Faux hemp–a cautionary tale

A couple of years ago, whether you picked up a newspaper, magazine, health book, etc it seemed the whole world was recommending the health benefits of hemp oil and hemp seeds. I bought into this notion as well. We are all wanting when it comes to bountiful good health and life giving treasures.

I was shopping one day when I came across some of these ‘health-giving’ hemp seeds – they were hard and full (obviously packed full of their precious oil and nutrients). Some even labelled them as ‘seeds of gold’ so how could I go wrong. All I needed to do according to article after article was to crush them, perhaps with a food processor or coffee grinder, the helpful articles indicated.

Well I got my precious hemp seeds home and I tried grinding them up .. but they felt like crushed gravel, really brittle and hard. Could I really risk sprinkling them onto my breakfast or lunch? What about my teeth? The thought of cracked teeth and tooth crumbs immediately took away their health giving properties. So I put them at the back of the cupboard and forgot about them.

Last year when cleaning out the cupboard I came across them and thought to myself that I might as well throw them outside for the birds to eat. One sprouted and before I knew it began to grow. It was bound to die for the weather had turned quite chilly. It didn’t die and the other day I noticed that it was flowering. These were not hemp flowers though. So my healthy hemp seeds were not hemp seeds at all. When I realised what they were I was really thankful that I hadn’t eaten any because these were the seeds of a deadly poisonous plant!

The plant that I am referring to and came from the seed which I purchased is called a Stinking Hellebore. It is also known as Bear’s Foot and Dung Wart. It’s Latin name is: Helleborus Foetidus.

Yeasts are attracted to the plant which linger around its flower heads and helps to raise its temperature. Perhaps this is what increases its poisonous properties. It is one of those plants that require instant hand washing after touching because it leads to volatile bouts of sickness and violent and projectile vomiting and delirium.. so best enjoyed at a distance!

Stinking Hellebore - Helleborus Foetidus – Bear’s Foot or Dung Wart

 

Pet bees

It is surprising just how easily a person becomes quite attached to their honey bees. I wouldn’t have thought it possible but once the bees are established and you get over the initial wariness of the possibility of getting stung then you experience the pleasure of entering the wonderful world of the insect.

I have always loved honey and usually have a little every single day, so whether my skin oozes a small amount of its smell or not I am unsure. What I do know is that the beautiful lady worker bees land on my skin and dip their tongues onto it and appear to lick me. This tickles just a little but after a short while they take off and go about their business. They do appear to like strolling about on bare skin. The variety of these bees is called Buckfast. They are noted for their gentleness and their ease of establishing themselves in the average garden.

When they leave the hive, they do not fly straight across the garden but always go upwards and then choose a particular direction that they wish to take. So they are up and away from both yourself and your neighbours. As with any other pet you must make sure that you supply fresh water for your bees. This is often best placed into a bird bath or earthenware dish that is filled with large pebbles before adding any water. This ensures that the bees are able to drink without drowning. The next important thing to remember is that there are no flowers during the early part of the year and unless you know that your bees have ample honey stores to eat then you do need to feed them. They do fairly well on inverted sugar syrup and honey which you can easily make yourself.

Basic recipes involve white cane sugar, water, a small squirt of freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice and a pinch of food grade citric acid. It is the orange, lemon and/or citric acid which inverts the sugar mixture and this helps the bees to digest it easily. In real emergencies then sugar may be given straight from the packet – it is better to feed instantly than leave the bees to starve.

Our beautiful lady Buckfast honey bees

We’re in need of a spy

The failing with all people, is that having been taught something it tends to plant itself quite deeply setting itself in stone deep in our brains. Never mind whether a particular fact is accurate or right, if we have learnt it then as humans very few of us will question its accuracy. Yet facts are rarely ever concrete. They should never be written in stone. As we evolve then so should our knowledge and our capacity for recognising that anything may not quite be as we once thought. We should at the very least learn by our forebears who believed fervently that the Earth was flat; the Sun spun around the Earth; the Moon was made of cheese; all religious people were good; all fat was bad, and so on and so forth.

