We are all Healers ~ Creating Enhanced Winter Immunity with Diet not Drugs!

I wish I'd taken this gorgeous photo, but I did not. It's true origins are unknown.

In the 18th century, there wasn't much recourse against a horrid epidemic of influenza, staph or plague except for holistic methods of keeping the body as strong and resilient as possible. Herbs, spices,onions, garlic, barks, tinctures, soups and distillations were the medicines of the day. Steam to open the sinuses and lungs, poultices, plasters and teas were used as first line medical defense and many of these are still methods that I and many other herbalists and aromatherapists use today.  

Jump forward into the 21st century and once again it’s flu season.  This year it’s taken on a whole different meaning as we face the possibility of so many of the dangerous new strains of influenza that are emerging. I’m no different than any of you reading this and I worry endlessly about my families health and wellbeing. I work hard during these months to make sure that everyone's immune system is  as strong as possible. 

I really avoid most drugs, unless its imperative that I take an antibiotic for my very survival! Instead, I prefer to hedge my bets by strengthening my immune system through the foods that I eat and the supplements that I use. I'm a firm believer that real health is inextricably linked to good digestion and elimination. Keeping those systems healthy is truly your first line of defense against most virulent strains of staph , strep or influenza. You owe it to yourself right now to begin to eat foods that move quickly through you, strengthening you and helping you fight off infection powerfully  as a result of the natural ability that our bodies have to fend off disease. 

During the winter I’m constantly replenishing my stores of Echinacea and goldenseal, Vitamins B and D , elderberry tablets and  essential oils.  Oil of oregano is a must for any medicine cabinet as it's not only a vital germicide, but can help to control a stubborn candida infection. I’ve discovered that if I begin to take elderberry tablets at the beginning of the flu season that I feel very well protected, no matter who I come in contact with. Drinking steaming mugs of green tea sweetened with honey instead of my usual coffee always helps me to replenish the much needed moisture robbed daily from my skin by the bitter dry winds and artificial heating sources found in my home.

I also make a fragrant yet powerful blend of oils that I love, equal parts clove, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary, white thyme and oregano to use in many ways.  This is my own variation of the famed 4 Thieves Vinegar, which is legendary  among herbalists and perfumers! Rumor has it that during the Black Plague,  the most successful corpse robbers were the perfumers who figured out that the essential oils that they used rendered them impervious to the virulent germs.  They were later caught and hung, but not before they were forced to give up their secrets!

Try to make this for yourself because mixed with white vinegar and put into a spray bottle it will become a potent antibacterial to use either as a room spray or surface spray for your entire home. Used in a diffuser, this oil blend creates a continuous line of defense against most airborne viruses that it comes in contact with. It’s a little too strong for most forms of personal use, but I will mix a few drops with some fresh vitamin E oil and massage the bottoms of the feet with it and then putting a pair of clean cuddly socks to help the oils soak in.  That treatment coupled with a bowl of garlic miso soup with a bit of tofu and a warm mug of cayenne, cinnamon, honey and lemon tea can have me up and out again in a day! Speaking of cinnamon, I love to keep a pot of honey that I've literally stuffed with powdered ceylon (not cassia) cinnamon in the pantry. Just a spoonful of this delicious nectar can help soothe a scratchy throat or a cough very quickly and stirred into some hot water can provide simple nourishment when you're just not feeling like eating much.  

Because there is so much temptation to overindulge during the holidays, our bodies can become very overloaded with sugar and complex carbohydrates, the end result being an overload of yeast that builds up in the body, causing some very difficult problems including skin rashes, joint aches and pains and a heavily compromised immune system that is even more susceptible than usual to the nasty bugs that are generously present in our daily environment.

Now is the time for a good cleansing, but generally not of the fasting sort. If you’re anything like me, the bitter chill of the winter winds make that nearly an impossibility.   Instead I prefer to treat my body to simple meals based upon mostly seasonally available foods and herbs that are designed to gently cleanse and invigorate .  For example,  I love to poach leeks and serve them with homemade mustard sauce and I make a homemade raw beet borscht with fresh dill, diced onions, cooked turnips and rutabaga that is a surefire remedy for adding iron to your diet and  cleansing the blood. 

Vegetarian curries with cumin, ginger, garlic and tumeric  can provide the warmth needed to rebalance the digestion and hot spicy salsas and moles made with chiles , dark chocolate, cinnamon and chipotle are another winter treat that those of us north of the border can use to fend off the blues of seasonal affective disorder and stay warm as toast all winter!  I love a simple roasted chicken  or  vegetarian cutlet   dressed with a spicy mole sauce and  served with cumin scented black beans and a salad of fresh blood orange, jicama, pomegranate seeds with a red wine vinegar and oil dressing.  A meal like this can bring the sunshine back to me in an instant!

Soups are really easy to make and a good homemade bone  broth is a wonderful foundation for creating all kinds of foods that promote healing. To make a good bone broth, start with fresh spring water or chicken broth and either a chicken cut into pieces or a pot roast (bone in). Organic  and free range please! Then add onions, garlic, carrots, celery , beets, leeks, root vegetables, garlic, kale…you get the picture. It doesn’t have to be pretty to be delicious and fortifying.  Quite often depending upon my mood I’ll add a bottle of red wine or some fresh apple cider.  Many times I’ll use a chicken and pot roast together and sometimes I won’t use meat at all choosing instead several varieties of seaweed, seafood and shellfish. 

