Venison

If you search for information on the deer as a totem animal, you will find possibly as many interpretations as there are actual deer in the forest. Some claim that the deer represents innocence, while others say it symbolizes perception. Still others will opine that the deer as a totem animal symbolizes familial relationships.

Deer are graceful animal, nimble and agile as they travel through the forests (and sometimes stray into people’s yards) in search of food. Fawns are especially sweet with their dappled coats meant to mimic the sun-speckled undergrowth. They seem like very docile creatures, but adults can be rather aggressive, especially when protecting territory or young. Growing up in the Mountain State taught me a few lessons about these ‘forest children’, as my uncle calls them.

The deer that we North Americans know is not the same one that is sacred to the Celts, but both species can bestow their gifts upon us. If you’re a die-hard fan of Bambi, you may not wish to read any further. Where I come from, the week of Thanksgiving is also the first week of deer hunting season. Many counties close schools for the entire week because they know many people will be getting up before dawn to vest themselves in camouflage gear and blaze orange caps and vests in order to traipsing through the forest in search of deer.

Deer is a valuable food source for many people. In fact, some food banks set up programs to allow people to donate extra meat in order to feed those without. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, including jerky, which keeps forever. It’s a low-fat, high-protein food source. Some hunters say they are “thinning the numbers” so the animals do not starve in the winter. That’s fine, as long as the meat is used. It is a terrible insult to the spirit of the animal to hunt it only for its antlers or head.

If we look at all of the different totem information given for the deer, I think we can safely come up with some associations for this animal. Most sources mention a deer’s ability to detect subtle movements and noises. Deer may help us strengthen awareness of our surroundings, as well as psychic awareness. Another source claims that people who have a deer totem may have clairvoyant abilities, so to me it makes sense that having some representation of this animal (a knife with an antler handle, a small piece of skin that was taken with respect, etc.) may help you with meditations or strengthening your subconscious.

Some practitioners of magic believe that one’s psychic abilities are dulled by the consumption of animal flesh. Again, this is a personal belief and it is your personal decision. I believe it is entirely possible to strengthen one’s subconscious mind and eat meat if you wish. If deer is your totem animal, you may abstain from eating the flesh of the animal as well. Again, it is entirely up to you.

You may have other ideas and associations for this animal, or for any of the foods that have been and will be discussed here. If you do, please share them with me. I would love to hear your opinions. Also, let me know if you feel I've left out anything important!


Here are mine:

DeerPlanet: Mercury
Element: Air
Energies: the conscious and unconscious mind, divination, strength (of the unconscious mind as well)

And now I present to you another Two Fat Ladies recipe: Venison Medallions with Bramble (Blackberry) Jelly

• 2-3 Medallions of venison per person
• Unsmoked streaky bacon; cut
• Seasoned flour
• Bramble jelly or blackberry

• Sugar
• Meat stock
• Sour cream
• Salt
• Black pepper; Freshly Ground

Fry enough bacon very gently to extract enough fat to fry the medallions. Remove the bacon. Put enough well-seasoned flour into a plastic bag and toss the venison in it: remove and lay on some greaseproof paper. Heat the bacon fat and fry the meat on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, turning frequently. Put them in a warmed dish with a teaspoon of jelly on each medallion and keep warm while you make the sauce. If you are using blackberries instead of jelly, cook them lightly in a little red wine and sugar to taste. Spoon over the medallions as for the jelly. Depending on how much you are cooking, add enough of the stock to the pan. Boil briskly, stirring all the juices together. When it starts to look syrupy, mix in enough sour cream to make a rich sauce. Adjust the seasoning. Pour over the venison.
Serve with buttered noodles and a green vegetable.

Something else I should say

Early this morning I realized something that I left out of my first post on meat and its significance. These days, much of the meat we consume is raised on factory farms. The animals may receive growth hormones, antibiotics, and bits of other animals as food. They are also not treated very kindly. That is enough to steer (no pun intended) people away from red meat and sometimes even poultry.

If you wish to avoid meat for ethical or health reasons, or for magical reasons, again that is fine. However, it is entirely possible to be an omnivore and practice magic effectively, as stated by Scott Cunningham and as opined by me. It's a personal decision, and only you can make that decision for yourselves.

The point of this follow-up is to discuss some health and environmental issues. For the first time in decades, people are becoming more aware of where their food comes from. People are more interested now. They do not want their children to grow up thinking meat comes from plastic-wrapped polystyrene trays in the grocery store. Unfortunately, where most of our food comes from tends to make some people uncomfortable, due to the somewhat shady practices of the factory farm and the uncleaniless of many slaughterhouses.

Moreover, many people are concerned about the hormones present in the meat we consume. Some say that the hormones in beef and cow's milk cause our girls to go into puberty at an earlier age. The truth is, girls are going through puberty because we are heavier these days. We have more body fat. We get estrogen from milk, more when the cow is pregnant.

