These timeless traditions speak to a simpler holiday celebration focused on family and friends.
Love Christmas towns in West Virginia? The Appalachian Coal Town Christmas at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine is Norman Rockwell-worthy!
Cakes and cookies baked during the holiday were thought to have special powers.
Christmas is a magical time not only in Appalachia but throughout the world. There are more traditions associated with this holiday than any other. With Appalachia being rich in superstitions and folklore, I thought it would fun to find a few centered around Christmas to share with you. Eating an apple on Christmas Eve will bring you good luck during the next year. Ghosts will never appear to their family on Christmas Day. Listen closely to a bee hive on Christmas Eve and you will hear bees humming the Psalms. It is also believed that bees hum the hundredth Psalm from dusk until dawn on Old Christmas (January 6). Children who are born on Christmas Day will not be troubled by ghosts and do not have to fear hanging or drowning. Water is said to turn to wine at midnight on Christmas Eve but it is bad luck to taste it. A rooster crowing on Christmas Eve scares away evil spirits. Shooting off fireworks or guns works too. Christmas Day weather forecasts the weather for the coming year: a warm Christmas foretells a cold Easter; a green Christmas, a white Easter; a windy Christmas will bring a good corn crop. It is bad luck for a cat to meow on Christmas Day. If it does, you will be visited by evil spirits every day during the coming year. Children born on January 6th (Old Christmas) often develop the powers for healing the sick. If you sit under a pine tree on Christmas Day, you can hear angels sing but if you hear them, you'll be on your way to heaven before the next Christmas. Have you heard any Christmas superstitions or folklore? I'd love to hear them so please let me know in the comments.
Christmas Trees were much like this one Modern celebrations of the Christmas holiday were late in making their way to those living in the Appalachian Mountains. Many ancient observances from “the old country” were still practiced here in these mountains as late as World War I, and in some pockets probably later. For instance, have you and your friends gone out “serenadin’”? Contrary to what you might think, it has very little to do with carolling. What about building a huge bonfire on a hill? Again, the practice’s primary reason was not to keep warm. Maybe you’ve stayed awake on Christmas Eve to hear, no, not sleigh bells and reindeer hooves, but sheep and horses bowing to pray. Many of the first settlers in the Appalachian Mountains were of Scots-Irish and English descent, so many of their customs were practiced, combined, and adapted to their new surroundings. One custom that made its way to the shores of America was a large bonfire on hilltops. The bonfires have their beginnings in the beliefs of the Druids. They thought that building a bonfire on mountaintops would hurry along the return of the sun and longer days.Often times bonfires were combined with the practice of “serenadin’”. The youngsters in the community - keep in mind, now that houses were much farther apart then - would get together on Christmas Eve to visit with the neighbors. They’d take along cow bells, buckets, shotguns loaded with blanks, and just about anything else that would make a bunch of noise. Taking care to be quiet upon approach to the house, they’d let loose with as much racket and noise as they could muster up. The neighbors then would light a lamp or two and invite the group in for treats and cider. If by chance the group wasn’t quiet enough and those trying to enjoy their slumber heard them, the home owner fired off a round from his shotgun to signal them they had been caught. More often than not, they were still invited in for hospitality.The serenadin’ tradition is most likely based on the English tradition of “The Day of Misrule” where servants, the poor, and children could visit the homes of their well-off neighbors and merchants to ask for food. Another loud tradition is anvil shooting. Yes, that’s right, anvil shooting. What would happen is the square and round holes on one anvil would be packed with black powder and another anvil would be placed on top of it. The powder is then ignited and the top anvil is shot into the air - sometimes as high as a hundred or more feet. The boom is deafening and the ground shakes. Some say this tradition goes back as far as Biblical times, and it was customary way to celebrate Independence Day, Christmas, and, according to Tennessee history, Davy Crockett’s election to Congress. Perhaps anvil shooting and the noise making of serenadin’ also ties into the belief that loud noises drive bad spirits away. Shooting fireworks at Christmas also falls into the same category of driving away evil spirits and awakening sleeping vegetation for spring