Wisdom

You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans. ~ Ronald Reagan

Foods of Interest
By now you may have noticed that certain foods have been repeated more than once in my blog. That's because quite often herbs and various fruits, vegetables, and other sundries have more than one meaning. That's because over time food has migrated across the globe accruing various meanings and myths according to the belief systems of various cultures. We all see things in our own way. However, it's interesting to note how often times cultures separated by time and distance have assigned similar meanings to things.

Thai Basil photo by Erika Celeste

Basil as you may recall was so sacred to the Greeks that women weren't allowed to touch it. What a shame as it is one of my all time favorite herbs. It is prized for stimulating both the heart and sacral chakras. In other words love and creativity--both needed to gain wisdom. Cayenne Pepper is often noted for its zing which can certainly "wake" its users up. Metaphysically it is said to aid in separation and soothing the heart. As the old saying goes sometime it takes wisdom to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run. Hazelnuts are believed to stimulate the second chakra known as the third eye. This is the area through which some believe humans gain wisdom and insight. Beside promoting wisdom the nuts are also used to increase fertility. Ginko Biloba is also said to be an excellent channel for wisdom. Though we've already covered it before, it is interesting to note that it comes from a tree with no close relatives. You could say it's one of a kind. It's regarded as a living fossil because it dates back 270 million years--thus its shear age would seem to impart wisdom. Licorice has many medicinal qualities including elevating low blood pressure and helping smokers to kick the habit--healthy and wise alternatives to synthetic medications. Rosemary is thought to increase mental clarity and facilitate feelings of affection which often can lead to wise insight. It is also known for eliminating negativity. Sage was scared to both Zeus and Jupiter--some of the wisest of the gods. It has also been associated with the Virgin Mary. In the Middle Ages people believed that the best sage was picked during the first light of summer solstice. It was further believed that the most powerful sage should never be picked by the user but instead bought from a stranger. Like rosemary it has an array of uses including anti-bacterial and preservation properties, digestive aid, and is a natural blood sugar reducer. It is also thought to stimulate artists creative juices giving them creative wisdom.

Herb Rubbed Roast

Herb Rubbed Roast photo by Erika Celeste

Approx 3 lb beef roast (shoulders, and sirloins do well)

4 cloves garlic

1 small onion (chopped)

2 T flour

1 cup beef broth

1 T basil

½ T marjoram

1 T rosemary

1 T sage

½ T thyme

1 T Sea salt

2 T Olive oil

This works best with a pestle and mortar. Put salt in mortar add all herbs, pour oil over the top, mash with pestle. When the mixture has made a thick green paste, pour it into a bowl. Add flour and onion.

Slice each garlic clove into quarters. Make half-inch slits in the roast. Insert garlic pieces into the meat slits. Place roast in a baking dish. Cover the roast in the flour and herb paste. Pour beef broth in the baking dish around the roast. (You may add chopped vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or carrots if you wish. Be aware if you do so, it will slightly change the flavor.) Cover the roast with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for at least 1 hour. Let roast rest for 15 minutes before eating.

Stability

I always knew when I got to the Brussel sprouts, I was on thin ice. ~ Aaron Brown

I must apologize. Since I was busy with an upcoming book, I worked ahead on the blog. There's this cool little feature that should have time released my postings like an alka seltzer. It worked great for a week or two but for whatever reason stopped. That will teach me to leave the magical kitchen on autopilot. I should count myself lucky that I didn't have an incident like the one with the Sourcer's Apprentice in Fantasia (think Mickey Mouse and the brooms). The good news is I have several releases all at once. Enjoy!

Stability
The one thing that can be said about stability is that we all need it. Whether we admit it or not, we all need a place to bring us back to center. Sometimes that's a frame of mind, other times it's a routine, or person. It can apply to our finances, relationships, or health.

Beside food, stability often comes from doing something specific. For me it's being out in nature and gardening. Though I do meditate, those early mornings in the garden when  the sun has just come up, the dew hasn't burned off the grass, and the world is still quiet, are every bit as important if not more so. In fact, I often think of it as active meditation, in which I can just be. The added advantage of having my four gardens by the lake allows me to see everything from blue heron to mink to rolling carp--freaky if you don't know what's happening. But that's another story.

We planted our stability food last summer and are still enjoying them through the winter. If you're interested in planting Brussel sprouts keep in mind that they take up a lot of space by the end. It was easier to  cut the leaves off first so that the stalks looked like weird spinal cords and then use garden clippers rather than break them off.
 


Foods of Interest 

Brussels sprouts from our garden. Photo by Erika Celeste

There's just one food known for stability, Brussel Sprouts!

So it may not be the first thing to come to mind but there you have it. The tiny ball-like vegetable has been cultivated since the 1200s and is said to encourage endurance and stability. It's one of those love 'em or hate 'em foods. I happen to love 'em. They come in over a hundred varieties including one that tastes like horseradish. So if you like a little extra kick in your meals this is the way to go.

They do have a reputation for being stinky and having a strong taste, but that only happens when they're over cooked. No one knows exactly where the sprouts first came from, though it can be assumed that Belgium played a key role! Back then it was common to identify new foods by their region. Kind of like Buffalo wings, Philly Cheese steaks, or Kentucky Bourbon. 

Brussels Sprouts Panzanella

Brussels Sprouts Panzanella. Photo by Erika Celeste

Ingredients:

6 slices of bacon

2 C blanched brussels sprouts

½ loaf Italian bread

1 C pecorino romano (freshly shredded)

¼ C red wine

½ C olive oil

1 finely chopped shallot

1 t garlic powder

1 meyer lemon (these are sweet if you can’t find one use an orange)

1 large tomato

fresh basil

1 t fresh sage

1 t pink Himalayan salt

Directions:

I was lucky enough to have a large brussels sprouts harvest from my garden this year. So I simply blanched them and bagged the cool vegetables in double handfuls in ziplocks. Then labeled and froze them for quick and easy access. If you don’t have your own or they’re not in season, please use frozen sprouts as opposed to canned. They will taste worlds better. In most cases these will already be blanched, but if for some strange reason they’re not, go ahead and blanch them.

Cut the loaf of day old bread into squares and toast in the oven at 200 degrees until hard (about 10 minutes). While the bread is toasting, fry bacon until crispy. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Chop tomato. Shred cheese.

Mix all ingredients mentioned thus far in a large bowl. Mix wine, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and shallot in a small bowl, then drizzle over the other ingredients in the large bowl. Mix everything with your hands. Add pink salt to taste.

This is best if it sits at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before it’s served. It does not keep well over night!