Were you aware, that even as you’re reading this, Ardbeg Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky is part of an experiment up in the International Space Station? Oh sweet futuristic distilleries it is true!
The BBC News site reports on April 9, 2011, “Compounds of unmatured malt were sent to the station in an unmanned cargo spacecraft in October last year, along with particles of charred oak.
Scientists want to understand how they interact at close to zero gravity.
NanoRacks LLC, the US company behind the research, has said understanding the influence of gravity could help a number of industries, including the whisky industry, to develop new products in the future.
The experiment, unveiled at the Edinburgh International Science Centre, will last for at least two years.
The molecules are tiny parts of the two substances known as terpenes – a set of chemicals which are often aromatic and flavour-active.
It is believed the experiment is the first time anyone has ever studied terpenes and other molecules in near-zero gravity.
The researchers are also measuring the molecules’ interaction at normal gravity on Earth so they can compare the way the particles mature.”
Obviously I think this is the coolest thing to happen in science since a bunch of dudes decided to sling particles around to go looking for the Higgs boson, or the people at Fage figured out how to make such damn tasty Greek yogurt with like, no calories, so I can dump fatty high calorie granola in it and still feel like a saint. Where was I?
Oh yeah, I thought this was really cool so I went to the International Space Station website to learn more, but when I found it listed in the experiments I got “Page Not Found” when I clicked the link. Thanks NASA, I’m sure the page was a victim of budget cuts.
Then I went to the NanoRacks website, the company stated as being behind the research in the BBC article. There I could find NOTHING about the experiment! Even using their site’s search engine!
Are these guys ashamed of their whisky endeavor? Obviously those who know me can guess what I’m going to say. As far as I’m concerned NASA and NanoRacks should be terribly ashamed of themselves and their experiment with Ardbeg Scotch Whisky. It should have been done with rum.
For those who want to learn more about Ardbeg Scotch Whisky, here is their website.
I’ve been particularly lucky I guess when it comes to vegans. Generally you hear what I can only presume are stereotypes of horror stories of interactions with vegans; that they’re preachy, that they make it impossible for you to feed them or take them out to a restaurant, that they’ll spend all their time and energy trying to “convert” you. I’ve hung out with two different vegans in my adult life, once involving a wedding weekend, and I had none of those experiences. Both vegans accepted that the world around them was filled with those who ate meat and made no fuss about it, the one that was part of the wedding weekend ate two meals out that I was there for and skillfully navigated the menus causing no drama for the restaurant or her fellow diners, and both were a lot of fun to be around and in no way let being vegan be the thing that defined them. I liked them both a lot, (I shouldn’t use the past tense, it’s not like they’re dead or something. I like them both a lot, we should totally hang out sometime.) and I find myself liking Brian Patton too.
There’s really a lot for me to like. Patton is the author of “The Sexy Vegan Cookbook: Extraordinary Food from an Ordinary Dude”. In the introduction he chronicles how he kind of stumbled into becoming a cook and then sort of tripped into becoming vegan. It’s a story that I think most of us, or at least certainly I, could empathize with. Although now a vegan, Patton never gets preachy or lays on a big sales pitch for the vegan life style. Part of that may be because if you’re holding a book called “The Sexy Vegan Cookbook” a presumption is made, but regardless, as a non-vegan, I appreciated not being given the full on Bermuda time share sales pitch. But much like my vegan friends I discussed at the introduction to this article, what I like best about Patton is that the fact that he, and his cookbook, is that vegan is not what defines them.
So if Patton, aka The Sexy Vegan, isn’t just a vegan, what the heck is there? Well, he’s very funny, obviously a geek, prone to swearing, loves food, is a fan of Sailor Jerry rum…..honestly, if the guy could just cook me a steak from time to time my marriage could have been in trouble. I mean he has a recipe, Sailor’s Oatmeal with Glazed Walnuts. This is oatmeal featuring a syrup made from Sailor Jerry rum. Oatmeal with rum! Rum in a breakfast food. ARE YOU LISTENING PEOPLE! Cough, cough, ahem….where was I?
“The Sexy Vegan Cookbook” is loaded with laugh out loud recipe titles and/or notes. How about the salad recipe called, The Girlfriend’s Favorite Salad that She Constantly Asks Me to Make and Won’t Shut the Hell Up About? Or the notes for his recipe for Minestrone are “This is my favorite soup on the planet. The key to this one is the cabbage. You may be like, ‘Waahhh, waahhh, waahhh, I don’t like cabbage! I’m a big baby! Waaaahhhh!’ Well, I don’t give a shit! You’ll use it, and you’ll like it.”?
