Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to May Day and Queen’s Day in the Netherlands. This week’s recipes have a summer feel about them, they are Parsnip and Apple Soup, Orchard Fruit Salad, Easy Asian Chicken Salad and the spice of the week is Curry Leaves.
May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to several public holidays. In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, a day of political demonstrations and celebrations organised by unions, communists, anarchists, socialists, and activist groups. May Day is also a traditional holiday in many cultures.
May Day can refer to various labour celebrations conducted on May 1 that commemorate the fight for the eight hour day. May Day in this regard is called International Workers' Day, or Labour Day. The idea for a "workers holiday" began in Australia in 1856; after a Stonemason's victory, April 22nd was "Eight-Hour Day", a public holiday. With the idea having spread around the world, the choice of May 1st became a commemoration by the Second International for the people involved in the 1886 Haymarket affair. The Haymarket affair occurred during the course of a three-day general strike in Chicago, Illinois, United States that involved common labourers, artisans, merchants, and immigrants. Following an incident in which police opened fire and killed four strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. plant, a rally was called for the following day at Haymarket Square. Towards the end of the rally, as police moved in to disperse the event and opened fire on the unarmed crowd on the plea that an unknown assailant threw a bomb into the crowd of police. The bomb and resulting police riot left at least a dozen people dead, including one policeman. A sensational show trial ensued in which eight defendants were openly tried for their political beliefs, and not necessarily for any involvement in the bombing. The trial led to the eventual public hanging of four anarchists. The Haymarket incident was a source of outrage from people around the globe. In the following years, memory of the "Haymarket martyrs" was remembered with various May Day job actions and demonstrations.
May Day has become an international celebration of the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. Although the commemoration of May Day as International Workers' Day received its inspiration from the United States, the U.S. Congress designated May 1 as Loyalty Day in 1958 due to the day's perceived appropriation by the Soviet Union. Alternatively, Labour Day traditionally occurs on the first Monday in September in the United States. People often use May Day as a day for political protest, such as the million people who demonstrated against far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen in France, or as a day for protest against government actions, such as rallies in support of undocumented workers across the United States.
May Day is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half of a year from November 1, another cross-quarter day which is also associated with various northern European pagan and neopagan festivals such as Samhain. May Day marks the end of the unfarmable winter half of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations. The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the festival of Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers, and the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. It is also associated with the Gaelic Beltane. Many pagan celebrations were abandoned or Christianized during the process of conversion in Europe. A more secular version of May Day continues to be observed in Europe and America. In this form, May Day may be best known for its tradition of dancing the Maypole and crowning of the Queen of the May. Various Neopagan groups celebrate reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these customs on May the 1st. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May crowning. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.
May Day can refer to various labour celebrations conducted on May 1 that commemorate the fight for the eight hour day. May Day in this regard is called International Workers' Day, or Labour Day. The idea for a "workers holiday" began in Australia in 1856; after a Stonemason's victory, April 22nd was "Eight-Hour Day", a public holiday. With the idea having spread around the world, the choice of May 1st became a commemoration by the Second International for the people involved in the 1886 Haymarket affair. The Haymarket affair occurred during the course of a three-day general strike in Chicago, Illinois, United States that involved common labourers, artisans, merchants, and immigrants. Following an incident in which police opened fire and killed four strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. plant, a rally was called for the following day at Haymarket Square. Towards the end of the rally, as police moved in to disperse the event and opened fire on the unarmed crowd on the plea that an unknown assailant threw a bomb into the crowd of police. The bomb and resulting police riot left at least a dozen people dead, including one policeman. A sensational show trial ensued in which eight defendants were openly tried for their political beliefs, and not necessarily for any involvement in the bombing. The trial led to the eventual public hanging of four anarchists. The Haymarket incident was a source of outrage from people around the globe. In the following years, memory of the "Haymarket martyrs" was remembered with various May Day job actions and demonstrations.
May Day has become an international celebration of the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. Although the commemoration of May Day as International Workers' Day received its inspiration from the United States, the U.S. Congress designated May 1 as Loyalty Day in 1958 due to the day's perceived appropriation by the Soviet Union. Alternatively, Labour Day traditionally occurs on the first Monday in September in the United States. People often use May Day as a day for political protest, such as the million people who demonstrated against far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen in France, or as a day for protest against government actions, such as rallies in support of undocumented workers across the United States.
May Day is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half of a year from November 1, another cross-quarter day which is also associated with various northern European pagan and neopagan festivals such as Samhain. May Day marks the end of the unfarmable winter half of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations. The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the festival of Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers, and the Walpurgis Night celebrations of the Germanic countries. It is also associated with the Gaelic Beltane. Many pagan celebrations were abandoned or Christianized during the process of conversion in Europe. A more secular version of May Day continues to be observed in Europe and America. In this form, May Day may be best known for its tradition of dancing the Maypole and crowning of the Queen of the May. Various Neopagan groups celebrate reconstructed (to varying degrees) versions of these customs on May the 1st. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of Spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer. In the Roman Catholic tradition, May is observed as Mary's month, and in these circles May Day is usually a celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In this connection, in works of art, school skits, and so forth, Mary's head will often be adorned with flowers in a May crowning. Fading in popularity since the late 20th century is the giving of "May baskets," small baskets of sweets and/or flowers, usually left anonymously on neighbours' doorsteps.
Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands and the kingdom's other constituent countries, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, on the 30th April (or on the 29th if the 30th is a Sunday). Queen's Day celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands and is supposed to be a day of national unity and "togetherness". The tradition started on 31 August 1885, on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, later Queen Wilhelmina. Since 1949, after the accession of Queen Juliana, Queen's Day is Queen Juliana's birthday on 30 April. Although Queen Beatrix's birthday is on 31January, she officially celebrates her birthday on 30 April.
Queen's Day is known for its "freemarket" all over the country, where everybody is allowed to sell things in the streets. Other activities during Queen's Day are children's games, individual musical performances, and music concerts. The night before Queen's Day is celebrated too in most cities, and this is called Queen's Night. The largest celebration of Queen's Day is in Amsterdam, Queen's Night in The Hague and Queen's Dance in Rotterdam. During the celebrations as reference to the colours of the House of Orange-Nassau, people dress in the colour orange, which is sometimes called "orange craze".
The present-day celebration of Queen's Day was originally intended by the Liberal Union to be a day of national unity in the Netherlands. It started with the celebration of the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina on 31 August 1885. From 1885 to 1890 the celebration was therefore called Prinsessedag or Princess' Day, until the Coronation of Wilhelmina in 1890. Since 31 August 1891, the celebration was called Koninginnedag or Queen's Day. The day was not only the birthday of the Queen, but also the last day of the summer vacation, which made the celebrations popular with children. Unlike her successors, Queen Wilhelmina almost never attended festivities on Queen's Day.
In September 1948 Queen Juliana ascended to the Dutch throne and from 1949 onwards Queen's Day was on her birthday on 30 April. When 30 April is a Sunday, Queen's Day is celebrated on 29 April. On this day, Queen Juliana received a flower tribute at Soestdijk Palace, where she lived. The Queen and her family would stand on a dais and a long line of citizens would walk past, congratulating her and presenting her gifts and flowers.[citation needed] The parade was broadcast on national television from the 1950s. When more and more people received a day off from their work, Queen's Day became a national holiday of togetherness.
When Queen Beatrix succeeded her mother Queen Juliana on 30 April 1980, she decided to keep the holiday on 30 April as a tribute to her mother. Furthermore for practical reasons, the weather on her own birthday in the winter on 31 January tends to prohibit the traditional outdoor festivities, while 30 April normally has better weather. In contrast to her mother, Juliana, Beatrix decided to go into the country to meet the people, rather than receiving people at her residence. Since her ascension to the throne, Queen Beatrix and her family visit one, two, or sometimes three places on Queen's day, where she is shown regional versions of traditional Dutch dances and demonstrations of old crafts. In 2001, the Queen's Day visits of the Royal Family were cancelled as there was worry about maintaining the quarantine measures to control an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Queen Beatrix has visited the following cities over the years on Queen's Day.
During the preceding 'koninginnenacht' (Queen's Night) many bars and clubs throughout the Netherlands (particularly in Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague) hold special events catering to revelers that last all night long. This tradition started in the early nineties when pre-Koninginnedag riots were an increasing problem in The Hague. The idea of convincing the rioters that a celebration is a much better way to spend Queen’s Night, proved successful. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors every year.
Queen's Day is known for its "freemarket" all over the country, where everybody is allowed to sell things in the streets. Other activities during Queen's Day are children's games, individual musical performances, and music concerts. The night before Queen's Day is celebrated too in most cities, and this is called Queen's Night. The largest celebration of Queen's Day is in Amsterdam, Queen's Night in The Hague and Queen's Dance in Rotterdam. During the celebrations as reference to the colours of the House of Orange-Nassau, people dress in the colour orange, which is sometimes called "orange craze".
The present-day celebration of Queen's Day was originally intended by the Liberal Union to be a day of national unity in the Netherlands. It started with the celebration of the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina on 31 August 1885. From 1885 to 1890 the celebration was therefore called Prinsessedag or Princess' Day, until the Coronation of Wilhelmina in 1890. Since 31 August 1891, the celebration was called Koninginnedag or Queen's Day. The day was not only the birthday of the Queen, but also the last day of the summer vacation, which made the celebrations popular with children. Unlike her successors, Queen Wilhelmina almost never attended festivities on Queen's Day.
In September 1948 Queen Juliana ascended to the Dutch throne and from 1949 onwards Queen's Day was on her birthday on 30 April. When 30 April is a Sunday, Queen's Day is celebrated on 29 April. On this day, Queen Juliana received a flower tribute at Soestdijk Palace, where she lived. The Queen and her family would stand on a dais and a long line of citizens would walk past, congratulating her and presenting her gifts and flowers.[citation needed] The parade was broadcast on national television from the 1950s. When more and more people received a day off from their work, Queen's Day became a national holiday of togetherness.
When Queen Beatrix succeeded her mother Queen Juliana on 30 April 1980, she decided to keep the holiday on 30 April as a tribute to her mother. Furthermore for practical reasons, the weather on her own birthday in the winter on 31 January tends to prohibit the traditional outdoor festivities, while 30 April normally has better weather. In contrast to her mother, Juliana, Beatrix decided to go into the country to meet the people, rather than receiving people at her residence. Since her ascension to the throne, Queen Beatrix and her family visit one, two, or sometimes three places on Queen's day, where she is shown regional versions of traditional Dutch dances and demonstrations of old crafts. In 2001, the Queen's Day visits of the Royal Family were cancelled as there was worry about maintaining the quarantine measures to control an ongoing outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Queen Beatrix has visited the following cities over the years on Queen's Day.
During the preceding 'koninginnenacht' (Queen's Night) many bars and clubs throughout the Netherlands (particularly in Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague) hold special events catering to revelers that last all night long. This tradition started in the early nineties when pre-Koninginnedag riots were an increasing problem in The Hague. The idea of convincing the rioters that a celebration is a much better way to spend Queen’s Night, proved successful. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors every year.
My first recipe is Parsnip and Apple Soup, courtesy of Slimming World website.
Serves 1, takes 10mins to prepare and approx. 25mins to cook.
500ml x Organic Vegetable Stock
140g x Parsnip - chopped
1 x Apple - peel, cored and chopped
113g x Potato – peeled and chopped
A pinch of Salt
1tsp x Curry Powder
140g x Parsnip - chopped
1 x Apple - peel, cored and chopped
113g x Potato – peeled and chopped
A pinch of Salt
1tsp x Curry Powder
Place all the ingredients except the fromage frais into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Transfer the soup into a blender and puree. Return to the saucepan and heat through. Pour into a bowl and serve immediately.
My next recipe is Orchard Fruit Salad, courtesy of Jamie Magazine January 2011.
Serves 6
2 x Shallots – finely sliced
2 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar
50g x Hazelnuts – lightly crushed
2 heaped tbsp x Sunflower Seeds
1 x Apple – cored, sliced into thin wedges
1 x Pear – cored, sliced into thin wedges
2 x Large Handfuls of Baby Spinach
2 x Red Chicory Heads, leaves separated
200g x Feta, crumbled
1 tsp x Wholegrain Mustard
6 tbsp x Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp x Red Wine Vinegar
50g x Hazelnuts – lightly crushed
2 heaped tbsp x Sunflower Seeds
1 x Apple – cored, sliced into thin wedges
1 x Pear – cored, sliced into thin wedges
2 x Large Handfuls of Baby Spinach
2 x Red Chicory Heads, leaves separated
200g x Feta, crumbled
1 tsp x Wholegrain Mustard
6 tbsp x Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Place the shallots in a small bowl with the vinegar and set aside. In a dry pan, toast the nuts and sunflowers seeds until golden, then set aside to cool. combine the apple, pear, spinach and chicory in a large bowl. Add the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and feta. Stir the mustard into the vinegar mix, then whisk in the oil and season. Toss through the salad. Serve straight away.
Spice of the week – Curry Leaves (Murraya Koenigii)
Curry Leaves The curry tree is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India. The name itself in Tamil is pronounced as 'kariveppilai' ( kari-curry, veppu- neem and ilai-leaf ) which is the literal translation of curry leaves. The Tamilname means "leaf that is used to make curry" and it is present in almost all the dishes of Tamil nadu (a state in south India) in addition to coriander leaves. Often used in curries, the leaves generally go by the name "curry leaves", though they are also called "sweet neem leaves." It is an unavoidable content of curries in South India, where without curry leaves, curry seems to be tasteless. The Kannada name means "black neem", since the appearance of the leaves is similar to the unrelated bitter neem tree. Same way in Gujarati it is known as "limdo" or "meetho leemdo" (means Sweet neem).Curry leaves are also entirely unrelated to bay leaves and basil leaves, which are aromatic leaves from the Mediterranean.
It is a small tree, growing 4-6 m tall, with a trunk up to 40cm diameter. The leaves are pinnate, with 11-21 leaflets, each leaflet 2-4 cm long and 1-2 cm broad. They are highly aromatic. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant. The small black shiny berries are edible, but their seeds are poisonous.
Curry Leaves The curry tree is a tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India. The name itself in Tamil is pronounced as 'kariveppilai' ( kari-curry, veppu- neem and ilai-leaf ) which is the literal translation of curry leaves. The Tamilname means "leaf that is used to make curry" and it is present in almost all the dishes of Tamil nadu (a state in south India) in addition to coriander leaves. Often used in curries, the leaves generally go by the name "curry leaves", though they are also called "sweet neem leaves." It is an unavoidable content of curries in South India, where without curry leaves, curry seems to be tasteless. The Kannada name means "black neem", since the appearance of the leaves is similar to the unrelated bitter neem tree. Same way in Gujarati it is known as "limdo" or "meetho leemdo" (means Sweet neem).Curry leaves are also entirely unrelated to bay leaves and basil leaves, which are aromatic leaves from the Mediterranean.
It is a small tree, growing 4-6 m tall, with a trunk up to 40cm diameter. The leaves are pinnate, with 11-21 leaflets, each leaflet 2-4 cm long and 1-2 cm broad. They are highly aromatic. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant. The small black shiny berries are edible, but their seeds are poisonous.
The leaves are highly valued as seasoning in southern and west-coast Indian cooking, and Sri Lankan cooking, much like bay leaves, and especially in curries, usually fried along with the chopped onion in the first stage of the preparation. They are also used to make thoran, vada, rasam and kadhi. In their fresh form, they have a short shelf life, and they don't keep well in the refrigerator. They are also available dried, though the aroma is largely inferior.
Curry leaves possess the qualities of a herbal tonic. They strengthen the functions of the stomach and promote its functions. They are also used as a mild laxative. The leaves may be taken mixed with other mild tasting herbs. The juice extracted from 15 grams of leaves may be taken with buttermilk. Fresh juice of curry leaves, with lime juice and sugar, is an effective medicine in the treatment of morning sickness, nausea and vomiting due to indigestion and excessive use of fats. One or two teaspoons of juice of these leaves mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice may be taken in these conditions. The curry leaves, ground to a fine paste and mixed with buttermilk, can also be taken on an empty stomach with beneficial results in case of stomach upsets.
Curry leaves possess the qualities of a herbal tonic. They strengthen the functions of the stomach and promote its functions. They are also used as a mild laxative. The leaves may be taken mixed with other mild tasting herbs. The juice extracted from 15 grams of leaves may be taken with buttermilk. Fresh juice of curry leaves, with lime juice and sugar, is an effective medicine in the treatment of morning sickness, nausea and vomiting due to indigestion and excessive use of fats. One or two teaspoons of juice of these leaves mixed with a teaspoon of lime juice may be taken in these conditions. The curry leaves, ground to a fine paste and mixed with buttermilk, can also be taken on an empty stomach with beneficial results in case of stomach upsets.
Tender curry leaves are useful in diarrhoea, dysentery and piles. They should be taken, mixed with honey. The bark of the tree is also useful to cure bilious vomiting. Eating 10 fresh fully grown curry leaves every morning for three months is said to prevent diabetes due to heredity factors. It also cures diabetes due to obesity, as the leaves have weight reducing properties. As the weight drops, the diabetic patients stop passing sugar in urine.
Curry leaves can be effectively used to treat burns, bruises and skin eruptions. They should be applied as a poultice over the affected areas. Fresh juice of curry leaves suffused in the eyes makes them look bright. It also prevents the early development of cataract. Fruits of the tree, which are berries, are edible. They are green when raw, but purple when ripe. Juice of these berries, mixed with equal proportion of lime juice, is an effective fluid for external application in insect stings and bites of poisonous creatures.
Curry leaves can be effectively used to treat burns, bruises and skin eruptions. They should be applied as a poultice over the affected areas. Fresh juice of curry leaves suffused in the eyes makes them look bright. It also prevents the early development of cataract. Fruits of the tree, which are berries, are edible. They are green when raw, but purple when ripe. Juice of these berries, mixed with equal proportion of lime juice, is an effective fluid for external application in insect stings and bites of poisonous creatures.
My final recipe is Easy Asian Chicken Salad, courtesy of Jamie Magazine Sep/Oct 2010.
Serves 4
2 x Small Red Chillies – chopped
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
450g x Cooked Chicken – shredded
½ x Cucumber – chopped
6 x Spring Onions – chopped
3 tbsp x Soy Sauce
3 tbsp x Coriander Leaves
Juice of ½ Lime
1 x Baby Cos Lettuce – leave separated
1 x Baby Cos Lettuce – chopped
2 tbsp x Olive Oil
450g x Cooked Chicken – shredded
½ x Cucumber – chopped
6 x Spring Onions – chopped
3 tbsp x Soy Sauce
3 tbsp x Coriander Leaves
Juice of ½ Lime
1 x Baby Cos Lettuce – leave separated
1 x Baby Cos Lettuce – chopped
Combine the chilli and oil in a bowl. Mix in all the remaining ingredients, except the whole cos leaves. To serve, place a couple of leaves on each plate, put some chicken mixture on the leaves and serve immediately.
Happy Koninginnedag
If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.
Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D