The rest is simple.  Put it all into a stockpot and simmer for at least 6 hours. Making a good meat based broth does take some time but its well worth the wait. You’ll have to skim what is known as the “scum” off of it several times, but this added step will result in a clearer stock. I love to add healing herbs and spices to mine, particularly cinnamon sticks, ginger root, cayenne and star anise for warmth.  When it’s done remove the meat and the vegetables and put them aside to reserve for a later meal. Serving either the chicken or beef with a sauce of fresh horseradish or mustard is another way to raise the digestive fires needed for warmth at this ever so chilly time of year. Then strain the stock and give yourself the pleasure of putting some of the hot broth into a mug with a bit of salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Bon Appetit'! The end result after refrigeration of the broth will that the stock will be jellied...a sure sign that all of the nutrition, has been taken from the bones and put into the stock! So delicious and so good for you! 

 Vegetarian broth will cook faster and you won’t have as much foam to remove but the end result will be just as delicious and fortifying! Add a bit of miso, green onion, cubed tofu and shitake mushroom to a vegetarian broth to make a satisfying tonic to revitalize and replenish the vitamins and minerals that are lost through the simple stress of everyday living.  Either of these stocks can be used as a base for many different delicious soups like a spicy chicken chili, lentil or white bean with kale, squash and sweet potato.The only other thing needed  for either of these meals could be a simple green salad with a bit of lemon juice and oil and a lovely glass of red wine.  

If you’re really cleansing, avoid heavily processed cheese and bread for now and any other complex carbs like rice or pasta that can really clog up your system. During this time I try to stay away from regular white fleshed potatoes because they convert to sugars so quickly and without the more complete nutrition of  yams or sweet potato. You won’t regret abstaining from them for a week or two and you might discover that your body doesn’t rely on them as much to create energy after a time. See if you can avoid coffee or black tea for this time period and allow your body to begin to rest and heal for a bit without artificial stimulation. Your stress may even go away, enabling your body to begin to relax,heal and regenerate.  

 For some, green tea may even be too much, so instead drink a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of good olive oil, honey or agave,  with some lemon squeezed into it to cleanse, nourish and revitalize your liver.  I would be willing to bet that after a week or two of eating  clean , nourishing meals that you begin to find renewed stores of energy and creativity as well as vastly improved immunity and health. 

 Eating simple wonderful food that you've prepared brings you in contact with your native wisdom and intrinsic needs. Although I don't eat much meat anymore because it depletes my energy, it may be the very thing needed to help you heal. Listen carefully to your body, feed it well and it will reward you with many years of balanced energy and health!

Milady's Pantry ~ Hearth and Home

“I woke just past dawn to the scratching of the rose brier against the window, and the muffled thump and clang of breakfast fixing in the kitchen below. Peering over Jamie’s sleeping form, I saw that the fire was dead out. I slid out of bed, quietly so as not to wake him. The floorboards were icy under my feet and I reached, shivering, for the first available garment.
Swathed in the folds of Jamie’s shirt, I knelt on the hearth and went about the laborious business of rekindling the fire, thinking rather wistfully that I might have included a box of safety matches in the short list of items I had thought worthwhile to bring. Striking sparks from a flint to catch kindling does work, but not usually on the first try. Or the second. Or …
Somewhere around the dozenth attempt, I was rewarded by a tiny black spot on the twist of tow I was using for kindling. It grew at once and blossomed into a tiny flame. I thrust it hastily but carefully beneath the little tent of twigs I had prepared, to shelter the blooming flame from the cold breeze.”

Excerpt From: Diana Gabaldon. “Voyager.”  

As I've said many a time before, my favorite scenes from Outlander always seem to be in a kitchen, around a cooking fire, in a bedroom with a peat fire and stone hearth or in a parlor replete with brandy, tea or oatcakes! The act of breaking bread together in and of itself is an act of bonding and creating community; add a fire and you've added a generous measure of warmth and safety. 

Over the years many have asked me about Emily, my old wood fired stove. Here she is in all of her glory! She's a good old fashioned Dutch West cast iron workhorse capable of going up past 1000 degrees really quickly once you fire up the catalytic converter!  When we left our farm in Burton, I couldn't bear to leave her there, so I uninstalled her and now she lives with good friends of ours who enjoy her warmth on a regular basis. 

At this point I've written about Emily  so many times that she's begun to really have a persona of her own. I loved sharing life with her,  she was the provider of many a fine breakfast, lunch and dinner at Windesphere when the power would go out. On evenings without heat, we'd curl up with our blankets and pillows,  lay down around her (cats and dogs too!), watch the flames dance and wake up in the morning safe and toasty warm.

Even when the power didn't go out, I'd still wake up on a cold morning and cook pancakes and bacon on top of her broad hot shoulders. The best oatmeal in the world is oatmeal that you've put on the night before in a cast iron pot, set on top of the warming stand on a woodstove and allowed to simmer gently though the night. Add cinnamon, raisins and whatever spices you want and you've not only got breakfast, you've got warm and spicy potpourri!

 These days, although I've moved into the city, I'm all about inspiring others to create as much self sufficiency  as possible and for me a woodstove is one of the most important things that you can ever install in your home. When the power goes out and you need drinking water you can boil it, when the power goes out and you need food and warmth guess what? Just fire up the stove and you're as cozy as can be. Everyone should have the experience of cooking with fire at least once, if not for any other reason than to just know that it can be done and besides...there's no better pot of chili , vegetable soup or chicken and dumplings in the world than when they are cooked slowly on a stove just like this! 

