Rose Cottage

 Turnip carving -  This was fun! I was intrigued, reading about the tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns in the British isles, using turnips!   (In her post on the 17th, Vedya mentioned this old practice!) Carving turnips goes back hundreds of years, long before new world crops (including pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes and other plants) were introduced. In Switzerland, they hold a turnip lantern festival, called Räebelichtli Umzug . Turnip hollowed with a spoon   So - I got the largest turnip in the bin, heated it  about 10 minutes in my Air Fryer (to soften it a bit), then used a knife and spoon to scoop out the interior, and then to incise designs.  Carved and lit from within Since they are smaller than the new world pumpkins used these days, a battery tealight is suggested for lighting; I used a real candle for the pics - and made the handle from twine. Another side My friend Kathleen Schulte sent me this Pic of a carved turnip they spotted at...

 Over the last 27 years, my daughter Mary and I've passed the Breitenbush Cookbook back and forth several times.  Breitenbush cookbook With a snowy week and lots of time at home, she's been cleaning out her cookbook shelf, so it's come back to me! Mary asked about favorite recipes contained therein - what a treat to revisit them, and see our notes on GF modifications and other tips!  One of them is compiler Sara Joy's Calazones. Growing up in NY, she and her twin sis loved their family tradition of pizza on Saturday nights. Calazones make nice personal pizza, and were always popular at the Bush!  I was on Healing Arts and lived at Breitenbush in the early 90s, and have enjoyed many meals from the BB kitchen - this post has several pics of the land and river.  Winter Calazones Root veggies, mushrooms and greens are nice options in winter - for this batch, I used cilariac, parsnip, onion, chard, garlic, acorn squash and endive. Calzone • veggies • meltable mozare...

 I've been intrigued with homemade concoctions and  Kitchen cosmetics since my teens, and it's fun to watch my granddaughters experimentation with their own formulas!  My mom was sensitive to chemicals and fragrances, so kept her routines simple - she washed her hair with baby shampoo, and used skim milk (from powder) to set her hair in pin curls ! Her mama Mary worked with herbs, so my mom was supportive when I tried recipes from my American Girl magazine (facial stream using mint leaves, facial masks with oatmeal and honey ...)  In my 20s, my botanist hubby and I grew herbs, and with guidance from our books, I steeped nettles, horsetails, lavendar,  Rosemary and chamomile, for hair rinse, made facial masks, and drank herbal tisanes. I learned to identify plants, and harvest nettles, horsetails and wild herbs.  When my son was 8 or 9 and spurred by our mean rooster, we learned about clay for wound care from our friend Kylene - after thorough cleaning, the...

  Rice & lentils  is a year round favorite. Lentils take about as long as brown rice to cook, & are easier to digest than some of the larger beans. I like an organic mix including red & wild rice, and then add quinoa or buckwheat the last 20 minutes. Simmering I begin by putting the rice (usually ~  3/4 Cup rice to a Cup of lentils) & a chopped onion or the white part of a leek in a pan with a bit of olive oil, & heat water (or Stock *) in another pan. Stir the rice  frequently  till more than half the grains have turned white, & take pan off heat. Add the lentils & * stock or boiling water, season with herbs of your choice - fresh from the garden or favorite blends: Italian or Herbs de Provence (includes basil & lavender), a piece of  Kombu  (seaweed - great for additional flavor & extra nutrients - cut) & a bay leaf, sea and pepper.   Bring to a boil, then turn down & simmer for 20 minutes, ...

 On a recent shopping trip, I got a bag of nutrient dense whole buckwheat groats. I've used buckwheat before, but it's been awhile!  Buckwheat - soaking some for sprouts With origins in Asia, this pseudo-gain (*it's a large seed - naturally free of gluten) has a unique amino acid composition that gives it biological activities and properties which promote health . These include cholesterol-lowering effects, anti-hypertension effects and the ability to improve digestion. A fan of oatmeal? Try adding some Buckwheat or Kasha to your meals! Buckwheat Japanese agricultural encyclopedia  When buckwheat is fermented, in drinks or sourdough, it can act as a valuable prebiotic that nourishes healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. Studies show that consuming fermented buckwheat products can improve the body’s pH level — or the balance between acidity and alkalinity — that keeps harmful bacteria and disease from forming. Components include  Phenolic compounds and flavonoids, ...

 The monthly gathering of our singles group was a harvest potluck Saturday evening, and our hostess Lynn asked me to bring GF Cornbread, to pair with the bean Chili she made. I used my GF sourdough starter, and increased it the night before, adding sufficient flour and water for 1 1/3 Cup of batter, reserving 1/3 Cup in the morning for the next batch.  Gluten free starter   To the remaining starter, add an egg (or flax egg - 1 Tbsp flax in 2 Tbsp water),  and 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil.  1 Cup sourdough Egg or Flax egg 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 1/2 C corn flour/ cornmeal 1/4 C coconut flour 1-2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking powder Mix dry ingredients into wet, adding a bit more liquid or cornmeal as needed, to get a stiff dough.  Let rise 20 minutes or so, shape into balls to fit your muffin cups (3/4 full) Let rise again 10 minutes or so.  I preheat my Air fryer 340° for a few minutes, then set cups on the rack (4-5) and bake (in batches) 18-20...

 One of my favorite ways to use my gluten free Sourdough starter is in pancakes / leaf fritters. Another is sourdough raisin rolls! Tasahara Bread Book  is a great source of both tips for beginning your own starter, and lovely bread recipes. These raisin rolls are one of those. I've found that shaping them, & letting them rise  overnight (in the original recipe)  makes for very flat, hard rolls, so I shape them in the morning, let rise ~ 20 min & then bake! They are still a bit flat, but not hard!! Basic Gluten Free Starter :  Combine in glass or ceramic container, cover & let ferment a few days on a counter : 1 C warm water 1-2 tsp sugar 1 C flour (I use sorgham and brown rice) 1 Tbsp dry yeast "You can also begin with some sour food, 2 or 3 day old 'rice, cereal, coconut (!) fruit, veggie or milk & mix with 1/2-1 C flour & sufficient water to make dough spongy. Cover & let sit 3 - 4 days, un-refrigerated" (Tasahara Bread book P. 73) I ...