The latest findings about sugar has been a welcome revelation. The reason I make this statement is because so many people over the last few years have rubbished every kind of sugar as they have with salt.

Now according to a recent Horizon programme ‘if sugar is completely taken out of the diet the body loses the ability to produce insulin and therefore is more likely to develop diabetes.’

This programme will turn everything you have ever been taught to understand about fat and sugar completely on its head. So if you wish to lose weight without dieting, if you never want to gain weight then take a look at this Horizon programme: Sugar V Fat

 

 

Sugar V Fat

Learn from these doctors and never have to worry about being over-weight ever again ……. and remember the main rule – avoid foodstuffs with a 50% fat 50% sugar ratio this is usually processed food and is never found in nature. Look after your muscles – dieting on a high fat diet destroys muscle!

The ultimate diet ride – eat in moderation and be careful of any fad diets as you never know what harm they may be doing to your body and you only have one body!

Making hazelnuts/cobnuts/filberts edible

Hazelnuts, cobnuts and filberts all taste similar and offer a natural package of multivitamins and minerals that make them worthy of being fit for a king or queen. They are, however, extremely bitter and so have lost their popularity except in various ready prepared foodstuff favourites. It is easy to make this nut sweet, mellow and magnificent and once you know how, they can become part of your daily nutrition of excellence. All it takes to sweeten the hazelnut (cobnut or filbert) is a little heat. Either place them on a baking tray in the oven for ten minutes on a medium heat or under the grill or stir them in a pan on the top of the stove. The heat slightly roasts the nut and sweetens the flesh. I always leave on the brown skin but this is easily removed if you prefer an extra sweet nut – place the cooked nut into a tea-towel or clean cloth and gently roll the package on a hard surface with your hands. The outside brown flesh all falls off leaving just the fleshy inner nut, clear of the skin and they are ready to eat and enjoy. They may be added to cereals, cakes, chocolate, eaten by themselves .. so many choices.

See below for the vitamins and minerals that each nut is packed with.

 

Hazelnut, Kentish cobnut, filbert – all look and taste very similar – so much so that it would probably take a professional chef to be able to tell them apart by taste alone.

A little note to add why hazelnuts or their cousins should be part of your daily diet – here is what they contain in alphabetical order:

Minerals – calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, zinc and quite a few other trace amounts of other minerals not listed here.

Vitamins – Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K, other tiny amounts of various vitamins.

Ten large hazelnuts are only 80 calories and yet they help to maintain a good and sensible weight as they are slow to digest keeping a person feeling satisfied for hours.

“Bananas in the morning catwalk dread;

bananas in the evening beautifies the head!”

I have always loved and eaten bananas all my life. A banana baby, a banana child and a banana woman. There is little that I do not know about this satisfying, sweet, vanilla, ambrosia berry.

Bananas emit so much radiation that they set off a Geiger Counter when approached. They are noted for the large quantity of potassium that are packed within their skins and are a useful tool for reducing blood pressure naturally. An asset for both constipation bound patients and also ones who may be temporarily suffering from diahorrea. Amongst other useful additions to the diet the banana berry contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12 or Folate, C, E, K, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, Calcium .. and so the list goes on making it a very nutritious food.

Bananas – variety Cavendish, which is a sub-group produced from a wild variety from Asia called ‘musa acuminata’ and the seedless ‘triploid’ (from three sets). This means that the Cavendish variety of banana is always cloned from a parent plant as it always produces seedless fruits.

The most amazing sight is to see an ape take the skin off a banana for it removes it from the bottom blunt end pulling down towards the stem. This most likely is the correct way to peel the fruit as it takes off the ‘inner string’ or the correct name for this ‘Phloem Bundles’ that run from bottom to top of the fruit. A bunch of bananas when pulled off the plant is called ‘a hand.’

It is often found that if a person is allergic to latex they often cannot eat bananas.

The best bananas I have ever eaten are those grown in The Windward Islands: St Lucia, Dominica and St Vincent – all of these bananas are sweet, creamy textured, a milky rice pudding satisfying type of banana.