I hadn't seen her in over 8 years but we went out into the country a while back to have dinner with our old neighbors and there she was, logs a~blazing, standing stalwart in the corner and heating their home as capably as she'd ever done ours. It was so good to bask in her warmth again and furthered my resolve to have a smaller version of her placed in my home by next winter. 

If you're interested in a stove of your own grab a cup of tea and biscuit with jam and cozy up to Lehman Brothers and have a look around! You'll find all kinds of wonderful things to bring joy to your homesteading heart!

Just in time for 12th Night! ~ Bourbon Milk Punch

Bourbon Milk Punch! Photographic origins unknown!

I love milk punch! This relatively old recipe is one that never seems to lose its intrigue and in my mind is a too often overlooked staple of the holiday season. I'd had it many times, but had forgotten about it over the course of many years as delicious organic eggnog became so readily available in the stores. However my good friend Justin taunted me one day with the promise of a homemade milk punch that would swear me off of eggnog forever. I waited and waited and then one day he waltzed into my Solstice party with two bottles of a wonderfully thick looking wintry white drink! 

He intrigued me with tales of it's creation, how it had been carefully mixed, re-poured and allowed to mellow for three days in a deep chilly snow bank. I opened the bottle and poured a small glass. It was incomparable, a divine taste of nostalgia and yet so completely modern as to be deemed one of the sexiest flavors that I'd ever put to these lips! At first taste there was ice cold cream and vanilla but seconds later I was captivated by the flavor of a  really great Bourbon laced with a liberal sprinkling of sugar and nutmeg...irresistible!

I was blown away, how could anyone thing taste so good?

 I have begged him for the recipe which he will not divulge. So, I have played with the recipe myself and I must admit that I think that I've done the memory of that first sip justice. Milk Punch is an ancient drink that has changed many times over the centuries. Some recipes call for lemon juice but I don't like those. I prefer the experience of pure cream on snow with a bit of lemon zest for sunshine, bourbon for frolicking and lots of fresh spice for warmth. 

This recipe makes a wonderful gift to bring with you to winter gatherings. My pal delivers his in old  fashioned glass milk bottles with a request to save them for next year and promising refills! He walked into my Winter Solstice gathering the other night with two of those bottles and at first sip I was smitten again! Treat yourself and use organic milk , half and half and cream. You'll get the great glass bottles that way and a much richer flavor and the benefit will be that you can start your own holiday tradition but be warned , once you make this you'll never be allowed to stop, it's that good!

For about 18 cups of heaven you will need:

4 quarts of organic whole milk

3 cups of organic half and half

2 pints of organic whipping cream

4 cups of really good Bourbon ( I splurge and use Woodford Reserve on this one)

2 heaping cups of confectioners sugar

3 tablespoons of organic vanilla extract

3 heaping tablespoons of freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon of black pepper

Lots (and I really do mean lots!) of freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Simply pour the milk, half and half and cream into a bowl and blend for a few seconds. Add the Bourbon , sugar and vanilla, blend for a minute until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. If you were bottling this and you have lovely winters snow on your hands I'd tell you to place the full bottles outside in the drifts as this will make the finished product thick and slushy! (You'll need one extra bottle to accommodate the overflow!) Sans snow, simply place the bottles in the refrigerator and allow to chill! You can even put a bottle in the freezer for about an hour before serving and it makes the finished product wonderfully creamy! 

Allow enough time for the finished punch to mellow for about two days before serving or the Bourbon will taste too raw. To serve, just pour the milk punch into a julep cup or a punch glass and enjoy! If it's cold enough, no ice will be needed! If you're making it for a party, put it into a punch bowl that is sitting on top of an ice ring or in a larger bowl of ice to keep it cold but not diluted. Place some lovely wintry greens around the base of the bowl and you'll have a wonderful cocktail for a buffet that's delightfully reminiscent of a really old fashioned holiday!

Now for fun watch this great video. He makes his with Brandy which is equally as good although I do prefer bourbon myself. He also uses simple syrup while I definitely prefer the confectioners sugar because I think that it makes it thicker. His is a great recipe for one drink at a time. Enjoy!

The Art of Fine Cookery ~ Milady's Lovely, Easy & Luscious Eggnog.....

“The house was bright that night, with candles lit in the windows, and bunches of holly and ivy fixed to the staircase and the doorposts. There were not so many pipers in the Highlands as there had been before Culloden, but one had been found, and a fiddler as well, and music floated up the stairwell, mixed with the heady scent of rum punch, plum cake, almond squirts, and Savoy biscuits.
Jamie had come down late and hesitant. Many people here he had not seen in nearly ten years, and he was not eager to see them now, feeling changed and distant as he did. But Jenny had made him a new shirt, brushed and mended his coat, and combed his hair smooth and plaited it for him before going downstairs to see to the cooking. He had no excuse to linger, and at last had come down, into the noise and swirl of the gathering.
”

Excerpt From: Diana Gabaldon. “Voyager.”  

I love eggnog and it always takes me back to this scene in Voyager where Jamie was telling Claire about the first Hogmanay after he returned to Lallybroch.  I only wish that it had been Claire to share the rum punch with him instead of Loaghaire.....

 This recipe is no less magical and absolutely decadent! It's so easy to make and it's even better when served in a punchbowl surrounded by spicy yuletide greenery! You can make the recipe from scratch if you desire and if I have the time sometimes I will using whole organic eggs, milk, sugar and cream, but frankly when the good organic eggnogs are so plentiful why bother (and you have the added bonus of not having to worry about raw eggs)! Also, if you have anyone in your family who is allergic to milk or eggs, don't forget about Silk's soy eggnog or SoyNog as I believe it's called! 