Some people think organic is the answer for health and the environment. This isn't always so. It certainly isn't very cost-effective . I am not trying to urge people to spend their hard-earned money on organic foods. I am, however, trying to urge people into buying not only local produce, but also local meat. If you are fortunate enough to have a local butcher, visit him/her instead of going to the biggest superstore. If you can buy organic, free-range meats, by all means, do so. Buying Kosher meat is also another option, but it is always more expensive . It can also get wasteful, as the rabbi can reject many of the animals.

Just buy locally when you can. If you are lucky enough to know people who raise meat, buy from them. If you have the space, time and money to raise an animal or two, even better. You're assured of the quality of the feed and the animal's surroundings, and if you can't face butchering, you can always hire a professional. Eat locally, buy from places that treat their animals well, and remember to thank the spirit of the animal who has given its life so you may eat.

Rabbit

Don't say, "Awwww"! Say, "Mmmm!"

Once again I refer to Cunningham’s encyclopedia to discuss foods that he recommends be added to a fertility diet. If there are no fertility problems present, adding some of the following foods to your diet could help you and your partner conceive.

Fig
Grape
Mulberry
Pomegranate
Barley
Eggs (natch)
Egg breads
Hazelnut
Hot-cross buns
Milk
Poppy seed
Rice
Sesame
Watercress

Each of these foods is ruled by a different planet and element. Some carry fertility energies, while other carry energies for passion or sex – a necessary action when looking to conceive. Since I’m currently working on a series about the magical uses of meats, I would like to add a very obvious food to the list – rabbit!

I have no doubt that you are all familiar with expressions such as “breeding like rabbits”, among others, and with good reason! Rabbits and eggs are used as symbols of Easter and Ostara because they carry strong connotations of fertility and birth. Rabbits are prolific breeders and they come in more than just chocolate and marshmallow form.

I know, I know, many of you have kept rabbits as pets or known someone who had a soft, fluffy, cute little bunny as a pet. Some of you may not be able to imagine eating one, but honestly rabbit is a lean, delicious meat. My parents raised New Zealand Whites once upon a time, and may do so again. Rabbit isn’t as exotic as it might sound. In fact, many grocery stores carry rabbit in the frozen food section, so you don’t need to don your hunter’s cap and your best Elmer Fudd accent and hunt your own “wabbits”; you can simply purchase a nice, faceless box of rabbit meat from your local market. Better yet, check your newspaper’s classified ads or pick up a community bulletin board and see if you can’t support a local breeder.

Here are my associations for rabbit.

Planet: Moon (yes, I’m aware it isn’t a planet)
Element: Water
Rune: Berkano (18th rune; birch goddess; breasts of the goddess; fertility)
Energies: Fertility, of course!


The following recipe is one that I originally saw in a Two Fat Ladies cookbook . Jennifer Paterson stated that the recipe was most likely intended for guinea pig, but rabbit is used in this version. If you live in Peru or Ecuador, however, feel free to substitute cuy (guinea pig).


Conejo en Salsa de Chocolate (Rabbit in Chocolate Sauce)

Ingredients:
2 Rabbits, about 2 1/2 pounds each
1 cup Olive oil
2 cloves Garlic cloves, peeled, minced
3 cups Finely chopped onion
1 cup Finely chopped stringed celery
1 Carrot, peeled, grated
1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon Ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
1 cup Port
3 Morcilla (black) sausages, peeled, chopped (omit these if you cannot find them or are put off by black/blood pudding)
2 ounces Unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup All-purpose flour
8 cups Chicken stock (or water)
1 tablespoon Coarse salt
3 tablespoons Chopped fresh cilantro

Wipe rabbits inside and out with a damp cloth. Remove and set aside kidneys and hearts. Cut each rabbit into 3 sections: hind legs, loin and front legs; separate legs, leaving loin in 1 piece.

Heat olive oil in a saute pan; add rabbit and saute over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until brown on all sides, turning frequently. Set aside.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup oil from pan. Add garlic and onions and saute over medium heat, stirring, until onions start to turn golden, about 10 minutes.

Add celery, carrot, cloves, cardamom and cayenne. Add port, stir and cook until evaporated. Add sausages and cook 1 minute.

Add chocolate, stir, sprinkle flour on top and cook another minute, stirring. Add 3 cups stock and the salt; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Lower heat; simmer about 25 minutes, until thickened, stirring now and then. Add remaining stock and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Add rabbit and giblets. Lower heat to minimum, cover, and cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes, stirring now and then and scraping bottom of pan, or until rabbit is tender and sauce is enriched and has thickened again.

Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve. (Serves 6)

Meat Consumption and Magic

(It was hard to come up with a title that didn't sound...adult. *L*)

Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen (a favorite resource of mine), has the following to say concerning vegetarianism:
“We’re all separate, distinct persons, connected with the rest of our fellow creatures and with the universe, and yet apart. No one diet is correct for everyone, just as no single type of haircut, food, or religions is suitable for all. “

He goes on to state that some people feel that adhering to a strict vegetarian diet is essential in order to practice magic. However, he also write, “ If you’re vegetarian because you feel that it’s the only way in which you can achieve any form of spiritual enlightenment, fine. If you’re vegetarian because you’ve decided that you can’t practice magic if you eat meat, again, fine. But others can make alternate decisions. They can decide to be omnivores, achieve spiritual enlightenment, and still successfully practice magic. Neither position, once again, is correct for all.”

I agree with Scott Cunningham on this. I do not believe that a person or group of people is morally, intellectually, or spiritually superior to another person or group of people because of their diet. His book, though, does not include information on meat that walks upon the earth. There is a section on food from the seas and rivers, but nothing concerning beef, pork, poultry, or game.

He lists several reasons for this. One, meat was and still is very scarce in some parts of the world. Two, many practitioners of magic are vegetarians, and he wanted his book to be useful to all people. The third reason he lists is the fact that there isn’t much ritual or magical information available regarding meat. In researching information for his book, he found very few references to meat.

I am an omnivore, a Pagan, and the occasional practitioner of magic. I may not do a lot of spell work, per se, but I use the magic of cooking and prayer in my daily life. After going through the Encyclopedia or Wicca in the Kitchen for the twentieth time (at least), I started to think about meat and its significance in the world of ritual and magic.

Meat has long been prepared and eaten for special occasions, such as marriages and harvest celebrations. What, then, is its importance? We know it’s a source of protein, iron and fat, along with B vitamins, all of which are important to us. Nowadays we have alternate sources, but many years ago meat provided essential nutrition and it was consumed when available, and often preserved by salting and drying.

Brahmins ate beef around 1000 B.C.E.. The veneration of the cow as a sacred animal did not begin in India until about 2000 years ago. The cow, a producer of meat, milk, and leather, is seen as sacred because of the life-sustaining gifts which it bestows upon us. Beef, like other forms of meat, was and still is a luxury item to many.

If we look at the Runes, Fehu is said to represent the horns of cattle. It is a symbol of cattle and wealth. For this reason I associate beef (and some other forms of meat which we will discuss later) as such:

Element: Earth
Symbol: Fehu
Energies: Prosperity

A simple, inexpensive cut of meat can be used in prosperity magic. A tough cut of meat can be prepared in a crock pot, cooked slowly for hours until it becomes tender. Before cooking, inscribe the rune Fehu into the meat and visualize what you need, be it a better job, employment in general, or simply more money coming in. Picture how your life will change once you have extra income and are able to pay off your student loans, your mortgage, whatever.

Some sample dishes that combine prosperity ingredients would be sesame beef, beef served with leafy greens such as spinach or cabbage (stuffed cabbage would be ideal, just trace the rune into the air over the ground meat, or visibly mark it before mixing), or pasta with meat sauce made with tomatoes, basil and parsley.

Stay tuned for most posts involving different meats including poultry, pork and game. I would also associate pork with prosperity energy.

Music to Cook By

Since today is Lammas, the song that is on my mind is "John Barleycorn". I am tempted to get into the kitchen and make a couple nice loaves of bread, but I've no one with whom to share them. I can't eat a lot of bread due to my lap band. Some days I can eat it, and some days I can't. I'll save a piece of the whole wheat bread that came with my Turkish breakfast (ordering a Turkish breakfast is my Saturday indulgence) for a simple solitary ritual this evening.

Getting back to music, I would like to know how many of you have to have music in the background when you're in the kitchen. I have to have something on in the background, be it music or a film, but I prefer music.

Do you listen to specific music when you're making specific foods? For example, do you listen to salsa music when preparing Mexican food? Opera or the soundtrack of "Goodfellas" when making Italian food?

If I'm making Indian food, I either listen to chants, or "Concert for George" because there is a lovely Indian music section in the beginning. George loved all things Indian, so just listening to his songs always helps set the mood for me.

Remember that you can purify your working area through SOUND as well as the smoke from your censer. Music that has a calming effect will help when making foods that are associated with peace. Making a romantic dinner? Put the love songs on while you're cooking it! Or listen to something sexy. If you want to create a lot of energy, put on some music with a good bit. Yes, you can dance and cook at the same time. I won't tell! ;)

What's on your cooking soundtrack? I'm putting the finishing touches on one and will share it as soon as I get it ready. I normally just go to www.playlist.com and put together lists to save and stream through the computer. Let me know what you're listening to in the kitchen.

No article, exactly, but a link

Here is a link to an article about America's growing obsession with being gluten-free. I happen to know several people who prefer to avoid wheat because they believe it causes everything from dyslexia to mood swings. I roll my eyes a lot. Yes, I know that people with Celiac Disease must avoid all gluten, but true Celiac sufferers are rather low in number.

http://www.slate.com/id/2223745/


I have some posts in the works, so stay tuned.