To Light the Bonfire
Although Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, have passed, there’s still reason to celebrate today since November 5th is known as Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Day.
These are actually two different things that occurred around the same time of year, but centuries apart. The most recent celebration is Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes was a Catholic who, in 1605, helped lead an assassination plot against King James I in England in order to restore the Catholic monarchy. The plot was discovered and Guy Fawkes, along with his associates, were executed. When Parliament met again in 1606, they passed the Observance of 5th November Act 1605 which codified annual services and church sermons commemorating the plot so no one would ever forget. Since there was already a much, much earlier pagan tradition of lighting fires on the night of November 5, this law made it an even bigger celebration.
Over the years, people also rang church bells and set off fireworks and burned effigies of Guy Fawkes made out of hay and old clothing. Before the American Revolution, celebrating Guy Fawkes day in Boston became a symbol of rebellion and it was outlawed for a while. Now, in England, November 5 is called Bonfire Night, Fireworks Night, or Guy Fawkes Night. Interesting side note, the word “guy”, in the 19th century, came to mean a strangely dressed person. Then, in the 20th century, the word “guy” came to mean any male person.
There is even an old nursery rhyme about this event:
Remember, remember,
The Fifth of November,
Gunpowder treason and plot;
For I see no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
But, centuries before Guy Fawkes’ Gunpowder Plot was foiled in 1605, people in northern England, Wales, and the Scottish Highlands used to light massive bonfires and eat Soul Cakes between Nov. 1 (All Saints Day) and Nov. 5 (Bonfire Night). In Northern Wales, these autumnal fires were called Cool Coeth. People, young and old, would leap through the flames, throw hazelnuts into the fire to divine the future, and bite apples suspended from a string to determine who would be the next to marry.
Why did they do such things? Especially since these people had just celebrated Samhain/All Hallows Eve, and then spent the next two days honoring the dead. Since I wasn’t sure myself, I started at the beginning. First, with the help of Merriam-Webster, I researched the origins of the word “bonfire”. According to Merriam-Webster, the word is derived from the Middle English bonefire which literally means “a fire of bones”. Now things were getting interesting. An even earlier appearance is from the Latin “ignis osmium” which also means “fire of bones”. Here’s a citation from the 15th century that proves I’m not making this up. The words in parentheses are my translations.
But in worshipp of seinte iohan (Saint John the Baptist) the people woke at home & made iij maner of fyres. On was clene bones & no wode & that is callid a bone fyre. A nothir is clene wode & no bones & that is callid a wode fyre fore people to sitte & to wake there by.
—John Mirk, Liber Festivalis, 1486
Still, why burn bones? The simplest answer is that in the fall, after the animals had been slaughtered and the meat stored away for the winter, the druids burned the animal bones as part of a gratitude sacrifice. They believed that by burning the bones and spreading the ashes in the field, they would have an even better crop the next year. Considering bone ash can be a great fertilizer for certain vegetables, they were actually on to something.
There’s also a more mythical answer. In the Fenican Cycle of Irish Poetry, there’s a story about the mythical Irish Chieftan Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his battle against Aillén Mac Midgna, a fire-breathing goblin from the underworld. For 23 years Aillén Mac Midgna terrorized the Hill of Tara, Ireland’s most sacred location and the seat of Ireland’s High King. Every year on Samhain, Aillén would come up from the underworld and play his Irish harp which would put everyone to sleep. Then he’d set fire to the great halls of every lord and the King, leaving nothing behind except ash. Then Aillén would return to his fairy mount as sídh Finnachaid. Those who survived would then have to rebuild the great halls.
Not sure what to do, the King put out a fall for help and Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the mythical Irish warrior and chieftain, answered. Fionn had just become a Fian warrior (the training of which had a 90% death rate) and taken over as chieftain of Clan Baiscne. When he learned about the terrorizing goblin, Fionn went to the High King to make a deal. If Fionn could get rid of the goblin, he wanted to take over as leader of the Fianna, a band of brutal Fion warriors. Since no one else offered to help, the king agreed. Except Fionn had a problem. How was he to get by the spells cast by the goblin’s harp? Fionn took a famous poisoned spear from another warrior. And, since Fionn had eaten the Salmon of Knowledge, he figured out how to trick the goblin.