Actually all of the milk substitutes (actually I think that it is a real disservice to call them that, as they are delicious in their own rights!) are creating wonderful "eggnogs" that you can use as the base for this recipe. They're absolutely delicious  and you will be able to serve a delicious and festive holiday beverage that leaves no one feeling left out! 

The good news for vegans this year is that you don't even have to omit the whipped cream because theres a fabulous whipped rice cream available in a can and ready to use like Redi Whip. Made by Soyana, you should be able to find it easily at your local Whole Foods.

At any rate every year, people beg me for this recipe and I'm always so embarrassed to tell them just how easy it is...with this one it's all in the presentation (and the rum!) At last years Winter Solstice party I think that we went through about 3 punch bowls of it and lots of the RSVP's for this years party start with "Ill see you around the eggnog bowl!" 

All you will need is :

3 quarts of organic eggnog ( Please splurge on the organic, you won't be sorry!)

About 2 cups of really good rum! I personally love the Captain Morgan's special reserve spiced rum for this recipe. It's already infused with spices and vanilla, it's practically perfume! ( And I have been known to use it as such!)

About 6 cups of dried raisins that you've soaked for about 6 hours in a lovely single malt scotch ,reserving the scotch for the eggnog as well! 

Lots of whipped cream that has been infused with vanilla extract, brown sugar and some rum flavoring. For this I like to beat my whipped cream by hand in a copper bowl with a whisk. It takes a little longer but the cream is a wonderful silken consistency. Don't worry if you don't have a copper bowl and just do it the traditional way. It will be just as yummy!

Then add a liberal sprinkling of:

Nutmeg for joy and good luck, Cinnamon for love and prosperity and Allspice for continuous good health throughout the year!

The recipe itself is quite easy, simply put the eggnog into a punch bowl and whisk in the rum and brandy. Ladle the whipped cream onto the eggnog so that it looks like fluffy clouds of cream, sprinkle with the spices and serve. Put some of the raisins in each serving. 

You will need to add more whipped cream on top as the evening unfolds because the cream continuously  gets folded into the eggnog, making it AMAZING! Serve in a lovely punch glass or a pretty tea cup with a kiss and a wish for a marvelous New Year! 

For more of my food musings please go to Stirring the Senses on Amazon.com

For lots more Outlander fun please visit me at Milady's Pantry and My Outlander Love Affair on Facebook!

Bubbling in the Cauldron-Pear Butter with Raisins & Figs

One of the things that I love the most about the Outlander series are the cooking scenes. I love to imagine myself in Jenny's kitchen stirring bubbling pots full of delicious things to feed my family. I can close my eyes and imagine myself throwing open the windows at Lallybroch and smelling the fresh clean air. I smile as I imagine myself reaching for my crystal decanter full of whiskey and pouring myself a wee dram to sip while I stir pots full of soup and jam over the wood burning oven. In my mind I prepare delicious cakes for tea and wonderful dinners for the long cold nights. It's the best fantasy ever for a girl like me!

 How I long for a wood stove again. When I had one at my farm, I would always use it to  cook with. I loved the self sufficiency of it. I remember many a cold morning when we would lose our power but I could always feed my family with a few logs and my favorite cast iron frying pan.I used to make slow cooked oatmeal on my woodstove and also flapjacks,bacon and soup. Occasionally I would make fruit butters. They were always delicious, thick, rich and smoky!

  Today was a beautiful autumn day so I spent it making pear butter. Lacking a fire and a cauldron I decided to use my slow cooker.The result was surprising and filled with a few twists and I even learned a cheat that I'm going to pass on to you. Of course I began with fresh pears, three different kinds. I diced them and put them into the slow cooker with a little bit of olive oil  and a knob of fresh butter. Then I added pear juice, cinnamon, anise,cloves,Cardamom and brown sugar.

I simmered this in the slow cooker on low for 10 hours. After 10 hours I added more diced pear and let it cook for a few hours more. At that point I decided that it was too juicy and I knew I needed to thicken it before I put it in the canning jars, but I jusst wasn't sure how to do it.

So I went to the grocery store and I bought raisins and currents.  I thought about buying figs and then a thought passed through my mind. Instead of dried figs, I bought a jar of French fig jam, full of figs and added pectin. My reasoning was that if I used the jam, perhaps my mixture would thicken on its own. I came home and started the pot simmering. I added the dried fruit and the fig jam. I continued to stir patiently.

 Lo and behold , the pear butter began to thicken! I poured it into canning jars to which I'd added a tablespoon of lemon juice ( each jar) and water processed them for 30 minutes. That fig jam was one of the best cooking cheats that I've ever discovered!

I cracked open a jar about an hour ago and it's absolutely yummy; beautiful, creamy , fruity and thick and ready for holiday gifting!

The Art of Fine Cookery ~ Apple Butter & Oatmeal

“We had wakened in the dark after moonset, leaf-spattered, twig-strewn, bug-bitten, and stiff with cold. We had said not a word to each other, but laughing and staggering drunkenly, stumbling over roots and stones, had helped each other through the moonless wood and made our way back to bed for an hour’s brief sleep before dawn.
I leaned over his shoulder now and deposited a bowl of oatmeal in front of him, pausing to pluck an oak leaf from his hair. I laid it on the table beside his bowl.
He turned his head, a smile hiding in his eyes, caught my hand and kissed it lightly. He let me go, and went back to his parritch. I touched the back of his neck, and saw the smile spread to his mouth.”

Excerpt From: Diana Gabaldon. “Drums of Autumn.”