Never eat bananas early in the day if you have an important meeting as they make the tummy bloat and grow by several inches. They are also slow to digest and so a distended stomach may last for twelve hours or more. Bananas are best eaten in the evening when the body’s digestive system is working more quickly.

Words of wisdom from the old and wise:

“Bananas in the morning Catwalk dread; bananas in the evening beautifies the head.” Anon

Old bananas when they are slightly over-ripe may be peeled and chopped then frozen. Once frozen, mash them up or whizz them round in a food processor and they make a delicious and healthy ice-cream!

Haggis/protect the wild haggis/haggis secret recipe

No matter where you may live in the world, there is the chance that a tiny portion of Scottish blood may be running through your veins. So there will also be a hunger and quest deep within that you will probably never be able to quench. The Scot’s mist that is woven into your soul is particularly melancholy at the beginning of each year. It is the month of January that brings with it the hunting season for the wild haggis in order for them to be laid onto the dinner plate, ready for the festive celebration of Rabbie Burns Night on the 25th.

This tradition of the recognition of Robert Burns (Rabbie Burns) date of birth, his birthday is marked by the cooking of the haggis which is served with neeps and tatties. Neeps are what the Scots call turnips but, in fact, the rest of the British Isles call Swede and turnips in Scotland are called new turnips. Tatties are potatoes. Both vegetables are usually boiled and mashed when served with haggis.

Burns night, at one time was celebrated in mid Summer on 21st July which was the anniversary of Robert Burns’ death.

 

Haggis

If like me, you would like to protect the wild haggis for he is a rare and special beastie, or if you live a long way from Scotland but would like to embrace a little warmth from the Highlands – then here is an especially scarce and secret recipe for you to make a ‘mock’ haggis.

Secret of the ‘Mock’ Haggis Recipe

Lean pork minced or ground finely(250 grammes for two-to-three persons)
Fine ground rice flour (one large metal spoon scoop) 
Butter (one small metal spoon scoop)
Squeezed nuts or nut butter (half small metal spoon)
Ground ginger spice (half small metal spoon)
Ground black pepper (one small pinch)
Finely ground sea salt (one large pinch)
Dried and crumbled sage (half small metal spoon)
Dried and crumbled thyme (half small metal spoon)
Honey (half small metal spoon)

Place all the ingredients into a large jug or bowl and fork together.
When roughly mixed – either pound with the end of a rolling pin or squash the ingredients through the fingers of the hands.
The mixture should go together into a round.
Place the round into an oven dish and gently squash down a little.
Slowly pour about half-inch of water around the little haggis.
Cut into shards one scallion spring onion and sprinkle into the water.
Place a little portion of chicken stock into the water.

Cook half-way down the oven on a reasonably high heat (425°F or 220°C or Gas Mark 7)
Cooking time will vary but should take around 35 to 45 minutes and the top of the haggis should be a crunchy dark brown when ready.

 

Health boost

There is one thing that I have learnt over the years and that is the magical method of an instant health boost. When I became compromised with eating grains this one health means was lost to me in an instant and the alternative was to become a ‘pill popper’ which is not a natural existence at all.

Every system of the body requires one form or another of Vitamin B to help it function at optimum levels which in turn helps to sweep away a deluge of unpleasant symptoms from vile boring deep down chronic aches like fibrositis which often is called fibromyalgia, neuralgia, sciatica, back pains, hip pains, leg pains, hand pains, feet pains, etc to problems with skin, hair, nails and so on. In fact the health range that this series of Vitamins touch is virtually endless.

I used to take Brewer’s Yeast every day. It cured all kinds of issues from a deep bedded sciatic pain that would shoot the entire length of my leg and make me stand still in my tracks to crunchy brittle nails that wouldn’t grow and would continually break and peel. Added to this was dry patches and pimples on my face.

