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http://whatscookingamerica.net/Lavender.htm

Culinary Lavender - Cooking with Lavender

Lavender is an incredibly versatile herb for cooking. In today’s upscale restaurants, fresh edible flowers are making a comeback as enhancements to both the flavor and appearance of food.

As a member of the same family as many of our most popular herbs, it is not surprising that lavender is edible and that its use in food preparation is also returning. Flowers and leaves can be used fresh, and both buds and stems can be used dried. Lavender is a member of the mint family and is close to rosemary, sage, and thyme. It is best used with fennel, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, and savory.

English Lavender (l. angustifolia and munstead) has the sweetest fragrance of all the lavenders and is the one most commonly used in cooking. The uses of lavender are limited only by your imagination. Lavender has a sweet, floral flavor, with lemon and citrus notes. The potency of the lavender flowers increases with drying. In cooking, use 1/3 the quantity of dried flowers to fresh. The key to cooking with lavender is to experiment; start out with a small amount of flowers, and add more as you go. NOTE: Adding too much lavender to your recipe can be like eating perfume and will make your dish bitter. Because of the strong flavor of lavender, the secret is that a little goes a long way.

The lavender flowers add a beautiful color to salads. Lavender can also be substituted for rosemary in many bread recipes. The flowers can be put in sugar and sealed tightly for a couple of weeks then the sugar can be substituted for ordinary sugar for a cake, buns or custards. Grind the lavender in a herb or coffee grinder or mash it with mortar and pestle.

The spikes and leaves of lavender can be used in most dishes in place of rosemary in most recipes. Use the spikes or stems for making fruit or shrimp kabobs. Just place your favorite fruit on the stems and grill.

Flowers look beautiful and taste good too in a glass of champagne, with chocolate cake, or as a garnish for sorbets or ice creams. Lavender lends itself to savory dishes also, from hearty stews to wine-reduced sauces. Diminutive blooms add a mysterious scent to custards, flans or sorbets. Dried lavender blossoms used in perfumes and pot pourris.

NOTE: Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centers. In many cases these flowers have been treated with pesticides not labeled for food crops.

Harvesting Fresh Lavender - Harvest flowers as you would fruit, selecting those that look most perfectly ready, with the fullest color, and passing over any that seem wilted or less ripe. The fresher the flower, the more flavorful its taste, so pick your flowers as close as possible to food preparation time. Stem flowers may be put in a glass of water in a cool place until you are ready to use them. All blooms should be thoroughly rinsed. Immerse them in water to remove any insects or soil. Then lay the flowers gently on paper or cloth towels and dab dry, or gently spin dry in a salad spinner. If necessary, layer blooms carefully between moist paper towels in the refrigerator until meal time.

History of Lavender

Lavender has been a favorite herb for centuries. The historic use and recognition of lavender is almost as old the history of man. As an herb, lavender has been in documented use for over 2,500 years.

In ancient times lavender was used for mummification and perfume by the Egyptian’s, Phoenicians, and peoples of Arabia. The Greeks and the Romans bathed in lavender scented water and it was from the Latin word “lavo” meaning “to wash” that the herb took it’s name.

Perhaps first domesticated by the Arabians, lavender spread across Europe from Greece. Around 600 BC lavender may have come from the Greek Hyeres Islands into France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy and England.

The ‘English’ lavender varieties were not locally developed in England but rather introduced in the 1600s right around the time the first lavender plants were making their way to the Americas.

Both Queen Elizabeth I of England valued lavender as a conserve and a perfume. It has been said that she commanded that the royal table should never be without conserve of lavender and she issued orders to her gardeners that fresh lavender flowers should be available all year round! She also drank an abundance of Lavender tea to help ease her migraines and used it as a body perfume.

Queen Victoria of England is most notable for making Lavender popular across England and it could be found, in one form or another, in every one of her rooms, as she used it to wash floors and furniture, freshen the air, and had it strewn among the linens.

During the First World War, nurses bathed soldiers’ wounds with lavender washes.

To this day, the French continue to send baby lamb to graze in fields of lavender, so their meat will be tender and fragrant.

Linda’s Favorite Recipes Using Lavender:

[live links on site]

Chicken with Herbes de Provence

Cottage Cheese-Herb Bread

Crostini with White Truffle & Olive Paste

Grilled Pork Chops with Lavender Flowers

Honey-Lavender Biscotti

Lavender Creme Brulee

Lavender Focaccia

Lavender Hazelnut Bread

Lavender Jelly

Lavender Meringue Cookies

Lavender Sorbet

Lavender Tea Cookies

Linda’s Smoked Salmon

Peppered Lavender Beef

Seared Ahi Tuna with Lavender-Pepper Crust

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/CottageCheeseBread.htm

[The water shows as it is on site, looks as tho it means 1/4 cup....granny

Cottage Cheese Herb Bread

A very unusual and delicious bread! A high protein bread. You would never know that there is cottage cheese in this bread.

Check out Linda’s Bread Making Hints: Secrets to using the bread machine, About yeast in bread making, Sourdough Starter, Quick Breads.

Check out all of Linda’s great Bread Recipes for your bread making.

Cottage Cheese Herb Bread

/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 cup non-fat or low-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh or dried lavender flowers
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups plus 3 tablespoons bread flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Cornmeal (optional for dusting pan)

Place all ingredients except cornmeal in bread pan of your bread machine. Select dough setting and press start. NOTE: Check the dough (don’t be afraid to open the lid). It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).

When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly oiled surface. (I use a nonstick cooking spray. Form dough into an oval, cover with a plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes.

After resting, turn dough bottom side up and press to flatten. For baguettes (long, slender) or boules (round), divide the dough into 2 pieces and shape. For baguettes, fold dough into an envelope by folding the top 1/3 of the way to the bottom. Then fold the bottom a 1/3 of the way over the top. Then press dough with the palm of your hand to make an indentation down the center of the dough and fold the top completely to the bottom, sealing the seam with the palm of your hand.

Place on a jelly roll pan dusted with cornmeal. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise until the dough is doubled in bulk, approximately 30 to 50 minutes (depending on how warm your room is).

NOTE: I use my oven for the rising. Turn the oven on for a minute or so, then turn it off again. This will warm the oven and make it a great environment for rising bread. If you can’t comfortably press your hand against the inside of the oven door, the oven is too hot. Let it stand open to cool a bit.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. After rising, slash or score the loaves with a very sharp knife making three 1/2-inch deep diagonal slashes. Bake for 20 minutes or until nicely browned. (A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees.) Remove from oven and place the loaves on a wire rack until cooled.

Makes 1 large round loaf or 2 small baguettes.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/herbs.htm

Herbs, Spices, and Seasonings

It is hard to imagine what cooking would be like without the unique flavors provided by herbs, spices, and the many seasonings available.
For centuries they have been an integral part of many of the world’s great cuisines. Today we take for granted black pepper and the other spices over which wars where once fought. At one time only kings and other wealthy people could afford such a delicacy as cinnamon. Today all supermarkets and most small grocery stores have well-stocked spice shelves offering a wonderful selection of herbs and spices.

The term “spices” is often used broadly to include all seasonings. Spices come from the bark, roots, leaves, stems, buds, seeds, or fruit of aromatic plants and trees which usually grow only in tropical countries. Pepper, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and turmeric are spices.