I spent a wonderful day last week making apple butter and many of my readers asked for the recipe. Normally, the best way to make apple butter is over a hot wood fire, apples simmering away for hours in a large copper cauldron with pats of butter added and lots of brown sugar and cinnamon to finish. Lacking the 50 gallon cauldron and the woodfire, I've devised another method that works well. I use my slow cooker (which is a cauldron of sorts!) and it works verra weel!

All you do is take a bushel of apples  and dice them. You can peel them if you like and that makes a smoother apple butter, but my family loves the peels so I leave them on. I put them in the slow cooker until the pot is full and then I add about 2 cups of sweet cider, about 1/2 a cup of chopped crystallized ginger, a lot of cinnamon, 1 cup of bourbon or single malt and at least three cups of brown sugar. Then I turn the crock pot on low and I use the 10 hour setting. I watch it and stir occasionally and at a pat of butter every once in a while which keeps the foam down. As the mixture "melts" down, I add more apples and brown sugar. I let it cook for about 18 hours on low, stirring and tasting as I go.

At about the 14th hour I add about a cup and a half of maple syrup and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice and stir. Then let it continue to cook for several more hours. You'll know it's done because it will have turned a lovely color (rich caramel) and will smell absolutely wonderful. Cooking it for that long concentrates the flavors and produces a butter that is absolutely delectable. Right before it's done, I add a tablespoon of smoked paprika. This adds a touch of smoky wildness that I love!

You can use your apple butter in so many ways......on hot buttered biscuits, waffles, pancakes, as a filling with fresh apples for pie or on oatmeal as I've done here with brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and fresh butter. It's a bit like having dessert for breakfast! A steaming cup of coffee with cinnamon or a delectable cinnamon tea seals the deal!
For more Outlander Love Affair ~  https://www.facebook.com/Outlanderloveaffair

The Art of Fine Cookery : Craving some Comfort and a wee bit of Atholl Brose

       

It's freezing here in Northeast Ohio and it's time for a good old fashioned hot alcoholic drink...you know, something to warm your heart as well as your hands! I have plenty of toddies and hot buttered rum recipes in my arsenal but I really wanted something different; I just wasn't sure what!

Then I remembered the bottle of Apple Pie Moonshine that I had sitting in my cabinet and just as quickly I ran downstairs and took the lid off of the mason jar with the wicked looking brown liquid in it. 

Warning- This is not your uncles Moonshine...This stuff is unbelievable and it smells and tastes just like a fresh cinnamon spiked apple pie, but with a mule sized kick. For some reason (or maybe I'm just highly suggestible!) it made me crave a mug of Atholl Brose, that wonderful Scottish drink of oatmeal brose , honey , whisky and cream so I grabbed my copper kettle and filled it with 3/4 of a gallon of apple cider, 3 tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice and 1 stick of butter. I let that simmer for a bit, whisking frequently and next added about 1 1/2 cups of blackstrap molasses and a sachet of one cup of oatmeal tied in the foot of a brand new pair of stockings that I'd cut the foot off of. (I keep plenty of cheap pairs around for that purpose) 

After that simmered for about 45 minutes there was still plenty of liquid but it was syrupy, wonderful and the molasses and oatmeal gave it a very earthy flavor. I squeezed the bag of oatmeal several times into the pot and then I added one jar of the moonshine, 1 cup of Buttershot schnapps, 1 cup of Drambuie, 3/4 of a cup of vanilla brandy and two teaspoons of vanilla extract. I brought it all to steaming, filled a camping thermos with boiling water , dumped it out and then added the piping hot Brew. It was delicious ~ I'm absolutely thrilled!  I've been sipping it all day with steaming Scottish breakfast tea, a shot of Laphroaig and some brown sugar whipped cream! It keeps well and I have enough for an army so perhaps a gathering of the clans is in order or at least a comfy chair, a soft blanket and your dog eared copy of Outlander! 

The Art of Fine Cookery : Corn Pudding with Cheddar, Maple Syrup and Sage

I love corn pudding and this is my favorite recipe. It's much lighter than most, using corn as it's primary ingredient and not too much filler! It smells so good when it's cooking and tastes even better. Corn pudding is the perfect midwinter dish and can be served by itself with a salad or with a pork roast, ham or sausages. Hard cider or winter beer is the perfect accompaniment. I can almost see Mrs. Bug in the kitchen every time I make this and If you can find the dehydrated corn use it..it's absolutely delicious, sweet as sugar and feels very authentically 18th century. I reconstitute it in buttermilk and it's almost better than fresh!

 You'll need:

Two bags of frozen sweet corn( I use one white and one yellow) or reconstituted dried corn (about 6 cups)

2 cups of diced onion

2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

1 cup of diced sweet peppers

1 tablespoon of dried sage

1 large wedge of hard cheddar  (shredded)

1 bunch of green onions  (Chopped)

2 cups of organic buttermilk

4 organic eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the eggs and buttermilk in a bowl and whisk until frothy. Add the remaining ingredients  and fold together. Place the blended ingredients into a baking dish and bake at 350 until firm, approximately 45-50 minutes. My preference is that you use a cast iron skillet or baking dish because for some reason cast iron bakes the pudding very evenly.  Serve with  slices of country ham or sausage. 

Picture of corn from http://www.thespicehouse.com/

Tartan: How to make a Kilt - Parts One and Two

Have you always wanted to design your own tartan? It's one of my long held personal fantasies! These fabulous videos are not only entertaining , but gorgeous too!  If I can't have my husband AND Jamie Fraser at least I'm currently hopeful that it may someday when I can afford it that I'll be able to wear this wickedly gorgeous blend of their plaids....

