SUMAC: RHUS CORIANA: HOW TO USE SUMAC: SUMAC DRINK RECIPE

SUMAC, RHUS CORIANA

Sumac grows wild in many parts of the world and has different botanical names depending on the species. Rhus coriana is native to Sicily, Southern Italy and parts of the Middle East, notably Iran, and can also be found in Greece. It has been cultivated for centuries for its bitter astringent taste and has been employed in the tanning industry.

   The name sumac comes from the Aramaic word “summaq” meaning dark red, the colour of the crushed berries. In Greek it is called summaki, and is added to hummus. The colour of crushed sumac is rather similar to that of saffron, and should not be confused with it.

  Sumac berries grow in clusters on bushes and can be used fresh or dried. They are used extensively in Arabic cuisine instead of lemon juice and can often be found in shakers to be sprinkled on yoghurt for kebabs and to flavour rice. It can also be used in salads or cooked with meat in sauces, as Dioscorides recommended in the 1^st century AD. He used it as medicine to treat bowel problems and as a diuretic. In 1597 Gerard the herbalist wrote of it; - “The seed of Sumach eaten in sauces with meat, stoppeth all manner of fluxes in the belly…” and it is still used in traditional medicine to cure such problems, including flatulence.

   There are several sumacs which are native to North America including poison ivy, Rhus toxicodendron which should be avoided as it causes a painful skin rash. Others are Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina and Rhus aromatica. Native Americans used the berries, dried as food for the winter months and also used the leaves, bark, milky sap and roots in medicine. Not only does it act as a diuretic, but it has antibacterial properties so is good for getting rid of yeast infections such as candida (thrush). It can also help to dry out the sinuses if you have a cold, and improve the circulation of the blood as it has antioxidant properties. This means that it can protect from cardiovascular diseases.

   In ancient Rome and in Italy today, the berries are boiled in water, drained and then pressed to extract the essential oils. These are then mixed with oil or vinegar and stored to be used over salads.

   In traditional medicine sumac has been used to cure nervous tension, tension headaches, and mental fatigue.

  You can find sumac and thyme in labni, a cheese made in the Middle East from yoghurt.

A word of warning: - if you are allergic to mangoes, cashews, or pistachios avoid eating sumac. If you are not sure test it by putting a little of the drink below onto your skin. If a rash doesn’t develop within 15 minutes, you should have no problems.

SUMAC DRINK

Ingredients

10 clusters of sumac berries

1 pint of boiling water

honey to taste

Method

Pour the boiling water over the berries and let them stand for 15 minutes. Squeeze the berries to extract all the juice and strain. Sweeten with honey to taste.

For a drink containing less tannin, soak the berries in cold water overnight.

This is good for stomach complaints.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS KHUS? VETIVER: ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS

VETIVER, KHUS, CHRYSOPOGON ZIZANIOIDES

Vetiver is known as khus in Urdu and is grown for a variety of purpose. It is native to Asia and gets its name from Tamil. In Sri Lanka the oil of vetiver, (Vetiveria zizanoides) is known as the oil of tranquility.

   It is a tall grass plant and the grass is used to make baskets, and other woven hand produced products. It grows in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Indian subcontinent, Japan, Haiti, China and Thailand. There are several projects in these areas which were initiated to stop soil erosion and to protect the land as well as to provide rural people with a livelihood from making items from the roots and grasses. The roots are valued for the essential oil they produce, which commands a high price in the perfume industry. It is also used in traditional medicines. It is reputed to have calming properties and can be used as a sedative, but it is especially useful for women’s reproductive health as it helps keep menstruation regular and painless. It also helps to promote fertility. In Ayurvedic medicine it is used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism and muscle pains and sprains. It is reputed to have antiseptic, antispasmodic, and vermifuge properties and to help cure insomnia and nervous tension. It is also used to treat fungal growths on the skin, such as ringworm.

   The roots are particularly valuable, not just for the essential oil that can be extracted from them but also because they can be used to construct dwellings and to make blinds and screens as well as handbags and fans. Women in Asia love these fans because they act as insect repellents as well as keeping the user cool.

   While still in the soil the roots help it by absorbing water but maintaining the moisture levels in it and by absorbing toxins from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, so restoring the soil to a more healthy state. They can also be used in insect repellents and in sprays to freshen rooms.

   Just like the prickly pear cactus in Turkey, vetiver can help prevent soil erosion and is planted as a hedge for this purpose now.

   The leaves are used to make handicrafts and as fodder for animals, for strewing on the floor of animal pens and stables, and they are also used as thatching material. They make excellent fibre for making paper and are also used for growing mushrooms and as compost material.

  In some parts of Asia brides are traditionally anointed and blessed with vetiver oil before their wedding ceremonies, and in Russia coats would contain sachets of vetiver to retain body heat. In the Middle Ages vetiver was mixed with lime and rosewood as perfume.

   Today oil of vetiver, which is woody and earthy, as you might expect from a grass root oil, and is mixed with jasmine, lavender, rosewood or geranium for use in aromatherapy.