My grandmother had always advocated the use of yeast but this is something that could only be taken by those who have not yet found that grains just do not work for their health. Yeast mostly, if not always relies on sugars often produced through grains to make it grow. More and more people are now finding grains an issue and a cause of long-seated health complications. Highly processed sugars are often produced using grains such as wheat and barley and may cause recurring health issues as well as the loss of the feeling of well being. It is therefore commonsense to avoid foods where highly processed sugars have been used in any food production including yeasts.

I have now found a condiment yeast that is not grown on any form of grain and is rich in all of the nourishing B Vitamins. It tastes lovely and doesn’t leave any after flavours in the mouth. This condiment yeast comes in small dry flakes and therefore may be sprinkled onto virtually all meals. It is called “Nutritional Yeast Flakes.” The version that I have chosen to buy and use has added Vitamin B12 and Zinc but there are other versions that are the B Complex vitamins only. I thought it wise to have these two additional added items because B12 prevents mouth ulcers/canker sores and Zinc protects against catching viruses and I hate catching colds, etc!

Nutritional Yeast Flakes (primarily Saccharomyces Cerevasiae) grown on enriched purified molasses. It is grown under controlled conditions to ensure that it is free from candida albicans yeast it is also free from genetically modified organisms. This particular yeast is grown in Estonia.

The best flavoured potato in the world

Over the years I have noticed a definite decline in both the quality and the flavour of potatoes. I think I must have tried just about every variety of potato that is available in the High Street both from supermarkets to individual costermongers. Many potatoes have a back taste that is bitter and unpleasant, others are virtually tasteless. Added to this there are those that range from powdery, crumbly, hard or a mixture of all three. Some break up whilst cooking. Some have patches of green. Others sprout their eyes especially during warm spells after a surprising amount of little time.

A couple of years back I came across a potato name that I had never heard of before called ‘Lady Balfour.’ They are everything that a potato should be. Firstly, they have the best flavour that I have ever tasted. It is rich and reliable and most of all nourishing. It makes you feel that your body has received a wonderful healthy boost which leaves ever cell quite satisfied. It is unbelievable as both a baked or roast potato as the middle becomes white and fluffy when cooked and the taste is potato heaven! Added to these attributes it boils and steams well and can also be used when beaten, to add to cakes, scones and puddings.

These are definitely the one and only potato that I would ever consider growing now, they are surely part of a millionaire’s menu. They grow easily and will form excellent plants if you allow one or two to age a little and for their eyes to form little sprouts of a about half a centimetre. Once sprouted cut off a small portion of the potato with the skin under the eye and place it into the ground just covering lightly. Each eye section will form a new plant which will give a medium to large size crop.

Little warning: never be tempted to eat the fruit of the potato – it looks like little green tomatoes but is deadly poisonous!

 

  Lady Balfour potatoes

Easy loaf–quick dough–no yeast

Here is a recipe that anyone can make whether they have experience in baking or have never cracked an egg in their life. It is for a simple and easy quick make and bake loaf of bread that tastes as good as any loaf that a master baker is able to produce. I bake this bread nearly every day and have never had a loaf go wrong either in its flavour or appearance.

Equipment you will need

A jug or bowl for mixing; a fork; a ramekin dish or similar; a teaspoon; a desert spoon or similar.

Ingredients

1 egg per person or mini loaf; half a teaspoon of baking soda/powder; choice of any of the following grains some of which you may well have in the store cupboard: rolled oats, oat bran, ground flax seed, ground almonds, toasted soya bran. These could be substituted with wheat flour, barley flour, spelt, rice flour, corn meal, gram, etc. It is the chance to bake a loaf using the flavours that you most enjoy! You may also add a pinch of spice such as ginger or may be a drizzle of honey or perhaps a few seeds such as caraway, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, poppy, etc.

Method

Crack the egg into the jug or bowl and roughly beat it with a fork. Slowly add whichever of the dry ingredients that you want, a little at a time beating roughly with a fork as you go. The mixture is ready when it is soft and firm enough to drop into a buttered dish.

