Ingredients:
Yufka - pastry
Spinach (cooked with onion)
White cheese
Not pictured: BUTTER
Making Borek from Hari Scruff on Vimeo.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Kitchen Witchin': A Video
Here is my feeble attempt at making borek, or something that I hope at least resembles borek.
Ingredients:
Yufka - pastry
Spinach (cooked with onion)
White cheese
Not pictured: BUTTER
Ingredients:
Yufka - pastry
Spinach (cooked with onion)
White cheese
Not pictured: BUTTER
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Dark Goddess Series, Part II - Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga (Baba Ye-gar) is prominently featured in many Russian tales. She is the stereotypical evil witch in appearance, with the long, down-turned nose, pointy chin, and numerous warts. Known also as “Old Bony Legs”, this fearsome hag flies through the air in a mortar, using the pestle to propel herself, and sweeping her tracks with a silver birch broom.
Baba Yaga lives in a house that is perched on chicken feet. The gate around her house is topped with human skulls and she is known as an eater of children. She has a very short temper, yet in some stories she has a helpful side.
She is also the keeper of fire, and the skulls around her home have a fire in each of them. In some stories the fire is green. She has three horsemen – a white rider on a white horse, a red rider on a red horse, and a black rider on a black horse – who represent day, sunrise, and night, respectively.
In one of the more famous stories, a girl named Vasilisa is sent to Baba Yaga by her stepmother. Vasilisa’s mother died some time before, but not before giving her daughter a magical doll. Sent by the stepmother to get coal for the fire, Vasilisa ends up spending several days in Baba Yaga’s house completing tasks such as separating poppy seeds from soot. As in Cinderella, Vasilisa is rewarded and the stepmother and stepsisters are punished in the end.
Vasilisa can be seen as the Maiden who must come into womanhood by completing certain rites of passage –i.e. the tasks Baba Yaga asks her to complete. Baba Yaga herself is, of course, the Crone. She is seen by some as evil, but to others she can be a source of wisdom and help, much as other Crone or dark aspects of the Goddess.
Baba Yaga is the arch-Crone, the wise one, the symbol of the death that we must all face. She is also a symbol of transformation, represented by the mortar and pestle she uses to fly. A mortal and pestle grinds course grains and seeds, wearing them down to reveal the newly transformed material. A poppy seed, for example, is transformed into oil, which is its next phase. So are we transformed through death and rebirth, from one incarnation into the next.
There are so many more things that can be said about this scary woman, but you can look into her information and wisdom on your own time if you wish. Does she really eat children? Is she really as terrifying as she is made out to be? Stories say that those who seek her of their own free will seem to fare better than others. I do not know.
Baba Yaga: The Black Goddess: http://www.mythinglinks.org/BabaYaga.html
More stories of Vasilisa and Marusia: http://www.oldrussia.net/baba.html
Now, if you are in the mood to honor the Crone and her wisdom, you can set aside the 20th of January to honor Baba Yaga/Baba Den, as they do in Bulgaria. Grandmothers, doctors, wise women and others who help bring children into the world are also honored on this day. Children visit and take them flowers.
For Baba Yaga or Baba Den:
Decorate the altar or table with birch branches to represent the broom she uses to sweep away her tracks. If you have a mortar and pestle, place that on the table as well. Burn sandalwood or patchouli incense. Place geraniums on the table and light candles in black, white and red. Do these also if you wish to request her aid in banishing.
Foods:
Banitza – Phyllo pastry with cheese
10-12 sheets phyllo/filo pastry (you can purchase this in the freezer case of the grocery store)
1 lb/500 gr. Brined white cheese, such as a mild feta
½ stick butter, melted
3-4 eggs
1 cup soda water
Pinch of salt
Butter a medium-sized baking dish. Put on a layer of pastry and brush with melted butter. Keep the rest of the pastry sheets covered under a damp cloth so they don’t dry out.
