Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.

To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.

How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)

Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)

Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)

Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)

40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)

Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)

5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)

* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/remedies-for-restless-leg-syndrome.html

Remedies for Restless Leg Syndrome
posted by Mel, selected from Natural Solutions magazine Sep 16, 2009 1:02 pm

By Lisa Marshall, Natural Solutions

The English physician who first described restless legs syndrome (RLS) in 1683 wrote of “leapings and contractions of the tendons” so intense his patients were “no more able to sleep than if they were in a place of greatest torture.” Yet throughout the 1800s, RLS sufferers who complained of its hallmark “creepy crawly” or “itchy, burning” sensations were often called psychotic and committed to an institution. Even as recently as the 1990s, many doctors were skeptical, if not altogether ignorant, about the condition. “I’ve talked to people who say they went from doctor to doctor for 20 years, and no one knew what it was,” says Norma Cuellar, RN, an RLS researcher with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. But today, thanks to a surge of research into restless legs, the once-obscure syndrome is a hot topic, and the estimated 12 million Americans who suffer from it can get the treatment they need.

Scientists believe that RLS, like Parkinson’s disease, results from poor dopamine metabolism, either because of a genetic trait (roughly 40 percent of cases) or an underlying health problem, such as iron deficiency. Those with restless legs often have an almost irresistible urge to move their limbs, particularly at night. The condition wreaks havoc on sleep and disrupts people’s work and social lives (just sitting through a movie can be impossible). In fact, RLS sufferers more likely suffer from anxiety and depression as well. “For a long time, people have felt they were underbelieved and underserved,” says Michael Weissberg, MD, a sleep specialist with the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “It’s ridiculous. RLS is extremely real.” Fortunately, real remedies exist for it. Here are four to try:

Iron: This nutrient appears to play an important role in dopamine metabolism and, thus, nerve health. More than a fourth of RLS patients are deficient in ferritin (the form in which your body stores iron). Before taking iron supplements, get your ferritin levels checked. Standard blood tests donï¿½t measure it, however, so you have to ask for the specific test. Doctors recommend supplementation only if ferritin levels measure less than 50 ng/mL. For those with a deficiency, studies show that taking 200 to 300 mg of oral ferrous sulfate one to three times daily (depending on the degree of deficiency) can improve RLS symptoms if taken over several months. For optimal absorption, take the supplements on an empty stomach, an hour or two after your last meal. Intravenous iron therapy can alleviate symptoms faster and keep them at bay for up to six months. Since taking too much iron can cause you serious harm, make sure to have your iron levels monitored while supplementing.

Folic Acid: For 30 years, researchers have hypothesized that taking folic acid (a key component in nerve health) may alleviate restless legs, particularly when the condition runs in a family. “People who respond best to high doses of folic acid are people who have a family history of RLS,” says naturopathic doctor Dean Neary, chair of the physical medicine department at Bastyr University in Seattle. “Perhaps there is some deficiency that gets passed from gene to gene that causes malabsorption on the folic acid end.” Start at 5 mg daily, and if symptoms persist, you can work your way up to as much as 30 mg. Keep in mind that these dosages are very high (the RDA for folate is 300 to 600 micrograms), so work under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

Magnesium: Restless legs can sometimes occur because of an underlying electrolyte imbalance, says Cuellar. For instance, patients who have an eating disorder or who undergo gastric-bypass surgery, both of which disrupt electrolyte levels, often develop RLS. If an electrolyte imbalance is the culprit, taking extra magnesium may help. This mineral promotes muscle and nerve health, and anyone with RLS can safely supplement with it to see if their condition improves. Try taking anywhere from 200 to 800 mg of elemental magnesium a day at bedtime (start with a low dose, and move higher if necessary.)

L-theanine: Studies have shown that this amino acid, found in green tea, promotes the brain wave activity associated with deep relaxation. It’s also a critical precursor to the relaxing neurotransmitter GABA (gamma amino butyric acid). Even though there’s little research specifically on the use of L-theanine for restless legs, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, says it has proven itself as “one of the best natural remedies for sleep.” He recommends 200 mg of Sun Theanine one hour before bedtime.

Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living offers its readers the latest news on health conditions, herbs and supplements, natural beauty products, healing foods and conscious living. Click here for a free sample issue.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/theives-oil-homemade-hand-sanitizer.html

Can Cinnamon Fight Swine Flu?

Can cinnamon oil fight bacteria? Can something as warming and fragrant as lovely cinnamon essential oil really be an effective slayer of streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus? An article last week in The New York Times (”Cinnamon Oil Kills Bacteria”) tackled the question and came to the conclusion that, yes: cinnamon oil has potent antiseptic properties.

According to the story, a recent study by a group of surgeons found that a solution made with cinnamon oil killed a number of common and hospital-acquired infections, like streptococcus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA–and in fact, did so as effectively as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals. Another study by French researchers in 2008 had similar results, showing that at concentrations of 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was effective against Staphylococcus, E. coli and several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

With the opening of a new flu season and H1N1 virus (formerly known as swine flu) squealing in the headlines, clean hands, very clean hands, are preoccupying many. Bottles of hand sanitizer seem to be bumping candy and breath mints off the all-star spots at the checkout counter, while liquid hand soaps boasting super duper anti-bacterial properties are popping up on many a bathroom sink. So where does cinnamon oil play into this?

Anti-bacterial soaps have their host of problems–namely the chlorophenol chemical compound triclosan (scary stuff–read about it in The Trouble with Triclosan in Your Soap). Meanwhile, alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers are being touted by everyone from hand-wringing moms to school principals to the CDC, but they may raise some red flags of their own. The ingredients panel for a national leading brand lists the active ingredient ethyl alcohol and a long list of inactive ingredients that land it in the “High Hazard” ranking in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database. With 62 percent of said sanitizer being comprised of alcohol, that leaves a balance of 38 percent for ingredients that scream “safety concern,” such as methylparaben, synthetic fragrance and diazolidinyl urea.

So, what’s a flu-fearing, germ-wary person supposed to do? Use hand sanitizers with questionable synthetic ingredients, or get swine flu? Well you can follow the advice of the CDC and “Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze” or you can make your own natural hand sanitizer, which is where cinnamon oil comes in.

In The New York Times article referenced above, Dr. Lawrence D. Rosen, a New Jersey pediatrician who dispenses natural health advice on his blog, recommends his tried-and-true recipe for homemade hand sanitizer called thieves oil–his formula calls for cinnamon bark, lemon oil and eucalyptus. As legend has it, a group of 15th century European perfumers-turned-grave-robbers were able to defend themselves against the demons of bubonic plague (and other assorted bacterial maladies one might encounter while removing jewelery from corpses) by dousing themselves in a blend of essential oils, hence the name “thieves oil.”

