WHAT IS PINEAPPLE? ANANAS COMOSUS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF PINEAPPLE: HOW TO MAKE PINA COLADA

PINEAPPLE, ANANAS COMOSUS

The pineapple originated in South America, but spread through the continent and into the West Indies where it was discovered by Columbus and his crew in 1493 on the island of Guadeloupe. One of the crew wrote this description of it: - “…in the shape of a pine cone, twice as big, which fruit is excellent and it can be cut with a knife, like a turnip and it seems to be wholesome.” This description seems one of the best as it does resemble an overgrown pine cone, or a hand grenade.

   Columbus took it back to Spain with him and it was apparently much liked by Queen Isabella, however it could not be cultivated with any high degree of success. Magellan found it in Brazil in 1519 and it soon spread to Asia via the European explorers where it had better survival rates.

  It got the name ananas from the native Guarani and Tupi tribes that cultivated it. Their name for it, “nana” or “anana” meant “excellent fruit”. The Spanish called it Pina de Indies (Indian pine), so in English it became pineapple. However in Greek, Urdu and French it is called ananas.

  People in the Caribbean valued the fruit highly and would put it outside their houses to welcome guests and this tradition spread to Europe with sea captains. The pineapple became a fashionable motif and can be found in carvings and on gateposts in Europe.

In Malaysia the green core of the pineapple is considered an abortifacient, and this core, along with the stem of the pineapple plant have properties that are beneficial to us. An extract from the stem which contains bromelian has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, and can lower the risk of thrombosis. It also exhibits anti-cancer qualities. The pineapple is the only edible fruit of the bromeliad plant family, and is actually made up of about 200 fruitlets. The outside peel and central core can be given to cattle so there is not much wastage, although the plant only produces two fruits in its lifetime and the second fruit is smaller than the first. It also takes two years to produce fruit and only flowers for one day. This makes pineapples expensive to produce and on 1^st October 2010 The Guardian (a leading British daily newspaper) reported that “Workers in developing nations endure injury, chemicals, low wages and union repression so British consumers can pay less” for their pineapples. This is particularly true in Costa Rica, and the newspaper went on to say that consumers who welcomed recent price cuts in the cost of pineapples on supermarket shelves, did not want those cuts to be because of bad working conditions for those who pick and cultivate pineapples.

Pineapple flower

   One-third of the world’s pineapples come from Hawaii, where Captain James Cook introduced them in 1770. They are now America’s favourite fruit after bananas, although this is probably in the form of fruit juice, and canned pineapples rather than solely the fresh fruit.

   Pineapples contain Vitamin C the B-complex vitamins, Vitamins A, E and K as well as essential amino acids, and minerals, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium. They are especially high in potassium and vitamin C. They provide the body with powerful antioxidant activity and the proteolitic enzymes in the fruit aid digestion.

Pineapple bush

 They are particularly good in fruit salads with kiwi fruit, strawberries, bananas, cherries, melons, and lychees. They are useful with chicken too and you can make a side salad to go with this by grating a fennel bulb, and adding chopped fresh pineapple and cashew nuts. Below is a recipe for pina colada which has been adopted as Puerto Rica’s national drink.

PINA COLADA

Ingredients

4 parts light rum (either white or light gold)

3 parts unsweetened pineapple juice

2 parts coconut cream

Method

Put all ingredients into a shaker with crushed ice and shake.

Serve with a wedge of pineapple and/or maraschino cherries.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS MONG PHALI? PEANUTS OR GROUNDNUTS: HISTORY AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF PEANUTS: HOW TO ROAST YOUR OWN PEANUTS

PEANUTS, GROUNDNUTS, MONG PHALI, ARACHIA HYPOGAEA

Peanuts are not actually nuts, but legumes (members of the bean and pea family) and actually grow underground, so are not tree nuts like walnuts and almonds. This is why they are called Earthnuts and groundnuts, although these names also apply to a tuber which is also called a pignut from the plant, Conopodium majus. In Urdu they are Mong Phali and in India they are known as China badem. They have their origins in South America and were cultivated in Argentina and Bolivia 4,000 years ago. They are also called Gooper Pea and Monkey Nuts. They were spread from South America by the European explorers in the 15^th and 16^th centuries and reached India which is still one of the largest producers of peanuts.

   In Britain when you bought them in their shells, children would take them to the cinema and throw the shells from the top tier of seats onto the audience below, so they were eventually banned from at least one cinema in the town I lived in.

    Whenever I see peanuts I am reminded of George Melly singing “The Peanut Man” and although I have searched on the Net for this song and his particular lyrics, it was to little avail, you’ll no doubt understand why when you read what I can remember of them: - “Nuts! Hot Nuts! get them from the peanut man,

    ….get them while you can…..

     …He’s got the hottest nuts in town,

   Buy them from the peanut man.”

   The plant above ground can grow to 18 inches tall and has yellow flowers, and the peanuts are ready to harvest when the leaves have yellowed. Peanuts can then be sold in their shells or unshelled, perhaps roasted or even honey roasted, and whichever way you have your peanuts, including in the form of peanut butter, they are very good for the body and brain. The oil is also good as it can withstand fairly high temperatures without burning and it has oleic acid in it as does olive oil, which is rich in antioxidant properties. Its antioxidant properties are similar to those of pomegranates, and they are more potent than from carrots and beetroot. These properties are boosted when peanuts are roasted. They also contain resveratol, a flavonoid which is present in red grapes and their finished product, red wine. This improves the blood flow to the brain and so reduces the risk of strokes.

   Peanuts are a good source of dietary fibre, protein and carbohydrates in the form of “good” fats, which include Omega-6 and -3 fatty acids. They also contain Vitamin E, and the B-complex vitamins particularly niacin, which when combined can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. As for minerals, peanuts contain iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorous and are potassium rich, with traces of selenium too. Nuts seeds (such as pumpkin seeds) help to lower blood pressure and peanuts are no exception.