and are from the German and Scottish tradition. It was usually done on Christmas Eve around three in the afternoon. Think about how many Christmas festivals now incorporate fireworks in their menu of activities. Visiting played an important role in the celebration of the holidays. It was expected that you would get out and see your neighbors in the surrounding area within a reasonable distance. In some areas of the Appalachians, visitors would pack their pockets with candy and trinkets and when meeting other fellow visitors try to be the first to say “Christmas Gift,” a common greeting for the season. If they were, they received a small gift from the other person.Those being visited would have treats, small mincemeat pies, and cider ready. Visitors would not stay long, but had to partake of the hospitality offered or there was a risk of taking the Christmas Spirit away from the home. Christmas trees were introduced in the United States in 1842 in Williamsburg, Virginia. They made their way to the Appalachian Mountains around 1900 when teachers in settlement schools shared the idea. It wasn’t until the 1930s that they were decorated in homes in the mountains. At that time most of the decorations were homemade - strings of popcorn and berries, popcorn balls, paper chains, foil - saved from candy wrappers - around sweet gum balls, gingerbread cookies, etc.Children were visited by Santa Claus, but may have had different ways in which gifts were left. There was the traditional manner where stockings were hung on the mantle to be filled with candy, a pencil, a tablet, and an orange (which was a valued gift for a child - Christmas was the only time they were available here in the mountains). Sometimes Santa would leave gifts in shoes placed beside the front door. And sometimes a table was set for Santa. Everyone’s plate was placed upside down in their usual places and the table was moved to between the Christmas tree and a window. The next morning the plates were rightside up and filled with candy, sweets, and a small gift. Hanging stockings is an English tradition, setting the table for Santa is German, and filling shoes is Dutch. One of the most solemn and reverent celebrations in the season is Old Christmas. The change over from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar caused a difference of eleven days. In those eleven days Christmas was moved to December 25 from January 6. Some Protestants refused to honor the new calendar because it was decreed by the Pope, so the celebration of Christmas remained on January 6.In the Appalachian Mountains, the celebration of Old Christmas remained until about World War I. Though they might also observe “new” Christmas on December 25th, the festivities were very different. December 25th was marked with revelry and parties and visiting, but January 6th was primarily a family observance more here: http://garysworldblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/appalachian-christmas.html Merry Christmas !!!!! from History Chasers © History Chasers Click here to view all recent Historical Melungeons Blog posts Enter your email address to start receiving this blog in your inbox Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner
Appalachian traditions have evolved over the years, but many of the traditions are the same in some ways.
Appalachian traditions that include Christmas trees and natural decorations sprang from the mountains that range from lower New York all the way south to northern Georgia and Mississippi. Some of these forgotten traditions are making a welcomed comeback.
Beyond the magic of window candles and rum cake, there’s deeper wisdom from the elders concerning Christmas. Christmas magic really has a root and place with Appalachian folklore and magic. It is a…
Water witching (rhabdomancy) is common in West Virginia. Fifty years ago there were 25,000 practicing water witches nationwide.
Cakes and cookies baked during the holiday were thought to have special powers.
In Missouri they call it a Gallywampus; in Arkansas it's the Whistling Wampus; in Appalachia it's just a plain old Wampus (or Wampas) cat.
Did you know that Christmas used to be observed on January 6th? The date wasn't changed to December 25th until the late 1500s but those who ...
What foods do you associate with Christmas? For some in East Tennessee, it is the dried apple stack cake, a labor-intensive confection with ingredients that are simple and inexpensive. According to Fred Sauceman, Senior Writer and Associate Professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University, most of the ingredients with the exception of flour could be found on the farm. Spices were difficult to get in some areas of Appalachia during hard economic times, so there are no spices wh
Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Since I’m not good at mailing out cards, I am sharing one of my favorite carols with you. I Wonder as I Wander is (...)