Now there are any number of stories circulating about this legend, and just as many recipes, many of them with a vinegar base. But going on Dr. Rosen’s fail-safe recipe and the proven efficacy of cinnamon oil, I like the formula which includes equal amounts of: cinnamon bark, lemon, eucalyptus, clove, and rosemary therapeutic grade essential oils. Mix them with jojoba or olive oil as a carrier, and use on hands as a sanitizer. (Note: pure essential oils can be very potent, it’s important to test some on a small patch of skin to check for any adverse reactions.)

So what do you think? Are you willing to do like the thieves and give essential oils a try? Or does the H1N1 flu virus have you running scared, and getting theeself straight to the hand sanitizer aisle of the pharmacy?

As for me? I’m going to go whole hog and stick with good old fashioned hand-washing, followed with a nice splash of thieves oil. My kids may start to smell like Christmas, but at least we’ll be keeping the bubonic plague at bay.

More on Children (221 articles available)
More from Melissa Breyer (464 articles available)

28 comments

Simple and effective:

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

More good information:

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

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/13-baking-soda-beauty-tips.html

13 Baking-Soda Beauty Tips
posted by Megan, selected from Intent.com Sep 5, 2009 5:02 pm

By Olivia Kuhn-Lloyd, Intent.com

My “beauty routine” has always been pretty minimal, but once in a while, I’m inspired to freshen up. I started to think about glow- and shine-inducing products that I already have on-hand–and my favorite of the bunch, baking soda.

How can my favorite multi-purpose (beauty) product enhance your grooming routines? Read on. (These applications for baking soda are a compilation of research, polls and personal use).

WHERE TO BUY? FOR HOW MUCH?

* Baking Soda is ubiquitous. It does not vary by brand nor fall into different price brackets. It’s reliable and will always come to the siren call of your beauty needs.
* It’s available. You can purchase it at supermarkets, bodegas, drug stores and gas station mini-marts.
* The price is right. Drugstore.com offers buy-one-get-one for $2.99.

HAIR

* Remove buildup. Mix a small palm-full of baking soda to your shampoo to remove buildup from conditioners, mousses and hairsprays.
* Dry shampoo. No time for a shampoo? Baking soda can be used as a dry shampoo when your hair is oily. Sprinkle some on your hair, comb through then quickly fluff your hair with a blow dryer.
* Chlorine-damaged tresses. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 pint warm water.
* Combs and brushes. Remove product and oil buildup by soaking your utensils in a bowl of warm water with about 3 tablespoons of baking soda. You can also add a splash of bleach.

SKIN

* Facial Exfoliant. In the palm of your hand, mix some baking soda with your facial cleanser to make a gentle exfoliant. Use circular motions to apply gently then rinse as usual for very soft skin.
* Rough skin. This also works for the rough skin on elbows and feet. Make a thick paste with baking soda and water (about 3 parts baking soda to one part water) and scrub away.
* Shaving. A solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda in a cup of water works as a pre-shave product of aftershave rinse for men with sensitive skin.

MOUTH

* Tooth polish and whitener. Baking soda toothpastes have been long-time shelf staples for a reason. The baking soda works to freshen breathe and whiten and polish teeth. Dip a damp toothbrush in baking soda and brush away. My personal twist, dip a toothbrush with toothpaste in baking soda for mouth cleaning times two.
* Toothbrush. Soak your tooth brush in a mixture of water and baking soda and let it soak overnight.

NAILS

* Soft cuticles. Scrubbing your nails or toenails with a nailbrush (or old toothbrush) dipped in baking soda will soften and gently exfoliate cuticles.

Have any other beauty tips that incorporate baking soda? Or perhaps another ingredient from your kitchen cabinets or refrigerator? I’d love to know. Who knows, before long I could be making lipstick from cherries, shampoo from apple cider vinegar and conditioner from mayonnaise!

Intent.com provides content and community for who you aspire to be–personally, socially and globally.
More on Basics (40 articles available)
More from Megan, selected from Intent.com (17 articles available)

I mix a little lavender oil with a cup of baking soda and use it as a washing softener. I mix it in a 2 litre bottle and it lasts for about 6 wash cycles. Much better and cheaper than the brand stuff; plus better for the environment.
cheers, Gill

http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2008/01/four-thieves-vinegar.html

Monday
Four Thieves Vinegar

In my explorations of the history and uses of lavender, I came across some interesting information about Four Thieves Vinegar. I’d heard of it before, but didn’t know what it meant:

The Legend of Four Thieves Vinegar

One version goes that in the 1630’s, when the plague was raging in France, the town of Toulouse was beset with looters. Four looters were apprehended, but rather than punish them, the judge offered them a deal. Amazed at their continued health after wandering though homes and businesses abandoned by their terrified (or dead) owners, the judge offered to let the thieves go if they gave him the secret of their resistance to the plague.

What was their famous secret? It was a vinegar made from thyme, rosemary, sage, and lavender. This infusion was termed thieves vinegar. Although garlic was added to the mixture later, this basic infusion became famous, and was used for hundreds of years, both internally and externally, to provide protection from the dreaded plague.

How to make Four Thieves Vinegar

There are a number of recipes available for four thieves vinegar, but the original was probably something like this:

Use equal parts thyme, rosemary, sage, and lavender. Place herbs in a jar and cover with (apple cider) vinegar. Seal and place in a cool, dark place for six weeks. Strain into a spray bottle or clean jar and use as a disinfectant.

The original herbal ingredients are all strong antibacterial agents, as is the vinegar.

Variations on the recipe add sweet smelling herbs like mint and lemon balm to the mixture. Garlic was also added, and although it was probably an excellent addition from an antibacterial standpoint, it was not one of the original herbs used.
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Labels: four thieves vinegar, vinegar of four thieves

4 comments:

R.K.Rao said...

Health is wealth and Herb is Health and Wealth
Herbs are natures remidies with marvellous curutive power.
Herbs are not drugs but they are full of divine energy. they cure diseases without any side effects in the body.
For more details visit my blog : http://wwwhealingherbs.blogspot.com

22 January, 2008 09:17
Anonymous said...

This stuff works great, but the four thieves originally used vinegared red wine, not apple cider vinegar.
29 December, 2008 09:59

http://www.leaflady.org/healing_with_vinegar.htm

Healing with Vinegar

Related Articles: Digest This Healing That Gut Feeling The Value of Authentic Vinegar

Raw Vinegar: A Powerful Catabolic Fermented Food

Apple Cider Vinegar is nutrient dense with over 93 different compounds. It is pectin rich which helps balance cholesterol. It is a safe weight management food and has the ability to fight joint pain.

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a naturally fermented food. Fermented ACV contains enzymes which create a catalytic action on body fat, acting like a solvent. Enzymes in fermented ACV help attack and dissolve larger quantities of accumulated fat. This same chemical principle is a meat tenderizer. When you drink about 2 tablespoons of ACV in a raw juice or water the enzymes create an emulsifying or lipotropic action.

Make sure you choose Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: One of our favorites

***

Anti- Epidemic Vinegar

This is the historic recipe known as ‘’Thieves’ Vinegar” used during the time of Black Plague.