Bake

Place on the top shelf of a warm oven and turn the heat to Gas Mark 4 – 180°C – 350°F for around 20 minutes or until the top is quite firm – this will depend on individual ovens. Remove from oven – allow to cool slightly, then remove from the dish. Place onto plate, slice in half and either spread with butter or perhaps use fresh curd cheese and may be a small dollop of fruit compote.

I hope that you enjoy your quick and easy loaf as much as I do. My favourite ingredients for making this loaf are oats, oat bran , ground almonds, toasted soya bran and ground flax seed. I rarely use any type of flour and still find the loaf quite light and very nourishing.

Here is a picture of today’s loaf:

Frothy sleep of blackthorn blossoms

Blackthorn is a shrub which grows usually just short of five metres tall. It is an old and famous plant as the fruit it produces is known as the sloe. Sloes look like very tiny plums. They have a dull, almost powdery bloom of darkest purple/black when they are ripe. They are bitter and are used in the making of sloe gin.

• Wash and prick once - one pint of sloes
• Add 4 level tablespoons of granulated sugar
• Pour in the gin until the fruit is covered
• Add a light sprinkling of cloves
• The juice of six almonds (a small amount of pure almond essence)
• Place in a Kilner jar and seal it

Turn the jar over ten full times and wrap in a towel or cloth. Place in a dark, cool cupboard. Turn the jar ten full times each day for three whole weeks. After this time turn the jar ten full times just once each week until three whole months have passed. The sloe gin should then be strained using a fine mesh. The liqueur should at this time be a warm rich ruby wine colour. The sloes taken from the steeping may, if required, be made into a rich sloe jam or chutney that can be served with game or cold meat.

The Latin name for Blackthorn is Prunus Spinosa

Frothy Blackthorn blossoms

Blackthorn blossoms are very late this year and are all heavily covering their branches. The leaves of the Blackthorn are small, dark green and oval and only appear once the blossom has fallen. The bush is covered all over with sharp black thorns and so is widely used for tall hedging often mixed with Hawthorn to keep live stock in fields and people safely out!

Cooking perfect rice

It is the staple of many and yet there are those who find it difficult to cook. Many years ago the secret of cooking perfect boiled rice was passed on to me by a chef. I have used the method ever since and always have beautiful, fluffy, perfect boiled rice. I will share this secret with you.

• Firstly, always use long grain rice – choose the best quality you can afford – Basmati if you want to control your weight …
• You will need a saucepan with a tight fitting lid
• A measuring jug
• Always measure twice the amount of water to the quantity of rice that you need to cook
• Wash the rice thoroughly taking out any impurities, stones, dirt, etc
• Place the required amount of water into the saucepan
• Bring to the boil AND add a very, very small pinch of salt –STIR the pan
• Add the clean rice – STIR the pan – bring back to the boil then - PLACE on the saucepan LID
• Turn down the heat to minimum – TIME for exactly 10 minutes
• Turn off the heat – ALLOW to stand for 10 minutes – take off lid and stir with a fork
• Serve

 

• This is a faultless way of cooking perfect rice every time provided that you always measure both the water and the rice - (half rice to water) and you adhere to the cooking time in a pan with a tightly fitted lid.

Basmati rice

Sop

This is an old and tried treat. Simple to make and useful to use either as a pudding or a means of encouraging a delicate person or someone that has been off their food for a while back into the habit of eating and the road to recovery.

Depending upon the quantity you need to make:

You will need one pudding basin or glass bowl, two slices of bread, four teaspoons of jam, six teaspoons of water, either instant custard one-half to one pint or egg custard stirred and made slowly on the stove.

Method

Take two or more slices of bread and remove the crusts (scones, cobs or plain sponge may be used if preferred)

Take four teaspoonfuls of jam and add six teaspoonfuls of water – heat the mixture stirring until a warm watery syrup is formed

Place the bread at the bottom of the dish, pour over the jam syrup and allow to soak into the bread – gently press the bread with a spoon until it has drunk up all of the mixture.

Make some custard – at least half-a-pint – pour onto the bread and syrup mix and allow to cool and set.

A few sprinkles of sugar onto the surface prevents a skin from forming.

