Michaelmas Salad

Parsley should be planted by a pregnant woman to attract a good soul for the child in her womb. It's also taken to prevent miscarriages. Parsley should be raised in your own garden, and planted by the light of the rising moon at Ostara or Good Friday, depending on your traditions. If kept in the pocket, it will protect you from faerie mischief. It is bad luck to give away or to receive parsley as a gift. It is also bad luck to transplant it. It is said that parsley seed goes seven times to the devil and back before it germinates, and that is why it is so slow in coming up. To hurry it along, herbalist Thomas Hyll gave this advice: "To make the seedes appear more quickly steep them in vinegar and strew the bed with the ashes of beanwater with the best aqua vitae, and then cover the beds with a piece of woollen cloth so that they may shoot up the higher to the wonder of all beholders!" This salad is very good with smoked salmon and with any herring dishes. It is also delicious on its own or try with soda bread for a light lunch. Be careful how much mustard you use on the salad, for it is a fertility herb!

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet