Walpurgisnacht Kind of rolls off the tongue
Today, many people make plans for May day and Cinco de Mayo celebrations. But, this misses out on what some call the other Halloween. Tonight is Walpurgisnacht. Say it out loud. Doesn’t Walpurgisnacht Kind of rolls off the tongue? No? Maybe that’s why it doesn’t have the popularity of it’s October cousin. Of course, it’s overshadowed by a busy week of holidays, like Beltane, Harry Potter day, Star Wars day, Cinco de quatro and Mayo, and, of course, Lumpy rug day and naked gardening day (careful with those rose bushes). This Flurry of activity calls for an all-nighter to kick off the week. So, that’s where Walpurgisnacht comes in. It’s a celebration of an eighth century nun who wards off witches to protect people in the height of spring.
So, what’s all the hub bub bub? St Walpurgis is a mainstay in monastic circles. Her official feast day is February 25. But, Walpurgisnacht is celebrated April 30, as the Eve of her canonization on May 1. Similar to some May day celebrations and the Celtic Beltane, Bonfires and dancing are the order of the day. People dress in costumes in some areas. At sundown, music, dancing, and speeches flow through the celebration. While it is predominantly a Central and Eastern European celebration, there are niches all around the world where it still gets much attention. It’s a two day celebration with parades on May 1. A fear of witches is a central theme. The bonfires are supposed to keep witches at bay, as are loud noises. And, offerings of Blessed sprigs of foliage and honeyed bread all contribute to keep witches and demon dogs at bay.
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In Germany, Walpurgisnacht Kind of rolls off the tongue
Throughout the Germanic and Slavic countries, Saint Walpurgis has quite the following, even if the name is slightly different depending on where you re (Walburga, walburg, valborg, vappen). Think of her as the original David hasselhoff (because Germans love David Hasselhoff). But, who was Walpurga? And, why doesn’t she have a surname? Her father went by the name Richard the Pilgrim. He and his family came from England. In the early 700’s, he set out to evangelize Europeans to the Catholic religion. Unfortunately, he died en-route. His daughter Walpurga was all of 11 years old at the time. He left her in the Abbey of Dorset, where she would eventually become a nun. Meanwhile, her brothers Willibald and Winibald followed in their father’s footsteps, proselytizing Europeans to Catholicism.
After some time in Rome, the brothers followed their Uncle Boniface to Germany to continue their missionary work. They summoned Walpurgis to join them there. Being trained by nuns, she was adept at caring for people. When her brother passed, she became the Abbess at the double monastery of Heidenheim am Hahnenkamm (which her brother founded). Because of their work evangelizing the Pagans of Germany, both brothers and Walpurgis gained sainthood. Somehow, though, the brothers didn’t get the same kind of press as their sister. There are churches throughout Europe with her name. And, of course the celebration at hand definitely catapults her into a different realm.
A different take to prove Walpurgisnacht Kind of rolls off the tongue.
In 1966, in the United states, the Church of Satan established itself on Walpurgisnacht. While the name of the church sounds Evil, it’s actually a protest against superstition. Walpurgisnacht is a blatantly superstitious holiday with music, dancing and fire as deterrents to witches. But, that implies witches are evil. Ask most Wiccans; they are generally loving, caring, people with a penchant toward living in harmony with the Earth. They chose the date specifically to make a point about the unfair treatment of witches, and point out the unfair treatment of victims of superstition. Today, the holiday is more about eschewing hate than attacking the occult.
Additionally, She is definitely a Nepo Baby. Her father carried the title: King of Wessex. And, her mother was Wuna of Wessex, also named a saint. She and her brothers were all given their priestly titles by their uncle Boniface. And, the Abbey she ran in the end was given to her by her brother. What did they do? They convinced a lot of people to give up their religion to follow the Christian god and saints. So, why the big fuss? They get the titles and real estate because of their familial connections.
Isn’t it really a Celebration of Helios?
We are a bit sarcastic when we say Walpurgisnacht Kind of rolls off the tongue. Doesn’t Helios sound much better? Helios was the Greek god of the Sun. And, isn’t the middle of Spring actually a celebration of the Sun? April 30 and May1 are about halfway between vernal equinox and Summer solstice. The spring harvest is in full swing. Temperatures are comfortable and conducive to growth. And, the days are the right length in the most populated areas of the world with early sunrises and moderate sunsets. It’s not, typically, a scary time of year, when you have to worry about witches and dogs.
They could have picked any date to celebrate Walpurgis. But, this date was chosen for the same reason many religious holidays coincide with solar events. It’s a layering of new religion on old. AS mentioned above, Walpurgis official feast day is in February. But, this holiday celebrates the date she was canonized. Who does that? Christmas marks Jesus’s birth (and winter solstice). Passover marks the historical migration of the Jews from Israel (and Vernal equinox). The reality is, that none of the dates are fixed. But, they do follow the path of the sun. Worshipers of Helios knew this long before these other religions were even conceived. Equinoxes and solstices mark long and short cycles of the sun. And, those quarters have mid-points, like today, which also garner celebrations, not of historical or mythical figures, but of life itself.
This doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with it
The church of Satan knew this. Why not capitalize on peoples’ fears to make a political and humanistic point? Think of all the people who died because of witch hunts (not the kind the former guy talks about). Anyone who was the least bit off became the target of superstitious hysteria. During the Salem witch trials, 25 innocent people died, and more were persecuted for suspicion based on superstition. Since the 1400’s in Europe and America, the number of dead is around 50,000, with over 100,000 persecuted. And, Walpurgisnacht was the poster child for this persecution.
