Fuarag, or Hidden Charms
Fuarag was originally made in the north of Scotland and was a cooling drink of oatmeal mixed with water. Over time, it evolved into a dish of whipped cream and oatmeal, in which was hidden a ring, a button, a wishbone, and a coin. At Samhain, a large idsh of fuarag was made and everyone present ate communally from one large bowl. The finder of the ring would marry and whoever found the coin would become rich. Finding the wishbone meant that hopes for the future would come true, but the button meant poverty.
While Fuarag is rarely eaten in Scotland today, it is still eaten in Eastern Nova Scotia at Halloween. There are numerous recipes for fuarag, but this one includes whiskey, honey, and toasted oats.
Ingredients
1/3 cup/2 oz/55 g oatmeal
(as fine as you can buy)
1 1/4 cups/10 fl oz/300 ml cups fresh heavy cream
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp Scotch whiskey
A coin, a button, a wishbone, and a ring
(The wishbone should be well cleaned and dried and, like the charms, wrapped in waxed paper)
Method
Toast the oats under a broiler for several minutes, or until they are crisp and a pale golden brown. Whip the cream until very stiff and then stir in the honey, Scotch whiskey, and the charms. Place layers of cream and toasted oatmeal in a large glass bowl, hiding the charms in different layers. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Serve the fuarag by giving everyone a spoon (traditionally wooden) and inviting them to find the treasure. *Do not assemble the Fuarag more than three hours before eating.
Har Cakes or Thor Cakes
A Yorkshire recipe that my date back to the Vikings, these cakes were originally baked in honor of Thor, Norse God of thunder and lightning. They were traditionally made around the beginning of November. This old recipe makes about 4-5 lb (1.8-2.25 kg) of cookie dough, but you can easily halve the quantities. It is interesting to note that the biscuits contain fennel and coriander seeds, both traditionally associated with good luck, long life, and protection, in this life and in the journey to the Underworld.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups/12 oz/50 g butter
2 3/4 cups/1 lb/450 g oatmeal
3 1/2 cups/1 lb/450 g all-purpose flour
2 cups/1 lb/450 g sugar
1 cup/1 lb/450 g molasses
1/2 cup/2 oz/55 g candied peel
2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt
1 tsp mixed coriander seeds and fennel seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
Method
Rub the butter into the dry ingredients. Warm the molasses, then add and mix to a fairly stiff dough. Roll out until the dough is about 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) thick and cut into rounds. Sprinkle with extra seeds and bake in a preheated oven, 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), for 10 minutes.
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