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BEER Homemade Kentucky

BEER/SODA Root/Spruce Beer/G Soda

CHEESECAKE - Prize Winning Recipes

FEAST Create a Medieval Banquet

Grandma's Moonshine Wine

42 Favourite Italian Recipes

LIQUEURS - Make Your Own

MAGIC PIE Recipe

MEXICAN - 33 Recipes

RECIPES - Make Money Selling

29 Ways to Make Money from Cooking

10 Homemade TEAS & Their Benefits

 Making and Using Herb Preparations

ROOT BEER, SPRUCE BEER, GINGER SODA

ROOT BEER

1 gallon water

1-1/2 cups molasses

1 tsp. dry yeast

1/2 ounce each of hops, dried burdock, yellow dock,

sarsaparilla, dandelion, sassafras and spikenard roots

Wash the herbs and bruise them thoroughly with a potato masher or pastry blender. Cover with the water, bring to a boil and

simmer for 20 minutes over low heat. Strain into a large crock.

Add the molasses and cool to lukewarm.

When the mixture is lukewarm, add 1 teaspoon dry yeast and stir.

Cover the crock with a cloth and put it in a warm, draft-free place 70-80 degrees F.

After 2 hours, pour into clean bottles to within 1/2 inch of the tops. Cap with capper and metal caps, but not corks.

Place the capped bottles on their sides in a warm and draft-free spot (70-80 degrees F) for 5 days, then set upright in a cool place.

The root beer will be ready to drink in 10 days, but will keep for the whole summer.

 

SPRUCE BEER

 

5 gallons of water

1/8 pound of hops

1/2 cup of dried, bruised ginger root

1 pound of the outer twigs of spruce fir

3 quarts of molasses

1/2 yeast cake dissolved in 1/2 cup of warm water or 1/2 cup

of liquid homemade yeast

 

In a large kettle combine the water, hops, ginger root and spruce fir twigs. Boil together until all the hops sink to the

bottom of the kettle. Strain into a large crock and stir in the molasses. After this has cooled add the yeast. Cover and leave

to set for 48 hours. Then bottle, cap and leave in a warm place (70-75 degrees F) for 5 days. It will now be ready to drink.

Store upright in a cool place.

 

GINGER SODA

 

2 gallons of water

2 ounces of ginger root, thinly sliced and bruised with the back of a knife

4 cups of light raw sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 cup liquid homemade yeast or 1 yeast cake dissolved in a cup of warm water

Combine in a large pot the ginger, sugar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, yeast and water.

Let the mixture stand in a warm place for 24 hours.

Line a funnel with cheesecloth and strain the liquid into two clean gallon jugs.

Cover them tightly and let them stand overnight.

Chill well before drinking.

Prize Winning Recipes

 

CHEESECAKE PRIZEWINNING RECIPES

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

BRANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

SICILIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

 CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 wafers)

2 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine

 

Filling:

2 (250 g or 8-oz) packages cream cheese

1 (125 g or 4-oz) package cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

3 medium eggs

1 (19-oz.) can cherry pie filling

2 tbsp. chocolate cherry liqueur (optional)

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 oz. grated semi-sweet chocolate

 

Combine chocolate wafer crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar and melted butter.

Press into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Bake in moderate

oven, 350 degrees, for 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Have cream cheese at room temperature. Beat in large mixing bowl at medium speed until creamy. Gradually beat in the one cup of sugar and cocoa. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth. Pour over chocolate crust. Bake in slow oven, 300 degrees, about one hour until center of cake is firm. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Combine cherry pie filling with liqueur, if being used. Pour over cooled cheesecake.

Add the two tbsp. sugar and vanilla to whipping cream in bowl.

Whip until stiff. Spoon onto cake, covering evenly. Chill several hours before serving.

Decorate with grated chocolate. Makes 10 to 12 servings. This cheesecake freezes well.