    Peanuts also contain arginine, an amino acid which can help in cases of congestive heart failure, erectile dysfunction, upper respiratory ailments and type II diabetes. They have been used in some cultures as aphrodisiacs as well as anti-inflammatory agents and decoagulants.

peanut crop

  In the 19^th century in the States, after the civil war, George Washington carver thought up 300 ways of using peanuts and advocated growing them instead of cotton as the cotton crops were being destroyed by the boll weevil. While we don’t use them in 300 different ways, they are used as biofuel, (the University of Georgia runs its fleet of buses for 8 hours a day on a 30% mix of peanut oil and diesel) as peanut oil is cheaper then some other oils. They are also used in the manufacturing of soap, cosmetics and lubricants, while the tops of the plants are used as fodder. The shells provide high fibre roughage in animal feed and are used in the manufacture of particle board and fertilizer, so there’s not much wastage from this plant.

  Peanuts can not only help to reduce the risk of heart disease, but can also help prevent cancer (antioxidant activities) and diabetes and may help reduce inflammation.

  At the end of the 19^th century a physician in the US came up with peanut butter, although this had been made for centuries by people in other countries. Phineas T. Barnum sold bags of roasted peanuts to circus-goers in 1870 and now peanuts are served with drinks almost everywhere whether raw or roasted.

   Unfortunately many people suffer from peanut allergies, especially in the UK, so if you suffer with asthma or hay fever, you may be allergic to them. Some people also suffer from arachibutyrophobia which is the fear of getting peanuts stuck in the roof of the mouth. However for those with no peanut problem, November is designated as the month for Peanut Butter Lovers in the States.

   If you think that roasted peanuts are not worth the expensive, buy raw peanuts and use this recipe below to make your own roasted peanuts. Unsalted ones are good additions to soups and salads too, and are good in carrot halva, or added to breakfast cereals and muesli. When eaten in small amounts daily, peanuts can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

 

ROASTED PEANUTS

Ingredients

Shelled or unshelled peanuts

Freshly grated sea salt

Method

Freeze unshelled peanuts which still have their skin on overnight to make it easy to rub it off with your fingers.

Preunshelled they can be roasted.

Place the sheet in the oven and leave shelled peanuts for 15-20 mins, and unshelled ones for 20-25 mins.

Sprinkle with freshly grated sea salt and leave to cool.

Store them in an air tight container.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

PENNYROYAL- HEALTH BENEFITS OF PENNYROYAL, USES AND HISTORY

PENNYROYAL, MENTHA PULEGIUM

There are many varieties of pennyroyal among them the European ones and the American varieties. In Britain, pennyroyal is an endangered species, although in other parts of the world it is regarded as a pestilential weed. It is native to the Mediterranean regions and Britain is the furthest north it goes. It is rare in Ireland and probably doesn’t exist in Scotland. Apart from in Europe it is also found in North Africa and parts of Asia.

  In Britain, pennyroyal is also called Fleabane, Run-by-the-Ground and Lurk-in-the-Ditch, as it is found in such places. It is called fleabane because it was used in Roman times (according to Pliny) and afterwards (including in royal palaces) to repel fleas. Its Latin name comes from pulix meaning fleas. Pliny also said that it should be hung in bed chambers to purify the air. In Roman times physicians believed that it was better than the rose for health. It is a member of the mint family of which it is the smallest member.

  Pennyroyal has a dubious reputation as an arbortifacient, although you would have to take it in huge quantities to be effective, but it would, in such amounts, cause irreversible damage to the liver and kidneys.

  It had the reputation of being able to purify water and so sailors would take it to sea to make stagnant water potable. It was also used against sea-sickness. It is thought that it was used in witchcraft to make people have double vision. Gerard mentions that it was used to purify water, “If you have Pennyroyal in great quantities and cast it into corrupt water, it helpeth much, neither will it hurt them that drinketh thereof.” He also says that in his day (the 16^th century) it was plentiful “on a common at Mile End, near London about the holes and ponds thereof, in sundrie places, from whence poore women bring plenty to sell in London markets.” He also said that “Pennyroyale taken with honey cleanseth the lungs and cleareth the breast from all gross and thick humours.” Indeed it has been thought of as a cure all in the traditional medicine of many countries.  Gerard also advocated using pennyroyal with wood betony and mead for getting rid of “putrid agues.”

   The Welsh physicians of Myddfai combined it with mugwort and southernwood as an emmenogogue and the tisane prepared from pennyroyal has been used by women for centuries to stop menstrual cramps and blockages. To make the tisane take 1 oz of pennyroyal, flowers and leaves and pour a pint of boiling water over them. Leave to steep for 15 mins and then strain. Drink a cupful and the problem should go. This tisane also has a reputation for relieving coughs, colds and bronchitis. The physicians of Myddfai also recommended this remedy for foul breath: “Take the juice of orpine, feverfew, angelica and pennyroyal, mix with honey and administer a spoonful to the patient night and morning fasting and he will recover.” They would have gathered the plant on Whit Sunday or St. John’s Eve as it was believed that it would be most effective when gathered at these times. The Welsh physicians believed that pennyroyal gathered at this time would benefit a “person who has lost consciousness in consequence of an illness.”

   In Italy pennyroyal is thought to protect against the evil eye, and in Sicily it was hung from fig trees to stop the fruit falling off the trees before it was ripe. It was also given to husbands and wives who quarreled a lot, so was the first marriage guidance herb.

  Culpeper says that taken in wine pennyroyal was good for “venomous bites” and “applied to the nostrils with vinegar revives those who faint and swoon. Dried and burnt it strengthens the gums…” He also said that it was good for gout and skin problems and mixed with vinegar could get rid of “foul ulcers” and removed bruises and black eyes. He also said that with salt it was good for the liver. Mixed with sugar-candy (presumably jaggery) he says that it was good for curing whooping cough.