SWEDE ( BRASSICA NAPUS): HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWEDE USES AND HISTORY: BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES ( TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH RECIPE)

SWEDE (BRASSICA NAPUS)

I hadn’t realized that swedes were the subject of some confusion in the English-speaking world. They come from the same family as turnips and look like giant ones, but whereas turnips have white flesh, a peeled swede has a golden yellow flesh. These vegetables are known as rutabaga in the States but they are not genetically the same, it would seem.

   The rutabaga has 38 chromosomes, the swede 18 or 19 and the turnip 10. This information isn’t much use when buying a swede, but that’s the difference between them. Even in Britain now, people confuse swede and turnips and that is a little hard to understand. However it could have something to do with the Scots who call swedes “neeps”. They are served at Burn’s Night banquets with tatties (potatoes) and haggis.

    No one seems to be able to say for certain where the Swede originated, but the US name rutabaga comes from the Swedish name for this vegetable “rottabaggar,” meaning “turnip cabbage” It is believed by some that the swede came from Bohemia (Eastern Europe) in the 17^th century, but the English name would rather suggest that it came from Sweden. It might be a cross between kale and a turnip, hence the name “cabbage turnip” In 1768 a Mr. Reynolds was given “a Bounty of Fifty Pounds … for his introduction of the turnep rooted cabbage not heretofore made use (of) in this Country”, by the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in Britain, now called The Royal Society of Arts.

    The swede was first described in detail by a Swiss botanist in 1620 and there are references to what were probably swedes in the late Middle Ages.

cut swede

   Like other members of the Brassica family which includes broccoli and brussel sprouts, the swede is good for your health. It contains high levels of potassium, which helps prevent cardiovascular disease and lowers blood pressure. The fibre content in swedes will relieve constipation and they are also a mild diuretic. They contain vitamins  C, E and K, as well as the B-complex ones, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, B6, folate, traces of selenium, pantothenic acid, choline, folate, phosphorous, magnesium, copper, zinc and are high in calcium. They also have Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. The young leaves are high in vitamin A and calcium and can be cooked as you would cabbage and eaten as a vegetable. When boiled they are a very good source of vitamin C.

   If you have kidney problems you should avoid eating swedes, but otherwise they are good for milk production in breast-feeding mothers, improve stamina and digestion, asthma and lower incidences of bruising. They also lower the risk of cataracts forming in the eyes. Because they contain both zinc and thiamin they are good for erectile dysfunctions too, although they are not well-known for their aphrodisiac properties!

   You can eat them boiled and then mixed with walnuts, raisins and honey, as they have a sweet taste. You cut them in cubes and boil in salted water for about 20 minutes. You can roast them too: parboil them (cubed and peeled) then toss in sunflower oil and roast for 45 mins in a moderate oven, or parboil them and put them around roasting meat, covering them with the meat juices. They are good mashed with carrots, turnips, potatoes and butter, or with any of those vegetables, singly. You can also add them to soups and they are especially good with turnips, carrots and parsnips

bashed neeps, tatties and carrots

BASHED NEEPS AND TATTIES

Ingredients

½ kg swede, peeled and cubed and boiled for 20 mins in salted water

¾ kg potatoes, boiled

40 gr butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Strain the potatoes and swede and mash together with butter, salt and pepper.

Serve with meat of your choice.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT ARE CHILGOZA? BIG PINE NUTS FROM PINUS GERARDIANA: HOW TO MAKE KISH MISH

CHILGOZA, PINE NUTS, (PINUS GERARDIANA.WALL)

Chilgoza pine nuts come from the Chilgoza pine tree which is found in the north western Himalayan region. Its range extends from Garhwal to Baluchistan in Pakistan and on to Afghanistan, and is mainly found in the upper valleys of the rivers Chennai, Ravi and Sutlej, at altitudes of between 5500 and 9000 feet. It is a hardy tree which can withstand cold and drought and requires little soil, so it is extremely valuable to the ecology of hilly regions as it helps prevent erosion. It has little commercial value for its timber, but can be used as fuel, which is why Chilgoza forests are being depleted. There are initiatives to replant trees that have been felled, and an educational program which is intended to promote the conservation of the trees in Himachal Pradesh in India and in the Suleiman mountain range of Pakistan. Chilgoza are exported all over the world.

    The seed is cylindrical and 2 to 3 centimetres long, with a dark brown outer skin, which has to be removed before eating. This is used by small children to make “windmills” with thin pieces of tree bark or twigs. They blow on the skin to make it turn like a fan. The seeds contain palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids and contain the minerals calcium, phosphorous and iron, mainly. They also contain vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). The tree exudes an oleoresin when tapped which is a good source of turpentine oil. In the subcontinent the pine nuts are used as a general tonic, a nutrient and an aphrodisiac, as they reputedly increase a man’s sperm count and help with erection problems. They are used to treat chronic arthritis, taken with honey, and are stimulants, and help with the treatment of a number of skin problems including ringworm, acne, eczema and dry skin. The seed oil is used as a dressing for sores, and wounds. The cones contain a white resin which is used to patch up wooden containers. The bark of the tree is used to make baskets and buckets as is the bark of the Shahtoot mulberry tree.

   Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is also found in other nuts such as almonds, pistachios and walnuts and is good for growth and the production of red blood cells. It promotes healthy skin and hair, the liver’s functions and good vision, reducing the risks of cataracts forming. It is an antioxidant and so neutralises free radicals in the body and helps prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer.

    Vitamin B3, (niacin) improves the sex hormones and cortisone, thyroxin and insulin levels in the body and also promotes a sense of well-being. It is also a memory booster. It also helps to lower blood pressure and promotes the flow of blood in the body. Other sources of riboflavin are peanuts, turnips and sunflower seeds.

     You can add Chilgoza or other pine nuts to the rice in our biryani recipe, or try this one below.

KISH MISH

Ingredients

100 gr peanuts, skins removed

100gr dried coconut, cut into small slivers

6 whole walnuts (remove them from the shell and chop)

100 gr Chilgoza with skin removed

200 gr sultanas

50 gr misri, pounded

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and use in winter as a healthy, delicious snack.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

PINE NUTS ARE DIFFERENT TO CHILGOZA: PESTO SAUCE RECIPE

PINE NUTS (PINUS PINEA)

Pine nuts are grown on several different types of pine tree, notably on the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) which is native to the Iberian Peninsula and Italy. It takes along time before a tree can be commercially harvested and the process of extracting the pine nuts, which are really seeds, has to be done by hand. That makes the harvesting of pine nuts labour intensive and so they are expensive. There are pine nuts growing all over the world, and these are called Chilgoza in Pakistan.

   Pine trees are the source of turpentine oil used in paints and varnishes and also are used for their resin which may be added to varnishes or used to make rosin for violin bows. The resin is also made into “brewer’s pitch” which used to be used for coating the inside of beer casks, and which can be used for distilling resinous oils. Tar is obtained from the roots of Pinus sylvestris, and this is impure turpentine.

pine cone

   No doubt hunter-gatherers collected pine nuts and the trees have been cultivated for more than 6000 years. The Roman legions carried them with them to give them energy boosts and for nourishment. In ancient Rome they were a staple food for the ordinary citizens along with wheat or barley porridge, but the wealthier classes used them as aphrodisiacs and stuffed the dormice with them along with herbs, rice and honey. (The little mice were farmed for the purpose of eating and were considered a delicacy.) Galenus wrote in 200 AD that they were a great aphrodisiac and that a man wishing to get back his youthful sexual vigour should take “A glass of thick honey, plus 20 almonds, and 100 pine nuts, repeated for three nights.” As pine nuts contain zinc they will help with erectile problems. They were also mentioned as an aphrodisiac in the 16^th century Arab sex manual “The Perfumed Garden” which was translated into English in the 19^th century by Sir Richard Burton (not the actor). They were also used to boost the libido in Mediaeval times.

   In 1666 Pope Clement IX ordered that a pine nut plantation should be grown on the coast near Rome so that he could be sure of a plentiful supply. Archaeologists excavating Pompeii found stores of pine nuts underneath the volcanic ash. Even today they are much prized in Italian and Greek cuisine. In Greek they are koukounaria and pignoli in Italian.

   They contain the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. The amino acids, and the following vitamins: - Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the B-complex vitamins,thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, folate and B12, along with traces of selenium. They help protect from cardiovascular disease, cancer and the symptoms associated with ageing including delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

   Along with basil and Parmesan cheese they are the main ingredients of Pesto sauce. A traditional Greek and Turkish dish is mussels stuffed with rice, dill and pine nuts.

PESTO SAUCE

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed into cup)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup olive oil

3 tbsps pine nuts

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

freshly ground black pepper

Method

 Place a third of the basil leaves, Parmesan and pine nuts with a drizzle of olive oil into a blender and blend thoroughly. Repeat until all the ingredients have been blended then put them all together and blend once more.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen for a few months. If you freeze it in ice cube trays you can use it if you just want a meal for one person with pasta.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS SHELJUM? TURNIP: GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA: HEALTH BENEFITS OF TURNIP USES AND HISTORY: TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP AND A TURNIP GREENS RECIPE

TURNIPS, SHELJUM, GHONGLO, BRASSICA RAPA

Turnips have been cultivated for at least 4000 years but no one is certain where they came from; possibilities are western Asia and north eastern Europe. They like the cold British and Northern European climate though and were wonderful vegetables as they could be stored over winter They lost out in the popularity stakes when the potato began to be imported and grown but have recently undergone a rise in popularity in Britain mainly because they are cheaper than other vegetables.

   They belong to the Cruciferae family of leafy green vegetables and have similar health benefits to Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower. The Greeks and Romans developed and bred new varieties of turnips and they were valuable vegetables in the Middle Ages, when they were staples. They became known as the poor man’s vegetable throughout Europe and were fed to cattle to help fatten them and keep them over winter. In Germany during the economic blockade, the winter of 1915-16 is known as “The Turnip Winter” as the potato crop failed and so everything edible was made from turnips.