I mean, they asked him to do a book trailer and this is what he came up with……
Okay Rebecca we get it, the dude is funny, he makes oatmeal with rum syrup (OATMEAL WITH RUM!), he’s you’re new BFF, but we’re not vegans, we don’t intend on becoming vegans, why on earth should we pick up this book? If you like food, and trying different kinds of food, picking up the occasional vegetarian and/or vegan cookbook is a great way to try new ingredients and methods that you may have never thought of before. Remember back to the Cranberry Solstice Cookies, we picked that recipe because we had never tried using tofu in a cookie before. Of course even those who claim to despise anything vegetable, probably could have interest in the awesome looking salsa, pico de gallo, or homemade refried beans recipes in here. Did I also mention there was this oatmeal recipe that had a rum syrup? Also, don’t tell Brian Patton, but you can also substitute non-vegan things into the recipes. For instance, he’s got an Avocado Toast recipe that calls for Tempeh Bacon…….I might consider using turkey bacon. And that’s why he’s got the girlfriend nagging him for the salad, and I’ve the husband I nag about playing more Saint’s Row the Third. (Which by the way, who’s with on it not being as good as Saint’s Row 2?)
Now if you’re a vegan, I suspect you’ve got to find a way to fill that meat void, nutritionally and flavor wise. Thusly you end up with many recipes that have things trying to be meat-like, and that’s cool with me. However, I’m not a vegan, I’m not even a vegetarian, so I tend to appreciate a good vegan recipe that doesn’t try to pretend to meaty, it just uses vegetables to their best purposes. To that end, Patton’s Shepherd’s Pie recipe really stood out. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but New World Library was nice enough to give me permission to share it with all of you! I hope you guys like it! If any of you try it, let me know how it turned out!
Shepherd’s Pie
This is for those blustery winter eves, when you come in from the cold, kick off your snow boots, and have your dinner while warming your feet by the crackling fire. I don’t have winter in Southern California, so I just sit at my table as usual. If I could figure out how to turn on my gas fireplace with the fake logs, I’d at least do that…but that has proven difficult thus far.
Serves 6 to 8
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced fennel
2 cups roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
w cup green lentils
2 cup vegan dark beer
12 cups vegetable stock, plus more if needed
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce**
4 cup frozen peas
Mashed Taters (see recipe below)
2 pinches paprika
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large pot or pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, fennel, mushrooms, garlic, and a healthy pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Next, stir in the lentils, add the beer, and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Then add the vegetable stock and Worcestershire, bring to a simmer, and cover. Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check it from time to time to make sure that the liquid hasn’t evaporated. If, when you check it, the lentils are no longer covered by liquid, add a little more stock.
When the lentils are soft, you’re good to go. Turn off the heat, and with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash the lentil mixture a little bit. Not into complete mush, just until the liquid thickens. Finally, stir in the peas, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the stew to a large casserole dish, and evenly spread the mashed taters over the top. Cover with foil, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the taters are warmed through. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top with the paprika, and broil on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the potatoes are browned. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve.
**WTF is not vegan about Worcestershire sauce? Believe it or not, it’s made with anchovies. There are, however, a few fantastic vegan versions out there. You can find vegan Worcestershire sauce at a natural foods market or on the interwebs.
New World Library Editorial Director Georgia Hughes w/ Shepherd's Pie!
Mashed Taters
Serves 4
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
w cup unsweetened nondairy milk
4 cup vegan margarine, melted
Salt and pepper
In a large pot, cover the potatoes with cold water. Turn the heat to high, and boil until the potatoes are very soft, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander, shake them dry, and return them to the hot pot. Place the pot back on the stove over low heat for 1 minute (this will help further dry out the potatoes).
As most of you are aware, I am all about “Tastes from the Temple: Kitchen Witchery from the Temple of Witchcraft” by Dawn Hunt and the Temple of Witchcraft Community. I interviewed Dawn HuntandI hauled my lazy butt to New Hampshire to buy multiple copies of the book and make sure to get a signed copy for me and Jim. That left only one thing to do, finally try a recipe from the book!
It was tough to decide what to try. Due to some health issues on my end a lot of recipes were eliminated from the start. However, over the holidays I had become intrigued with the idea of cookies with dried cranberries in them. A friend of mine had been emailing me assorted recipes he’d tried or found on the internet, so it’s safe to say I’ve had cranberry cookies on the brain. Also Jim and I are always looking for unusual cookie recipes, ones that call for unexpected ingredients, and Jim always likes what looks like a challenge, so when I asked, “Do you want to make cookies that use tofu?” he was in.
So we tried Cranberry Solstice Cookies which was a recipe submitted by David Salisbury. The recipe happens to be vegan, but what interested Jim and myself more was the use of silken tofu, which is a type of tofu neither of us had used before, olive oil as the fat, brown sugar and no regular sugar, and of course for me dried cranberries. These cookies take a heavy hit of almond oil, and in our case due to a slip of the bottle, a very heavy hit, but to my surprise they bake up with just the right amount of flavor. They’re not overly sweet, but they still make an excellent dessert. Everyone that has tried them has enjoyed them greatly, and I suspect these guys may end up in our holiday cookie tins this year. (As an aside, Jim used the leftover silken tofu to make chocolate mousse which turned out awesome!)