   Throughout the ages pennyroyal has been added to sauces and stews and was known as Pudding Grass, although pudding here means a meat dish, perhaps made of offal rather than a dessert. It was used as an aid for the stomach, to promote sweating in cases of fever, as a stimulant and to cure headaches, when worn around the head. Its leaves yield an essential oil which is more bitter and less used than that of mint or spearmint. This is sometimes used in the cosmetic industry. If you rub the fresh bruised leaves on your skin, it should keep biting insects at bay. The juice of the leaves rubbed onto corns on the toes is said to get rid of them. Pennyroyal water which has been distilled from the leaves is supposed to be good to stop spasms of the muscles including those of the uterus, and good for hysteria and other nervous problems, as well as for coughs and colds and “affections of the joints” according to one of the old herbalists.

WOOD BETONY- HEALTH BENEFITS OF WOOD BETONY, USES AND HISTORY: HOW TO MAKE WOOD BETONY TONIC WINE

WOOD BETONY, STACHYA BETONICA/ STACHYS OFFICINALIS

Wood Betony is native to the British Isles and Europe and is known as Betonica officinalis (LINN), Stachya betonica (BENTH) or Stachys officinalis. It is a woodland plant like the bluebell and is one of the betony plants that grow in Britain. The others are Marsh Stachys or Clown’s Wort (Stachya palustris), the true Woundwort (Stachya germanica) which is perhaps not native to Britain, although it has become naturalized, Field Stachys (Stachya avensis) and Hedge Stachys or Hedge Wort (Stachya sylvatica).Here we deal only with wood betony.

  This plant has been used in medicine for centuries, and was written about by Dioscorides in the first century AD and was mentioned by Pliny the Elder who called it Vettonica. The ancient Greeks praised its healing powers and used it for protection against evil too. In the Middle Ages it was commonly worn around the neck as an amulet, and the Renaissance Humanist, Erasmus, wrote that it protected “those that carried it about them.” He also said that it was good as protection against having “fearful visions.” He may have been quoting Apuleius Platonicus (c.550-625) who wrote the following lines about wood betony;

    “It is good whether for man’s soul or for his body, it shields him against visions and dreams, and the wort (plant) is very wholesome, and thus thou shalt gather it in the month of August without the use of iron; and when thou hast gathered it shake the mold till nought of it cleaves thereon, and then dry it in the shade very thoroughly and with its root altogether reduce it to dust; then use it and take of it when thou needest.”

   However now it is recommended that the flowering plant is gathered in July in the early flowering season after the dew has evaporated from it on a bright day. Having done that you should tie it in bundles of 6 stems with leaves and flowers and tie it in a fan-shape so that the air can penetrate and hang them in an airy hot room or outside until they are dry. If you dry them outside you should bring them in at night so that they don’t get wet because of the dew. After they are dried, pack them loosely in wooden boxes or tins carefully so that they don’t crumble.

   It was seen as a herbal panacea in ancient times and used to cure many illnesses. Apothecaries and herbalists planted it in their herb gardens so they could mix it with herbs such as yarrow (to stop a nosebleed) and coltsfoot for different remedies. It was so popular in Europe that the Italians had an old saying, “Sell your coat and buy betony” while in Spain it was said of a good man, “He has as many virtues as betony.” The chief physician of the Roman Emperor Augustus, Antonius Musa, claimed in a medical treatise that betony could cure 47 diseases which he listed.

   The following is a quotation from the book of the Physicians of Myddfai who were equally familiar with wood betony.

    If the juice “is boiled in white wine and drunk, it will cure the colic and the swelling of the stomach. Pounding it small, expressing the juice and apply it with a feather to the eye of a man will clear and strengthen his sight, and remove specks from his eye. The juice is a good thing to drop into the ears of those who are deaf.”

  They also wrote that the powder of the dried plant when mixed with honey could help get rid of coughs and “benefit many diseases of the lungs.”

  The word betony comes from the Celtic words bew meaning head and ton meaning good. This was one of the main uses for wood betony-curing all head problems be they physical or mental.

   One superstitious belief is that if snakes were put into a circle of betony they would fight to the death (of both). This was said to be because betony had the power to get rid off all evil and of course the snake was the symbol of evil in mediaeval Europe and it was the snake or serpent which gave Eve the apple to eat which led to Adam and Eve being ejected from Paradise and the Garden of Eden.

   Wood betony grows to between 1 and 2 feet tall and has purple-red flowers which bloom in the months of July and August. Previously all the plant was used by herbalists, but now the roots are not used. It was used in snuff because it makes you sneeze violently and so clears the nasal passages. It is claimed that the fresh leaves have an intoxicating effect, which is why the tisane is always prepared with the dried leaves and flowers.

   Gerard believed that it protected people from “the danger of epidemical diseases” such as the plague, and “It helpeth those that loathe and cannot digest their food.” He also says that it cures jaundice, epilepsy, gout, palsy, dropsy, as well as coughs, colds and flu and respiratory problems including consumption. He suggested that using it with mead and pennyroyal was “good for putrid agues” and made a good vermifuge for getting rid of internal parasites such as worms. Apart from these remedies he also believed that it was good for “obstructions of the spleen and liver.” The juice from the leaves was good for the bites “of mad dogs” he says and for the relief of toothache. As a wound healer the juice can be applied directly to the skin, or the tisane can be used for this purpose.

  Wood betony has tannins and so astringent qualities making it a good treatment for diarrhoea and also the tisane can be used as a mouthwash and gargle for sore throats. The whole plant contains flavonoids and glycosides which have a hypotensive action (they lower blood pressure) and so can be effective in reducing stress and anxiety, which was clearly recognized by our ancestors.

