The Feast of the Dead
November 1
The Feast of the Dead
Prepare and Remember during the Feast of the Dead
Here at the end of the harvest season is when we are making final preparations for the winter and when we honor and remember those who have passed. It is a time to hold our ancestors and traditions close and thank them for the wisdom they have passed on through generations.
Earth Cycle and Workings
This period and the holidays associated with it on November 1 (October 31-November 2) are halfway between the autumn equinox and the summer solstice. The days are getting noticeably shorter and the dark and cold times are clearly on their way.
This time is often used to remember those who have died, just as it is a time for pruning and preparing our gardens and lives for the death and hibernating that comes in the winter months. This is a time to gather with your close family and friends, give thanks, and adjust your life and expectations for the coming cold.
How the World Celebrates
Throughout history and cultures, we as humans choose to mark time and important events with celebrations. They are moments for us to pause from our daily activities and take time to reflect on the larger world. While there is no universal thread or experience that we all share, it is meaningful to understand how others celebrate so we can learn truths that we have in common. Learning lessons from all, while curating our personal celebrations from our own experiences and ancestors.
Samhain - Celtic
Samhain (pronounced Sow-win) is one of the four Celtic Fire Festivals (along with Imbolg, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh) and falls between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. It has been celebrated by Celtic peoples for over 2,000 years throughout Ireland, Scotland, on the Isle of Man, and now by modern Pagans after it was added to the pagan Wheel of the Year. Celebrated from the eve of October 31st through November 1, it marked the end of harvest season and the beginning of the dark time of winter.
This was the time of year for cattle and livestock to return from winter pastures and many would be slaughtered. Beltaine fires were used to purify the animals, and their blood was placed on thresholds to protect the family within. Torches from the same sacred fires were carried home to light the home hearth as well and carry that sacred flame throughout the community.
It is believed the veil between us and the Otherworld is thinned during Samhain, making it possible for visits from ancestors, the Tuatha Dé Danann (deities) and the Sidhe (fairies). Souls of passed ancestors were thought to visit their families seeking hospitality, so places were often set for them at the table and favorite recipes prepared. Families would tell stories of their loved ones and believed their presence protected from harmful entities. Divination with nuts, apples, and household objects was popular during Samhain as well as wearing costumes and masks to confuse harmful spirits and ward them away.
In the 9th century, the church, under the direction of Pope Gregory, moved to change November 1 to All Saints Day and November 2 to All Souls Day with the night before as All Hallows Eve (the early origins of Halloween). This brought many of the Beltaine traditions under the church’s guidance though many continued to practice the old ways and still do today.
On the Isle of Man, the Manx people celebrate Samhain as Hop-tu-Naa and spend the day dancing, singing, and doing divination. In the evening people would go begging to their neighbors’ houses for treats and often carried little lanterns carved from turnips (the roots of jack-o-lanterns).
All Saints and All Souls Day - Christian
Many Christians, primarily Catholics celebrate this time as a trio of holidays that make up Allhallowtide, a period for honoring and remembering the dead. It consists of All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) on October 31, All Saints Day which commemorates the Christian martyrs on November 1, and All Souls Day, a remembrance honoring ancestors who have passed on November 2.
All Saints Day was first established in the 3rd century to honor all of the Christian martyrs during the month of May . Later in the 9th century, Pope Gregory II moved the celebration to November to align with the Celtic holiday, Samhain, and unite under the church some of the pagan practices still practiced throughout Europe. All Souls Day was added in the 11th century to pray for those who were in purgatory waiting to enter heaven.
Today these holidays are celebrated by attending mass, lighting candles, and praying for loved ones, visiting the cemetery to decorate graves and leave flowers, and sharing meals with family and friends. Regionally celebrations differ based on many of the traditions and foods of the area and are often influenced by earlier pagan beliefs.
Halloween - United States, Canada & Catholic Diaspora
Halloween is observed in many countries, but the largest celebrations are in the United States and Canada. Halloween began with its roots in the ancient Celtic festival Samhain. In the 9th century when Pope Gregory was working to bring pagan celebrations under the Catholic church’s guidance, he moved All Saints Day from its previous place in May and aligned it in November with Samhain festivals. The night before (October 31st) became known as All Hallows Eve and took on many of Samhain’s traditions while diverging as well.
