winter home economics

This is "me" still attempting to maintain some sort of walking schedule on the slippery snowy ice! One gingerly placed foot at a time and plenty of warm clothes.

Arising... with shining being a bonus.

This morning I got out of bed earlier than my usual 6:15 or so. I read once if you are rested and awake why not just get up. Though it was still dark outside, in the early morning sky I observe twinkly stars and the planet Venus, a tiny spot residing beside the waning moon. The snow on the ground gives off that faint magical glow. 

I am perking my coffee these mornings in a *Presto percolator. The main reason I purchased this percolator is because I like hot coffee; percolators seem to do a much better job of not only brewing it hotter, but keeping the coffee hot until it is unplugged. But then I am by no means a coffee connoisseur. I simply enjoy my morning coffee hot and strong.

I stir the hot coals in the wood stove and carefully lay on a small log to get the fire aroused. I light a few candles until it is time to switch on the table side light in order to read the Word. Then I begin to stretch, those "old-fashioned" stretches that can't be beat for waking up the joints and muscles.

Home tending...I make a home and I tend it too.

Laundry is always on the Monday list, more than likely because I  happen to do less laundering over the weekends.

I decided it was time to go through both freezers that are in the house and get a perfect inventory of what foods are in the freezers and what foods need to be eaten sooner than later, or even thrown out if they have reached that point of no return. This did not take as long as I anticipated,  probably due to the cold frozen food on my hands and the annoying alarm on the freezer. But my frozen foods are now organized and my menu planning for this week and even into the weeks ahead are tentatively planned.

Cooking and Preparing...getting a start on some food prep for the week and managing my ferments.

*1/2 chicken boiled,  for chicken and dumplings along with the chicken bone broth that was in the freezer

*Sausage browned, for pizza and I also found frozen homemade  pizza dough that was pulled out to thaw in refrigerator.

*Dried lima beans to soak. I like to keep beans or a dish containing beans in the refrigerator every week. 

*Cabbage made into sauerkraut.

*A batch of water kefir was made.

And now a poem from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, 

                                     Songs of A Housewife.

                       

                                                  Winter Sun.

There's not much of it- that may be

Why it is welcome, since it's rare;

And why it seems a bar of gold, 

Lying across the table there.

Over my kitchen pots and pans

It trails its shiny finger-tips.

Spills over in the living-room,

And in my hands, like honey, drips.

A Winter sun, like memory,

Brings back the thought of Summer haze.

Remembrance of the birds and flowers,

The ecstasy of August days.

A handful of such sun would seem

All that the Heavens can afford,

In Winter-time. Consider me

Most grateful for small favors, Lord!

                                                                        January 5, 1925

If the name Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings rings a bell, she is the authoress of 

 The Yearling and Cross Creek, both well-known novels.

A footnote: At least two blogs I enjoy reading are no longer available, as in removed. Some of the wording suggests it might not come from the blogger? This makes me sad. If you are one of those bloggers, please know I will miss you greatly.

the heart in life

One of the greatest and most priceless truths about aging is the wisdom gained throughout the span of years. Wisdom that has been tested over the days and years of your life. I have yet to meet a person who does not have some regrets, but for those seeking a life of wisdom in continuity, thankfulness arises in spite of the many and various trials we must go through during our lifetimes. One day you wake up to the discovery that wisdom has, indeed, at the least bloomed. 

I believe the true source of wisdom comes from the Word of God. James 1:4 tells us to ask for wisdom. James 3 says wisdom that is not from God is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 

 I perceive that the heart of everyday life is also God given. The little things I enjoy in my ubiquitous, ordinary life are His gifts and I would be wise to recognize them as such, and likewise foolish not to thank Him for each and every one of them.

Water Kefir

Oh, I am happy to give you Part 2, and how I do love Part 2 of things... usually.

The second brewing time gave a huge increase of natural carbonation. This time I used grape juice. It was super delicious, and an added plus, my husband loves it too. I am planning to use this juice I purchased at Aldi today for my third batch.

The little "chef's", brewing cap came with the kit I bought from Yemoos. She sits on a shelf in my kitchen with my cookbooks. Every two days she gives me good kefir water.

