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Celtic Folklore Cooking
A treasury of delectable recipes, Celtic Folklore Cooking by Joanne Asala will help you select foods to serve at your celebrations of the Sabbats and Esbats: the festivals and ritual times for Witches and Wiccans. It is also a terrific introduction to Celtic culture. The recipes in this book were gathered during four trips the author took to Ireland and Britain, as well as visits to Scotland and Wales. She searched for people who still cooked in the traditional of their ancestors, passing down recipes from generation to generation. The result is a book that is rich in Celtic tradition. And the foods are delicious any time, too!
Like a well-stocked larder, Celtic Folklore Cooking offers plenty of tempting choices for daily meals or special celebrations. Pick from more than 200 tasty traditional dishes, all nestled among colorful food-related proverbs, poems, tales, customs, and other nuggets of folk wisdom. Each recipe lists ancient and modern holidays associated with the dish so you can select the perfect fare to complement the season. Recipes include:
- Mushroom and Scallop Pie
- Heather Wine
- Pratie Oaten
- Beestings Pancakes
- Hot Cross buns
- Figgy Pudding
- Boxty on the Griddle
- Barm Brack
- Sweet Scones
- Scotch Eggs
- Colcannon
- Cockle Soup
- Flower Pudding
- Flummery
- Mead
The ancient Celts celebrated their Sabbats with music, dance, games, food, and drink. Whether you are a solitary practitioner or a part of a larger group, food and drink should always be a part of your festivities, rituals, and ceremonies. This book can be the key to a wide variety of foods that will make you the talk of the town!
If you are involved in Celtic traditions, this book is a must. If you simply like unique recipes for foods that are as tasty today as they were hundreds, even thousands of years ago, you'll want this book, too.
Like a well-stocked larder, Celtic Folklore Cooking offers plenty of tempting choices for daily meals or special celebrations. Pick from more than 200 tasty traditional dishes, all nestled among colorful food-related proverbs, poems, tales, customs, and other nuggets of folk wisdom. Each recipe lists ancient and modern holidays associated with the dish so you can select the perfect fare to complement the season. Recipes include:
- Mushroom and Scallop Pie
- Heather Wine
- Pratie Oaten
- Beestings Pancakes
- Hot Cross buns
- Figgy Pudding
- Boxty on the Griddle
- Barm Brack
- Sweet Scones
- Scotch Eggs
- Colcannon
- Cockle Soup
- Flower Pudding
- Flummery
- Mead
The ancient Celts celebrated their Sabbats with music, dance, games, food, and drink. Whether you are a solitary practitioner or a part of a larger group, food and drink should always be a part of your festivities, rituals, and ceremonies. This book can be the key to a wide variety of foods that will make you the talk of the town!
If you are involved in Celtic traditions, this book is a must. If you simply like unique recipes for foods that are as tasty today as they were hundreds, even thousands of years ago, you'll want this book, too.
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1997
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931 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 22, 2023
I have owned and used this cookbook since at least 2000. It appears to still be in print which speaks to its utility and popularity. I tend to get it out when thinking about holidays and seasons but it’s practical any time. The author researched traditional Celtic history and customs when assembling the recipes. It’s not just recipes. Asala intersperses the recipes with collected poetry and stories. As many years as I’ve had this book on my shelves, I’d never read it cover to cover but now that I have I’d recommend that approach.
Asala (and the early residents of Ireland, Scotland and other countries that have Celtic backgrounds) tend to cook with fresh foods in mind. Meat, fish, and dairy feature prominently but many recipes could be adapted to vegetarian or vegan diets. It is a very practical cookbook.
Asala has an introduction that shows how particular foods are tied to times and celebrations of the Celtic year and there are notes following each recipe mentioning particular celebrations. Foods are often natural combinations for times of the year. Crops that are harvested in early Spring such as greens and spinach go well with holidays of renewal. Fall crops are more likely to be found in recipes served late in the year. Year round availability of food or frozen foods is a relatively new concept and not always a good thing.