Appalachia has taken such a hit with all the recent wildfires throughout the region. It's been hard to watch the footage of those beautiful mountains burning. Please keep those impacted by the fires in your prayers. This Christmas may be especially challenging for some of the families that have lost homes and possessions. If you are interested in helping those who have been affected, here are some links for giving. Dolly Parton's "My People Fund" The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee "Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville Emergency Response Fund" But despite the devastation, those mountains will one day blossom and bloom again, and our people will endure and stand strong through this, as mountain folk are known to do. The Lord will renew and restore, and faith in His ability to do so will allow a little peace and hope to settle over the mountains this Christmas. The strength and endurance and faith of our people is certainly inspiring. It's worth celebrating! And what better time to celebrate it than Christmas. Our roots may be humble, but remember that the Lord didn't come into this world with pomp and circumstance. He entered it humble himself, out in an old barn...makes me think He would appreciate us putting a little humble back into the day we celebrate His birth. So come join me as I try to add some humble simplicity, and a hint of the hills, to the celebration of our Lord's birth this year. Welcome to Christmas at Appalroot Farm! This has to be one of my favorite spots in my house this year. Just a simple chalkboard saying it all. Don't you just love that Christmas song?! The shelf includes an old jar and cup that belonged to my mamaw from Eastern Kentucky, and a doorknob from my papaw's childhood home. "Go tell it on the mountain, indeed!" Speaking of old jars from the mountains...in one of my very first posts, "Jar Flies & Cannin' Jars," I mentioned how I love to fill the canning jars in my kitchen with candy canes at Christmas time. You can revisit that post here. But this is my mamaw's vintage jar filled with candy canes this year as always. And while we're mentioning Mamaw, years ago she gave me several old vintage feed sack remnants she had, and oh how I've cherished having those. Are you familiar with the history of feed sacks and flour sacks...and how they once were printed in patterns that women could use to make clothing and other items? They were popular for making dresses and such like during the depression and some time after in Appalachia and elsewhere. And so many of those fabric scraps wound up in quilts that covered the bed on cold winter nights in the hills! Here is an example of an old quilt made by my granny with a lot of feedsack scraps. Something so beautiful out of something so humble! This year I tucked some of my mamaw's old feed sack fabric scraps into my Christmas decor, and I love how it makes my the house feel like "down home." A door wreath with a feed sack scrap bow! Mistletoe tied with feed sack To me, this beats any expensive and fancy decor I could buy in a store. It's meaningful and celebrates mountain heritage perfectly! More of my mamaw's feedsack adorning a miniature tree! And a little mountain humor never hurts as well! I inserted a little of that humor on one of my chalkboards this Christmas. You've heard that old Appalachian saying..."It's cold as whiz," right? My Eastern Kentucky born dad has always said, "It's cold as a whiz cat!" We've often asked him what in the world a whiz cat is, and he has no clue! It's just an old saying he heard growing up. And while we're talking mountain humor...I couldn't resist adding a little Christmas touch to the old chamber pot I have! Now I'm not old enough to have gone without indoor plumbing, but when I was a really little girl I remember having to use a chamber pot at my mamaw's. There was indoor plumbing, but when we went down for a visit, we would usually sleep upstairs in the old farmhouse. The stairs were steep and creaky, and not something you wanted to traverse in the middle of the dark night to the bathroom downstairs, so my grandparents kept a chamber pot upstairs for the "convenience" of guests. Oh the memories! And as for memories, this next little vignette I'll share with you is one that sure stirs a lot of them. It's my little Christmas tribute to my late Mamaw and Papaw and it sure tugs at my heartstrings. It includes a pincushion in the likeness of a chair that belonged to my dear mamaw. She was awfully handy with a needle and thread of any kind. And right next to that is an old handmade bootliner (turned old timey stocking by me) that my papaw used to wear to keep his feet warm when he worked in the oilfields. He had to walk quite a ways at that job checking on the oil pumps and all, and those liners likely kept him from near frostbite on many a cold mountain morning. I filled the liner with a pinecone and artificial pine sprig. There's a portion of one of the old hills on my papaw's farm so filled with pines that Papaw dubbed it the Piney Point, so this sprig is a reminder of that. Of course, Papaw had a huge sweet tooth, so I inserted a candy cane. And he was fond of apples, so I placed one in the liner as well. You might remember reading about my papaw and apple dumplings in one of my previous posts. You can revisit "Papaw's Eastern Kentucky Mountain Style Apple Dumplings" here. The final portion of this little vignette harkens back to my papaw's boyhood home, and also the first homeplace of my mamaw and papaw right after they married. Papaw grew up on an Eastern Kentucky farm on a tributary named Coon Creek, and when he married, Coon Creek was also the place where he brought his new bride, my mamaw, to a little log house not far from his childhood home. The rock on which I've painted "A Coon Creek Christmas," actually came from the real Coon Creek just outside my papaw's old homeplace. I gathered a few of them on a trip back there several years ago. Who ever dreamed rocks could become family heirlooms? But I'll tell you, it's the memories