Figs

And speaking of figs, Andrea has spoken about her abundance of figs this year. Figs are not a fruit, but flowers actually, an inflorescence- "a cluster of many flowers and seeds contained inside a bulbous stem."

Two summers ago, and I can not believe it has been two summers, I baked a batch of fig newtons.The intensity of time and effort it took to prepare these tasty treats have kept me from doing them again. I was on the search for an easier version and I think I found it.

This cookie bar includes oatmeal and the top is an oatmeal crumble pressed down after the other  two layers have cooled. You still must make the fig filling, like a jam, but that is the most time consuming part of this recipe. My husband had put them into the refrigerator before going to bed last night. That is where I found them this morning, before I had cut them into bars. Cutting them chilled was a bit of a crumbly mess, I was attempting to eat up the crumbs on the plate before the photo...but I did not succeed, but I enjoyed trying to nonetheless.

 Monarchs and Nature Study

Monarchs have been visiting my garden for the past several weeks, shy at first, flittering away before I could make sure they were in fact monarchs and not viceroys. But just yesterday they came closer to me while I was cutting zinnias in the garden and JOY!, they opened they wings wide to verify they were in fact monarchs.

And this praying mantis was observing me in the cutting garden as I stood in the sunshine.

Family Visits

My son and his wife celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary recently by going away two nights. They have five children, the children are divvied out to family members, and seven-year old Gordon came to stay with us. 

A Quote

"Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success."

~Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

water kefir revisited

If you have been my blogging friend through the years, you might recall that I like ferments, the preparing of them and the partaking of them. For several years I religiously brewed kombucha and would drink it often, for its supposedly health benefits and because I  enjoyed the beverage overall.

I never did get into purchasing kombucha at the store, thinking the high price just wasn't my way of doing things, especially since I had this live cultured scoby sitting in a large jar in my house! But in the log haul I realized I was the only one truly drinking kombucha in my household, though sometimes Charlotte's present violin teacher would drink a served fizzy glass when offered. I also came to the realization that I preferred eating my ferments over drinking them; I simply like drinking water more as a beverage.

  But where would one be without revisiting or reconsidering a previous idea? So it is with me deciding to try my hand once again to making a ferment to quench my thirst, yet this time with water kefir. Had I actually drank water kefir before? Yes, I was offered a glass by a friend back last summer. It was tasty and I left her home with a jar of offered kefir grains. But timing is everything and the time was not then. Until now...so I ordered a batch of water kefir grains from Yemoos. And I am happy to report I am on the second day of my 48 hour beginner ferment. I will definitely mix mine with an organic fruit juice and I will give it a second ferment. Stay tuned.

And...since I am talking about the drinking of ferments, I want to mention I do drink  Homemade Ginger Ale (sometimes referred to as Ginger Beer) during the summer season. I keep my gingerbug in the refrigerator all winter and it is revived in the springtime, usually requiring a second batch brewing  to get it to the desired fizzy stage. I find this ginger beverage gives a super quenching of thirst on a hot summer day. Very refreshing! And best of all my husband enjoys drinking it too, and so do others that visit my home.

                       Now for the results of my first water kefir ferment:

I  allowed the kefir grains to ferment for about two days,  strained the grains and poured the kefir water into  brown flip- top bottle with the addition of a small bit of tart cherry juice. I had read that depending on the temperature of where you placed the sealed bottle for a second ferment determined how long you should allow it to set before refrigeration.  Since I have a warm kitchen I allowed roughly 30 hours. I was surprisingly happy over the amount of fizz I was able to get for the very first time. It was delicious and refreshing and an extremely simple brew.

fermentation and smartphones

In the small southern town not far from where I live, a new market has recently opened that sells mainly local whole foods such as vegetables, ferments, dairy, breads, meats, and such.

As some of you might remember I enjoy the art of food fermentation. I regularly ferment cabbage, but during the summer months I usually have several ferments going on at one time.

I am no expert by any means, but I am always up to learning new things in regards to fermenting foods.

