Six Months in the Making — Native Black Cherry Cordial on St. Barbara’s Night
According to legend, Barbara of Nicomedia was tried around 300 BC for converting to Christianity. On her way to prison, a cherry branch got tangled in her clothes and she placed it in a jug of water in her cell.
On the day of Barbara's execution, the branch was covered with flowers. St. Barbara, who died as a martyr, is still commemorated today by cutting cherry branches.
I made my first successful fermentation at Midsummer—black cherry cordial from our native cherries. I saved the majority of it back for Midwinter. I always like to save something I make at important dates on the wheel of the year for that date’s opposite. I especially like to save something from Midsummer for Midwinter—bringing the promise of high summer’s abundance to the darkest of days, in this case St. Barbara’s Night, placed nearly in the middle of the Czech and Slovak Witches’ Nights, those eery days between St. Catherine and St. Lucy when who knows what walks in the night?
In this case it was me walking the night. First as I gathered cherry twigs to honor my Moravian ancestors, and later that night under the nearly full Moon Before Yule as I returned to the elder cherry tree with an offering of her own blood, the black cherry cordial she herself gifted me.
I sat with her a bit under the moon and enjoyed her company and the bond we have formed over the last six months.
When I returned to the house I poured myself a glass of cordial combined with sassafras syrup, a combination reminiscent of cherry coke, and arranged my twigs which had been soaking in warm water since I gathered them earlier in the evening.
“However, we will also mention the most famous custom, which was also widespread in our country and appeared in several variants. In Moravian Budějovice, for example, girls would cut as many twigs as they had a wish. When the twigs sprouted before Christmas, the wish was supposed to come true. The girls would pronounce individual wishes while dipping the twigs in water, which, however, no one was allowed to be present at. Otherwise, the prophecy would not come true. In Horáček, the housekeeper would cut as many twigs as there were members of the household. If the twig did not bloom by Christmas Eve, that person would die within a year. If the twigs bloomed by Christmas, the girl who plucked them would get married the following year. In Vrbovec, in addition to fruit tree twigs, vine shoots were also cut. These were placed in a vase, and if they turned green before Christmas, the farmer could expect a favorable year. “Barborkas were also given as gifts to close friends and family members. Sometimes the blooming twigs placed on the festive table replaced the Christmas tree. Divination was also done using the blooming twigs in Lower Austria.”
All of this reminded me of a Marian legend in one of my Christmas books.
The Cherry Tree Carol
This piece, Child #54, was collected in Britain in the seventeenth century (and is probably older), and has been found throughout the Appalachians, as well as in the Ozarks and on into Canada. Jean Ritchie recorded an Appalachian version on "Kentucky Christmas."
When Joseph was an old man,
An old man was he,
When he courted Virgin Mary,
The Queen of Galilee,
When he courted Virgin Mary,
The Queen of Galilee,
As Joseph and Mary
Were walking one day,
"Here are apples and cherries,"
O Mary did say....
Then Mary spoke to Joseph,
So meek and so mild,
"Joseph, gather me some cherries
For I am with child...."
Then Joseph flew in anger --
In anger flew he,
"Let the father of the baby
Gather cherries for thee!"
Then Jesus spoke a few words,
A few words spoke he,
"Let my mother have some cherries;
Bow low down, cherry tree!
"Bow down, O cherry tree!
Bow low down to the ground!"
Then Mary gathered cherries
While Joseph stood around....
Then Joseph took Mary
All on his left knee;
Saying: "What have I done? Lord,
Have mercy on me!"
Then Joseph took Mary
All on his right knee,
"Pray tell me, little baby,
When your birthday shall be....
"On the sixth day of January
My birthday shall be,
When the stars and the elements
Shall tremble with glee....
***
As Joseph was a-walking,
He heard an angel sing,
"Tonight shall be the birth-time
Of Christ, our heavenly king...."
"He neither shall be born
In house nor in hall,
Nor in the place of paradise,
But in an ox's stall....
"He neither shall be clothéd
In purple nor in pall
But in the bare white linen
That useth babies all....
As Joseph was a-walking,
Then did an angel sing,
And Mary's child at midnight
Was born to be our king....