The recipes themselves follow a pretty traditional cookbook pattern—beverages, breads, breakfast, soups, etc. They are not particularly difficult to prepare—no fancy restaurant cuisine. In between the recipes are tales, poems, and history. An Irish version of the Charlie Daniels song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is included.
As an example I’ll include one of her traditional, simple recipes that I like.
COLCANNON
…associated with Samhain and now often eaten at Halloween with charms added to it.
2-2 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 C cabbage, cooked
1 small onion, chopped or scallions
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Ring, coin, stick, pea, thimble (each wrapped in parchment or wax paper)
Boil the potatoes; skin, drain and mash. Chop up the cooked cabbage and mix in the mashed potatoes and cabbage. Fold in the charms. The ring stands for marriage, the coin for wealth, the thimble for spinsterhood, the pea for poverty and the stick for one who will travel far. (The thimble might be skipped today 🙂. Not nearly as significant in our times. You might want to skip the pea as well.)
Serve on hot plates with a well of butter in the center of each mound.
Associated Holidays: Samhain, Esbat dinners
Excellent bibliography, recommended reading, and glossary at the end of the book.
Asala (and the early residents of Ireland, Scotland and other countries that have Celtic backgrounds) tend to cook with fresh foods in mind. Meat, fish, and dairy feature prominently but many recipes could be adapted to vegetarian or vegan diets. It is a very practical cookbook.
Asala has an introduction that shows how particular foods are tied to times and celebrations of the Celtic year and there are notes following each recipe mentioning particular celebrations. Foods are often natural combinations for times of the year. Crops that are harvested in early Spring such as greens and spinach go well with holidays of renewal. Fall crops are more likely to be found in recipes served late in the year. Year round availability of food or frozen foods is a relatively new concept and not always a good thing.
The recipes themselves follow a pretty traditional cookbook pattern—beverages, breads, breakfast, soups, etc. They are not particularly difficult to prepare—no fancy restaurant cuisine. In between the recipes are tales, poems, and history. An Irish version of the Charlie Daniels song “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” is included.
As an example I’ll include one of her traditional, simple recipes that I like.
COLCANNON
…associated with Samhain and now often eaten at Halloween with charms added to it.
2-2 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 C cabbage, cooked
1 small onion, chopped or scallions
Butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Ring, coin, stick, pea, thimble (each wrapped in parchment or wax paper)
Boil the potatoes; skin, drain and mash. Chop up the cooked cabbage and mix in the mashed potatoes and cabbage. Fold in the charms. The ring stands for marriage, the coin for wealth, the thimble for spinsterhood, the pea for poverty and the stick for one who will travel far. (The thimble might be skipped today 🙂. Not nearly as significant in our times. You might want to skip the pea as well.)
Serve on hot plates with a well of butter in the center of each mound.
Associated Holidays: Samhain, Esbat dinners
Excellent bibliography, recommended reading, and glossary at the end of the book.
November 18, 2012
This is possibly my favorite cookbook...ever. I absolutely adore it. Not just because it is based around the Celtic traditions and Pagan Sabbats and Esbats, but also...the recipes are AMAZING!
You will find something for every occasion in this book, and then some. There is a huge catalogue of recipes that can be used during the turn of the wheel (including beverages, which I always appreciate in a cookbook) according to British Celtic Tradition (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall). I loved that there was a large variety from each Celtic land (so many so called "Celtic" reference books forget to even include Wales or Cornwall, and focus so heavily on Ireland that one begins to wonder if they even know their Celtic history!) with traditional recipes from each country/region to satisfy all tastes. It also has a plethora of Celtic proverbs, poetry, traditions (in short story form), and a great introduction with a a break-down of each Sabbat and Esbat within the wheel of the year, and a general history of the Celts and their culinary traditions in relation to the ever-turning wheel.
Using traditional, seasonal food, and assigning each one to a Sabbat and Esbat, it really is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Celtic history, Pagan tradition (both are so centered around hearth and home, eating, drinking and celebrating), or just looking for some delicious traditional Celtic recipes - this book is THE BEST offering I have found on the market to date. Truly my most reached for cookbook!