Sprinkle the crumbled white cheese onto the pastry. Cover with another sheet of pastry and repeat the process.
In a bowl whisk together the eggs, salt and soda water. Pour onto the banitza and allow it to soak in.
Bake at about 425 F for approximately 40 minutes, or until the banitza is golden brown and has risen slightly. Allow to cook for 30 minutes before serving.
You can add sautéed spinach to the cheese, or even sautéed cabbage.
Accompany this dish with mushroom stroganoff, buttered poppy seed noodles, and maybe a nice roast chicken with walnut sauce. This menu is a mixture of Bulgarian and Russian recipes, but you could skip the banitza and make (frozen) piroshky instead.
Oh, and don’t forget the vodka.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
After the Darkness, Light
It’s the dark half of the year and seasonal depression is kicking my ass. I could try to fight it but I know I would ultimately lose, so why not just go with the flow? Since I’m in a dark mood, I’ve decided to look at some of the darker aspects of the Goddess and work on dishes to honor them.
We shall begin with Kali, a goddess to whom I have long felt a closeness. Kali, whose name means “black”, is the Hindu goddess of time and change. She has often been looked upon as violent and bloody, and this concept of a goddess of annihilation still carries some influence. However, she is also viewed as a redeemer of the universe, and some new devotees look upon her as a benevolent mother goddess. In reality she is all of these. She is the beginning and the end, the creatrix and the destroyer, the one who births you and the one who removes you from this life.
Kali is the consort of Shiva, upon whose body she is often depicted standing. Kali, in her role of destroyer, became drunk from drinking the blood of the dead and found it impossible to stop her dance of destruction. Mythology tells us that Shiva lay down in front of her in an attempt to stop her. Another version states that Shiva was but an infant when he is sent onto the battlefield to stop her. She ceases her rampage and picks up the infant Shiva to comfort and nurse him. This is Kali in her mother goddess aspect, as aspect which is not as widely recognized in the Western world.
The lesson she has for us is similar to that of other dark goddesses: life cannot exist without death. If we are to accept her blessings in life, we most also face the terrors of the grave. This is an easy concept to pay lip service to, but when you really start thinking about it, or are actually faced with the prospect of meeting Her in death, it becomes quite different. I believe those who truly struggle with certain ailments – mental as well as physical- are closer to this reality than they would like to acknowledge. Suddenly the thought of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth is not so comforting. It becomes a rather frightening concept, or at least one that causes nervousness, discomfort, and worry.
What are we to do, then? We cannot avoid death. Our end is just as inevitable as it has been for everyone else who has walked upon this planet. I think it best to accept the fact that all of us must meet the same fate, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to happen anytime soon.
When I get into one of these dark, introspective moods and over think my own mortality, I find it best to do something to get my mind off things. I hit the kitchen. That’s what kitchen witches do, is it not? In the kitchen I am more at ease and am able to release some of my anxiety and some of my thoughts of the cold lonely grave and embrace life and joy through cooking.
When I want to open myself up to Kali, to receive any wisdom she wishes to pass my way, I cook up some Indian food. One of my favorite dishes is rajma masala, which is full of ingredients that are ruled by the element of fire. Fire is a good representation of Kali, as it an element that can destroy and purify at the same time.
*Note: Followers of Jainism and Vaishnavism , as well as devotees of Krishna, do not use onions and garlic. Instead, they use asafetida. As far as I know, Kali has no problem with onions and garlic.
Rajma Masala
2 cups kidney beans, soaked over night
Water
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon each finely chopped/grated ginger
1-2 tablespoons finely minced garlic 1
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon asafetida powder, optional
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped, or one small can
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves for garnish
Cook the kidney beans until they are soft. Some recipes recommend a pressure cooker but most people don’t have these. You’re more than welcome to use canned kidney beans, which most people can get. They’re safer. If you’re using canned beans, use two large cans.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the cumin seeds and let them sputter for a minute. Add the bay leaves, asafetida (if using), garlic and ginger. Stir-fry so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the onions and fry until lightly golden. Add the rest of the spices except the garam masala. Add the tomatoes. Fry for 5-6 more minutes.
