{Garden, Health}

Fall in Love

10.14.09

leaves

photo by george billard

FALL, LEAVES, FALL

by Emily Jane Brontë

 

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.

 

This pond is right across from our house. It’s at the start of a long road that leads out to a big open meadow where our friend Gib has his hunting cabin. We’ve been hiking out there almost every day and I feel like my bronchial tubes are grateful. Fall is really here, and the last 2 weeks or so we have followed its progress with the leaves on these trees. It’s been perhaps the most breathtakingly beautiful season up here yet (since 2006): so many incredible shades of russet and marigold and copper and garnet and saffron. I’m really looking forward to cross-country skiing here this winter. G found 5 pairs of Rossignol skis with boots on craigslist for just $100! I’ve never been before so can’t wait to try it out. (I hear it burns a lot of calories and I want to wear a bikini when we go to Turks & Caicos in March!)

 

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{Eating, Garden}

Tomatillos = Little Green Tomatoes?

9.25.09
photo 2 by george billard

The answer is no, Einstein. Tomatillos are actually part of the nightshade family, related to the gooseberry. This all becomes clear once you focus on the papery husk. I’ve heard the ripe fruit can be yellow or even purple, but I’ve only ever seen them this clear green color. They are sweet-tart with a bright citrusy taste. We grew two enormous bushes this summer that towered over everything in the vegetable garden, attracted industrious armies of bees, resisted the ceaseless downpour (or maybe thrived on it?) and produced vast quantities of perfect tomatillos just smaller than a golfball. What then to do with all this bounty? Read the rest of this entry »

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Gesundheit! ¡Salud!

9.17.09

tonic


My friend Bryan Thomson—a supremely gifted hair colorist AND an herbalist extraordinaire—has inspired me to delve deeper into the world of natural medicine. I began using this book about 10 years ago during an extremely stressful time of my life when my skin was bad and my hair was falling out, and I soon found myself making yellow dock poultices and steaming my face with dried strawberry leaves. Did it work? The short answer is “Yes.” But, more to the point, I discovered a new way to approach my own health; one that let me be more in charge and that led to a deeper understanding of how to treat stress and other physical ailments with herbs and nutrition. This is not to say that I won’t take a pill. But I like to avoid that and will first try many a remedy of my own devising, based on the ancient wisdom derived from nature. This tonic is a great example. Read the rest of this entry »

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{Eating, Garden, Health}

It’s the Balm

9.15.09

lemon balm2


The first year in my house upstate, I discovered big patches of a leafy green plant that smelled deliciously lemony. It popped up as soon as the earth warmed and couldn’t be deterred. Turns out it’s lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a perennial herb in the mint family that is native to the Mediterranean. Mine grows into big bushes that have little white flowers by summer’s end. These are full of nectar and attract the bees, and thus the genus name Melissa, which means “honey bee” in Greek.


Lemon balm has long been used as a medicinal herb because of its antibacterial, antiviral and sedative properties. It is said to be effective against the herpes virus. A poultice made from the leaves can be applied to any sores or lesions. You can also rub the crushed leaves on your skin as a mosquito repellant. It is exceptionally high in antioxidants and also exhibits antithyrotropic activity, making it useful in treating hyperthyroidism. Amazing, no? Try simply steeping the leaves in hot water for a soothing tea. Or make this panna cotta, infused with a delicate lemony flavor.


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{Eating, Garden, Home}

Scented Geraniums

9.10.09

leaf

I love scented geraniums (pelargonium). Their sweetly spicy aroma makes me swoon and revives me all at once. (I wonder if this is why they were so popular with Victorian ladies?) There are so many different varieties—apple, lime, ginger, lemon, rose, frankincense—and they retain their smell all year long. The oil exuded by their leaves is said to repel mosquitoes and biting flies; it is also antibacterial and speeds the healing of cuts and burns. My friend Kenny wears it as his signature fragrance. A couple of drops on your pulse points and you smell great all day long. You can also use scented geraniums in cooking: to flavor sugar or simple syrups; to line the bottom of a cake pan before pouring in the batter; in vinegars and marinades; combined with lemon balm or mint for tea. Read the rest of this entry »