The holiday took root in North America after Irish-Catholic immigrants began moving in the mid-19th century following the harsh treatment by England causing famine for many people. When they moved here, they brought many of their Samhain traditions with them that lead to well-loved Halloween activities. One of which is the tale of Stingy Jack, the inspiration for jack-o-lanterns which were originally carved from turnips, but changed to pumpkins in the U.S.
An early English tradition was to go “souling” walking from door to door asking for a soul-cake and often creating mischief. Over time Elizabeth Krebs, a resident of Kansas, got tired of the mischief and people destroying her garden and she engaged the whole town to offer treats in return for leaving homes intact. The tradition caught on and people began handing out wrapped treats to the people who stopped by creating a trick-or-treating tradition.
The holiday continues to be associated with the supernatural and macabre, and is usually celebrated with costumes, carving pumpkins, and trick-or-treating.
Día de los Muertos – Mexico & Central America
Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) is a holiday that blends thousands of years of indigenous practices from Mexico and the Americas with newer Spanish and Catholic ones brought through colonialism and conversion. Prior to European arrival, this time (previously during the summer) was used to honor Mictēcacihuātl, the goddess of Mictlān (the underworld) and protector of the dead, who they believed remained moving through different realms after they passed. People celebrated with offerings of food and drink (like tamales and mezcal), dancing and thanking Mictēcacihuātl for protecting the bones of the dead and decorating with Cempasúchile (marigold) flowers.
In the early 1500’s, the Spanish brought Catholicism to the Americas and encouraged, or in many cases forced, indigenous practices under the church’s guidance. This aligned Dia de los Muertos celebrations with the Catholic, All Saints and All Souls Days and encouraged European traditions like attending mass, dressing in costumes, decorating graves, and bringing food to cemeteries.
For centuries Día de los Muertos has continued to be celebrated throughout Mexico and Central America with old and added traditions. It continues to be a time for families to gather, celebrate, honor and remember their passed loved ones. Families gather to decorate ofrendas (altars) with candles, sugar skulls, marigolds, photos of those who have passed, food, and other items to honor and guide the deceased. They visit cemeteries and light the way for the dead. Some make Alebrijes (small animals sculpted from paper or wood). Others dress as skeletons or as La Catrina (the lady of death), a modern interpretation of the goddess Mictēcacihuātl by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada who is credited with much of the modern-day aesthetic of the celebration.
Despite the many similarities, there are also many different ways Dia de los Muertos is celebrated regionally. In Guatemala the holiday is celebrated with a Kite Festival. The kites are believed to be beacons to their returning ancestors and are believed to pass messages on to their loved ones. People create beautiful kites, some of which are up to 65 feet across. They typically have a rounded-octagon shape that is believed to represent Mayan beliefs combining the four directions (north, south, east, and west) with points added in between.
Festa dei Morti - Sicilian and Italian
In Sicily and much of southern Italy, this time was known as Festa dei Morti (the Feast of the Dead) - an important day used to remember and celebrate the return of ancestors. The holiday has its roots in ancient pagan practices and the cult of the dead. Especially in Sicily, there seems to be a special connection and celebration with those who have passed. Some areas, including Savoca, where some of my family is from, have practiced mummification well into the 19th century and it was commonplace to go and have Sunday meals there with those who had passed.
People celebrate this day by telling memories of loved ones, visiting cemeteries, and decorating graves with chrysanthemums and candles. Often, they will set a place for the deceased at the table or light a candle for them before heading to bed. It’s popular to eat muffuletta sandwiches, beans, and Minestra dei Morti (the Soup of the dead). Before going to sleep, children place small baskets under their bed waiting for their dead relatives to fill them over night with small toys, marzipan fruits, and biscuit-cookies in the shape of bones.