and meaning behind something that make it special, not its monetary worth. It certainly is humble, but an old rock from the hills sure can hold a lot of Christmas love. I even took the other rocks I had gathered from Coon Creek to line the base of my outdoor nativity. Love the extra rustic look they lend to it. Finally, I've got one more tidbit of Appalachian inspired Christmas decor to share with you all. I've paid tribute to my mamaw and papaw...and now this last idea is a tribute to my grandparents on the other side. My late grandad and granny loved Christmas...and they celebrated it as enthusiastically as their meager mountain means would allow them. Every year they would have a Christmas tree, and as store bought decorations were awfully pricey, they needed to resort to some good old fashioned handmade ingenuity to grace the branches of the tree. Many Christmases they would use crepe paper to make simple ornaments and decor. They might not have had a holiday filled with glitz and glamour...but every one of their eleven children grew up with absolutely wonderful and happy memories of Christmas in my grandad and granny's home. You see, excess money can't buy happiness, it can rarely buy sincerely fond memories, and it certainly isn't the key to creating a wonderful and meaningful Christmas. Grandad at Christmas Granny at Christmas So in honor of Grandad and Granny, this Christmas I've decorated one of my own trees primarily in crepe paper ornaments. I had so much fun cutting out gingerbread, candy cane, and star shapes for this simple little tree. I love how it turned out, with a real old timey feel...but the best part about it is the pride I feel in my roots when I see it. I feel beyond blessed that my roots run deep through Appalachia and that I descend from humble mountain folk with such strength, and faith, and absolute joy...folks that knew how to keep the true spirit and meaning of Christmas. My hope is that this post has inspired you to reach back to your roots and add a bit of your own mountain heritage to Christmas...leaving behind the pomp and circumstance that much of the world indulges in this time of year for something simpler and more beautiful. And my prayer is that the true meaning of this holiday, the birth of our Saviour, will fill your hearts with peace and joy this season and always. Merry Christmas from Appalroot Farm!
These timeless traditions speak to a simpler holiday celebration focused on family and friends.
...they departed; and, lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Matthew 2:9-10 KJV Speaking of stars, did you know that this year, a high school student from the Appalachian foothills of Rowan County, Kentucky discovered a star? And even more exciting...he's apparently the third student from Eastern Kentucky to have discovered a new star! You can read all about it here. Makes you kind of proud to have those Appalachian roots, doesn't it? Hats off to the educators and students in Appalachia! So, are you ready for Christmas? Sometimes it seems like Christmas takes a great deal of preparation and a great deal of hustle and bustle...but isn't it worth it when you see the excitement of the season reflected back to you in the eyes of a child? When I think about prepping for the Christmas season, I can't help but remember stories I've been told about my granny from Eastern Kentucky. Granny You see, Granny absolutely LOVED Christmas. She and my grandad were so poor that they never owned their own land. They had eleven children, and making ends meet was a challenge. But this didn't stop Granny from sharing the love and wonder of Christmas with her little ones! To make extra money for Christmas, Granny would go out into the woods on the hillsides to forage and gather black walnuts. Granny foraged for her black walnuts in the woods on the hillsides. She would bring them home, crack them, then take them to the store to sell. I've been told so many times that she would often be cracking black walnuts for so long that her fingers would begin to bleed. But this was a labor of love for Granny. She always managed to have at least a small gift for each of her children. My dad, her son, says that sometimes it would be no more than a plastic comb or rubber car...but there was always something. She took so much joy in blessing her children. And Granny always made special treats to eat for Christmas as well. In the days before Christmas, she would start making candy...good old fashioned Appalachian Christmas fudge. Then, on Christmas Eve, all of them would gather around the fire together, sometimes popping popcorn, enjoying the fudge and each other's company. It was a simple way to celebrate Christmas, but it fostered such special memories for all of Granny's children. So this year, amidst all the preparation and hustle and bustle, I did something simple and special in honor of my granny. I wanted to make a seasonal treat with black walnuts, in memory of all those times Granny spent cracking open black walnuts out of selfless love in those hills so long ago. I came up with a very easy sweet which I have dubbed "Granny's Appalachian Christmas Bark with Black Walnuts and Shortbread." 