   The Chinese use one of the betonies, Stachys sieboldii to relieve colds and flu, and in European folk medicine the use of betony as a herbal tonic for the nerves has a long history. Very little modern medical research has been done on wood betony, although one Russian study showed that it increased women’s ability to produce milk when breast-feeding.

   Medical research suggests that wood betony can be helpful for neuralgia especially that caused by medical treatment or therapy, as well as shingles (a variant form of chicken pox). It has been traditionally used to treat urinary tract inflammation and is good for cystitis. The leaves contain a volatile oil and exude this when bruised and it is this which might give the plant its wound healing properties. The whole plant can also be used as a yellow hair dye, and this is especially good for giving grey hair a blonde tint.

  A tisane can be made with 1 or 2 tsps of the dried leaves and flowers and a cup of boiling water. Pour the water over them and leave to steep for 15 mins, then strain and drink. This is good for respiratory ailments, coughs, colds and flu (add a little honey), digestion, and to improve appetite, and if you mix 1 tsp dried wood betony with a tsp of dried chamomile flowers (or 2 tsps fresh) this will stop menstrual cramps. You can take two cups per day of the betony tisane for any of the above-mentioned cures, as well as using it as a gargle and mouthwash. It can also be used to clean wounds and staunch bleeding.

  A few of the fresh leaves can be added to salads, but they have a mildly bitter taste, so should be finely shredded. They help to stimulate the digestive system and boost the functioning of the liver. If you pound the leaves to a pulp they are good to apply to wounds and bruises as a poultice, and can be used as a temporary dressing instead of lint.

   The following recipe is a “nerve tonic” and relieves anxiety, nervous headaches and stress. Older herbalists prescribed it for “hysterics” and other nervous disorders.

 

WOOD BETONY TONIC WINE

Ingredients

1 bottle white wine

50 gr wood betony

25 gr vervain

25 gr hyssop

Method

Combine all the ingredients into a glass bottle and leave to stand in a sunny place such as on a windowsill for two weeks.

Take ¼ cup to relieve nervous headaches, stress etc.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment).

WHAT IS CHUKANDAR? BEETROOT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF BEETROOT, USES AND HISTORY: HOW TO MAKE BEETROOT SOUP( BORSCHT)

BEETROOT, CHUKANDAR, BETA VULGARIS

Beetroot can be red, white, and orange or have red and white concentric circles, but here is information on the red, most common variety. All parts of the beetroot can be eaten and the green tops and stems make a delicious simple salad or side dish. It is a relative of the better known swede and turnip.

   All beetroots come from a single ancestor which is thought to be the sea beet or Beta maritima which grew and still grows along the coasts from Britain to India. It is believed to have originated in the Middle East and Southern Europe.

   Perhaps the first people to cultivate beetroot were the ancient Babylonians who were cultivating it at least 4,000 years ago. However then it was a long thin root rather like the carrot and was perhaps only used for medicine. The tops were eaten though, and are a tasty vegetable dish. The ancient Greeks used the beetroot in medicine and it was worth its weight in silver to them we are told. Apparently the priestesses of Apollo served it to him on a silver platter at his temple at Delphi.

   The Roman gourmand, Apicius used beetroot in broths and in salads with a dressing of mustard oil and vinegar, and this is a tasty way of serving either the tops or the root. Other Roman recipes include cooking the tops with honey and wine.

   The beetroot was used to cure anaemia, and modern medicine would support this use as the beetroot is rich in iron. They also used it for constipation, a rejuvenator, for wounds, skin problems and fevers. The use of it as a rejuvenator has been vindicated by modern research as the nitrates in beetroot enable the body to lower its intake of oxygen, which helps to reduce fatigue and so increases stamina.

  If you don’t like the texture of beetroot, then you can drink beetroot juice, as it is claimed that 1 glass a day improves energy levels, promotes hair growth and healthy skin (so once again the ancient Greeks got it right). The only problem you may have is that you get Beeturia which is having your urine turn pink due to the acidity levels in the stomach. However this is not really a problem although it may come as a bit of a surprise. The juice is also an appetite suppressor so it is helpful if you are trying to lose weight.

   Be careful when you peel beetroot as most of the nutrients are found just under the skin, so peel it thinly. You should drink the juice at room temperature for best results and benefits. It has 50% less calories than fruit juices, so is good as part of a calorie controlled diet. Beetroot juice improves the quality of the blood, and cleans the stomach and intestines, as well as improving the absorption of calcium as it contains silica. You can juice beetroots, carrots and celery and mix them for a really healthy drink.

  Modern research has shown that beetroots can help prevent cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease, so it is one of the Superfoods along with garlic (eat half a raw clove a day to prevent cancer); pomegranates (reduce harmful cholesterol) and apples which are useful to prevent osteoarthritis. However if you have kidney stones you shouldn’t eat beetroots as they contain high levels of oxalate.

  Beetroot tops are rich in Vitamins A and C and iron and calcium, while the beetroot has folic acid, fibre, manganese and potassium. Both parts contain phosphorous, manganese, iron and B-complex vitamins. The beetroot also contains Betacyanin which gives it its rich, ruby red colour and has potent antioxidant properties. Betaine which is also present in beetroot promotes healthy liver functioning which also helps in weight loss. They also contain bioflavonoids which have potent antioxidant properties.

 Culpepper recommended red beetroot “to help yellow jaundice,” “to stay the bloody flux” and wrote that the juice “…put into the nostrils, purgeth the head, helpeth the noise in the ears and toothache.” Modern medical research would not of course support such uses and they should not be attempted.