Fèt Gede – Haiti and Vodou diaspora
Fèt Gede (the Festival of the Dead) is celebrated in Haiti and by people who practice Vodou each year on November 1 and 2. Many people there attend Catholic mass as the holiday coincides with All Souls and All Saints Day, while others follow traditional Vodou practices derived from older African traditions. The holiday holds a blend of traditions from the native Taino peoples, from Catholicism through colonization, and also from ones brought from West Africa during the transatlantic slave trade.
Today the people hold celebrations, process in the streets, dress expressively, and often cover their faces with white powder and black sunglasses. They decorate graveyards with flowers, candles, and food, and the people come together drumming, singing, and laughing to wake the dead (Gede) including Papa Gede, the first man to have died. Food and drinks are for both celebration and offerings, including rum, cigars, hot peppers, goat stew and goat cheese.
Awuru Odo – Nigeria and Igbo peoples
The Igbo people of Nigeria celebrate the arrival of the Odo (returning spirits) every other year between September and November, and then the spirits remain with them until they depart again in April. The people create elaborate costumes and Onyekulufa masks made of beads, feathers, and cloth, and plant that are often large and require multiple people to carry. They perform music, dances, and plays like the Awuru Odo which reenacts the Odo’s time here on earth and their journey back.
Wag Festival – Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, their celebration honoring the dead was in early August. The Wag Festival honored the dead and their journey to the afterlife. It was dedicated to Osiris, the god of the dead, resurrection, and the afterlife. Rather than an ending, death was seen as the start of the next stage in one’s journey. People celebrated by sending shrines and small boats made of papyrus to float in the Nile. They also feasted, and offered food and drink to the gods including wine, bread, and cakes.
Yom el Maouta – Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon
In Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon All Souls Day (November 2) is known and celebrated as as Yom el Maouta. It is a time to pray for deceased loved ones, go to mass and visiting the cemetery to clean and decorate graves. Ceremonies and traditions around caring for the dead are very important in all three countries. They often have multi-day funerals where friends, family, and acquaintances all gather to offer condolences and pay respects.
Khamis al-Amwat – Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, & Jordan
For both Christians and Muslims in the Levant, there is a joint celebration called Khamis al-Amwat, or the Thursday of the Dead that falls between the Catholic and Orthodox Easters and has occurred since at least the 12th century. It is a time to honor the departed souls by visiting graves, distributing food to friends, relatives, and those in need, and giving gifts like dyed eggs.
Undas – Philippines
Undas is a Filipino festival honoring the dead. As the Philippines are a former colony of Spain, many of their indigenous traditions were combined with Spanish and Catholic All Souls and All Saints Day traditions to create Undas which is a shortening of “Dia Delos Todos Santos”, the Spanish name for All Saints Day. The night of October 31st is celebrated as Pangangaluluwa (or souling) a Tagalog tradition where people walk from house to house singing and getting small gifts. On the following days, people honor their dead by visiting the cemetery, cleaning, decorating graves, and eating meals in the cemetery. They also celebrate by kite fighting, karaoke, playing with wax balls made from the candles in the cemetery. The practice of leaving food for the dead is called pagaatang and has been around since pre-colonial times. Some popular foods to have are Arroz Caldo (a chicken and rice dish) and kakanins (sweets made from rice and coconut milk).
Pchum Ben – Cambodia and Buddhist
Pchum Ben (also known as the Balled Rice Gathering or Ancestor’s Day) is a 15-day Cambodian and Buddhist festival that is typically near the beginning of October. This is a time for people to pay their respects to the last seven generations in their families and welcome their return. The holiday comes in three stages where first, people clean and visit pagodas as a place to welcome their ancestors. Second, they prepare and offer food and gifts to the returning souls, and finally they prepare food to send back with their ancestors to the afterlife. It is said the returning souls will visit seven pagodas looking for food and people throw rice balls (Bos Bay Ben) to appease the hungry ghosts.
Durga Puja – India and Hindu
Durga Puja is a Hindu festival celebrating the Hindu goddess Durga’s victory over Mahishasura (a shape-shifting demon). The festival starts with Mahalaya Shraddha a day of ritual set aside as a time for ancestors to come back to visit and bless their families. People make four kinds of offerings for Mahalaya Shraddha, Tarpan (water offerings), Pind Daan (food offerings), like Khir (a rice pudding) given to the Divine Mother (Durga) asking for protection and peace. The remaining offerings are, Brahmin Bhoj (feeding the priests), and Daan (giving to the poor).