What’s super exciting for all of you is that Copper Cauldron Publishing has given me permission to not only share the recipe with you, but all the associated content! This is going to give you a real peek at what makes “Tastes From the Temple” different from other cookbooks!
Cranberry Solstice Cookies Submitted by David Salisbury, Washington, DC
Cranberries are to Fall as watermelon is to Summer. Once the air cools and the smell of autumn leaves is in the air cranberries make their triumphant return. Here in New England we have cranberries by the barrel full; cranberry scones, cakes, sauces, chicken, stuffing. The list goes on and on. David shares with us his vegan recipe for tart and sweet cranberry cookies.
David says:
“This recipe is one of the very first I’ve ever tried making myself. Since I was young, my grandmother used to let me go to town with mixing up random baking ingredients and cooking them in the oven just for fun. Usually they came out mush but sometimes we’d get something edible out of it. This recipe started as a random conglomeration of festival ingredients that I like to have around the winter holiday months. Because of that, they remind me that wonderful things can be born of our fearless creativity and love.
“I am a Priest of the Firefly House, a nature-based church in Washington DC. I have been practicing the Craft for 11 years and have been vegan for nearly as long. I enjoy mixing up creative vegan baked recipes as well as animal-free herbal products.”
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Combine tofu, oil, sugar, and seasonings into a mixing bowl.
Add in the rest of ingredients until it forms a dough-like mix.
Form into small balls and place onto greased pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Magickal Notes
David shares his magickal uses for these cookies:
“Mostly listed in the content itself but in terms of specific correspondences, cranberries are related to the sun and mars. Cinnamon and ginger have both solar and earthen correspondences, which add a great seasonal flare to its meaning.
“These bitterly sweet cookies make a perfect snack for your Yule festivities. The cranberries align your energies to the growing strength of the sun and even look like tiny suns nestled in the cookies themselves. Cranberries are famous for being able to grow in areas that would otherwise be considered wasteland. When we eat food with cranberries, we’re bringing in a “survivor” energy that helps sustain us for the raging winter months to come.”
Readers may remember that at the end of December 2011 I interviewed Dawn Hunt about the cookbook “Tastes From the Temple: Kitchen Witchery from the Temple of Witchcraft” which she wrote along with the Temple of Witchcraft community. Well this past Sunday, January 15, 2012, Dawn was doing a book signing for “Tastes From the Temple” at Muse Gifts & Books in Marlborough, NH, and you guys know how I love Marlborough, so of course I was there!
When Jim and I first hit town we parked right in front of Zeppelin & Kaleidoscope, a vegetarian cafe. Last time we were in Marlborough I just had one of their muffins, but this time we both came hungry. I had The Original wrap, which is a wheat wrap (my choice) stuffed with chopped vegetables, mayo, and provolone cheese, and Jim had their vegetarian version of The Reuben, which he announced to be “quite serviceable”. While we waited for our orders we checked out their small grocery selection and sipped Stewart’s brand sodas.
After lunch it was time to head over to Muse Gifts & Books for some serious shopping! As always I was blown away by Kevin’s beautiful store and how it manages to be packed full of great stuff and there is still so much breathing room. And today a lot of that extra space was being used for two different events. Juliet Bell was there doing palm readings AND Dawn Hunt was there signing copies of “Tastes From the Temple”!
First on the agenda was picking up my very own signed copy of “Tastes From the Temple”. Actually, I picked up four. Yes, I like the book that much. What can I say? I like food. I like Dawn and her Cucina Aurora stuff. I like the folks at the Temple of Witchcraft. As usual Dawn was full of warmth and enthusiasm, and her husband Justin was there also, who is a member of the band Featherscale that was interviewed here on the site. By the way, the latest Featherscale album “Gypsy Heart” is very good too. However, it’s not as good as “Tastes From the Temple”. Remember, I’m a wife and thus I am required by the universe to always side with all things “wife”.
Dawn Hunt signing copies of Tastes From the Temple.
With my signed copies in hand it was off to do other shopping at Muse, but what to get? There’s always so much great stuff it’s hard to choose! I decided to keep the cookbook theme going and I picked up a copy of “Celtic Folklore Cooking” by Joanne Asala, Jim insisted on feeding his addiction, so we grabbed another bottle of Rosemary Oregano Infused Olive Oil made by Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery (See? I said I like her stuff!), and lastly I picked up a candle from Crystal Journey Candles to try. (The copy of “Celtic Folklore Cooking” is already bristling with bookmarks of recipes we want to try, the bottle of Rosemary Olive Oil is half empty, and the candle has a wonderful scent and has been surprisingly long lasting.)