  The round beetroots were developed in the 16^th century and these helped the beetroot as we know it gain in popularity. In the 18^th century beetroot became popular in Central and Eastern Europe as a vegetable and the soup recipe given below is a traditional Russian one for beetroot. The Victorian used beetroot in desserts for the sweetness and colour, as well as adding them to salads to brighten them up. Somewhere along the line manufacturers began making pickled beetroot which can taste quite disgusting. If you’ve tried this and didn’t like it, be assured that freshly cooked beetroot tastes nothing like the manufactured pickle.

   You can now buy baby beets too for salads, but this recipe calls for large Beta vulgaris. You could also try panzaria salata a Greek recipe for the tops including the stems, which are boiled until tender but not mushy, left to cool and then dressed with olive oil and lemon juice or white wine vinegar and salt and pepper. You can also make a winter salad with freshly cooked beetroots grated, along with grated carrot and white cabbage, chopped walnuts dressed in olive oil and lemon juice and garnished with parsley. (This is also a recipe I have had in Greece.) Generally beetroots go well with carrots and celery in juice and salads, so experiment with them.

  

BORSCHT (BEETROOT SOUP)

Ingredients

400 gr beef, cubed, plus a beef bone

4 fresh beetroot, cooked and cut into thin 2 inch long strips

4 small potatoes, peeled and cut into strips

1 medium-sized carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion roughly chopped

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

8 sprigs fresh dill

3 tbsps olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

parsley to garnish

1 tbsp white (wine) vinegar

2 tbsps butter/ margarine

2 tbsps soured cream

  

Method

Put the beef, bone and onion and dill into a large pan with 3 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours.

Half an hour after the beef has been cooking, melt a tbsp butter and half the olive oil in a pan and add the beetroot, tomatoes and vinegar. Simmer over a low heat for an hour adding some of the beef stock if it gets dry.

Remove any scum from the top of the beef stock every so often.

15 minutes before the broth will have cooked, melt the rest of the butter and olive oil in a pan and lightly fry the carrots and garlic.

When the broth has cooked, remove any fat from the top and add the cabbage, carrots and garlic. Stir well and cook for 15 mins over a low heat.

Add the cooked beetroot mixture, stir well and cook for a further 5 mins.

Season well and add to bowls with parsley and a tbsp of soured cream for garnish.

Serve with crusty fresh bread.

N.B. You can sour cream by adding a few drops of lemon juice to single cream.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WOOD SORREL: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF WOOD SORREL: SUMMER WOOD SORREL SOUP RECIPE

WOOD SORREL, OXALIS ACETOSELLA

Wood sorrel goes by many names in Britain, including Cuckoo’s Meat, Surelle, Fairy Bells and Wood Sour. In France it’s known as Pain de Coucou or cuckoo’s bread. It could possibly the Irish shamrock too, although several plants are also likely contenders such as the white clover (Trefolium repens), and other plants which have three leaflets in one leaf. My grandfather always told me that wood sorrel was shamrock, and I have no reason to doubt him as he proved to be right about other plants. The confusion lies in the story that the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick demonstrated the nature of the Holy Trinity by using the leaf of the shamrock. As all other contenders are of the clover Trefolium species, it would seem to be that the peasants and Saint Patrick would have said so.

    The wood sorrel is a member of the Oxalis family of plants and so different to the clover. It is an appealing little plant because like Tickle Me (choi moi) and the violet, it has shy qualities. Perhaps for that reason it is said to be a favourite of fairies and other wood sprites. It likes shady places and grows well in woodland along with bluebells, wood anemones and others. Also it is sensitive to touch, but not quite as much as Tickle Me. It also closes its leaves and flowers, and they droop in the dark, and during storms.

   It is a cleistogamic plant, which means that it is self-pollinating and the flowers don’t need to open for it to pollinate. (A very shy plant indeed!) It is also small and only grows to a height of about 3 inches.

   Neither the flowers nor the leaves have a smell although the leaves taste pleasantly acidic. They and the flowers can be added to salads, although you shouldn’t add too many leaves as they contain oxalic acid, so people suffering from gout should avoid this plant. Despite its name it isn’t related to Common sorrel which is a member of the Rumex family of plants. Its name comes from the Greek, oxys meaning sour or acid and acetosella means vinegar salts. If you use it in a salad there is no need to add vinegar to a dressing, just use oil.

   The association with the cuckoo has been explained in the following way by one of the old herbalists: -

   “The Apothecaries and herbalist call it Alleluya and Paniscuculi (Latin for cuckoo bread) or Cuckowes meate, because either the Cuckoo feedeth thereon, or by reason when it springeth forth and flowereth the Cuckoo singeth most, at which time Alleluya was wont to be sung in Churches.”

   As it flowers between Easter and Whitsun this seems a likely explanation for both names.

  The leaves have been used in folk medicine in many countries either fresh or dried, and given as a diuretic, antiscorbutic (because of the vitamin C content as well as some B-complex vitamins) and a refrigerant as it helps reduce fevers and is good to quench thirst (chew on the leaves and find out).It was used in cooking before the introduction into Britain of French sorrel. The leaves also contain a high amount of the mineral, calcium. To make a decoction from the leaves for any of the above complaints, just gather the fresh leaves and boil them in water for 5 mins then strain and drink half a cupful. To make Conserva Ligulae, pound fresh leaves with three times their weight of sugar and the grated zest of an orange; this can be used as the base for a refreshing drink in summer or to cool the body if you have fever.

   The decoction is also good for stomach problems and catarrh, as well as a diuretic and inflammation of the urinary tract (e.g. cystitis). Wood sorrel is considered to be better than the true sorrels and others of the Rumex family (such as dock) as a blood purifier, but there is little medical evidence to support this claim. In fact little research seems to have been done on Oxalis acetosella.

  The juice from the leaves when boiled will turn red but when this clears you will be left with a fine clear syrup which is as effectual as the decoction or infusion for treating wounds and staunching the flow of blood from them. The red juice can be used as mouthwash or a gargle and is a good remedy for mouth ulcers. If you soak a cloth in the juice, it can be applied to swellings and bruises to reduce the inflammation.