 

BRANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

 Crust:*

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

 

Filling:

2 (250 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature

1 (125 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 medium eggs

1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin (no spices added)

2-1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/3 cup brandy

whipped cream

preserved ginger

For crust, combine crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl and mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of 10 inch spring form pan and 2 inches up sides. Bake in moderate oven, 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

 

For filling beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each

addition until smooth and creamy. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and brandy and mix until well blended. Pour cheese mixture into crust and bake in slow oven, 325 degrees, for 50 or 60 minutes, or until well risen. Turn off heat and let cheesecake cool in oven. When cold, decorate top with whipped cream and sliced ginger.

 

SICILIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

 Sponge cake:

Butter

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Finely chopped rind of 1/2 lemon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3 egg whites

Filling:

1-1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 lb. fresh ricotta cheese

1 lb. mixed candied fruit

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 1-oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped in pieces

8 tbsp. Maraschino liqueur

 

To make the sponge cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 inch spring-form cake pan.

Whisk the eggs yolks with the sugar, grated lemon rind and 3 tbsp. hot water until light and foamy.

Sift the flour and baking powder together, and fold it into the egg yolk mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. With a large spoon, fold them into the cake mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cake is a rich golden color and springs back when pressed lightly. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

 

For the filling:

Dissolve the sugar in 3 tbsp. of water over low heat. Beat the sugar syrup with the ricotta cheese until it is smoothly

blended. Put aside about half of the best pieces of candied fruit to decorate the cake. Chop the remainder coarsely.

 

Add the cinnamon to the sweetened ricotta and beat until smooth and creamy. Put aside a few tbsp. of the mixture for decoration. Combine the remainder with the chopped fruit and chocolate.

 

Cut the sponge cake in half horizontally. Put one layer on the bottom of the cake pan, cut side up, and sprinkle it with half

of the Maraschino. Spread with the remaining cheese mixture. Fit the ring of the cake pan in position and chill the cake for

several hours.

 

When ready to serve, remove the cake from the pan and place it on a large, flat serving dish. Coat the top and sides with the

reserved cheese and decorate with the reserved candied fruit.

 

You may also decorate the cake with whipped cream, and the candied fruits may be supplemented with chopped nuts.

 

29 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY FROM COOKING & BAKING

 1. Operate a potato chip shop in a busy location

2. Operate a French type hot dog stand

3. Sell popcorn coated with 20 different flavors

4. Offer a casserole delivery service

5. Run a take-out food store with a new specialty

6. Run a homemakers' cooperative, selling assorted edibles

7. Supply restaurants with your own specialty

8. Operate a home-cooked meal delivery service

9. Operate a box-lunch service for offices

10. Cater hor d'oeuvres for special occasions

11. Operate health food cafeterias in schools

12. Cater exotic desserts

13. Make wedding cakes

14. Operate a homemade soup shop

15. Bake cookies

16. Sell homemade pastries or any other delicacy you are good at baking

17. Run a fruitcake business

18. Bake and sell traditional goodies for festive occasions of the year

19. Specialize in the candy apple business

20. Sell crepes suzettes and/or American-style pancakes in a busy location

21. Merchandise Christmas candied fruits

22. Run a homemade candy stand

23. Operate a frystick snack shop

24. Merchandise maple syrup

25. Manufacture new and uniquely-flavored cough drops

26. Sell home-canned goods

27. Dehydrate surplus produce

28. Produce and bottle fresh juice and sell to restaurants

29. Make lollipops of all shapes and sizes

GRANDMA'S MOONSHINE GRAPE WINE RECIPE

2 - 12 oz. cans frozen grape juice

3 1/2 cups of white granulated sugar

1/3 cake of yeast (Fleishmann's is best)

a large Balloon and some strong string

one Gallon Jug

First, set the grape juice out to thaw, until slushy. Next, mix

the sugar thoroughly in with the grape juice. Pour the sugar

and juice, into the gallon jug.