  Colonists took turnips to America, and they flourished. The wild turnip grew there as it does in Britain, Cuckoo-Pint and Jack-in-the-Pulpit are synonyms for it. In the Indian subcontinent it was cultivated for the oil from its seeds in 1500 BC.

   In Pakistan, around Lahore it is looked down on as the poor man’s vegetable and is given to animals to eat, but in Rawalpindi it is on display in vegetable shops now and sold with the greens which are used to make a different kind of saag, as they have a mild mustardy flavour.

   There is a Russian folk tale about an enormous turnip which a grandfather had planted. It grew so big that he couldn’t pull it out of the ground alone. He called his wife, who called her granddaughter, who called the dog which called the cat which called a mouse and only when they were all pulling together could they pull the turnip out of the ground.

   The Irish and Scots used to make Jack o’Lanterns out of turnips and the reasons for this are told in our pumpkin post.

   Just like other members of the Brassica family, turnips are very beneficial for our health and so are the tops, so don’t throw them away as it has been proved that they can help fight cancer. They also contain 4 times the amount of calcium than cabbage, and have a higher glucosinate content than it, kale and broccoli. The phyto-nutrients the tops contain are converted in the body to isothiocyanates (ITCs) which have cancer preventing properties. The greens can help prevent breast and prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and colon of the cancer and lungs. They also have antioxidant properties as they contain vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and manganese, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K. the green tops can also help sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis and improve our cognitive functions.

   Turnips also have the ability when crushed or cooked to deactivate an oestrogen metabolite which promotes the growth of tumours especially in breast cells. They can also help prevent cancer cells spreading in the body. Sulforaphine is a type of isothiocyanates which increases the liver’s functioning and so improves its ability to detoxify carcinogenic compounds and free radicals and other harmful substances. The lutein contained in turnips helps prevent cataracts and cardio-vascular disease. They lower the risk of becoming obese, lower blood pressure and help diabetes sufferers.

  In Pakistan if you have burning soles in winter, or when the seasons change, you peel turnips and boil them then add salt to the cooking water and use it as a foot bath. Then you make a paste with the boiled turnips and apply it to the soles of your feet. You put socks on over the paste and leave them on while your feet sweat, thus getting rid of that irritating burning sensation at least for a few days.

  Throughout the ages they have been cooked in a variety of ways, including wrapped in wild garlic or onion leaves and roasted over a fire and used in salads instead of cabbage, for coleslaw. If you use the green tops then steam them for best results. Rinse them in cold running water then chop into ½ inch pieces and leave to rest for 5 mins having squeezed some lemon juice over them to make the enzymes active. Put 2inches of water in a pan and steam the leaves for 5 mins. When they are cooked pour lemon juice and olive oil over them and some lightly fried chopped garlic. Serve as a side dish.

TURNIP AND POTATO SOUP

Ingredients

½ kg turnips, peeled and diced

½ kg potatoes, boiled

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

2 sticks celery, washed and chopped

l litre chicken stock

1 bay leaf, torn

olive oil

a handful of chopped parsley

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

50 gr. pumpkin seeds, husks removed and discarded

natural yoghurt or cream

Method

Fry the garlic and the onion for 5 mins in olive oil then add the turnips, pumpkin seeds and celery and fry for a few more minutes, in a large pan.

Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and parsley and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins.

Add the potatoes and grated nutmeg and heat through.

Remove the pan from the heat and blend.

Serve with a swirl of natural yoghurt and freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste.

Serve with crusty bread or rolls.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS ALITCHI? LYCHEES ( LITCHI CHINENSIS): HEALTH BENEFITS OF LYCHEES USES AND HISTORY: LYCHEE LASSI AND BLUE CHEESE AND LYCHEE DIP

LYCHEES, ALITCHI, LITCHI CHINENSIS

Lychees are a fragrant fruit that has a flowery taste, which some people don’t like; but for others lychees are a fabulous tasting fruit and smell wonderful. When the fruit is ripe you can smell them as you walk past. In Pakistan they are cultivated in the Punjab and people wait eagerly for their first appearance in April or May. They originate from southern China and possibly Vietnam. In China they have grown for around 4000 years and there is a 2000 year old grove of lychee trees in Guadong province. The trees aren’t that old, that’s how long the grove has been in existence. However in some Chinese villages there are trees that are over a thousand years old. In Thailand where they are known as “lynchee,” there are lychee festivals all over the country in May. There are now teas which use lychees and rose petals, made in China and Thailand.

    In China they have the title, “King of Fruits”, but in Pakistan that title is reserved for the mango.

    If you have never seen a fresh lychee, they are one and a half to two inches long and have a shell, usually pink which protects the delicate white of pink-tinged fruit, with a stone in the middle. They are a symbol of love and romance in their native China, as one emperor had them transported 600 miles for his favourite concubine.