This little local store carries products from K Culture Ferments. Since the store offers free tastings I was gladly  enticed to bring home a couple of their ferments recently. Wow are they delicious! Of course, I checked  the ingredients list and today I decided I would try my hand at making a ferment using cabbage, carrots and beets. I will never be able to create the exact same ferment, but at the least I can experiment and learn to make a good one. 

While I was happily fermenting in my kitchen, I listened to this very interesting conversation at Thinking in Public between Al Mohler and Clare Morell about her book, The Tech Exit:A Practical Guide for Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones.  

It is extremely interesting to listen to her research  that clearly shows how the use of smartphones affects the development of kids and teens, in all aspects. Most of us would agree that society as a whole has dramatically changed especially due to the progressively insidious use of smartphones. I am aware of how many parents today struggle with this, even as my own children share with me how hard it is to say no to my grandchildren with any such devices. They are the wise ones, and I do pray for them.  When my boys were growing up, there were no smartphones, they did not even have cell phones. But with my girls iPods, cell phones, and even smart phones were beginning to take off. At sixteen, when my girls began to drive they were allowed a cellphone, and eventually a smartphone edged in, but still I did not trust anything called a "smartphone". I do not now either.

a variety of wrappings

 Autumn begins to be inferred

By millinery of the cloud

Or deeper color in the shawl

That wraps the everlasting hill.

                           ~Emily Dickinson

As I rode an hour's drive yesterday to do some necessaries in town, I beheld the initial "shawl" colors wrapping the trees alongside the road and I was greatly satisfied to see this predictable, yet not diminished, annual display of beautiful color. And even more importantly, I was truly thankful that I could be so totally satisfied in such an amazing pleasure that the Lord has given us at this time of year.

I have been occupied with harvesting a few things like the canning of pears and fermenting of peppers. Today I will go to the garden and snip some green leaves of turnips and kale to bring inside and gently cook, because fresh hardy greens are an autumn delight too in my home.

 I hope to put on my blog if not today at least by the weekend my entire blog reading list. I have enjoyed a recent jumpstart of some new homemaking type blogs and in the process a meeting new lady friends who blog.

On the sewing side, I finished the quilt that I made from my mother's nightgowns. The only part of this quilt that was not hand-sewn was the border, it was sewn on with my Janome machine. I do love any stitching done by needle, thread, thimble and my very own hands. Hand-quilting has a rhythm I especially find soothing. It now has a home on a twin bed I added to Charlotte's old bedroom for when the younger granddaughters  stay for the night.

The white-throated sparrow has returned from  the north to my neck of the woods and to hear its melodious song is pure magic. I sat outside yesterday as the late warm sunshine hued the scenery and I enjoyed it's song in the mighty oak tree.

an excellent and easy sourdough bread loaf

"With bread all sorrows are less"

     Don Quixote, Cervantes

I have tried many different flours and just as many recipes in baking bread with a sourdough starter. I have discovered some very good recipes with great successes using various flours and recipes over a period of several years. But today I wanted to share from my own repertoire of bread baking and experience in the baking and eating of sourdough loaves.

This loaf bread is absolutely by far the easiest sourdough bread recipe for taste that I have found and has become my weekly loaf. It is delicious in taste and slices beautifully for toast or a sandwich. My husband is a fan of it, and that alone speaks volumes. The recipe is found here from dieteasily. It is extremely easy and begins with a very sticky dough that does not require any kneading. After mixing the ingredients together, you pour the dough into your baking pan and throw a cloth over the top. It is set in a warm (room temperature) place to rise anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. I usually make mine after supper and the next morning everyone wakes up to the smell of freshly baking bread.

I have ground my own wheat for this loaf which makes a more dense bread, but an organic all purpose flour works the best for my family's needs.

I do not presently add any seeds because my family likes it plain. It is not always a pretty loaf, but the taste never fails and as mentioned before it cuts wonderfully with just a tender bite in the outside crust. 