 

Dissolve the yeast in a cup of lukewarm* water and add to the juice mixture in the gallon jug. (*If water is too warm, it will

kill the active ingredient in the yeast that causes fermentation.) Mix everything thoroughly. Now add just enough

lukewarm water to fill the gallon jug up to about 2 inches below the neck. When this is done, place the balloon over the

top of neck and secure tightly with string. Note! This must be an air tight fit... If you have followed all directions

carefully, the balloon will soon start to expand with the gas, caused by the fermentation. Store the mixture in a cool (but

not cold) area, 60 to 75 degrees is ideal, for a period of from 3 to 6 weeks.

 

Check the balloon every other day. If the balloon expands too large, untie and allow the gas to escape and then retie, but be

sure to retie tightly to make it air tight again. When the balloon ceases to expand, the wine is done.

 

NOTICE - Do not bottle the wine before it is done. Working wine (fermenting) can explode a bottle from the gas pressure of

fermentation.

 

Strain your wine with a cheese cloth or a tea towel and pour into a bottle, using a snap-on type of cap or use a cork. Store

bottles on their sides in a cool, dark place. All that's left now to do, is ENJOY YOURSELF.

 

HOMEMADE KENTUCKY BEER

 

Use 15 gallon plastic garbage can with clip on lid. You need:

 

Approximately 6 oz. hops

3 lbs. extract of malt

9 lbs. granulated sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

1-1/2 teaspoons granulated yeast.

 

Place in vessel with approximately 2 gallons water, or more if vessel is large enough, and bring to boil. Then turn down to

simmer for about 45 minutes, steeping hops into liquid during this period as hops will sit on top of the water; otherwise,

flavor will be too weak.

 

Put malt, raw sugar and molasses into plastic bin. Then strain hops liquid through parachute silk or cheesecloth to remove all

sediment and add liquid to contents of bin. Stir thoroughly with wooden paddle to completely dissolve malt and sugar into

liquid.

 

Place the bin in a position where it can be kept for a week undisturbed at 70 F. Fill up with lukewarm water to within 2

inches of top of container. Temperature of brew now be about 70 to 80 F. Sprinkle yeast evenly over surface and seal. Beer

will work for 7 to 10 days. A thick white broth will appear after the first 8 hours and gradually die, towards the end of

the time.

 

When working has ceased, take 8 dozen clean 26 oz. bottles and put one level teaspoon of white sugar into each bottle. Drain

off liquid into bottles taking care not to disturb too much. (This will disturb sediment and make liquid cloudy). Cap

bottles tightly and correctly and store upright for 3 weeks minimum.

 

Cool in refrigerator in upright position and pour gently into glass mug for serving. Sediment also forms in bottle If beer

is too lively, too much yeast has been added or if bottled before, it had ceased working. Flavour of beer can be softened

by adding 4 oz. of barley to the hops when bottling. Colour can be darkened by increasing amount of molasses.

 

Your local health food store is where you can buy your ingredients. Follow directions and be careful - this is very potent.

 

MAGIC PIE RECIPE

4 eggs

1/4 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups milk or half and half

1 cup coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Place all ingredients in blender at one time and blend until mixed together. Pour into a buttered 10-inch piepan. Bake in a

350 degree oven for 1 hour. When done, crust will be on bottom, custard in the middle, an coconut on top - right where they

belong.  

MAKE MONEY SELLING RECIPES

 

Practically everybody's got hundreds of recipes stashed away somewhere. Why not sell 'em? So why don't you? The right way is to run a small classified ad in any of the tabloid newspapers. You could also try a local newspaper, even put up a little note on the bulletin board in your local grocery store, church,community center or dozens of other places.

 

If you have something unusual, especially if you offer a package deal like 5-10 recipes for $2.00 or so, you can get quite a few responses, and indeed make a profit. Of course most people try a market a single recipe, charge upwards of $5.00 and end up with nothing to show for their efforts.

 

Anyone running recipe ads will be guaranteed lots of responses. Promise. No 1, they won't be from people wanting your favourite recipe. Well, maybe one or two will. Most inquiries will be offers to join a recipe club. Right now this very minute hundreds of people are going through the classified ads getting ready to send the unsuspecting recipe advertiser an offer to join their recipe club, which is another version of an illegal chain letter.

