sugar
1½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup water (or herbal tea)
1 teaspoon flavored extract (peppermint, orange, etc.)
½ teaspoon food coloring (optional)
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
In a medium saucepan, stir together the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Without stirring, heat to 300°F on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in flavored extract and food coloring, if desired. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet, and dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Let cool, and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Candied horehound is made by boiling down the fresh leaves and adding sugar to the juice thus extracted, and then again boiling the juice till it has become thick enough to pour into little cases made of paper.
—LADY ROSALIND NORTHCOTE, THE BOOK OF HERBS, 1903
FEBRUARY 1
Candlemas Eve.
End now the white-loafe and the pye,
And let all sports with Christmas dye.
Kindle the Christmas Brand, and then
Till sunne-set let it burne,
Which quencht, then lay it up agen,
Till Christmas next returne.
—RICHARD HERRICK
The equinoxes and solstices divide the year into quarters, while other celebrations mark the “cross-quarters.” Today is Imbolc, the first cross-quarter day of the Celtic year, celebrating the goddess Brighid. Other cross-quarter days: Beltane (May 1), Lughnasadh or Lammas (August 1), Samhain (November 1).
Brighid’s Day
Brighid (Bridget) is the Celtic goddess of poetry, healing, and metal crafting. Traditionally, hers was a feast of purification and new beginnings. Candles were lit on this night and on the following day, then saved to light the next year’s Yule log.
Ruby Wilcox celebrates Brighid’s Day by making a special herbal candle for this purpose, which she ceremoniously lights on Candlemas Eve. Here are the supplies you’ll need to make your own.
BRIGHID’S CANDLE
a pillar candle
votive candles in the same color as the pillar candle
empty, clean metal can
pan
small paintbrush
several kinds of dried and fresh herbs and flowers:
leaves of bay, sage, fern, rue, thyme, germander,
boxwood, costmary
blossoms of violets, lavender, pot marjoram, chive,
hyssop, tansy, feverfew
seeds of dill, coriander, fennel
essential oil to scent the candle
ice pick or similar sharp-pointed tool
Melt votive candles in the metal can, placed in the pan of water over low heat. Lay out the herbs and plant material you’re going to use, either randomly or in a pattern. Use the paintbrush to dot melted wax onto the pillar candle where you want to apply an herb. Place the herb or flower on the wax and hold until fixed. Brush a thin layer of wax over the plant material. Continue this process until you like what you see. Brush a thin layer of wax over the pillar candle to cover and seal the herbal material. To scent your candle, heat the ice pick and drill five holes around the wick. Drop 2-3 drops of essential oil into each hole.
Read more about making candles:
The Big Book of Candles: Over 40 Step-by-Step Candle-making Projects , by Sue Heaser
Creative Candles , by Chantal Truber
FEBRUARY 2
Today is Candlemas Day.
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
But if Candlemas day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.
—TRADITIONAL ENGLISH WEATHER RHYME
Blessed Beginnings
The Catholic Church assimilated the pagan purification festival by linking it to the purification of the Virgin after the birth of Christ, “the light that brightens the darkness.” Worshippers brought their year’s supply of candles to the church to be blessed by the priest in a special Candle-Mass.
Candlemas continues the celebration of new beginnings. It was a day to prepare the fields for new plantings and to bless the fields to ensure a good
1½ cup light corn syrup
1 cup water (or herbal tea)
1 teaspoon flavored extract (peppermint, orange, etc.)
½ teaspoon food coloring (optional)
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
In a medium saucepan, stir together the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Without stirring, heat to 300°F on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat and stir in flavored extract and food coloring, if desired. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet, and dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Let cool, and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Candied horehound is made by boiling down the fresh leaves and adding sugar to the juice thus extracted, and then again boiling the juice till it has become thick enough to pour into little cases made of paper.
—LADY ROSALIND NORTHCOTE, THE BOOK OF HERBS, 1903
FEBRUARY 1
Candlemas Eve.
End now the white-loafe and the pye,
And let all sports with Christmas dye.
Kindle the Christmas Brand, and then
Till sunne-set let it burne,
Which quencht, then lay it up agen,
Till Christmas next returne.
—RICHARD HERRICK
The equinoxes and solstices divide the year into quarters, while other celebrations mark the “cross-quarters.” Today is Imbolc, the first cross-quarter day of the Celtic year, celebrating the goddess Brighid. Other cross-quarter days: Beltane (May 1), Lughnasadh or Lammas (August 1), Samhain (November 1).
Brighid’s Day
Brighid (Bridget) is the Celtic goddess of poetry, healing, and metal crafting. Traditionally, hers was a feast of purification and new beginnings. Candles were lit on this night and on the following day, then saved to light the next year’s Yule log.
Ruby Wilcox celebrates Brighid’s Day by making a special herbal candle for this purpose, which she ceremoniously lights on Candlemas Eve. Here are the supplies you’ll need to make your own.
BRIGHID’S CANDLE
a pillar candle
votive candles in the same color as the pillar candle
empty, clean metal can
pan
small paintbrush
several kinds of dried and fresh herbs and flowers:
leaves of bay, sage, fern, rue, thyme, germander,
boxwood, costmary
blossoms of violets, lavender, pot marjoram, chive,
hyssop, tansy, feverfew
seeds of dill, coriander, fennel
essential oil to scent the candle
ice pick or similar sharp-pointed tool
Melt votive candles in the metal can, placed in the pan of water over low heat. Lay out the herbs and plant material you’re going to use, either randomly or in a pattern. Use the paintbrush to dot melted wax onto the pillar candle where you want to apply an herb. Place the herb or flower on the wax and hold until fixed. Brush a thin layer of wax over the plant material. Continue this process until you like what you see. Brush a thin layer of wax over the pillar candle to cover and seal the herbal material. To scent your candle, heat the ice pick and drill five holes around the wick. Drop 2-3 drops of essential oil into each hole.
Read more about making candles:
The Big Book of Candles: Over 40 Step-by-Step Candle-making Projects , by Sue Heaser
Creative Candles , by Chantal Truber
FEBRUARY 2
Today is Candlemas Day.
If Candlemas day be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight;
But if Candlemas day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone, and will not come again.
—TRADITIONAL ENGLISH WEATHER RHYME
Blessed Beginnings
The Catholic Church assimilated the pagan purification festival by linking it to the purification of the Virgin after the birth of Christ, “the light that brightens the darkness.” Worshippers brought their year’s supply of candles to the church to be blessed by the priest in a special Candle-Mass.
Candlemas continues the celebration of new beginnings. It was a day to prepare the fields for new plantings and to bless the fields to ensure a good
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