With that you would think the day was complete, but we couldn’t leave Marlborough without stopping into Inkubus, the awesome clothing store just across the street! Last time we were there we bought the supplies that later became Stan the Sugar Skull! And folks, they still have sugar skull making supplies in stock if you’re in the area and interested! They also had a big basket full of decorated sugar skulls that looked fantastic! Now lean in and listen my friends, when visiting Inkubus do not, I repeat, do not neglect their trunk of clearance stuff. I got the most bad ass shirt out of it for only $15.00, and I almost fell over when the woman working there pulled out a matching skirt that was only $5.00. That’s right, a brand new skirt for $5.00. Jim, a man who loves a skinny tie, found a black skinny tie with a skull and spade on it. I’m not entirely sure when he’ll get to wear it, until then we found someone who likes the tie just fine.
Fred the Phrenology Head wearing Jim's tie from Inkubus.My bad ass shirt from Inkubus.
As I was last time, I’m smitten by Marlborough and the people I find there. The only thing I dislike about Marlborough, NH is that it’s not closer.
1. You describe yourself as a Kitchen Witch. For those who may be unfamiliar with the term, can you tell my readers what that means?
A Kitchen Witch is one who uses food, and the preparation and consumption of it to glean spiritual and personal goals. We use the power of intention and mindfulness to focus energy into food as well as awakening the innate magickal properties in food to help us along our chosen path. By putting love, joy and positivity in our kitchen and recognizing the power of ritual cooking a Kitchen Witch can create the sacred every day through simple recipes and make any meal magickal with the right tools and intentions. Make no mistake, you don’t have to be the world’s best cook and your recipes don’t have to be gourmet or high priced, just full of positive energy and joy and love! At least, that is how I see the world of Kitchen Magick. It is more about your energy than the food in your fridge.
2. How did you end up working with the Temple of Witchcraft to do “Tastes from the Temple: Kitchen Witchery from the Temple of Witchcraft”?
This book was something the Temple of Witchcraft wanted to do for a while, I’m told. However the project was put on hold until fate stepped in and put me in the right place at the right time! I had cooked for a couple of events and vended my Witchy Wares and I guess that they decided to put their faith in my abilities and know how as a Kitchen Witch. I am forever grateful that they thought so much of me!!!
3. “Tastes from the Temple” is a fundraiser for the Temple of Witchcraft, can you tell my readers a little bit about the organization?
Well, I am an honorary member of the Temple, which means I have not been through all the formal training but I am considered part of the community because I have helped out at many events and help as much as I can. The organization as a whole was founded by Christopher Penczak, Steve Kenson and Adam Sartwell. These three brilliant, kind and Magickal men grew the Temple of Witchcraft as a nonprofit charitable religious organization based in the State of New Hampshire. The Temple of Witchcraft’s goal on an individual level is to awaken the potential of the human soul to its natural gifts of psychic awareness, communion with nature and the spirits, and magick. Your readers can find out more at www.templeofwitchcraft.org
4. In what ways does “Tastes from the Temple” differ from other cookbooks?
In many ways it is a book in the true spirit of community cookbooks. The kind that old churches would put together to raise funds and unite spirits in a church or organization. But “Tastes From the Temple” has recipes from not only our immediate community but also from all over the country. Stories and anecdotes from Temple of Witchcraft members accompany every recipe so we can really get to know this community. I have taken each recipe and added a little dash of magick by including the innate magickal attributes of the foods, how and why to use them and for what magickal purposes.
5. One section of the book features recipes that highlight “Heirloom Magick”. Can you tell my readers a little bit about this tradition?
Heirloom Magick is one of my favorite portions of the book. It is what I call the idea of cooking with and for the ancestors. We can stay connected to our past loves ones through food and keep their memories alive when we cook their recipes or use their kitchen tools. This is something I really started doing this past year after my grandmother passed away. I got a box full of her old pots and pans, even a muffin tin that had been my Great Grandmother’s back in Italy. I noticed how when using these as ritual tools really helped me to stay close to, not only my grandmother, but my heritage. Recipes I had never made before started erupting from heart and everything just tasted so wonderful and full of love and tradition. I love this type of food magick so much I have even started to teach classes on it!
6. The Temple of Witchcraft community contributed many of the recipes featured in “Tastes from the Temple”, what is one of your favorites contributed from the community and why?
I think one of my favorite contributions is from Alix Wright. She is a lead minister of the Temple and a very, very dear friend of mine. Her recipe is found in the “Sweets” section of the book. It is a fruit cake soaked in brandy for up to a month. Fruit cake is not something most of us find very appetizing but this one is so very rich and a little naughty with all that brandy! To be honest it is one of my favorites because it is something I never would have thought of on my own. It is very unique and has a history and a deep affection among Alix’s family and friends. In the true spirit of Kitchen Witchery this cake is made with love and patience and gets better with time.
7. Now I know this one is going to be really hard, but what’s one of your favorites of your recipes that you used in “Tastes from the Temple” and why?