 

The first thing promoters of this type of scheme will tell you is that every one of their members gets hundreds and hundreds of people to send them one, two, even five dollars per recipe. It won't happen and it's illegal. As I already said very few people will part with $2-$5 for a single recipe, unless you know how to turn lead into gold or something equally exciting. So don't waste your money joining any clubs.

 

OK, now that you were warned what is likely to happen, it's time to tell you how you can, with a little luck, make money selling recipes. To keep your advertising costs to a minimum you must use classified ads. To compete with the dozens of others offering recipes you have to grab the readers attention. I know of no one who reads classified ads. People just skim through them and stop if they see something interesting.

 

So the most important part of your classified ad must be the first three or four words Choose powerful words that make your potential customer excited enough to read the rest of your ad.

 

Note the difference between the two ads on the following page. It's the same recipe but the choice of words in the first is so bland that practically everyone will pass it up. The second should at least spark a bit of curiosity, and get your potential customer to read the rest of your ad.

MAKE YOUR OWN LIQUEURS

 

BASIC EQUIPMENT

 

1. 1 quart saucepan

2. Measuring cup

3. Measuring spoons

4. 1 quart bottle (32 oz.) or a fifth (25.4 oz.), empty and clean

 

BASIC INGREDIENTS

 

1. Spirits: vodka, gin, brandy, Scotch or grain alcohol

2. White granulated sugar

3. Water

4. Fruit extracts. Various brands of extracts are available at

home winemaking stores. The French brand "Noirot" is highly

recommended.

5. Glycerine. Adds body and smoothness.

 

BASIC METHOD

 

1. Make your sweet or medium syrup in the following way:

Sweet syrup - 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water

Medium Syrup - 1 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water

 

Combine the sugar and water in the saucepan and bring it just to a boil. Cool for few minutes.

 

2. Pour the required amount of syrup into your clean bottle.

 

3. Add the extract.

 

4. Add glycerine and coloring if required.

 

5. Fill the bottle to the top with the spirits. A liqueur made in a quart bottle will have a stronger alcoholic taste than one

made in a fifth bottle.

 

6. Close the bottle and shake. Cool before drinking.

 

CHERRY BRANDY

 

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Cherry Brandy Extract

1 cup medium sugar syrup

 

APRICOT BRANDY

 

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Apricot Brandy Extract

Brandy

(no sugar syrup)

 

CREME DE COCOA

 

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Cocoa Extract

2 cups sweet sugar syrup

Vodka or grain alcohol

 

CREME DE MENTHE

 

1 bottle Noirot (or similar) Green Mint Extract

2 cups sweet sugar syrup

Vodka or grain alcohol

 

HOMEMADE COFFEE LIQUEUR

 Ingredients:

 

3 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup Yuban Instant Coffee

1 Vanilla bean (available at most health food stores if not at your local supermarket's spice section) (4) 1 1 Quart 100 proof

vodka.

 

Dissolve sugar into three and three quarter cups warm water. Bring syrup mixture to a boil and boil hard for 15 minutes.

While syrup is boiling, dissolve coffee into three quarter cups of warm water. Add vanilla bean, split lengthwise. When syrup

boiling time is up; remove from stove and allow to cool for five minutes. Then add coffee-vanilla bean mixture, and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add all the vodka, stir lightly and pour into clean gallon jug. Allow to stand for two weeks at room temperature before drinking. Enjoy! But be careful. This is a potent drink.

 

HOW TO MAKE AND USE HERB PREPARATIONS

 Making your own herbal concoctions for medicinal purposes is really not that difficult. And since the best herbal

preparations are those made when the plants are fresh, the better off you are to grow your own herbs and make your own

preparations.

 

But even the best plants can be ruined if you use the wrong kind of process in preparing your remedies. Your choice depends on the parts of the plant to be used, the form in which the remedy will be taken, and the desired result.