Give it a try and tell me what you think!

t

 

picking geen beans and refreshment

As in any summer garden, the beans need to be picked. This is not something to be penciled in on a calendar just a matter of do it when the beans are ready on the vine. After a bit of stooping and picking in the heat and humidity I am thirsty for refreshment and I do believe I have a found the answer in a fermented ginger drink...ginger "beer" so the recipe I follow calls it. But my teetotaler friends gristle at the word beer, and truthfully this is the only "beer" I will drink, so if I am feeling pious I call it homemade ginger ale. It is delicious and it is refreshing, quenching any thirst and providing that bit of homemade carbonization which pleases.  

So I pick a spell, then I sit with my pan of beans, a true token of accomplishment, sipping my ginger beverage for total refreshment.

fermenting cucumbers...

...to become the best pickles in the whole wide world!

Deliciously salty, garlicky, dilly...oh, my mouth is bouncing alive just typing these words. You would not believe how amazingly simple these pickles are to make and have as your very own to eat.

And I have found the absolute best way to keep them crisp...oak leaves! Yes, something that is readily available to most of us. All I have to do is go to the garage, carry the green step ladder out to the cement driveway, hold my breath and pray as I step up several steps on the ladder gingerly reaching up to the lowest branches of the overhanging boughs, pinch a few of the sturdy green leaves, bring them inside to wash before layering them between the cucumbers, tucking two on top beneath the smooth river stone weight.

I make a brine of one quart water per 1 1/2 -2 Tablespoons of salt, truly its to your taste, but I prefer to have the pickles more on the salty side and I have found it will make a better ferment in the long run. I like to add  black peppercorns, cayenne pepper flakes, fresh garlic cloves, fresh dill, and bay leaves. After a few days I taste my pickles and if they are the right taste to my liking I will store them in the refrigerator, but usually I will give them one or two days more....a total of about five days usually does it for me.

My few cucumbers plants have produced a good crop of cucumbers  for me this year. I have been able to eat them raw almost daily plus fermenting several batches as well as pickling a few jars of bread and butter pickles for the pantry shelf.

at home, this week

Continuing on being in the home remaining busy truly looks no different to me on any given day. I have been doing the same things I always do without any hardship on my part, whatsoever.

READING:
Glad to report I did finish another novel on my 2020 Reading Challenge. With several books being read at the same time I must admit it gives a little high to have one I can check off the list. I did do a brief review on this book on Goodreads if you are interested. I first heard of this book from Gretchen.

FERMENTING:
I have blogged previously on how how I brew  kombucha. I have been doing it long enough to have preferences of how I like to drink it that ring strong. I have discovered I prefer my kombucha ice cold, which is a little bit off the scale from my usual beverage choice. I like to drink most things either hot, such as my morning coffee and teas throughout the day, or I drink everything else room temperature. In the cold winter months I do not drink kombucha. But come summer there is nothing quite like coming in from outside and pouring a large glass of ice cold Kombucha to quench your thirst. This huge scoby was way overdue to make a fresh batch. Most of this scoby was tossed onto the compost pile.

GARDENING:
I spent many hours saving and picking through my zinnia seeds to sow into the garden this year. Perhaps I am impatient, but I could not get rid of a niggling thought, "What if they do not come up?" So I went to the store and bought a few more packs to plant. It will be a zinnia feast or famine!

DANCING:
Breanna is enrolled in the classical ballet school that Charlotte has attended since she was five years old. Younger students definitely get the short end of the stick when it comes to Zoom classes, so Charlotte has taken on two students from one of the younger classes to do a weekly workout with a bit of a combination across the grass.

NATURE STUDYING:
Inviting Breanna to see the loveliness of nature, as if she needed to be invited, has been so much fun. I never want to stop having eyes of wonder to observe all I can and then to encourage and share this love. This particular afternoon we spotted a friendly Skipper flitting in the garden and we even had the extra joy of  moments of it landing on us! I believe this one is a Red Admiral...

GRANDMOTHERING:
One of the bonuses of the closing of schools has been having Breanna stay with me one full day a week. She attends a Christian school which has been sending schoolwork and I assist her with completing the daily lesson. But one of our most favorite times is curling on the sofa together, where Breanna makes sure she does not fall in the cracks between the cushions, and reading this book together. It is marvelous!

a monday in march

"Monday, Monday so good to me..."

