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Gingerbread House Day
"An I had but one penny in the world,
thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.”
~ William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost, c. 1590
As delicious and warm a tartan as you could wish, this sett contains all you might imagine if ginger, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, coriander, star anise, mace, cardamom, and black pepper were baked directly into the warp and weft, with a little bit of royal icing to finish! It evokes the comforting richness of spiced kitchens and winter hearths, where sweetness and warmth mingle in equal measure.
Whether in gingerbread loaf, gingerbread men, or gingerbread house form, hard gingerbread cookies—often gilded with gold leaf and shaped like animals, kings, or queens—were a beloved staple in times past, reaching back to medieval fairs in England, France, Holland, and Germany. Medieval ladies were said to give their favorite knights pieces of gingerbread for good luck in tournaments, while others superstitiously ate a “gingerbread husband” to improve their chances of marriage. Queen Elizabeth I is credited with popularizing elaborate gingerbread decoration after commissioning cookies shaped like dignitaries visiting her court.
The wonderfully constructed gingerbread houses we recognize today originated in Germany during the 16th century and later became inseparable in the public imagination from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel & Gretel, with its irresistible witch’s house made entirely of treats. “Nibble, nibble, like a mouse… who’s been nibbling at my house?” 🤎 🧡 ❤️ 💚 🤍 🍬🏚️ 🍭
Dec 17
Curious and Unusual Tartans
December is the month devoted to traditional Christmas foods, and gingerbreads and cookies are one of the most anticipated of Christmas treats. With many variations of ingredients, gingerbread is usually flavoured with ginger, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, coriander, star anise, mace, cardamom, and black pepper.
Gingerbread was a favourite treat at festivals and fairs in medieval Europe - often shaped and decorated to look like flowers, birds, and animals. Several cities in France and England hosted regular "gingerbread fairs" for centuries. Ladies often gave their favourite knights a piece of gingerbread for good luck in a tournament or superstitiously ate a "gingerbread husband" to improve their chances of marriage. Some even considered it medicine: 16th -century writer John Baret described gingerbread as "A Kinde of cake or paste made to comfort the stomacke."
The meaning of the word "gingerbread" has been reshaped over the centuries. In medieval England, it referred to any kind of preserved ginger (borrowing from the Old French term gingebras, which in turn came from the spice's Latin name, Zingebar.) The term became associated with ginger-flavoured cakes sometime in the 15th century.
In Germany, gingerbread cookies called Lebkuchen have long been a fixture at street festivals, often in the shape of hearts frosted with sugary messages. The Germans also invented the concept of making gingerbread houses, probably inspired by the witch's candy cottage in the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.
North Americans have been baking gingerbread for more then 200 years - even George Washington's mother gets credit for one recipe - in shapes that ranged from miniature kings (pre-revolution) to eagles (after independence).
This tartan, designed by Carol A.L. Martin, was inspired by a love of her favourite gingerbread cookies and uses the deliciously named colours of golden brown, coffee bean, and cioccolato.
If you are looking to create a spicy gingerbread cookie or quick bread and would like to add some new flavours to your favourite recipe, click the spices above for a traditional Lebukuchengewürz recipe (German Gingerbread Spice), with 9 spices!