Calan Gaeaf - Wales
Calan Gaeaf (meaning the first day of winter) is celebrated October 31-November 1 in Wales. The night was spent dressing in costume, pulling pranks, and dancing around bonfires. Families baked soul-cakes to give to friends, neighbors, and mummers (groups of people giving performances).
Guy Fawkes Night - England
In England this time is celebrated as Guy Fawkes Night (also Bonfire Night) and is observed on November 5. The holiday commemorates the failed Gunpowder Plot in 1605 when Guy Fawkes was arrested with explosives and the assassination of King James was stopped. People began celebrating by burning effigies, fireworks, bonfires, creating mischief and giving small treats or coins to passing children.
Earlier ancient celebrations by the Anglo-Saxon pagans in England were called Blōtmōnaþ (meaning Blood Month) referring to the animal sacrifices that were made to the gods at this time.
Dziady - Slavic Traditions
Dziady (Grandfather’s Eve) is a pre-Christian celebration from Slavic cultures in Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. It was celebrated twice a year, around the first day of May, and the first day of November and is for reconnecting with the spirits of those who have passed. Many of these traditions live on through the way people celebrate All Saints Day and also for those still practicing or reviving their pre-christian culture. People light fires in homes and at graves to guide souls home, while fires lit at crossroads were intended to prevent demons along with making and wearing Karaboshka masks. They would prepare meals with eggs, meat, pancakes, vodka and other treats for returning relatives either in the home or at the cemetery.
Kekri – Finland and Karelian peoples
In Finland, and amongst the Karelian peoples, they celebrate a 2,000 year-old pagan holiday called Kekri (meaning, Cycle) which celebrates the end of harvest and is a time to remember ancestors and honor the dead. Originally this day was celebrated at the end of September but was later moved by the church to coincide with All Saints Day. Kekri is celebrated with community bonfires, feasting, and children going from house to house asking for food while dressed up as Kekripukki, a mythological horned goat, and sometimes carrying carved turnips with light inside. People eat roasts with roasted root-vegetables and fried vendace (a fried fish). It’s popular for people to spend time in the sauna which is thought to aid in connections with those who have passed.
Deities for the Feasts of the Dead
Deities are an important lens to understand culture through. They are physical representations of the forces and energies we see interacting in our world. They give human, relatable images for spiritual ideas and are often imbued with stories and traditions that tell the history and culture of a people. Deities give us something to interact with and enact energy upon. Depending on your background and culture, deity worship could include more solemn expressions like closed rites or could be as casual as putting up a picture of your hero to invoke their energy in your life.
Ala - Igbo
Ala is the Igbo mother-goddess of the earth, fertility, and morality. She is the ruler of the underworld and holds the deceased ancestors in her womb (buried in the earth). After death, she determines if each person has Mejuo Ala (pacified the earth) to atone for any crimes committed against Ala so they can be accepted into her.
Arawn - Welsh
Arawn is the Welsh ruler of Annwn (the Otherworld) who travels with a pack of red-eared hounds with glowing eyes. The hounds are said to fly through the skies in autumn and winter looking for wandering spirits.
Baron Samedi - Shawn OLeary, 2018
Baron Samedi - Vodou
Baron Samedi is the leader of the Gede spirits in Vodou tradition. Like the other Gede, he is known to be a trickster and is the guardian between the living and the dead. He is often depicted as a tall man with a top hat, tailcoat, skull cane and sunglasses.
Cailleach - Celtic
Cailleach is the Celtic mother-goddess and queen of winter who is associated with winter, storms, and cold. She arrives back to the world on Samhain to bring in the dark and cold days of winter.
Durga - Hindu
Durga is the Hindu mother-goddess of seasons, life, death, and birth. She is celebrated during Durga Puja in thanks for the harvest and her eternal life force as well as for her victory over the shape-shifting demon, Mahishasura, showing the triumph of good over evil.
