The British Isles Historic Society Heritage, History, Traditions & Customs Foods of the British Isles Important dates in December to celebrate the traditions and customs of the British Isles Dec. 21st. Winter Solstice, (see page 2.) Dec. 25th. Christmas Day Dec. 26th. Boxing Day, / St. Stephen’s Day: In Dear Readers: Britain ‘Christmas Box’ was a name for giving a In this issue we celebrate a number of special Christmas present. Boxing Day was a day off for occasions: “the Winter Solstice”, “Christmas Day”, servants and when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ “Boxing Day / St. Stephen’s Day”, “New Years Eve”, from the master. ‘Boxing day’ would have been “Hogmanay (Scotland)” “Little Christmas (Ireland)”. named after the ‘Christmas box’ of money or gifts All these events are opportunities to share the which employers used to give to servants and wealth of the fine foods that are the Heritage, tradesmen. History, Traditions & Customs of the British Isles. A box to collect money for the poor was placed Many other nations go to great lengths to in Churches on Christmas day. The money would be share their nations customs and foods with others. distributed the day after. ‘Boxing day’ would have been named after this custom. As many dishes and menu items got their start in the British Isles and when transported to other Dec. 31st. New Years Eve countries were adapted as a dish created in their “Hogmanay” (Scotland) new home land. Jan. 1st. New Years Day The British Isles Historic Society has now been Jan 6th. “Little Christmas” (Ireland) in existence for a full year. We have held two British Isles Heritage Festivals and published newsletters featuring the foods, entertainment and history of the British Isles. We hope we have been successful in attaining some of the purposes of the society. (See page 2. ) seen as a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals. It marked the symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun. The seasonal significance of the winter solstice is in the reversal of the gradual lengthening of nights and shortening of days. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice The Winter Solstice The purposes of December 21st. 2020 The British Isles The winter solstice, hiemal solstice or hibernal Historic Society solstice, also known as midwinter, occurs when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from To do research and record Historic sites, the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each locations, names and landmarks that were founded hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that by the immigrants from the British Isles. hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the To dedicate the preserving, collecting, shortest period of daylight and longest night of the researching, and interpreting of historical year, when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum information. elevation in the sky. At the pole, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the winter solstice. Its To disseminate information about the history opposite is the summer solstice. Also the Tropic of of the community through exhibits, educational Cancer or Tropic of Capricorn depending on the programs and publications based on the Society’s hemispheres winter solstice the sun goes 90 degrees research. below the horizon at solar midnight to the nadir. To create ways to help future generations The winter solstice occurs during the understand their heritage. hemisphere's winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, To hold festivals and events related to the this is the December solstice (December 21st. 2020, British Isles. 10:03) and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the To circulate newsletters and other materials on June solstice (usually 20 or 21 June). Although the historic sites and landmarks. Including British Isles winter solstice itself lasts only a moment, the term Heritage, History, Traditions & Customs sometimes refers to the day on which it occurs. Other names are "midwinter", the "extreme of To work with British and Celtic organizations as winter" (Dongzhi), or the "shortest day". a public relations media. Traditionally, in many temperate regions, the winter solstice is seen as the middle of winter, but today in NOTICE: some countries and calendars, it is seen as the For copies of back issues of the British Isles beginning of winter. In meteorology, winter is Historic Society Newsletters on the Welsh, Irish, reckoned as beginning about three weeks before the Scottish, Manx, Cornish, and English in B.C. go to the winter solstice. Royal Society of St. George, U.K. website: https:// Since prehistory, the winter solstice has been rssg.org.uk/branches/overseas/americas/canada/ A Melton Mowbray or Pork Pie A pork pie is a traditional English meat pie, served either at room temperature or cold. It consists