Herbs are soft, succulent plants which usually grow in the temperate zone. Until recently cooks have had to make do with very few fresh herbs, such as sage, parsley, and thyme. Nowadays you can also find fresh basil, coriander, chervil, tarragon, rosemary, and dill. Since herbs are at their best when they are young and freshly picked, it is well worth growing your own.

Learn All About Herbs and Spices

Hints For Using Herbs & Spices:

Substituting dried herbs for fresh herbs: Dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh leaf herbs. When adding dried leaf herbs to a recipe that calls for fresh ones, substitute 1/3 the amount called for in the recipe.

When using dried herbs, crush them in the palm of your hand or between your fingers. This will release the flavor quicker. Use only one strong-flavored herb (rosemary, sage, winter savory, etc.) in a food. A strong-flavored seasoning may be combined with several mild-flavored ones. Whole herb leaves are a better choice than ground or powdered herbs because they hold their flavor longer in storage; pulverize just before using.

Substituting whole spices for ground spices: When adding whole spices to a recipe that calls for ground spices, use 1 1/2 times as much as the recipe call for.

Increasing a recipe: When doubling a recipe, do not double the herbs and spices. Increase them by 1 1/2 times and then taste, adding more if necessary. In general, always taste for seasoning before adding salt.

Menu Planning: Don’t season more than one dish in a meal with the same herb. Also, every dish on the menu does not need to be herbed - two or three at the most is enough.

Use only one (1) strong-flavored herb (rosemary, sage, basil, mint, dill, marjoram, tarragon, thyme, etc.) in a dish at a time. However, a strong-flavored herb may be combined with several mild-flavored ones (chervil, chives, parsley, savory, etc.) for delightful dishes.
Grinding & Crushing Herb and Spices

Grinding or crushing herbs and spices immediately before cooking releases the aromatic flavor of the herb or spice and will deepen the flavor of any dish.

For crushing a small amount of herbs or spices, a mortar and pestle is quick to use and you can control the coarseness of the grind.

For large batches of herbs and spices, a spice mill or a coffee grinder is convenient and quick.

To simply crack or crush some spices without grinding them to a powder, place the spices in a sturdy plastic bag and then set on a cutting board. Bear down with the bottom of a heavy saucepan or a heavy wooden rolling pin.

If you are grinding spices to add to delicate baked goods, sift them after grinding to get rid of any woody bits and pieces.
Growing Fresh Herbs

Nothing is better than the flavor of fresh herbs!

Why not grow your own and have fresh herbs when you need them?

Herbs are very easy to grow in your garden or even in a kitchen windowsill. Most herbs can be started from seeds, but it is much easier to buy small plants for a head start.

When your herbs come into bloom, add the flowers to your soups, salads, or use as garnishes. Check out Edible Flowers and Culinary Lavender.

How To Preserve Fresh Herbs:

The faster the herbs dry, the more flavorful the resulting dried herb will be.

Conventional Oven: Place clean dry herb sprigs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at the lowest setting until herbs are dry and brittle. This should take about 12 hours. Strip leaves from stems & place in small airtight storage containers.

Air Drying: Tie small bunches of herbs with string and hang upside down by the stems in a dry warm spot out of direct sunlight. Be sure air circulates freely around the bunches. Let dry till leaves are brittle. This usually takes a few days to a week, depending on the thickness of the leaves. Pick off the dried leaves & store in tightly covered containers in a cool, dry place about two weeks or till dry and brittle.

Microwave Drying: Pick when the dew has just gone off. Put on paper towels on a plate in the microwave. Zap on high for a minute to start (at that point they appear “wet”). Stir them, zap again for another minute, move around again, and zap approximately 30 seconds more or until they are dry and crumbly. Rub between your hands to break up, pick out any twiggy parts and put in small jars or baggies.

Freezing Herbs: Wrap in foil or plastic wrap. You can also chop clean herbs, place in ice cube trays & fill with water. When needed remove herb ice cubes and drop into hot cooking liquid. You can also wrap bunches of fresh herbs in foil or plastic wrap and freeze them for several weeks. You should expect some discoloration of frozen herbs. Mark the date on the container of your dried herbs. They can be kept for one year. Heat, moisture and light rob herbs of flavor. You can also make herb butters and herb vinegars.

Making Herb Vinegar

“The following are the guidelines that I have perfected over the last 18 years of teaching and making herb flavored vinegar. The method used is for a mild delicate flavored vinegar that is pleasing to the eye, as well as delicious used in cooking.” - by Alleta Huston

Herb vinegars have a long shelf life. Use herb vinegars in vinaigrettes and marinades or to add zest to cooked vegetables.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/HydroponicsGardening/Sage.htm

Sage (Salvia Officinalis)

Easy-to-Grow Sage is a Wonderful Addition to Your Kitchen Herb Garden

Sage (Salvia Officinalis)
Like many other herbs, sage has a long and glorious past. Throughout history, sage has had more to do with medicine than actual cooking. Even Charlemagne had it grown in his royal garden. It’s always interesting to think that the same little leaves that taste so good with turkey were once used in sacred ceremonies and associated with immortality.

The History of Sage

Sage, or more technically “Salvia Officinalis,” originates in the Mediterranean. The versions of sage used in cooking are only a few of over seven hundred varieties of the plant. Not all are suitable for ingestion and one is actually a hallucinogen. That particular brand of sage was used in religious ceremonies in Central America where the plant is native.

The versions of sage that we are familiar with was first brought to light with the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Greeks used the herb to treat any manner of conditions including consumption, ulcers, and snake bites. In the Roman Empire, the herb has a bit more of an illustrious history.

Sage was considered to be a sacred herb by the Romans and there was a special ceremony to honor the herb as it was collected. The gatherer would use a knife not made of iron and the individual had to be clean and dressed in clean garments. A food sacrifice would also be performed. Once collected, the herb was believed to be good for the brain and memory, and the Romans would also use it as a form of toothpaste.

Common Varieties of Sage

There are many forms of sage, the hallucinogenic variety not withstanding. The two most common, at least in the kitchen, are Summer Sage and Winter Sage. Other popular forms of sage include Pineapple Sage which has a unique sweet smell much like a pineapple, and Narrow Leaved Sage, otherwise known as Spanish Sage. Spanish Sage is ideally suited for making a tea. The leaves require only boiling and time to stoop to make the beverage.

Using Sage

Sage is a very powerful herb in the kitchen. Its scent and taste are strong and pleasing and often leaves us with warm memories of Thanksgiving and other family times. Many individuals familiar with the herb prefer to grow their own. This is possible in small gardens or inside.

Some versions of sage can be grown in pots, and many of the varieties are easy to cultivate. A method increasing in popularity is growing sage in a hydroponic garden. Hydroponics growing systems are simple to set up and much cleaner than pots or planting beds as they require no dirt.

Regardless of your method, sage is a wonderful addition to many food items, not just the traditional stuffing. Try it in breads or with other vegetables. As you sample your own sage creations, just remember that you are eating an herb once considered sacred.

Simply-Hydroponics.com is a one-stop-shop resource for information on gardening with hydroponics. Started by Charlotte Bradley who, as a resident of Canada, was looking for a way to grow vegetables for her family year-round, the website boasts the latest resources and updated information, making it easy for anyone, anywhere, to start, maintain, and grow the garden of their choice indoors without harmful chemicals.

http://www.simply-hydroponics.com/hobby-greenhouses/

http://whatscookingamerica.net/HydroponicsGardening/Shiso.htm

Shiso (also know as Perilla, Kemangi, & Beefsteak Leaf)

Shiso (also know as Perilla, Kemangi. & Beefsteak Leaf)

Shiso is an herb better known in Asia than the United States. It is a member of the mint family and has many uses in both food and medicine. An attractive herb, shiso is also an excellent addition to an herb garden as it has a pleasant odor and is easy to grow.

