Spring Equinox is the solar festival opposite the Autumn Equinox on the Wheel of the Year, when the day and the night are the same duration (equinox = equal night). It marks the start of the solar season of Spring, when the trees, grasses, bushes, and flowers that have gone dormant, leaving the Earth a dreary, naked brown over the Winter, are starting to bud, leaf, and blossom into life again.  Spring Equinox also marks the beginning of the major planting season.  Many important vegetables are planted around this time of year, or are started indoors to be planted outside in April, as the final frosts and freezes are soon to be over.  The "night" of the year has gone away with Winter Solstice, and the "predawn" wee hours of the year have passed with Imbolc.  Now, Spring Equinox brings the year's "dawn", and so festivities are often held in the morning.  

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However, the Spring Equinox celebration is a meager feast.  It is a very contradictory time of year, a time of joy and beauty and new hopes as new shoots, young greens, and buds are beginning to sprout again -- but it could also be a time of intense hardship, as the recently completed fasting of Hirlwm (the long bare time) symbolized.  For by early Spring, stored and preserved surplus from the previous Autumn's harvest could be running very low or even be gone, and day to day many people were unsure where their next meal may come from, if it came at all.  ​Spring was also a time of fear, as late frosts or Spring storms and floods could ruin delicate, newly planted crops.  

 

In such times of apprehension (and sometimes desperation), the returning beauty of the greening Earth and blooming flowers in Spring were not just something "pretty" to look at -- they were a sacred symbol of the return of life-giving food and hope that we could hold out until May.  Animals who were birthing (such as sheep and rabbits) and birds laying eggs at this time of year became sacred not only as symbols of fertility and new life, but also because they literally gave life to the people by providing much-needed food.  Eggs, milk, and any excess young animals became important sources of nutrition to keep from starving while the people waited for crops to be big enough and plentiful enough to eat.

 

This combination of desperation and thankfulness for the sacred life that gives us food is still honored in modern times by the reenactment of hunting for the "treasure" of nutritious wild eggs or rabbits around Spring Equinox time, when other foods were scarce.  These ancient Pagan traditions survive to this day (although for most, unknowingly) in European Christian celebrations of Easter, as little children run about outdoors searching for colored eggs (often in pastel colors, like wild birds' eggs), egg-shaped candies or toys, and bunny-shaped chocolates.  The word Easter is itself a reflection of the ancient Pagan roots of the celebrations and hope that define this time of year, as the English word Easter is not related to Christianity through Hebrew or Greek or Latin, but rather to the same Germanic root that gives us words like east and the name of the Germanic Goddesses of the dawn, Eostre.  

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As such, in this tradition, Spring Equinox is the time when the Celtic Goddess Stirona is honored with her feast day.  Goddess of the stars (the word Stirona means "Divine Star"), the dawn, health, healing, and cleanliness, she is often depicted holding eggs (the ever-present symbol at Spring -- the dawn of the year, and also at breakfast -- the dawn of the day) and/or a scepter, with a crown of stars on her head, and a serpent coiled around her arm.  Her often-times consort, the God Grannos ("Sunshine"), who is described as "mighty", "bright", and "one with a piercing/far-seeing gaze", is also honored at this time of year, as the warmth of the sun and the length of day will grow to be greater than the darkness and the length of night from now until the Summer Solstice.  (Stirona also has another consort, Borvo, God of bubbling mineral hot springs and healing, but his more constant consort is Damona.) 

 

Eggs and Spring vegetables are important foods for the feast as well as for offerings.  It is a tradition begun with other Pagan friends many years ago, and I continue it now, to color and cook eggs on the eve of Spring Equinox, then to rise at dawn on the Equinox day and hide them for any children to find (if there are children present).  Everyone then gathers at the side of a ravine, ditch, or cliff facing east, prayers and thanks are done, libations are offered, and each person chucks a colored egg off the side of the slope as a special offering to Stirona and Grannos and to the Earth (as wild animals will enjoy the free food), as a greeting to the dawn of the day as well as the dawn of the year.  Any eggs that are not boiled which are used in cooking the feast are also cracked very carefully with a small opening, and the empty shells are filled with confetti, closed and colored to break open in Spring games and festivities.

