It's full of recipes and traditions all illustrated with photographs and water-colour paintings.
In the introduction to the book the author, who is a lace-maker, says she heard about Saint Catherine when reading about lacemakers in Tudor times celebrating their Patrons Day with merrymaking, Cattern Cakes and bohea tea. St Catherine had become the protector of young unmarried women when stories of her Martyrdom on a wheel of fire were brought back from The Holy Lands by returning Crusaders. Catherine of Alexandria was said to be beautiful and intelligent and after a vision converted to Christianity but was put to death in 310A.D by Emperor Maxentius.
Bohea tea is now known as Wuyi and is a type of black or oolong tea from China and Cattern Cakes (Cattern is a corrupted version of Catherine) are a sort of fruity/pastry/cinnamon swiss roll cut into slices before cooking.
I thought I'd make some just to see what they were like................quite good but don't think I'd bother again
I used the Cattern Cakes book and the others I collected, to write a page each month for a year for The Suffolk Smallholders Newsletter, it included many of the days I mention here on the blog but also A Shepherd's Calendar and Fresh Produce Available. After that I had nowhere to use all the bits and pieces of interest in my books so Hooray for blogging!
Back Tomorrow
Sue
We your readers are grateful that you pass on all these interesting nuggets of information.
ReplyDeleteI like to write something for people to read on a dull day!
DeleteYes, your blog posts are an education every day, Sue!
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteI bought that book many years ago too. Just my sort of book.
ReplyDeleteI meant to say, I love your new header photo, btw.
The beautiful colour of the leaves has disappeared now so it will be time for a new header soon.
DeleteLovely! Lovely! So delightful! Customs from one's Home Land! I love them, and thank you, for sharing them!!!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, may we continue to have and love our individual Home Lands! And their customs.
-happy sigh-
🔥💛🔥
I love these posts of folklore and customs. It feels good to read about days gone by. I may live across the sea but my families roots are in your beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy so much to read about the special days and old history about them. In Norway there is an old historic kind of calendar called Primstav. It is a piece of wood where there are symbols carved for special days. The symbol for St. Catherin's day is a wheel as reference to her death. But in practical life, these symbols were often associated with things to be done. And this wheel was interpreted as a spinning wheel, and that it was time to spin the wool.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy all your folklore and old customs posts, Sue. The Cattern cakes look very nice, but you weren't over enamoured with them?
ReplyDeleteThey were like a cross between a rock cake and a short-cake!
DeleteLove these posts!!! Thank you for sharing them with us.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Folklore is so fascinating. I love hearing about it and the different traditions that went along with each event.
ReplyDelete