Add the beans and either a ladleful or two of the cooking water, or a 2 cups of regular water. Add salt to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the garam masala last. Cover and turn the heat to low. Let the dish simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with Basmati rice.
Offer some of this with a prayer of thanks for life. Offer up your apprehensions regarding mortality and ask for a deeper understanding of the cycle. Breathe in the aroma of garlic, onion, and chili and visualize the dish’s ingredients warming you and revitalizing you.
Light flame-colored candles and decorate the table with marigolds or other golden flowers. Share this meal with your loved ones and know that this darkness will pass.
Suggested music
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
Traditional Indian music
http://www.raaga.com/channels/sanskrit/moviedetail.asp?mid=S0000025
We shall begin with Kali, a goddess to whom I have long felt a closeness. Kali, whose name means “black”, is the Hindu goddess of time and change. She has often been looked upon as violent and bloody, and this concept of a goddess of annihilation still carries some influence. However, she is also viewed as a redeemer of the universe, and some new devotees look upon her as a benevolent mother goddess. In reality she is all of these. She is the beginning and the end, the creatrix and the destroyer, the one who births you and the one who removes you from this life.
Kali is the consort of Shiva, upon whose body she is often depicted standing. Kali, in her role of destroyer, became drunk from drinking the blood of the dead and found it impossible to stop her dance of destruction. Mythology tells us that Shiva lay down in front of her in an attempt to stop her. Another version states that Shiva was but an infant when he is sent onto the battlefield to stop her. She ceases her rampage and picks up the infant Shiva to comfort and nurse him. This is Kali in her mother goddess aspect, as aspect which is not as widely recognized in the Western world.
The lesson she has for us is similar to that of other dark goddesses: life cannot exist without death. If we are to accept her blessings in life, we most also face the terrors of the grave. This is an easy concept to pay lip service to, but when you really start thinking about it, or are actually faced with the prospect of meeting Her in death, it becomes quite different. I believe those who truly struggle with certain ailments – mental as well as physical- are closer to this reality than they would like to acknowledge. Suddenly the thought of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth is not so comforting. It becomes a rather frightening concept, or at least one that causes nervousness, discomfort, and worry.
What are we to do, then? We cannot avoid death. Our end is just as inevitable as it has been for everyone else who has walked upon this planet. I think it best to accept the fact that all of us must meet the same fate, but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to happen anytime soon.
When I get into one of these dark, introspective moods and over think my own mortality, I find it best to do something to get my mind off things. I hit the kitchen. That’s what kitchen witches do, is it not? In the kitchen I am more at ease and am able to release some of my anxiety and some of my thoughts of the cold lonely grave and embrace life and joy through cooking.
When I want to open myself up to Kali, to receive any wisdom she wishes to pass my way, I cook up some Indian food. One of my favorite dishes is rajma masala, which is full of ingredients that are ruled by the element of fire. Fire is a good representation of Kali, as it an element that can destroy and purify at the same time.
*Note: Followers of Jainism and Vaishnavism , as well as devotees of Krishna, do not use onions and garlic. Instead, they use asafetida. As far as I know, Kali has no problem with onions and garlic.
Rajma Masala
2 cups kidney beans, soaked over night
Water
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon each finely chopped/grated ginger
1-2 tablespoons finely minced garlic 1
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon asafetida powder, optional
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons red chili powder
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped, or one small can
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves for garnish
Cook the kidney beans until they are soft. Some recipes recommend a pressure cooker but most people don’t have these. You’re more than welcome to use canned kidney beans, which most people can get. They’re safer. If you’re using canned beans, use two large cans.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Add the cumin seeds and let them sputter for a minute. Add the bay leaves, asafetida (if using), garlic and ginger. Stir-fry so the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the onions and fry until lightly golden. Add the rest of the spices except the garam masala. Add the tomatoes. Fry for 5-6 more minutes.
