Epiphany of Kore & Persephone

Merry Meet,

As you may have noticed, I've been posting from the book: Celebrating Wiccan Spirituality by Lady Sabrina. So, to keep with the tradition I started, I shall continue...

Twelfth Night, Epiphany of Kore, and Persephone

Traditionally, on this day the Ancient Greeks would carry the statue of Kore around her temple seven times as they prayed for protection and good fortune.  Following the temple activities a nocturnal rite was held in honour of Kore (daughter of Zeus and Demeter, whose name means "maiden"), an aspect of Persephone before her marriage to Hades.

On this day in Old Europe the ashes from the Yule log were removed, and either stores for magical purposes or scattered on the fields to insure fertility.  Later on in the day the Lord of Misrule, known as the King of the Bean, was selected.  Cakes were made, and a bean was baked into one.  Whomever found the bean in his cake was then elected king for the day.  The kind, along with the Queen of the Pea (selected by finding the pea baked into another batch of cakes) rules over the final Yuletide festivities.

King & Queen Buttermilk Clove Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground all spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 dried bean
• 1 dried pea

Method:

1. Sift the flour with the baking soda and spices
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, eggs and egg yolk at high speed
3. Add in the flour mixture and mix carefully
4. Then beat in the buttermilk at low speed for 1 minute
5. Pour the batter mixture into tw ogreased and floured 9" x 1" layer pans
6. Push the bean into one cake and the pea into the other
7. Bake at 350^oF (175^oC) for 25-30 minutes.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove to serving plates.

To choose the king and queen, place the cake with the bean in it on a table for the men.  The cake with the pea is left in the kitchen for the ladies.  The men eat their cake first.  When one has been acknowledged as the king, the women will then partake of their cake to determine who will be the queen.

☮ ❤ & ツ