You will need:

1 quart of organic raw apple cider vinegar

1 pound garlic cloves

8 oz. comfrey root

4 oz. each of oak bark, marshmallow root, mullein flowers, rosemary flowers, lavender flowers, wormwood, black walnut leaves

12 oz. vegetable glycerin

Make a tea from each herb by soaking in clean spring or distilled water for 12 hours, then boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Let steep for 30 minutes. Then strain each herb and simmer again reducing the amount to one-half to concentrate the tea. Juice or squeeze the garlic, and add to the mixture of teas and vinegar. Stir in the glycerin thoroughly.

Store best in an amber glass bottle.

Take 1 -3 teaspoons during an epidemic, or 1 teaspoon hourly if someone has a serious communicable dis-ease.

***

Vinegar for gastic distress

1 teaspoon of organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of pure water
about 20 minutes before meals reduces reflux.

Chamomile tea, or the tea with added tincture, rebalances gastric acidity.

A simple glass of water sipped slowly (no ice) reduces stomach acid.

***

Long term side effect of stomach acid blockers such as Pepcid, Tagamet, Zantac, Prilosec - Potentially harmful acidity develops in the tissues of the body when the system’s ability to eliminate the acids that are produced (metabolic waste, acid forming foods, and the system’s various stress mechanisms) is reduced. The stomach is one of the primary venting mechanisms for this build up of hydrogen ions (acids are typified by an abundance of such ions) and when our stomach’s acid producing mechanisms are pharmaceutically inhibited, the hydrogen ion concentrations become too abundant to be efficiently eliminated by other pathways of elimination. Consequently, the acids build up in the tissues and fluid compartments of the body, where they greatly interfere with the normal cellular functions. The overly acidic condition of the intercellular fluid compartment makes it an ideal breeding ground for harmful micro-organisms, creating an enormous burden on the immune system. This build-up can lead to fatigue, poor mental and emotional health and eventual chronic degenerative illness.

http://www.arthurmag.com/2009/05/06/nance-klehm-on-swine-flu-hysteria-four-thieves-vinegar-organic-anti-virals-and-flu-foes

In light of all this panic around a possible “pandemic,” my seed-saving pal Damon recently reminded me of an herbal anti-viral elixir, the historic anti-plague remedy called “Four Thieves Vinegar.” The story of this remedy, distilled from many versions, goes like this: In France, during the bubonic plague of the early 1600s, poor mountain folk were hired as gravediggers to dig mass burial pits. Thieves made busy looting homes of dead families. It was a few individuals from both of these groups who had the herbal knowledge of anti-virals, putting them to use in warding off the deadly virus. It is said that a few surviving thieves who were captured for their crimes were released when they shared the elixir’s recipie with the authorities.

HOW TO MAKE “FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR”

Using a quart jar or larger vessel, gather equal parts of dried or fresh thyme, peppermint, rosemary, sage, and lavender, a teeny bit of clove if you’ve got it, and, if you’re a believer in the stinking rose, add some garlic. Pour enough of your homemade fruit scrap or cider vinegar to just cover the herbal material. Put a lid on tight and keep the vinegar some place you pass every day, like near your coffee maker or bed, so you can shake or stir it once or more a day. Do this for as many days as you can. Six weeks is the optimal tincturing time. Strain liquid from the plant material and drink a teaspoon several times daily; wipe down skin and surfaces with it for disinfection; or do both as you feel necessary.

DEALING WITH VIRUSES

Viruses do not contain the enzymes that are needed to live, so they need to have host cells. Those could be in a plant, or an animal or even a bacteria. Without a host, viruses die.

Many of the plants in this remedy are anti-virals – others are also anti-bacterial and/or anti-fungal – I’ve included a full list of easily forageable and cultivatable anti-viral and flu foe plants below.

I’ve taught you how to make fruit scrap vinegar (“Breaking it Down” Weedeater column in Arthur No. 32) and Molly Frances has talked about the uses of apple cider vinegar in Arthur. If you have some of that around then use this as a base. If not , make some so you always have some on hand. Vinegar is so healthy and antiseptic, not to mention delicious, it behooves you to always have some around.

As per my conviction, I only include plants that are easily forageable, cultivated or available in any neighborhood store, urban or rural. This is a decent list but not an inclusive list. I encourage you to do more research around anti-virals and the listed plants.

ANTI-VIRALS

Aloe Vera—Wound healer extraordinaire that is also anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and when the juice is drunk, helps repair digestive track and soothes ulcers. Always have this plant or a leaf on hand.

Eucalyptus—You lucky Californians! The oil from this common weedy tree is also anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It breaks up and expels mucous, relieves congestion and cools fevers.

Garlic—The ubiquitous garlic is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, immune-stimulating and anti-protozoan. Growing garlic is easy… try it!

Ginger —Yummy and fairly easy to find, ginger is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic, circulatory stimulant, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory and more. Can also be used in baths to warm the body and promote sweating.

Hen of the Woods – Forageable mushrooms -Yummy!

Lemon—Again this is a ‘forageable’ for the Californians… Lemon helps fight infections and stimulates immune system

Shiitakes – Easy to grow indoors. Investigate this!

Thyme—Chases mucus from the body. Thyme is antiseptic, antibiotic and anti-microbial.

Wildflower Honey – In its original undiluted state, there is no shelf lfve for honey. If you don’t keep bees, or know someone who does, work on either of these relationships this season. Honey is anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory; it’s an immune stimulant; it’s anti-carcinogenic, a laxative, a cell regenerator, and it’s anti-fungal… etc.!

FLU FOES

Clove— Anti-bacterial, anti-septic, anti-microbial, bactericidal. Useful for infectious diseases and respiratory infections. This is something you pick up off a grocery shelf. Invaluable painkiller. I have used this on tooth and gun aches with huge relief.

Common Sage—wonderful for throat and upper respiratory infections.

Hyssop—This is most delicious as a tea. It relieves congestion, cough, sore throats and the constant beautiful blooms makes bees deliriously happy.

Juniper—Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic. Useful for upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, candida, salmonella, e. coli… Good to burn tby our dry toilets… Forageable.

Oregano—This common culinary herb is an anti-infectious agent and an immune stimulant. Who knew? Easy to grow too.

Peppermint—Fights infections, relieves congestion, clears sinuses – yum-yum and so easy to grow.

Rosemary—Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic. Also for respiratory infections. I love to bathe with this plant. The steaming of this plant also helps relieve migraines. Forageable for you west coasters.

Walnut –A bitter as heck blood cleanser, anti-inflammatory an anti-parasitic. Forageable.

Western Red Cedar – Binds wounds, helps on clearing lungs, diarrhea and an antifungal. Forageable.