Gaia - Greek
Gaia is the Greek mother-goddess who embodies the earth, the change of seasons, and all of life. She is honored as the ancestral mother of all life in late September at Genesia, a festival for mourning the dead and giving food to passed relatives.
Hel - Norse
Hel is a Norse goddess of death and ruler of the underworld. She is the daughter of Loki, the trickster god. She is tasked with receiving the dead and comforting the poor and sick.
Hukluban - Tagalog
Hukluban is a Tagalog goddess of death and one of the rulers of Kasamaan (the underworld or hell). Her name means crone or hag and she is known for her shapeshifting abilities and has the power to instantly kill or heal.
Kekripukki - Finland
Kekripukki is a masked-horned creature (similar to a goat) who visits homes during Kekri demanding food and drink. Some believe the Kekripukki is an early version of Joulupukki (the Finnish Santa Claus).
Ladi Wen - Welsh
Ladi Wen (the White Lady) is a Welsh spirit who embodies the wise crone and the darkness of winter. She appears to people on Calan Gaeaf sometimes accompanied by Hwch Ddu Gwta (the Black Short-tailed Sow) who looks for lost souls.
Mictēcacihuātl – Aztec
Mictēcacihuātl is the Aztec goddess of the dead and ruler of Mictlān, the underworld. She keeps watch over the bones of the dead and is honored at the festivals of the dead. La Catrina, the Lady of Death associated with Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos is believed to be a modern interpretation of this ancient goddess.
Mokosh - Slavic
Mokosh is the Slavic mother-goddess, protector of women, and ruler of death. She is celebrated both in the spring and late October at the Festival of Mokosh. Some believe Baba Yaga is a personification of her.
Nephthys - Egyptian
Nephthys is the Egyptian goddess of death, mourning, and night. She is the daughter of the sky goddess (Nut) and the earth god (Geb). Nephthys is often called upon during funerals to protect the dead.
Osiris - Egyptian
Osiris is the Egyptian god of agriculture, the afterlife, and ruler of the underworld. He is often depicted as a pharaoh with green skin because of his connection to rebirth and fertility. He judges souls to determine if they can gain entry to the journey through the Duat (the afterlife).
Papa Gede and Gede Family – Vodou
The Gede family led by their patriarch, Papa Gede (the first man to have ever died) are the family of Hatian Voudo spirits associated with death, fertility, and regeneration. The family is called to escort the deceased to their new afterlife and Papa Gede is called on especially to protect children.
Yama – Buddhist and Hindu
Yama is the Lord of Death in both Buddhist and Hindu traditions. He was the first mortal to die and was made the god of death. Yama is associated with the underworld, judgement, and punishment of sinners. He is worshipped around this time at Yama Deepam.
Associations for the Feasts of the Dead
Through the passing of time and traditions we begin to associate different colors, foods, and other symbols with particular holidays. The meaning of different colors, animals, or plants come from what we observe about each thing and how we have interacted with it over generations. These associations have been built through time in our food, customs & the stories we tell our children, they give us physical methods to carry on tradition.
Colors
Orange – energy, warmth, & creativity
Brown – stability, harvest, security, & comfort
Black – death, power, mystery & darkness
Earthy Greens – renewal, balance & hope
Deep Purples – royalty, intuition, & mystery
Animals
Bats – rebirth, transition, & guidance
Cats – protections, freedom, & guardianship
Goats – fertility, strength, & resilience
Hounds – protection, loyalty, devotion & hard work
Owls – wisdom, intuition & guidance
Spiders – interconnectedness, resilience, & fate
Crows/Ravens – duality, spiritual strength, & rebirth
Stones
Bloodstone – decision-making, psychic attacks, & emotional vampires
Hematite – grounding, stability, transforming negativity
Jet – breaks negative patterns, clarity, & soothes grief
Obsidian – clarity, emotional release, protects against negativity
Onyx – protector, aids in death and rebirth, grounding
Smokey Quartz – letting go, grounding, & brings balance
Flowers
Chrysanthemums – grief, faithfulness, & joy
Crocus – rebirth, renewal, & transformation
Marigolds – remembrance, life & death
Strawflower – immortality, remembrance, & love
Thistle – strength, devotion, & determination
Food for the Feasts of the Dead
Food nourishes our soul and carries meaning and history. I love that the significance and message of different foods often comes from what it does, how it makes us feel, and the ways it was used in our history. Every culture and home has their own food traditions for holidays and seasons. These are usually based on what is local and fresh around us, and what we grew up with. Food is an important way we bring meaning and history into our celebrations.