The History of Shiso

Shiso was first an herb in China, but migrated to Japan in the eighth century. It was originally grown for lamp oil. The seeds of the plant were crushed to make the oil, but this was expensive, so the practice died out when other oil sources were found. Then the plant had a second coming when it was discovered to be an asset both in the kitchen and the medicine cabinet. The leaves of the plant are especially popular as they have a rich cinnamon scent.

Using Shiso

Shiso has many uses. It is popular both a food and as medicine, especially in Asia where herbal medicines are more commonplace than the United States. Shiso is a very basic ingredient in traditional Japanese fare. It is found in many dishes as a source of additional color and flavoring. The leaves and seed pods are used in salads and miso soup. The leaves are also a standard accompaniment of raw fish. This makes very good sense considering the medicinal uses of the plant.

Medicinal Shiso

Shiso is a natural antiseptic and can prevent food poisoning when consumed with items such as raw fish. Shiso is used in many forms in medicine. It has been powdered and juiced. Extracts are also taken to aid in promoting health

Shiso works against inflammation, so it has often been used on conditions such as the rheumatoid arthritis, food poisoning, and the common cold. Science has become extremely interested in shiso for this anti allergy ability. It has been used topically as an extract and shows tremendous promise at reducing allergic reactions and inflammation.

It is still being studied as part of treatment for respiratory conditions and is already used for certain skin conditions including hay fever, eczema and other allergies.

Growing Shiso

As Shiso is so useful, it is also a very handy herb to have around the house. Many who garden plant a row of shiso for its attractiveness and usefulness. Even those without a garden plot or windowsill have grown shiso using a hydroponic growing system. The system does not require soil or even sunlight with the right equipment, so plants and herbs like shiso can be grown anywhere.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/HerbVinegar.htm

HERBS AND SPICES - Fresh herbs should be gently washed and patted dry with a paper towel. Treat any fruits (blueberries, raspberries, etc.) the same. One teaspoon of dried herbs can be substituted for one tablespoon of fresh herbs for flavor, use some fresh parsley or cilantro for artistic effects.

FAVORITE COMBINATIONS:

Rosemary in everything

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Tarragon and Garlic

Dill, Garlic and dried red peppers

Basil, Garlic, and dried red peppers

Opal Basil with white wine vinegar turns it pink

Pineapple Sage blossoms with white wine vinegar turns it reddish

Pineapple Sage, ginger, cranberries, and garlic

Pineapple Sage, spearmint, and lemon thyme

Lemon thyme and sage

GARLIC should be peeled, rinsed and dried. Be careful pushing the garlic on the skewers they are very sharp (I like to string the garlic cloves on bamboo skewers, lengthwise, insert into bottle gently holding and pushing the clove closest to the opening as you push the skewer down into the bottle, repeat action until the entire skewer is inside). If using elephant garlic cut into small pieces and do as for regular garlic.

GREEN ONIONS should be washed, patted dry and the stems cut to bottle length before inserted. Leaving the “root” end on is optional. I like the looks with it on and use it this way quite often. RED OR WHITE ONIONS can be peeled, sliced in rings and added in small amount to most combinations (they can be overpowering)

PEPPERS should have the top and seeds removed, washed, patted dry and cut into strips that will fit through the bottle top. NOTE: Be sure to wear rubber gloves when working with any hot peppers.

For a recycled 1.5 liter wine bottle, I use 3 or 4 Anaheim peppers, 2 sweet red peppers, 1 sweet green pepper, and 1 or 2 Jalapeno peppers. Garlic is optional. Fill with white wine vinegar and use until it looks “bad,” about 4 months. DRIED PEPPERS should be cut down one side lengthwise to prevent floating.

SPICES should be used whole, never ground or powdered. Test any mustard seed you use, some will make the vinegar cloudy. FAVORITES: Juniper Berries, bay leaves, allspice, cloves, coriander seed, cumin seed, peppercorns (all types).

READY, SET, GO

Take the prepared bottle, add all the spices first.

Next put in garlic skewer (garlic can be dropped in bottom without skewer).

Add fresh herbs, leaving the parsley for last (it’s great for holding down any floating spices). To arrange the fresh herbs, use a long bamboo skewer as a tool.

Finish by adding your favorite vinegar. Fill to 1/2 inch of the top and push stopper in 1/2 way.

Let set 24 hours and then refill again (the herbs and spices will soak up some of the vinegar).

It’s now ready and can be used right away. The flavor will become stronger as it sits. After using, refill with vinegar right away and most will last 6 to 8 months. (plant material must remain covered with vinegar).

Now that I have made it, what can I do with it?

Herb vinegar can be used in cooking in equal amounts where wine, fruit juice, plain vinegar, lemon, or lime juice is called for.

Add it to bottled barbecue sauce.

Use it in a homemade mustard recipe.

Make a basting brush by tying 3 or 4 six-inch pieces of rosemary together at the top with cotton string..Yum!

Use it in your favorite vinaigrette dressing ( one part vinegar to two or three parts olive oil, salt and pepper to taste) or marinade.

BOTTLES - I’ve purchased my new bottles from Sunburst Bottle Company for many years and have always been extremely pleased with their product, as well as their prompt service. My favorite bottles are the 250ML Octagonal, 375 ML, and 750 ML Claret. They also sell the cork stoppers separately if you are planning on using recycled wine bottles. When using either of the above bottles, always wash with hot, soapy water and rinse well (Tipping the bottle upside down to dry. If all the water is not out of the bottle it can cause the vinegar to get cloudy).

SUNBURST BOTTLE COMPANY
5710 Auburn Blvd #7
Sacramento, CA 95841
Telephone: 916-348-5576
FAX: 916-348-3803

To skip the above bottle directions, buy bottles of vinegar from the market and set in cold water to soak off the labels. Dry bottles and empty about 1/3 of the vinegar into a glass, liquid measuring cup, add spices and herbs and refill with vinegar to about 1/2 inch of the top, replace cap.

Questions and Answers on Making Herb Vinegar:

Question:

I’ve seen some recipes for herb vinegars that suggest heating the wine vinegar first, but I noticed you did not do that. Would you please comment as to why you don’t and if heating is an acceptable way to make.

Answer:

I’ve seen the heat method also, but I fashioned my vinegar after an article I read in the Herb Companion several years ago. The author addressed the heat method and felt that heating the vinegar weakened the acidity and wilted the fresh herbs, sometimes leaving it cloudy, just as it does if it’s set in a sunny window. Also, it’s usually a longer process. If you are planning on using the heat method, I’d suggest following the directions you have for it very carefully. If I were using this method I would use only dried herbs in the final bottle. There are several methods for making flavored vinegar all of them seem to work. The important thing is to be sure you use non-reactive utensils and bottle tops. So have fun and experiment. Thanks for checking out the website.

Question:

Can I tie my herbs together with sting before I put them in the bottle?

Answer:

I don’t think it’s a good idea. The vinegar could leach something out of the string or rot it over time. You could try tying them with a chive spike, but remember what ever you make has to slide through the bottle opening. If you are concerned about the herbs floating to the top, push some sprigs of parsley in last to hold everything down.

