In October, Snow White reemerged from her media slumber. The focus of a new TV series (Once) and 2 movies that have recently been announced (Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman), she is once again, winning hearts. This time, though, the story lines are anything but Disneyesque.
As someone who prefers the original tellings of folk tales, these recent depictions of Snow White feel much more true.
As someone who loves food, I couldn’t help myself from wanting to use this recent interest in fairy tales to talk about the connection between the two.
Apples
In Grimms’ telling of Little Snow White, the witch visits her, first offering stay laces for her dress and, on the second visit, combs for her hair. It is on the third visit that the witch offers Snow White a most-beautiful apple – perfectly red and perfectly poisoned.
“I shall soon get rid of my apples. There, I will give you one.”
“No,” said Snow–white, “I dare not take anything.”
“Are you afraid of poison?” said the old woman; “look, I will cut the apple in two pieces; you eat the red cheek, and I will eat the white.”
The apple was so cunningly made that only the red cheek was poisoned. Snow–white longed for the fine apple, and when she saw that the woman ate part of it she could resist no longer, and stretched out her hand and took the poisonous half.1
The apple is irresistible to Snow White. And, with a bite, she falls prey to the witch’s plans.
Throughout the Grimms’ tales, there are numerous references to apples. On nearly every occasion, there is an element of temptation involved, prompting quests, thievery, revenge, and murder. Apples today, fortunately, are more likely to prompt a desire for a crisp bite or a delicious pie.
Cabbage
Cabbage is a tricky vegetable. In Donkey Cabbages, a huntsman encounters cabbages that, when eaten, turn people into donkey’s and other types of cabbages that return them to human form.
“At a pinch I can eat some of the leaves, they do not taste particularly good, but they will refresh me.” With that he picked himself out a fine head of cabbage, and ate it, but scarcely had he swallowed a couple of mouthfuls than he felt very strange and quite different.
Four legs grew on him, a large head and two thick ears, and he saw with horror that he was changed into an ass. Still as his hunger increased every minute, and as the juicy leaves were suitable to his present nature, he went on eating with great zest. At last he arrived at a different kind of cabbage, but as soon as he had swallowed it, he again felt a change, and reassumed his former human shape. 1
While the huntsman used the first cabbage to turn a witch into a donkey, we can use our kitchen skills to turn cabbage into many delicious food forms, from sauerkraut and slaw to cabbage rolls and stir-fry with pork.
Peas
When not used as way-markers, peas are used to test women in tales of old. Only a true princess could feel a pea beneath so many mattresses. Only a girl – not a man – would lose her balance when walking on peas. And such was the test in The Twelve Huntsmen:
The King, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew all concealed and secret things. It came to pass that one evening he said to the King, “Thou thinkest thou hast twelve huntsmen?”
“Yes,” said the King, “they are twelve huntsmen.”
The lion continued, “Thou art mistaken, they are twelve girls.”
The King said, “That cannot be true! How wilt thou prove that to me?”
“Oh, just let some peas be strewn in thy ante–chamber,” answered the lion, “and then thou wilt soon see it. Men have a firm step, and when they walk over the peas none of them stir, but girls trip and skip, and drag their feet, and the peas roll about.”
The King was well pleased with the counsel, and caused the peas to be strewn.1
Fortunately, we are more likely to test peas for freshness these days than to test girls with peas. And having a fresh pea, rather than a dried one on which we could, indeed, slip, is all the more fortunate.
Pumpkin
Pumpkins appear in the telling of Cinderilla. The pumpkin is temporarily transformed into something magical, and later returned to its humble state – just like Cinderilla.
“Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin.”
Cinderilla went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, leaving nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold.2
And, just like Cinderilla, the pumpkin is wonderful in both its most humble form and when dressed in ways (i.e., with spice and aroma) that enhance its loveliness.
Soup
Soup is often referred to in fairy tales. Bread soup, hare soup, root soup… No matter what is in it, the presence of soup in a story typically means that someone is giving more than they are receiving, with the maker of the soup willingly serving it to whomever asks (even if that person is unkind) or to whomever needs it. Making and serving soup are often acts of good-hearted people.
“…in obedience to the old man’s orders, she had made ready some good soup, and the bowl was placed upon the table, she said, “Am I to eat as much as I want, and the good animals to have nothing? Outside is food in plenty, I will look after them first.”1
Today, the idea of making and serving soup as a nurturing gesture, allowing warm souls to warm souls, holds true.
What’s your favorite fairy tale, and does it involve food?
Story sources:
- Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm
- Cinderilla; or, The Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault
About Stormy Sweitzer - Maoomba-in-chief