FINNAN HADDIE
Let's try and catch a couple of fish on the same hook here! This item is traditional Scottish, a recipe, and something with which I am personally aquainted from early childhood on the coa...FINNAN HADDIE
Let's try and catch a couple of fish on the same hook here! This item is traditional Scottish, a recipe, and something with which I am personally aquainted from early childhood on the coast of Maine. Back when I was a kid, my dad worked as a fisherman so fish was a frequent menu item at my house come suppertime and one of my favorites was finnan haddie. It used to be much more common in the grocery store back then than what it is today probably because fresh fish is more readily available now so the requirement for a longer shipping life is gone. The recipe is simple:
In a baking dish place the finnan haddie and add milk to about half the thickness of the fish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serve with lots of butter.
from the web...
For many Americans, finnan haddie recipes might sound like something exotic. But many of us have eaten this type of food under its more common name—smoked haddock.
Origins of Finnan Haddie Recipes
This white fish became popular in the coastal town of Findon, Scotland. Also known as Finnan, the catch was so well-known in the area that it soon took on the local name. In its original form, finnan haddie recipes were simple and primitive meals. Fisherman simply cleaned and split the fish, then smoked it right on the beach over a peat fire. Most chefs do more with the fish now, of course.
A Breakfast Fish?
In Scotland and other parts of Europe, finnan haddie recipes are a breakfast staple. Served alongside oatmeal, pancakes, and toast, it provides a hearty breakfast that that fills you up without the high calories and cholesterol that comes with other traditional breakfast staples. The grilled and poached versions of this fish are much healthier than bacon and eggs.
Europeans, in fact, rarely eat finnan haddie for anything other than breakfast. Serving it alongside mashed potatoes or with a white sauce is more common in New England and other parts of the United States.
Some people complain about the saltiness of the fish, but this is easy enough to fix. Simply simmer it gently in water before cooking it and discard the water. Much of the salt will be pulled from the fish, leaving you with just the haddock flavor. .
Retrieved from "http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Category:Finnan_Haddie_Recipes"
Three shillings and ten pence
In the early days of the nineteenth century, an Edinburgh priest who had moved to Perth, called Father McKay, was approached by a woman who had been troubled for sometime ...Three shillings and ten pence
In the early days of the nineteenth century, an Edinburgh priest who had moved to Perth, called Father McKay, was approached by a woman who had been troubled for sometime by a conscience-stricken ghost. The problem was solved without the need for exorcism or dramatic intervention of any kind. Anne Simpson, the woman who sought after Father McKay's assistance, was not of the Catholic faith, but she had good reason for asking the help of a Catholic priest. It turned out that the ghost that had been appearing to her night after night was that of a woman whom she had know as a familiar figure around the army barracks nearby. The woman's name was Molloy, and she had worked in the barracks laundry. Mrs. Molloy's ghost, when it appeared to Anne Simpson, was most persistent. Mrs. Molloy owed money - three shillings and ten pence. She wanted Anne Simpson to tell a priest and ask him to set matters right. So here was Anne Simpson, tired of constantly interrupted sleep, doing the bidding of a ghost! Lesser men might have sent the poor woman away and told her to stop talking such nonsense, but Father McKay listened to her story patiently and assured her he would see what he could do. He made enquiries at the barracks first of all. Sure enough, there had been a woman called Molloy working there, but she had died some time before. Had she owed any money to anybody in the barracks, the priest wanted to know. No, she had not owed any money there. The priest had to take his search a little farther a field. Visiting local traders, he found himself in the grocer's shop. When he asked about Mrs. Molloy, he discovered that when she had died she was in debt to the grocer. And the amount of the debt? Three shillings and ten pence exactly. The kindly priest settled the outstanding amount and left the shop. When he saw Anne Simpson some days later, he asked whether Mrs. Molloy's ghost had appeared to her recently. He was quite relieved to hear that the ghost seemed to have gone. Obviously the spirit of Mrs. Molloy felt at peace now that she had got all her affairs in order!
The following tale is taken from:
Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend
By Donald Alexander Mackenzie
[1917]
The Maid-of-the-Wave
The mermaid, or, as she is called in Gaelic, Maid-of-the-Wave, has gre...The following tale is taken from:
Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend
By Donald Alexander Mackenzie
[1917]
The Maid-of-the-Wave
The mermaid, or, as she is called in Gaelic, Maid-of-the-Wave, has great beauty and is sweet-voiced. Half her body is of fish shape, and glitters like a salmon in sunshine, and she has long copper-coloured hair which she loves to comb as she sits on a rock on a lonely shore, gazing in a mirror of silver, and singing a song in praise of her own great beauty. Sometimes, on moonlight nights, she takes off her skin covering and puts on sea-blue garments, and then she seems fairer than any lady in the land.
Once a young crofter was wandering below the cliffs on a beautiful summer night when the wind was still and the silver moon shone through the clear depths of ocean, casting a flood of light through Land-under-Waves. He heard sounds of song and laughter. He crept softly towards a shadowy rock, and, climbing it, looked down on a bank of white sand. There he beheld a company of mermaids dancing in a ring round a maid who was fairest of the fair. They had taken off their skin coverings, and were gowned in pale blue, and, as they wheeled round about, their copper tresses streamed out behind their backs, glistening in the moonlight. He was delighted by their singing and amazed at their beauty.
At length he crept stealthily down the rock, and ran towards the skin coverings lying on the sand. He seized one and ran off with it. When the mermaids saw him they screamed and scattered in confusion, and snatching up their skin coverings, leapt into the sea and vanished from sight. One maid remained behind. This was the fair one round whom the others had been dancing. Her skin covering was gone, and so she could not return to her sea home.
Meanwhile the crofter ran to his house and hid the skin covering in a box, which he locked, placing the key in his pocket. He wondered what would happen next, and he had not long to wait. Someone came to his door and knocked softly. He stood listening in silence. Then he heard the knocking again, and opened the door. A Maid-of-the-Wave, clad in pale sea-blue garments, stood before him, the moonlight glistening on her wet copper hair. Tears stood in her soft blue eyes as she spoke sweetly saying: "O man, have pity and give me back my skin covering so that I may return to my sea home."
She was so gentle and so beautiful that the crofter did not wish her to go away, so he answered: "What I have got I keep. Do not sorrow, O fair one. Remain here and be my bride."
The mermaid turned away and wandered along the shore, but the crofter did not leave his house. In the morning she returned again, and the crofter said to her: "Be my bride."
The mermaid consented saying: "I cannot return to my fair sea home. I must live now among human beings, and I know no one except you alone. Be kind to me, but do not tell man or woman who I am or whence I came."
The crofter promised to keep her secret, and that day they were married. All the people of the township loved Maid-of-the-Wave, and rejoiced to have her among them. They thought she was a princess from a far country who had been carried away by the fairies.
For seven years the crofter and his wife lived happily together. They had three children, two boys and a girl, and Maid-of-the-Wave loved them dearly.
When the seventh year was drawing to a close the crofter set out on a journey to Big Town, having business to do there. His wife was lonely without him, and sat often on the shore singing songs to her baby girl and gazing over the sea.
One evening, as she wandered amidst the rocks, her eldest boy, whose name was Kenneth, came to her and said: "I found a key which opened Father's box, and in the box I saw a skin like the skin of a salmon, but brighter and more beautiful, and very large."
His mother gasped with surprise and secret joy, and asked softly: "Will you give me the key?"
Kenneth handed the key to her, and she hid it in her bosom. Then she said: "It is getting late. The moon will not rise till near midnight. Come home, little Kenneth, and I shall make supper, and put you to bed, and sing you to sleep."
As she spoke she began to sing a joyous song, and Kenneth was glad that his mother was no longer sad because his father was from home. He grasped his mother's hand, and tripped lightly by her side as they went homeward together.
When the two boys had supper, and were slumbering in bed, the crofter's wife hushed her girl-baby to sleep, and laid her in her cradle. Then she took the key from her bosom and opened the box. There she found her long-lost skin covering. She wished to return to her fair sea home, yet she did not care to leave her children. She sat by the fire for a time, wondering if she should put on the skin covering or place it in the box again. At length, however, she heard the sound of singing coming over the waves, and the song she heard was like this:--
Maid-of-the-Wave, the dew mist is falling,
Thy sisters are calling and longing for thee;
Maid-of-the-Wave, the white stars are gleaming,
Their bright rays are streaming across the dark sea.
Maid-of-the-Wave, would thou wert near us!
Come now to cheer us--Oh, hear us! Oh, hear us!
Maid-of-the-Wave, a sea-wind is blowing,
The tide at its flowing hath borne us to thee;
Maid-of-the-Wave, the tide is now turning--
Oh! we are all yearning our sister to see.
Maid-of-the-Wave, come back and ne'er leave us,
The loss of thee grieves us--believe us! believe us!
Maid-of-the-Wave, what caredst thou in childhood
For moorland or wildwood? thy home was the sea.
Maid-of-the-Wave, thine exile and sorrow
Will end ere the morrow, and thou shalt be free.
Maid-of-the-Wave, to-night from our sea-halls
A heart-spell on thee falls--the sea calls! the sea calls!
She kissed the two boys and wept over them. Then she knelt beside her little baby girl, who smiled in her sleep, and sang:
Sleep, oh! sleep my fair, my rare one,
Sleep, oh! sleep nor sigh nor fret thee.