'Cause this time of year, we all could use a little something easy to prepare, right?! And as for the shortbread, my granny had some very strong Scottish roots so I thought adding that particular cookie (a Scottish dessert) would be an appropriate touch. Here's how I made it...hope you'll give it a try this Christmas! The beauty of it is...all you need are three ingredients...white chocolate chips, black walnuts, and shortbread cookies. Now, I will tell you, depending on where you live, black walnuts can be a challenge to find. If you are lucky enough to have a tree, or know someone who does, then you are probably all set. But if you don't, most run of the mill grocery stores aren't generally going to carry black walnuts on a regular basis. My mom and dad still forage and gather black walnuts, but didn't have any that were ready for cracking at the time I fixed this...they usually need to dry out a bit before cracking. But luckily, I was able to find some black walnuts at a nearby small specialty foods store. If you can't locate any in your area, no need to fret, you can order black walnuts online from Hammons Black Walnuts. They are located in Missouri, but get their black walnuts from suppliers across several states in the midwest and eastern portion of the country...including some in Appalachia! First, to prep for the recipe, you want to chop your black walnuts...unless you are like me and have found some that are already in appropriate pieces. This is the size I used for my black walnut pieces. You can chop them to whatever size suits your taste. You could use a nut chopper, or you can just rough chop them in a pile on a cutting board using a large knife. I ended up with a rounded cup of black walnuts. Oh, and don't put that cutting board away just yet, because then you will want to rough chop your shortbread cookies. I used one whole sleeve of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, but any shortbread cookie would work...and you could even use Vanilla Wafers in a pinch. Any way you slice it, you want a mild flavored cookie to contrast with the sharpness of the black walnuts. And if you've ever eaten black walnuts, you know what I'm talking about! Totally different from English walnuts! Then line a large baking sheet or pan with wax paper. I used a 10 x 15 rimmed baking sheet. Next, place the white chocolate chips (I used two 12 oz. bags of Nestle's White Chocolate Chips) in a medium-large microwave safe bowl. In the microwave, heat the white chocolate chips at 70% power for 2 minutes. Stir the chips. Then microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring the chips again between each interval until melted. Be careful not to overheat. Now you can use a double boiler to do your melting as well, but I've just never had the patience to fool with one. As soon as your white chocolate chips are melted, quickly dump your walnut pieces and chopped shortbread cookies into the melted white chocolate. Give it a few quick stirs to thoroughly coat the nuts and shortbread in the chocolate. Then carefully pour the mixture out onto the wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread the mixture out a little with the back of a spoon or a spatula until you get a nice "thinnish" layer. Now, you can leave it out at room temperature to set, or you can hurry the process along in the refrigerator. When thoroughly cool and set, break the bark into whatever sized pieces you would like. I ended up with around 40 small pieces of bark. You can cut the bark with a table knife or break it apart by hand when it has set. Once broken, you can store your bark in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or in the refrigerator if you would like to keep it a little longer. The full recipe is below and you can click here for a printable version. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Granny's Appalachian Christmas Bark with Black Walnuts and Shortbread (makes about 40 small pieces) 2 (12 oz.) bags of white chocolate chips (approximately 4 cups) 1 rounded cup of chopped black walnuts (about .36 pounds) 1 sleeve of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, broken or chopped into pieces (approximately 1 3/4 cups) (you can substitute with any shortbread cookie or vanilla wafers) Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. In a medium-large microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips at 70% power for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave at 70% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the chips are melted. (All microwaves vary, so times may need to be adjusted.) When melted, add the black walnuts and chopped shortbread cookies to the white chocolate. Stir to coat. Pour the mixture on the wax paper lined baking sheet and spread with a spoon to get a thin-like layer. Allow the bark to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature until hardened. Break into desired sized pieces. Store in an airtight container. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yummy! I love the contrast of flavors in this recipe. The sweet white chocolate and mild buttery flavor of the cookies really compliment the "snappiness" of those black walnuts! Wish my granny could have tasted it! She certainly deserved a treat for herself after all the selfless things she did taking special care of her 11 little ones in the mountains so long ago. Speaking of little ones...if you need a gift idea for a little girl in your family this year, I've got an idea for you! Remember those Cabbage Patch Kids dolls from the 1980's? ...yep, they are still making them. You can find them in most toy departments. But did you remember that they have a connection to Appalachia? These sweet little dolls hail from the Appalachian mountains of North Georgia, and you can read all about the adorable little legend behind the dolls here. Find a kid to read it to…it's cute! I love that the dolls are affordable and that they have a history of popularity. But most importantly…this is a brand that is proud of its Appalachian origins, and not afraid to declare it. I purchased one this year, and hope you'll join me in supporting this brand that proudly connects itself with Appalachia. There are a lot of good things coming out of those mountains…and I believe this is one of them! In the meantime, I am praying that your Christmas season is a blessed one, filled with the wonder and joy of that special birth announced by a star. And my hope is that each of us, like my granny, will take a little time to do something selfless for others this season. Whether it is giving of your time and love to a little child, just as Granny did years ago cracking those black walnuts in her little mountain home, or if it is giving to those that are in need and lonely…may we all find some way to spread a little hope and down-home goodness to a world that could really use it. Merry Christmas to you and yours…and hope to see you back here next year!