Add the beans and either a ladleful or two of the cooking water, or a 2 cups of regular water. Add salt to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the garam masala last. Cover and turn the heat to low. Let the dish simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with Basmati rice.
Offer some of this with a prayer of thanks for life. Offer up your apprehensions regarding mortality and ask for a deeper understanding of the cycle. Breathe in the aroma of garlic, onion, and chili and visualize the dish’s ingredients warming you and revitalizing you.
Light flame-colored candles and decorate the table with marigolds or other golden flowers. Share this meal with your loved ones and know that this darkness will pass.
Suggested music
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
Traditional Indian music
http://www.raaga.com/channels/sanskrit/moviedetail.asp?mid=S0000025
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Samhain and El Dia de los Muertos
Skull of sugar,
Bone of bread,
We offer these gifts
To our beloved dead
I hope everyone had a lovely Samhain. I suppose greetings for the new year are in order. Today is also El Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead. This festival coincides with the Catholic festivals of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which occur on November 1 and 2, respectively. On this day families in Mexico visit the graves of loved ones. The graves are cleaned and decorated with fresh flowers. Marigolds are traditional.
Altars, or ofrendas, are constructed. These will hold a variety of objects including flowers, candles, figures of the Virgin Mary, pictures of the deceased, and the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased. Candy or small toys might be added for children. Offerings of food are also taken to the graves.
Popular symbols of this day are the calacas – skulls made of pressed sugar that are brightly decorated. This is not a festival of grief and sadness; it is a celebration of life and of the end we must all face. La Catrina is another common symbol. José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure that he called "La Calavera de la Catrina" ("calavera of the female dandy"), which quickly became a popular figure.
Traditional foods and beverages include atole, tequila or pulque, tamales and Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead). The bread is often decorated with bones made from dough.
Many of you may have remembered your ancestors in ritual last night, while some of you may choose to continue the observances through November 2. Last year I posted a recipe for Pan de Muerto. For those of you who prefer a different approach, I offer the recipe for Rosemary Remembrance cookies.
Rosemary, as many of you know, is an herb used in purification. It is also good for remembrance. Rosemary is also used for healing and love, making it the ideal herb for this time of year and for the remembrance of those who have passed through the veil.
You can make shortbread cookies with rosemary, but this recipe is more of a sugar cookie. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to give the cookies human form, or use animal shapes if remembering pets/familiars.
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine (non-hydrogenated), at room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional; use 2 tsp. vanilla if not using almond)
1-2 teaspoons very finely minced rosemary
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla/almond extract. Mix well. Add in the flour slowly and mix on low speed (if not mixing by hand) until dough starts to come together. Sprinkle in the rosemary and gently fold in.
Divide the dough into two rounds and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375. Unwrap the dough on a floured table or counter. Work with half the dough at a time. Keep the other half in the fridge to stay cool. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough. Cut out your people and animal shapes, as well as pumpkins, skulls, bats, or any other shapes you desire. Place the cookies onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Give them room to bake by placing them about ½ inch apart.
Bake the cookies 6-8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container if you do not use/eat them all.
Bone of bread,
We offer these gifts
To our beloved dead
I hope everyone had a lovely Samhain. I suppose greetings for the new year are in order. Today is also El Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Dead. This festival coincides with the Catholic festivals of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which occur on November 1 and 2, respectively. On this day families in Mexico visit the graves of loved ones. The graves are cleaned and decorated with fresh flowers. Marigolds are traditional.
Altars, or ofrendas, are constructed. These will hold a variety of objects including flowers, candles, figures of the Virgin Mary, pictures of the deceased, and the favorite foods and drinks of the deceased. Candy or small toys might be added for children. Offerings of food are also taken to the graves.
