A Smattering of Recipes

From "The Settlement Cookbook" compiled by Mrs. Simon Kander, 23rd edition, 1940

Catnip Tea
Pour one pint of boiling water over one level tablespoonful of catnip leaves, allow to steep for five minutes, strain and serve.

Oatmeal Gruel
1/2 cup course oatmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 cups boiling water, milk
Add the oatmeal and salt to the boiling water, and cook 3 hours in a double boiler. Strain and dilute with milk or cream. If rolled oats is used, cook 1 hour.

Lime Water
Pour 2 quarts boiling water over an inch cube unslaked lime; stir thoroughly and let stand overnight; in the morning pour off the liquid that is clear and bottle for use. Keep in a cool place.

Coffee Jelly
3 teaspoons (14 grams) gelatin, 1/2 cup cold water, 2 1/2 cups hot coffee, 2 saccharin tablets, 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whipping cream
Soak gelatin in cold water a few minutes. Add coffee, speck of salt and saccharin, dissolved in a little water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Place in molds in refrigerator several hours to harden. Garnish each serving with 30 gms. cream plain or whipped. Makes 4 servings.

Mock Turtle Soup
1 calf's head, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 cup strained tomatoes, 1 large carrot, 2 tablespoons flour, browned, 2 tablespoons butter, juice and rind of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup Sherry
Cover head with cold water. Bring to boiling point. Add salt, pepper and vegetables. Simmer for three hours. Strain. Melt butter, andd flour, and 1/4 cup soup or milk. Add this to soup. Add lemon and Sherry. Serve with face-meat and sliced eggs.

Haggis (Scotch)
1 lb. steel ground oats, Salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 1/2 lb. minced suet, 1/4 lb. liver, 1 onion
Parboil liver, grate when cold, mix all ingredients with water into a stiff paste, tie in pudding cloth 3/4 full or in a thoroughly cleaned sheep's paunch. Put it in boiling water, boil three hours.

Hot Bacon and Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Cut wheat bread 1/4 inch thick in slices lengthwise. Toast on one side. Spread thick on untoasted side with peanut butter. Sprinkle top with bacon which has been fried crisp and put through meat grinder. Before serving put under broiler. Cut into strips and serve with cocktails.

Marshmallows
Soak 2 tablespoons granulated gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water 5 minutes. Place 2 cups sugar and 3/4 cup water in saucepan and cook until it "threads," pour onto dissolved gelatin, let stand until partially cooled, add few grains salt, a few drops of peppermint or wintergreen and a little green or red vegetable coloring. beat until white and thick. Pour into granite pan thickly dusted with powdered sugar and set in a cool place to harden. Turn out, cut into squares and roll in powdered sugar.

Red Beet Port Wine
5 lbs. beets, 1 gallon water, 2 1/2 lbs. sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Grind beets with skins on. Boil with water until tender. Strain through cloth. Add sugar and pepper. Boil 15 minutes, then cool. Spread 1 ounce of yeast on piece of toasted white bread. Place on top of jar, yeast side up. Let stand 12 days in warm place at room temperature, then strain and bottle.

Dandelion Wine
1 gal. dandelion flowers, 1 gal. boiling water, 3 lbs. sugar, 3 oranges, cut in small pieces, 3 lemons, cut in small pieces, 1 oz. yeast
Pick dandelion flowers early in the morning, taking care not to have a particle of the bitter stem attached. Pour boiling water over the flowers and let stand three days. Strain and add the rest of the ingredients; let stand to ferment three weeks. Strain, bottle.

Grilled Watermelon

Shocking as it may be, grilled fruit is a wonderful summery way to enjoy a holiday afternoon. Just dice up some bananas, pinapples, plums, peaches, and watermelon into chunks big enough for a skewer but small enough to put in your mouth. Pop them on the grill for about ten minutes, brushing on a dressing of honey with lime juice and chopped mint, and enjoy - ideally with a bowl of not-too-salty home-made vanilla ice cream and a smattering of good chums.

Afterwards, go watch pyrotechnics.

and justice for all

Did God ordain our Union of States? Does God endorse the manner in which we, as a nation, occupy the earth? If Americans have the right to believe otherwise, then it is hypocritical to pledge allegience to "one nation under God" at the same time that you pledge allegience to "liberty and justice for all."

Frankly, I think the whole thing is problematic propaganda. True allegience to God would, in my view, disqualify you from most of what the Pledge promises. Only if your national affiliation trumps your other affiliations could the pledge to the US flag be made sincerely.

Incedentally, here are Dwight Eisenhower's words on accepting the 1954 addition of the words "under God" which have recently been found unconstitutional by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals:

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

-from Hall of Heroes

Also, Thomas Oliphant of the Boston Globe has a good story on the history of the pledge and its author (Thanks to Travis for the link)

Oxymoron of the Day: "Microsoft Works"

Here's Mr. Gates asking some rhetorical questions to get you excited about the next big Windows upgrade:

"Why are my document files stored one way, my contacts another way, and my e-mail and instant-messaging buddy list still another, and why aren't they related to my calendar or to one another and easy to search en masse?"

Ooh-ooh! I know! I know! Is it because you drove all your competitors out of business and then didn't provide what people truly wanted?

Read the full article in The Register

Do you deserve a free pie just because you waited for it?

Anissa Mack's installation/performance piece "Pie for a Passerby" makes a quiet statement about neighborhood and home and raises a loud ruckus about individual entitlement.

From The Washington Post via Pigs and Fishes

The Skinny on Modern Bourbon

From the Washington Post:

Maker's Mark is owned by Allied Domecq, the London company that also owns Beefeater gin and Dunkin' Donuts. France's Pernod-Ricard owns Wild Turkey. Jim Beam is a subsidiary of the Illinois-based Fortune Brands, which sells everything from plumbing fixtures to golf balls.

Dunkin' Donuts!!? Sheesh.

Virgins in a Box update

Dystopia Box is now the FIRST hit when you search Google for "Virgins in a Box"

Shiny Mud Balls!

If everyone lived like me, we'd need 3.3 planets.

Take the Ecological Footprint Quiz from earthdaynetwork and Redefining Progress.

Eija-Riitta Eklöf-Berliner-Mauer

This woman believes she has married the Berlin Wall. Since 1989, she is a widow.

"I am objectúm-sexual that is to be sexually and emotionally attracted to objects; in my case The Berlin-Wall and other constructions. I am married to the Berlin-Wall (and have been since 1979). Hence my married name (Berliner-Mauer), which means Berlin Wall in German.

"It is the actual Wall I love, not the border - like some intolerant people seem to think. They fail to see difference between the Wall and the purpose, which are two completely different things. If you fail to see that - well, too bad!"