Lentils and Zucchini

Two quick and easy recipes I enjoy cooking for my family…

Cold Lentil Salad

4 cups of cold cooked lentils (never tried canned but go for it if you want to save time), a can of seasoned tomatoes or bruschetta premixed tomatoes, something crunchy and colourful like yellow or red peppers and add crushed cumin to taste. Let it chill out for a few hours before eating.

I like to add Frank’s to it and eat it for lunch. I make a big batch of it and eat it all week.

Quick Zucchini

Zucchini, washed, stem end removed and rough chopped tossed into a warm frying pan with oregano to taste. I love oregano and dump a lot in there. I then add rough chopped sweet onion, a few chunks of tomato and fry until I can stick a fork into the zucchini skin with ease. The other night I was out of tomato so I microwaved a few stripes of bacon and tossed it in…everything tastes good with bacon.

I like a little ranch dressing for dipping, enjoy!

Smoking Spiritualized

Got my pipes yesterday from a friend in the States. He sent me two cobs and a Grabow, with some wonderful aromatic tobacco. I offer this poem by Ralph Erskine (1685 – 1752) for your amusement.

Smoking Spiritualized.
In Two Parts.

The first Part being an old Meditation upon Smoking Tobacco;
the second, a new Addition to it, or Improvement of it.

Part One: The Law *

THIS Indian weed now wither’d quite,
Tho’ green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay;
All flesh is hay.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The pipe, so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak
Thou art ev’n such,
Gone with a touch.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold’st the vanity
Of worldy stuff,
Gone with a puff.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And when the pipe grows foul within,
Think on thy soul defil’d with sin;
For then the fire,
It does require.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

And seest the ashes cast away;
Then to thyself thou mayest say,
That to the dust
Return thou must.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

Part Two: The Gospel

WAS this small plant for thee cut down!
So was the Plant of great renown;
Which mercy sends
For nobler ends.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

Doth juice medicinal proceed
From such a naughty foreign weed?
Then what’s the power
Of Jesse’s flower?
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The promise, like the pipe, inlays,
And by the mouth of faith conveys
What virtue flows
From Sharon’s rose.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

In vain th’ unlighted pipe you blow;
Your pains in outward means are so,
Till heav’nly fire
The heart inspire.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

The smoke, like burning incense, tow’rs;
So should a praying heart of yours,
With ardent cries,
Surmount the skies.
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.

*The first part, according to the adverstisement, is of unknown origin, and not a work of Erskine.

Toward a Theology of Pipe Smoking

Fun reading for your lunch hour today, enjoy!

In which it is argued that worthy pipesmoking is one of the ultimate gifts of the Holy Ghost and brings its practitioners very close to the nature of the Kingdom of God, which arguments are diligently supported by unassailable proof texts and incontestable logic.

“Back before fundamentalism caused much of American Christianity to go off the moral deep end and get caught in up in a fevered attempt to demonize a whole series of behaviors that are morally neutral, pipe smoking was seen as a very decent and proper thing for a theologian (& anyone else) to do. In many Christian communities which successfully fought off the tendency to condemn everything, pipe smoking has always and continues to be appreciated for the benefits it brings to moments of relaxation, conversation, and mental clarity.”

You can read the blog here.

Bushmills

Something like Bushmills is to be enjoyed once in a while and sipped very slowly…I higly recommend it.

jm

Canadian Whisky, eh?

Like all good Calvinists [and all bad Baptists] I enjoy partaking in distilled spirits from time to time. My mainstay is Jim Beam for everyday swill, scotch when it’s bitterly cold out, brandy for a change of pace and ale during the warmer months. Like most folks I have had the mass produced supermarket whiskies, rums and beers. Like most folks my experience with Canadian whisky or what is sometimes called “rye” has been mostly bad. They tend to lack everything from flavour to finish and therefore make a perfect whisky for mixing. I like my whisky with a few drops of water and have found, very generally, they are too sweet and for a lack of a better word…rusty? [maybe I just don't like the rye flavour?]

