Rendering Tallow: Useful

Recently I caught a blurb in the news about scientists discovering humans have a sixth taste for fat. My initial thought was, "Well duh!" Foods with fat automatically taste better than foods without. Have you ever tasted fat-free sour cream? It's just... it's just wrong. You need fat, tasty, tasty fat if you want your food to be delicious.

The fat you use to cook your food in makes all the difference. The key to great food is great fat, and that's why here we use only the best grass-fed tallow. Tallow is one of the finest fats to cook with. For years that's what made McDonald's french fries taste so good, but because it's high in saturated fat it was demonized they were forced to switch to nasty hydrogenated oils. Not that I'm a big fan of McDonald's, mind you.

Suet (the fat around the kidney) is not that hard to get, if you have the right sources, which may mean getting to know your local butcher. Sure, you can sometimes buy suet at the grocery store for a price, but the quality may not be guaranteed. Go ahead, make friends with your butcher. He'll be one of your best resources for fine Primal fare. It seems butchers have a lot of fantastic left-overs. Hearts, tongues, livers, kidneys, and suet. Most folks don't bother taking it. They just want the steaks and burgers, which is perfect because that leaves an opening for you to pick up some very cheap tallow. You can pick up kidney fat, which is the very best fat for rendering tallow, for as little as $1.00 per pound.

Rendering is really simple. Again we make use of the crock pot. It's such a handy kitchen tool, too often underrated.

Start by cubing your suet into 2 inch chunks. Sometimes there's still a kidney in there, so trim carefully. Try to remove as much red tissue as possible.

Place chunks in your crock pot, cover with the lid and set to low, and let 'er cook.

After a few hours it'll start looking like this...

When you get enough to start skimming, use a ladle and pour the tallow through a strainer. You don't want any crispy bits in your tallow. Be very careful. It's HOT!

It'll start to lighten as it cools.

And within a few hours you have beautiful, white, creamy tallow.

So once you have your beautiful white tallow, what do you do with it? Cook! It's great for frying. If you want to deep fry, tallow is the perfect fat. It's great for cooking beef, of course, but also venison and other red meats. I use it to cook my eggs also.

Beef tallow has a very mild flavor. In fact it's almost flavorless. That makes it great for those times where you don't want to alter the taste of the foods your cooking, which can happen when you use coconut oil, olive oil, butter or lard.

Tallow is shelf-stable so you can keep it in your cupboard. It should remain solid at room temperature. If you find it softening up you can put it in the refrigerator. Just let it thaw a bit before you use it.

And there you have it. Tallow.

My Ugly Apples

I have apples. Lots of apples. More apples than I know what to do with. Ugly wild apples that taste GREAT.

Some of my favorite fruit comes wild. It's funny how my tastes have changed over the last year or so. I've evolved from craving cakes and pies, to enjoying deep dark chocolate, to scarfing gobs of fruit... and now I find myself not even that interested in fruit much anymore. When I do want fruit, I find myself intensely satisfied with tart wild grapes that make my face pucker, or these lovely ugly apples that are crisp and tangy. Have I mentioned how ugly these things are?

Wild fruit makes me feel different than store fruit. Maybe it's less sugar, or more antioxidants? Whatever chemical compounds are naturally in those fruit to help them survive without pesticides and fertilizers? There's just something about them that, when I eat them, I know I'm doing something good for myself. Food should make you feel good.

But I have so many! Really, I have more apples than I know what to do with. Of course I'm eating them- probably more than I should, but you can only eat so many apples. In the spirit of Mabon I decided to preserve them. But how? I don't really do jams or jellies, and I certainly wouldn't eat it on toast. Apple pie? Nah. I could freeze some perhaps, but I wanted to be more creative than that. Hmm...

Then I remembered something I haven't had in a very long time. Apple butter. Yummy, delicious, harvest apple butter. Imagine my delight when I learned just how easy it is to make!

Apple Butter

15 apples
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp allspice
1 tsp cloves

Equipment: A knife, cutting board, a blender and a crock pot.

These measurements are a rough estimate. I don't really know how much I used, and you may like to use more of something and less of another, so don't take my measurements as writ. Go by your own tastes!