On Samhain’s Eve, Fionn held the spear to his head and inhaled its magical fumes. These poisonous fumes made him immune to the spell cast by Aillén’s harp. Fionn hid and waited until Aillén appeared and then stabbed him with the poisoned spear. The goblin died and everyone celebrated by burning his body. The king made Fionn leader of the Fianna warrior and every year since, a few days after Samhain, the Irish burn bonfires deep within the mountains to commemorate Fionn’s defeat of Aillén Mac Midgna.
To lighten things up (pun intended) on this story, there’s another related tradition that goes with this druid night of burning bones and defeating evil. Centuries ago, in poor Catholic Lancashire, people baked soul cakes called Parkin. A delicious combination of oatmeal and treacle. In parts of Yorkshire, Halloween was also known as Cake Night and people would go “a-soul-ing” to beg for these treats in return for protection prayers against the dead who roamed the earth. In the remotest parts of the Scottish Highlands and Western Ireland, people believed that if you left soul cakes for the departed souls wandering around between All Hallows Eve and All Souls Day. (Nov. 2), that the ghosts could speak and eat. Now, as centuries have passed, if you visit Yorkshire on Bonfire Night you will be offered a piece of Parkin. You can either eat it or use it to barter for your life with a wandering soul looking for a way back to the living.
I hope you all enjoy Bonfire Night and, since I love celebrations that have food in them, I’ve posted a recipe for Parkin Cakes below. Enjoy!
Sharon Wray
Yields 25 servings
The Hungry {Romance) Writer: Parkin CakesThis is a traditional ginger cake found in Yorkshire, England. It is quite involved, but it is so worth the work. While you could substitute molasses for the black treacle (although I wouldn't!), there is no substitute for the golden syrup. The crystallized ginger, treacle and golden syrup can be purchased on Amazon. But I also included the directions if you want to make your own golden syrup. It also calls for medium oatmeal and the easiest way to make that is to blend steel cut oats in a food processor for just a few seconds. You don't want an oat flour, just a smaller version of steel cut oats. And you must, must, must let this sit for THREE DAYS before eating. Or we just can't be friends.
2 hrPrep Time
1 hr, 10 Cook Time
3 hr, 10 Total Time
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My Recipes My Lists My Calendar Ingredients
1 1/2 cups medium oatmeal (steel cut Irish Oats, see notes below)1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon Mixed Spice (recipe below)1/4 teaspoon ground mace1/4 teaspoon salt2/3 cups Black Treacle (can substitute dark molasses) **See NOTE about the quantity1/4 cup Golden Syrup (there is NO substitute, it is completely different in flavor than corn syrup)Homemade Golden Syrup (click link for recipe - it's very easy to make!)1 cup loosely packed brown sugar6 Tablespoons butter3 Tablespoons lard (optional, can substitute butter)1/4 cup candied/crystallized ginger, finely diced (optional)1 large egg , lightly beaten2 Tablespoons whole milkMixed Spice1 Tablespoon Ceylon cinnamon2 teaspoons ground allspice2 teaspoons ground nutmeg1 teaspoon ground cloves1 teaspoon ground ginger1 teaspoons ground coriander3/4 teaspoon ground maceGolden Syrup1 1/4 cups filtered water4 cups sugar2 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)Instructions
Medium OatmealPlace the 1 1/2 cups of steel cut oats and add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times until they are broken down, but not turned into a flour. You want some texture to remain.Mixed SpiceStir together all the spices and store in an airtight glass jar and store in a cool, dark cabinet for up to four months. Makes 1/4 cup of spice.Golden SyrupIn a saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and gently, until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring to a low boil and gently stir in the lemon juice. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, leaving the saucepan uncovered. Do not stir the syrup again! Let it simmer on very low heat for 40-6- minutes or until the mixture is a rich golden amber color. Check with a candy thermometer--it should be 240-250 degrees F.If the syrup thickens, reheat it with a bit of water. If it's too runny, reheat and cook it longer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour into a glass jar and let cool completely before adding the lid. Store the golden syrup at room temperature for up to 4 months. It makes 3 cups of syrup and takes about an hour to make.Parkin CakesPreheat oven to 300 degrees F.Grease an 8"x8" pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.In a large bowl, combine the medium oatmeal, baking powder, ginger, mixed spice, mace, and salt.In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the brown sugar, black treacle, golden syrup, butter and lard. (if using)Heat the mixture until the sugar is melted (do not boil or you will burn the sugar) and then remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes.Pour the hot sugar mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. Beat in the egg and milk until just combined. Stir in the crystalized ginger. The batter will be still be liquid and sticky.