Each year, Derry hosts one of the biggest Halloween parties in the World, attracting 30,000 revelers to dress as ghouls and ghosts in celebration of the occult. Although this celebration is widely regarded as an American import, it is in fact deeply rooted in Irish history.

Halloween's Origins in Ireland

A festival known as ‘Samhain’, meaning ‘summer’s end’ has been celebrated for over a thousand years in Ireland. In earlier times people would carve faces into pumpkins to discourage evil spirits, but today we can do this using the very best carving equipment for decorating our venues, and pulling in the masses to celebrate Halloween with a wicked cocktail and themed food menu to match.

Putting A Traditional Irish Halloween Recipe on Your Menu

Colcannon, also known as ‘champ’ includes kale or cabbage mixed with potatoes. The name comes from the Gaelic ‘cal ceannann’ meaning white-headed cabbage. The earliest reference to the dish dates back to 1735 but it is believed to be much older.

Around this time, Colcannon would contain charms like rings, buttons, thimbles, coins and pieces of cloth inside, each to determine a different fortune. Whilst a ring would symbolise marriage, a button was meant for a bachelor, a thimble would indicate a spinster and the coin represented wealth.

There are many popular variations of the dish which use leeks, onions or spinach but traditional Colcannon was a hardy, filling economic meal.

Ingredients

• 1Kilo of large, peeled fleshy potatoes
• 2 good handfuls of curly Kale, or a nice firm cabbage
• 60g of creamy Irish butter
• 175ml milk
• 75ml single cream
• One bay leaf
• A sprinkle of parsley

Method

Step 1: Boil your potatoes in a deep boiling pot for 20-25 minutes until your fork presses through them easily

Step 2: Drain the potatoes and leave them covered for another 5 minutes, letting the remaining steam do the rest of the work

Step 3: Meanwhile, prepare your kale. Discard any vegetable stalk and wash the remaining leaves. Then gently simmer the kale leaves for around 5 minutes until they become tender. Drain off the water and add a good knob of butter.

Step 4: Now add the milk and bay leaf to the kale and gently simmer for another 3 or 4 minutes.

Step 5: Mash your potatoes thoroughly and gradually add the rest of the butter and cream for a fluffy mash. For best results, use a labour-saving potato ricer which is strong and easy to clean.

Step 6: Fold in the kale, sprinkling the parsley in, and season with a little salt and pepper before serving with a neat slice of butter on top to finish. It might be a perfect time to invest in a new set of stylish salt and pepper shakers.

Please note: If you do want to follow the old tradition by hiding small objects inside, then please take care to avoid choking.

Many of these forgotten foods such as Colcannon give an insight into the lives of our ancestors who clearly lived a deeply spiritual life, were incredibly aware of seasonal produce and how to enhance the flavour of everyday foods like potatoes.

Barmback, a traditional fruit cake, often contained hidden ‘charms’ much like Colcannon and in many places a ring is still left inside, paying homage to this intriguing old custom. Often served sliced with a little spiced butter to taste, this bready cake retains a lot of moisture and remains a wholesome seasonal cake which reminds us of ‘warmer’, simpler times gone by.