Time Out For...

...some really yummy stuff.

As in...freshly picked, and I mean right off the vine, tomatoes, of all varieties (red, orange, purple and yellow), beautiful Heirlooms, roasted with smoked French Sea Salt with red wine and juniper, basil and/or oregano, garlic and a drizzle of real olive oil.

I must have roasted, bagged and frozen 10 - 15 large pans of these beauties. They will form the basis for some delicious sauces and soups over the winter months. The bounty of fresh food this autumn has been amazing, and humbling; the ritual of the harvest, of gathering food and preserving it for later use connects one to the earth in such a way that one tends to reflect; in my case, upon the Creator as the One who sustains all that is needful for food to grow. (Yes, I know there is famine; I know there is and has been drought, but there is also abundance, abundance that ought to spill over to fill the baskets of those whose harvests have been slim. It's shameful that what arises in people's hearts to do so often does not, cannot take shape because of policy or the political jockeying of men and women who lay claim to authority. I mean...just TRY to give away surplus crops if you're a farmer in this country. See what happens. Likewise, so much food sent to those who need it so often becomes a weapon in the hands of those whose aim is Power and the subjugation of their fellow human beings.)

Friends of mine who are expert in the craft of canning generously filled some jars with sauce, salsa and soup; they are in a place of honor in my pantry. I also have sauerkraut fermenting naturally on my counter top;  I estimate it will be ready right around New Year's Eve (and it will probably be spectacular). And if all goes well, I should see some northern high bush blueberry plants arriving by mail to be planted in the ground before the end of the month.

I am truly grateful to God for this incredible bounty and for the neighbors and friends who have shared so freely and generously with us.Would that we should all love our neighbors so.

Ruminations

Made Fried Irish Cabbage (a jazzed up recipe) for dinner tonight, served with buttered noodles and a thick slab of homemade bread slathered with European-style butter (yes, there is a difference). 'Twas very, very good, and all of it real food, raised locally and obtained from clean sources.

This is how I make it:

Ingredients
1 12 - 14 oz. package bacon, no nitrates or nitrites, very little sugar
1/4 cup bacon drippings
2 cloves garlic
1 med. onion
1 large green pepper, chopped fine
1 large red pepper, chopped fine
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 small head cabbage, cored and finely chopped or shredded
1/4 c. chicken broth
Ground black pepper/salt to taste

(Olive oil as needed)

Directions
Cook bacon in a deep skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in skillet.
Saute finely chopped garlic, onion and green and red peppers in bacon fat until soft
Add chopped tomatoes
Add cabbage and cook over medium heat until cabbage wilts, 5 to 7 minutes. Add a dash of olive oil if necessary.
Add 1/4 c. chicken broth, combine all ingredients in skillet well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add bacon back, crumbling over cabbage. Stir and simmer until bacon is warmed, 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt/black pepper. Serve over buttered noodles.

So.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the subject of natural healing. My paternal grandmother, who passed away in the 1980's, had an extensive knowledge of the medicinal use of food and herbs/spices, which, for some inexplicable reason, no one in her immediate family bothered to ever learn, preserve or pass down. My father and his siblings grew up wearing medicine bags - a practice they tired of and cast aside once they were grown and out in the world - but (oddly enough), they were rarely sick as children. Although Grandma was a Christian and this practice may have represented a bit of lingering syncretism (likely a legacy from previous generations), my understanding is that she chose to focus on the actual properties of the herbs, flowers, etc., she used in her healing work as opposed to seeing them in an esoteric light.

All that to say that, having fought a few recent battles with inflammation, and upon finding that I'm the object of affection of biting insects this summer (and no, DH isn't affected. Go figure. I'm covered in itchy welts and he is completely unscathed), I am rather more attentive than I typically am to the  possibilities conferred by the medicinal use of herbs and spices. None of this is actually new to me, but it may be time both to make a habit (in terms of practice) of what I do know and seek out new sources of information. I wish I knew what my grandmother knew.

Turmeric, for example, is a potent anti-inflammatory that also possesses antioxidant properties. It has evidently been the subject of a number of clinical studies attempting to ascertain its effect on various disorders. Early results seem promising. Ginger is another powerful anti-inflammatory/antioxidant. And of course, my seasonal favorite - blueberries! I picked enough to fill two buckets just the other day and plan to return before the month is out for another round - one simply can't eat too many blueberries. My opinion, of course. No one has to agree with me.

Disclaimer: I'm not a healthcare professional. I'm an artisan/educator, and I'm not making any recommendations, so let's get that on the record. OK? OK, good.

However, Hippocrates said "let your food be your medicine" (he was the same guy who also said "first, do no harm" - not in the Oath, but in the Corpus). Westerners have, for too long perhaps, allowed others to do their thinking for them where these matters are concerned. While there is a great deal of quackery out there, insisting on its cacophonous claims,  I believe there is much to be said for an informed review of the evidence for the use of God-given herbs, spices and other foodstuffs in the cause of wellness and good health.

And that's where it all stands at the moment - this moment - in time. More later.

Natural Beauty

These eggs, given by a Buff Orpington, a Red Star and a Black Australorp, all of whom are pastured chickens, had only moments before been snuggled in a clean nest of sweet fresh straw and pine shavings. I gathered them yesterday to make this meal, so simple and nutrient-dense, for myself and a friend:

Eggs poached in diced tomatoes with Herbs de Provence on toasted bread rubbed with garlic, sprinkled with a little grated cheese.

So simple, and yet so good.