Have a Fairy nice Halloween...:)

Well, I have been posting the negative creatures that make-up Halloween. How about the positive ones for a change. Fairies, Faeries, Fae, Fay, and wee folk are mystical nature spirits that are home in the forest, and can be seen around flowers. They help the flowers to bloom in so many fantastic colors. Fairies are the angels of the Underworld, as Angels are the fairies of the Upperworld. Fairies enhance the world that is unseen to the eye's that can not see. The eye's that are too busy and crowded with things of the Earth.

     Fairies love to be out around sunrise or dancing at sunset, celebrating nature. Their most popular pastime is music and dancing, and many a mortal has been enticed by the beauty of the fairy. The world separate from our own is the astral realm, herein lies the fairy realm. Within that realm is the fairy ring, which is a naturally occurring ring of mushrooms. The rings can be ten meters, and the legend says that fairies and pixies were dancing so much that they wore the grass down beneath their feet. Another myth is that it is the doorway to the fairy world, transporting from one location to another.       Fairies love children, and it is within the child that Fairies become reality. Maybe it is the simple belief that children possess that attracts fairies. I can tell you it is easier not to believe than it is to believe. The origin of fairies comes from many places. The story goes that when the angels got a bit rebellious, God banished the rebellious ones, some fell on land and some fell into the sea. They are believed to live in a land where time does not exist, divided into two courts.

     The Seelie Court are the blessed fairies, that are willing to seek help from humans, they are beneficial and helpful. The other group are the Unseelie Court, these fairies are malicious towards humans and enjoy harassing them. Typically, these fairies are responsible for sickness among animals and live in areas, that have been ravaged by turmoil.

      Fairies love sweet things, and really get lost in the sweet essence of food. They are not like us, where we need to eat in order to survive, they delight in the pure pleasure of food. In England, they have fairy cakes to the American cupcake. They are small, sweet and delightful. The recipe that follows is a traditional British cake, made with treacle syrup. The magic is in the treacle syrup and really there is no other substitution. However, if you are unable to find Lyle's then one part molasses, to two parts light corn syrup might work.

 Golden Fairy Cakes

6 ozs Cabot fresh creamery butter

2 ozs dark brown sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons of Golden Syrup

2 eggs
10 ozs King Arthur All- Purpose Flour
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 ozs Vermont Butter and Cheese Company Creme Fraiche
1 tsp baking powder
1 jar strawberry jam

vanilla buttercream to garnish (1 pound butter, softened and whipped with 2 pounds sifted confectioner's sugar, dash of vanilla)

Preheat oven 350F Mix the dry ingredients, and whisk. In a mixer, mix sugars and butter and beat until fluffy. Add two eggs and continue to mix well, alternate flour mixture with creme fraiche, until all is incorporated. It should be a thick batter and pour slowly. Line a 24 mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. Spoon cups until 2/3 full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pierced with toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut out the top of the cupcake, in the fashion of a disc, that creates a crater for the jam. Place a healthy dollop of jam , top with buttercream. Place the two pieces of the top, into the buttercream to resemble butterfly wings.

Any man can lose his hat in a fairy-wind.~Irish Saying