It’s Tidbit Tuesday, ya’ll!
It’s some tasty tidbits.
It’s October and nearing on Halloween so I thought I’d go that route. I’m such a sheep.
Mother of god. It’s so cute.
Kale has two stories when it comes to Halloween. In Scotland, young people would blindfold themselves and go into the garden to pull up kale stalks. Later, they’d “read” the stalks to reveal traits of their future spouse – “short and stunted, tall and healthy, withered and old, and so on” (source).
Yaaaay. Kaaaale.
But that wasn’t all the kale did. The amount of dirt left on the roots indicated the amount of dowry or fortune the person would get from their future spouse. After, the stalks were hung over the door in a row. Each of the following Halloween visitors were assigned vegetable mates in turn. This practice was also done with cabbages and leeks.
Kale man marries his true love, Stephanie, on the beach.
Kale was also used in colcannon, a tradition Irish Halloween dish. Colcannon was a dish made in a skillet pot that sat on three little feet and had two handles on the side. It was comprised of mashed potatoes mixed with chopped kale or green cabbage. It was eaten by scooping some out of the pot with a spoon and dipping it into butter.
Colcannon.
(source)
A ring was concealed inside the colcannon and whoever got it would be married. Alternately, whoever got the thimble hidden within the colcannon would lead the life of a spinster.
Your future awaits.
(source)
Young girls would also fill stockings with colcannon and nail them to a door. Whoever was next to enter through that door would be her future husband.
Basically, entrust your entire life to kale. Especially around Halloween.
Keep eating and asking, my friends.
Esther
Bibliography:
Olver, Lynne. “The Food Timeline–Halloween food history: traditions, party menus & trick-or-treat.” Food Timeline: food history research service. Lynne Olver, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.foodtimeline.org/halloween.html#kale>.