Wormwood—Here is my friend Artemesia again, though not the common weedy one. It’s her cultivated cousin of yore…. Wormwood is anti-malarial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. In public gardens and therefore forageable with discretion.

http://www.arthurmag.com/2008/12/20/nance-klehm-on-bacteria-digestion-and-old-time-kitchen-folk-magic-from-arthur-no-32

[snipped]

Beasties make milk into cheese, fruit juice into vinegar and wine, vegetables into pickles, beans into miso. Fermentation is basically making a habitat in which beneficial bacteria and/or fungi can set up shop, eat and excrete until they run out of their food source, or you deem it time to stop them because the wine or cheese or pickles are ready. Shoot, without these beasties it would be difficult to throw a party.

Everything wants to be digested.
Demonstration No. 1: Take a slightly bruised fruit, or peelings of fruit (not a gorgeous piece of fruit—save that for eating) and place it in a glass jar. Add sugar. Screw on the top and shake it a bit. The mixture needs to breathe, so remove the lid and place a rag over the jar and secure it with a rubber band around the ring of the jar. Place in a dark, room-temperature space so the beasties can eat in peace. After ten days, taste the mixture. If you like it, strain out the fruit and put in the fridge, which will slow the fermentation process.

You have just made unfiltered pro-biotic fruit-scrap vinegar.

Securing and processing food for storage used to consist of simple, sometimes labor-intensive, but entirely petrochemical-free processes: slow evaporation, smoking, fermenting, and preserving in oil/vinegar/honey/salt/alcohol or in-the-ground storage. These low-techie but completely safe methods were used extensively until the mid 19th century, when kitchen folk magic was displaced by pasteurization, the process that fueled modern germ theory. This paradigm shift saved lives, but it also contributed to our general fear of soil, our bodies and our bodies’ waste. And pasteurization, with its requisite application of high heat, kills the good beasties that help keep our raw food safe and healthy. We gotta keep our internal gardens of beasties thriving! Eat… Excrete… Eat… Excrete…

Demonstration No. 2: Chop veggies, wild greens, roots, or whatever you want to pickle. Make a brine with non-chlorinated water and sea salt. Brine should be nearly saturated with salt, just like ocean water. Toss the denser material (i.e. roots, garlic cloves) into the brine and and swirl it around a bit. Drain the veggies but save the brine. Mix the pre-brined veggies and less dense material (i.e. greens). Pack a glass jar with your mix and pour the brine over it, submerging all material. Work out trapped bubbles with a stick. Now fill a small bag with extra brine and use as a water bladder: that is, place the brine-filled bag on top of the vegetable material to submerge it under the brine in the jar. Leave the jar open for at least three days to allow the beasties to eat. Taste, then let the beasties continue to eat for a stronger flavor, or if it’s ready, put the jar in a cool place like that 38-degree box called a refrigerator and slow their process down.

Since August Wilhem von Hoffman discovered formaldehyde in 1867, it’s remained the choice of human embalmers. Formaldehyde put an end to something called the “Exploding Casket Syndrome” that was afflicting Union troops during the long, hot train ride back to their families in the North. Formaldehyde is a far cry from the older embalmers’ choices of spices/salt/herbs for human pickling. As bodies decompose (because the bacteria does get into those caskets eventually), formaldehyde leaks into the groundwater and you can guess the rest. Lucky for Europeans that the EU last year banned its use. Good to know that embalming is not required by law in the United States. There’s no need to rob food from the living beasties.

Everything flows towards soil.

http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message883656/pg1

The “secret” herbal disinfecting formula: FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR/OIL and the Black Death/Plague Quote

FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR

1 part lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), dried (Note: Lavendar oil is cytotoxic and a powerful allergen)

1 part sage (Salvia officinalis), dried

1 part thyme (Thymus vulgaris) , dried

1 part lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), dried

1 part hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis), dried

1 part peppermint (Mentha nigricans), dried

1 handful garlic (Allium sativum) cloves

Raw (unpasteurized) wine or organic apple cider vinegar

• In a clean glass jar, place all the various dry, organic ingredients.

• Add raw (unpasteurized), organic wine or apple cider vinegar to cover

• Place jar in a cool place and let sit, at room temperature, for six weeks.

• Strain off all the herbs and garlic, and pour into a clean glass bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid.

HOW TO USE FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR

• Take a teaspoonful several times daily.

• Add to salads either directly or in a salad dressing.

• For personal protection, add a teaspoonful to bath water.

• Use as a topical spray for disinfecting surfaces and/or skin

ALTERNATIVE FOUR THIEVES VINEGAR

wormwood (Artemisia absinthium)

meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

juniper berries (Juniperus spp.)

rosemary (Rosimarinus officinalis)

camphor (Cinnamonum camphora)

sage (Salvia officinalis)

cinnamon (Cinnamoomum verum)

cloves (Syzgium aromaticum)

organic apple cider or wine vinegar

• In a clean glass jar, place all the alternative dry, organic ingredients.

• Add raw (unpasteurized), organic wine or apple cider vinegar to cover

• Place jar in a cool place and let sit, at room temperature, for six weeks.

• Strain off all the herbs and materials, and pour into a clean glass bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid.

FOUR THIEVES OIL

Clove oil (Syzgium aromaticum) 200 drops or 1/2 ounce

Lemon oil (Citrus limon) 175 drops

Cinnamon Bark oil (Cinnamoomum verum) 100 drops

Eucalyptus oil ( Eucalyptus radiata) 75 drops

Rosemary oil (Rosimarinus officinalis) 50 drops

Anyhow...

“The above Thieves Oil blend of therapeutic-grade essential oils was tested at Weber State University for its potent antimicrobial properties. Thieves oil was found to have a 99.96% percent kill rate against airborne bacteria.

The oils are highly antiviral, antiseptic, anti-catarrhyal, antibacterial, anti-infectious and also help to stimulate the immune system circulatory and respiratory systems and help protect the body against such illnesses as flu, colds, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, sore throats, cuts etc.

A study by researchers in France in 2008 tested bactericidal activity of 13 different essential oils and had similar results, with cinnamon being the most effective.

At concentrations as low as 10 percent or less, cinnamon oil was also effective against several antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and E. coli.

How to use Thieves Oil

Caution: the cinnamon and clove oils may cause reactions in some people e.g., irritation to lips or sensitve membranes.

Chemically sensitive, fair skinned, blue-eyed individuals, redheads and those who tend to sunburn easily need to heed and dilute Thieves oil in a carrier oil (such as almond or olive oils) before directly applying to their skin.

Always test Thieves Oil on a small area before applying it overall.

If you have no reaction: then try using 1-2 drops of Thieves Oil on the bottom of your feet and also at the nape of your neck. Other places could Thieves Oil can be applied are under your arms and/or directly on the chest.

Prevention and Remediation - Thieves Oil allowed to slowly diffuse into an infested/contaminated area for 72 hours will also safely and far more effectively remove virtually all toxic mold and bacteria problems for weeks and is safe for most workers to breathe as it is being diffused.”