    The taste alone should encourage you to eat lychees, but they are also packed full of vitamins, minerals and being chock full of vitamin C help protect of fight off colds, flu, fevers and sore throats. They are a diuretic and aid digestion and the high level of potassium means that they are good for the blood and heart. They also contain traces of selenium, and have calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper manganese in them as well as vitamins B6, and E; thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folate are also present in them.The zinc content means that they are good for erectile dysfunctions and explains why they are thought to have aphrodisiac qualities. Niacin also helps regulate the sex hormones and helps give you a feeling of well-being.Riboflavin is thought to protect against cancer by neutralizing the free radicals in the body. It also helps protect against cardiovascular disease.

   Lychees can help prevent the growth of some cancerous cells notably in breast cancer, and are good for the skin, bone and tissue. They also boost energy levels.

    They can be used as a glaze over meat such as chicken, and in drinks of the alcoholic kind. Here is a recipe for lychee lassi: 1 cup natural yoghurt, 1 cup chopped lychees, and honey to taste. Blend and serve chilled.

    The recipe below is for an interesting dip.

BLUE CHEESE AND LYCHEE DIP

Ingredients

60 gr blue cheese crumbled (Gorgonzola or Stilton are good)

1 cup soured cream

2 tbsps double cream

¼ cup chopped nut of your choice, (walnuts are good)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

130 gr lychees, chopped

Method

Blend all the ingredients together, chill and serve with other dips.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS SHAHTOOT? PAKISTANI OR HIMALAYAN MULBERRY: USES AND HOW TO MAKE SHERBAT SHAHTOOT

SHAHTOOT, PAKISTANI OR HIMALAYAN MULBERRIES, (MORUS MACROURA OR SERRATA)

The Shahtoot tree gets its name from Farsi and means King Mulberry. The fruits of the tree may be black, white or red, and were often complained about by the elderly because the falling fruit would stain their courtyards. Children who wanted the fruit were encouraged to clean up the mess it created in return for their healthy harvest. Birds love the mulberry as much as children and the large shahtoots are highly valued, for their surprisingly fine flavour. It can grow to 5 or 6 inches long and has been compared to a long caterpillar. They actually taste a little sweeter than ordinary mulberries which also grow along with shahtoots.

   In the Punjab there used to be a cottage industry built around the shahtoot trees which used to grow near village wells and in fields. Not only were they good for shade in hot summers but the villagers also wove baskets from the tree bark; the larger ones were known as “tokra” and the smaller ones “tokri.” Because the wood from the tree is so flexible children used to make bows and arrows from it and play with them. The trees grew so widely that they were mentioned in folk songs, becoming part of folklore. Now they are a rare sight in Punjab, but there are hopes that they will return, as part of the sericulture program which may run in the province if the government give more help and guidance to villagers who would willingly farm silkworms and make silk for the textile industry if only they knew how to go about it.

   Shahtoots are good for health too and have the same benefits as other mulberries, being rich in antioxidants; flavonoids and what researchers believe are anti-cancer agents.

   In Iran these shahtoots are sold dried and reconstituted for cookery and medicine. They are certainly superfruits that have been known in this part of the world for thousands of years. In the West people are just beginning to realize the benefits of mulberries, and have recently taken to growing the Shahtoot mulberry trees.

  You need to wash shahtoot well and use our mulberry syrup recipe with ice cream. The tea can also be made with shahtoot, but use less sugar.

SHERBAT SHAHTOOT

Ingredients

1 kg. black shahtoot

1 kg water

2 kg sugar

Method

Extract the juice from the shahtoot and strain into a pan. Mix well with the water and add the sugar. Bring to the boil and them lower the heat and stir until it has the consistency of a concentrated cordial or squash.

Remove from the heat. Allow to cool and pour into glass bottles.

When you want a glass, put 3 tbsps of the concentrate into a glass and add water.

This is especially good for sore throats and tonsillitis and for coughs and colds.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS MULBERRY? TOOT, MORUS ALBA, NIGRA AND RUBRA: HEALTH BENEFITS OF MULBERRY USES , HISTORY AND MYTH

MULBERRIES, TOOT, MORUS ALBA, NIGRA AND RUBRA

Mulberry trees are grown in Europe, Asia and the US. The white mulberry tree (Morus alba) originated in China where it has been used extensively in medicine as well as for its delicious fruit. Morus nigra had been cultivated for thousands of years in Europe, and was planted on a wide scale in the belief that silk worms enjoyed the leaves. This proved to be an expensive mistake as they are partial to Morus alba leaves. Morus rubra (red mulberry) is native to the US. All mulberry trees have two characteristics in common. The first is that all parts of the tree have a milky sap and the second is that different shaped leaves can grow on the same tree. The leaves are not of a uniform shape. In Pakistan there is a different kind of mulberry tree, the Shahtoot, which produces large, elongated fruit.

    The mulberry tree has its own children’s rhyme and song in Britain. “Here we go round the mulberry bush… on a cold and frosty morning” and children form a circle around someone or something while dancing around and singing this song.

   In Europe the mulberry tree has a long history. Mulberry trees were planted in Britain by the Romans and Gerard the herbalist wrote about the trees he had in his garden, both black and white mulberries, as being “high and full of boughes” in the 17^th century. The black mulberry variety was probably introduced to Europe from Persia.