OH Yes. This is a very hard question…Hummm…I think it is a tie between the Pasta Fagioli in the Heirloom Magick chapter and the Three Bean Chili in the Witchy Entertaining Chapter. The Pasta Fagioli really rings true to everything I mentioned earlier about Heirloom Magick. When I cook it I am taken back to my childhood and cold Autumn nights after jumping in piles of leaves or walking the dog. And the Three Bean Chili is something I make all the time. It has become a staple in my home and for my friends. When I don’t have any in the freezer I make a huge pot of it to be sure that I always have some on hand. In fact, as I write this I am reminded that just yesterday my husband, Justin, asked when we were going to have some chili! It is easy, filling, healthy and comforting; wonderful for big crowds of people or for a cozy night in on the couch. I would be hard pressed to have to choose between these two!
8. Since these recipes are magical, they all magically have no calories, right?
Of course! I have magickaly removed all the calories, fat, sugar and cholesterol! HA HA! The truth is many of these recipes are healthy options and many use good old fashioned butter, sugar, cream and/or beef! The key to anything is moderation. Enjoy everything, just don’t sit down and eat the entire pan of Four Cheese Baked Macaroni found in the Comfort Foods chapter all by yourself!
9. You’re always busy doing events and writing for websites and publications. Where can my readers see you, or read you next?
Well right now I am really focused on “Tastes from the Temple”. I will be selling signed copies at Muse Gifts and Books in Marlborough, NH on January 15th. February 4th I can be found at the Robin’s Nest in Bellingham, MA for my Recipes for Romance Class. And look for my “Cooking with the Element of Air” article in the upcoming “Witches and Pagans” Magazine in early Spring. For a full list of my events and upcoming Classes visit me at www.CucinaAurora.com
10. Parting shot! Ask us here at The Magical Buffet any one question.
WOW! I get to ask you a question???? OK…What is your favorite food to cook/eat and what magick does it hold for you?
That’s tough. Due to some ongoing health issues my relationship with food has become pretty adversarial at times. These days I enjoy sushi greatly. I always liked it, but as long as it isn’t packing spicy stuff or fried stuff I can pretty much eat as much as my wallet allows. It’s tasty, fun, and we love our local place. We gave them cookies for the holidays!
If I was healthy, I truly miss delivery New York style pizza. Not only is it delicious (in moderation, of course), but it’s the food of parties, of bad days at work when you come home and don’t want to cook, and of course, of rewarding groups for hard labor (like helping you move)!
About Dawn Hunt: Dawn Aurora Hunt, known as “the Kitchen Witch”, is the founder of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery. She teaches classes on Kitchen Witchery and food Magic, touring and giving workshops along the East Coast. Creating the sacred every day though simple spell recipes and kitchen rituals, Dawn has brought food Magick into the homes of Pagans and Non-Pagans alike. Through her line of infused olive oils, dips, cookie mixes, and Kitchen Witch Ware products she has shown that simple home-made foods are best for the body, mind and soul. She and her husband, Justin, live in the Merrimack Valley in Massachusetts. For more information visit her website: www.cucinaaurora.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter at Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery.
About The Temple of Witchcraft: Witchcraft is a tradition of experience, and the best way to experience the path of the Witch is to actively train in its magickal and spiritual lessons. The Temple of Witchcraft provides a complete system of training and tradition, with four degrees found in the Mystery School for personal and magickal development and a fifth degree in the Seminary for the training of High Priestesses and High Priests interested in serving the gods, spirits, and community as ministers. Teachings are divided by degree into the Oracular, Fertility, Ecstatic, Gnostic, and Resurrection Mysteries. Training emphasizes the ability to look within, awaken your own gifts and abilities, and perform both lesser and greater magicks for your own evolution and the betterment of the world around you. The Temple of Witchcraft offers both in-person and online courses with direct teaching and mentorship. Classes use the “Temple of Witchcraft” series of books and CD Companions as primary texts, supplemented monthly with information from the Temple’s Book of Shadows, MP3 recordings of lectures and meditations from our founders, social support through group discussion with classmates, and direct individual feedback from a mentor. For more information and current schedules, please visit: www.templeofwitchcraft.org.
Many of you probably know, but in case you weren’t aware, yesterday was the first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. This year it was our turn to host a dinner for the holiday, and so as always I turned to my well worn copy of “Fast & Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays: Complete Menus, Rituals, and Party-Planning Ideas for Every Holiday of the Year” by Marlene Sorosky. Every time I flip through her book I always come across something new, despite how many times in the past I’ve looked through the darn thing. This year, as always, her book didn’t disappoint!
Sorosky is quick to point out that traditional foods associated with Hanukkah are related to the miracle of oil. Ahhhh, the miracle of oil. Normally that makes people think of latkes, potato pancakes. We tried her Giant Potato-Carrot Latkes which were delicious and required someone to carve them at the table! However it was her mentioning doughnuts that got my attention.
I hadn’t really thought about it, but yes, fried doughnuts certainly would qualify as a food related to oil. She suggests using them to help create a Menorah centerpiece, but I thought, why couldn’t they be dessert?
Even better, I’m still on a pretty restricted diet, so instead of genuine fried doughnuts, couldn’t we use our nifty little baked griddle baby doughnut maker that our friend bought us? Jim has gotten really good at making all kinds of versions and despite the lack of frying, symbolically our dessert would be righteous. Right?
