Irish Christmas Traditions and a Few Extra Tidbits

I promised to tell you about Irish Christmas traditions, so today is as good as any day. First of all, if you want to wish your friends and family a Merry Christmas in Gaelic, all you have to say is,"Nollaig Shona Duit", which is pronounced "null-ig-hun-a-dit."

In Ireland, fall is the time of the year to get the house all cleaned up for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Then the decorating begins and when you light the fire, nothing is lovlier.

Ireland has a number of Christmas traditons that are all its own. Many of them come from the Gaelic culture and religion.

1. The Candle in the Window:

The placing of a lighted candle in the window on Christmas Eve is still practiced today. The candle is normally red and it is a welcoming sight to see.

2. The Laden Table:

After the evening meal on Christams Eve, the kitchen table is set with a loaf of bread filled with caraway seeds and raisins and a pitcher of milk ,a large lit candle, and other goodies.



Looks yummy, doesn't it?

3. The Wren Boy Procession:

On St. Stephen's Day a procession takes place where a pole with a holly bush is carried from house to house and families dress up in old clothes with blackened faces. In olden times, a wren would be killed and placed on the top of the pole, but this is not done anymore. Also on this day, people visit each other bearing gifts.

4. Decorations:

Instead of a fancy Christmas wreath on the door, the placing of a ring of holly on the door is more traditional.

Holly and mistletoe are placed all over the cottage or house, and of course there is a Christmas tree in most homes.

5.Traditional Irish Christmas Meal:

Well, you will mostly see turkey with stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, sausages, pudding, and yummy fruit cakes.

6. What do children give to Santa Here in Ireland?

It is traditional to leave him Guiness or milk, and Christmas pudding or mince pie

Mince Pie is one of my favorite desserts. We make sure we always have some fresh mince pie on hand during the holidays and cold winter months.

Mincemeat Filling Ingredients:
1/2 lb. finely chopped fresh beef suet

1 1/4 cups of sugar1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

4 cups raisins, seedless

2 cup currants, dried

1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup candied citron, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup figs, dried and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup candied orange peel, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup candied lemon peel, coarsely chopped

2 cups peeled and cored cooking apples, coarsely chopped

1 cup of pale dry sherry

2-1/2 cups cups of brandy

Preparing the MincemeatIn a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the brandy and sherry and stir well. Pour in brandy and sherry. Using a wooden spoon, mix together all ingredients until well moistened. Next, cover the container of mincemeat and store in a cool place for 3 weeks (do not store in the refrigerator). Once a week, check on the mincemeat. The fruit will absorb the liquid. Using about 1/2 cup at a time of brandy and sherry, replenish the liquid. When kept covered in a cool location without refrigeration, Mincemeat can be kept indefinitely. If preferred, after about a month you can refrigerate the mincemeat. Make 1 1/2 qts.

Recipe makes 8 (2-1/2-inch) pies and requires the following pastry plus 8 teaspoons softened butter and 1-1/2 cups mincemeat.

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoons ice water

Preparing and Baking the CrustPreheat oven to 375° F. With a pastry brush, coat bottom and sides of 8 (2-1/2-inch) tart tins with the softened butter, allowing 1 teaspoon for each tin. Combine butter, flour, salt, sugar, either in bowl or food processor. Add enough water to make the mixture just adhere together, so it is not crumbly. Form into ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out onto floured pastry cloth and with a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut 16 (3-inch) rounds of pastry. Gently press 8 rounds into tins, one at a time, then spoon about 3 Tablespoons of the mincemeat into each pastry shell. With a pastry brush dipped in cold water, lightly moisten the outside edges of the pastry shells and carefully fit the remaining 8 rounds over them. Crimp the edges with a fork. Trim excess pastry from around rims with a sharp knife, and cut two parallel slits, about 1/2-inch long and 1/4-inch apart in the top of each pie.Arrange pies on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° F. and continue baking for 20 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown. Run the blade of a knife around the inside edges of the pies to loosen them slightly, and set them aside to cool in the pans.
Then turn out the pies with a narrow spatula and serve. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

By the way, here is a recipe for Christmas


Pudding:

8oz Cream Flour
8oz Sultanas
8oz Raisins
8oz Currants
8oz Fresh White Bread Crumbs
8oz Dark Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3oz Mixed Peel
1 Medium Eating Apple
1 tsp Mixed Spice
8oz Shredded Suet
1 tsp Nutmeg
Pinch of Salt
3 tblsps Milk

Put the sultanas, raisins and currants in a large bowl. Use seedless raisins or stone them first.Stir in the breadcrumbs.Sift the flour and stir in the sugar and mixed peel.Peel, core and grate the apple into the bowl.Add the shredded suet with the beaten eggs, the spices and salt and mix very well to a soft consistency with milk.Turn the mixture into two 2lb pudding basins and cover each one with greaseproof paper.Cover with foil and tie on the coverings.Boil the puddings for 4 hours, replenishing the pan with more boiling water as it evaporates.On the day, boil or steam the puddings for another 2 hours.Serve with custard.Cooks Tip: If possible, keep the puddings for 4-6 weeks before eating.

Don't forget to try all these yummy recipes I have been giving you with either a Baileys or Irish coffee and Nollag




Shona Duit!