Question:

Where can I buy my vinegar wholesale?

Answer:

I buy mine at Costco or at wholesale grocery stores. Ask your local grocer to order a case of vinegar for you if you are planning on making lots of bottles.

Ethel’s Guidelines For Making Herb Vinegar
By Alleta Huston - © copyright 2001-2008 by Alleta Huston - All rights reserved.

Chive Blossom Vinegar

Pick blossoms, leaving 4 or 5 inches of stem.

Rinse with water and gently pat dry. Remove some of the blossoms from the stems and put into the bottle (add ones with stems, blossom end up).

Fill jar with white wine vinegar and cap. Add more vinegar in 24 hours. The blossoms with eventually turn the vinegar a beautiful pink, they will lose most of their color, the vinegar will have a subtle garlic flavor.

This will last about 3 months. Wonderful in salad dressings.

Spiced Prawns McKenzie

In a non-reactive pan add the following:
1/4 cup of pickling salt
4 cups water
3 cups of vinegar (2 cups white wine vinegar and 1 cup red and green pepper vinegar (it gives it a little bite)
1 garlic clove peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons of pickling spice ( I use McCormick ) Tied in cheese cloth
2 to 4 pounds medium prawns

Bring ingredients to a boil over high heat. Add thawed raw prawns with shells on; bring back to a boil and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until they are pink (this is the tricky part you don’t want to over cook them). Remove from heat, transfer prawns with slotted spoon to glass bowl, and cover with some of the liquid. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Arrange on platter with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. This recipe can be cut in half for smaller batches.

Red Meat Marinade

1/4 cup herb vinegar
1/4 lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1/ 4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 to 2 peeled, crushed garlic cloves

In a small non-reactive mixing bowl, combine vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and parsley; add garlic. Pour over meat that has been placed in a glass dish or resealable plastic storage bag; marinate at least 2 hours to overnight in refrigerator.

Remove meat, discard used marinade, and use and cook as desired. NOTE: Any unused marinade can be stored in an airtight container up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Lemon Thyme Vinegar Pie

1/2 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon thyme rice vinegar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 (8-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vinegar, eggs and vanilla extract; beat until well blended. Sprinkle pecans and raisins in bottom of pie shell (spread evenly). Carefully pour cream mixture over the pecans and raisins.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until knife blade inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool slightly on rack. This is best served warm. Can be heated 15 seconds on the microwave before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Cranberry Chicken

1 pound chicken wings or 4 to 5 chicken pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons firmly-packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1/4 cup cranberry vinegar (or other herb vinegar)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 green or red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Cooked rice

Place chicken in shallow, non-reactive pan or in a resealable ziplock plastic bag. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, cranberry vinegar, lemon juice, bell pepper, and garlic; pour over chicken. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place in a glass baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165°F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife). Serve with cooked rice. NOTE: Dripping can be served over rice.

Note: I make cranberry vinegar for Christmas gifts and include this recipe.

Makes 4 servings.

The following are the guidelines that I have perfected over the last 18 years of teaching and making herb-flavored vinegar. The method used is for a mild delicate flavored vinegar that is pleasing to the eye, as well as delicious used in cooking. Ethel was my gardening Grandmother’s name. She’s the one that inspired me to grow plants and do crafts. I loved her very much.

VINEGAR - Use a good quality vinegar. Either white wine vinegar (my favorite), red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar (not apple cider flavored distilled vinegar). Save the distilled vinegar for washing windows. Be sure vinegar is at least 5% acidity.

TOOLS - Bamboo skewers (long and short), plastic funnel, and plastic measuring spoons. Never use any metal utensils or bowls for marinating or preparing any vinegar.

IMPORTANT:
*
Never use any metal utensils of any kind to prepare or store vinegar. This includes the stoppers as well.
*
Never use ground herbs or spices as this will make the vinegar cloudy.
*
Never store in a sunny window as this will also make the vinegar cloudy eventually.

http://www.simply-hydroponics.com/144/chamomile-nature%E2%80%99s-dreamcatcher/

Chamomile: Nature’s Dreamcatcher

By: Charlene Rennick

Chamomile is an attractive addition to any garden. It is a tiny, shrub-like plant that sprouts an abundance of delicate white and yellow blossoms similar to a daisy. Its tendril-like leaves are soft and feathery. Chamomile is a good candidate for early germination in hydroponic gardens. It can be moved outdoors when the weather is warmer and harvested as needed. Chamomile has been cultivated for its medicinal properties since the beginning of the first millennium.

Sharing the Medicine of Chamomile

German and English chamomile flowers and leaves are used externally for a variety of ailments. Its oil has been popular for its antiseptic properties. Dried chamomile can be made into an infusion and applied to the skin. It is said that the infusion soothes skin irritations, speeds up the healing process and helps to get rid of some types of mites. The active ingredient in chamomile oil is bisabolol; this contains alcohol and acts as an anti-irritant and an anti-microbe (kills bacteria and parasites). It can be used as a mouthwash. Bisabolol also assists with the reduction of external swelling and can have a lightening effect on blond hair.
German chamomile flowers can be dried and taken internally as a tea. It can be bitter-tasting, so mixing it with peppermint or adding a little honey takes the edge away from it. When used this way, its natural muscle-relaxant qualities calm the digestive tract, sooth cramps and alleviate menstrual pains. Its mild sedative effect helps to induce sleep and calm the mind before night-time.

Because chamomile contains coumarin, an anti-coagulant, people taking blood-thinners should avoid drinking chamomile tea. Chamomile is a member of the chrysanthemum (Asteraceae) family. The infusion can be sprayed on other plants as a natural pesticide. Pregnant or breast-feeding mothers should avoid consuming the medicine from the chamomile plant. Chamomile is similar in structure to the ragweed, so it may cause an allergic reaction in people with that particular allergy.

Where Chamomile Will Thrive

Chamomile prefers full or partial sun. The soil should drain well and have a constant source of moisture; therefore, chamomile lends itself readily to being grown in a hydroponic system. The plants propagate themselves via runners which make them an economical herb. They can be split and used in additional locations the following year. It also gives them the propensity to be invasive; controlling their growth early is a proactive plan for cultivating chamomile.

http://www.simply-hydroponics.com/103/vertical-farming/

Vertical Farming

The horse and plow gave way to the tractor. Soon, the tractor will give way to a “farmer” strolling through aisles of produce growing in twenty story buildings! Vertical farming is the way of the future.

Las Vegas Plans to Farm
Or not. Early in 2008, rumors circulated rampantly around the internet that the city of Las Vegas was planning to build a thirty story vertical farm. This farm would have fed 72,000 people for a year, and would have been opened as yet another tourist attraction. Since the viral spread of this news on the internet, the city of Las Vegas has denied any plans to construct such a farm, and Chris Jacobs, the designer of the building pictured in articles and blogs about the project, has written that he was never approached for a design.

While Las Vegas says it is not planning to construct the 30 story farm, such a creation could be a positive step in farming for urban areas. A vertical farm of plants growing hydroponically in the Nevada desert would be much more sustainable in the way of water use than traditional farming methods. The hundreds of hotels in the area would make great use of produce grown in the farm, and would be healthier and more affordable. Though the farm would require energy and power for the lights inside it, solar heat could be integrated into the building design so the farm could generate much of its own power. Because vegetables and fruits would not need to be trucked in from hundreds of miles away, the farm would lessen the environmental impact of the busy Las Vegas strip. The vertical farm might not be a bad idea!

