Ritual and Food Allergies

A reader asks, “My coven does a cakes and ale ritual at every Sabbat. I just got diagnosed with Celiac disease, and I’m wondering what I should do. I can’t eat the cakes because they’ll make me sick, and if we use beer for the ale, that could have a negative effect on me as well. I don’t want to miss out on the ritual, though, and be the only one who doesn’t participate. Are you familiar with anyone having a similar problem? Any suggestions on how to deal with this?”

Answer:

As a matter of fact, I’m familiar with this situation on a first-hand basis – I’ve been gluten-intolerant since 2007, so I know exactly the sort of hurdles you’re talking about. The good news is that it’s not the end of the world – you can still eat good food, and participate in rituals like the Cakes and Ale ceremony. The only thing that’s different is that you’re going to have to watch what goes in your mouth. If you’ve just been diagnosed as a Celiac patient, there are plenty of great resources out there with information on how to keep gluten out of your diet.

Now, as to your particular situation, where we’re talking about the ritual consumption of food, there are a couple of things you’ll need to do.

The very first is to let your group’s leader or High Priestess know what’s going on. Communication is key here – if whoever is planning rituals knows there’s a food sensitivity in the group, chances are good that changes can be made to accommodate those dietary requirements. The group can either use cakes and ale that are gluten free (more on that in a moment), or you can provide your own items for consumption while the rest of the group eats the regular stuff.

OK, so let’s talk specific recommendations here. For the cakes portion of the ceremony, bear in mind that the word “cake” can be interpreted as anything from bread to a cookie or even a cracker. There are a number of really good gluten-free convenience mixes that you can make at home. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Homemade Wonderful Bread and Gluten Free Pantry’s Favorite Sandwich Bread are my personal favorites. Make a loaf up ahead of time, slice it up, and put half in the freezer. Keep the second half in your refrigerator, and use it for ritual. As far as sweets go, Betty Crocker has a line of gluten free baking mixes, including chocolate chip cookies and yellow cake.

When it comes to crackers, my favorites are hands-down Mary’s Gone Crackers Herb flavor and NutThins Smokehouse Crackers.

If you want to bake something from scratch, hop onto Pinterest and check out some of the zillions of amazing gluten-free recipes on there.

For the “ale” portion of the cakes and ale ritual there are a couple of different options. The first is to use a fruit juice such as grape or apple, or use wine instead, depending on your taste preferences. If you like using beer, I’ve only found one brand of GF beer that was easily obtainable just about anywhere, and that’s Redbridge. It’s made by Anheuser Busch and is distributed all over the U.S., so you should be able to get it at your local grocery store or beverage distribution center. The best part? It’s got a really good taste – it’s a lighter flavored beer made from sorghum, and there’s no aftertaste. I’m normally not even a beer person at all, and I like Redbridge.

Another option – and the one I prefer – is to use hard cider. Ciders are made from fruit, not grain, so they’re almost always safe, although I’d recommend checking the ingredients just to be careful. My favorite brands are Woodchuck, Smith and Forge, and McKenzie’s. Angry Orchard is available just about everywhere, but to me, the flavor isn’t that exciting.

Again, a key ingredient to any dietary changes in a coven setting is communication. Let other folks know what you’re dealing with, and chances are good that you can educate them enough that it won’t even be an issue. Meanwhile, always be vigilant about what you’re eating, and provide your own food if need be.