Canadian whisky seems to be a reflection of the culture with a quiet and inoffensive flavour.

With all the above stated I have decided to give Canadian whisky another try. After searching around the net for reviews I have found two standouts; Forty Creek and Alberta Premium. Tonight I bought a bottle of Forty to give it a try and have found it to be very pleasant. It lacks the boldness of the American and Scottish whiskies but is a good sipping whisky nonetheless. From the website we learn that corn, barley and the rye are used in the fermentation process with rye giving Forty its distinct Canadian flavour. I will not pretend to be a whisky expert, just a whisk[e]y drinker, but this is a really good whisky. It’s not good enough to replace Jim Beam or Teachers Highland cream but it is a good Canadian whisky and I recommend giving it a try.

jm

Rooibos Iced Tisane (a good thirst quencher)

- bring 4 cups of water to a boil
- add 8 bags of rooibos and boil for 5min.
- remove from burner to cool allowing bags to steep for another 10min.
- add maple syrup (butterscottch or sugar)
- you can also add lemon
- pour into a water pitcher with 4 cups of cold water
- place in fridge

** you can leave off the lemon and use orange juice
- fill a glass with ice, pour rooibos from the fridge over the ice leaving some room for a shot of orange juice

7 Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea (aka Red Bush) | Natural Health Remedies
African Rooibos Tea – Health Benefits

Broiled Lamb Shoulder Chops

I’ve always wanted to try cooking lamb so when I found some fairly inexpensive shoulder chops I couldn’t pass up the chance to experiment.  After googling recipes I settled for a simple marinade and broil method found on All Recipess.com:

- 1/4 cup white vinegar

- 2 teaspoons of salt

- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

- 1 tablespoon minced garlic

- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

- 1 thinly sliced onion

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- 1/8 teaspoon of cinnimon

- 1/8 teaspoon of allspice

Stiring the mixture until the salt was dessolved I placed 2 lbs of chops into a zip lock and set them on the counter for 1 hour.  The broiling was easy, 5 min. each side.  I think I’ll try smoked paprika instead of the cinnimon and allspice next time but this is a tasty recipe just the way it is.  I’m looking forward to grilling these flavourful cuts of meat in the future.

jm

When steamin toddy steers aboot
Ca’canny!
When maut gets in, whiles wit leaks oot,
Ca’canny!
A wee bit snifter less or mair
Ye’d think was neither here nor there;
But stint your measure: hae a care,
And dinna ye gang ower far, ma mannie!

At supper time, gin ye tak’ cheese,
Ca’canny!
Though muckle ye may gulp wi’ ease,
Ca’canny!
It’s after ye hae gaen tae rest
Ye’ll feel that cheese lie on your chest,
And syne wi’ dreams your sleep’s distressed -
Dinna ye gang ower far, ma mannie!

Gin ye walk oot your lass at nicht,
Ca’canny!
Beware o’trees and braid munnelicht,
Ca’canny!
There’s words that ye micht chance tae say
And pranks that ye micht chance tae play,
Whilk ye may rue for mony a day -
Dinna ye gang ower far, ma mannie!

Gin ye aspire tae gaither gear,
Ca’canny!
Dodge a’ thing that’s unsound and queer,
Ca’canny!
Ye aye shud speir aboot and see
That ye hae guid security,
Or in the puirhoose ye may dee
Dinna ye gang ower far, ma mannie!

In a’ your dealin’s watch yoursel’,
Ca’canny!
Wha’ are your friends ye cannot tell,
Ca’canny!
Juist feel your way before ye gang,
Caution will seldom guide ye wrang;
Keep mind o’ this judeecious sang,
And dinna ye gang ower far, ma mannie!

__________________________________________

Meaning of unusual words:
Ca’canny=be cautious, take care
maut=malt (whisky)
whiles=sometimes
muckle=a lot
syne=afterwards
braid munnelicht=broad moonlight
Whilk=which
aye shud speir aboot=always should ask about

source

Rooibos Tisane

Rooibos (ROY – bus) is an African red tisane.

