What is Hogmanay?

A Time Traveler’s Guide to Hogmanay

This year’s Chrononaut Cotillion theme is “An Outlandish Hogmanay.” It references the Dianna Gabaldon time traveling Outlander novels. In those novels, Hogmanay is celebrated at the New Year. You may be scratching your head and wondering what exactly is Hogmanay?

Hogmanay originated with the Viking tourists who visited Scotland in the early 8th and 9th centuries. It’s a celebration of Yule, the longest and darkest nights of the year. In a bit of sympathetic magic, fire is used to drive away the dark and bring back the sun. Ironically, at the end of the 17th century, the protestant reformed church banned Christmas for being too unchristian like. The Scots, in their infinite wisdom, decided to celebrate the very pagan based Hogmanay instead. This was the case until the ban on Christmas was lifted in 1950.

The traditions associated with Hogmanay are many. First, the whole house is cleaned and the ashes from the fire are removed from the house. All debts are settled so that the new year can start with a clean slate. The house is then made ready for visitors, feasting and merriment. Hospitality is key. Friends and family gather in a house lit with many candles. A roaring fire is in the hearth. Food and whisky in abundance are offered to all those gathered. Perhaps because of the copious amounts of whiskey, there is much enthusiastic kissing at midnight. The singing of “Auld Lang Syne” with whisky fueled gusto is also an important part of any Hogmanay celebration.

One Hogmanay tradition is that of the First Foot. If the first person to set foot in the house after midnight is a dark-haired man, the household will see good luck and prosperity during the new year. Blonds and red heads are exceedingly unlucky, most likely a throwback to the previously mentioned Viking tourists. Women were considered unlucky as well, especially red-haired women. Many times, a designated First Footer was prearranged. This dark-haired male would visit many homes throughout the early hours of the New Year. He would come bearing gifts of coal, shortbread, salt, a black bun, and a wee dram of whisky. He would be compensated with gifts of cash, food, and a wee dram or two.

Now that some of the traditions of Hogmanay have been explained, you may be wondering about the name itself. This harkens back to the early pagan traditions of the Yule celebration. The traditional New Year ceremony would involve men and boys dressing up in hides and running around the village while being hit by sticks. I’m assuming a few red-haired women whacked at the men with great enthusiasm. Bad luck for them indeed! There would be great bonfires and many torches. The torches were made by wrapping a bit of hide around a stick. Once lit, the torches burned and smoked in an effort to drive away evil. These torches were known as Hogmanay. Many communities still host torchlit parades. Some locales hurl large balls of flame into the sea in a throwback to the Viking practices used to bring back the sun.

This, in short, is a history of Hogmanay. Plan to join your fellow time travelers at this year’s Chrononaut Cotillion – An Outlandish Hogmanay and ring in the New Year with a bit of Scottish flair. And whisky. Whisky aids the singing, dancing, and kissing!

The Annual Conglomeration

In the words of Snap O’Grady, our fearless leader and all around good guy:

The 10th Annual Conglomeration was held over the weekend and 26 stalwart souls attended and lived to tell the tale. On Saturday we had a royal tea which was delicious. In the evening we had wood fired pizza. And for breakfast we had The Quiche That Ate Sheboygan 3. (It was BIG) Sublime. Bonfires, bloody Mary's and a grandson who got held by just about everyone there. What fun. It was great that we got to see folks that we may only get to see once or twice a year. The weather was fantastic, except for Sunday which was not windy at all, therefore no kites were flown. Next year. Thanks for all those that helped and those who attended. You're always welcome.

More Cooking With Steam

More Cooking with Steam has premiered on the BrassGears YouTube channel.

Here are the recipes.

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken

by Prof. Hugo Winklesham

1 c. pineapple juice

1/2 c. soy sauce

3 T. honey

2 T. rice vinegar

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. minced fresh ginger

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

2 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken

Salt and pepper

1/2 c. water, divided

3 T. cornstarch

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.

