57cherry: September 2013

It's that time of year again! I just love love love Halloween! Hope you enjoy my upcoming Halloween posts. For now, here is the legend of Ol' Stingy Jack

Legend Of Stingy Jack ( AKA Jack O'Lantern)

Stingy Jack was a miserable, old drunk who loved playing tricks on anyone and everyone. One dark, Halloween night, Jack ran into the Devil himself in a local public house. Jack tricked the Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil quickly turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack immediately snatched the coin and deposited it into his pocket, next to a silver cross that he was carrying. Thus, the Devil could not change himself back and Jack refused to allow the Devil to go free until the Devil had promised not to claim Jack's soul for ten years.

The Devil agreed, and ten years later Jack again came across the Devil while out walking on a country road. The Devil tried collecting what he was due, but Jack thinking quickly, said, "I'll go, but before I do, will you get me an apple from that tree?"

The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped up into the tree to retrieve an apple. As soon as he did, Jack placed crosses all around the trunk of the tree, thus trapping the Devil once again. This time, Jack made the Devil promise that he would not take his soul when he finally died. Seeing no way around his predicament, the Devil grudgingly agreed.

When Stingy Jack eventually passed away several years later, he went to the Gates of Heaven, but was refused entrance because of his life of drinking and because he had been so tight-fisted and deceitful. So, Jack then went down to Hell to see the Devil and find out whether it were possible to gain entrance into the depths of Hell, but the Devil kept the promise that had been made to Jack years earlier, and would not let him enter.

"But where can I go?" asked Jack.

"Back to where you came from!" replied the Devil.

The way back was windy and very dark. Stingy Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him with a light to help find his way. The Devil, as a final gesture, tossed Jack an ember straight from the fires of Hell. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip...one of Jack's favorite foods which he always carried around with him whenever he could steal one. From that day forward, Stingy Jack has been doomed to roam the earth without a resting place and with only his lit turnip to light the way in the darkness.

Hence, he was know as " Jack O'Lantern "

Turnip Carving

How to Carve your very own Turnip

MATERIALS

Large turnip any variety is fine
Sharp kitchen knife
Cutting board
Melon baller
Pencil
Pumpkin carving saw kit
Battery-powered tea light
Wax paper or freezer paper optional

Step 1: First, decide how you want your turnip to be oriented. Which warts, scars, and hairy bits do you want to have showing on the front of your finished lantern? Which side will be the bottom?

Step 2: With a sharp kitchen knife, cut away the section you decide is the bottom. This cut creates a flat base for your lantern.
(I find it simpler to make my Turnip-O-Lanterns this way rather than cutting the top off, as you might do with a pumpkin. Since turnips are not hollow, it can be difficult to cut a lid that fits precisely on the top. This method of cutting the bottom results in a neater finish.)

Step 3: Next, use a melon baller to scoop out the inside of the turnip.
Note: Turnip flesh is somewhat firmer than pumpkin flesh, and of course, a turnip is solid, so this scooping-out process may require a little muscle. I find it’s easiest to dig the melon baller into the turnip with a twisting motion, pulling out small scoops. If you’re doing this project with children, you may want to complete this step for them.
Step 4: Ultimately, you want to hollow out the turnip so only about a 1/2″ wall remains. I find that the turnip flesh gets a little harder near this point, so you’ll likely be able to feel this as you’re scooping.
Maybe you can add the scooped-out turnip flesh to a soup, or make some mash for dinner.

Step 5: If you like, use a pencil to draw a face design on the turnip. (It won’t mark the turnip really – it just digs into the skin a little and leaves an impression.)

Step 6: Use a pumpkin-carving saw to cut out the face along the lines you drew, following the saw’s package directions.
(You can also cut the face with a small paring knife, but I find that the pumpkin-carving saws cut so easily through the turnip wall, and they make cutting small details much simpler and safer.

Step 7: Because turnips are so much smaller than most pumpkins, you’ll find that battery-powered tealights are the best way to light them. Turnips generally won’t allow enough oxygen inside to keep a burning candle lit, and the heat from a burning candle can actually begin to cook the turnip, so it gets soft and spoils faster.
To display your Turnip-O-Lantern, turn on the battery tealight and place the lantern over it. If want to protect the surface under the turnip, you can set the lantern on a circle of wax paper or freezer paper – or a small plate.

How long will your Turnip-O-Lantern last?
Displayed indoors, a Turnip-O-Lantern should last about three days. It will dry out and wrinkle a bit during that time, but this only contributes to its monstrous quality. Oudoors in a cool environment, your lantern can last about five days.
If you want to keep a Turnip-O-Lantern fresh overnight, you can place it in your refrigerator, loosely covered with a plastic bag.