B is for Basil

I’ve done posts on basil before because it’s such a fantastic herb.  It’s so sweet and fragrant and it just exudes loooooovvvvve.  When I lived in Istanbul, some of the restaurants I visited along the Bosphorus placed pots of basil on the tables for decoration.   The leaves were very small and the shape of the plant was bushier than the basil we typically see here.   I had one, but my brown thumb killed it.  I may be a good cook, but I am a lousy gardener, as I’ve written before.

Basil is ruled by the planet Mars.  It carries the element of fire, and its energies include love, money, and protection.  (Cunningham, 1990).

Once upon a time in Malta, when a household had a young girl of marriageable age, a pot of basil was placed on a windowsill to let potential suitors know ‘here there be baebes’.  Or something like that.

A nice tomato-basil salad or soup are both great love dishes.  Eat pasta with pesto sauce to attract money (with proper visualization and real world steps, too, of course.) For purification and protection, add basil to citrus.   

The following recipe is part of a brunch menu for the winter solstice.  If you have a pot of basil in the kitchen, you have access to this lovely herb all year long.  If you don’t have fresh and do not wish to buy it out of season, I suppose half the amount of dried basil could be substituted, but I’ve not tried it.

I serve this salad with smoky duck and sweet potato hash with eggs, buttermilk biscuits, and spiked coffee.   What better way to warm up after a sunrise solstice ritual, right?

Citrus Fruit Salad with Sweet Basil Dressing

3 oranges, peeled and sectioned

2 mandarins or clementines, peeled and sectioned

1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

1 ruby grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

Place citrus fruit sections into a bowl.  Mix gently to combine.  Drizzle with Sweet Basil Dressing. Toss gently.  Chill before serving.

Serves 4

Cunningham, S. (1990). Cunningham's encyclopedia of wicca in the kitchen. (p. 130). Woodbury: Llewellyn

Foods of October: Apples

Apples are in season in October. Glorious, round, red or green crunchy apples. What is more autumn than that? Autumn is the season of crisp air, colorful falling leaves, mugs of cider, football (if you’re into that sort of thing), and apple picking.

The apple is a fruit of love. It is ruled by the planet Venus and its element is water. Its energies include love, health, and peace.

Apple seeds play a part in Halloween divination. A young lady would take three apple seeds, name them each for a suitor, and stick them either to her forehead or cheeks. The last one to fall off was her true love.

Another apple divination is to throw the peel (whole) over your left shoulder. It should fall in the shape of the initial of the person you're to marry. I don't know which initial.

For love, bake an apple pie with cinnamon and cloves, or simply carve a heart into an apple and eat it with intent.

Applesauce Loaf Cake

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)


Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large loaf pan (or 2 smaller ones) with nonstick cooking spray.

In one bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Add the applesauce, vanilla, sour cream, and egg. Mix to combine. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir into the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time. Fold in the raisins and nuts, if using.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Thanksgiving, Part III

I'll try to wrap it up in this post. Maybe one more. We may even get to dishes that were actually served at the first Thanksgiving!

Although not served at the first Thanksgiving, no table would be complete without that big, jiggly blob of canned cranberry sauce. Perhaps you make your own? If so, bless you! It's so much better.

Cranberries are ruled by the planet Mars. Their element is water and their energy is protection.

To prepare your own, add 1 bag cranberries to a sauce pan. Put in 1 cup sugar and 1 cup orange juice. Cook until the berries start to burst. Easy. If that's not easy enough, just open a can and *plop*.

Another food that was not served in the 1620s was mashed potatoes. For years I didn't like mashed potatoes. After having lap band surgery, I find the texture appealing and I now enjoy them.

The potato is an Earth food, carrying energies of protection and compassion.

Sweet Potatoes are ruled by the Moon and Earth and carry the energies of love and sex. Not that anyone is really thinking about sex after a full Thanksgiving dinner although it would be an excellent way to burn off those calories.