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Festival of Dawn and Birth

1. Stirona (3 days)

2. The Matronae (We honor the Mothers as the Earth awakens and life is breathed into it again)

3. Andarta (bears awaken from hibernation; forests begin to stir)

4. Camulos (the weather is warming and the "season" when war is more likely to strike is beginning; we propitiate Camulos at this time in hopes of avoiding war and invasion)

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Natural Egg Dyes

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white-shelled eggs (dyed colors don't show up as well on brown-shelled eggs)

distilled white vinegar

stainless pan

coloring agent

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1. Bring 2 cups water (or juice -- do not add water if your coloring agent is a juice!) to a rolling boil.

2. Add coloring agent (if your coloring agent is not a juice). 

3. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or longer for the deepest color. 

4. Strain liquid into a large mason jar or other stainless vessel (do not store coloring liquid in plastic -- it will stain), and allow to cool to room temperature, 2-3 hours. 

5. Stir in 2 tablespoons white vinegar and add 3-4 hard-boiled eggs.  (NOTE: You can make striped eggs by putting rubber bands around the boiled eggs to block the color in the band stripe, or make the color lighter.  You can also use clear wax crayons to draw designs on the eggs before putting them in the coloring liquid for a similar effect.)

6. Seal the jar, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight, or until the egg is the desired color. (For deeper colors, remove eggs every few hours, dry off, and put back into dying liquid. Repeat until color is the intensity you desire.)

7. When eggs are desired color, take them out of the liquid and dry them.  Rub dried eggs with a dab of vegetable oil to give them a shinier finish and store until ready to hide (to be found) and/or eat. 

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Coloring Agents: 

Pink

2 cups beet juice (don't add 2 cups water if using juice for dye)
OR
1 1/2 cups shredded red beets (remember to add 2 cups water if using beets instead of beet juice)

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Orange

4 cups of yellow onion skins (just the dry parts, about 12-15 onions)

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Yellow 

3 tablespoons ground turmeric (mustard yellow)

OR

1 cup chopped carrot tops (brighter yellow)

 

Green

2 packed cups spinach

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Blue

4 cups of chopped red cabbage 

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Dark Blue

2 cups blueberry juice (don't add 2 cups of water to juice for dye)

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Balsamic Glazed Carrots

4 servings

1 hr

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1 lb. carrots, peeled

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp to 1/4 cup honey (according to how sweet you want the balsamic glaze)

Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish

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1. Preheat oven to 375°. On a large baking sheet, drizzle carrots with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss until combined and bake until carrots are tender, about 40 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, make balsamic glaze: In a small saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar and honey. Simmer until reduced by half, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (the mixture should coat the back of a spoon). Let cool slightly.

3. Drizzle carrots with balsamic glaze and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.

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Bunny Rolls

2 dozen

2 hrs (includes rising time for dough)

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1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)

3/4 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons shortening

1 large egg, beaten

2 teaspoons celery seed or ground dried rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Melted butter

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1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, sugar, shortening, egg, celery seed or rosemary, salt, sage, nutmeg, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic; about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; let rest 10 minutes.

2. Divide dough into 24 pieces. For each bunny, roll one piece of dough into a 20-in. rope. Cut rope into one 10-in. piece, one 5-in. piece, two 2-in. pieces and one 1-in. piece. Coil 10-in. piece for body; place on a greased baking sheet. Coil 5-in. piece for head; place next to body. Form ears from the 2-in. pieces and tail from the 1-in. piece; add to bunny. Pinch and seal pieces together. Repeat, placing bunnies 2 in. apart on the baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter. Serve warm.

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Chocolate Easter Egg Candies

30 mins + 1 hr chill time

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1 package (10 to 12 ounces) milk or dark chocolate, or vanilla or white chips

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

1 teaspoon water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Colored sprinkles or colored sugar

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1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate or vanilla chips at 50% power.

