Michaelmas,
Blackberries,
Devils Spit Day
and
Michaelmas Dumplings
Michaelmas – Goose Day
(or Devil Spits Day!)
Michaelmas, a wonderful celebration of harvest’s end and the start of autumn’s mists and mellow fruitfulness, as Keats wrote in his famous poem. I have always loved this time of year and am fascinated with the ancient feast and festivals that surround this now mostly forgotten date. Although Michaelmas is celebrated on the 29th September, when the calendar was reformed in 1752, “Old Michaelmas Day” was moved to the 10th October. Old Michaelmas Day is also called “Devil Spits Day”; it’s the last day that blackberries should be picked, according to old British folklore. This is known as the day that the Devil came to earth; he fell from the skies, straight onto a blackberry bush, whereupon he cursed the fruit, scorched them with his fiery breath, stamped on them and then spat on them making them unfit to eat! Although in my experience, they are usually a little past their sell by date by this stage, a bit “blown” or maggoty!
An old Irish proverb says:
“On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on blackberries”
Michaelmas, or the Feast of Michael and All Angels, is also one of the “quarter days”. There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas (25th December)). They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes. These were the four dates on which servants were hired, rents were due or leases begun. It was also a time that new servants were hired and debts were paid. Many of the Goose or Michaelmas Fairs were “Hiring Fairs” where servants would hope to find new employment.
With harvest over, Michaelmas also marked the start of autumn and was time for the farmers to pay their debts, often presenting their landlords with a goose. Goose Fairs are still associated with Michaelmas, when it is probably the best time of year to eat goose. Free-range geese, having feasted on the stubble in the wheat fields, are particularly tasty at this time of year, when they have not yet put on the fat required to take them through the winter. The day was often known as “Goose Day” and goose fairs were held. Even now, the famous Nottingham Goose Fair is still held on or around the 3rd of October.
Traditionally, in the British Isles, a well-fattened goose, fed on the stubble from the fields after the harvest, is eaten to protect against financial need in the family for the next year; and as the saying goes:
“Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day,
Want not for money all the year”.
Want not for money all the year”.
This Michaelmas, I hope that your larders are well stocked and your landlord has been paid his goose, now you can enjoy the feasting and merriment that this celebration brings! Happy Goose Day!
See you soon,
Karen
This recipe has been entered into Ren’s
and also in Kate’s FABULOUS
over at What Kate Baked.
This article, (including recipe and photos) was originally published in Country Kitchen Magazine, October 2009 ~ written and submitted by me, Karen S Booth.
Michaelmas Dumplings
A comforting recipe from my childhood, my mum would make these fluffy little dumplings every Michaelmas, or when the blackberries were in season, but before Devil Spits Day of course! This is a wonderful way to end an autumn meal, whether it be for the family during the week or a celebratory dinner party. Serve these dumplings with fresh pouring cream or home-made custard. This recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
● 4 ozs (100g) freshly picked blackberries
● 1 medium sized cooking apple, Bramley apples are best
● 4 ozs (100g) Self Raising flour
● Pinch salt
● 1 oz (25g) butter or margarine
● White granulated sugar
● Cold milk
● ½-pint (300 ml) water
Directions:
1. Wash the blackberries and then peel, core and quarter the cooking apple. Place the flour and the salt in a mixing bowl and with your fingertips; rub the butter or margarine into the flour. Stir in 3 level teaspoons of white sugar and then mix to a soft dough with about 4 tablespoons of cold milk.
2. Divide the dumpling dough into 4 pieces on a floured board and carefully mould a piece around each quarter of an apple, making sure that the apple is completely covered.
3. Dissolve about 1 tablespoon of sugar in the water in a medium sized saucepan and add the blackberries. Bring them to a gentle boil and then place the apple dumplings on top of the blackberries, cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes, do NOT take the lid off for the first 15 minutes! Serve one apple dumpling per person with some of the blackberries spooned over the top; fresh pouring cream or custard makes a nice accompaniment.
Really interesting info about Michaelmas and lovely pics.
Karen, really great post! I love the fact you have weaved a bit of history regarding Michaelmas. I have certainly learned from this.
Apples and Blackberries – a perfect combination!
Karen, the blackberries are virtually finished here, they are so fleeting! Your dumplings look scrummy!
WE love Michaelmass Dumplings here! Yours look fabulous! xxoo
Your food always looks so delicious, the dumplings look amazing!
Bee happy x
Have a delicious day!
Karen,
Now I know where your cooking ability comes from! How lucky to have a mother that can bake beauties such as these dumplings……:}
I have to admit I didn't know anything of that. Thanks for sharing!
The dumplings look truly scrumptious!
My Mum used to make something very similar, but without apples alone. They were one of my favourite puddings as a child!
SO interesting… the dumplings look fabulous… I know The Viking would adore these, he loves anything puddingy like this… I must get around to doing these two challenges too!
I've never had one..they look great and w/ the fruits and vines draped about..very appetizing!
I (very briefly) talked about Michaelmas today, as well. I love the look of your dumplings! I agree that by October 10th, blackberries would be a bit past it!
I guess it's a good thing our landlords just want a check for our rent, because goose season doesn't start until October 29th and they're never available in the grocery store!
I will, in future, be strict with myself & NOT look at your posts unless I have just eaten & have a very full tummy! Those dumplings just look too gorgeous…
Loved the history lesson and background on this time of year – thank you! Adore all things legendary and folklorish 🙂 Beautiful recipe, too. Looks so simple but with such pleasing results!
i guess goose and blackberries are on my list of things to pick up on the way home from work tomorrow! 🙂
How interesting. Never heard of Devil's spit day, we obviously ignore that in Scotland. We are still in Lammas just now which usually results in horrendous floods, but the sun is our this week. The fair is in town too that is a sure sign of Lammas Fair. Our Blackberries are shockingly bad this year, very few of them. The dumplings look yummy!
What a great post. I loved learning all about these very interesting days revolving around blackberries.The photos are awesome as well.
Great post Karen. How can I be so ignorant I wonder. We have a Goose Fair down here and I had no idea about why. Now I do though, so thank you for that. Your blackberry and dumpling pud looks fabulous – great photos.
Like you Karen I find this time of the year sooo interesting. Michaelmas (such a great word )has always been celebrated in this house a tradition carried on from my family.
I'm new to your blog – it's lovely. Great post!
these look really tasty and again something I would never have thought
this just makes my mouth water!! we have a good supply of blackberries in our freezer as we found an old forgotten patch cant wait to try this YUMMY