   We know that the Romans ate mulberries at feasts and Horace recommends (Satires ii) that they be picked just before sunset. They figure in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” as Pyramus and Thisbe, the star-crossed lovers whose fate was acted out by Bottom and friends in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, who were murdered under the shade of a white mulberry tree and their blood stained the fruit so that it became dark red.

Pliny wrote of the mulberry tree, “Of all the cultivated trees, the Mulberry is the last to bud, which it never does until the cold weather is past, and it is therefore called the wisest of trees. But when it begins to put forth buds, it dispatches the business in one night and that with so much force that their breaking forth may be clearly heard.” It could be that the trees are called Morus, which means delay in Latin, because of this fact.
The trees were dedicated to the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva.

   From Virgil’s Georgics II verse 121 we know that the mulberry tree grew prolifically in Italy and the Black Mulberry tree is depicted in “The House of the Bull” in Pompeii and mulberry leaves figure in the mosaic in “The House of the Faun” there. In Virgil’s day, (he died in 19 BC) it was believed that silk came from the leaves themselves; the ancients did not understand the silk worms were the manufacturers of silk. Sericulture was introduced much later by the Emperor  Justinian from Constantinople, where he ruled from AD 527-65. The poor Italian silk worms were fed on the leaves of the black mulberry tree until 1434 when Morus alba was introduced from the Levantine lands.

    The Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne ordered the mulberry tree to be cultivated on his imperial farm in AD 812 and Syrup of Mulberries gets a mention in the Calendar of Cordova in AD 961, so clearly they were cultivated in Spain. This Syrup or Syrupus Mori was recognized b the British Pharmacopoeia as being an expectorant, slightly laxative and a good gargle for sore throats. Gerard recommends it thus “The barke of the root is bitter, hot and drie, and hath a scouring faculty: the decoction hereof doth open the stoppings of the liver and spleen, it purgeth the belly and driveth forth worms.”

    These days modern medical research is continuing into the benefits of mulberries but they are considered to be another of nature’s superfruits like the kiwi fruit, avocado and pomegranate, as they contain resveratol which is believed to be an anti-cancer agent and may benefit the heart, alleviate chronic inflammation caused by arthritis and arthrosclerosis and postpone the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Mulberries also contain anthocyanins which are pigments in the fruit and very potent antioxidants which have also shown promising results in fighting cancer. The root bark contains flavonoids which have diuretic and expectorant properties an can increase the level of insulin in the body and decrease blood glucose. Old mulberry leaves are to be avoided though as they are believed to have tranquilizing properties and may cause hallucinations, headaches and upset stomachs. Use young leaves and twigs for tisanes.

   Eating fresh mulberries in season is good for your health, but using the extracts of mulberries for long periods of time is not recommended as they can cause liver and spleen damage. You shouldn’t drink too much mulberry juice or tea or tisanes either as these have the same effect. Allergies associated with the extracts include respiratory problems and chest pains.

    Mulberries are rich in potassium, which is an energy booster and helps repair cell damage and also stimulates the immune system. They also lower cholesterol levels.

The leaves and stem contain the minerals phosphorous, potassium and calcium and act as a diuretic, flushing extra fluids and toxins out of the body. The tisane blocks the absorption of sugars and is useful in a calorie controlled diet. You can make the tisane with fresh or dried leaves by adding 15 gr of leaves to a pot then pouring on just-boiling water and leaving to steep for about 8 minutes. This is good for colds and coughs as well as sore throats.

   If you steep leaves in olive oil or coconut oil for several days you can use the oil for skin problems and it is especially good for dry or irritated skin. Mulberries generally help the skin and slow its ageing process. If you boil mulberry leaves and put your head over the steam it will act as a good facial cleanser. Remove the pan from the heat and put a towel over your head and then lean over the steam. Afterwards rinse your skin with cold water.

  There have been many famous mulberry trees in Britain; one of them was reputedly planted by the botanist Turner in 1548 at Syon House, Brentford. In 1608 James Introduced sericulture (the culture of silkworms) to Britain and an edict encouraged the cultivation of mulberry trees. This was an unsuccessful enterprise however as the trees were of the black variety. One of these trees,(from the four acres of mulberry gardens James I had planted near the Palace of Westminster) was supposed to have been taken to Stratford-upon–Avon by the Bard, William Shakespeare, who planted it at his home in New Place. Descendants from this particular plant were said to be the ones found in Kew, in the Royal Botanical Gardens. The site of James I’s mulberry garden is now the site of the private gardens of Buckingham Palace, but there is only one remaining mulberry tree now.

   The tree in Stratford now is said to be a descendant of the Bard’s tree as the original was cut down by the next owner of New Place, one Reverend Francis Gastrell, who reportedly was fed up with people staring at the tree. He was further infuriated by the Land Taxes, perhaps the reason for cutting down the tree and tore the house down too. He was then hounded out of Stratford by the furious locals and no one named Gastrell was allowed to live there again under a local law. So whatever mulberry tree you may now see in Stratford, it is not the original one.

