by Lin Barrett

Created on: July 31, 2009   Last Updated: August 02, 2009

Lughnasadh is the Celtic spelling of the holiday Lammas; that name itself is a corruption of the phrase "loaf-mass." Lammas celebrates the gathering of the first harvest, and is also acknowledgment that the Sun is now, without doubt, in His waning phase. Although summer's heat has set in with the rising of Sirius (the "Dog Star") with the Sun each day, those days are observably shorter now, and winter is known to be arriving.

Lammas, generally celebrated on the first of August, is the first of three harvest festivals on the Wheel of the Year. Those who celebrate their Cross-quarter Days at the astrological moment will hold festivities when the Sun crosses the fifteenth degree of Leo.

In either case, the holiday is a harvest festival featuring the "first fruits" - those fruits, vegetables, and grains available at this time of year - as the sacrifice made to the deities.

Wheat is reaped for the first time now, and peaches, plums, and apricots are available at this time of year. Lettuces and greens are best before they bolt; peas, beans, and other legumes are coming into season. Root vegetables are not usually ready to harvest at this point in the year.

Offering the first fruits, and the first loaf of bread baked from this year's wheat, are the usual rituals carried out at Lammas' altar. If you choose to bake bread, this is a simple fast recipe, with a warning label attached: a "fast" yeast bread takes three hours + bake time minimum.In the US, yeast comes in little three-part packets. You will use one of the three here.

You will need:
A large bowl
Two loaf pans, or a 13" x 8" (33 x 23 cm) casserole pan, flat pan, or other pans of your choice
2 cups (240 grams) of white or unbleached wheat flour
6 cups (720 grams) additional flour (can be entirely whole wheat; two cups can be rice flour for lighter texture, rye flour, or other grain flour)
2 tblsp. (15g) salt
Roughly 2 cups (500 ml) water (water should be warm, not cold, and not so hot it burns the inside of your wrist)
One packet of yeast (1/2 tsp or 2.5 g)
Oil or melted fat, not measured
Non-stick spray is optional
Mixer is optional

To begin, measure the ingredients and assemble the tools.

Set the oven to 200 Fahrenheit (90 C). Stir the dry yeast and the salt into the 2 cups/240 grams flour. Add one-half the water. Oil your hands, and mix, or use a mixer.

Add flour a handful at a time; add water as necessary. Mix until smooth and shiny, and velvety to the touch.

When the dough grows too thick to mix more into

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