Serve as required.

Note: The mixture is best when made with a red sweet jam but some might prefer damson, cherry or bramble jelly. Apricot jam or marmalade may be used as an alternative but these both are usually too rich for someone with a delicate stomach.

Sop has been used as a gentle food source for hundreds of years – so why not give it a try – you may be pleasantly surprised at its ease to make and its lovely flavour.

 

Sop (a family dish)

Why not … eat insects

I was fascinated to learn that it was once popular to eat insects in Britain. In fact, it is still possible to purchase a small but useful book that was written by Vincent M Holt in the 1800’s. For those who like to read interesting little books, this one contains just 99 pages. It is called ‘WHY NOT EAT INSECTS?’ The ISBN number is: 0946014124 – it is still in print and readily available for purchase.

There are all sorts of recipes that are bordering, to say the very least, on the unusual – from wasp grubs fried in the comb to wireworm or woodlouse sauce – the latter two obviously not insects. The knowledge of eating safe pests has been gathered over the years from various countries spanning the globe.

Little book ‘Why Not Eat Insects?’ 

The little book also mentions other things that may be considered for the pot – one being snails or slugs. These apparently have to be pulled from the garden and starved for several days. This then allows them to purge their systems of anything poisonous in case they may have eaten something that would or could prove to be dangerous to us!

Worcestershire emblem

The pear has always featured in Worcestershire emblems. This most probably relates back to the ‘Black Pear’ which is a very old variety of pear and was well established in Worcestershire by the 1500’s. It was most likely introduced around the time that the Romans invaded. The pear itself is known as the Black Pear is in fact rusty or russet in appearance with a tinge of purple hue. From a distance and especially towards twilight it has a tendency to look blackish. It has little flavour if eaten raw so has always been considered as a cooking pear. It has always been cooked very slowly and requires a good two to three-and-a-half hours to bring out all of its full and excellent flavour.
Sadly, I have never grown a Black Pear tree in my garden but I do have a most wonderful Conference Pear tree and like the Black Pear tree it never fails to give armfuls of fruit every year. It does have a slight advantage on the Black Pear in that it can be eaten either as a desert raw fruit or cooked in a pudding.

Conference Pear Tree

Rice Pudding

As a child I thought everyone knew how to make rice pudding … but it is surprising how many people haven’t experienced the pleasure of making their own.

For those who would like to try out this most English of puddings then here are the basic instructions:

The oven should be set to approx Gas Mark 2/300F/150C.

For best results you will need to purchase a packet of pudding rice (polished short grain rice); granulated sugar; whole pasteurized milk or sterilized milk; butter; nutmeg.

Preferably use a medium Pyrex dish. Rub a small amount of butter around the dish roughly a third to half-way down (only a small smear is required). Wash two heaped tablespoonfuls of rice and place in the bottom of the dish … add one or two level tablespoonfuls of sugar … pour on one pint of milk (568 ml) … gently stir round three or four times … lastly sprinkle a little nutmeg on the top.

Place the pudding quite low in the oven … When cooked a lovely dark skin forms on the top of the pudding whilst the bottom becomes thick and creamy … this usually takes between two to two-and-three-quarter hours.

The pudding may be eaten either hot or cold.

Try it and enjoy it!

Note: To all my American friends …… please remember that an English pint is larger than a US pint – you will need 568 ml of milk …… also an English tablespoon is around double the US tablespoon - you will need the equivalent of four teaspoons (20 ml) for every tablespoon measurement.

Widge

Widge is one of the oldest English recipes that originated somewhere in the Midlands. Some refer to it as Worcestershire Widge … so may be its origins lie somewhere in one of the old villages of the county. Of all the old recipes that I have ever made it must surely be the most versatile as it can be used as a breakfast, lunch or supper and either sweet or savoury. Those housewives of long ago perhaps invented the first fast food … may be we have taken a step backwards since those times. The Widge is easy to prepare and quick to make and there is only one simple rule needed to be followed:

Recipe of the Widge

For each medium sized egg

Take an equal proportion of full cream milk

One heaped teaspoonful of flour

One heaped teaspoonful of porridge oats

One tiny pinch of salt

Best allow two eggs per each person - place the ingredients all together in a jug or basin and lightly beat. Take a flat pan or frying pan – pour in a small amount of oil and a tiny knob of butter … place on a fairly hot stove and wait until the pan slightly sizzles. Then very slowly pour the mixture in starting in the centre of the pan. Whilst the centre of the Widge is still slightly runny – turn the Widge over and allow the other side to cook. *Note any type of flour may be used to made the Widge even self raising varieties!

