You can stick that Maypole
It’s the first day of may. In some circles, this is May day. But, why do we call it May day? We don’t call April First April day. What makes this one synonymous with the entire month? As with most oddly named festivals, this one has roots in Religious and pagan rituals. In ancient Rome, they celebrated Floralia (dedicated to the Goddess Flora) from April 27 to May 3. And, every 3 years, they had a festival called Maiouma or Maiuma in honor of Dionysus and Aphrodite. The focus is on fertility. Christians added their twists to the celebrations; and, over the centuries arrived at flower baskets and dancing around a Maypole. Either way, may day is a celebration of fertility. So, you can stick that maypole up your …
Some call may day the beginning of Summer. That’s a pretty glass half full perspective since May first is about halfway between equinox and solstice. So, realistically, it is truly the middle of spring. Think of it as the Groundhog day of spring. You’re halfway through the season; and, there are rituals and symbols to decide how the rest of the season will play out. Luckily, it’s much more colorful than groundhog day. Flowers abound. And, sex is on the brain for a lot of people, albeit, primarily, animal husbandry in many cases.
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Pick some flowers, and, You can stick that Maypole
Based on the festival of Floralia, it’s no wonder flowers are the big thing on Mayday. And, in temperate zones, like most of Europe, now is the time when early spring flowers are in full bloom. Lily of the Valley is the perfect symbolic flower for the day, especially in France. Legend has it that King Charles IX received a sprig of Lily of the valley May 1, 1561. It symbolizes good luck. So, he began giving them to ladies of the court in the hopes of getting lucky. The tradition continued. Other stories popped up. And, today, Mayday coincides with Labor day in France. So, flower carts pop up all over the country selling lily of the Valley for the day.
But, being a food blog, we Aren’t interested in Lily of the valley. It is a toxic plant. In fact, if you have even touched them before you start cooking, clean your hands thoroughly. Beyond the severe gastrointestinal issues it causes, there are also effects on the heart, vision, and central nervous system. You could, literally die from them. And, they are also toxic to pets. It’s a little ironic that the country that is famous for food celebrates Mayday with a poisonous plant. So, let’s tell the French: you can stick that maypole decorated with Lily of the valley up your…
All over Europe and the world
All across Europe, Mayday has a special place. In Scotland, there is a poem: ‘Peblis to the Play’, contained in the Maitland Manuscripts lauding the rebirth of spring. They praise the God Beltane, who is a Celtic God of Healing. Beltane’s fame spread across the Celtic lands from Scotland to Dublin, as far as Italy. Even in Germanic regions, including Czechoslovakia, they celebrate around a tree or bush. Bonfires used to be a common practice as well. But, in many places they are now frowned upon for safety reasons.
In Finland, Mayday is one of 4 major Holidays. It’s a big thing among the student population especially. And, it’s marked by drinking Sima, a type of mead. For more on mead, see our mead day post, here. In Romania, they drink a Mugwort (a blend of herbs, not Harry Potter) wine. But, the Italians simplified the tradition, just drinking any wine. So, I think we’ll go with the Italians for our celebration since it is more open to creativity. The call the celebration Calendimaggio (Calendi = day, Maggio = May). It lasts several days. It is especially famous in the Assisi region where St Francis wrote poems dedicated to the day. And, the celebration always culminates in a feast.
So, being a food blog, Italy has our vote for the best celebration. You can take your poles and flowers, we’ll take the food.
Calendimaggio
Poems, stories, songs, characters, plays, and pageantry surround the festival of Calendimaggio. There are epic battles culminating in rebirth, love, and most importantly, a feast. While traditional pasta and other dishes are abundant, a couple ingredients stand out. Pecorino Romano cheese is a focal point. But, fava beans and a nice Chianti are hallmarks of the celebration. So, if you wondered the significance in the Silence of the Lambs, now you know.
While they don’t need to be cooked, we are a cooking blog. So, we want to bring you some recipes incorporating these ingredients. So, decorate a pole with flowers and prepare yourself for a Spring version of Festivus. Since we brought up Seinfeld, it is fitting that we bring you a fava bean soup recipe. And, if you don’t like it: NO SOUP FOR YOU!
First, a note on Fava Beans, there are a couple different types available. There are dried fava beans. They tend to be a pale large bean. But, we prefer the fresh variety, especially since it’s May Day. And, Spring is when they would be eating best. These are pea like beans that grow in pods. You must first open the pod, remove the beans, then, remove the outer shell of the beans. They are a lot of work, hence the reason they are a delicacy. You can also get frozen ones out of the shell. If you use Dry fava beans, you will want to soak them, like any dry bean, before cooking. We are using fresh or frozen for our recipe today, though.
Fava Maggio Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Lb Fresh fava beans, removed from pod and shells removed. (may use frozen)
- 8 oz Fresh Spinach
- 2 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 2 Quart Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Thyme
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh basil
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- olive oil for cooking
- Pecorino Cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Heat A light coating of Olive Oil in a large Pot. Saute the onion and garlic over medium high heat until translucent. Then add in the broth and bring to a boil.
- Add the fava beans (but save out a few for garnish) and spinach and boil for about 30 seconds. You don't want to cook the color out of the beans. Add in the remaining ingredients, and stir well.
- Pour the soup into a blender, and puree at high speed until smooth. Serve while hot. garnish with the extra fava beans and freshly grate some pecorino cheese on top.