Perhaps you are familiar with the words of the song sang by the Mamas and the Papas in the 1960s?

 Mondays bring another opportunity to join up with with some of you wonderful homemakers on Sandra's Happy Homemaker Monday.

*The Weather...☁️
Today the sky is pearly white, no sun but plenty of light. Thankful I am for my warm house slippers today since the day is cooler and as I am here at home doing my Monday things.

*How I am feeling...
It is actually afternoon now, Monday morning has long gone.  I do not turn on my computer until later in the day, never first thing in the morning. Today has been one of those days of conversations, mostly through the telephone, but also conversations with visitors stopping by for one thing or another. And the conversations always managed to give the reaction everyone is having in regard to the Coronavirus. Not one of us is short on opinions concerning all the closings.

*On my mind...
The Ladies Tea my church is hosting which is scheduled for this Saturday afternoon. I am
 " in charge" so the little details are pressing on my mind here and there.

*In my handiwork basket...
I completed my cross stitch sampler on the 32 count linen fabric I began back in the fall. I must confess I had to wear reading glasses to see the small fabric squares.

*Around the house...
...Fermenting cabbage and carrots
... Several loads of laundry, since it is Monday
...Vacuuming cat hair from the cushions in the sun room

*This week's menu plans...
Monday-Sausage/onions with polenta and green salad
Tuesday- Chicken Saltimbocca with green salad
Wednesday-Pork Chop, potatoes, and broccoli
Thursday-
Friday-

*On my camera...

Preparation for fermenting cabbage

 Jumping outside at the Art Museum last week.  Our train of thought ran something like this, if our teenage daughters could do it, than why not us?

*Praying...
In the book, A Praying Life, by Paul Miller, praying with the use of prayer cards is discussed in a simple, laid out manner. I have incorporated my own form of these cards into my early morning prayer time and have found it an extremely helpful method.

*Bible...
Joshua  Precept Bible Study for the week is in Joshua 19 and 20, the land allotments. I am finding the book of Joshua filled with life applications.

Wash your hands and carry on...

let it rain

Dark... these early mornings in late October. Before getting out of bed today I already knew the sun was not going to shine and the rains were coming. But this was not a hindrance to me, I had several things that needed tending and I had no plans to leave the house all day.

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain"
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

A breakfast of toasted slices of freshly baked bread and eggs was prepared. Charlotte's toast was topped with just a sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon.

About the time I had donned my walking shoes, hoping to get a quick walk in before it starting raining, as I walked down the back steps little raindrops began softly falling on my head. I stepped into the garden and quickly snipped a few zinnia heads to de-seed and I cut back some oregano, thai basil, and lamb's ear to bring inside for drying. I usually like to wrap my harvested herbs with cotton string and hang them in the pantry, but sometimes I will use a dehydrator.

Presently, I prefer the addition of Concord grape juice to my kombucha . After reading about the benefits of the purple grape I thought maybe a double whammy was the way to go. And I am loving its taste. I have written about the way in which I prepare my kombucha here if you are interested in reading about it. These bottles were just strained from their second ferment so that is the reason for all that fizz.

Bay and lemon trees soaking in the rain....they will be brought into the sunroom before the first frost arrives.

cooking traditionally

Cooking meals with health in mind is popular today. Getting back to the traditional method of preparing and cooking foods is considered smart and many are realizing the importance of learning how to make this a part of their daily lifestyle.