Appalachian culture is full of myths, monsters, and ghost stories. Read on for the most famous Appalachian folklore stories and superstitions.
How many of these have you conquered already?
Father Christmas far predates the modern Santa Claus, but how was he associated with the season, and did Jane Austen know him?
These timeless traditions speak to a simpler holiday celebration focused on family and friends.
If your hoping to get in the mood for Christmas than the Appalachian Christmas CD is for you!
...they departed; and, lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Matthew 2:9-10 KJV Speaking of stars, did you know that this year, a high school student from the Appalachian foothills of Rowan County, Kentucky discovered a star? And even more exciting...he's apparently the third student from Eastern Kentucky to have discovered a new star! You can read all about it here. Makes you kind of proud to have those Appalachian roots, doesn't it? Hats off to the educators and students in Appalachia! So, are you ready for Christmas? Sometimes it seems like Christmas takes a great deal of preparation and a great deal of hustle and bustle...but isn't it worth it when you see the excitement of the season reflected back to you in the eyes of a child? When I think about prepping for the Christmas season, I can't help but remember stories I've been told about my granny from Eastern Kentucky. Granny You see, Granny absolutely LOVED Christmas. She and my grandad were so poor that they never owned their own land. They had eleven children, and making ends meet was a challenge. But this didn't stop Granny from sharing the love and wonder of Christmas with her little ones! To make extra money for Christmas, Granny would go out into the woods on the hillsides to forage and gather black walnuts. Granny foraged for her black walnuts in the woods on the hillsides. She would bring them home, crack them, then take them to the store to sell. I've been told so many times that she would often be cracking black walnuts for so long that her fingers would begin to bleed. But this was a labor of love for Granny. She always managed to have at least a small gift for each of her children. My dad, her son, says that sometimes it would be no more than a plastic comb or rubber car...but there was always something. She took so much joy in blessing her children. And Granny always made special treats to eat for Christmas as well. In the days before Christmas, she would start making candy...good old fashioned Appalachian Christmas fudge. Then, on Christmas Eve, all of them would gather around the fire together, sometimes popping popcorn, enjoying the fudge and each other's company. It was a simple way to celebrate Christmas, but it fostered such special memories for all of Granny's children. So this year, amidst all the preparation and hustle and bustle, I did something simple and special in honor of my granny. I wanted to make a seasonal treat with black walnuts, in memory of all those times Granny spent cracking open black walnuts out of selfless love in those hills so long ago. I came up with a very easy sweet which I have dubbed "Granny's Appalachian Christmas Bark with Black Walnuts and Shortbread." 'Cause this time of year, we all could use a little something easy to prepare, right?! And as for the shortbread, my granny had some very strong Scottish roots so I thought adding that particular cookie (a Scottish dessert) would be an appropriate touch. Here's how I made it...hope you'll give it a try this Christmas! The beauty of it is...all you need are three ingredients...white chocolate chips, black walnuts, and shortbread cookies. Now, I will tell you, depending on where you live, black walnuts can be a challenge to find. If you are lucky enough to have a tree, or know someone who does, then you are probably all set. But if you don't, most run of the mill grocery stores aren't generally going to carry black walnuts on a regular basis. My mom and dad still forage and gather black walnuts, but didn't have any that were ready for cracking at the time I fixed this...they usually need to dry out a bit before cracking. But luckily, I was able to find some black walnuts at a nearby small specialty foods store. If you can't locate any in your area, no need to fret, you can order black walnuts online from Hammons Black Walnuts. They are located in Missouri, but get their black walnuts from suppliers across several states in the midwest and eastern portion of the country...including some in Appalachia! First, to prep for the recipe, you want to chop your black walnuts...unless you are like me and have found some that are already in appropriate pieces. This is the size I used for my black walnut pieces. You can chop them to whatever size suits your taste. You could use a nut chopper, or you can just rough chop them in a pile on a cutting board using a large knife. I ended up with a rounded cup of black walnuts. Oh, and don't put that cutting board away just yet, because then you will want to rough chop your shortbread cookies. I used one whole sleeve