Turn the sauté function on, and allow it to heat. Add the oil, place chicken in the Instant Pot, and allow to sear on each side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Once browned, remove the chicken from the pot, and place on a plate. Turn the sauté function off.

Pour in 1/4 cup of water, and scrape up the browned bits (fond) off the bottom of the inner pot. Place the chicken in the pot, and pour the sauce over the chicken. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set to cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.

When the timer is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then do a quick release of any remaining pressure. Open the lid, remove the chicken, and place it on a plate. Hit CANCEL on the Instant Pot, and then turn on the sauté function.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup of water until completely dissolved. Pour the slurry into the pot while whisking the sauce. Allow to cook for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Cancel the sauté function.

Serve the chicken over rice with the thickened sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.

Iris’s Hearty and Steamy Ham and Bean Soup

by Iris Anita Wentworth

16 oz. dry white beans, rinsed

1 lb. ham, cubed

4 – 14.5 oz. cans of chicken broth

1 c. carrots, sliced

1 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1/2 c. sweet peppers, chopped

2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced

2 t. black pepper, coarsely ground

1 t. salt

Combine all ingredients into the Instant Pot. Stir well, close the lid, and set the vent to sealing.

Press the manual button, and change the time to 40 minutes on high pressure. Once cook cycle is completed, do a natural steam release for 20 minutes. After that, do a quick release to eliminate the remaining pressure. Stir well, and serve hot.

Fauxtisserie Chicken

by Susanna Davenport

1 – 3 1/2 lb. chicken

1 T. Greek seasoning

3/4 t. salt

3/4 t. Italian seasoning

3/4 t. paprika

3/4 t. garlic powder

3/4 t. onion powder

1 T. olive oil

14.5 oz. chicken broth or white wine

Combine spices. Rub inside and outside of chicken with spice mixture. Pour olive oil into Instant Pot. Press SAUTÉ. When oil shimmers, place the chicken breast-side down in pot. Cook 5 minutes. Turn over and cook 3 minutes. Remove chicken. Add broth or wine, and stir to loosen up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Place rack in pot. Put chicken on rack. Seal and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.

Monty’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

by Monty McAllister

Crust

1 1/2 c. ginger snap cookies, crushed

3 T. flour

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

Filling

16 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)

2/3 c. granulated sugar

2 large eggs (room temperature)

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. ginger

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

3/4 c. canned pumpkin puree

1 T. lemon juice

3 T. cornstarch

2 t. vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 325º F. In a food processor, crush the cookies until the crumb consistency is sand-like. Alternatively, you may crush the cookies in a plastic Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Stir in flour, drizzle in melted butter, and combine well. Add crumb mixture into the bottom of a parchment- or waxed paper–lined 6-inch springform pan, and press the crumbs tightly in the bottom and up the sides about 1/2 inch. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and spices. Beat 1 minute. Add in pumpkin, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt, and mix 1 minute until well incorporated. Pour mixture on top of the crust, ensuring it is level. Bang the pan a few times on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Be patient with this step; it may take a while for the air bubbles to surface. Wrap the entire pan tightly in aluminum foil.

Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup of water. With the lid off, set the cooker to HIGH PRESSURE for 45 minutes. Once the water begins to boil, set the cheesecake on the top of the trivet. Secure the lid, and make sure the sealing is set and not on venting.

Once the time is done, allow the pressure to naturally release. Remove the cheesecake from the Instant Pot, remove the foil, cool, and run a knife along the sides to make sure the cheesecake will release from the pan. Place it in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.

Remove from the pan, slice the cheesecake, and top with whipped cream or caramel sauce (if desired).

CHRONONAUT COTILLION MOULIN ROUGE EDITION

The Chrononaut Cotillion - Moulin Rouge Edition was held December 31, 2022. The well attended soiree brought the new year in with raucous enthusiasm. The evening featured dancing to DJ Michael Larkins, tarot readings by Drucilla Yeardleigh Nokes-Ellingwood, full contact musical chairs, a witches dance, and fabulous burlesque performances by Largo Lyrical, Steamy Mirabella, and Melody Mischief.