Vertical Farms Around the World
The website http://www.verticalfarm.com is the industry leading website for information about vertical farming. Vertical farms are large hydroponics farms within buildings that are several stories tall. With over 60% of the world’s population living in and around urban centers, far from farming areas and without space to grow food, vertical farms are likely the future of commercial agriculture. Vertical farms can produce food tenfold over the same space using traditional agricultural methods. As prices of fuel increase, and population growth increases, vertical farms will provide much needed, affordable, nutritious food to city citizens.

Vertical farms will also offer employment opportunities to city residents. Soon, one need not live in Iowa to farm! Urban dwellers can go to work in shifts, just as they would for other factory and farming jobs, only their farm will be in a building that looks eerily similar to a bank or a stock exchange! Vertical farms will take guesswork out of farming, eliminating crop failures due to weather. Produce will also be available year-round, without expense of shipping it from far corners of the globe.

Vertical farming may seem like something out of “the Jetsons,” but it will become a reality sooner rather than later.

http://www.simply-hydroponics.com/123/what-is-aquaponics/

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a farming combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. Traditional aquaculture is the practice of fish farming. Traditional hydroponics is farming plants in soil less media or strictly in nutrient solutions. Aquaponics combines the two practices to form a co-dependent farming ecosystem that capitalizes on the benefits of aquaculture and hydroponics and minimizes the negative effects of each.

Traditional Aquaculture
Aquaculture, or fish farming, has been practiced for thousands of years. Fish farmers in ancient Egypt farmed tilapia, which is currently the second most farmed species of fish. Native to Africa, tilapia have moved around the world—of their own accord and by fish farmers. Eighty five different countries have fish farmers that farm in extensive or intensive fish farm systems.

Extensive aquaculture farms are farms raising fish in ponds, or open systems. These operations can only operate during warm weather. Fish are dependent on food sources naturally occurring in the ponds. Intensive aquaculture systems are closed circulation systems, or fish-farms in tanks. Fish raised in intensive systems can be raised year-round, if under cover in cold climates. Intensive aquaculture systems do leave fish vulnerable to diseases, infections and injury. Fish in these systems are also constantly swimming in their own feces, making them less healthful to eat!

Traditional Hydroponics
Hydroponics systems are more economically and environmentally friendly farming systems. Hydroponics systems use less water, fertilizer, and herbicide than traditional farming methods. Plants are grown in soil less media such as vermiculite or in nutrient solutions. While hydroponics are a better environmental choice than many traditional horticulture and farming methods, there is still waste and nutrient rich water that must be disposed of.

Aquaponics
The answer to many of the problems posed by aquaculture and hydroponics systems is aquaponics. Aquaponics is a system of growing fish and plants in a symbiotic relationship. Plants are grown in trays filled with gravel. Fish are raised in tanks of water. The fish are fed commercial fish food. Water from the fish tank is pumped into the plant trays. Bacteria in the gravel base of the plant growth trays breaks down ammonia and other substances in the fish water, turning them into nutrients for the plants. The plants purify water, which is then pumped back into the fish tanks. Plants growing in aquaponics systems are larger and healthier than plants growing in traditional hydroponics systems. Fish in aquaponics systems are healthier and less stressed than traditional aquaculture crops. Because pesticides or medications would harm the fish or plants, aquaponics systems are by their nature, organic farming systems.

Benefits of Aquaponics
Farming in an aquaponics system can be more cost-efficient. Farmers will spend less money on food, and no money on fertilizers or herbicides. Because the plants are growing without soil, all problems with soil-borne diseases are eliminated. Aquaponics systems can produce an abundance of food in very small spaces, and the food produced is organic. Aquaponics systems can produce food year-round. Many types of fish and plants are suitable for growing in Aquaponics systems. Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce benefit greatly from the system. Fish farming is regulated by the Department of Agriculture in specific locations, and must be consulted before commencing a large-scale fish farming operation.

Aquaponics is a great solution for food production in the current age, and in the future. These systems offer opportunities to produce healthy, local food in an economically and environmentally sustainable fashion.

http://assignmentglobal.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/aquaponics-a-sustainable-solution/

http://www.simply-hydroponics.com/132/building-your-own-vertical-hydroponic-garden/

Building your Own Vertical Hydroponic Garden

Building your own gardening system can be an interesting and satisfying project resulting in a versatile, inexpensive garden where plants flourish.

For do-it-yourself types, EasiestGarden.com sells hydroponic garden plans for the home gardener who wants to grow lettuce, strawberries, flowers, herbs and other small plants. We recently had a look at the plans for building your own vertical hydroponic system. The final product is a four tube vertical garden that is quite attractive and functional. If you are looking at wall (vertical) gardening, these plans are excellent as they can be scaled to your own requirements.

The package consists of a DVD and a booklet. The booklet summarizes the video but also has an itemized parts list which is quite helpful and expands on a few points such as fertilizer, maintenance and best crops to grow. The 45-minute video takes you from beginning to end. Video quality is good and the individual presenting is knowledgeable and clear in his demonstration. The audio is adequate but you will have to pay attention at times. Also at times references are made to lines being drawn on the tubes - you can’t see these in the video, but it really doesn’t matter as the presenter explains these steps clearly and it is accompanied by written instructions in the booklet.

While the hydroponic system itself is fairly simple to maintain, the construction of the system does require a bit of skill. I would call it an intermediate project - if you are a weekend handyperson, you should have no problems. In the video, the project is built by one individual; however, a second set of hands can make this project much easier. Tools used include: a circular saw, a heat gun, scissors, carpenters square, and a cordless screwdriver. If you don’t have these, the project will prove a little more difficult.

The parts are easily found at most large hardware stores, however, we did have some difficulty tracking down the 4”, thin-wall tubing. In our city of slightly less than a million people, we were able to locate only one source for these. You may be able to get them online but be sure to check out the shipping costs as the 10-foot lengths required may make that an expensive option. In the booklet that comes with the DVD, the authors also suggest checking out your local plumbing stores.

I like that the video also touches on how to prepare the perlite medium and plant seedlings as well as tips for day to day maintenance. There are also plenty of ideas for modifying and expanding the system to suit your needs.

Following these plans, you will end up with a very efficient and functional vertical garden which is also aesthetically pleasing. The very first hydroponics system that we ever built was an interesting process of trial and error, that produced nice results but it certainly could have been simpler with a step-by-step video such as this.

For more information and to purchase plans, visit EasiestGarden.com.

http://www.easiestgarden.com/

http://www.google.com/search?q=hydroponic+garden+plans&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

I do like the word FREE:

http://www.google.com/search?q=free+hydroponic+garden+plans&btnG=Search&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=Tbq&sa=2

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400324/Are-Hydroponics-Healthy.html

Are Hydroponics Healthy?
I’m thinking about a hydroponic garden. Can you tell me whether the veggies and herbs grown in hydroponic gardens are as nutritious as those grown in the soil?
A
Answer (Published 12/24/2007)

Hydroponic gardening is the cultivation of plants in water without soil. For home gardeners, the advantage of hydroponics is that you don’t have to fight weeds or most of the pests and soil-borne diseases that can plague outdoor gardeners. You also can grow in a much smaller space than is required for a regular garden; you can even get good results on an apartment balcony. Commercial growers cultivate hydroponic plants in greenhouses, either in water or in growing mixes composed of peat or bark.
Related Weil Products
Dr. Weil’s Vitamin Advisor for Supplements & Herbs - If you are interested in supplementing your diet, and want to take the mystery out of choosing vitamins, try Dr. Weil’s Vitamin Advisor. Visit today for your free, personalized Dr. Weil’s Vitamin Advisor Recommendation.