Herbs
Anise – family connection, intuition, & protection
Cloves – brings clarity & drives away negative energy
Garlic – purification, transformation, & repels negativity
Mugwort – intuition, connection with ancestors & visions
Rosemary – ancestral memory, faithfulness, love
Sage – protection, clarity, wisdom & healing
Witch Hazel – divination, psychic amplification, & a guard against evil
Edible Plants
Apples – fertility, immortality, death, & knowledge
Blackberries - death, grief & the underworld - tradition says to eat any remaining by Samhain, the ones left afterwards are for the spirits
Nuts – prosperity, fertility, & good fortune
Pumpkins – abundance, fertility, & prosperity
Squash/Gourds – fertility, abundance, & new life
Turnips – protection, wards off evil, grounding
Traditional Foods
Soul Cakes (round cakes with a cross on top) are thought to have started in Britain, but now are eaten in many countries including, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, the Philippines, and Czechoslovakia,
People in many different countries give small sweets and treats to passing children and neighbors
Caramel apples are popular at Halloween in the United States
For Dia de los Muertos a popular treat is pan de muerto, a sweet bread shaped in a circle with anise, lemon, and orange
In Italy they eat cookies called ossi dei morti, the bones of the dead
Dishes with goat, goat cheese, and scotch bonnet peppers are eaten during Fet Gede in Haiti
At Pchum Ben people eat sticky rice with legumes, the rice balls are also thrown at pagodas waiting for ancestors to visit
Arroz Caldo (a chicken and rice dish) and kakanins (sweets made from rice and coconut milk) are eaten at Undas in the Philippines
For Kekri in Finland, people eat roasted root-vegetables and fried vendace (a fried fish)
Recipes
Braided Italian Bread
This is my go-to Italian bread recipe, one that started as a family recipe that I’ve changed a bit over time. It’s perfect for the Feast of the Dead because sesame seeds are often associated with death and it goes great with the Minestra dei Morti below.
1/4 c warm water
1 T yeast
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 1/2 T honey
3 1/2 - 4 c all purpose flour
3/4 T salt + topping
1 1/2 c warm water
1 T milk
Directions:
Put the yeast, olive oil, and honey in the 1/4 c of warm water and let it sit for 5-10 min to proof.
Begin adding in flour, additional water and salt slowly, mix to form.
Kneed for 5-10 minutes until it creates a nice ball. Place in a covered, oiled bowl.
Let rise 30-45 minutes until doubled.
Punch down, cover, and let rise another 45 min until doubled.
Take dough out and divide into three equal parts and form into ropes. Braid the dough, starting in the center and working out on both sides. Tuck the ends underneath and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise 45 minutes until doubled.
Brush with milk and top with salt and sesame seeds.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, and then drop to 325 for 30 minutes.
Spicy Squash
This is one of my favorites sides to make on a cold night, the spiciness cuts through the cold and warms the body and the soul. I first got this recipe about 10 years ago from Share, a cookbook through Ten Thousand Villages and Women for Women International and have made a couple changes.
1 large butternut squash
4-5 T olive oil
6–8 garlic cloves
3-5 sprigs of rosemary
1 hot red chile, finely chopped
1-2 T brown sugar
1/4 c pine nuts
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Peel squash, cut in half, remove seeds and cut into chunks (about 1” x 3”).
Put olive oil in a large baking dish and add squash, garlic, rosemary, chile, and salt and pepper. Toss to cover in oil, sprinkle sugar on top.
Roast in the oven for 40–55 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is soft and starting to caramelize.
Toast pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat until golden brown, then scatter them over the roasted squash and add lemon juice.