I’ve been a tea drinker for the last 8 or 9 years and now, I’m a committed tea drinker, having three or four a day. When I was a kid I tried orange pekoe and was put off tea until my wife, Lynnise, brought home some Earl Grey to try. I loved it. I started drinking tea everyday from that time on. Earl Grey is always in my tea cupboard. I buy a hundred bags at a time and use it to drink hot or make Southern style sweet tea. The last few years I’ve been branching out and trying different kinds of tea from White to Sencha style Greens, Assam to Lapsang smoked tea, and find them all enjoyable, but if I had to choose just one hot beverage, I’d choose Rooibos.

Tea is harvested from the camellia sinensis plant and contains different amounts of caffeine depending on how it’s processed but the Rooibos plant is a tisane and is classified as part of the legume family. The Afrikaans word “rooibos” means “red bush” and is an herbal drink free from caffeine. This wonderful tisane has been growing in the Cederberg Mountains of South Africa for hundreds of years enjoying popularity in Africa for generations. Recently this tisane has been getting attention from the rest of the world because of its health benefits. Wiki lists it’s high levels of antioxidants, low tannin levels compared to tea, it’s ability to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. When I have an upset stomach I drink Rooibos and it truly works. The brands that you will find in your local supermarket are generally the oxidized version and inexpensive to buy, the green or unprocessed Rooibos is a little harder to find, I’ve only seen it in specialty shops.

Taste and Colour: It tastes slightly sweet with a slightly nutty aftertaste that is mild and pleasing. It brews up dark red or reddish brown.

Brewing Tips: There are few ways to brew Rooibos. Some say to let the tisane steep for 5 or 6 minutes and others will tell you to simmer it for 30 minutes. I’ve tried a few different ways but the way I enjoy it is to use fresh cold water, bring it

to a rapid boil and steep the bag (yes, I typed “bag”, Rooibos bagged tisane tastes the same as loose) for a full 10 minutes even before you take your fist sip. Unlike tea from the camella sinenesis plant this tisane will not turn bitter is you steep it for long periods of time, it only gets better, stronger and darker. When I brew up a cup or pot I just leave the bags in until the liquid is gone. I’ve simmered loose for 30 minutes but didn’t notice much of a difference between leaving the bag in and the boiling method.

A couple of ideas that I’ve tried:

* Have a cold or just plain cold? Take two inches of fresh ginger, peel it, slice it thin and boil it for 10 minutes in 4 cups of water. At the 10 minute mark add a bag of Rooibos.

* Have an upset stomach? Pour boiling water over a bag of Rooibos, add a bag of mint, add a little honey. It can also be poured over ice.

* Make a full pot of Rooibos, add a little honey and after it’s cooled place it in the fridge. Unlike tea that can become bitter Rooibos becomes a littler more nuttier when left in the fridge after a few days. You may also like to add a little lemon.

jm

Lapsang Souchong

Out of the many different teas I’ve tried over the last few years this tea is one of my favorites.  Lapsang is a strong and distinctive black tea with great depth of character due the tea leaves being smoked over pine needles giving a distinct pungent flavour.

Notes from my first brewing:

As the tea steeps it gives off an almost smoked salmon scent without the fishiness…

The leaves I bought from Teaopia are full and dark, no stems with little coming through the infuser into the cup.  It’s a dark tea, not as dark as orange pekoe, ditch swill…ahem…  As the tea steeps the smoke tang mellows out to a damp wood or peat aroma that is altogether pleasing.  Steep time for my first cup is three minutes.

After giving it a full two minutes to cool I found the first sip a little watery but the second sip was bigger and smokier.  It’s a much fuller flavour then a typical black tea, much more of a lingering peat then, say, the China Green tips?  Smoke and peat linger after each sip, it coats the tongue in oak, very delicate, very satisfying.

The real kick definitely isn’t found in the initial sip but comes in after you breath in the aroma coming off the tea and after a big drink it feels like your exhaling the smoke of a fine cigar and just as addictive.

j