   Seeds from the wood sorrel have been found in glacial beds near Edinburgh (Scotland) and in Neolithic sites there and in Essex (England). The plant grows in the Arctic, Europe, North Africa and North and West Asia to the Himalayas as well as in parts of North America. Other sorrels also grow in these regions and the commonest in North America is yellow. However as you can see from the pictures here, the Wood sorrel flower, Oxalis acetosella is white with faint purple veins.

SUMMER WOOD SORREL SOUP

Ingredients

1 cup wood sorrel leaves

1 onion or 4 spring onions finely chopped

3 or 4 tomatoes peeled and roughly chopped

2 pints water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small pot of cream

wood sorrel flowers to garnish

Method

Lightly fry the onions.

Put all the ingredients into a pan and boil for 10 mins.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the soup to cool and then put it in the fridge to chill.

When you are ready to serve the soup add a swirl of cream to each bowl and garnish with the edible white flowers.

Serve chilled with fresh bread,

This has Taste and is a Treat.

 

  

DAFFODILS- HOW TO USE DAFFODILS FLOWERS AND BULB FOR HEALTH BENEFITS

DAFFODILS, NARCISSUS PSEUDO-NARCISSUS

The daffodil is native to the British Isles and Europe where it grows wild. It is also known affectionately as the Daffy-down-dilly, daffodilly, which are said to be corruptions of “Asphodel” as the daffodil is thought to be similar in appearance to the asphodel of the ancient Greeks which was planted on or around tombs. That is how it became a portent of death. However, in Wales it is a symbol of the patron saint, David, (Dewi Sant in Welsh) and of rebirth and faithfulness as it blooms after even the harshest winters.

 It gets the name Narcissus either from the myth of the youth Narcissus who was so enamoured with his own reflection that he ignored the poor nymph who loved him and died. The narcissus flower grew where he died. The daffodil is not the narcissus which is simply called that by most florists although they belong to the same family and are closely related, and so is the jonquil, Narcissus jonquilla, and Narcissus poeticus is another type of flower in that family. However Pliny says that the narcissus family gets the name from the Greek “narkao” which means to benumb. This is perfectly plausible as the plant is poisonous and contains atropine as does the snowdrop. It also has caused death by paralysis of the central nervous system to animals which have eaten the plant. It has also caused accidental death or poisoning when the bulb has been mistaken for an onion and in these cases it has been noted that the toxin is fast acting and the high temperature it was exposed to during cooking, did not lower the toxicity of the daffodil bulb and only a relatively small quantity of the bulb was eaten.

Welsh daffodil

   The daffodil was a principal ingredient of the ancient ointment called “Narcissum.” Despite its toxic properties it has been used as an emetic to cause vomiting and purge the body. This emetic has been given in the form of powdered flowers or bulb. An infusion used to be made of the root or flowers or sometimes they were included in a syrup for pulmonary catarrh.

  Culpeper says that the roots have hot and dry properties and when boiled produced vomiting. He also states that they “are used with good success at the appearance of approaching agues” especially in fevers contracted in spring when seasons change. He goes on to say “the juice when mingled with honey, frankincense wine and myrrh and dropt in the ears, the roots made hollow and boiled in oil help raw ribed heels.” So if shoes didn’t fit and rubbed your heels daffodil roots were a good remedy. Galen believed that the daffodil plant was useful for wounds as it has astringent properties.

Wild daffodils

   Today daffodils are cultivated on the slopes of the Black Mountains in Powys, in mid Wales as they contain higher amounts of galantamine than daffodils grown further down the mountain.  Galantamine has been found in snowdrops and these were mainly grown in Bulgaria and China for the pharmaceutical industry as this has been found to be effective in warding off symptoms of Alzheimer’s and poliomyelitis (see snowdrops). As galantamine has also been found in daffodils and the Welsh ones seem to have a particularly high yield of this, they are also being cultivated for pharmaceutical use.

  It is perhaps fitting that daffodils are being cultivated in Wales as they are the national flower. There is much debate about how this came to be the national flower of Wales, but this would seem to be a matter of commonsense. St David’s Day is on March 1^st and is celebrated in Wales every year.   Daffodils are usually blooming then and the daffodil’s name in Welsh means Saint Peter’s Leek or Cenhinen Pedr while the leek is the symbol of Wales and this is Cenhinen in Welsh. As they have such a close etymological relationship in Welsh it is hardly surprising that the daffodil, along with the leek became the national symbol. Also few other flowers bloom around March 1^st.  The ancient Celts would have used the daffodil for cures and it seems that they may have employed them in cancer treatments and used them as a sedative. When Christianity was forced upon the inhabitants of Wales they would have kept faith with their traditions, and the daffodil was probably a potent symbol for those early people.

Wild daffodils

   It is said that the only Welsh-born Prime minister of Britain (1916-22), Lloyd George popularized the daffodil as a symbol of Wales as he wore it to all public engagements in his lapel and wore it when Edward Albert was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernafon in North Wales in 1911. Edward was to become King Edward VIII but abdicated to marry Mrs. Wallace Simpson.

   Daffodils contain the bioflavonoid quercetin and others, and there are crystals of the mineral calcium in the plant’s sap. Daffodils, despite their toxicity were used in traditional medicine for many purposes for centuries. The bulbs were pounded and made into a paste to be applied to wounds and were effective due to their astringent properties. The poultices made with these were also place on parts affected by gout, burns, and joint pains to bring relief. The flowers and bulbs were also used for hysteria and even epilepsy and were said to be effective remedies. 

   Daffodils are also called the Lenten Lily (Blodyn mis Mawrth in Welsh) as they bloom early in the year and are usually past their prime by the time Easter comes. The wild daffodils in the Lake District in northern England delighted the Romantic poet, William Wordsworth who wrote the famous “Daffodils” poem after encountering them on one of his walks.

