Hogmany is the scottish word for the last day of the year and will stretch not only until the next day but also throughout the scottish bank holiday of 2nd January 2008.

The origins of hogmany date back to pagan times and the celebrations around winter solstice amoungst the Norse as well as Gaelic new year customs.

During the day of Hogmany the household would traditionally spend their time cleaning making sure the new year saw in a clean and tidy house, even fireplaces would be swept and it was considered bad luck to see in the new year with a untidy house. There is also the custom of first footing this is the first to cross the threshold of a house after the strokes of midnight on Hogmany. The visitor would bestow a gift of salt, coal, shortbread, whiskey, black bun(a fruit pudding) all of which are symbolic gifts to bring different kinds of luck to the householder. This was a important role and a suitable person would be found to undertake the role of the first footer. It is believed that this first footer would best be a tall, dark, handsome man being dark haired signified a fellow scotsman and was suppose to bring great luck for the coming year upon the household.

 Heres a traditional Hogmanay recipe I was given by a great family friend which I cook every year we all have a piece and a dram of whisky to see in the new year with our first footer!

Hogmanay Black Bun:

You will need - 1 tblsp dried yeast or a fresh piece (size of a walnut), 2 cups warm skimmed milk, 2lbs strong plain white bread making flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 lb butter. For the filling place these in a large bowl - 1lb currants, 1lb seedless raisins, 8 ozs stoned chopped prunes, 8 ozs chopped figs, and a few chopped dates, 6 tblsp oxford marmalade, 4 ozs flaked almons, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground cloves, 2tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1/4 cup whisky and for the glaze 1 egg yolk and 1 tblsp skimmed milk.

For the dough mix together the yeast and milk and allow to work for 15 mins. Sift the flour, salt into a bowl and rub in the butter. mix in the yeast mixture and knead until smooth on a floured worktop. Prove the dough in a covered oiled bowl until the dough is double its original size. All your filling ingredients as above should be mixed together in another large bowl. Then divide your dough in to two making one piece larger than the other. Taking the larger piece of dough flatten this out and lay the filling onto this piece of dough and then knead the filling and dough together until thoroughly mixed in together. Roll out your smaller piece of dough into a circle. Placing the bun of mixed dough and filling in the centre wrap this up completely pulling up the edges to the centre of the top with a pinching action.

Line your 25 to 30 cm cake tin and invert your bun in to the tim pinch side down. Cover and proce the dough for 40 minutes and using a skewer, skewer all the way through several times and glaze with the mixed egg yolk and milk. Now bake for 2 hours at 350 f and eat cold with a whisky at new year for a traditional hogmanay supper.

A wish for a prosperous and happy 2009 to you all keep cooking and I look forward to hearing from you and cooking with you next year!  Jacqui