You can Design your own Tartan Here!  Have Fun!

Unraveling the Mysteries of Herbal Medicine

Many people over the years have asked me about my involvement with alternative medicine, most specifically my use of herbal remedies to address the various maladies that periodically plague me, my friends or my family. As we find out with more frequency about the corruption of the large pharmaceutical companies as well as the continuing abuse of the drugs that they create, I think that it's natural to have become fearful about the future of medicine in this country. 

The overuse of antibiotics in America has created some of the scariest , most resistant strains of Staphylococcus that we've ever seen and quite frankly I do believe that there is cause for alarm, so much so that we've seen a dramatic rise in the number of people turning to alternative remedies for self healing. With disasterous health insurance practices at the forefront of the current political debate it's clear that it's become time for a powerful paradigm shift relating to the way that we deal with illness. 

I became familiar with herbal medicine very early in my life, because as a child I had an Irish riding instructor from County Kildare who hardly ever used veterinary medicine to treat her common ills.  Colic , which is a horrible impaction of the gut was never an issue with our horses. Every morning she would boil flax seed on her stove and create a jelly to be given in the mornings feed. We rarely wormed our horses with the fancy new paste wormer filled with chemicals which she generally refused to use, but kept them parasite free with  the pine and spruce that she kept in the pasture for them to eat. She constantly rotated her pastures and I noticed that our horses were eating all kinds of different plants that were growing with rarely any ill effects and they ate them readily. Horses that seemed a bit lackluster  ate certain plants and when I pointed them out to her she was always able to tell me what was ailing them because of what they were eating.    One day, one of the horses went straight for a patch of yellow dock which she told me indicated a weakness in his stomach. After a day or two he brightened and was much happier and far stronger than he'd been several days before. Not a miracle cure at all, he was just an animal who in trusting his instincts chose the natural path towards healing. It was pretty amazing stuff for an impressionable 12 year old to see.  

We used tisanes of  chamomile tea and beer in the bran mashes that we made to help promote calmness. We  rarely used chemical liniments, relying on herbal vinegars that we made with saltpeter, sage , fresh mints and comfrey leaves. I think that it became natural for me to question the amounts of medicine that were being used by my family Dr.s  to "promote health" , because I had been exposed to something so different in my very young years which made complete and total sense to me. In my early 20's after a tangle with birth control pills, antibiotics and the ensuing amount of damage that they did to my body I really swore off of the convenience of modern medicine except as the last resort when I fell ill, never the first. 

In my mid 20's I was fortunate to find a wonderful teacher named LaWanna Rine who is a very experienced herbalist and healer. LaWanna has been a practicing herbalist for decades and graciously taught me by example. I spent many hours with her helping her to prepare teas,salves and tinctures and walking through her woods while we gathered the plants that we would use. Her practice is a very complete example of a whole body system for healing. She is is totally vegan and she practices her yoga and meditation everyday. She uses herbs from her property and water from her spring to create her healing teas. She uses aromatherapy in the wonderful treatments that she gives and her powerful medical intuition and her vast knowledge of the bodies systems as her most profound diagnostic tool. She is to this day, the only herbalist that I've ever met who I would trust with the dosage of the more poisonous herbs such as poke root, foxglove or celandine because she knows how to use them with a subtlety and precision that we wish that our Dr's practiced with their candy box of  pharmaceuticals.  I was very lucky to find her and she taught me that the practice of herbalism is everyones birthright. 

 LaWanna encouraged everyone in her circle to learn as much as possible so that  you could live well wherever you found yourself and not be at the mercy of a medical system that she felt had betrayed our humanity. She also was very firm about her belief that eating with the seasons ,harvesting and growing your own foods as well as wildcrafting your own herbs  provided the most potent medicine for   body, mind and spirit.   She taught me to  use fasting, whole foods  and mini cleanses as tools to promote a healthy digestive system thereby creating a strong immune system.  She's also 86 years old, still teaching and wildcrafting in her woods. She's really quite a remarkable woman!

Now that so many natural herbal preparations can be found in our local Whole Foods store and even in grocery stores that are not traditionally "Health Food " stores, it's more important than ever to learn as much as you can about this old and wise tradition of healing. There are many wonderful books available by herbal legends such as Susan Weed or  the late Juliette De Baricli Levy as well as several home study courses such as the delightful course by Rosemary Gladstar that you can purchase and enjoy at your own pace. http://www.sagemountain.com/the-science-art-of-herbology-2.html   

 Herbal remedies  in most of their forms are very powerful medicine and should not be taken carelessly because they can be as toxic as  the  drugs we are trying to avoid.  Take the time to do the research and always remember to consult your pharmacist if you are taking any other prescription drugs.  Herbs CAN mix poorly with many pharmaceuticals so it pays to proceed with with caution. 

In this age of global uncertainty and instability , I truly believe as LaWanna does that it is  so very important to be able care for yourself and your family with as much self sufficiency as possible. We are fortunate to live in a world where so much is  readily available to us including excellent  chiropractors, massage therapists and acupuncturists.  However,  the tradition of herbal medicine for healing has been passed down from generation to generation and it  belongs to everyone, not just a chosen few. Thankfully, herbalism is a traditional, yet sophisticated and effective folk medicine that can be readily utilized by anyone who cares enough to truly take the time to learn about , respect and understand fully the properties of the many herbs that are so easily available to us all. 

Antique Herbal Photo from Christies

Here's tae us ~ Musings about Single Malt

“Jamie," I said, " how exactly, do you decide whether you're drunk?"