Teslacon 2022 - Hawthorn Manor

Enjoy a few pictures from the event!

BrassGears 10th Anniversary Party

Enjoy the images of our celebration at Noir!

The Adventurers Assemble!

Teslacon Scholarship Competition!

Have you ever wanted to go to Teslacon, but just haven't done it yet? Have you been to Teslacon before, but haven't been back for a while? Then this, my friend, is the opportunity for you! The BrassGears Adventurers Society is sponsoring two scholarships to this year's Teslacon! Teslacon is the premiere steampunk event in the midwest, some even claim the universe! It is held November 10th through 14th in Middletown, WI. This year's theme is Hawthorne Manor - A weekend dedicated to a plethora of preposterous paranormal predicaments & piffling passions.

To apply for a scholarship, please submit a short essay stating why you wish to be considered. Essays may be in written or video format. Essays are to be submitted to the BAS board of directors by noon CDT October 12th. Submit written essays to duressklin@gmail.com with a heading of BAS Scholarship. To submit a video essay, upload your video to YouTube as a private video. Copy the link and send it to the above email address. Questions may be submitted to the email address as well with a header BAS Scholarship Questions. Do not bother Lord Bobbins with questions about this contest. The responsibility, decisions, and actions regarding this essay competition reside solely with the BrassGears Adventurers Society.

Those selected for the scholarship will receive a ticket to Teslacon. You will be responsible for your own housing, transportation, meals, and extras.

For more information about Teslacon go to www.Teslacon.com. 

For more information about the BrassGears Adventurers Society go to www.brassgearsadventurerssociety.org.

Sigh!

My dear friends,

I cannot believe that I have to announce the cancelation of the Conglomeration due to Covid 19. It’s still here. It’s still contagious.

I know that we are tired of it. We are tired of masking. We are tired of cancelations. We are tired of friends and family contracting the virus. All we can do is get vaccinated and use common sense. Until we meet again, stay safe and well.

Play That Steampunk Goodness!

Hey kids! We now have our own YouTube channel! Revel in all your favorite BrassGears videos. Learn something new. This everchanging video venue will surely amaze you!

What a Year!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since we halted all in person gatherings and events. We have persevered and have hosted several on-line activities. From Movie Parties, to virtual teas, to online dance parties, to workshops… While it’s not the same as gathering in person, we have discovered that hosting events on the aetherwebs has allowed adventurers from far away and even over seas to join us.

Join us this spring and summer as we continue our on-line adventures. With the advances in vaccines, we are hoping to raise a toast to destiny in person this fall!

Until then, stay safe and healthy my friends!

What do I spy here…

What is that thing on this page? Could it be an Easter Egg?

Your quest is over. The eggs are found.

Now back to Discord and claim the crown!

Congratulations! You found it!

Things to Come

The sands flow through the hour glass and time passes. Despite the pandemic that ravages our planet, the BrassGears Adventurers Society perseveres. We held our biennial election of officers in October. As a result, we welcome new Vice President Monty McAllister. Former VP Professor Hugo leaves with our gratitude and well wishes.

We celebrated our 8th birthday via the magic of the Aethernet. 17 hardy adventurers raised a toast to the continued good health of our fearless band of adventurers.

A decision has been made to move the Chrononaught Cotillion to the Aetherwebs this coming New Year’s Eve. Links and details will be posted on the FaceBook page, Twitter, and this website.

Stay tuned!

Welcome!

Welcome to the new BrassGears Adventurers Society web page. This is a work in progress and a learning experience.

Things to note:

During the ongoing global pandemic, BAS is chosing not to meet in person. Some of our events have placeholder dates listed. Those will be updated when plans are made. We still have our monthly meetings via Zoom. We have also been hosting some virtual workshops and events as well. Those are currently being posted on our facebook page. I will be attempting to list them here as well.

This page will be evolving. More photos will be added in the future.

Thanks for understanding!