If serving for breakfast or for a pudding – place the fruit of your choice on the top of the Widge and lightly roll. For lunch it may be served either on the side with some salad or with some steamed fish or stir fry. At supper it can be used similarly to a wrap for a simple village scrape. A scrape is a dish made with with five main ingredients – usually meat, carrot, swede and potato all washed and diced and a small onion finely sliced. To make the scrape put a splash of oil in a pan add the ingredients add a pinch of salt and a liberal amount of pepper. Toss about in the pan over the heat – add enough water to cover the ingredients and a stock cube. Lightly simmer occasionally stirring – once ingredients have started to soften pour in either a small portion of creamed cornflour or a teaspoon of oats. When the mixture has cooked and slightly thickens it can be poured onto the Widge which should then be lightly rolled over to keep in the heat …

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Note: Widge is a simple batter bread that is cooked over a direct flame/direct heat. As it contains all three food elements ... protein, carbohydrate and fat it is a highly nutritious part of the diet.

Rat recipe

I love the smell of brand new books. It’s a smell that is different to anything else on earth. Over the last week I have begun to look for Christmas presents and as usual, ended up glancing over neatly packed shelves of books in a variety of book shops.

Whilst my eyes were drawn to cookery books, fiction, autobiographies and a spell binding number of many others, I spied a little inconspicuous book entitled ‘Mrs Cooks Book of Recipes for Mariners in Distant Seas.’ In the corner in small print it stated ‘Boiled Jellyfish, Stewed Albatross and Other Treats for Sailors.’ The book, quite interesting, contains the recipes of Elizabeth Cook (1741 – 1835) and is compiled by John Dunmore. Many of you will have heard about her famous husband James Cook.

Whilst glancing through the pages I noticed in between simple staples like Yorkshire pudding there were other recipes which, brought a smile to my lips as I never imagined that anyone could have written out anything so desperate as “Rat Stew.” I suppose if you posses a recipe that describes how to cook a rat then you would be able to cook almost anything as a mariner in a time of need.

Lochness Fishbake

Ingredients
Two pieces of white fish - (frozen fish is suitable)
One desertspoonful of Cashew nuts or sliced Almonds
One teaspoonful of Peanut Butter
One desertspoonful of Rolled Oats
One small leaf of chopped Parsley
One cupful of Whole Milk
One cupful of Water
(Pyrex dish with lid)

Method

Wash the fish and place at the bottom of the Pyrex dish. Sprinkle the nuts around the fish pieces. Add the chopped parsley and using a knife add the peanut butter in small knobs around the fish. Take the rolled oats and roughly scatter them over the whole of the dish. Slowly pour on the milk and water. Bake in a hot oven Gas Mark 6 or 200C or 400F for 30 minutes. Serve with carrots and mixed greens.

Enjoy!

Wicket

Wicket is one of the easiest and versatile recipies that you can make. It can be served as a breakfast, lunch, light supper or even as desert.

Ingredients

1 rounded tablespoon (4 teaspoons) millet
1 egg
1 teaspoon of runny honey
one quarter pinch (just a few grains) of salt

Method

Lightly boil the millet, in a little water with the sprinkle of salt - until quite soft (approx 20 minutes)
Allow to cool for a minute or two
Pour off any remaining liquid
Stir in the honey
Add the egg - and stir it in to the mixture
Put back onto a low heat and carry on stirring for a few minutes until the egg is absorbed and cooked (usually three or four minutes)
Serve ~ and enjoy

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