From:

http://www.laleva.org/eng/2009/09/four_thieves_vinegaroil.html#more

[Didn’t see any photos here, but lots of news on animal shelters and what they are doing, LOL, of course I could not pass up a blog with this name....granny]

http://www.talkwithyouranimals.blogspot.com/

Rescued a Human Today

Mentionables
Joy would like to share the following forwarded email sent to her by a friend with the comment, this is pretty much how we wound up with 6 dogs and 7 cats.

I rescued a human today.

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn’t be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn’t want her to know that I hadn’t been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn’t want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn’t feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone’s life. She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the bars to comfort her.

Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship. A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well.

Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes.

I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven’t walked the corridors. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1949738/how_to_make_yarrow_herbal_insect_repellent.html?cat=68

How to Make Yarrow Herbal Insect Repellent
July 24, 2009 by
April Horton

Yarrow

Chances are you have yarrow growing wild near you. This article will provide step by step instructions for making a yarrow herbal insect repellent.

Yarrow is a common wild plant that grows all over the world. It has white flowers and fern like leaves. This plant is a great way to repel mosquitoes and other pesky bugs. Making your own herbal insect repellent is easy not to mention a cheap alternative to expensive store bought insect
repellents. With the absence of DEET it also is a safe choice for those who might be chemically sensitive or avoiding toxic chemical products.

Yarrow has insect deterring properties and is gentle so it makes a great choice to make an herbal insect repellent with. It is also super effective. it’s great to be able to use plants from your environment for useful applications such as insect spray!

The following are a list of what you will need and directions to make yarrow herbal insect repellent. This formula will take about 4 weeks to make.

What you will need;

Clear dry glass jar

Rubbing alcohol or vodka

Approximately 2 cups of yarrow

Lavender essential oil

Label

Cheesecloth

First you will need to be able to identify the yarrow plant. Once you locate some you will want to gather about a jarful. Be sure to not deplete full stands and take just a little from various open stands. A good rule of thumb is to take no more than 20% per stand of plants. This will ensure the plant will thrive in it’s current surroundings and not be over harvested in your area.

Fill your jar with yarrow.

Cover plant material with vodka or rubbing alcohol. (Be sure to label and NEVER consume this mixture- this is for a topical formula only.)

Let sit in a cool dry place for up to 4 weeks.

Strain through the cheesecloth reserving the liquid.

Place in a spray bottle and add 15 drops of essential oil. Your yarrow herbal insect spray is now done and ready to use! Be sure to bottle up any extra and give some to your friends and family.

This insect repellent will stay good indefinitely. It should be kept out of reach of children and animals and labeled properly. To use apply to skin liberally. Be sure to reapply every 4 hours or as needed.

This formula would make a great project for your family to make together. It also makes a nice gift for those who like to camp or hike., It is a great addition to any herbal remedy repertoire.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/8428/recipes.html

OLD FAMILY RECIPES

Blackberry Jam Cake

2 cups sugar 3\4 cups margerine

3 cups flour 1 to 1 1\2 cups blackberry jam

6 tsps. sour cream 1 tsp. soda in milk

1 1\2 tsp. nutmeg 2 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. cinnamon 6 eggs

Beat egg whites & yolks seperately then put together before adding to cake. Add jam last. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Caramel Frosting for Jam Cake

2 cups brown sugar 1 1\2 cups white sugar

2 TBSP. white syrup 1 cup + 2 TBSP. cream

1\2 cup margerine

Cook all ingredients except margerine until it forms a very soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from heat. add margerine and cool until lukewarm. Beat until creamy and spread in sides and top of cake. If frosting gets to hard to spread add a little milk until of spreading consistency.

Note: You can use a candy thermometer to test the frosting. This recipe is not for a novice cook. It is difficult to cook just right but well worth the effort.This is an old recipes of my aunt Hazels. Everyone in my family wants the corners of the cake.

Stack Cake

Prepare 3 cups flour as if for buiscuits. Self Rising flour is best, but you can use plain flour by adding baking powder and salt.

3\4 cup milk 1 1\4 cups sugar

3\4 cups of thick molasses 3 beaten eggs

1\2 cup shortning 1 1\4 tsp. ginger

3\4 tsp. cloves 1\3 tsp. nutmeg

Mix with hands. Knead until stiff. Roll layers thin to about 8 inches diameter and bake each layer in slow oven abt. 300 degrees. About 2 qts. cooked evaporated or home dried apples. Mash and sweeten to taste, and add 1\2 tsp. cloves, 1\4 tsp. nutmeg, dash of allspice, dash of cinnamon. Mix well and spread thickly between layers of cake. Let set until next day before serving.

Note: This recipe was in Bert Vincent Column of Knoxville News Sentinal on Sept.26, 1964. It was sent in by a woman in Newport,Tn. that had used the recipe for 30 years and said it was nearly 100 years old. Use only Thick molasses for recipe, won’t turn out good with thin molasses.

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup brown sugar 5 TBSP. margerine

1\2 cup milk 2 sq.Chocolate or 1\4 cup cocoa

1 box or 4 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla

Boil sugar, margerine, milk, chocolate together 3 minutes. Let cool and put in large mixing bowl. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread on 9x13 or 2 layer cake.

Note: This is another one of my grandmothers recipes. It is one of the best powdered sugar recipes I have seen. Does not taste like a powdered sugar recipe and very easy to make.

Orange Slice Cake

1 cup margerine 4 eggs

2 cups sugar 3 1\2 cups all purpose frour

1 box dates 1 box or can coconut

1 tsp. soda dissolved 1-24 oz pkg orange slices

in 1\2 cup buttermilk 2 cups chopped nuts

Cream margerine & sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour alternately with milk. Roll chopped nuts, orange slice candy & dates in flour. Add with coconut to batter. Bake in tube pan at 250 degrees for 2 to 2 1\2 hours.

Orange Sauce for Orange Slice cake

1 cup orange juice 2 cups powdered sugar

Mix well & pour over cake as soon as taken from oven. Let cake stand in pan overnight.

Note: This recipe was in Book: “Foxfire Christmas” Is is an old recipe that people used in early 1900s.

Chocolate Pie

1 1\2 cups sugar 5 TBSP. flour

2 or 3 TBSP. cocoa 4 eggs seperated

3 cups milk 1 tsp. vanilla

2 TBSP. margerine

Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, egg yolks, & milk. Cook until thick, stirring so it won’t stick. Add vanilla & margerine. Pour into 9” pie crust. Add meringue and brown.

Variations:

For cream pie omit chocolate.

For coconut pie omit cocoa, add 1 cup moist coconut to filling after cooking. Sprinkle 1\2 cup coconut over meringue before browning.

For butterscotch pie omit cocoa, Substitute 1 cup brown sugar for 1 1\2 cups white sugar; increase margerine to 3 TBSP.

Note: This is a very good chocolate pie recipe.It is another one of my Aunt Hazels recipes.

