Sweet baking, dairy products, and honey are all contributors to a Beltane celebration. This traditional Celtic dessert has them all.
Tansy, an herbaceous, perennial plant, is well known in England. It is considered a special addition to Medieval Easter celebrations. Tansy is native to Europe, making it’s way across the pond and then across the continent in the 1600’s.
Before you pop out to forage though, please read the information below. Tansy is a spring option not a summer or fall choice and should not be consumed without knowledge and consideration.
You will need:
2 cups of milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup honey (or sugar)
2 Tbsp. fresh young tansy leaves, finely chopped
2 eggs beaten
additional honey and some cream for serving
Begin by shifting your attention to the present moment. Separate from the nigglies of the day. Let them go. Take a deep breath. Hold that breath for a moment before releasing and fully expelling the air from your lungs. The more air that is released, the deeper the new breath can be. Feel your shoulders drop. Feel the tension release. Acknowledge any places in your body that are still tight. Take another deep breath and repeat. Feel the warm water washing stress away as you clean your hands, put on an apron and begin this project by thanking the plant pieces that are giving their life energy to this dish.
In early spring, Tansy leaves begin to pop their heads up from under the grown, reaching for the slowly strengthening sun. It is the perfect time to harvest enough young sprouts for this dessert.
As the plant develops, the toxins in the plants intensify and it has been known to kill both people and cattle.
Google has”tansy recipes” on at least 10 pages but as in all things foraged and herbal doing your research and being responsible for decisions made is invaluable.
An alternative option that uses the sacred Beltane ingredients of milk and honey is this pudding that can be served with stewed rhubarb if the first of the season ripens in time.
Place the milk and butter in a medium pot and bring it to a simmer. After turning on the heat, place the breadcrumbs in a bowl large enough to contain both the crumbs and heated milk.
As this pudding was being made for a Beltane celebration and white bread had not yet been invented, I opted for two whole wheat slices that were first dried and then ground. Crumbs made from white bread would definitely have created a lighter finished version.
When the milk is hot, pour the mixture over the breadcrumbs and let sit for about 30 minutes. Gently stir to ensure that the milk gets to all parts of the breadcrumbs. You will probably see bubbles coming to the surface.
As the half hour mark draws near, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take the leaves off the tansy stem and chop finely. Combine the eggs, honey and tansy. Beat well to combine. In a time before hand mixers, a wire whisk or wooden spoon would have been the best option but today, a hand mixer will thicken the mixture as more air can be incorporated. The beaters will collect pieces of tansy so be sure to get them back into the pudding.
Combine the two mixtures and transfer to a baking container. Place in the middle of the oven and bake until the pudding is set, 30 – 40 minutes depending on the shape of your container.
This version had a deep brown top due to the honey in the mix. Sugar generally creates a lighter top. Allow to cool and serve with additional honey and a tablespoon or two of fresh cream.
Tansy Pudding from My Kitchen Wand