The ladies in my small church congregation asked me to teach a class in traditional cooking. With the readily available healthy real foods we are able to buy from even the chain stores, we would all agree that our opportunities have  a wide-opened door. My own personal quest began many years ago when I was part of a food coop (FORC) that delivered food once a month to a designated place, the "members" would  then unload and break down the large number of boxes, and the driver was paid in one check. So as you can see we had to be an group organized sufficiently enough to have our own checking account and have a member be in charge of the money. At one time our membership reached about ten families, and we purchased roughly around $800-1000  monthly. My part  in the coop for several years was the ordering of the member's monthly orders. Now this was in the age of the PC (personal computer) and the incipience of the internet. The internet that was available to us at this time (1990's) was only "dial up" in most areas....not always reliable.  The lady at FORC and I would have a specific time and date that she would call me on my landline telephone;  I would arrange my schedule to be at my house and I would give her our orders individually, item by item. Unless this might seem overly arduous to you, let me assure it was not in the least; I developed a pleasant working relationship with this kind woman. Discovering the book, Nourishing Tradtions by Sally Fallon, also made a huge acceleration in my education curve of learning how to cook in a more traditional way.
Last night's focus at my home was teaching about how to prepare Chicken Bone Broth.
The evening's dinner menu was:
Tomato Bisque (chicken bone broth base)
Green salad with homemade dressings (soaked and dehydrated walnuts)
Fermented carrots and cucumbers
Roasted whole Chicken with carrots, red potatoes, and onions(all organic)
Sourdough Einkorn bread with grass-fed herb butter
Oatmeal Pumpkin bake  (soaked oatmeal, sweetened with organic maple syrup)
Fermented Ginger Ale

It was 10 o'clock as we were saying our goodbyes. Hopefully, in the days ahead new thinking will emerge as conscious efforts are made to eat nutrient dense real foods as much as possible.

Oh, by the way since I not always able to find the quality of certain foods locally, I make a monthly food order to Auzure Standard, all online, even the payment.

healthy sourdough donuts

Evidently I was in one of those moods to fidget with another sourdough food, with the thought of why not? And why not indeed. Fidgeting seems to overcome me from time to time in spite of  a plethora of things that are more pressing in my day.

So from here I give you my take on these healthy donuts. They do not taste bad at all, I like the sourdough taste and since you do add a small amount of sugar before the kneading process that makes them more of a sweet bread item. After frying them in coconut oil they are rolled in a plate of brown sugar and cinnamon which adds a tasty touch too.

Yet here is the question. Would I make them again? Probably not. They are not good enough to make any one of us eat more than one, and I am constantly having to face the fact that my household is only composed of three now ( not counting the cats). That makes experiments of this sort wasteful to a degree, but not completely a wash-out because I know now I definitely would not make them even if I had a household of visitors.

 The recipe can be found here if you get the fidgets. But for now my fidgets are calm.

a collation worth mentioning

For lunch I like to consider eating simple, healthy meals, but I certainly want them to be tasty and enjoyable as well. I love it when I find such a meal that makes me anxious for the arrival of lunchtime just because the meal is so good! I would like to share a particular lunchtime meal with you  that falls into that approbative category

 Brown rice is my rice of choice and I prefer soaking the dried rice for about twelve hours before it is cooked. One cup of rice per two cups of water is placed into a bowl and covered until the next day. The soaked rice is then cooked and kept it in the refrigerator until needed for a dinner or lunch dish. A favorite midday meal is reheating the rice and topping it with a helping of homemade kimchi. Lately, I am  also liking the addition of a dash of Braggs Liquid Aminos. I do not usually include soy in my diet, but I have not noticed any problems with the "once in a while use" of this seasoning.  There is a high content of sodium in Braggs and Tamari sauce (but not as high as in regular soy sauce), therefore, it is a seasoning I would use sparingly and not very often.

What do you prepare for a healthy, delicious lunch? 

ordinariness

After returning home from my trip, I woke up Tuesday morning with a scratchy throat and a bit of malaise. That defined form of malaise that is not enough to make you stop and remain in bed or even stay wrapped up with a comforting afghan on the sofa all day, but the sort of malaise that just makes you feel as if you would like to crawl back into bed, and do nothing. Yet you keep on going, doing everyday things, just with a spirit of tiredness. My immune system is fighting hard and I want to think my drinking a concoction of fermented ginger "tea" is helping, along with regular doses of elderberry juice and Vitamin C. This tea is delicious and soothing:  I mix a teaspoon of fermented ginger, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and a teaspoon of honey with hot water.

And who expected the storm that was supposing to wham us hard (Hurricane Florence...in my area anyway) did not, but then Hurricane Michael blew in on Thursday afternoon with such  surprisingly strong magnitude, while we sat by the window and watched it blow in and blow out within an hour, leaving messes to clean up and causing many to loose power for several days.  We could not help but  go outside and watch the sky after the storm had passed through...I have never seen such a sky, and I am still rather wordless to describe its stunning uniqueness.

The rest of this ordinary day (Saturday) was spent helping my husband wash the outside windows of the sun room, and then while Witt and Claire went on a much needed "date", we gladly kept  Breanna and Riley.

fermenting ginger

Back in late spring I started a ginger ferment. My intention was to use this ginger culture to add to my kombucha and to use it for making homemade ginger ale, especially thinking about quenching our thirts with a healthy drink during  hot summer days. Fermenting is so easy and once you begin fermenting certain foods you discover how wide your options in considering the next food to ferment. All one needs to start this ferment is a pint-sized mason jar, a bit of cheesecloth, a rubber band, fresh ginger, water and sugar.

My recipe:
2 tablespoons of fresh, peeled grated ginger
2 tablespoons non-chlorinated water
2 tablespoons of unrefined cane sugar

Put all above ingredients into the jar, stir (I like to use a wooden spoon), place the cheesecloth over the jar's rim and secure it tightly with a rubber band.

Set this mixture on your kitchen counter, or any other out of the way place, the ideal temperature is around 75 degrees or higher. Sometimes room temperatures lower than this will not ferment as quickly. For the next five days feed it daily with the same amounts of ginger, water, and sugar. After five days you should be seeing foaming and bubbling action, if not it could be your room is too cool; continue to feed it until you see foaming and bubbling. If your mixture is foaming and bubbling, your culture is ready to use for homemade sodas, tonics or even, as I like, in kombucha.

I store my fermented ginger in the refrigerator with a covered lid, at any time I am free to scoop out some of the culture for any food I am wanting to apply ginger flavor. About every two weeks I will pull it out of the refrigerator, welcome it to my kitchen counter once again and begin a three day feeding process. If the culture is looking thick you may add 1/3 cup of water instead of the two tablespoons. Just this week my culture had grown to the point that I had to switch it to a quart-sized jar. Not only does this fermented ginger feed your gut beneficial bacteria promoting a healthy immune boost, but I am also enjoying the benefit of preserving of ginger that is  allowing me a good supply of ginger for salad dressings and cooking.

bring on the summer vegetables

It is nothing short of great pleasure to see backyard gardens, farmers markets, curbside stands, and  local produce at the grocery store furnishing a plethora of summer vegetables and fruits to please even the most finicky eater. 

I have a friend who wrote in her last letter she presently hopes to maintain something fermenting on her counter on a regular basis. That inspired me higher up and further on to taking a chance on fermenting okra recently. A simple brine with spices and garlic put into a jar along with fresh okra, then a five to six day requirement for the fermenting process on the counter, which only left the taste test. Not bad, actually! They have now been allotted a special place in the refrigerator, which will only improve their salty, slightly pickled flavor. 

A gazpacho was made with the abundance of tomatoes and other summer veggies and herbs. Due to several reasons of various matters, my husband and I are undertaking a five day mainly fruit and vegetable fast. We have survived the first day. I say that tongue in cheek; my husband knows this is a very good idea in mind and operation, but his body clamors incessantly for meals of meat and potatoes, and let's not forget his almost daily bowl of evening popcorn! I natter on with positive regard to our planned meals. After eating a full bowl of this delicious gazpacho, he commented," Now we are going to eat the main meal, right?"

It is only five days...

second fermentation kombucha tea

There is a generous amount of information regarding kombucha tea given on the internet. So my intent here is not to give the history or reasons for brewing and drinking kombucha, whether your brew your own at home or purchase it from the grocery store.

Todays strain: the bottle on the left has been strained, the one in the forefront( with ginger) is ready to be strained.

the bottle in the back has fresh raspberries, also needs straining.

I am not a master brewer, but I have "mastered" batches of kombucha that are delicious and refreshing to drink according to my taste buds. I have drunk several varieties of the store bought kind; but personally I like mine so much better. And it is much cheaper to make your own if you are serious about drinking it on a regular basis.