2. Add the cream cheese, water and vanilla; stir until blended. Chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

3. Quickly shape into 1 1/4-inch eggs. Roll eggs in sprinkles or colored sugar. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

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Crispy Rice Treats

12 pieces

30 mins

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3 tablespoons butter

1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 cups mini marshmallows OR 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème

6 cups crispy puffed rice cereal

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Optional Mix-Ins: 

Sprinkles

Mini or regular-sized chocolate chips, peppermint chips, or peanut butter chips

Freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries, blended into a powder

Matcha green tea powder

Nutella

Chopped nuts

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Optional Toppings: 

Sprinkles

Chocolate syrup drizzle

Salted caramel drizzle

Peanut butter sauce drizzle

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1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add crispy puffed rice cereal and any mix-ins, if using. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Add any optional toppings, if using.

4. Cool. Cut into desired shapes, or 2-inch squares. Store in an airtight container and use within 2 days. You can also wrap them in clear cellophane or plastic wrap and hang on the tree when decorating to eat later!

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Deviled Eggs

12 servings

25 mins

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6 eggs 

3 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1 tablespoon mustard

1 tablespoon tart dill pickle relish (optional)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1 or 2 tablespoons minced chives, fresh thyme leaves, and/or short, thin slices of red onion, for topping

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1. Place eggs in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, cook for 10 minutes.  Drain and place in a pot of cold water to cool.  Replace the water with more cold water as the hot eggs heat the water up.

2. Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Slip the yolks out and mash the yolks with a fork.

3. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, dill relish (if using), salt and pepper. Fill egg whites with the egg yolk mixture, heaping it lightly. Top all the eggs with a sprinkling of paprika, then add any other desired toppings (if using all toppings, place on each egg: a few leaves of thyme, pinch of chives, and two small slices of red onion stuck into the egg yolk mixture of each egg).

4. Cover and refrigerate until cold before serving. You can keep them in the fridge up to 24 hours.

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Lime Star Chips with Artichoke Dip

70-80 chips

1 hr (45 mins prep, 15 mins cook)

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Star Chips:

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons grated lime peel

10 flour tortillas (10 inches)

1/4 cup olive oil

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Artichoke Dip:

2 10-ounce packages fresh spinach, chopped

8-ounce package low-fat/neufchatel cream cheese

8-ounce carton light sour cream

3⁄4 cup Parmesan cheese

14 ounces artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)

1⁄2 cup green onion, chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Black pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Cooking spray (such as olive oil)​

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1. In a small bowl, combine salt and lime peel; set aside.

2. Using a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut eight star shapes from each tortilla. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat half of the oil. Fry tortilla stars, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides. Add more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels; immediately sprinkle with salt mixture.

3. Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Cook spinach over medium heat until thoroughly heated (about 1-2 minutes). Reduce heat; add cream cheese. Stir until melted and smooth. Stir in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, artichokes, and green onion. Remove from heat.

4. Season with red and black pepper and salt, if desired. Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe bowl. Top with cheddar cheese and broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted, or heat in the microwave until cheese melts. Serve immediately. 

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Orange Jelly Candies

about 80 candies

25 mins (15 mins prep, 10 mins cook) + overnight wait

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2 teaspoons butter

1 package (1-3/4 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon orange oil

5 drops each red and yellow food coloring

Additional sugar

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1. Butter a 9-in. square pan with 2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the pectin, baking soda and water (mixture will be foamy). In another saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring both mixtures to a boil. Cook until foam on pectin mixture thins slightly and sugar mixture comes to a full rolling boil, about 4 minutes. Gradually add pectin mixture to boiling sugar mixture, stirring constantly. After adding the pectin, be sure to bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil before starting your one minute timer. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

2. Remove from the heat. Stir in orange oil and food coloring. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature for 3 hours or until set.

3. Sprinkle waxed paper with sugar; invert pan onto sugar. With a knife dipped in warm water, cut candy into 1-in. squares; roll in additional sugar. Place on a wire rack. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature overnight. Store in an airtight container.