Sweet Potato Pudding of 1828

Serving size: 8 to 10

1 lb. cooked & peeled sweet potatoes 1 cup sugar

1\2 cup margerine, melted 6 egg yolks, beaten

1 TBSP. grated lemon rine 1\4 tsp. mace

1 cup orange juice 6 egg whites

1\4 cup sugar

Mash the sweet potatoes or rub through a sieve. Add 1 cup of the sugar and margerine. Combine with beaten egg yolks, lemon rine, mace, and orange juice. Beat the whites until stiff and fold into sweet potatoe mixture. Pour into a well greased 3 qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with 1\4 cup sugar. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Can half recipe for a small family.

Note: This recipe was in “Recipes from Old Virginia” cookbook.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

3 cups Buiscuits, baked 1 1\2 cups sugar

2 or 3 TBSP. cocoa 2 eggs

1 cup milk 1 tsp. vanilla

Mix cocoa and sugar. Mix milk and eggs. Mix bread broken into small pieces with chocolate and sugar mix. Add egg and milk mix. Add vanilla. Bake in casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally while baking.

Note: This is another one of my aunt Hazels recipes. She always made this when she got to many leftover buiscuits.

Apple Roll

Serving size 1

1 Winesap, Wolf River or any good baking apple.

1\2 tsp cinnamon 1\4 tsp nutmeg

little sugar little margerine

Make buiscuit dough. Roll in square or circle large enough to wrap apple. Peal and core apple. Place in center of dough. Put a little sugar, little margerine, cinnamon, nutmeg in hole where core was. Cover with dough. Place in baking pan.
Syrup for Apple Roll

1\2 cup sugar 2 TBSP. margerine

1 cup water 1\8 tsp. cinnamon

Mix ingredients in pan, boil about 3 minutes. Pour over apple roll. Bake at 425 degrees about 1 hour or until apple is soft. Baste with syrup every 15 minutes.

Note: Can double recipe to make as many apple rolls as you want. This is one of my mothers old recipes. Have seen newer versions of this recipe called Apple Dumplings.

Iced Tea

Boil water in a 2 Qt sauce pan. Add 6 tea bags to a tea pot that holds 4 1\2 cups water. When water boils pour over tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. In a half-gallon jar add 1 cup sugar and 2 cups cold water. When tea is done pour into half-gallon jar and chill.

Note: this recipe is one of my grandmothers recipes that she got with a tea pot that she bought from the Jewell tea company in the early 1950s.

Lemonaid

Serving size: 4

3 1\4 cups cold water 1\2 cup lemon juice, fresh

sugar to taste

Mix all ingredients and chill or add ice.

Note: I got this recipe from a microfilm of old Johnson City Tn. newspapers. It is very good.

http://www.seasonalchef.com/historybook.htm

Nut and Potato Roast

Raw potato, large, 1
Walnut meats, 1 cup
Bread crumbs, 1 ½ cup
Eggs 2
Butter, size of walnut
Onion, small 1
Hot water, 1 cup
Salt
Tomatoes, strained one pint

Grind the walnut meats, onion and raw potato through a vegetable mill and mix with hot water, bread cubes, eggs, butter and salt. Make a layer in the center of a granite pan, and pour over the hot strained tomatoes. Bake in a medium oven for one hour, basting occasionally with the tomato. If it is liable to burn on top, it should be covered.

Vegetarian Cook Book: Substitutes for Flesh Foods (1910)

Bean and Nut Loaf

White beans, 1 cup
Onion, ¼ cup
Sage
Bread crumbs, toasted, or granola
Walnuts, chopped, 1 cup
Egg, 1
Salt

Thoroughly wash the beans and soak overnight. Boil thoroughly and when done rub through a colander. Add the chopped walnuts, eggs, onion braised in olive oil, sage and salt to taste. Thicken with granola or toasted bread crumbs. Put into an oiled pan and bake. Serve with gravy.

Vegetarian Cook Book: Substitutes for Flesh Foods (1910)

Sole Edward VII

Cut the fillets out of one sole and lay them flat on a buttered pan, and season with salt and pepper. Make the following mixture and spread over each fillet of sole: take one-half pound of sweet butter, three ounces of chopped salted almonds, one fourth pound of chopped fresh mushrooms, a little chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Add to the pan one half glassful of white wine and put in the oven for twenty minutes. When done serve in the pan by placing it on a platter, with a napkin under it.

Bohemian San Francisco: Its Restaurants and Their Most Famous Recipes (1914)

Peruvian Albondigas
(Stuffed green peppers; the Mexican Albondiga is entirely different)

Boil mutton till tender. Scald large green chile peppers and remove their thin outer skin. Hash the meat and make it into a stuffing with raisins, stoned ripe olives and hard-boiled eggs minced fine. Fill the peppers with this stuffing and put them in a pot in which has already been prepared a sauce of tomatoes, whole red chile peppers, raisins, onion and a little broth, and heat slowly, twenty minutes, without stirring. Garlic can be added.

Landmarks Club Cookbook (1903)

Bacon and Oranges

Try this some morning for breakfast. Take twelve strips of bacon, twelve slices of oranges, three teaspoons sugar and a little cornmeal. Fry bacon until crisp and remove to hot platter. Slice oranges, sprinkle lightly with sugar, dip in cornmeal and fry quickly in hot bacon fat. Arrange on platter around bacon and serve immediately.

Nellie Aldridge’s National Orange Show Cookbook (1928)

An English Monkey

Soak one cupful of bread crumbs in one cupful of milk about 10 or 15 minutes. Melt one tablespoon of butter, add one cupful of cheese broken into small pieces; Stir until melted, add the crumbs and one beaten egg, one half teaspoon of salt, a few grains of bicarbonate of soda as large as a pea. Cook for five minutes. Serve on wafers.

Practical Vegetarian Cookery (1897)
chefart.gif (2886 bytes)
Art from Il Cuoco Segreto Di Papa Pio V (The Private Chef of Pope Pius V), by Bartolomeo Scappi, Venice, 1570

VEGETABLES

Sweet Potato Croquettes

Boil, peel and mash six large sweet potatoes; season with salt, a tablespoon of butter, one of sugar and a little pepper. When cold, mold into croquettes, dip into beaten egg, then into finely rolled bread crumbs, and fry brown in hot fat.

Practical Vegetarian Cookery (1897)

Baked Stuffed Cucumbers

Take cucumbers of fairly good size—say six to eight inches in length; cut them in two lengthwise and scoop out the inside, seeds and all, but leave the outside shell whole and thick enough to be firm. Put the seeds and pulp into the chopping bowl, and add salt and pepper, or green chile peppers chopped very fine; tomato and bread crumbs; Chop all very find and mix well; fill each half shell, and put plenty of butter in the stuffing and on top, so it will brown well. Bake in a hot oven for an hour. The stuffing should be very hot in seasoning and the cooking thoroughly done.

