C is for Cakes and Ale (PBP 2014)

I'm not afraid to admit that cakes and ale is my favorite part of ritual. For me, my spirituality is a very personal path, and it has been that way for as long as I can remember. I intentionally choose to be a part of a group not because they all believe or practice the same way that I do (they certainly don't)--it is because of the community it provides, and I see cakes and ale as a major part of fostering that community.

It is very important to me that I bring something to contribute for cakes and ale, because it means that I am helping to nourish and sustain the community. Last week for Imbolc, I brought a bottle of home-brewed mead (the Rocky Mountain Red, for those of you who are longer-time readers of this blog), and a bowl of fruit salad. As we were honoring several triads of goddesses, including the Norns, I chose 3 different types of berries-strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, sprinkled a little raw sugar over them and let them mascerate. By the end of ritual the entire bowl was demolished, and most of the mead was gone! I enjoy being mindful of what I choose to contribute and connecting it to the ritual or the season we are celebrating somehow. For Yule I brought my crockpot and served heated spiced cider (wassail!) and citrus solstice cookies stamped with my sun cookie stamp (those were a huge hit with my friends' son who kept grabbing them off the plate and running from his father!). I also made a deep, dark gingerbread Yule Log topped with 'snow' (powdered sugar) in my mother's bouche de Noel pan. For a food-based ritual last summer I made fiery red curried lentils. For our annual Beltane picnic I usually make what I refer to as 'Freya's Salad' with baby spinach, strawberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese, and home-made fig balsamic vinaigrette. For Ostara, I usually make something with eggs (sorry vegans!). You get the idea.

For me, cakes and ale is a time to ground, get to know the other folks in my group, as well as allow them to get to know me. I think that's a part of the work we do, too. It's not always easy for folks to be themselves, their true selves, to open up, communicate without fear, and trust others. Food has an amazing way of comforting and relaxing people, and it provides a vehicle for this.

Another part of cakes and ale that I really enjoy is libation; taking a portion of our food and drink and offering it to the Gods with thanks. It reminds me of the Asatru ritual of blot. I think this simple action can be very powerful.