Thankfully, modern day celebrations have flipped the narrative. The people most likely to celebrate are Wicca or Wicca friendly people. It has become more of a Spring version of Halloween. But, this version doesn’t require a winter jacket. And, the scenery is more verdant and popping with flowers. The palette spans the spectrum of colors, as opposed to Halloweens muted ones. And, the food at this time of year is fresher and more diverse as well. So, let’s celebrate the best weather of the year, and the brimming fruition and possibilities of the temperate zones of the world with a menu based on the bounty of the season. Besides hanging greens and spreading honeyed bread, there isn’t a traditional dish of Walpurgis. So, feel free to enjoy what is on hand. Here are some spring recipes to get the party started:
Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dried Chic Peas Or 4 cups cooked
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Lemon verbena may substitute lemon balm or lemon Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
- For Hash:
- 1 Cup Cubed Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Cubed Golden Potatoes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Spring Onion
- 1 Cup Cubed Fresh parsnip
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Herbs (parsley, Dill, Thyme, Oregano)
- Water for cooking
- Olive Oil For Cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Balsamic reduction/syrup to drizzle
- High quality Olive oil, preferably flavored, like basil or chive for drizzling
- Micro Greens to garnish
Instructions
- Cover the beans in water in a large vessel. Allow them to soak for about 4 to 8 hours at room temperature. They should almost Triple in volume.
- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to pot and toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the cumin. Add water to cover by double the volume of beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes). When tender, strain off liquid. But, reserve some of the liquid for pureeing.
- Put the beans into a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides occasionally. Add some cooking liquid as needed to help it get smooth. Add in the lemon juice and continue blending. Add in the lemon verbena. Then, with the machine still running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mix to a pan to keep warm.
- Make the hash: Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize and soften. Stir as needed. Then add in the Onions and parsnips and stir. Cook until slightly colored. Add a little water and cook down until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Then, stir in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. The asparagus should cook in seconds. Fold in the herbs last minute and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Spread the puree evenly on the plate and artfully present the hash. Drizzle the plate with a splash of Balsamic and flavored oil. garnish with micro greens.
Notes
Truffled Goat Cheese and Ramps Flan with Morel and Asparagus Salad
Ingredients
- olive oil for cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- For Flan
- 1 Cup Fresh Ramps, Cleaned and trimmed, plus a few extra for garnish
- 1/2 tsp Chopped Fresh garlic
- 12 Each Large Egg yolks
- 3 cups Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Thyme
- Truffle oil and truffle shavings to taste
- For Salad:
- 4 Oz baby greens, arugula or whatever is freshest
- 8 Oz Fresh Morel Mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh garlic Scapes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1/2 Cup Sliced Fresh Spring Onions
- 1 Cup White Wine
- 1 Medium Lemon: Zest and Juice only
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Marjoram
- Grape tomatoes for garnish
- Extra fresh herbs for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the morels in cool water for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt. Remove from the water, and soak a second time. They tend to get a lot of grit inside the gills.
- Preheat oven to 375
- Heat a little olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute ramps and garlic, stirring as needed. Cook until translucent. Allow to cool.
- Whisk eggs until beaten smooth. Continue whisking in the cream, salt, pepper, and Thyme. Add in about a tablespoon of truffle shavings and a splash of truffle oil. Fold in the goat cheese.
- Spray individual ramekins or foil cups with pan spray. Fill each evenly with the flan mixture. Place on a sheet pan and bake in the oven about 30 minutes. You want them firm, but not too puffed up. If the center is still a bit runny, cook a little longer. 10 minutes should do.
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Saute the garlic scapes and spring onions until soft. Add in the mushrooms and cook until soft. Then add the wine and cook until it evaporates. You want it to create a glaze on the mushrooms and onions. Add in the asparagus, stir, and remove from heat. The residual heat will cook the asparagus. You want it al dente.
- Grill extra ramps for garnish if desired.
- Whisk the lemon juice, zest, oil, salt, pepper, and marjoram together. Toss the greens, asparagus, mushrooms etc in. Mix well.
- Invert the flans onto individual plates. Garnish with the salad, tomatoes, and grilled ramps.
Spring onion Pancakes with herbed tomato Confit
Ingredients
- For the Dough
- 2 cups flour (AP)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup cool water
- for the filing:
- 1/4 cup AP flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped spring onions
- More oil to fry the pancakes in
Instructions
- mix the fiour and salt in the bowl of a mixer. You can do this by hand. You will use a dough hook to make the dough.
- Add the boiling water a little at a time until a dough begins to form. Add some cool water if it is still dry.
- Put the dough aside in a covered bowl. Allow it to rest 20 minute.
- Make the paste for the filling by mixing oil, salt and flour. Chop your onions at this point.
- Cut the dough into 4 to 8 balls. Do one ball at a time. Roll out with a rolling pin into a circle or rectangle.
- spread the oil and flour paste over the surface. Then evenly sprinkle the spring onions on top
- Roll up the onions inside the dough, like rolling up a carpet or yoga matt. Make it tight. Fold in the ends to keep the filling inside.
- Then, roll the roll in on itself so it looks like a raw cinnamon bun.
- Flatten the rolled dough with your hand and then roll out with a rolling pin until it is as flat at a pancake.
- Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Put the pancake in and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. It should be golden brown and cooked through evenly.
- Cut like a pizza and Serrve with Tomato chutney on each triangle