Landmarks Club Cookbook (1903)

Celery Victor

Take six stalks of celery well washed. Make a stock of one soup hen or chicken bones, and five pounds of veal bones in the usual manner, with carrots, onions, parsley, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Place the celery in a vessel and strain the broth over it. Boil until soft and let cool off in its own broth. When cold, press the broth out of the celery with the hand, gently, and place on a plate. Season with salt, fresh ground black pepper, chervil, and a one-quarter white wine vinegar with tarragon to three-quarters of best olive oil.

Bohemian San Francisco: Its Restaurants and Their Most Famous Recipes (1914)
ladles.gif (1054 bytes)

SALADS AND DRESSINGS

Aunt Susan’s Salad Dressing

Beat together one level teaspoonful of mustard, one heaping teaspoon of sugar, one dessertspoonful of melted butter, one half teaspoon of salt and the yolk of one egg; add one cupful of milk and cook in double boiler until it thickens; stirring all the while. When thick add lemon juice or vinegar to taste. This dressing can be kept any length of time by bottling, not necessary to seal.

Practical Vegetarian Cookery (1897)

Salad Cream

Heat one half cupful of vinegar and one half cupful of sugar. When very hot add one half cupful of sour cream into which the yolks of two eggs have been beaten. Stir well, remove from the fire and then chill before using. Very nice on cabbage slaw.

Practical Vegetarian Cookery (1897)

Clayton’s Celebrated
California Salad Dressing

Take a bowl with a wooden spoon fitted to its bottom. Mix 2-3 tablespoons mustard until quite stiff. Pour on slowly 1/4 pint best olive oil, stirring rapidly until thick. Add 2-3 fresh eggs, mixed slightly. Pour on remaining 3/4 pint oil and stir rapidly until it forms a thick batter. Add a teacup full of best wine vinegar and juice of one lemon, a small tablespoon salt, one tablespoon white sugar. Stir well until all is incorporated. If bottled and sealed tightly, the dressing will remain good for months. For those not fond of oil, sweet cream of about 60 to 70 degrees in temperature is a good substitute though it doesn’t keep very well.

Clayton’s Quaker Cookbook (1883)

Celery Vinegar

Cut four heads of celery in small pieces. Put them in an earthen jar with four ounces of celery seed, one ounce of pulverized sugar and half an ounce of salt. Pour two quarts of boiled vinegar, when hot, over this. Cover the jar, and in two weeks strain it through a filter. Bottle and cork well.

The Physiology of Taste: Harder’s Book of Practical American Cookery (in Six Volumes) (1885)

http://www.seasonalchef.com/historybook.htm

Sweet Watermelon
Rind Pickle

Take the melon rind and scrape all the meat from the inside, and then carefully slice all the outside of the rind from the white part of the rind, then lay or cover the white part over with salt. It will have to remain under salt one week before pickling; the rind will keep in salt from year to year. When you want to pickle it, take it from the salt and put into clear water, change the water three times a day –must be changed say every four hours – then take the rind from the water and dry it with a clean cloth. Have your vinegar boiling, and put the rind into it and let it lay in vinegar four days; then take it from the vinegar, drain, and sprinkle sugar thickly over it and let it remain so one day. To make syrup, take the syrup from the rind and add eight pounds more sugar to it, and put to boil; boil till a thick and clear syrup. Weigh ten pounds of rind to 12 pounds of sugar; cover the rind with four pounds of it and make the syrup with the remaining eight pounds. While the syrup is cooking add one teacupful of white ginger root and the peel of three lemons. When the syrup is cooked, then put the rind into the boiling syrup, and let it cook till you can pass a fork through it with ease, then it is done. When cooled, put in jar or bottles with one pint of vinegar to one quart of syrup, thus the pickles are made. See that they be well covered with vinegar and syrup as directed.”

What Mrs. Fisher Knows about Old Southern Cooking: Soups, Pickles, Preserves, Etc. (1881)

Candied Peaches
(Mexico)

Take 25 large peaches and let them lie in water for a little while; then remove the down by rubbing with a cloth. Stone them and put them in a kettle with two lbs granulated sugar – a layer of peaches and a layer of sugar — add one-half pint water and place on a moderate fire. When the syrup is thick, take off the fire, and put peaches and syrup together in a dish. Flatten the peaches with a wooden spoon and turn from time to time, putting them in a place where the sun will shine on them. When they are nearly dry roll in colored sugar. They will keep a long time.

Landmarks Club Cookbook (1903)

Sunny Southern
Preserved Oranges

Peel good-sized oranges, cut in ½ inch slices and cover with cold water, allowing ½ pint to each orange. Let stand 24 hours. Cook until tender. Add ½ pint of sugar and the juice of 1 lemon for each orange. Cook until transparent. Place in jars, cover with syrup and seal.

Nellie Aldridge’s National Orange Show Cookbook (1928)

CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES

Grape Catsup

Five cupfuls of pulp or juice, one cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of vinegar, one teaspoonful of black pepper, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and one teaspoonful of salt. Boil half away.

Los Angeles Cookery (1881)

Plum Catsup

Boil together for two hours nine pounds of seeded plums, six pounds of sugar, and three pints of the best cider vinegar. Just before removing from the fire add one tablespoonful each of cloves and allspice.

Los Angeles Cookery (1881)

Mushroom Catsup

Put mushrooms into a jar, squeeze them with your hand, strew with salt and let them lay two days. Strain through a coarse cloth, put them on the fire with allspice, cloves, mace and whole pepper. Boil well for an hour. Strain again. When cold, put into bottles.

How to Keep a Husband or Culinary Tactics (1872)

Bernalillo Chile Sauce

Twelve large tomatoes, twelve green chiles, twelve medium onions, chop well; three cups sugar, three cups vinegar, two teaspoons allspice, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, two heaping teaspoons salt. Boil all together till thick.

Landmarks Club Cookbook (1903)

Orange Sauce for Duck

juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lemon
granted rind of 1 orange
grated rind of 1 lemon
1-3 cups corn syrup or sugar
1 tbs grated horseradish
2 tbs currant jelly

Strain orange and lemon juice, add the grated orange and lemon rinds, sugar, fresh horseradish, finely grated and currant jelly. Beat thoroughly. Bring to boiling point and serve.

Nellie Aldridge’s National Orange Show Cookbook (1928)

DESSERTS

Creole Oranges

2 cupfuls of sugar
¼ cupful water
1 tbs lemon juice
6 oranges

Boil the sugar and water together for 5 minutes and add the lemon juice. Peel the oranges, slice. Cook a few slices at a time in the syrup about ½ minutes. Place on a flat dish, pour the remaining syrup over the fruit, and chill on ice. Creole oranges may be served with whipped cream.

Nellie Aldridge’s National Orange Show Cookbook (1928)

Avocado Icecream

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 quart milk
1 pint cream
2 cups ripe avocado pulp
1 egg, white only
1 cup finely sliced avocado

Boil the sugar and water until it forms a syrup, then add vanilla.