      “I wander’d lonely as a cloud

       O’er vales and hills,

       When all at once I saw a crowd

       A host of golden daffodils.”

Apart from these daffodils that so delighted Wordsworth there are daffodils which grow around the coastal town of Tenby in West Wales, named Narcissus obvallaris, which are orange, and quite rare.

  Wild daffodils are smaller than their cultivated relatives and can have the most amazing fragrance. However they are best left where they grow as they are a protected species.

 

  

HAWTHORN: HEALTH BENEFITS OF HAWTHORN, USES AND HISTORY: HAWTHORN LIQUEUR CHOCOLATE RECIPE

HAWTHORN, CRATAEGUS OXYCANTHA

The hawthorn tree is known by many names including Bread and Cheese (Bara Caws; couse as in mouse, in Welsh) May and Whitethorn. The proper Welsh name for hawthorn is Draenen Wen.  It is called Bread and Cheese because this is what the leaves are supposed to taste like, and I’ve eaten them but didn’t see much resemblance to the flavour of bread or cheese. My grandfather used to feed me the leaves if I was hungry on one of our long country walks.

   It is called whitethorn because of the whiteness of its bark, and the fruit or haws are called by many interesting names, such as Pixie Pears, Cuckoo’s Beads and Chucky Cheese. The haws look like mini apples and have stones inside them.

   Hawthorn is a member of the rose family along with the Prunus and Pyrus trees, such as plum, aloo Bukhara and peach trees (Prunus), the crab apple and Mountain Ash (Pyrus). Along with the oak and ash, it was one of the three sacred trees of the Celts.

    The Hawthorn tree is native to the British Isles and northern Europe, although others grow in other parts of the world: the Crataegus aronia is native to southern Europe, Israel and West Asia and is prized for its haws, while the C.odoratissima and C azarote are also valued for the fruit they produce. The name Crataegus comes from the Greek, kratos meaning hardness, and oxcus which means sharp and akantha meaning thorns. The German name for it is Hagedorn, which means Hedge Thorn, indicating that it was used to mark boundaries between fields. Haw also means hedge.

  Hawthorns can live for hundreds of years and according to legend the Glastonbury thorn was more than a thousand years old when it was cut down by Cromwell’s men during the Interregnum which followed the Civil War in Britain in the 17^th century. They can grow as tall as 30 feet and John Milton (1608-1674) wrote these lines; “Every shepherd tells his tale under the hawthorn in the dale.” This shows how prolific these trees once were.

   The Glastonbury Thorn was said to have sprung from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea, who, legend has it, brought the blood of Christ in the Holy Grail to Glastonbury. The staff was also said to be made from a hawthorn tree, as was the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head before his crucifixion.(Sometimes the hawthorn is referred to as Christ’s Thorn”.) The hawthorn at Glastonbury was said to be the biggest tree in England. A smaller one now grows where the original was thought to have grown.

   The flowers of the hawthorn blossom in May and where I come from in South Wales, there’s an old saying, “Ne’er cast a clout ‘til May is out” which means that you shouldn’t stop wearing your winter clothes until the hawthorn has blossomed. It is called May because it blossoms in that month. The flowers have a smell that is said to be like that of a woman who is sexually aroused, and this gave it the reputation for being an aphrodisiac in Arabic erotic literature. In Britain the flowers are reputed to still bear the stench of the Great Plague of London of the early 17^th century.

In ancient Greece brides wore garlands of May flowers and torches made from hawthorn wood lit the way for the procession to the bridal chamber. In Wales and Ireland wreaths of hawthorn are made and left outside for the fairies or angels to find. The tree was sacred to Hymen, the Greek god of the marriage chamber, and to the goddess Maia (the Roman goddess equivalent was Flora).In ancient Greece and Rome the hawthorn was taken into homes for good luck and protection from evil spirits. In the Christian era it became a symbol of hope.

    However hawthorn also has darker associations. In Teutonic funeral rites, the wood was burned on funeral pyres in the belief that souls would be carried to the afterlife by the smoke that rose from the pyre, and so it took on a grimness which led to superstitions about it. It was believed to be a fairy tree, and the evil fairies that dwelled in it would severely punish anyone who harmed it. Celts believed that on Beltane (May Day) witches metamorphosed into hawthorn trees and the Scots Gaels though that the tree was the gateway to the other world. In Welsh legend, Merlin the magician was eternally trapped in a hawthorn tree by the most powerful of the witches, Nimue.

  Other superstitions are that if an angler has a thorn from the tree in his/her pocket, a good catch is assured. You may still see ribbons on hawthorns, or pieces of cloth, especially on trees that stand at a crossroads. These are for good luck or for wishes to be granted.

  Henry Tudor, who became Henry VII after his defeat of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, adopted the device of the hawthorn bush as one of his men found Richard’s crown on a hawthorn bush and presented it to the future king. (Henry Tudor was the father of King Henry VIII.)

  In Wales, the hawthorn is once more growing in abundance as the sheep that usually eat hawthorn saplings were culled during the foot and mouth epidemic in 200-2001. Now the trees are flourishing again and it is believed that their origins go back 12000 years or more to the last Ice Age. This is good for the migrant cuckoo population as the hawthorn trees provide caterpillars for them to feast on.

   Hawthorn protects against evil and a sprig in a barn will help cows provide and increased milk yield, according to superstition. In mediaeval times and after, cattle were given garlands of the leaves to wear to protect them from the malice of fairy folk.

  The physicians of Myddfai used hawthorn as a remedy for jaundice, “take the leaves which grow on the branches of the hawthorn and the mistletoe, boiling them in wine or good old ale, till reduced to the half, then take off the fire and strain. Drink this three times a day.”