    In 1608-9 Christ College Cambridge along with other colleges planted 300 mulberry trees, and the one that grows in the grounds now may be the one tree remaining from that time..

  Mulberry trees are very resilient and can continue growing if they have shoots even if they fall down. They can spring up from buds and a dormant bud lying near an old tree can germinate if the original dies. These mulberry trees can grow to around 30 to 50 feet tall, but the American Morus rubra can grow to heights of 60 – 70 feet. Paper can be made from the bark of these trees and the Maisin people of Papua New Guinea resisted the temptation to sell their ancestral lands- consisting of rainforest- and chose instead to preserve their heritage and make a livelihood from making cloth, called Tapa cloth, from the bark of their mulberry trees. They are being assisted in marketing this cloth by ‘Green’ organizations.

   Mulberry fruit, leaves stem, bark and roots have been used in traditional medicine around the world to cure colds, constipation, diarrhoea, headaches, melancholy, hypertension, inflammation, insomnia, snakebites, bronchitis and asthma as well as other ailments, so the trees have many uses and benefits. The side effects come from the older leaves and the extracts on the food supplement market. Eat the fresh fruit in season with immunity.

  The syrup in the recipe below can be served over ice cream too. The tea is very refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

MULBERRY ICED TEA

Ingredients

2 cups black mulberries, washed

½ lemon, juice and zest (finely grated)

½-1 cup sugar

1 cup water

3 tbsps green tea leaves or 4 tea bags green, white or black

ice

Method

Put the mulberries and lemon zest in a saucepan, and sprinkle the sugar over them. Add the lemon juice and water and bring to the boil, stirring until the liquid boils.

Remove from the heat and mash the berries then put back on the heat and simmer for 2 mins.

Remove the pan from the heat and strain the juice into a heat-proof jug. Chill in the fridge.

Make a pot of tea and then put the jug in a bowl of ice to cool it quickly, then put in the fridge.

When both liquids are chilled put ice in a tall glass and pour the mulberry syrup over it. Add the tea.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

KIWI FRUIT ( ACTINIDIA DELICOSA): HEALTH BENEFITS OF KIWI FRUIT USES AND HISTORY: LIME AND KIWI FRUIT MOUSSE RECIPE

KIWI FRUIT (ACTINIDIA DELICOSA)

Kiwi fruit or kiwifruit is a relative newcomer to the West. It originated in China, Siberia and Korea and was taken to New Zealand at the turn of the 20^th century by a missionary, Isabel Frazier. In China it is known as the ‘sunny peach’ (Yang Tao) or the macaque peach (Mikou Tao). Its name comes from the Maori as does the name of the kiwi bird native to New Zealand and nowhere else. New Zealanders and the New Zealand dollar are also known as kiwis.

   The kiwi fruit was first exported from New Zealand to Britain in 1952, and was first harvested in California in 1970. By 1960 it had earned the name Chinese Gooseberry, although it is not a member of the gooseberry family. Now they grow in Italy, France, and Greece as well as in the countries which have traditionally grown them. They grow on vines that look a lot like trees when they are mature. In 1991 a new variety of kiwi fruit was harvested, with a golden, yellow interior instead of the usual green.

  It has a hairy exterior skin which should not be eaten if the fruit has been grown commercially as it will contain pesticides. However if you grow your own kiwi fruit it's fine to eat the skin in the same way New Zealanders do. The appearance of the fruit prompted this response from the US humorist, Erma Bombeck, “Someone once threw me a small, brown, hairy kiwifruit and I threw a wastebasket over it until it was dead." The kiwifruit is another of nature’s superfruits like the pommelo and the pomegranate, as it has high flavonoid content and is rich in vitamins C and E as well as containing a great deal of potassium. Of the top 26 fruits that we eat, it is the most nutrient rich. It has more potassium in it than bananas or citrus fruits as well as more vitamin C and E. It also contains folic acid and folate, pantothetic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, vitamin B6, while the seeds have oil which contains omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorous and traces of beta-carotene. 

   In the laboratory (in vitro) it has been found to inhibit melanoma (skin cancer) and may help prevent the clogging of arteries. It has a powerful antioxidant action in the body and so can help thin the blood so preventing blood clots. It helps reduce the signs of ageing of the skin and the skins and some of the fruit make an excellent face mask to rejuvenate mature skin. The ascorbic acid it contains helps tighten the skin and pores and is very refreshing.

   The potassium and other minerals improve the nerves functioning and the lutein, a photochemical in the fruit, is linked to the prevention of prostate and lung cancers.

   Because kiwis are also high in dietary fibre, they inhibit constipation and so help to prevent colon cancer and help the digestive process. The chlorophyllin (from chlorophyll) may be an inhibitor of liver cancer too, and this helps the liver function normally.

   Studies in Italy on children have shown that a diet including kiwis can help treat asthma and lowers the risks of them contracting respiratory ailments, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, coughs, colds etc.

   Kiwi fruit can also aid in prevention of nitro-saturation which can occur when nitrates from smoked or barbecued foods are consumed. Nitrates are carcinogenic, so the cancer risks are lowered if you eat kiwi fruits.