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Roast Asparagus

8 servings

35 mins (10 mins prep, 25 mins cook)

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2 pounds fresh asparagus
Olive oil
Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely.

3. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

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Roast Lamb

10-16 servings

3 hrs

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1 large lamb roast with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg (these can be as large as 8 pounds), semiboneless leg, bone-in shoulder, boneless butterflied leg or double loin

2 ounces (1 can) anchovies packed in olive oil, drained, or 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs (2 heaping tablespoons leaves), plus extra sprigs and branches for garnish

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

Ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut in half

1 3/4 cups white wine (substitute chicken or beef stock if not using alcohol), plus extra for gravy

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1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, each about 2 inches deep, through the fat that covers the top of the meat. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, blend 2/3 of the anchovies (or 2/3 of the mustard if using), the rosemary leaves and the garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Using your fingers, press paste deeply into incisions.

2. Mix remaining anchovies (or mustard) and the butter into a paste. Smear this mixture all over the surface of the roast. Season liberally with black pepper. (Do not add salt; the anchovies are salty enough, and so is the mustard.) Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, and squeeze the lemon halves over. Pour the wine around the roast into the pan.

3. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees (for medium-rare or medium meat), about another 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 minutes or so with the wine and drippings in the pan, adding more wine as needed to keep the liquid from scorching. If possible, for the last 15 minutes of cooking, use convection or a broiler to crisp the fat on the roast.

4. Remove pan from the oven, remove rack from the pan, and let the roast rest on the rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil. The internal temperature will rise to about 140 to 145 degrees.

5. To make sauce from the pan drippings, remove a few tablespoons of fat by tipping the pan and spooning off the top layer. Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid simmers. Taste the simmering liquid and whisk in more wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency and flavor are right. Do not let the mixture become syrupy; it should be a sharp jus, not a thick gravy.

6. Carve lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a heated platter, decorated with rosemary sprigs. Serve with piping hot gravy.

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Snake Calzone (Spinach and Artichoke)

14 servings

2 hrs 5 mins (30 prep, 1 hr wait, 35 cook)

 

Dough: (or use pizza dough recipe)

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

 

Filling:

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 cup canned diced roast tomatoes

1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts packed in water (not oil), well-drained and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup sliced black, green, or mixed olives

2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

 

1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, and let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam. Stir in the oil, salt, and 2 cups of flour, and mix on Low until the mixture forms a wet dough. With the machine running, add 1 cup of flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl into a ball. Knead for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

2. Lightly oil a large bowl, then place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F/27 to 35 degrees C) until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

3. Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, tomatoes and sauce, artichokes, parsley, Italian seasoning, garlic, olives, spinach, and mushrooms in a large bowl, and set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Punch down the dough, and roll it out into a long, flat strip about 9 inches wide by 30 inches long. Spoon the filling mixture down the center of the dough strip, leaving about 1 inch on all sides for sealing. Pull edges of the dough together; pinch to seal and form a long, filled roll with a head shaped at one end by making it flatter.

6. Place the roll, seam side down, onto the parchment paper in a circle shape (for ouroboros) or a zig-zag shape (for slithering snake), and tuck the ends underneath to seal. Beat the egg in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, and brush the egg wash over the calzone.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the calzone is golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into individual slices.

 

 

 

Spring Greens Salad

6 servings

20 mins

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Shallow Pickles

1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar (optional, for sweet pickles)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

8 oz. (1/2 lb.) small carrots, baby turnips, red radishes, and/or beets, shaved on a mandoline (about 2 cups)

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Salad: 

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 cups mixed tender greens (such as mizuna, tatsoi, arugula, dandelion greens, and/or sorrel)

1/4 cup tender herb leaves and blossoms (such as tarragon or mint)

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Pickles:

1. Bring vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add vegetables; let sit until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

Salad:​

1. Whisk oil, lemon juice, and vinegar in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

2. Toss vinaigrette, greens, and herbs in a large bowl. Add pickled vegetables to salad; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

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