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R.I.P. Sheila Lukins

9.5.09

eggplant


Back in the 80s, I was among the many crazy for The Silver Palate cookbook. That carrot cake! The famed chicken Marbella! I loved how the book was larded with personal stories and little tidbits of miscellany  in the margins (marginalia?). I adore lists. The recipes seemed somehow both cosmopolitan and accessible, perfect for dinner parties in my starter apartment on East Broadway. When I read about author Sheila Lukins’ untimely death from brain cancer recently, I was deeply saddened. And I immediately went out and got some eggplant, picked handfuls of fresh basil from the garden and made this dish—one that will remain forever in my repertoire. It’s excellent with grilled lamb but since I don’t really like lamb, I eat it with grilled fish or tomatoes with feta.

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Got Tomatoes?

8.30.09

greentomatoes

photo by george billard

I can’t stand the rain. OK, not true, but it did wreak a lot of havoc this summer. It was not the year for tomatoes, as you may have heard. Ahem. As you can see here, we started out with some very promising plants. They produced tons of big, gorgeous heirloom specimens that had us dreaming of fresh salads and BLTs and even an aspic or two. BUT THEN THE BLIGHT HIT. And wiped us out. That’s right. All that compost and pampering amounted to a hill of beans when the torrential rains hit and the fungus came to town. (It’s a strain of the very thing that wiped out all those potatoes in Ireland causing the famed famine.) From one day to the next, we went from tomato-rich to tomato-destitute. No love apples for us. One plant of yellow cherry tomatoes survived, bless her feisty little heart. If you’ve been luckier, then this recipe is for you. Read the rest of this entry »

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Elixir aka Adult Soda

8.28.09

elixir


I feel a soapbox moment coming on again. Sorry. But I just can’t remain silent when it comes to soda because IT’S THE DEVIL. Why would you want to drink anything that falls under the category of “soft” drinks, anyway? Gross. Did you know that soda is not only worthless to your body, it actually causes actual harm?! I’m sure you’ve heard by now that soda consumption is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity. The sugar it contains combines with bacteria in the mouth to form acid, and even the diet version contains carbolic acid—this means weakened enamel and more cavities! The phosphorous and caffeine contribute to osteoporosis. And I just read that soda consumption may be linked to  chronic kidney disease, development of metabolic syndrome (aka heart risk) and fatty liver, a chronic liver disease. YUCK! SPIT IT OUT! AND DON’T LET YOUR KIDS NEAR IT! Read the rest of this entry »

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{Eating, Garden, Health}

The Bounty

8.22.09

DSC_1686

 

I wish I could say I was responsible for any of this glorious produce but it was actually grown up the road from us here in Sullivan County, at River Brook Farm in Cochecton to be precise. (Wait—I did grow the cucumbers!) They’ve been certified organic since 1997, and in addition to all these amazing vegetables and fruits, they also have free-range chickens and the most lovely and contented pastured lambs and goats. The owners, Alice and Neil, have to be two of the nicest and hardest-working people you could ever hope to meet. Their soil is like bittersweet chocolate and everything that grows in it is truly spectacular. They grow 11 varieties of potatoes; 8 kinds of heirloom tomatoes; rare heirloom beans for drying; 9 varieties of winter squash; tons of greens including amaranth and tatsoi; collards; and lacinato kale (cavolo nero), my absolute favorite. Can’t use just hear the anti-oxidants screaming at you from that photo?

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{Eating, Garden}

Jammed Up

7.30.09

dsc09893


Last summer I got it together to can a bunch of beautiful produce from the farmers’ market in Union Square. Among the best things I made was pickled okra and this addictively sweet-spicy tomato jam, which is unbelievably delicious. The nice thing is, if you are canning-phobic, you can make this recipe as written and just keep a pint in your fridge. It’s chunky, gooey and absolutely divine slathered on a cracker with goat cheese, alongside grilled meats and roast chicken or straight from the jar on a spoon. I multiplied the quantities by 10 for canning and would do so again—in a year when I am not otherwise occupied in packing to move house. Read the rest of this entry »

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