Though I leave thee it doth grieve me--
Ne'er, oh! ne'er will I forget thee.
Sleep, oh! sleep, my white, my bright one,
Sleep, oh! sleep and know no sorrow.
Soft I kiss thee, I who'll miss thee
And thy sire who'll come to-morrow.
Sleep, oh! sleep my near, my dear one,
While thy brothers sleep beside thee.
They will waken all forsaken--
Fare-thee-well, and woe betide me!
When she had sung this song she heard voices from the sea calling low and calling sweet:
Maid-of-the-Wave, oh! list to our singing;
The white moon is winging its way o'er the sea.
Maid-of-the-Wave, the white moon is shining,
And we are all pining, sweet sister, for thee.
Maid-of-the-Wave, would thou wert near us!
Come now to cheer us--Oh, hear us! Oh, hear us!
The weeping mother kissed her boys and her baby-girl once again. Then she put on her skin covering and, hastening down the beach, plunged into the sea. Ere long, sounds of joy, and laughter were heard far out amongst the billows, and they grew fainter and fainter until they were heard no more. The moon rose high and fair, and shone over the wide solitary ocean, and whither the mermaids had gone no one could tell.
When the crofter returned next morning he found the children fast asleep. He wakened Kenneth, who told him about finding the key and opening the box.
"Where is the key now?" the crofter asked.
"I gave it to Mother," said the boy.
The crofter went towards the box. It was open, and the skin covering was gone. Then he knew what had happened, and sat down and sorrowed because Maid-of-the-Wave had gone.
It is told that the lost mother often returned at night-time to gaze through the cottage windows on her children as they lay asleep. She left trout and salmon for them outside the door. When the boys found the fish they wondered greatly, and their father wept and said: "Your mother is far away, but she has not forgotten you."
"Will Mother return again?" the boys would ask.
"No, Mother will not return," their father would say. "She now dwells in the home of her people, to which you and I can never go."
When the boys grew up they became bold and daring seamen, and no harm ever came to them in storm or darkness, for their mother, Maid-of-the-Wave, followed their ship and protected it from all peril.
The Kindly Wulver
Wulvers are ofter called werewolves, but legend shows they are quite different. Said to inhabit the Shetland Islands off the coast of northeast Scotland. The ancient Celts believed th...The Kindly Wulver
Wulvers are ofter called werewolves, but legend shows they are quite different. Said to inhabit the Shetland Islands off the coast of northeast Scotland. The ancient Celts believed that the Wulver evolved from wolves, and that the Wulver symbolizes the in-between stage of man and wolf. With the head of a wolf, the body of a man, and covered in short brown hair, the Wulver lives alone in a cave. Unlike his werewolf brethren, the Scottish Wulver is considered kindhearted, and he will often guide lost travelers to nearby towns and villages.
The Wulver was frequently spotted fishing for its daily meal from a rock dubbed, ‘The Wulver’s Stane’ (Wolf Stone), and as long as he was left alone, a Wulver showed no aggression. Habitually, this peace-loving creature demonstrated a benevolent side as well, and oft-times was observed leaving extra fish on the windowsill of poor families.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much documentation on the elusive Wulver, the last reported sighting being in the early twentieth century. Considering there are few bad stories connected with the beast, many believe an encounter providential, and may lead a person to treasure buried amongst ancient ruins. Conversely, others view Wulver sightings as omens of imminent death.
The Wulver has two legs and is half human unlike a werewolf.
Werewolf tales abound, cloaked in terror, wonder and ill will. Therefore, if ever you find yourself lost on the fog-shrouded shores of the Shetland Isles, you’d do well to pray the benign Wulver finds you first, and guides you safely home.
Amanda Moffet shared a photo
Have just come back from Lewis/Harris and was collecting some stories while I was there. Have just wrote this one:
http://www.tartanfootprint.com/blog/1024/the-blue-...
Wish Trees and Clootie Wells
A Wish Tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified a...Wish Trees and Clootie Wells
A Wish Tree is an individual tree, usually distinguished by species, position or appearance, which is used as an object of wishes and offerings. Such trees are identified as possessing a special religious or spiritual value. By tradition, believers make votive offerings in order to gain from that nature spirit or goddess fulfillment of a wish.
One form of votive offering is the token offering of a coin. One such tree still stands near Ardmaddy House in Argyll, Scotland. The tree is a hawthorn, a species traditionally linked with fertility, as in 'May Blossom'. The trunk and branches are covered with hundreds of coins which have been driven through the bark and into the wood. The local tradition is that a wish will be granted for each of the coins so treated.
On the island of St Maol Rubha or St Maree, in Loch Maree, Gairloch in the Highlands is an oak Wish Tree made famous by a visit in 1877 by Queen Victoria and its inclusion in her published diaries. The tree, and others surrounding it, are festooned with hammered in coins. It is near the healing well of St Maree, to which votive offerings were made. Records show that bulls were sacrificed openly up until the 18th century.