 

Remember that herbal remedies are not one-shot wonder cures. Their effectiveness is based largely on a gradual cure.

 

The following ways of preparing your fresh herbs are those most commonly used in herbal medicine. Always use an enamel or

non-metallic pot.

 

Infusion - this is a beverage made like tea, combining boiled water with the plants and steeping it to extract the active

ingredients. The normal amounts are about 1/2 to 1 ounce of the plant to one pint of boiled water. You should let the mixture

steep for five to ten minutes, covered, and strain the infusion into a cup.

 

Cold Extract - preparing herbs with cold water preserves the most volatile ingredients, while extracting only minor amounts

of mineral salts and bitter principles. Add about double the amount of plant material used for an infusion to cold water and

let sit for about 8 to 12 hours, strain and drink.

 

Decoction - this method or preparation allows you to extract primarily the mineral salts and bitter principles rather than

vitamins and volatile ingredients. Boil about half an ounces of plant parts per cup of water for up to 4 minutes. Steep the

mixture with the cover on the pot for a few minutes.

 

Juice - chop and press fresh plant parts to make juice, then add a bit of water and press again. This is excellent for getting

vitamins and minerals from the plant. Drink the juice right away for the best results.

 

Syrup - make a basic syrup to which you will add medicinal ingredients by boiling 3 pounds of raw, brown sugar in a pint of

water until it reaches the right consistency.

 

Powder - grind your dried plant parts until you have a powder. the powder can be taken with water, milk, soup, or swallowed in gelatin capsules.

 

Ointment - quick method: combine well one part of your powdered remedy with four parts hot petroleum jelly or lard. For

purists: Add the decoction of the desired herb to olive oil and simmer until the water has completely evaporated. Add beeswax

as needed to get a firm consistency. A little gum benzoin or a drop of tincture of benzoin per ounce of fat will help preserve

the ointment.

 

Essence - dissolve 1 ounce of the herb's essential oil in a pint of alcohol; this method preserves the volatile oils of many

plants which are not water-soluble.

 

Poultice - to make a poultice, you just crush the medicinal parts of the plant to a pulpy mass and heat. Mix with a hot,

sticky substance such as moist flour or corn meal. Apply the pasty mixture directly to the skin. Wrap a hot towel around and

moisten the towel periodically. A poultice will draw impurities from the body.

 

Herb Bath - herbal baths include the use of various herbal additives to enhance the natural healing power of the water.

They are baths to which plant decoctions or infusions have been added. There are full and partial herbal baths. For a full

bath some of the medicinal plant parts should be sewn into a cloth bag and then boiled in a quart of water; the strained

mixture is then added to the bath. Sometimes you can put the bag right into the tub for a more thorough extraction of the

herbal properties.   

 

TREAT YOUR FRIENDS WITH A MEDIEVAL FEAST

Seven Great Recipes

 

PARSLEY BREAD

 

2 packages of active dry yeast

1 3/4 cups warm water

6 tbsp. honey

7 to 8 cups (or more) unbleached white wheat flour

6 small whole eggs plus one yolk

2/3 cup currants, softened in warm water

1 2/3 tbsp. melted butter or oil

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

2/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Several drops green vegetable colour

Butter for greasing bowls and cookie sheet

 

Sprinkle yeast on 1/2 cup of the warm water; stir in honey.

Let proof for 5 minutes.

 

Add remaining warm water; beat in about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of flour. Beat with wooden spoon for about 200 strokes. Cover

with damp towel, put in warm place, and allow this sponge to rise for 30-45 minutes, or until doubled.

 

Stir down.

 

Beat 5 whole eggs plus one yolk. Stir in currants. Beat in salt and melted butter or oil. Mix into the dough.

 

In a mortar crush the dried herbs and chopped parsley to a paste. Mix in cinnamon. Add to batter and beat well. (Bread

should be a delicate green hue. If colour from parsley isn't strong enough, add green food color - sparingly.) Add remaining

flour first with a spoon, then with hands, until dough comes away from the side of the bowl.