My kombucha  goes through a second fermentation process that last roughly four days, resting in a dark cupboard. I have only once had a bottle to explode due to the natural formation of carbon dioxide during the second fermentation process (that is one too many)!

How I make my Kombucha:
1. Three quarts of purified water (distilled). I use *Primo*; *Le Bleu* is also very good in ph.
    1 cup organic sugar
2. Boil for five minutes.
3. Four organic black tea bags. (I like English Breakfast)
    Two green tea bags.
4. Remove the water from the burner, add teabags and cover. Allow the tea to cool to room            temperature, or almost room temperature.
5. Add your scoby and 2/3 to 1 cup of brewed kombucha tea from your last batch.
6.  Cover with a white cotton cloth secured with a rubber band, a bay leaf set atop the cloth will prohibit little bugs that could prove to be a slight problem.
7. After 7 to 8 days, I bottle my komchucha in flip-lid airtight glass bottles. Organic fruit or fruit juice    is added at this time. Any sort of fruit, fresh or frozen, works; it is fun to experiment. A good rule of thumb for adding fruit juice is 1 part juice to 3 parts kombucha tea. This depends on personal taste of sweetness.
   One of my absolute favorite things to add is two teaspoons of fresh minced ginger to the bottle. My own form of ginger ale.
   Concord Grape Juice is another added favorite of mine. Today I strained a bottle that had been brewed with organic fresh raspberries, so good!
   As a word of precaution, open your bottles that have gone through the second fermentation process    very carefully, I suggest throwing a towel across the lid, sometimes they will pop quite forcefully         as the carbon dioxide is expelled. It varies, you never know how much at any given time.
8. Using cheesecloth, strain the kombucha. There will be a small scoby developing already and you want to eliminate this from what you will be drinking. Straining also removes bits of fruit or ginger.            Personally, I try to get mine as "clean" as possible.
9. Store in the refrigerator. There are at least two good reasons for this, it will continue to ferment if  you do not refrigerate, and it just tastes better when chilled, refreshing and crisp.

Recently, I have discovered that if you lay your bottles down instead of upright, and leave them for about an extra week, they are slightly more fizzy. The carbon dioxide created in kombucha is natural, unlike the carbonation added to soft drinks.

My kombucha tea brew sits  on an oak table beside the piano where I am convinced the lovely music produced by Charlotte on the piano only adds to my kombucha success. You should consider resting your kombucha is a place where it is not disturbed. It is a live culture, after all.

daybook/photo gallery

Outside: If there could be a lovelier spring day it is beyond my scope of imagination, even though we have had comparable ones. Yet the demand to see, listen, feel, and smell is not far from me as I enjoy the open windows and spend times outside.

Thinking: I should be doing something other than this blog post. The days are hard to catch these days, I pursue my moments like a fisherman on the open sea eager to bring in his supply of daily fish.

In the kitchen: Now in this place, besides the daily ministrations of preparing and cooking nourishing, healthy meals for my family, I hone my baking skills using sourdough starter and freshly milled flours. I crave the taste of lentils most days. So a soup of lentils and kale, a variation from a recipe found here.
The sourdough starter is one given by a friend with an accompanying recipe for friendship bread. I decided to experiment and make this starter truly my own; I feed it simply with water and flour. This past week I baked a loaf of banana bread using this leavening and my wheat flour. It was  quick and delicious.

Charlotte and I eat lunch outside these days. Today a lunch of lettuce gifted to me by Claire picked from her garden. I threw in some organic spinach, tomatoes, raspberries, cucumbers, and lentils. This dressing is my favorite at this time. Do you ever get like that too, something becomes your favorite for a season? Here is the recipe:
1/2 shallot
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon each of fresh chives, parsley, and oregano
1/3 cup olive oil

Sewing:
Another spacious place, a place it seems I can't get enough of, yet I "getalong" nicely. This is a smocked tea cozy, perhaps a form of manipulating fabric would be another name for this type of work.  I am presently sewing buttonholes on a diaper shirt, and I just cut out an infant summer dress, panties, and hat in a tiny gingham of the prettiest shade of turquoise which will be trimmed with orange rick rack.