Fall traditions from around the world

Mia Musa-Green -

By Mia Musa-Green, Travel Digital Editor

The Croft Magazine // Mia Musa-Green explores what traditions make her feel ready for the colder months.

Back to the sweet days when travel was permitted, I took a winter trip to Prague. The outdoor markets, the scent of Trdelníks seeping through the streets and the ice-cold weather made this trip my most festive holiday to date. My favourite thing about Prague – and a tradition I now hold dear - was the mulled wine. Priced at 1.5€ each and readily available on every street corner, how could we say no! The switch from Pimm's and Kopparbergs to Mulled Ciders and Wines is when I know autumn has really hit. Why not travel to Prague from home and make some with your flatmates and friends. Try it with Cider instead to satisfy your true south-west cravings.

When discussing our favourite traditions from around the world, one of my friends told me about the Schultüte; how her friend's mum would give it to her every Autumn. Popular in Germany and some parts of the Czech Republic and Poland, a Schultüte is given to children on their first day back to school. The cone-shaped gift typically contains school supplies, sweets, toys and a variety of other small trinkets. Coinciding with Autumn's arrival, this tradition not only marks the start of the school year, but also the beginning of the festive season.

Too cheap to turn on your central heating? Why not try Maraq Fahfah aka Somali Soup to keep you toasty during the chilly months. This soul-warming dish reminds me of autumn at home, spending time with family and ignoring the piles of work that have started to mound from the start of term. If you want to recreate this dish, try this budget-friendly recipe!

This is a vegan-ized version of the dish but you are more than welcome to add any meat of your choice - goat, lamb and beef are traditionally used!

What you will need:

Serving size: 6-8

  • 1.5l water
  • 1 onion
  • 5 Carrots
  • 4 medium Potatoes, thinly chopped
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 cabbage
  • 1 cup of Red Lentils
  • 1 cup of Pearl barley
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons of chopped Ginger
  • 2 tsp of all purpose seasoning,
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika,
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp oil

How to cook it!:

  • Saute the onions in the oil until caramelized. Then add the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cumin, smoked paprika and the all purpose seasoning and cook until the garlic becomes golden.
  • Add the water, stock cubes, the red lentils, pearl barley and the rest of the vegetables and cook for 25-30 minutes.
  • Finally, add the chopped coriander and serve! This can be eaten on its own but is also great with rice or lahooh!

Featured Image: Epigram / Mia Musa-Green