 

Turn out onto lightly floured board or marble and knead until smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 10-12 minutes, adding small

amounts of flour if necessary.

 

Place in buttered bowl; cover with damp towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 50 minutes.

 

Punch down. Cover; let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. (This rise, though unnecessary, gives the bread a

finer texture.)

 

Punch down. Turn out onto floured surface. Let rest for five minutes. Shape into one or two free-form curls or twists.

Place on buttered cookie sheet. Cover lightly with damp towel and let rise in warm place to double, about 25 minutes.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush loaf or leaves with remaining whole egg, beaten. Bake for about 50 minutes, or

until nicely browned and loaf sounds hollow when rapped on top and bottom. Cool on rack.

 

Serve with hard cheese, fresh butter and white wine.

 

SALAD

 

1 bunch watercress

1 bunch fennel, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

6 to 8 scallions, minced

4 shallots, minced

2 leeks, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. each of dried sage and borage, or a few fresh leaves

1 sprig rosemary

2 tbsp. minced parsley

 

Vinaigrette Dressing: oil, vinegar, a touch of mustard, salt and pepper

 

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a bowl. Toss with

dressing. Serves 4.

 

CREAMED TURNIP AND PARSNIP SOUP

 

1 cup peeled, fresh turnips, diced

1/2 cup scraped, fresh parsnips, diced

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds

1 cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

 

Gently simmer the turnips and parsnips in the broth until the vegetables are soft, about 12 minutes.

 

Stir in the almonds and heat for 3 minutes.

 

Mix the yolks and salt with the cream; add the lemon juice; pour 1/2 cup hot soup into egg mixture, stirring well.

Then slowly pour this mixture into the soup. Stir well.

 

Heat 2 or 3 minutes, stirring and serve warm.

 

MAWNEYE

 

1 1/4 pounds lean lamb, cut into small pieces 1/2 by 1/2 inch

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter for sauteeing

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup dry lentils

4 cups beef broth

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1 cup diced turnip or squash

1 cup currants

2/3 cup coarsely cut figs

 

Garnish:

"gold" leaves of any edible plant - such as young celery leaves or 6 to 8 yellow dandelion flowers

 

 

Salt and pepper lamb and then brown in melted butter.

 

Add the cup of chicken broth; gently simmer for 45 minutes or until lamb is tender. Drain.

 

Bring lentils to boil in 4 cups of beef broth, reducing heat to low; simmer for 15 minutes.

 

Combine cinnamon, salt, basil and stir into diced turnip.

 

Add turnip, currants and figs to the lentils and cook very slowly for 10 minutes.

 

Stir lamb into lentils. Turn out into attractive serving bowl

and garnish.

 

GINGERED CARP

 

1 1/2 pounds smoked carp or about 12 slices

1/2 cup candied ginger, slivered or coarsely grated

1/2 tsp. rosemary

3/4 tsp. dried sweet basil

1/2 tsp. crushed pine nuts

1/2 cup beef or fish stock

Parsley sprigs

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place carp slices side by side in baking dish. Combine spices and herbs with stock. Pour

the thick spiced stock onto the sliced carp.

 

Bake for 10 minutes. Serve hot or cold, making sure flakes of ginger accompany each portion. Garnish with parsley.

 

LEMON RICE WITH ALMONDS

 

1 large unblemished lemon

1 cup raw rice

2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. butter

2/3 cup coarsely ground almonds

2/3 cup currants

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup fresh peas

 

Garnish: 12 tsp. honey

 

Finely grate the skin from the lemon. Then cut the lemon, thoroughly squeezing its juice and removing most of the pulp.

Reserve the skin, juice and soft pulp, discarding the membranes and pits.

 

In a large enamelled pot bring to a brisk boil the water, rice, salt, cinnamon, butter and lemon, reducing heat to simmer until

most fluid is absorbed (about 10 minutes). Stir once or twice while simmering; otherwise keep pot tightly covered. Remove

pot from heat.