   Traditionally the hawthorn has been used as a diuretic, a heart tonic and for its astringent qualities, which are notably in the berries and the flowers. A decoction of either has been used for sore throats and as a diuretic as well as to disperse gravel and kidney stones. A liqueur can be made from the berries by steeping them in brandy for a month. You can then strain the liquid and use the mushy berries to make chocolate liqueurs. In older times the leaves were used to adulterate tea when it was an expensive commodity in Britain.

   The wood from the tree (if anyone dares cut it) makes good fire wood and the charcoal from it can be heated to such a high temperature that it is said that pig iron can be smelted with it. The wood has also been used to carve trinkets and decorative items.

   Dioscorides in the 1^st century AD believed that hawthorn was good for heart disease, and this has proved to be the case. Today the leaves and flowers are used medicinally and the University of Maryland has said that there is “good evidence that hawthorn can treat mild – moderate heart failure.” There are flavonoids in the leaves and flowers and fewer in the berries. These help to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Hawthorn can help with restlessness and insomnia and increases oxygen utilization by the heart. It is also rich in vitamin C and has strong antioxidant properties. Like grapes, hawthorn contains oligomeric procyandins which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

   A decoction of the berries has been used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery due to their astringent qualities, and the berries, flowers and leaves are good for the digestive system and promote appetite. Tisanes and decoctions made from them have been used to alleviate stress and anxiety as they have a relaxing effect on the nervous system. Traditionally these tisanes and decoctions have been used to help with menopausal symptoms such as night sweats and as a vaginal douche for infections such as candida (thrush).The infusion of the flowers is particularly good for increasing the flow of blood to the heart, and when mixed with yarrow, can help relieve stress and hypertension.  Juice from the berries can be expressed and used as a digestive aid, a cardiac tonic and to stop diarrhoea. The decoction is made with 30 gr berries boiled in ½ litre of water for 15 mins, then allowed to steep for 10-15 mins. Drink a cupful 2 or 3 times a day. For a tisane wash the berries or flowers and leaves thoroughly and the pour a cupful of boiling water over them and allow them to steep for 15 mins before straining and drinking.

CHOCOLATE LIQUEUR FROM HAWTHORN BERRIES

Ingredients

1 bottle brandy

1 kilo hawthorn berries, washed and cleaned

3 large bars of chocolate

Method

Steep the berries in the brandy for a month, turning the bottle upside down once a day for two weeks. Leave in a cool dark place for the whole month.

Strain the berries and reserve.

In a heavy pan, melt the chocolate, then remove from the heat and stir the mushy berries into it so that they are well mixed.

With a metal spoon, scoop out the mixture and place on a greased baking tray. When you have finished, refrigerate so that the chocolate sets again. They are soon ready to eat.You also have hawthorn brandy, which is delicious too.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

 

WHAT IS CHOI MOI PLANT? TICKLE ME PLANT: MEDICINAL USES AND BENEFITS OF TICKLE ME PLANT: CHILD'S PET PLANT

TICKLE ME PLANT, CHOI MOI, MIMOSA PUDICA

The Tickle Me plant is called Choi Moi (pronounced chouyi mouyi) in Urdu and grows wild in Pakistan. Children love to find it and touch its leaves which immediately curl up tight. For this reason it is also called the sensitive plant, the humble plant, Touch Me Not, and probably a lot of other names all relating to its shrinking qualities; even the Latin name pudica means shy.

   There is of course a scientific explanation for this shrinking phenomenon, and this is that the stem has some areas in it which release chemicals which force water out of the cells causing them to collapse when the leaves are touched. The plant has a nyctinastic movement which means that the leaves close at night or in response to darkness, and open when exposed to light. However it captivates young children and is grown in the house in Pakistan to entertain them.

   Mimosa pudica is a pan-tropical weed and an invasive species in some parts of the United States, but before you uproot it, if it’s invading your garden, you may want to consider its health benefits. On the other hand if you grow crops that need to be hand-picked it can be a nuisance and is a problem to growers of tomatoes, sugar cane, papaya and coffee for example. However even for those farmers it has some benefits as the root nodules are nitrogen fixers so help the soil regain its balance.

 This plant has been used in traditional medicine on the Indian subcontinent for centuries, and the roots have been used for their wound healing properties, as a febrifuge (to relieve fevers), as a diuretic and for their antispasmodic and astringent properties. A decoction of the leaves or an infusion has been used to treat asthma as they have expectorant qualities. As a poultice they are used to relieve glandular swellings, and the bruised leaves are good to put on bruises. They are also used to relieve anxiety and hypertension and are a muscle relaxant according to traditional healers or hakims. In some parts of India the plant is used as a contraceptive for women, and for uterine problems. In China the plant is used to treat depression and anxiety. Although the leaves and roots are primarily used in traditional medicine the flowers and fruit (seeds) are also used.

   Surprisingly there have been many medical studies of this plant and it has been shown to be effective in treating women with uterine bleeding or menorrhagia with an extract of the root powder being used. The root extract has also been found to heal wounds and to help treat gastric ulcers, and t help in spinal cord dysfunctions. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so is useful in treating rheumatoid inflammation. It has also shown to have antifertility properties in mice, although humans have not been tested. Mimosa pudica has also been shown to have antibacterial effects on bacteria such as E.coli, and there are studies underway to test its efficacy as an anti-cancer treatment for ovarian cancer and the new alkaloid discovered in it, mimosine, is being tested for its potential for yielding new chemotherapeutic compounds. Other studies include investigating its nerve regeneration potential and as an anti-diabetic, and anti-depressant.

   The seeds have apparently also been used as a coffee substitute, and in Ayurvedic medicine the plant is used to treat impotence and general debility. It is also used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery, skin problems and bronchial complaints.

    If it grows in your garden, don’t be too hasty about getting rid of it.