Pumpkins are also ruled by the Moon and Earth. Their energies are healing and money. Pumpkin pie flavored with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg can be used to attract money. You know, for Yule shopping the next day.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving celebration next week. May you be surrounded by loved ones and loving energies, along with prosperity for this new year.

Thanksgiving, Part II

We've briefly discussed the turkey and now it's time for the best part of the dinner for some people - the stuffing.

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, put it in the bird's butt or not, this side dish is always made with bread. Bread, in turn, is made with wheat. Wheat is associated with Venus. Its element is earth and although its energies can vary, the biggest ones are prosperity and money. Adding a stuffing to the inside of the turkey might punch up the prosperity magic if that's what you're going for, but remember that stuffing adds cooking time and if it doesn't cook all the way through, you could be looking at some serious health issues later.

Chestnut Stuffing

4 cups of day-old white bread, cubed - prosperity, money
2 cups day-old cornbread, crumbled - protection, spirituality
2 onions, finely chopped - protection
2-3 ribs celery, finely chopped - peace, psychic awareness
2 sticks butter - spirituality
1 tablespoon dried sage - longevity, health
2 teaspoons dried thyme - love, psychic awareness, purification
1 teaspoon dried savory - can't find energies, but I would say love
1 pound roasted chestnuts, sliced - love
salt and pepper to taste
chicken or turkey stock to moisten

With a sharp knife, cut an "X" into each chestnut. Roast at 450 F until shells open, about 10 minutes. We do this over an open fire at my parents' house, in an old cast iron chestnut roaster.

When chestnuts are cooled, peel and slice.

In a large bowl, combine the breads. In a skillet, cook the onions and celery with the butter until soft, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add to the bread mixture. Mix in the herbs and turn well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Moisten the dressing with stock. Actually, you want it to be fairly wet to keep it moist while it is cooking. Start with two cups and add more. You don't want it to be soupy.

Put the dressing/stuffing/whatever you call it in a greased casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until the top is brown and a bit crunchy.

This is my mom's chestnut stuffing, more or less. She doesn't use thyme or savory, but I finally talked her into using actual celery and not celery seed. Yeesh!

There you have it. A side dish for love, or a stuffing to add extra prosperity to the bird.

Note: If you are stuffing the bird, remember that stuffing adds to the cooking time. Consult your recipe books or the internet for proper cooking times. The meat should reach 180 F in the leg meat when done, and the stuffing should have an internal temperature of about 165. I recommend a digital meat thermometer for this. Don't rely on the pop-up thingie in the turkey.

The Weekend and Venus

Friday is ruled by Venus. Energies include love, of course, along with beauty, prosperity and friendship.

Saturday is ruled by Saturn. Energies include removing obstacles, magical cleaning, and addressing issues or problems.

Sunday is ruled by the sun and energies include authority, success, and goal achievement.

Foods ruled by Venus:
alfalfa sprouts, apples, apricots, cherries, guavas, licorice, nectarines, oats, peas, peaches, pears, avocados, barley, blackberries, persimmons, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, rye, spirulina, strawberries, Brazil nuts, cardamom, carob, sugar, sweet potatoes, thyme, tomatoes, truffles, vanilla and wheat.

Make a strawberry smoothie with some spirulina for love and good health. Share with your love.

To attract love, carve a heart into an apple. As you eat it, visualize yourself in a loving relationship.

Make a fruit salad using whatever is in season.

Bake a cherry pie for love and beauty. Offer some to Venus.

Notice that a lot of these foods are good for hair and skin. They promote beauty on the inside and the outside!

The Apple, Part II

In folklore, apples have many different powers. These include immortality, eternal youth, love and divination.

On All Hallow's Eve, it is believed that an apple peel thrown over the shoulder will land in the first letter of the name of your suitor. Another method of divining the name of one's suitor is to name apple seeds for each suitor. The apple seeds are then placed on the forehead or cheeks. The last seed to fall represents your love.

As Witches know, the apple has a five-pointed star within. Slice the apple horizontally and place in a cup of warmed apple cider to add a little extra oomph to this warming love potion. Add cinnamon and cloves for extra warmth.

More apple lore from homesteadarts.org:

# The golden apples of the Hesperides were sought by Hercules for their ability to give immortality. In Scandinavia, the perpetual youth apples were kept by Idhunn in Asgard.

# An apple tossed to Conie, son of Conn, by the woman from the Land of the Living provided sustenance to him for a month, but made him long for her and her land, as was her plan.

# Gna, messenger of the Scandinavian Frigga, dropped an apple to King Rerir who ate it with his wife, who then bore a child. Frey sent eleven golden apples to Gerda as a marriage offer.

# The Greek goddess Atalanta was won by a suitor who threw down golden apples to distract her from their race, which he then won.

# An apple in the Arabian Nights cured every ill.

# In Black American folklore, apple-shaped birthmarks can be cured by rubbing with an apple and eating apples.

# In Danish, German, and English folklore, and in voodoo, apples are used as love charms.

# A Danish fairytale uses an apple as a chastity test. The apple fades if the owner is unfaithful.

# Apples are used in divination in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In fact, the custom of diving for apples and catching one on a string is a remnant of druidic divination.

# The Apple of Discord, inscribed For the Fairest, was given by Paris to Aphrodite, causing a quarrel among the goddesses and helping to bring about the Trojan War.


Mulled Cider

1 gallon fresh, unfiltered apple cider
1 orange, washed and sliced
1 apple, washed and sliced horizontally to reveal the star
15 cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh is best)

Pour the cider into a pot and heat on medium-high. Stud the orange slices with cloves. Add the fruit, cinnamon sticks and spices. Simmer on low for 20 minutes. Strain to remove any sediment. Serve with a cinnamon stick in each cup, if desired.

For the adults: Add a touch of rum or brandy.

Food of Love: The Apple

Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Energies: Love, health, peace

Apples have been eaten since the Paleolithic era. To the ancient Egyptians, they were a highly valued food. Baskets of apples were offered to Hapy, the Egyptian god of the Nile. Iduna, a Norse goddess, guarded a store of apples that, when eaten, gave the gift of perpetual youth to the other goddesses and gods. The Yoruba still offer apples to Chango.

Apples are linked with spirituality in the British Isles, particularly with Avalon.

Apples were once rubbed before eaten in order to move the demons or evil spirits that were thought to reside within. The mere smell of a fresh apple was once thought to betwoe longevity and restore physical strength.

For love, carve a heart into the skin of a fresh apple before eating it. Visualize yourself attracting love and being in a loving relationship. Share an apple with your lover. Bake a cinnamon-scented apple pie or drink cold or warm apple cider.

This Samhain, or even Mabon, whip up a batch of love-red candy apples or beautiful, creamy caramel apples to share with loved ones. Inscribe symbols of love into the candy or caramel coating before hardening.

Candy Apples:

8 medium sized apples, preferably one with firm, crisp flesh (Granny Smith is my favorite)
8 wooden sticks
3 cups white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)

Wash and dry the apples. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a wooden stick into the end of each apple. Set apples aside.

Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until a little syrup dropped into cold water separates into breakable threads.

Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and food coloring, if using.

Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it around a little with the stick to coat. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, on a well greased pan.

Repeat with remaining apples. If syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let cool completely before serving.

Variation: Before completely cooled, dip the apples in some heart-shaped sprinkles for love.


Caramel Apples:
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
8-10 wooden sticks
8-10 medium tart apples

Wash and dry the apples, removing any stems. Insert a wooden stick into the end of each apple.

Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 30 to 40 minutes, or until syrup reaches 248 degrees (firm ball stage) on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel mixture, swirling to coat. Set apples on wax paper to cool completely before serving.

Sources: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen
allfreecrafts.com

Winter's Bounty

In the Northern Hemisphere, winter is upon us. Many places are still enjoying mild or warm temperatures, while others are experiencing cold, rain or even snow. Long gone are the fresh, fragrant herbs of summer, the plump juicy fruits and crisp colorful vegetables. What’s a person to do? Surely we can’t be expected to sit in our homes eating uninspiring, lifeless junk food!