Aroused by my voice, he swayed alarmingly to one side, but caught himself on the edge of the mantelpiece. His eyes drifted around the room, then fixed on my face. For an instant, they blazed clear and pellucid with intelligence.

"och, easy, Sassenach, If ye can stand up, you're not drunk." He let go of the mantelpiece, took a step toward me, and crumpled slowly onto the hearth, eyes blank, and a wide, sweet smile on his dreaming face.” 

― Diana Gabaldon, Dragonfly in Amber

I love single malt scotch and I have since I was a young girl. My father taught me to drink it. When he determined that I was old enough at the right old age of 17, he taught me to drink his favorite , which was Laphroaig. It's still my single malt of choice and whenever I'm missing him too much I lift a wee dram in his honor. He had marvelous taste always in whisky, tobacco, music and women. He was married to my mother for over 67 years. 

I remember that very evening when he took down two single old fashioned glasses and his coveted bottle of the 18 year. Pouring about an ounce in each glass he handed it to me to sniff. I inhaled deeply, letting the peaty, smoky aroma fill my nostrils. Then he took the glass from me and poured just a little bit of branch water into it and gave it a single stir, commenting that it was to release the spirits of the single malt. Upon taking that first sip I could absolutely believe him. He was quite the romantic my father, a painter and a writer and not just a little bohemian. He loved the paintings of Gauguin and the poetry of Walt Whitman. That first taste of single malt was unlike anything that I'd ever tasted. It was absolutely magical and I've been drinking the stuff ever since.

I still remember that first sip although I've had many since then. It was as if a whole world had opened up for me. Single malts taste of the  very land and water of which they're made and you can understand immediately why there are so many rivalries and loyalties.  Myself , I prefer the thick peaty yet sweet taste of the 25 year Laphroaig and my husband loves the 18 year Glenfiddich. I've tried many others but I always go back to my favorite.  My father is gone now, but I still pour it the same way. A ounce in a beautiful crystal glass and a wee bit of spring water. That's it. I curl up into my favorite chair with a blanket, my cat and and my Ipad and spend the night dreaming of sorrel horses and Scotsmen; although not necessarily in that order. 

I discovered this wonderfully interactive single malt map and thought I'd share!  Rare Drams Whisky Map of Scotland 

The Art of Fine Cookery ~ Braeburn Apple, Leek and Potato Soup

I love the descriptions of the kitchen at Lallybroch and I've imagined many a meal there. I love the thought of that warm kitchen in the winter, with Jenny cooking and all of the wonderful rich smells that await.

WIth that thought in mind and because It's getting so cold outside, my stomach is telling me that it might be time for a hot apple, leek and potato soup! This is a very simple soup,quite easy to make and all it needs is a loaf of good bread and herb butter to complete it!   A chilled Thistly Cross Cider IS the perfect accompaniment!

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

6 cups of chicken stock
2 large leeks sliced ( the white parts~ save the greens for stock)

3 large Braeburn apples, cored, peeled and chopped or you can substitute really good organic apple sauce!

1 cup of golden raisins
2 cups of boiled, diced potatoes (small dice)
2 cups of shredded chicken breast or cookedand sliced apple sage sausage

Shredded smoked Gouda /Jarlsberg or cheddar cheese 

2 cups of buttermilk

Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

Melt 1 tbsp butter in large soup pot over med-high heat. Add onion and leeks and sauté until soft but not brown.  Stir in stock , apples, salt , pepper and buttermilk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend this mixture for a minute until fairly creamy.  Add the potatoes, thyme,  raisins and chicken breast and simmer for at least 15 more minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with the shredded cheese.  

 .

                                                                                  Serves 6  

The Art of Fine Cookery ~ Sugar Maple Pie

Although Maple Syrup was not really a product that North Carolina was ever noted for producing, there were definitely small pockets in the mountain regions where the sap was collected and boiled down. I love to think that Claire would definitely have known of the pleasures of Maple syrup and so did the Mohawk that they would have encountered in their travels. This is my "go to" pie when I want to bring a gift that I know will please almost everyone. The warm , buttery sweet flavor is exquisite and I wonder if  perhaps Mrs. Bug would have made this pie on special occasions for the household. Make sure that you serve it warm and with freshly whipped cream!

Below is the Mohawk Legend ~ "The Origins of Maple Syrup"

"Long ago, when human beings were new in the eastern part of Turtle Island, they barely lived through the long winters, their bodies and spirits weakened by the cold and dark.  Though they worked to gather and preserve enough food for the winter it was not enough to keep them well and strong. The Creator saw the sadness of the people so he decided to ask the tree nation if there was something which could be done to restore their happiness.  The leader of the trees, the maple, offered to give its blood to the people so they may be restored to good health.  So it was, that at the end of the winter months the sap flowed freely from the maple. The sap was dark and sweet, a syrup which the people drank after putting basswood tubes into the trees so the precious fluid went into their pots almost without effort.

Satisfied that the people were once again happy and strong the Creator left to attend to his duties in other worlds.

Some time passed before the Creator was able to return to this world. It was once again the end of winter with snow still on the ground.  He went to one of the villages only to find it empty, the longhouses cold with only ashes in the fire pits. He saw that there were tracks leading into the nearby woods which he followed.

Soon he came upon a maple bush and there, scattered about on the ground were the people, with wooden tubes connecting the maples and their mouths.  They were drinking the syrup from the trees until they could no longer stand. Even their dogs were laying on the ground,their paws raised to the sky with their own tubes into the trees.  The Creator saw that the people were ragged and the children uncared for.  He was very upset.  He aroused them from their slumber and said that he would change the way in which the syrup was to be taken from the trees. No longer would it flow brown and thick but he people would have to make offerings to the maples, tap its sap and then work to make it into syrup and then sugar.  By doing so they would come to appreciate this great gift. 

