April 1st
Drink up, pull a prank, sit back, and enjoy the laughs.
The History
Fool’s Paradise
In the 1500’s, Pope Gregory XIII issued a decree stating that his new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) be observed throughout Europe. They had previously followed the Julian calendar, in which the new year began on March 25 and was celebrated until April 1.
It had to be extremely difficult to get an enormous amount of people to switch over, but he did. April Fools was a term for those who were “foolish” enough to celebrate the New Year according to the old calendar. As a result, these “fools” were subject to ridicule and pranks.
Because of the confusion in the calendars, this holiday is often associated with the Feast of Fools (a New Year’s celebration). During the Middle Ages, the Feast of Fools was observed as an adaptation of Saturnalia. The feast evolved into a mockery of Christianity and was, of course, prohibited by the church. However, the defiant people of the times chose to continue the revelry until the late sixteenth century.
Saturnalia was the harvest festival that honored the god, Saturn. For this celebration, all class distinctions were ignored, slaves and masters switched roles, and most laws regarding behavior were set aside (you can see where this is going).
During the medieval period, the Feast of Fools became a giant out-of-hand party. A King of Fools was elected (also referred to as the Lord of Misrule, King of Bean, the Abbot of Unreason, etc.) There was a lot of cross-dressing, heavy drinking, gambling, and other unapproved acts. Mock religious masses were held and instead of saying “Amen,” the attendees gave a “hee-haw.”
Catholic Kibosh
All good things must come to end, so in the sixteenth century, most of the buffoonery had been extinguished by the Catholic Church. However, as we’ve all come to know, it really didn’t end there.
To properly honor a day that the pious medieval priests would frown upon, we suggest an extremely indulgent soup in which something isn’t quite as it seems (ale !), paired with a lot of adult beverages. It’s all about breaking the rules and testing the patience of your loved ones.
The joke is on your guests, there’s ALE in there! Burp.
Ingredients
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced (we used a mandoline)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups beef stock
1 cup chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ to 1 cup ale
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
¾ cup heavy cream
French baguette
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
Directions
Over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil in a pan. Stir onions into the butter/oil mixture and leave alone for about 10 minutes. Give the onions a stir and add sugar and salt. Stir once more and let it cook until a golden brown. You may need to stir occasionally and lower the temperature to avoid burning.
Once the onions have caramelized, add the flour and stir. Cook for 2 minutes, and then add the stocks, bay leaves, ale, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Ale can create bitterness, and some people like it while others do not. If you are in the “do not” category, cook the soup longer for a good half hour to 45 minutes. Slowly add the cream and stir.
Set the oven to low broil. Cut the baguette into slices and lay them on a cookie sheet. Add the cheese to the top of the bread and put them into the oven to golden.
Ladle the soup into a bowl and lay the cheesy bread on top of the soup.