of a filling of roughly chopped pork and pork fat, surrounded by a layer of jellied pork stock in a hot water crust pastry. It is normally eaten as a snack or with a salad. The Melton Mowbray pork pie is named after Melton Mowbray, a town in Leicestershire While it is sometimes claimed that Melton pies became popular among fox hunters in the area in the late eighteenth century, it has also been stated Jacket Potatoes, that the association of the pork pie trade with known in some parts of the Melton originated around 1831 as a sideline in a United Kingdom (though not small baker and confectioners' shop in the town, generally Scotland) as jacket owned by Edward Adcock. potato, is a type of potato dish. When well cooked, a baked potato has a fluffy The "gala pie" is a variety of pork pie where interior and a crisp skin. It may be served with fillings the filling includes a proportion of chicken and a and condiments such as butter, cheese, sour cream, hard-boiled egg (also gravy, baked beans and even ground meat or corned known as a Grosvenor beef. pie). Gala pies are often baked in long, loaf-type A baked potato is sometimes called a jacket tins, with multiple eggs potato in the United Kingdom. The baked potato has arranged along the been popular in the UK for many years. In the centre. mid-19th century, jacket potatoes were sold on the streets by hawkers during the autumn and winter Scotch Pies months. In London, it was estimated that some 10 History tells that the Scotch tons of baked potatoes were sold each day by this pie was originating in Scotland, method. Common jacket potato fillings (or although popular all over the "toppings") in the United Kingdom include grated United Kingdom, perhaps by his unique flavor added cheddar cheese, baked beans, tuna mayonnaise, chili to the easiness to take it, eat it and go. The Scotch con carne and chicken and bacon. pie is a small double-crust filled with ground beef, Baked potatoes are often eaten on Guy Fawkes spices, topped with a soft crust and baked. Night; traditionally they were often baked in the On 1st. Dec. 1135 England’s King glowing embers of a bonfire. Henry I died. He had fallen ill seven days As part of the upsurge for more healthy fast earlier after eating too many lampreys. food, the jacket potato has again taken to the streets He was 66, and had ruled for 35 years. of the UK both in mobile units / street vendors and restaurants. Trivia Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford (3 September 1783 – 3 July What makes those that have a heritage 1857) was a lifelong friend of Queen from the British Isles, Unique Victoria, whom she served as a Lady of the Bedchamber between 1837 and Teatime in Great Britain 1841. She was also the originator of Afternoon tea: is a light the British meal "afternoon tea." meal typically eaten between 3.30 pm and 5 pm. Observance Robert Fortune (Born: of the custom originated amongst the wealthy social September 16, 1812 Kelloe, classes in England in the 1840s, as the time of dinner Berwickshire, Scotland Died: April 13, moved later. Anna Maria, Duchess of Bedford, is 1880 (aged 67) was a Scottish botanist, widely credited with inventing afternoon tea in plant hunter and traveler, best known England as a late-afternoon meal whilst visiting for introducing around 250 new Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. ornamental plants, mainly from China, but also Japan, into the gardens of Britain, Australia, and the Cream Tea: This snack is associated with the USA. He also played a role in the development of the West Country, i.e. Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and tea industry in India in the 19th century. Somerset. It usually consists of scones, clotted https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fortune cream, strawberry jam, plus, of course, tea to drink. Some venues will provide butter instead of clotted Empire Biscuit The cream. In some areas, this is commonly referred to biscuit was originally known as as Devonshire Tea. the "Linzer biscuit", and later as High Tea: is a name for the evening meal, the "Deutsch biscuit". With the usually associated with the working class, and is outbreak of the First World War typically eaten between 5 pm and 7 pm. This was it was renamed: in England to Empire biscuit, in also sometimes called a "meat-tea" in the past. In Scotland to Belgian biscuit because Belgium had just most of the United Kingdom (namely, the North of been invaded, but in Northern Ireland it remains England, North and South Wales, the English known as the German biscuit or biscuit bun. In Midlands, Scotland, and some rural and working Scotland the name now varies depending on the class areas of Northern Ireland) people traditionally region, with the North-east typically calling it a call their midday meal dinner and their evening meal double shortbread and the West an Empire biscuit.