 

Slowly simmer the almonds and currants in white wine for 7 minutes.

 

Fluff rice gently with a fork. Add the wined almonds to the lemon rice.

 

Stir in fresh peas. Very slowly simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. If the rice begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add small

amounts of boiling water.

 

Garnish with 1 tsp. honey for each portion.

 

MULLED CIDER

 12 cups apple cider

1 1/2 tsp. whole cloves

1 1/2 tsp. whole allspice

6 sticks cinnamon

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 bottle Calvados or applejack

 

Put the cider in a large saucepan. Add the spices tied in cheesecloth and the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring

gently to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add Calvados. Simmer for 1 minute; discard spices.

Serve in heated mugs. Makes 18 drinks.

 

TEN TEAS FROM PLANTS AND THEIR BENEFITS

All teas unless specified are brewed with 1 teaspoon dry material or 2 teaspoons fresh material to 1 cup of water.

Always steep. This means pouring hot water over material and letting set for 5 - 15 minutes. Always dry leaves and roots out

of the sun, in dark airy places. Then store in airtight containers.

 

Persimmon Tea: The leaves when dried and crushed make a fine strong tea. Can be used all year round. Rich in vitamin C.

Used as a healthful tonic.

 

Sassafras Tea: Boil fresh roots after washing, until water turns reddish brown. Can be sliced and dried for later use.

Claimed by some to be a blood thinner, a blood purifier, to help bronchitis, a stimulating spring tonic. Mostly it is used for

pure enjoyment.

 

Birch Tea (Wintergreen): Black, yellow and white birch. Dried leaves can be used year round. A large handful of fresh leaves

steeped in hot water was drunk 1 to 2 cups a day for rheumatism and headaches. Said to reduce pain of passing kidney stones, and a fever reducer. Cold it was used as a mouthwash.

 

Blackberry/Raspberry Tea: The dried mature leaves of these brambles make a good tea. Used to help control diarrhea, as a

blood purifier and tonic. Use all year round.

 

Blueberry Tea: The dried mature leaves are steeped until cool and drunk 1 to 2 cups per day as a blood purifier and tonic.

Also used to help inflamed kidneys and increase the flow of urine. Somewhat bitter. Use all year round.

 

Alfalfa Tea: The dried and powdered leaves and flower heads make a very nutritious tea, but it is somewhat bland. We

suggest mixing them with normal teas to stretch them and add nutrition. Its vitamin content was the reason it was used.

Used all year round.

 

Wild Strawberry Tea: Use dried leaves normally. Pour several cups boiling water over a handful of fresh leaves in the

evening. Cover and let steep overnight. Strain water and reheat in the morning. Believed to help with a multitude of things,

from stomach troubles, eczema, diarrhea, etc. According to experts, it is much more healthful than purchased coffee or

teas. Use all year round.

 

Wild Rose-Hip Tea: A handful of these steeped for 10 minutes, then strained, make a healthful tea. Can be used dried or fresh

in season. Instead of boiling, place a handful in cool water overnight, then stain and reheat in the morning. Use all year

round. Strong Vitamin C content. Helps with Colds and the flu. Also for sore throat.

 

Sweet Goldenrod Tea (Anise): Can use dried or fresh leaves or flowers. Makes a very flavorful tea. Pure enjoyment only!!

Used all year round.

 

Soldier's Herb Tea: This common yard weed with green leaves and two seedie spikes was used by the colonials and Indians alike.

One teaspoon of seeds per cup of boiling water steeped for 1/2 hour was used for dropsy and jaundice. A tea from fresh leaves (chopped fine), one heaping teaspoon per cup of boiling water steeped for 1/2 hour. For dried powdered leaves, use one level teaspoon and reduce time to 15 minutes. Drunk 4 to 5 times a day until relief was obtained. Used for gout, to help clean out nasal passages and to slow menstruation. Also used to expel worms. A tea cooled made from rainwater was used as an eyewash

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