Well, I don’t know if we’ve started the next newest Hebrew craze, but I present…….
On October 14, 2011 I published a review of Ellen Evert Hopman’s latest book “Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore”. If you missed the review, feel free to give it a read now, but to sum up; it had a ton of information and I really liked it. One of the things I really enjoyed was that Hopman included recipes for some traditional Scottish dishes. As most of you know, I do love to try new foods, so Jim and I decided to try the recipe for flummery that appeared in the book.
Now Hopman didn’t go into extensive detail about the flummery, and there wasn’t an image or photo of the dish, so I decided to poke around online to see what I could learn about a proper flummery and what it looks like.
Wikipedia describes it thusly, “Flummery is a sweet soft pudding that is made from stewed fruit and thickened with cornstarch. Traditional British flummeries were, like porridge, often oatmeal-based and cooked to achieve a smooth and gelatinous texture; sugar and milk were typically added and occasionally orange flower water. The dish is typically bland in nature. The dish gained stature in the 17th century where it was prepared in elaborate molds and served with applause from the dining audience.
The word also came to mean generally dishes made with milk, eggs and flour in the late seventeenth and during the nineteenth centuries. In Australia post World War II, flummery was known as a mousse dessert made with beaten evaporated milk, sugar and gelatine. Also made using jelly crystals, mousse flummery became established as an inexpensive alternative to traditional cream-based mousse in Australia.”
Much to my surprise there was a whole world of flummery recipes out there of assorted origins and ingredients. I found several Irish flummery recipes that were very similar to the Scottish one in “Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore”, but there were dozens of recipes that shared almost none of the same ingredients to the recipe I was using. So what is the flummery recipe from Hopman’s book?
Flummery
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup oatmeal
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons honey
1/4 whisky (we used Drambuie)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1-2 cups berries
Toast the almonds and oatmeal in a pan until slightly browned. Set aside.
Whip the cream until it is smooth, but not stiff.
Warm the honey very slightly so that it will run easily.
Fold the honey, whisky, half of the toasted almonds and oatmeal, and half of the berries plus the lemon juice into the cream.
Mix thoroughly, but lightly, and spoon into individual glasses. Sprinkle with remaining almonds, oatmeal and berries on top.
Chill and serve.
Serves 4-6
Behold! Flummery!
Despite many internet sources touting the blandness of flummery, that was not the case with what we made. It was lighter than a pudding, but denser than a mousse, rich and creamy laced with the faint but distinct flavor of the Drambuie. The berries added a tart flavor and the toasted oats and almond blended in great. It was like a bad ass version of a yogurt, berries, and granola parfait.
There you have it folks, flummery. A tasty treat and just one of the many reasons I enjoyed “Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore”! If any of you guys try the recipe out, or have your own flummery knowledge, share it with us in the comments!
You might remember that not too long ago I made a trip to Marlborough, NH. While there I visited the awesome store Inkubus, that was made all the cooler for having supplies for making Day of the Dead sugar skulls. I said if I tried making one I would let you know how it went. Well, here we are!
I’ve got to admit my absolute surprise because making sugar skulls wasn’t hard at all. Jim and I braced ourselves for the worst. I even went to the www.MexicanSugarSkull.com website, since they’re company that makes the skull forms we were using, for additional tips. (By the way, their site is really great.) But once we started, we quickly realized that making the skulls was easy and fun. You make a mix of water, sugar, and meringue powder. You mix it with your hands and it feels like damp sand on the beach. It’s uncanny really. We pressed the mix into the forms, turned them out onto cardboard squares, and left them out overnight to dry.
Drying sugar skull halves.
It was really hard to leave them alone while they dried. Jim and I kept hovering over the halves, wanting to poke them to see if they were drying. It was during this drying time that for some reason I decided our skull’s name was Stan.
Now the instructions with the forms, and the sugar skull website, tell you to make your own royal icing to use on the skulls. Well, I’m a lazy girl so instead I bought a tube of white frosting and Jim used that to glue both halves of Stan into one skull.
Stan is now whole.
And now to decorate! Both Jim and I are not what you would call “craft oriented” so we just picked up a few tubes of frosting and a set of plastic decorating tips to screw on to decorate Stan. Needless to say, he is pretty basic looking, but not too bad. Traditionally there should be vertical stripes of frosting over Stan’s line of a mouth, but after doing the line I really liked the way it looked. It’s kind of like Stan is looking at you and saying, “Yep. I’m a sugar skull.” Decorating Stan was the most difficult part of the sugar skull making process since I’ve never really done dessert decoration before.
Stan with two nameless brothers.
Now that we’ve tried it, both Jim and I have the sugar skull “bug”. We’re coming up with all kinds of weird ideas of things to try. Who knows, perhaps sugar skulls will appear on the site again!