You will find something for every occasion in this book, and then some. There is a huge catalogue of recipes that can be used during the turn of the wheel (including beverages, which I always appreciate in a cookbook) according to British Celtic Tradition (Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall). I loved that there was a large variety from each Celtic land (so many so called "Celtic" reference books forget to even include Wales or Cornwall, and focus so heavily on Ireland that one begins to wonder if they even know their Celtic history!) with traditional recipes from each country/region to satisfy all tastes. It also has a plethora of Celtic proverbs, poetry, traditions (in short story form), and a great introduction with a a break-down of each Sabbat and Esbat within the wheel of the year, and a general history of the Celts and their culinary traditions in relation to the ever-turning wheel.
Using traditional, seasonal food, and assigning each one to a Sabbat and Esbat, it really is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Celtic history, Pagan tradition (both are so centered around hearth and home, eating, drinking and celebrating), or just looking for some delicious traditional Celtic recipes - this book is THE BEST offering I have found on the market to date. Truly my most reached for cookbook!
January 15, 2018
A friend in my book club was talking about how she loves to read cookbooks. I've never considered just reading a cookbook before. Celtic Folklore Cooking was a delightful start to this new reading adventure. It was filled with myth, poems, and folklore. There were recipes to delight every palate and traditions to inspire new cooking journeys.
The first table of contents in this book lays out the categories of recipes. There is a section for: beverages, breads, milk/eggs/cheese, soup, vegetables, fish/seaweed, meat, and desserts. At the beginning of each of these sections you will discover another table of content that lays out the individual recipes. This is an interesting way of laying out the sections but is perhaps not the most efficient way to find a specific dish. It makes a reader linger over the cookbook rather than just go to a page, cook, and put away.
What I loved was reading about how the traditions surrounding a certain recipe came to be or how many still use it today. There were recipes that my family still use and new dishes I hope to try. Each recipe begins with a description and folklore. The ingredients are bolded making it very easy to read while cooking. The steps are not detailed but remain simple and clear. Some of the recipes are copies of very old recipes and might take a bit more deciphering to use, but are so unique! Poems and stories also dot the pages.
You are sure to find treasures and inspiration in this cookbook!
The first table of contents in this book lays out the categories of recipes. There is a section for: beverages, breads, milk/eggs/cheese, soup, vegetables, fish/seaweed, meat, and desserts. At the beginning of each of these sections you will discover another table of content that lays out the individual recipes. This is an interesting way of laying out the sections but is perhaps not the most efficient way to find a specific dish. It makes a reader linger over the cookbook rather than just go to a page, cook, and put away.
What I loved was reading about how the traditions surrounding a certain recipe came to be or how many still use it today. There were recipes that my family still use and new dishes I hope to try. Each recipe begins with a description and folklore. The ingredients are bolded making it very easy to read while cooking. The steps are not detailed but remain simple and clear. Some of the recipes are copies of very old recipes and might take a bit more deciphering to use, but are so unique! Poems and stories also dot the pages.
You are sure to find treasures and inspiration in this cookbook!
March 23, 2024
Full of poetry, folklore, an overview of pagan and Celtic holidays, and enough recipes to keep anyone occupied for quite a while. I'm a picky eater, and I have over 50 recipes tabbed to try!
June 9, 2025
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain Celtic Folklore.
There is a lot of Wiccan and Christian information mixed together within the book, which the author claims is Celtic--much of it is not. The Celts use the Coligny calendar, not the Wiccan Wheel. Half the holidays mentioned are actually Saxon or Norse. And the food definitely isn't traditional.
While recipes like colcannon are delicious and common Celtic fare now, the potato is not native to Europe and didn't even make it to Ireland until the 17th century. If the author wanted to be traditional and delve into folk cooking, they'd have us mashing turnips, not potatoes.
Finally, a number of recipes call for ingredients that are toxic. Several that stood out included tansy, which is a known abortifacient and can be lethal. I don't care how "magical" the author claims the plant is, I draw the line at poisoning my guests.
There is a lot of Wiccan and Christian information mixed together within the book, which the author claims is Celtic--much of it is not. The Celts use the Coligny calendar, not the Wiccan Wheel. Half the holidays mentioned are actually Saxon or Norse. And the food definitely isn't traditional.