Full article is here: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Wish+Tre...
Clootie wells (also Cloutie or Cloughtie wells) are places of pilgrimage in Celtic areas. They are wells or springs, almost always with a tree growing beside them, where strips of cloth or rags have been left, usually tied to the branches of the tree as part of a healing ritual. In Scots nomenclature, a "clootie" or "cloot" is a strip of cloth or rag.
When used at the clootie wells in Scotland and Ireland, the pieces of cloth are generally dipped in the water of the holy well and then tied to a branch while a prayer of supplication is said to the spirit of the well - in modern times usually a saint, but in pre-Christian times a goddess or local nature spirit. This is most often done by those seeking healing, though some may do it simply to honour the spirit of the well. In either case, many see this as a probable continuation of the ancient Celtic practice of leaving votive offerings in wells or pits.
In Scotland, near the villages of North Kessock and Munlochy, 1 mile west of Munlochy on the A832, is a clootie well at an ancient spring dedicated to Saint Curidan (or Curitan), where rags are still hung on the surrounding bushes and trees. Here the well was once thought to have had the power to cure sick children who were left there overnight. Craigie Well at Avoch on the Black Isle has both offerings of coins and clooties. Rags, wool and human hair were also used as charms against sorcery, and as tokens of penance or fulfilment of a vow.
Full article is here: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/clootie+...
Hope everyone likes this new page. I will use it to post short articles regarding the customs, myths and legends of Scotland. The page is open to all so feel free to post anything you may have along t...Hope everyone likes this new page. I will use it to post short articles regarding the customs, myths and legends of Scotland. The page is open to all so feel free to post anything you may have along these same lines.
See 1 more posts from Customs,
The Kelpie of Loch Garve
The story of the Kelpie of Loch Garve (so it's technically an Each Uisge, but we'll keep it as Kelpie for this story) tells of a Kelpie that lived at the depths of the loch wit...The Kelpie of Loch Garve
The story of the Kelpie of Loch Garve (so it's technically an Each Uisge, but we'll keep it as Kelpie for this story) tells of a Kelpie that lived at the depths of the loch with his wife.
Now the Kelpie obviously loved his cold wet lair at the bottom of the loch, and was well settled in his element. Although he would make trips on land (most likely hunting mortals) he was always glad to get home. His wife, however, was less impressed. She always felt the terrible cold, and shivered endlessly in that miserable lair at the bottom of the murky loch. At first the Kelpie put this down to her making a fuss over nothing, but as time went by she became more and more unhappy. Fearing that she might leave him, and worried about her welfare, the Kelpie racked his brains wondering what to do.
The very next day he made a decision. He went to shore and transformed himself into a handsome jet-black stallion (as kelpies mostly do) and made for the cottage of a local famous builder. The Kelpie tramped at the hearthstone until the man came out. Seeing this handsome black stallion standing before him, the man, either against his better judgement or oblivious to the warnings of waterhorses, was enticed to climb upon the horse's back. Immediately he became stuck fast, and the Kelpie galloped at high speed towards the loch with the terrified builder on his back. The Kelpie plunged into the icy waters, his tail pounding the surface like a thunder crash. As the two made their descent the reluctant passenger uttered a prayer. In what seemed like an age the builder was carried down into the black waters, but for some reason did not drown.
When they reached the bottom the Kelpie let the builder dismount, explained his predicament, and promised no hurt upon the builder or his family. He made a bargain that if the builder would do a small favour, then he and his family would have a plentiful supply of fish until the day he died: they would never want for food from the loch.
So the builder - in accordance with the Kelpies wishes - set about building a huge magnificent fireplace and lum the like of which no mortal eyes had ever seen. The great chimney twisted upwards through the dark waters to almost the surface, to carry the smoke far away from the lair. Then the fireplace was lit and a great fire sprang up and began warming the submerged home. When the Kelpie saw the sheer delight upon his dear wife's face, he knew that the builder had fulfilled his bargain and more!
He took the builder back up through the dark, icy waters, and to his house, as if nothing had gone amiss that night - for time in the lands of the faeries does not have the same meaning here. True to his word the Kelpie never forgot the work of the tradesman. The builder and his family were never unable to put fish on the table, and lived like royalty.
But what of the Kelpie and his wife? Well, when the loch freezes over in the midst of the coldest winters, some say there is still to this day a patch of water that never freezes; a small patch of water that never cools like the rest of the loch. Perhaps where a tall lum nearly reaches the surface. This is because a fire still burns merrily in the lair of the Kelpie and his happy wife.
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I agree Marilyn.. its a sweet thing.
