On Saturday 31st. October we have a Halloween evening at the Lewes Saturday Folk Club. We will be lighting the fine open fire in the club-room and bringing candles to create a suitable atmosphere.

Bring songs, tunes and stories for the season. We can adjust the lighting according to need if you are reading a story, but I'll also bring a small reading light if you'd rather keep the darkness in the room. Admission will be £3.

I'll be making soul cakes to the following recipe:

YEAST SOULE CAKES

'Three pounds flour, quarter pound butter (or half pound if the cakes are to be extra rich) half pound sugar, two spoonsful of yeast, two eggs, allspice to taste, and sufficient new milk to make it into a light paste. Put the mixture (without the sugar or spice) to rise before the fire for half an hour, then add the sugar, and allspice enough to flavour it well; make into rather flat buns, and bake.'

This is the recipe of Mrs. Mary Ward, who is known to be the last person who kept up the old custom of giving 'Soul Cakes' at Pulverbatch. She died in 1853 at the age of 101.


Shropshire Cookery Book, compiled by the Shropshire Federation of Women's Institutes, c. 1955

Quoted by Elizabeth David, English Bread & Yeast Cookery, 1977