Popular symbols of this day are the calacas – skulls made of pressed sugar that are brightly decorated. This is not a festival of grief and sadness; it is a celebration of life and of the end we must all face. La Catrina is another common symbol. José Guadalupe Posada created a famous print of a figure that he called "La Calavera de la Catrina" ("calavera of the female dandy"), which quickly became a popular figure.
Traditional foods and beverages include atole, tequila or pulque, tamales and Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead). The bread is often decorated with bones made from dough.
Many of you may have remembered your ancestors in ritual last night, while some of you may choose to continue the observances through November 2. Last year I posted a recipe for Pan de Muerto. For those of you who prefer a different approach, I offer the recipe for Rosemary Remembrance cookies.
Rosemary, as many of you know, is an herb used in purification. It is also good for remembrance. Rosemary is also used for healing and love, making it the ideal herb for this time of year and for the remembrance of those who have passed through the veil.
You can make shortbread cookies with rosemary, but this recipe is more of a sugar cookie. Use gingerbread men cookie cutters to give the cookies human form, or use animal shapes if remembering pets/familiars.
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine (non-hydrogenated), at room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional; use 2 tsp. vanilla if not using almond)
1-2 teaspoons very finely minced rosemary
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla/almond extract. Mix well. Add in the flour slowly and mix on low speed (if not mixing by hand) until dough starts to come together. Sprinkle in the rosemary and gently fold in.
Divide the dough into two rounds and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375. Unwrap the dough on a floured table or counter. Work with half the dough at a time. Keep the other half in the fridge to stay cool. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough. Cut out your people and animal shapes, as well as pumpkins, skulls, bats, or any other shapes you desire. Place the cookies onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Give them room to bake by placing them about ½ inch apart.
Bake the cookies 6-8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container if you do not use/eat them all.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Hat!
The hat I won from Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween arrived yesterday. It's so freaking cute! I wore it to my first class. :) Thanks to Irish at www.bratboutique.net for making such an awesome witch hat! I absolutely love it.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Non-food Crafties
As I've stated before, finding anything that could pass as a Halloween decoration isn't easy to do in a country that doesn't know much about Halloween. Sometimes this works out because if you have time and are creative, you can make some pretty groovy things on your own. I, however, am not terribly artistic or skilled, lack patience and definitely lack the time and organization for larger projects. That and I'm just really, really bad at following directions. Some sort of temporary dyslexia takes over, I swear.
Anyway, a site that I really like is The Anti Craft (www.theanticraft.com). Many of the projects on the site involve knitting, which I cannot do, but there are other projects as well. The archives are grouped together by Sabbats. Scrolling through the Samhain archives, I came across a project that takes cheap, mass-produced badly-painted figurines from the dollar store and turns them into creepy works of art.
Example:
Exhibit A is a badly-painted magnet from a cheap store in town. The picture isn't very good but the lighting kind of sucks. The magnet is stuck to the can of black spray paint that I used to cover the peaches-and-cream flesh of this happy couple on their special day.
A little black spray paint and some ceramic or acrylic paint is all it takes to turn that into this:
Isn't that better? Well, the photograph isn't, but the results are. I started repainting nativity scenes while I was home for the summer and plan to finish the next time I get to the U.S.
Anyway, a site that I really like is The Anti Craft (www.theanticraft.com). Many of the projects on the site involve knitting, which I cannot do, but there are other projects as well. The archives are grouped together by Sabbats. Scrolling through the Samhain archives, I came across a project that takes cheap, mass-produced badly-painted figurines from the dollar store and turns them into creepy works of art.
Example:
Exhibit A is a badly-painted magnet from a cheap store in town. The picture isn't very good but the lighting kind of sucks. The magnet is stuck to the can of black spray paint that I used to cover the peaches-and-cream flesh of this happy couple on their special day.
A little black spray paint and some ceramic or acrylic paint is all it takes to turn that into this:
Isn't that better? Well, the photograph isn't, but the results are. I started repainting nativity scenes while I was home for the summer and plan to finish the next time I get to the U.S.
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