Autumn in New England; what could be more beautiful? The trees turn deep crimson and burnt orange as the squirrels and chipmunks gather food for the harsh winter a head. We pile leaves into huge mounds and put away the garden tools for the season. Somewhere in the distance a fire burns in a wood burning stove and the scent dances on the cool breeze.
Somewhere in all of the summer craziness we may have forgotten that we are whizzing right by the Celebration of Lammas (which literally translates to Loaf Mass) in August. When Mabon, the Autumn Equinox comes we are usually so busy with back to school that we don’t take time to acknowledge this is Pagan Thanksgiving and the second of the three harvest Sabbats on the Wheel of the Year. But there is no mistaking Samhain. Thank Gods the last harvest of the season is rung in with Halloween and all the revelry the holiday has become accustomed to or we might let it pass us by too!
These three Harvest holidays are a Kitchen Witch’s dream!!! The Earth is giving so much during these first cool months here in New England. Everywhere you go pumpkins sit outside store fronts, from your local big name chain grocery store to your local farm stand. Apple picking is a big autumn tradition for Pagans and Non Pagans alike. I can remember it being such a big deal in my family that every October my family would travel 4 hours into the Catskill Mountains in NY to spend the day picking and nibbling on the freshest Cortland’s, Gala, Granny Smiths, and Macintoshes. Gourds, pumpkins and hay bales were strapped to our station wagon and set out in the yard when we got home to make sure the house had on its proper fall attire.
As I grew up and found the path of Kitchen Witchery these simple Fall traditions took on an all new meaning for me. Now I am not just decorating the home for the season, but I invite the autumn spirits in. The thrill of apple picking is not just a day out in nature collecting apples and creating memories, but it is a gathering of Magickal tools and ingredients. Now I ponder the recipes that will come from these wonderful things Mother Earth is providing. I imagine the smell of the apple pie as it bakes in my oven, the taste of the pumpkin spice bread as the butter melts into a slice right from the toaster, the warmth of the cider when it trickles over my taste buds after mulling all day with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Samhain, although the last of the blessed harvest celebrations, also marks the beginning of the dark time. Most witches and neo pagans consider it the end of the year, and the beginning of the next. Similarly to Beltane the veils between the worlds are thinnest at Samhain. In the spring we are more deeply connected with the spirits of life and the fey world whereas at Samhain we connect more with the underworld, and those spirits who have passed from this world to the next. It is the time to celebrate, reconnect and remember our loved ones.
Almost all of us have a recipe that has been in the family for years and years that has been passed from one cook to the next within the family. These recipes tell the stories of our families. Where did we come from and how we have changed? The ingredients keep us connected to the past and sharing them with our families and friends help us push those traditions into the future. This is the idea I like to call Heirloom Food Magick. In a sense it is all about those recipes and flavors our childhood memories would not be complete without. My grandmother, for example, had this bread she would make whenever the family gathered. It was commonly called “Grandma Bread” in our house. Although it was such a simple dish, stuffed Stromboli bread with spinach, cheese and a ton of garlic, every person in the family looked forward to a slice with anticipation from the children to the grownups. This recipe holds the spirit of Grandma. Although no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to get it exactly the same as her bread mine is pretty tasty if I do say so myself and I continue on the tradition of my family by sharing this with people I love.
In my opinion, the Harvest festivals are the time when Kitchen Witches come alive. I feel truly magickal at this time of year. Those of us who are in tune with the seasons can feel the change deep in the core of our beings. And Samhain is the time to do many magickal works in the Kitchen. Of course, gathering in a large Ritual circle with friends and family or local community is important. But for me a smaller more intimate ritual holds even more power. Samhain is a time for us to connect with our ancestors and what better way to do so then to prepare a meal in their honor and invite them to join us!
Invite the ancestors in with pictures set about the kitchen. Place the photographs of your passed relatives where you can see them as you cook. If you happen to have something of your ancestors bring that into the kitchen as well. Ideally cook with kitchen tools that have been handed down but if you don’t have that maybe you have a piece of jewelry or plate that has been passed down for generations, bring these items in to the kitchen. Enjoy the energy and guidance they bring into your cooking space. Make a meal that was a favorite of the person you are celebrating, a recipe that has been handed down for years, or even a meal that is indigenous to your national heritage. For me this is an easy one, because my family comes from Italy, but maybe your great uncle came from Poland and you make some nice porgies to celebrate him! I like to set a place at the table with photographs of the ancestors (all friends and family that I miss and want to celebrate at Samhain) and set a place for them. Pour a drink leave and pile the plate high with your feast. At the end of the meal you can offer the food to the nature spirits though the night!
This is a recipe that is perfect for your Samhain celebration. It is a variation on a traditional pumpkin pie and simply wonderful! It makes a fancy dessert with very little time and people will be so very impressed. It is a vegetarian dessert and if you have a gluten allergy like me, be sure to use a pre-made gluten free crust.