Mix syrup with milk and cream and put in freezer for 10 minutes until partially frozen.

Combine avocado pulp with egg white and beat well.

Blend avocado pulp and slices with milk mixture and freeze hard.

The New Calavo Hostess Book (1932)

Boiled Orange Pudding

Pour a pint of milk on a half a pound of bread crumbs. Let it boil up. Stir in two ounces of butter, one of suet, keeping the pan over the fire until all is mixed. Let it stand still till cold then add two eggs, two ounces of sugar, the same of orange marmalade, one spoonful of orange flower water. Choose a basin that will exactly hold it. Tie over a flannel cloth loosely, closely. Boil it one and a quarter hours. Sauce of melted butter, sugar, a little lemon and brandy.

How to Keep a Husband or Culinary Tactics (1872)

Peaches a la Princesse

Halve six fine peaches, not too ripe, and place ina sauce pan with concave side up. Take one peach, peeled, and mince with a dozen macaroons, adding the yolk of an egg and half an ounce of sugar. Mix all well together and with this fill the half peaches. Moisten all with half a cup of white wine and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a hot oven ten minutes and pour over zabaione and serve. This will make a most delicious dessert dish.

Bohemian San Francisco: Its Restaurants and Their Most Famous Recipes (1914)

Zabaione

Beat together, hard, for six minutes, six eggs and four teaspoonsful of powdered sugar in a double boiler and place over a gentle fire, never ceasing to whip until the contents become stiff enough to sustain a coffee spoon upright in the middle. While whipping add three wineglassfuls of Marsala and one liqueur glass of Maraschino brandy. Pour into tall glasses or cups and serve either hot or cold.

Bohemian San Francisco: Its Restaurants and Their Most Famous Recipes (1914)

Jumble Cake

One teacup of butter, one and one-half teacups of sugar, one and one-half pints of flour; four eggs, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one-half teacup of almonds chopped fine, two teaspoonfuls of yeast powder sifted in the flour. Beat the butter, sugar and eggs together, then add the flour. Put cinnamon and almonds in and work the whole up well, then roll on the board to thickness of half an inch, and cut out a finger’s length and join together at ends, so as to be round. Grease pans with butter and put to bake.

What Mrs. Fisher Knows about Old Southern Cooking: Soups, Pickles, Preserves, Etc. (1881)

Orange Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 tbs lemon juice
¼ cup orange juice
grated rind of 1 orange

Boil sugar and water 5 minutes. Add the fruit juice and grated rind and continue boiling until the right consistency to pour.

Nellie Aldridge’s National Orange Show Cookbook (1928)

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe15.htm

Beyond Jack o’ Lanterns
Heirloom Pumpkins Are Good to Eat

Pumpkin Pickles
Canned Pumpkin Bread
Swiss-Style Pumpkin
How to Puree Pumpkins
Gail Damerow pays the Jack o’ Lantern due respect in her thorough, new book about growing and using pumpkins, entitled The Perfect Pumpkin. She also offers some detailed pointers for those who want to grow a giant pumpkin (an art that has been perfected to the point that the world record jumped from 671 pounds in 1986 to 1,061 pounds in 1996). But the warmest spot in Damerow’s heart is reserved for those often ignored members of the diverse pumpkin family – the varieties that are good to eat.

Eating pumpkins have fallen out of favor since World War II, as refrigerators have supplanted roomy root cellars as the place to store fruits and vegetables. Pumpkins bred to be carved into Jack o’ Lanterns on Halloween and discarded a few days later have come to dominate the pumpkin market. But older, heirloom varieties that have been preserved for centuries for their eating qualities are making a comeback, particularly at farm stands and in farmers markets.

The best pumpkins for eating, according to Damerow, are the Sugar varieties, which have thick, sweet, smooth-textured, nearly stringless flesh. But a list of more than a hundred varieties of pumpkins in the book includes more than three dozen culinary varieties, with an equal number of ornamental varieties and the rest, minis and giants.

The book includes several dozen recipes. Most call for pureed pumpkin.

Puree Boiled or Baked

The standard method of producing a puree is to boil chunks of pumpkin, peeled either before or after boiling. But that method results in some loss of flavor and nutrients. So Damerow proposes a better way, taking a cue from Native Americans, who cultivated pumpkins for 8,000 or 9,000 years before Columbus reached the New World. They would bury pumpkins whole in the hot ashes of a fire. You could do it that way yourself, or more conveniently, use an oven.

“Baking a whole pumpkin will give you drier meat, which saves you time simmering off liquid if your ultimate goal is to make a pie,” she explains.

To bake a pumpkin, stab it in at least six places to release steam. Place it in a pan with some water in the bottom and bake at 350 degrees until the pumpkin is soft enough that you can depress the shell with a poke of the finger. Then let it cool, remove the seeds and scrape out the soft flesh.

Damerow recommends making more puree than a recipe calls for so that you can enjoy some of it on the spot, straight and hot, with melted butter and perhaps a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Here are three recipes from The Perfect Pumpkin.

Pumpkin Pickles

2 medium pie pumpkins, cut, cored, peeled and diced (about 7 cups pumpkin cubes)
2 sticks cinnamon
15 cloves
2 1/3 cups 4% vinegar
2 1/3 cups sugar
1. Steam the pumpkin cubes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

2. Put the spices in a tea ball. Simmer them with the vinegar and sugar for 15 minutes.

3. Simmer the pumpkin cubes in this syrup for 3 minutes. Set aside for 24 hours.

4. Start water boiling in a canner. Heat the pumpkin/syrup mix and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the spices and pack into 7 ½-pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.

5. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes, counting from when the water returns to a full boil.

This novel recipe is great for gift-giving. Baked in a canning jar, this bread “will last forever,” if the seal isn’t broken, she writes.

Canned Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup shortening
2 2/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 325 F

2. Cream together the shortening and sugar.

3. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin and water.

4. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the pumpkin mixture, along with the nuts, if desired

5. Pour the batter into clean, greased canning jars, filling them half full. Bake in jars without lids for about 25 minutes, or until the bread rises and pulls away from the sides of the jars.

6. When the bread is done, remove 1 jar at a time from the oven, clean its rim, and firmly screw on a 2-piece canning lid. Let the jars cool on the counter away from drafts. You can tell each jar has become vacuum-sealed when its dome is sucked downward at the center during cooling. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place.

This recipe is from the Stonycreek Farm in Noblesville, Indiana, home of a month-long Pumpkin Harvest Festival each October.

Swiss-Style Pumpkin

3 cups raw pumpkin, sliced
1/3 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup milk
1 tsp salt
dash cayenne
¼ tsp dry mustard
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese

1. Saute the pumpkin in the butter until tender. Remove to a serving dish.

2. In remaining liquid in pan, combine the eggs, milk, spices, and Swiss cheese. Heat until the cheese melts.

3. Pour the cheese mix over pumpkin. Top with Parmesan.

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