Butter is a traditional food that celebrates the lactation of the ewes. Cake, bread, butter, or porridge are placed in the window as an offering to Brigid’s White Cow. The next morning these blessed foods can be eaten by the family. Butter or oil left out on Imbolc Eve is used to make healing salves and ointments throughout the year.

The herb blackberry is sacred to Brigid and blackberry pies, jams, jellies and wines are eaten in honor of Brigid.

In Scotland a bonnach bride or bannock of Bride with hidden fruits and nuts was made at Imbolc – a large one for the whole family and a smaller one for each member of the family. The family would eat the cakes in the field and throw a piece over each shoulder as an offering to spirits who might harm the fields and the flocks.

In Brittany the crepe is the traditional festival dish (their shape suggests the solar disk) and a potato dish – the Colcannon- was served.

Dandelion salad – an herb sacred to Brigid – was served on Imbolc to make a tasty and healthy early spring dish.

Herbs of Imbolc include: Angelica, Basil, Blackberry, Celandine, Coltsfoot, Heather, Iris, Myrrh, Tansy, Violet

Tomorrow learn how to make a Festive Imbolc Bread – so delicious it will disappear almost immediately. It is the HearthKeeper work of one of the Initiates in the Woman Shaman Priestess Healer Initiatory Journey.