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70-80 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean. The cake should be firm but springy.Place the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely.Invert the cake onto a cake plate. Peel of the parchment paper and cut into squares.Store the squares in an airtight container and LET IT SIT FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS!!! THIS IS CRITICAL!!!Once you start eating it, it can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.7.8.1.2197https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/to-light-the-bonfire/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/to-light-the-bonfire\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance) Writer: Parkin Cakes","description" : "This is a traditional ginger cake found in Yorkshire, England. It is quite involved, but it is so worth the work. While you could substitute molasses for the black treacle (although I wouldn't!), there is no substitute for the golden syrup. The crystallized ginger, treacle and golden syrup can be purchased on Amazon. But I also included the directions if you want to make your own golden syrup. It also calls for medium oatmeal and the easiest way to make that is to blend steel cut oats in a food processor for just a few seconds. You don't want an oat flour, just a smaller version of steel cut oats. And you must, must, must let this sit for THREE DAYS before eating. Or we just can't be friends. ","prepTime" : "PT2H","cookTime" : "PT1H10M","recipeYield" : "25 servings","datePublished" : "2021-10-26 16:10:18","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Medium oatmeal", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place the 1 1\/2 cups of steel cut oats and add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times until they are broken down, but not turned into a flour. You want some texture to remain. " }]}, { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Mixed spice", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir together all the spices and store in an airtight glass jar and store in a cool, dark cabinet for up to four months. Makes 1\/4 cup of spice. " }]}, { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Golden syrup", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and gently, until sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, bring to a low boil and gently stir in the lemon juice. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, leaving the saucepan uncovered. Do not stir the syrup again! Let it simmer on very low heat for 40-6- minutes or until the mixture is a rich golden amber color. Check with a candy thermometer--it should be 240-250 degrees F." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "If the syrup thickens, reheat it with a bit of water. If it's too runny, reheat and cook it longer. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour into a glass jar and let cool completely before adding the lid. Store the golden syrup at room temperature for up to 4 months. It makes 3 cups of syrup and takes about an hour to make. " }]}, { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Parkin cakes", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat oven to 300 degrees F." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Grease an 8\"x8\" pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large bowl, combine the medium oatmeal, baking powder, ginger, mixed spice, mace, and salt. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a medium saucepan over low heat, stir together the brown sugar, black treacle, golden syrup, butter and lard. (if using)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Heat the mixture until the sugar is melted (do not boil or you will burn the sugar) and then remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour the hot sugar mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. Beat in the egg and milk until just combined. Stir in the crystalized ginger. The batter will be still be liquid and sticky. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70-80 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean. The cake should be firm but springy. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Place the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Invert the cake onto a cake plate. Peel of the parchment paper and cut into squares." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Store the squares in an airtight container and LET IT SIT FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS!!! THIS IS CRITICAL!!!" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Once you start eating it, it can be stored in an airtight container on the counter. 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