Pumpkin pie is a tradition for many family celebrations, Pagan or otherwise. But pumpkin actually has magical attributes of healing. Its round shape is also symbolic of the Mother Goddess. When you assemble this sweet and decedent pie, notice how the cream cheese layer looks like the full moon. Lightly trace the shape of the pentacle in it with your finger to bless this treat and all who eat it. Then you will layer the pumpkin on top sealing in all the protective energy of the blessing with the nurturing power of Mother Goddess energy from the Pumpkin. Also, using the cut outs for the crust can have magical energy too. As with all food magic intention is the key. Be mindful of your ingredients and put only your positive thoughts and intentions into this new twist on a traditional dessert. Invite the spirits of your ancestors to partake in the baking of this pie with you and start a new tradition for Samhain.
Pumpkin Cheese Cake Pie
1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated ready to roll pie crust
Cheese cake layer
1 8oz package reduced fat cream cheese softened
1/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice or sugar in the raw
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg
Pumpkin Layer
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fit one piecrust into a 9” pie plate and set aside. Roll out second crust onto lightly floured surface. Using a small cookie cutter, no bigger than 1” cut out shapes of stars, holly leaves, or oak leaves. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Make 40 to 50 cut outs and place in refrigerator until ready to use. Make the cheese cake layer. In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, almond extract, and egg until smooth. Spread evenly into pie crust. Set aside. Make the pumpkin layer. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until smooth. Gently ladle or pour mixture over cream cheese layer. Brush edge of crust with beaten egg. Place cut out crust shapes overlapping around the edge. Brush lightly with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover edge. Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking 45 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you like.
About Dawn: Dawn Hunt is the owner/president of Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery. Her products include everything from Herb and Energy infused olive oils to cooking tools. Her self-published cookbook has sold more than 250 copies in 6 months. She is currently working on a compilation Cookbook with Christopher Penczak and the Temple of Witchcraft called “Tastes of the Temple” due out in 2011. She teaches classes on Kitchen Witchery, Food Magic, and Seasonal Cooking on the East Coast. To find out more information, to purchase products, or for booking visit www.CucinaAurora.com.
I’m not sure how many of you may be familiar with the culinary classic, the horseshoe sandwich. For the uninitiated here’s the Wikipedia description, “This open-faced sandwich begins with thick-sliced toasted bread, and most often hamburger patties, or ham. Other meat is also used, such as deep fried pork tenderloin, grilled or fried chicken breast, and fried fish filets. There is also a “breakfast” horseshoe that uses eggs and hash browns. The meat is topped with French fries and smothered with a ‘secret’ cheese sauce. The cheese sauce varies from chef to chef, allowing each cook to create a signature dish, but the sauce is a sort of Welsh rabbit, common ingredients being eggs, beer, butter, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper.”
According to Wikipedia, and most food folklore, the dish originated in Springfield, Illinois. I don’t want to knock the description from Wikipedia, but in my hometown a couple of hours north of Springfield you would find horseshoe sandwiches that I suspect were covered more in Cheez Whiz than Welsh rabbit. However, growing up the pinnacle of horseshoe greatness was the Italian horseshoe at Pagliai’s Pizza. It was a thick hamburger patty covered in the most perfectly fried crinkle cut French fries and topped with Italian tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. In fact, I talked about that damn Italian horseshoe SO much that the very first Valentine’s Day that my husband I celebrated after moving in together he attempted to recreate it without ever having seen or tasted one himself. It was a success, and until health issues came into play, it was what we had for dinner every Valentine’s Day.
Now my friends, you may recall that I was recently in Canada, home of poutine, which Wikipedia helpfully describes as, “a dish of French fries, fresh cheese curds, and sometimes additional ingredients, covered with brown gravy or sauce.” While visiting Canada I did not get to have poutine, but I did get to try one of its variants called mozza fries. It’s just like poutine except you replace shredded mozzarella for the cheese curds. And it was a tasty, tasty treat.
I recently had my gallbladder removed, which as of now has made no improvement in any of the symptoms that I had prior to the surgery. Essentially I’m exactly the same, except now I’m minus a gallbladder. In an attempt to cheer me up my husband decided to recreate the mozza fries I had in Canada. I can eat French fries when they’re baked, we currently keep fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese on hand (lame I know, but I do what I can), and we bought the lowest fat, blandest appearing brown gravy in a jar. Then my husband, in an attempt to turn it into a meal cooked up a lean ground beef patty. So once you take away all the added adjectives, what we had was a hamburger patty topped with French fries, covered in beef gravy and mozzarella cheese.
The Canadian Horseshoe
And holy crap, my husband created the Canadian horseshoe! Go, tell your friends. Better still, someone tell the folks over at Pagliai’s Pizza.
Obviously I think this is the coolest thing to happen in science since a bunch of dudes decided to sling particles around to go looking for the Higgs boson, or the people at Fage figured out how to make such damn tasty Greek yogurt with like, no calories, so I can dump fatty high calorie granola in it and still feel like a saint. Where was I?
