Lorna has offered a new writing prompt this week but in keeping with the same theme as last week. A Sepia Toned Memory round up can be perused here. There is a lot of lovely writing to enjoy.
This week we are given an autumnal food memory.
Monkey Nuts
‘Buy the monkey nuts Mammy!’
I had the poor mother tortured.
Every Halloween, the net bags of strange looking, bitter little brown nuts encased in crackable, rough edged shelling would appear on shop counters. On the actual counter because these were a special business. Just like the Santa foil on milk bottle tops, Easter lilies in Spring or Wexford strawberry stalls in summer, the monkey nut arrival was a true signalling of the changing of seasons. I made her buy them. Promises of eating them, loving them, needing them. Pleading. Cajoling. Halloween after all demanded monkey nuts.
I hadn’t a clue as to why.
You always gave a few to the pookies calling. You always received them too. Dressed in a black bin bag with holes for eyes and arms, you put on your plastic mask just before entering the garden of the house you were calling to, otherwise you would smother if you kept it on. The mask would be from the local shop. A selection would appear around monkey nut time and you might even get a new one. The elastic band would inevitably snap and there would be many irritable and desperate attempts to staple on another before heading out on the pookies.
Trick or treat only took off with the advent of Sky telly. (Before that we called it ‘going on the pookies’. A pookie was a spirit only known in Ireland). Now they are all trick or treaters. Costumes are lavish. TK Maxx. Argos. Tesco. You can be anything and barely use your imagination. Even grown ups are at it.
One thing has lasted. I still never let a Halloween party pass without giving out a few monkey nuts. My youngest is a ‘Halloween baby’ (October 25th). Her first birthday cake boasted a ghost and black icing. The walls were cobwebbed. Balloons were spider infested. A puking watermelon decorated the table. A bowl of monkey nuts caused much nostalgic conversation. I ate a few for old times sake.
Some things live in the past. Belong in the past. Some things have a powerful magic that can transport you into a time long gone and a place that will never be again. Monkey nuts are indeed that beast.
We never ate all of them. They tasted horrible. Mammy was right. Total waste of money.
fancypaper 
Indeed euch! We used to string them and hang them out for the finches and tits to eat. They seemed perfectly happy with those evil devils carbuncles but all her life my gran had a pocketful that she’d crack and nibble. Life must have been hard back in the day if they were considered a treat….
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That is true!!!😂
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This is so funny–thanks for brightening my morning!
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Glad you enjoyed it😊
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Love your take on the prompt this week. It’s so Americanised now isn’t it? We used to have turnips with candles inside not pumpkins when I was little. My Mam would throw a Halloween party for me and my friends when I was little – no monkey nuts though!
Rachael | https://rachaelstray.com
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I remember using turnips. It was only recently I saw real pumpkins!
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Haha this is so cute. It’s so funny how something so small can trigger so many big memories
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That is the truth!
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We always got monkey nuts in our stockings at Christmas. I’m not really sure why!
You’re night about Halloween getting bigger yet imagination being less. I always prefer a home made costume than ones from a store. It’s more about the doing for me.
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At Christmas? Wow! I suppose easy to crack maybe?
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I’ve only ever associated them with Christmas. Still not sure they’re easy to crack!
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I never actually used a proper nut cracker. Must get one- they look cute too.
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My grandad use to have one on a bowl with all kinds of nuts.
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Lovely memory. My grandad smoked a pipe and the smell is always pleasant for me
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Heh I had to look up monkey nuts. Think we just call them peanuts here! My dad eats them every night lol. Unfortunately there are no seasons in Singapore 😦 I hope you enjoy the season, though!
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Thank you!
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I read that whole post not realizing what “monkey nuts” where. I was thinking “I don’t think we have them here.” Not putting the dots together for a child. WHAT peanuts! Yes to memories
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I added an image at the end just because I figured across the world would have a different idea of them! They would be called raw peanuts here I think.
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I associate all nuts with Halloween, rather than Christmas. We used to bob for them as well as apples. I have recently discovered roasted monkey nuts, and I have to say, they are quite nice, but best of all are the Kentish Cob nuts – I LOVE them.
Great post, brought back loads of memories, particularly the suffocating masks that would get so wet on the inside too!
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Never heard of Kentish cob nuts- must get some.
I remember that horrible condensation feeling too with the mask! Ew
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I enjoyed your take on this week’s prompt. It’s always interesting to read about different traditions. Flipped this one 🙂
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Thank you Debbie!
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You know, my father in law loves them… I still think they are tasteless too!
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I am getting more used to them. Thirty plus years trying them yearly!!
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Lol!
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Monkey nuts were always what was left at the bottom of my trick or treat bag when I was finished emptying out all the sweets haha
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Me too. I tried to pawn them off on my parents!!
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Love hearing about different traditions! I didn’t grow up with any sort of Hallowe’en tradition (the opposite: my parents adamantly refused to let us celebrate it), but I’m always curious about the older ones that have been wiped away by the spread of trick and treat.
(I love your writing style, by the way, but I found the font on this post a little bit hard to read because it’s so curly. Just thought I’d mention that! Though I really ought to get better at reading curlier writing because at this rate I won’t be able to read my own handwriting.)
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Thank you! Yes, trick or treat is doing a wipe out here too. Halloween was always celebrated around my house but then we would study the origins at school and wonder why!!
I so glad to hear you feedback on the font. I changed the size as an experiment based on other feedback and if not not quite like the size either. Thank you for confirming it !
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What I love monkey nuts give me them every time. Pookies are new to me the boy next door had poogies once ( slang for nits) but pookies … Another great response to a #ginspiration prompt cracking job.
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The monkey nuts were always a huge part of Halloween for us. Our Little Miss Eight is allergic to nuts so they’re a no no here now.
I remember when our costumes were black bags, or old torn clothes. Our make-up was dirt from the nearest muddy puddle. Funny when I think about it! 😂
How times have changed.
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Black bags were the best costume. And a pair of tights over your face!!
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