Minestra Dei Morti
This is the Italian Soup of the Dead that is often eaten at this time of year at Festa dei Morti. The soup has chickpeas (ceci) which are typically cooked for the souls of the dead. We started making this soup about a decade ago and it has become a great part of our tradition.
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 lbs pork
2 onions
1 large carrot
2 stalks celery
2 T fresh sage
1 sprig rosemary
6 cups water
2 t sea salt
1 1/3 c chickpeas (1 can)
parmesan cheese
Directions:
Chop pork into large chunks, chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Start a large pot on medium heat and add olive oil and brown the pork.
Add onions, celery, and carrots and saute until softened. Add herbs for another minute and then add chickpeas, water and salt
Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and let simmer for at least 30 minutes or until pork breaks up and vegetables are soft.
Serve with bread, and sprinkle parmesan cheese.
Pumpkin Pie
My pie maker is back to share another incredible recipe. I hated pumpkin pie until Russell started making this with real pumpkin and lots of spices. It is especially great with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Filling Ingredients:
1 small pie pumpkin (2 cups cooked)
1 can evaporated milk (1.5 cups)
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 t salt
3 T cinnamon
1 t ginger
1 t nutmeg (or allspice)
1/2 t clove
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
Crust Ingredients:
1 c flour
1/2 c butter or shortening
1/4 t salt
3 T milk or cold water
1 egg (for wash)
Directions:
Roast the pumpkin - Cut it in half crosswise, scoop the seeds out, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Add enough water to cover the surface of the baking sheet; that will help steam the pumpkin and prevent it from burning and sticking. Bake at 350 for about 60-70 minutes, or until pumpkin is very soft and the shell is collapsing. Add more water to the pan during roasting if it fully evaporates. Remove pumpkin and let it cool for a bit and then peel off the shell/skin; it should come off pretty easily if it has roasted long enough. Put the cooked pumpkin in a bowl and use a potato masher to get to a consistent but rough texture (won’t take long at all). I avoid using a blender or hand mixer because I like that more rustic texture instead of the very smooth purée texture a lot of pumpkin pies have.
Measure out two cups of cooked pumpkin and combine with all remaining ingredients. Stir by hand until the sugar, spices, and eggs have fully dissolved, are evenly distributed, and you have a consistent but rough texture (trying to avoid that purée feel).
In a separate bowl for the crust, combine the flour and salt. Add butter in tablespoon-sized chunks and cut in the butter with a pastry blender/cutter, until the butter is reduced to pea sized chunks. Add milk and gently combine, pressing together until a rough, shaggy dough forms. Avoid kneading it extensively, the less you work the crust, the flakier it will be.
Roll out the bottom crust on a well-floured surface. Gently fold it in half and carefully place in a standard pie dish (9”) and pour pumpkin filling into it.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for another 45 minutes, or until you can insert a knife and it comes out clean.
Ossi Dei Morti
Ossi dei Morti (the Bones of the Dead) are a traditional cookie in Italy and Sicily for All Souls Day and Festa dei Morti (the feastof the dead). This was my first year trying this cookie! I’ve had recipes saved for a few years and finally got around to it. I’m so glad I did! They are really good, a perfect little biscotti with a little chewiness and crunch. I made a couple of changes, but this recipe is closest to the one I found from Marissa’s Italian Kitchen.
1 c toasted almonds
1/4 c white sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 t lemon zest
2-3 egg whites
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond or fiori de sicilia extract
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t baking powder
1-2 T powdered sugar (for dusting)
Directions:
Place the almonds, 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse til you get a sandlike consistency.
In a medium, metal bowl, whip the egg whites with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar just until you get a white and shiny mixture. (Use 2 eggs if very large, and 3 if med).
Stir in both the the extracts, I used one called fiori de sicilia that I love, but almond is typically what is called for. Add the ground almond mixture, flour and baking powder to the egg white mixture and stir until well combined.
Turn out on a work surface and knead and squeeze the dough until it comes together. Add a little water if needed.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough out into ropes about 3/4 inches thick and cut into 3 inch lengths. Mold slightly to shape like bones if you’d like, or leave in tubular shape.