In the garden, plants get many of their nutrients from the soil. In a hydroponic garden, the nutrients must be supplied via specially formulated mixes. You can buy kits containing all the supplies needed for setting up a home hydroponic garden on the internet.

The question of whether plants grown in hydroponic gardens are as nutritious as those grown in soil has never been answered. Some experts believe that the growing method has little to do with a plant’s nutritional value. And some maintain that the fact that plants don’t come into contact with the soil makes them healthier because there’s less of a chance that they’ll pick up diseases. On the other hand, the pathogens in the complex soil environment can make some plants produce higher amounts of beneficial compounds.
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I haven’t been able to find studies that settle the issue one way or the other, but I did come across a 1994 industry-commissioned study that concluded that hydroponic peppers and tomatoes were more nutritious - and more flavorful - than the same varieties grown organically and grown by conventional methods. That doesn’t square with my own experience with hydroponic tomatoes. While growers often say they breed their tomatoes for flavor, I’ve found that while the fruit often looks attractive, the flavor is usually insipid, nothing like that of the best organic or homegrown tomatoes. Nothing beats the burst of summer flavor that comes with tomatoes sun-ripened in your own garden or in the fields of a good, local organic farmer.

A big question relating to hydroponics is whether vegetables grown this way can be considered organic. Some commercial hydroponic growers use pesticides on their crops, and while home hydroponic gardeners can get organic media in which to grow their plants, most commercial operations rely on solutions of chemicals and minerals that don’t qualify as organic.

If you go forward with your plans to start a hydroponic garden, I encourage you to explore making it organic as well. In addition to the fact that organic produce is pesticide free, several recent studies have shown that the antioxidant content of a number of organically grown fruits and vegetables is higher than it is in their conventionally grown counterparts.

Andrew Weil, M.D.
Are you a fan of hydroponic produce? Click here to state your case in our discussion groups.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03001/Three-Reasons-to-Eat-Turmeric.html

3 Reasons to Eat Turmeric

1 turmeric inside

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that spans cultures - it is a major ingredient in Indian curries, and makes American mustard yellow. But evidence is accumulating that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, probably due largely to its anti-inflammatory action.

One of the most comprehensive summaries of turmeric studies to date was published by the respected ethnobotanist James A. Duke, Phd., in the October, 2007 issue of Alternative & Complementary Therapies, and summarized in theJuly, 2008, issue of the American Botanical Council publication HerbClip.
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Reviewing some 700 studies, Duke concluded that turmeric appears to outperform many pharmaceuticals in its effects against several chronic, debilitating diseases, and does so with virtually no adverse side effects. Here are some of the diseases that turmeric has been found to help prevent or alleviate:

* Alzheimer’s disease: Duke found more than 50 studies on turmeric’s effects in addressing Alzheimer’s disease. The reports indicate that extracts of turmeric contain a number of natural agents that block the formation of beta-amyloid, the substance responsible for the plaques that slowly obstruct cerebral function in Alzheimer’s disease.
* Arthritis: Turmeric contains more than two dozen anti-inflammatory compounds, including sixdifferent COX-2-inhibitors (the COX-2 enzyme promotes pain, swelling and inflammation; inhibitors selectively block that enzyme). By itself, writes Duke, curcumin - the component in turmeric most often cited for its healthful effects - is a multifaceted anti-inflammatory agent, and studies of the efficacy of curcumin have demonstrated positive changes in arthritic symptoms.
* Cancer: Duke found more than 200 citations for turmeric and cancer and more than 700 for curcumin and cancer. He noted that in the handbook Phytochemicals: Mechanisms of Action, curcumin and/or turmeric were effective in animal models in prevention and/or treatment of colon cancer, mammary cancer, prostate cancer, murine hepatocarcinogenesis (liver cancer in rats), esophageal cancer, and oral cancer. Duke said that the effectiveness of the herb against these cancers compared favorably with that reported for pharmaceuticals.

How can you get more turmeric into your diet? One way is via the turmeric tea I developed in collaboration with Japanese tea-maker Ito En. There are also extracts in tablet and capsule form available in health food stores; look for supercritical extracts in dosages of 400 to 600 mg, and take three times daily or as directed on the product.

And, of course, one can simply indulge in more curried dishes, either in restaurants or at home. However you do it, adding turmeric to your diet is one of the best moves toward optimal health you can make.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02798/chili-pepper.html

Chili Pepper: Pain and Pleasure?

chili pepper inside

It’s embarrassing to admit, but my biggest spice adventure in the kitchen is sprinkling on salt and pepper. Most of the people I know prefer their food spicier than I can handle. I’ve seen Dr. Weil go head to head - with those few souls brave enough to challenge him - in a contest to see who could eat the spiciest chili pepper without flinching. If you ever meet him, don’t try this - he takes no prisoners.

The chili pepper (sometimes called the chile pepper), Capsicum frutescens, is a new world plant. It’s hard to imagine Thai, Indian and Mediterranean cuisines without the sustained heat chili brings to these dishes; not to mention its obvious role in Mexican and Mesoamerican foods, which happen to be where these plants were originally found.

If you live in a warm climate, growing chilies shouldn’t be a problem for you. People interested in growing chilies in more northern, cooler climates will need to start seeds indoors about two months before the last expected frost. Chili plants can also be purchased at the local nursery when spring settles in. Being very cold sensitive, peppers should be planted a couple of weeks after the last frost. Chilies do well in containers. Because they require a long, warm season to ripen, you may find container gardening an easy way to extend your season. Bring the plants inside on cooler nights, while allowing them to ripen in the sun during the day. Keep in mind that most ripe chilies are red, orange, yellow, or purple, but the unripe green fruit still packs a punch. A couple varieties to try for cooler climates are the Hungarian Wax, aka Hot Banana, and the Czechoslovakian Black, among others.

Chilies prefer a rich, well-drained soil. The fruit will ripen best in full sun. When the plants are young, I feed them liquid seaweed (nitrogen) regularly to encourage leaf and stem development. At about four to six weeks, I switch from nitrogen to a potassium-rich fertilizer. Increasing nitrogen supplies while young will increase the plants’ size, while feeding them a potassium-rich fertilizer as they develop will encourage fruit. Be aware that hot peppers will cross-pollinate with sweet peppers, turning your sweets hot. Quite a surprise when you bite into a bell pepper!
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Most chili peppers are quite high in vitamin C and carotene. They are generally used either dried or cooked, and are eaten in small quantities so their nutritional value when used as a spice is negligible. However, documented medicinal uses are as numerous as the varieties available for planting. Hot peppers probably don’t cause peptic ulcers and some studies suggest they may actually help heal peptic ulcers. People in cultures that consume large quantities of chili peppers show a decreased risk of heart attack, stroke and pulmonary embolism. And adding chili pepper to your diet may enhance the metabolism of fat.

One gram of capsiacin, the alkaloid that gives chilies their intense heat, can be detected in 2,500 gallons of water. The Scoville scale measures the intensity of capsiasin. Jalapeno rates around 2,000 on this scale, while Tabasco rates close to 120,000. A new pepper, developed in India, is eight hundred times hotter than any known variety.

