A celebrating of lights, fish and a place called Mousehole

My friend Candy and I always celebrate a wonderfully quaint and quirky holiday in Cornwall, England -- Tom Bowcock's Eve.  It's our way of honouring her late sister, Dawn Thompson.  Many of her novels were set in Cornwall, so we remember her and a place she loved so well.

Tom Bawcock's Eve

 is an annual festival, held on 23rd December, in
 Mousehole, Cornwall, near Penzance, England

The festival is a celebration and memorial for legendary Mousehole resident Tom Bawcock. Cornwalls suffers violent storms called flaws, and they can wipe out crops, leaving a small, isolated village in dire circumstances.  During a time of famine in the 16th century, and with Christmas upon them, Tom risked his life by going out to fish during a great mid-winter storm, in a heroic effort to save the people of Mousehole from starving.  Braving the high seas, Tom launched his small boat, and to everyone's surprise, returned with enough fish to feed the whole village.  A true Christmastide miracle.

The legend even inspired a story, The Mousehole Cat available on Amazon.com

During this festival Stargazy pie (a mixed fish, egg and potato pie with protruding fish heads) is eaten, and depending on the weather each year, a celebration of a lantern procession takes place, with singing and dancing along the harbour.  It's simply magical!!!

Stargazy pie

 FOR THE CRUST:

2 1⁄4 cups flour, plus more for dusting

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. mustard powder

12 tbsp. unsalted butter

6 tbsp. ice-cold water

FOR THE FILLING:

6 slices bacon, cut into one inch pieces

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1⁄2 cup chicken stock

1⁄3 cup crème fraîche

2 tbsp. English mustard

2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper, to taste|

8 fresh sardines, cleaned, heads attached

3 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and sliced

Instructions

Crust: Whisk flour, mustard, and salt in a bowl. Using blend butter into flour mixture, forming pea-size crumbles. Add water.  Work dough until smooth but with visible flecks of butter. Divide dough in half and flatten into disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour before using.

Filling: Heat bacon in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook until slightly crisp, 5–7 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add butter and onion to pan.  Cook until golden, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in stock, crème fraîche, mustard, parsley, lemon juice, half the egg, and salt; set aside.

Heat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough into a 12” round. Fit into a 9” pie plate; trim edges, leaving 1” dough overhanging edge of plate. Arrange sardines in a clocklike pattern with heads resting along edge of crust. Pour filling over sardines; top with reserved bacon, the hard-boiled eggs, salt, and pepper. Roll remaining disk of dough into a 12” round; cut eight 1” slits in dough about 2” from the edge. Place over top of pie and pull sardine heads through slits. Pinch top and bottom edges together and fold under; crimp edges. Brush with remaining egg and cut three 1”-long slits in top of pie; bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

So, if you are ever in Cornwall before Christmas be sure to enjoy this wonderful time!

Happy Bawcock's Eve!!!