Many people have heard of the traditional Newfoundland belief about having bread in your pockets as a charm against the fairies. But what kind of bread? And what other folk beliefs are out there about bread or baking? I'd love to hear your stories and memories. If you have heard of an old superstition about bread or bread making, send me an email at info@hauntedhike.com or leave me a comment below.
3 comments:
Three things:
In this area, apparently discerning fairies like "bread crusts."
My mother made "bread poultices" to cure infections.
She always warned about jumping and running around the kitchen when the bread was rising. She said that would make the bread fall.
My family comes from a very small fishing village (Salvage, Bonivista Bay) and, my grandmother always gave me hard tack to put in my pocket if I was going to play in the woods or berry picking.
I also heard of widows putting a candle out to sea in a bread bun for their lost/missing family members.
And, as Margaret said, bread poultices were always popular when you had a cut or infection.
My grandmother (and aunts!) still cross their bread when they are making it. I guess it's a blessing of some sort.
Mmmm, I sure could go for a bun of Nan's bread now!!
Some people wouldn't take the last slice of bread off the plate; if they wanted another slice they would cut more off the loaf. This is from the Battle Harbour area. Bread was also blessed with the sign of the cross before it was covered up and set to rise.
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