of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, but any shortbread cookie would work...and you could even use Vanilla Wafers in a pinch. Any way you slice it, you want a mild flavored cookie to contrast with the sharpness of the black walnuts. And if you've ever eaten black walnuts, you know what I'm talking about! Totally different from English walnuts! Then line a large baking sheet or pan with wax paper. I used a 10 x 15 rimmed baking sheet. Next, place the white chocolate chips (I used two 12 oz. bags of Nestle's White Chocolate Chips) in a medium-large microwave safe bowl. In the microwave, heat the white chocolate chips at 70% power for 2 minutes. Stir the chips. Then microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring the chips again between each interval until melted. Be careful not to overheat. Now you can use a double boiler to do your melting as well, but I've just never had the patience to fool with one. As soon as your white chocolate chips are melted, quickly dump your walnut pieces and chopped shortbread cookies into the melted white chocolate. Give it a few quick stirs to thoroughly coat the nuts and shortbread in the chocolate. Then carefully pour the mixture out onto the wax paper lined baking sheet. Spread the mixture out a little with the back of a spoon or a spatula until you get a nice "thinnish" layer. Now, you can leave it out at room temperature to set, or you can hurry the process along in the refrigerator. When thoroughly cool and set, break the bark into whatever sized pieces you would like. I ended up with around 40 small pieces of bark. You can cut the bark with a table knife or break it apart by hand when it has set. Once broken, you can store your bark in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or in the refrigerator if you would like to keep it a little longer. The full recipe is below and you can click here for a printable version. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Granny's Appalachian Christmas Bark with Black Walnuts and Shortbread (makes about 40 small pieces) 2 (12 oz.) bags of white chocolate chips (approximately 4 cups) 1 rounded cup of chopped black walnuts (about .36 pounds) 1 sleeve of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies, broken or chopped into pieces (approximately 1 3/4 cups) (you can substitute with any shortbread cookie or vanilla wafers) Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. In a medium-large microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips at 70% power for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave at 70% power for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the chips are melted. (All microwaves vary, so times may need to be adjusted.) When melted, add the black walnuts and chopped shortbread cookies to the white chocolate. Stir to coat. Pour the mixture on the wax paper lined baking sheet and spread with a spoon to get a thin-like layer. Allow the bark to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature until hardened. Break into desired sized pieces. Store in an airtight container. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yummy! I love the contrast of flavors in this recipe. The sweet white chocolate and mild buttery flavor of the cookies really compliment the "snappiness" of those black walnuts! Wish my granny could have tasted it! She certainly deserved a treat for herself after all the selfless things she did taking special care of her 11 little ones in the mountains so long ago. Speaking of little ones...if you need a gift idea for a little girl in your family this year, I've got an idea for you! Remember those Cabbage Patch Kids dolls from the 1980's? ...yep, they are still making them. You can find them in most toy departments. But did you remember that they have a connection to Appalachia? These sweet little dolls hail from the Appalachian mountains of North Georgia, and you can read all about the adorable little legend behind the dolls here. Find a kid to read it to…it's cute! I love that the dolls are affordable and that they have a history of popularity. But most importantly…this is a brand that is proud of its Appalachian origins, and not afraid to declare it. I purchased one this year, and hope you'll join me in supporting this brand that proudly connects itself with Appalachia. There are a lot of good things coming out of those mountains…and I believe this is one of them! In the meantime, I am praying that your Christmas season is a blessed one, filled with the wonder and joy of that special birth announced by a star. And my hope is that each of us, like my granny, will take a little time to do something selfless for others this season. Whether it is giving of your time and love to a little child, just as Granny did years ago cracking those black walnuts in her little mountain home, or if it is giving to those that are in need and lonely…may we all find some way to spread a little hope and down-home goodness to a world that could really use it. Merry Christmas to you and yours…and hope to see you back here next year!
The Appalachian Culture & History of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Appalachian people, arts & crafts, cuisine, music & more!
In Appalachia, we use superstitions to do everything from protect our homes and families to tell us when guests are coming to visit.
Happy Halloween! One thing this day makes me think of is old timey mountain superstitions. There were so many I heard growing up. A couple of the most memorable were, "Don't tell about your dreams before breakfast or they'll come true," and "Whenever you leave a place, look back at it as you go, and you'll return there again." Having heard the latter, made me turn around and steal a glance at my mamaw and papaw's farm whenever we headed back north after many a visit as a little girl. Visits there were always special, and I most definitely wanted to guarantee that I would return. "Glancing back" I'm all grown up now and certainly put no stock at all in superstitions anymore. But despite that, there is one Appalachian superstition that will haunt my memories for the rest of my days. Now, I truly believe that this was merely a coincidence...but when I was a little girl, I witnessed an old and ominous mountain superstition play out. And it just might raise a few hairs on your head! We were down to visit my mamaw and papaw on their Eastern Kentucky farm. It was like many a visit before... My mom and dad were helping my grandparents out in the garden and around the farm, and a couple of my sisters and I were loitering around the old chicken lot. Papaw's chicken house My papaw kept and raised chickens for years and he'd always turn them out during the day. They'd go to roost on their own every evening, and then he'd shut the chicken house door for the night. My papaw, an Eastern Kentucky farmer So, like any other day, the chickens were all roaming about hither and thither as they pleased. Where Papaw's chickens would roam Then at some point, Mamaw came by from her work in the nearby garden and began chatting with us girls. Mamaw with one of my sisters And, right there, mid conversation...it happened. There was an old pile of logs near where we were standing, and suddenly Papaw's rooster hopped right up on those logs and began crowing loudly. Mamaw looked at us, and the words she spoke to us will remain with me 'til my dying days. She said, "The old folks used to say that when a rooster gets up on something and crows right next to you like that during the middle of the day, somebody's about to die." The old chicken house in the mountain mist At that point, we all went on about the rest of our day...not thinking another thought about the words Mamaw had spoke. But it wasn't long before evening started to settle over the hills. We all headed to the house as suppertime neared. And then the old black rotary phone that hung on the wall began to ring. It was news and it wasn't good. One of my great uncles had been taken to the hospital...and it was serious. Before morning, he was dead. Honestly, in all the chaos of a death in the family, Mamaw never even realized that her earlier remarks had materialized right before our eyes. And I think us girls were aware that with death so recent, commenting on the strange occurrence was just not yet appropriate. A few years later, we mentioned it to Mamaw. But at that point her aging mind had long forgotten that she had ever even spoke of the old superstition with us. Papaw & Mamaw It was an eery thing that we watched play out in those mountains that day Papaw's rooster crowed. And it's a thing I hope to never witness again. Yet don't worry, it was just a coincidence. But if this story gives you a nightmare tonight, you might not want to tell anyone about your bad dream until after breakfast!
During the city’s first 150 or so years, the residents of the colony that would become New York didn’t celebrate Christmas the way we celebrate it now: by buying gifts, decorating a tre…
This essay considers southern literature in terms of generic forms that are, if not uniquely southern, substantially recognizable as contingent upon southern identifiers: geographic, social, cultural, as well as historical and linguistic contingencies that constitute "the South."
All over America’s ancient eastern mountains, there’s an organism that lives underground, tethered to tree roots, waiting to be hunted. It’s among the world’s rarest and most expensive foods, and it grows in a wide range of conditions. But there’s only one guy in the country who really knows how to find it. Rowan Jacobsen joins him in the search for the Appalachian truffle.
Cakes and cookies baked during the holiday were thought to have special powers.
Cakes and cookies baked during the holiday were thought to have special powers.
It's here! Our list of favorite Christmas picture books is a mile long, but every book on this list has earned its place! Here at Read-Aloud Revival, Advent and Christmas feels like a time to gather our children close, and read, read, read--so we've created this list with that in mind. We've focused our December selections