Since that time the Mohawks watch the maples and when they notice the sap is flowing during the last weeks of winter they will gather at the longhouse to celebrate this great gift which renews their bodies and lifts their spirits. In Mohawk, maple sap/syrup is called wahta ohses. The people are glad when this happens for they know spring is returning to the earth as the eldest brother (the sun) brings the warmer days."

Sugar Maple Pie

Ingredients: 

One pie crust to line an 8-inch glass pie plate ~ surprisingly, a prebaked gluten free crust really provides a nice contrast of texture, crunch and flavor for this particular pie!

2 eggs, room temperature

1Ž2 c. heavy cream 

1 2/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/3 real maple syrup (preferably dark amber)

2 tsp. unsalted butter, melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar until creamy. (I use electric beaters.) Add cream, maple syrup and melted butter. Beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake at 350°

F oven for 55 – 60 minutes until crust is golden and filling still quivers. It will set as it cools. Very rich – serve with freshly whipped cream.

Note: a larger pie pan will require partially baking the crust. To do that, line the crust with aluminum foil and weight it down with pie weights. Usually 400 degrees for 10 minutes will be enough.

You need to make two. It's usually gone immediately.  

Welcome to Milady's Pantry & Still Room ~ My Outlander Inspired Love Affair!

Well here you have it..I'm about to reveal to all of you my guiltiest pleasure! 

I am obsessed with all things Outlander. To be fair I'm also obsessed with all things Celtic, but in truth I've decided to finally come out of the closet. I check my Outlander apps at least 3 times a day and hunger for the latest pictures from the Starz Outlander Series which will be out sometime this spring. I embrace my inner Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser on a daily basis and I swoon every time that I see Sam Heughan (who's playing Jamie Fraser) in his kilt. 

 For anyone who has never read these books I will say that if you love romantic novels full of heaving breasts, beautiful women & valiant men and loads of great 18th century sex then I'm wondering what you are waiting for. The initial storyline is fairly simple. A young army nurse named Claire Randall is on her second honeymoon in Inverness after having been separated from her husband Frank Randall as a result of World War 2.  An amateur botanist, she finds herself wandering the Scottish Highlands looking for unique plants. She comes upon a ancient stone circle, gets too close to the cleft stone and very quickly finds herself falling through time. She lands in Scotland in 1745 where she's quickly accosted by a British captain who is remarkably her husband Franks  six times great grandfather and then subsequently rescued by a band of cattle raiding Scotsmen that includes one fairly remarkable young, very red headed Scots warrior named Jamie Fraser. 

 Fast forward a bit into time and Claire finds herself forced to marry Jamie to protect herself from being taken and imprisoned by the English as a spy. One thing leads to another and although their marriage was at first forced, they fall quite passionately in love with one another although Claire definitely finds herself emotionally torn between both of her lives. The rest is chronicled in soon to be 8 completely amazing novels; each of which is at the very least 1800 pages long and generally takes Ms. Gabaldon at least three years to write if not more. This is the completely abbreviated version of the synopsis and I'm trying very hard to not give up any of the really juicy details! The stories are remarkable to me because they are the first romantic novels that I've ever read where the heroine was the absolute equal of the hero.

Both characters are strong, loyal, passionate and constantly getting into some sort of trouble. They are also completely drawn to each other and fiercely in love. Historically these books are dead on; The author really does her research. I'm not going to say anymore because I really want you to read them! You will fall madly in love with every character and find yourself wondering what they are doing every day. No this is not just me, nor is it the result of voices in my head. These characters have cast the same spell on hundreds of thousands of loyal fans; men as well as women. Did I mention that when Jamie & Claire are forced to marry that he's a 23 year old totally gorgeous and romantic virgin? Their wedding night is the stuff of dreams....

 I've begun this page partly as a result of this obsession and because Claire as a character completely fascinates me. She's a courageous woman who is part healer / part White Witch

(although she doesn't quite know it!) and she truly and passionately becomes herself as a result of her marriage to Jamie. She's an herbalist who provides all of the medicines, household items and literally brings Jamie back from deaths door several times. She's a passionate woman ripped from her place in the world and torn between two great loves although one is clearly her soulmate. She is thoroughly from the 20th century yet finds herself enjoying her new circumstances and her fiercely protective Scots warrior  , even without running water and hot baths! 

 As for me? I'm an Herbalist, Aromatherapist, Reiki Master and Certified Health Coach with a passion for white magic & fine horses. I love to craft gorgeous perfumes, healing elixirs, luscious natural skincare products and delicious jams, chutneys and spice mixes. I have a still room of my own where I make my own tinctures, tonics, home brews and teas!  

 I've been married to my own James Fraser for well over 30 years. He lineage is both Clan Keith & Clan Scott.  He wears the Clan Keith kilt and is just breathtaking to me in it. I've quite a strong suspicion that I was born in the wrong century so everything that I love tends to be full of tartans, bagpipes, mandolins and tapestry. It is my hope to give you a peek into my personal interpretation of Claire and Jamie's world through a celebration of passions, fashions, feasts, glorious music, healing remedies and more.   Above all , it's just a creative gift of love from me to me and hopefully the thousands of Outlander fans that I meet everyday on the Facebook  pages will enjoy it too!

To find out more about the Outlander Series click here!