In Dr. Weil’s book, The Marriage of the Sun and Moon: A Quest for Unity in Consciousness, he lays out his theory on the consumption of whole, raw and HOT chilies. The thrust of his thesis is that if you keep eating chilis, the pain will give way to “something between pleasure and pain that enforces concentration and brings about a high state of consciousness.”

No doubt. But after picking a handful last year and rubbing my eye, I’ve given up this culinary masochism. Be aware that hot pepper oils should be rinsed thoroughly from your hands. If you don’t wash, you will understand why this fruit some consider food is also used as an organic pesticide. You may also understand why I stick with salt.

By Jace Mortensen, Guest Commentator
DrWeil.com News

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02711/cilantro.html

Cilantro Inspires Controversy

cilantro inside

Dena, my colleague and friend, is officially the household manager of Dr. Weil’s ranch, but in reality, she does too much around here to document. One of her many responsibilities is to act as the curator of the refrigerator. To do this properly, she sometimes has to read Dr. Weil’s mind. Over the years she’s gotten quite good at this. But she occasionally forgets that, to the doctor, the ‘fridge is not properly stocked if it is missing a fresh bunch of cilantro in a cup of fresh water.

There should always be fresh cilantro in the refrigerator.

Cilantro, Coriandrum sativum, is the green plant. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant and is a useful spice. Hence, cilantro and coriander are the same...but different. If you grow cilantro and let it go to seed not only will you have far too much coriander, you will also have plenty of seed to grow next spring’s cilantro crop. In our case, we grow cilantro in the cool season at the end of summer and throughout the winter. It will bolt - that is, go to seed - in the hotter months.

Cilantro poses no great difficulty to grow in the garden. Like most seeds, all it needs to germinate is some moisture and warmth. Be careful not to get it too wet or the soft seeds will waterlog and rot. I germinate seeds in seed cups and transplant them into the garden. We plant a large patch for use by the dozen or so people who eat regularly out of the garden. In the spring, its long, leggy stems bear delicate white umbel-shaped flowers. The mature plants look more attractive when planted as a back drop for more compact plants.
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You can easily start cilantro seeds in potting soil in a small pot as well. It will grow on a bright windowsill or on the back porch. The tall, slender plants will eventually outgrow a small container. If you don’t intend to save seeds, a little pot will provide enough of the large, lower leaves to add as a fresh herb or to garnish several meals.

As for soil conditions, cilantro doesn’t seem to be too picky. I grow it in a rich garden soil. However, stray seeds germinate throughout our garden. Cilantro has grown in the heavily compacted clay soils between our beds and in the nearly inert alkaline soils by our tool shed. It would make sense that it would grow in these poor soils, as many Mediterranean plants thrive in the Tucson Basin. While the ancient people of the desert southwest were planting maize and squash, ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian cultures were growing cilantro, one of the world’s oldest spices.

Cilantro is rich in thiamin, zinc, dietary fiber and vitamins A, C, E and K. It has trace amounts of riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, copper and manganese. Coriander seed is well established as a medicinal herb commonly believed to aid in digestion and for its anti-inflammatory properties. It plays an important role in Ayurvedic diets as well.

A little known fact: ketchup, once America’s number one condiment, has fallen from grace, and salsa now reigns supreme. Many high quality salsas include cilantro in their ingredients. My favorite is Garlic & Cilantro Salsa made by Seeds of Change. You can also order Slow Bolt Cilantro seeds from Seeds of Change.

Barring a catastrophe, Dr. Weil always has cilantro on hand. Every so often I’ll pass through the kitchen on my way between houseplants and find him and Dena plucking the leaves from the stems. De-stemming can be rather labor intensive but well worth the effort.

A final note: Not everyone shares the good doctor’s love of cilantro. At IHateCintro.com, a typical sufferer’s account begins with, “I’ll never forget my first encounter with this vile weed...” It’s been speculated that a genetic variation makes some people despise cilantro - rather than sharp and tangy, cilantro tastes like soap or aluminum foil to them. If you are such a person, I suggest steering clear of Cilantro Walnut Pesto, a recipe in Dr. Weil’s book, The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life and Spirit. It calls for no less than two cups of chopped cilantro leaves.

By Jace Mortensen, Guest Commentator
DrWeil.com News

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02796/spinach.html

Spinach, Leaf, Life

spinach inside

The leaf is perhaps the most important invention of all time. It dwarfs the significance of, say, Google or the bicycle. As a matter of fact, love and power and dogs couldn’t exist without the one special trait that the leaf possesses: It can make its own food. Photosynthesis, what we name this magic, is a simple term for a deeply mysterious process; we’ll leave the metaphysics of photosynthesis to a late night conversation on the porch.

The leaf of the ginkgo tree is an echo from pre-history with its cleaved, fan-like shape. The leaves of the cactus have morphed beyond photosynthesis and are to you and me its spines. They protect the green stem of the plant where photosynthesis occurs.

But one of my favorite plants in the cult of the leaf is spinach.

We grow spinach, Spinacia oleracea, at the ranch in the cool winter months. It will bolt to seed in hot, dry weather. In southern Arizona, that takes care of over half the year. Plant spinach in a sunny, open position. It will tolerate light shade in the hotter months. Some shade will prevent sunburn. Because it prefers a rich, moist bed, be sure to amend your soil with organic matter. Keep your plants moist, but avoid soggy soil.

Spinach benefits from fertilization. I feed spinach at the ranch with organic liquid seaweed or kelp. Generally I foliar feed it, which means I dilute the proper proportions of plant food into a hand sprayer and spray the leaves of the plant. Liquid kelp is a nitrogen rich fertilizer that is immediately available to the leaf where it is absorbed. Spinach has a relatively short life. Foliar feeding assures rapid uptake of the desired fertilizer. Any excess liquid seaweed can be poured around the base of the plants. Liquid seaweed does have a slight odor but it is nowhere near as repulsive as fish emulsion.

Dr. Weil prefers a spinach variety not commercially available in the United States. It is a Japanese garden variety his friend in Japan gave him. We have grown several other varieties, including Nordic, Bloomsdale and Symphony. Though spinach doesn’t like the heat, there are over-wintering varieties for colder climates. These varieties should be planted in late summer or early fall. Covering with a cloche, a clear plastic or glass bell, will hold your plants through the winter. Come Spring you will be off to your first harvest. To harvest spinach simply cut young leaves with a pair of scissors. Spinach can be frozen but it doesn’t keep well, so be sure to harvest what you plan to eat.

Spinach contains nearly twice the iron of other leafy greens, making it one of the most available plant-based sources of iron. Its alkaline producing quality can help maintain the body’s pH. It’s an excellent source of folic acid, potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin K, carotenes, and vitamin C. This relative of the beet and member of the Goosefoot family is one of the richest dietary sources of lutein, important for healthy eyes and to aid in the prevention of macular degeneration. If it weren’t for the invention of the leaf, life as we know it wouldn’t exist. The cow, for instance, is a processing plant for leaves and water. I love cows and don’t eat them, but we’ll save the metaphysics (and the politics, and our personal relationships, and the moral considerations, and the nature of the soul) of food to another late night on the porch.

By Jace Mortensen, Guest Commentator
DrWeil.com News

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02022/Dr-Weils-Garden.html

What to Grow

What to Grow inside

“No occupation is so delightful to me as the cultivation of the earth,” wrote Thomas Jefferson in 1811. “Such a variety of subjects, some one always coming to perfection, the failure of one thing repaired by the success of another…though an old man, I am but a young gardener.”