LIME AND KIWI FRUIT MOUSSE

Ingredients

4 kiwis, peeled

1 lime, juice and zest

3½ fl.oz double cream

1¾ fl.oz sugar syrup

1¼ oz castor sugar

1 inch piece of ginger root peeled and chopped

a little water

2 kiwi fruit sliced for garnish

sprigs of mint for garnish

Method

Put all the ingredients (except those for the garnishes) in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and thick.

Put into sundae glasses and chill for 30 mins. Serve garnished with slices of kiwi fruit and sprigs of mint.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

BALM OF GILEAD: WHAT WAS ANCIENT BALSAM OIL? MEDICAL BENEFITS OF BALM OF GILEAD USES AND HISTORY

BALM OF GILEAD AND ANCIENT BALSAM OIL

Balsam oil was named by the ancient Greeks but the original balsam oil came from a now extinct persimmon tree. This oil was highly valued in the ancient world and used to anoint the kings of Israel in Biblical times. A jar of it was found in a cave near the Dead Sea in 1989 and there was enough oil left in the sealed jar for it to be analyzed.

   These days the term balsam oil can be used to signify any seed plant that yields fragrant oleo-resin which is used in the manufacture of perfumes and medicines. This means that Abies balsamea and Canada balsam are balsam yielding trees. Moreover Balm of Gilead can come from trees or bushes that grow all over the world, but academics have put forward a fairly convincing theory that the gold of the gifts of the wise men to Jesus was in fact golden balsam oil. This actually makes a lot of sense as frankincense, myrrh and balsam yielding plants all grew in the same habitat.

  A balm can be anything that soothes or heals, e.g. lemon balm, Melissa officinalis. It is confusing, but quite clear. The oil we now call Balm of Gilead is not the same as that of the ancient world. This oil is Balsam of Mecca- probably. Prosper Alpinus, a 16^th century botanist and physician spent 3 years in Egypt and wrote in his “Dialogue of Balm” that 40 plants had been taken from the En Geddi groves of Balm of Gilead trees to a site close to Cairo. And these were from the Commiphora family of trees. He describes the balm of Gilead produced from these trees as smelling of “turpentine” but much sweeter and more fragrant, bitter and acrid to the taste and the oil, kept for some time, turns to a light greenish colour, then matures to a golden colour. He said that you could tell a true balsam because it would cling easily to the point of a needle.

by Berthold Werner Madaba Map,

   When archaeologists uncovered a mosaic map on the floor of a nave of a synagogue in Jordan, in Madaba in 1884, and since then there has been a puzzle about the “mysterious bush” that was in the mosaic along with date-palms. Dates were of great economic importance at the time and so it was logical to suppose was the bush. Joan Taylor and Nigel Hepper, in 2004 suggested that the bush was in fact the one from which the Balm of Gilead was obtained. This makes sense as the balm was one of the most expensive commodities in the ancient world, and much prized for its wound healing properties.

   It has taken modern researchers until 2010 to support what the ancient physicians knew for a certainty, but what they knew the modern researchers are more careful about saying. David Iluzi et al have found that the oil from Commiphora gileadensis has antibacterial properties, so is useful for healing wounds, but more tests are needed before this can be stated with certainty.

   The book of Jeremiah contains the following lament: -

       Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing

       for the wound of my people?”

  Legend has it that the trees that were grown on Mount Gilead were given to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba, and also grew in the oases around the Dead Sea basin, in En Geddi and Jericho (also famous for its roses).Archaeologists found this dire warning on the mosaic floor of a synagogue at En Geddi: “Whoever reveals the secret of the village to the gentiles, the One whose eyes roam over the entire earth and see what is concealed will uproot this person and his seeds from under the sun.” The village was as highly fortified to guard the secret of the precious balm. It was really much more valuable than gold. This makes it likely that it was this golden balm that was given by the three Magi to the baby Jesus, as it grew in much the same areas as the frankincense and myrrh that were also gifts.

  Balm of Gilead of whatever kind has been used for centuries, for coughs, colds, sore throats, laryngitis, and applied externally to relieve the inflammation caused by arthritis and rheumatism. It is still used for labour pains and the dried bark of the trees is used for healing wounds. The Balsam of Mecca-bearing plants grow in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen and Somalia.

    The Balm of Gilead trees in the US or Populus candicans or the Cottonwood which is a member of the Salicaceae family has many uses and even the buds can be used to treat ailments. In folk remedies the buds are used for a facial wash and for a tisane for coughs, colds and bronchial problems. The inner bark makes a tisane for eyewash and a blood tonic, while the roots can be boiled and used as a wash for headaches. If you inhale the steam from the boiled buds, this is good to clear nasal and bronchial congestion.

TISANE FROM THE POPULUS CANDICANS BUDS

Ingredients

1 cup boiling water

1 tbsp buds

Method

Boil the water and pour it over the buds. Leave this to steep for 15 minutes and drink a cupful 3 times a day for coughs, colds and flu.

When you pick the buds, pick leaves too and dry them for poultices for inflammation and skin problems.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).