While recipes like colcannon are delicious and common Celtic fare now, the potato is not native to Europe and didn't even make it to Ireland until the 17th century. If the author wanted to be traditional and delve into folk cooking, they'd have us mashing turnips, not potatoes.
Finally, a number of recipes call for ingredients that are toxic. Several that stood out included tansy, which is a known abortifacient and can be lethal. I don't care how "magical" the author claims the plant is, I draw the line at poisoning my guests.
January 26, 2018
There are many recipes in this cookbook that have unrealistic ingredients. However, I have found some great recipes in this book over the years and particularly appreciate that there is an index at the back which organizes recipes by sabbat. This book was particularly useful before the internet became so... searchable? Either way, I don't always cook from this book but, when celebrating Neopagan events, I usually find some inspiration here!
February 6, 2021
This is a unique, pagan-focused historical cookbook. The recipes are interspersed with stories, rhymes, and bits of folklore. The recipes are wide-ranging. Most of them are not to my taste, but I can see this being a great resource for a certain kind of reader.
January 7, 2022
Wide variety of recipes with plenty of proverbs, stories, poems and historical information strewn throughout . I devoured this delightful text within a day. It left me wanting seconds.
Now to go and try all of these recipes!
Now to go and try all of these recipes!
October 19, 2020
I love cookbooks with stories so this one was delightful! I don’t eat a lot of hearty soups and stews but made a few of these and they were delightful!
September 12, 2013
This is part cookbook and part folklore collection. It is broken down into general categories (breads, porridges, and breakfast foods, vegetables, meat and wild game, etc.). Then, at the beginning of each section, the individual recipes are listed. Between recipes you get poems, quotes, legends, some history, and little notes. The index, glossary, and bibliography are all well done and fairly extensive, which is a good mark to me. My particular copy had Catholic correspondences written in. I think the former owner had gotten the book thinking it was strictly Celtic and did not realize there was a Wiccan bent to it. I didn't know it was going to be quite so Wiccan until I read through it more thoroughly myself. The information and recipes are wonderful enough that non-Wiccans should still enjoy this book.
February 1, 2023
I have had this book for many years and have made multiple recipes, many of which I still make as family favorites today. This was one of the books I used to research my papers on immigration and food in Colonial America that I wrote for two of the history classes I took toward my history degree.
August 12, 2008
I love this book. Not only is it full of truly tasty recipes for things like Lammas bread and wassail, it has stories and legends and spells and poems interspersed throughout, with a presentation based on the Wheel of the Year. Great fun.
August 18, 2014
Loads of fun - lots of stories behind these traditional recipes, so the reader gets a real feel about who ate these and where / when / why they ate them. Biggest drawback: there really is a reason why the British Isles are not known for their cuisine.
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January 28, 2016A little more new-agey/pagan than I was expecting, but plenty of the more Grimm's folklore I was expecting. Recipes look great, can't wait to try them. I don't recommend reading when hungry or before bed.
March 21, 2010
This is one I always go back to. Food and drink for all of the Celtic Lunar celebrations, and stories from the cultural traditions that the dishes are steeped in.
January 26, 2013
This book is lots of fun, especially when creating celebrations.
July 29, 2015
I NEED TO OWN THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY
November 22, 2019
I love this book! The recipes are awesome and the little tales or info on holy days is fantabulous.
December 19, 2021
Recipes are not complicated, easy to follow. Interesting foods
June 24, 2018
I have been using this book to celebrate the turning of the seasons for over 20 years. I love how it is organized and the index in the back helps me find appropriate recipes. Every recipe I have made has been a huge success.
This is also a fabulous book just for sitting town with a cup of tea and reading. The little stories are a great addition.
I highly recommend this book to novices, pros, and bibliophiles. It is a must for any shelf.
This is also a fabulous book just for sitting town with a cup of tea and reading. The little stories are a great addition.
I highly recommend this book to novices, pros, and bibliophiles. It is a must for any shelf.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews