Mothering Sunday

Since I just did a mini tribute to my mom I thought it was fit do do a little piece about "Mothering Sunday."

In Ireland, Mothers Day is not celebrated on same day as in US. Mothers Day celebrations in Ireland takes place on the fourth Sunday in the Christian fasting month of Lent.

This corresponds to the day on which Mothers Day or Mothering Sunday is celebrated in UK, a close neighbor of Ireland. While in the US Mothers Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in the month of May. But just as in scores of other countries, people in Ireland honor their mothers on the occasion of Mothers Day for all their love and affection.

History of Mother's Day in Ireland
The history of celebrating Mothering Sunday or Mothers Day in Ireland can be traced to the medieval practice where children from poor families were send to work as domestic servants and apprentices to work with the rich. Once in the year in the middle of the Lent these children were given a day off to visit their 'Mother Church' and worship Virgin Mary. After visiting the Mother Church or Cathedral of their home town these children visited their mothers and presented them with flowers they picked along the way. Girls bake special Mothering Cake on the day. Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday, because the fasting rules for Lent were relaxed on tha day. A food item especially associated with the day is Simnel Cake: a rich fruit cake with almond paste on top and in the middle.



For strict adherers to the Lenten fast, the cake had to keep until Easter Day, which is when it is now more commonly found on our tea tables.
Pattern of living changed after the Industrial Revolution and Mothering Sunday celebration almost lapsed. The custom was revived after World War II. Americans too helped to bring back the charm of the festival in Eurpoean countries as their tradition and way of celebrating Mothers Day spread far and wide.

Remember:
Mothers Hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever!

Simil Cake Recipe:
Ingredients
4oz butter or margarine
4oz soft brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
5oz plain flour
pinch of salt
½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional)
12oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas
2oz chopped mixed peel
1/2 lemon, grated rind only
1-2 tbsp apricot jam
1 egg, beaten for glazing
For the almond paste: (Marzipan)
4oz caster sugar
4oz ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp almond essence

Method
1. To make the almond paste: place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft consistency. Add the almond essence and knead for a minute until the paste is smooth and pliable. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for topping of the cake.
2. Preheat oven to 140C/275F/ Gas 1. To make the cake:cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour, salt and spice (if using) a little at a time. Finally, add the dried fruit, peel and grated lemon rind and mix into the mixture well.
3. Put half the mixture in a greased and lined 18cm/7in cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.
4. When you are ready to decorate the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3. Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam. Divide the remainder of the almond paste into two; roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.
5. Place the circle of paste on the jam and set the balls round the edge. Brush all the top with a little beaten egg.
6. Return the cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or long enough for the almond paste to brown.