Fortunately we have the gift of agriculture to help sustain us, unlike our earlier ancestors, who had to live on preserved foods throughout the long winter months. We know have access to a huge variety of produce all year round. What could be wrong with this? Well, one issue is the fact that certain things just aren’t in season this time of year. Using hothouses to forcibly grow out-of-season produce wields tasteless, inferior products that are nowhere near as lovely or tasty as the fresh, seasonal foods.

Yes, we can go to the freezer section of the grocery store and buy lovely frozen spinach, raspberries, tender peas, and even asparagus. These fruits and veggies were picked at their peak and frozen to preserve their flavor and vitamins. Canned produce is okay too, but the quality isn’t quite as good as frozen. The taste, too can be a bit off-putting. I’ve found that beets, corn and beans are the only veggies that taste okay out of a can. Everything else, to me, tastes like, well, the can.

Happily we can still find fresh fruits and vegetables growing even in winter. Some things may still need to be shipped from one part of the country to the next, or from another country, but at least these things are being harvested while they are in season, as opposed to being grown in a greenhouse somewhere.

What can we eat at Yule? What about at Imbolc? Yule is right around the corner and some of you may already be planning your winter solstice meals. At Yule we celebrate the sun’s returning, This is the longest night of the year, and in some places it is very cold, so we need hearty, satisfying food to give us energy and to ground us after a ritual.

Let us first take a look at what the season offers us in the way of fruits and vegetables. Then we can begin discussing properties of those foods, and ways to prepare them.

Some of the vegetables available in winter include Brussels sprouts, leeks, cabbages, parsnips, sprouting broccoli, and kale. These vegetables pack a nutritional punch, contribute their green hues to the season, and are all protective foods! How nice that so many protective foods are available to us during this dark half of the year. We can begin adding these foods to our diet to fill ourselves and our homes with protective energy.

We also have turnips, rutabagas (I’ve never eaten one of these. Has anyone?), bok choy, artichokes, celery root, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts. Artichokes are also protective. Chestnuts and sweet potatoes are love foods.

Fruits of the season include citrus fruits such as clementines, oranges, blood oranges and grapefruits, as well as kumquats, pears, persimmons (another food I’ve never tried but have seen at the markets here in Istanbul), kiwi, bananas, red grapes, pomegranates, and cranberries.

Citrus fruits are good for purification. Many of the fruits available in the winter are a deep red or orange, the color of the sun we are welcome into our lives again. These fruits make lovely decorations for the altar or the table, as well as a tasty addition to your Sabbat feast.

As you can see, we do not have to have a boring diet in the winter. Even though our bodies crave heavier comfort foods such as thick stews and holiday sweets, we can still incorporate fresh produce as well. The next few posts will discuss ways of using some of winter’s bounty for food, magic, and decoration. We will also continue exploring dark goddesses. Keep reading!

A New Use for Basil

A digestif is a sweet alcoholic infusion served after a meal. It is usually served straight from the freezer. Chow.com is featuring some recipes for these potent little after-dinner numbers, and the one that really caught my attention was the one utilizing basil. Basil, as you know, is used in workings for love, either to draw love or strengthen. Serve this herby drink after a dinner you have cooked for your significant other, to intensify the magic.

Source: www.chow.com

INGREDIENTS
14 large, fresh basil leaves

2 cups grain alcohol, such as Everclear 151 - The instructions say to use Everclear because it intensifies the flavors of the ingredients, but I personally find it much too strong. I would use vodka.

1 1/2 cups Simple Syrup (equal parts sugar and water heated together until the sugar dissolves)

INSTRUCTIONS
Place basil leaves in a 1-quart glass jar with a tightfitting lid, add alcohol, cover, and let steep at room temperature, undisturbed, for 6 days.
After 6 days, remove leaves and add simple syrup. Stir to combine. Store in the freezer.