the oil 1 tablespoon at a time; fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
6. Dip into the honey.
7. Serve