Bake 10-15 minutes depending on how crunchy you prefer. Let cool completely and dust with powdered sugar.
The Actions of Celebrating
Activities, crafts, and rituals are the ways we physically connect and carry on traditions from the past. It is through these physical manifestations that we learn to connect with our ancestors and the meaning of a holiday. Look for ways to acknowledge your history and traditions, while creating some of your own.
Traditional Activities, Crafts, and Rituals
Carving Jack-o-Lanterns
One of the oldest and most persistent traditions for this time of year is carving jack-o-lanterns. jack-o-lanterns came out of Celtic traditions as a part of Samhain, Calan Graef in Wales and Hop-tu-Naa on the Isle of Man. People heading to and from Samhain celebrations would carve turnips to hold a burning coal to light their path, a tradition that may have come from the story of Stingy Jack who wandered the earth at night with a turnip lantern. When Irish and Scottish immigrants came to America, they brought many traditions including carving jack-o-lanterns. After arriving, pumpkins, a native American crop were substituted for the turnips.
Dressing in Costume
Dressing in costume during celebrations of the dead are common at many holidays for the dead although there are varying reasons behind the tradition. At Samhain, people use it to confuse harmful spirits and keep evil energy away. At Dia de los Muertos costumes were used at the end of celebrations to scare the dead back to their world. And in Nigeria at Awuru Odo people dress up as representation of the spirits of the dead who have come back. Whatever your reason, join in the fun this year and pick out a costume!
Cleaning & Decorating Graves
Cleaning and decorating graves seems to be an almost universal expression of honoring the dead. We see it in so many cultures and holidays like Dia de los Muertos in Mexico and Central America, Fet Gede in Haiti, All Souls Day and Feasts of the Dead in Europe and throughout the Catholic diaspora. It is also traditional for Dziady in Slavic culture, Undas in the Philippines, and amongst the Igbo people of Nigeria for Awuru Odo. Set aside some time and energy this month to visit your local cemetery and give care to one of the graves there.
Small Ways to Celebrate
Indoor Activities
Light a candle to remember a passed loved one
Carve a Jack-o-lantern
Perform divination
Research your family tree
Set up a space with family photos, candles, and nature
Outdoor Activities
Collect seeds for the next year
Rake leaves or prune some plants
Visit a Cemetery
Trick-or-Treating or hand out candy
Go on a hike or drive to see the colorful leaves
Host friends for a bonfire
Candle Ritual
Honoring Ancestors who have Passed
Choose a place to set up. Bring in things to decorate the area, you can use photos of your loved ones, candles, flowers, important objects or make favorite foods and drinks from your ancestral line.
Light a candle or burn some herbs and call on your ancestors to come and be present. I like to say, ancestral family, friends, plants, and animals come and be present with me in this space.
Spend time with memories of those you loved, if you are in a group tell some stories of those who have passed.
Take bay leaves and write your hopes for your ancestors on them. Good wishes of peace in the afterlife, resolution, and healing. Read each leaf and then burn it, releasing it into the air. (Bay leaves are sometimes associated with freeing the dead).
When you are finished communing with your relatives, prepare to close communication. Thank them and send them on their way, I say, thank you for your presence here today, go on with peace and blessings.
Trick-or-Treat Tarot Spread
Here is a short and sweet little spread for this Halloween and season of the Feasts of the Dead.
Trick - one to be cautious of (something may be coming in to your life that is not what it seems, be cautious moving forward).
Treat - one to embrace (this is for meant for you, embrace it and see it through).
Meditations
Around us the world is starting to die, plants are letting go of their seeds, and the ground is turning cold. We are entering a time of waiting and hibernation, a necessary death before new life can come again. Even surrounded by death there is room for joy. This death creates space for us to take a break from the busyness of living, and it sets aside time to recharge and nourish before stepping out in the spring.
Take a moment and recognize your place within your ancestral family, the generations of people who came before you, those who surround you now, and those yet to come. You are made of their energy, stories, trauma and triumphs. This is a time to give thanks for the lessons living in you and seek healing for any generational trauma that is being carried through.