At 64, no one is ready to declare Dr. Weil “old” but after a lifetime of gardening he is definitely walking in the footsteps - or, more precisely, the furrows - of Jefferson. “The garden to me is still a place of constant experimentation, particularly with the varieties that I grow,” he says. Generally, he applies four criteria to his plant selection: good nutrition, agreeable taste, suitability for the site and novelty, but he readily agrees that he is still learning to follow those rules. Meeting three out of the four, he has discovered, just doesn’t cut it: “For some reason, every year I plant a lot of kohlrabi, which is nutritious, grows well and has a really interesting look, but nobody eats much of it,” he says. So next year, “we’ll scale it back.”

This 2,500 square-foot plot, which is centrally located between his home and converted-stable office in rural southeastern Arizona, provides Dr. Weil with food nearly every day he is here, and he’s not the only one. “People who work here, people who live across the way - six or seven people eat regularly out of this garden,” he says. “And one of the great joys of gardening is to share the bounty.”

So...what’s growing? This story was written near the end of the fall season (southern Arizona has two vegetable gardening seasons, spring and fall, to circumvent summer’s heat), so the harvest was upon us.

First, this garden clearly shows a taste for the exotic. An indefatigable world traveler, Dr. Weil brings seeds and cuttings back home whenever he can. A typical crop, then, is a “Kyoto” variety red carrot. “Red carrots are very popular in Japan,” he says. He plucks one out of the soft soil, gives it a quick wash, takes a bite and offers another carrot to me. “The color probably means it has more anthocyanins and carotenes than paler, orange carrots.”

It is also juicy and flavorful. By comparison, typical carrots taste like pine dowels.

The doctor’s affinity for Japanese varieties also extends to leafy greens. He points to one called mitsuba, “which means three-leaf in Japanese,” he says. He pulls a sprig and holds it to his nose.. “It has an almost camphorous smell, but it tastes great in soups.” And in the next row is hoyo, a Japanese spinach “with a much better taste than American spinach. Here try it,” he says, extending a leaf. Sure enough, the taste is deep and complex, almost beefy.

The globe-trotting theme is carried on with black Italian kale, featuring dusky, billowy leaves, and red Russian kale, which sports serrated bright-green leaves on crimson stalks. Both are more colorful that typical kales - meaning, as a general rule, that they are higher in healthy phytochemicals. They are also more tender than most common domestic kales, which means cooking times can be shortened and vitamin retention improved.

But slavish devotion to exotics would preclude some basic, nutritious fare that everyone enjoys, so the garden also features standbys including Brussels sprouts, onions, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes. Dr. Weil has even been known to plant iceberg lettuce: “I think it’s gotten a bad rap because the supermarket stuff is so awful. Romaine is no doubt better nutritionally, but fresh and right out of the garden, a crisphead lettuce is something special.”

Dr. Weil emphasizes that visual appeal is not to be overlooked. He pauses to admire some Romanesco broccoli, its head in a patterned swirl, or as he refers to it, “that beautiful fractal shape.”

In fact, Dr. Weil takes beauty in the garden so seriously that he intersperses flowers and decorative plants among the edibles. Brilliant red-and-black poppies dot the property, and on the south side, a five-foot tall ornamental sage offers up lovely gray-green leaves. “That’s a salvia apiana - white sage - native to the Mohave Desert,” he says. “It has a high content of essential oils, so it’s not suitable for culinary use, but I love the look and the scent.”

The flip side: ugly vegetables don’t make the grade. “We have found that the purple variety of cauliflower looks pretty unappetizing once you cook it, so we are phasing that out,” he says. But in true Jeffersonian fashion, the failure of one cauliflower has been repaired by the success of another: “The orange kind is high in beta carotene, and it also happens to be very beautiful,” he says. “So that’s a keeper.”

And the experimentation continues.

By Brad Lemley
DrWeil.com News

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02795/basil.html

Basil Basics

basil inside

I’m going to speculate, and suggest that basil might be the most popular herb in the garden. Its sweet, aromatic leaves have both a distinct character and subtle flavor that comes through whether dried, cooked, frozen or fresh. Just a slight touch to the plant and it releases its refreshing scent into the air. My friend absent-mindedly runs her hands through her potted basil while she converses on her porch, pausing every so often to breathe deeply.

Though grasshoppers seem to like it, it is a trouble free plant to grow in a pot or in a sunny position in the garden. The real argument for growing your own basil is not how easy it is but the sheer number of varieties of basil that you can get if you start your own seed.

Basil, Ocimum species, is a great plant to grow in containers. It can be kept in a bright, warm windowsill in the kitchen for easy access. I start my seeds a couple of months before the last frost. Some are transplanted into the garden and others are planted in pots that I give away to my friends. When tomato plants go in the ground, I always sprinkle some basil seed nearby because they go so well together. The young tomatoes stay watered until they are well established and the excess water goes to the basil. Basil also likes to be protected from too much sun so the tomato plant shades the basil.

Though the seeds are easy to germinate, basil grows slowly in cooler temperatures. Once the long, warm days of summer hit its leaves, don’t be afraid to start harvesting enough to season your dishes. Growing it in organic potting soil in containers or a well-composted garden bed are its only requirements.
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One mature, large-leafed plant provides enough basil for a couple batches of pesto. A half-dozen or so plants will bear enough for fresh use and drying. Pinching off the growing tip when the plant is six to eight inches tall will promote a bushier habit and increase the plant’s productivity. Pinching off the earliest flower buds can slightly prolong the usable life of your basil leaves, whose flavor is said to be most intense just before the white flowers open at its tip.

Inevitably, your plant will flower and go to seed. Collecting basil seed is one of my favorite garden chores. I know of no sweeter smell than that of the dry seed pods. In fact, the smell is so similar to that of Fruit Stripe gum that it sends me on an olfactory memory trip down the dimly lit aisles of the old A & P Supermarket.

There are several varieties of basil. Thirty to 40 varieties or more can be found commonly in various seed catalogues. New varieties emerge each year. Though the Italians once produced most of the new cultivars, recent interest in basil has caused the addition of newer varieties from places not traditionally associated with basil, like America. I generally grow a type of sweet basil, Ocicum basilicum, sold as Salad Leaf Basil. As the name implies, it has large, light green leaves and consistent good flavor throughout the season. Recent cultivars added to commonly available stock include lemon, lime, anise and cinnamon flavored basils. Thai, Siam, holy and purple basil are all very tasty, too. I’ve grown so many different basils that I now grow Salad Leaf for its productivity every year and other varieties to add depth and interest to the garden.

Though basil is mostly used as a seasoning, it has a rich medicinal history. It is said to work well as a digestive aid and a sedative, as well as for the treatment of headaches and migraines. Chinese medicine employs basil to treat intestinal, kidney and circulatory problems. It has also been used as an antiseptic. Though it contains vitamins and minerals, its traditional medicinal role and its most common use as a flavoring mean that it will only provide modest amounts of potassium, calcium, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin A on a per-serving basis.

Basil can also serve as a lesson in the need for gentleness in life. “I pray your Highness mark this curious herb: Touch it but lightly, stroke it softly, Sir, And it gives forth an odor sweet and rare; But crush it harshly and you’ll make a scent Most disagreeable,” pointed out 19th-century folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland. If basil can teach us all to touch rather than crush, it will have earned an honored position in any garden.

By Jace Mortensen, Guest Commentator
DrWeil.com News