Cut your apple into cubes, removing the core and stem. Leave the skins on. Put apples in a blender with water- about 1 cup of water to every 5 apples. I had to do mine in batches.

Put apple puree and spices in the crock pot and mix together. Set to low and heat until it cooks down into a thick paste. Stir it occasionally to make sure it cooks evenly. You can cut down the cook time by setting it to high, but make sure you stir it more often.

Taste your apple butter occasionally and adjust the flavor as needed. Remember when adding spices it takes a little time for the flavor to cook through. Add sweetener if you like. I prefer not to use any, but you may.

When the apple butter has cooked down it'll be a deep reddish-brown. A lot of recipes say that it's done when a wooden spoon stands upright in the crock pot. Mine didn't but I considered it done anyways. Spoon your mixture into jars and seal. Store in the refrigerator and keep refrigerated after opening.

I guess the only thing now is figuring out what I'm going to use the apple butter for. It would taste great with almond butter or a nice sharp cheddar cheese. Hmm... it looks like I have yet more experimenting to do!

Merry Mabon, Squirrels

Merry Mabon everyone! For non-Pagans, that's the Autumnal Equinox, the point of the year at which the days and nights are once again equal. The mornings are cool and crisp, and you can just start to detect a hint of frost in the wind. *sigh* It's all down hill from here.

I'm sorry. I loathe winter.

It seems like Mabon, in spite of being the Equinox, tends to be somewhat overlooked as a significant holiday. Mabon is the second of three harvest festivals, celebrating the arrival of apples, grapes, gourds and other late season fruits and vegetables. Nuts are coming into season also. Acorns are falling from the trees (watch your head!) and it's nearly time to start gathering the black walnuts- which can be a very messy endeavor should you choose to do so. Wines, ciders, preserves and pies are at every farmers market and fruit stand.

Maybe it's overlooked because it's the second harvest, not nearly as labor intensive as the first, and not nearly as flashy as the final harvest (Samhain aka Halloween.) Personally, I very much enjoy Mabon and the arrival of the apples, grapes and squashes. Because I try to eat foods that are local and in season, it gives me a chance to enjoy some of the more "carby" Primal foods that I don't get through the spring and summer months. Hopefully, I'll also have plenty of recipes to share with you from the abundant harvest. In thinking of Mabon, the harvest, and what it all means, something came to me...

I sat looking out the patio door the other day, watching a squirrel in the back yard, just doing what squirrels do. Squirrels aren't uncommon in most neighborhoods, and so they tend to be more or less overlooked most of the time- until one darts out in front of your car, or decides to make a nest in your attic. The rest of the time though, they're just sort of there and we pay them no mind, but maybe we should. I'm sure we've all heard the term "squirrelling away." That's what squirrels do. They save and store, and squirrels are a perfect mascot for Mabon. Don't eat all your nuts now. Put some away for the hard times. Mabon a time of saving, preserving and preparing for the long, cold, winter to come.

With all of this food around me, all the cooking, preparing and saving, the meaning of the season is so clear. Whether there's an abundant harvest or a weak harvest, it reminds us of the importance of planning ahead and making provisions for the future, like the squirrel. I know it's a biblical reference, but "As you sow, so shall ye reap." This is significant not only in preparing food stores for winter, but as a part of life in general. You only get out of life what you put into it.

I think it's important to look back to our past, our ancestors, and learn from them. They had pantries and cellars that they stored food in. You never know when hard times will hit you, and I'm sure most of you are experiencing your own difficulties these days. I know I am. It's a great time to take this lesson to heart- save and prepare, because summer always comes to an end. Winter will come. Store food but also save money, even if it's just a little. You don't know when one of life's snow storms will hit, but it'll happen, and you'll be glad you were prepared.

Here's just a small sample of the projects JP and I have been working on in the past few weeks. (JP mostly.) I find the cache of veggies, and he cans them... and eventually I get to help eat them.

While squirrelling away our surplus, it's also important to also be thankful for the abundance that surrounds us, or in sparse times being thankful for the bit of food that was stored away in better times. I'd like to share one of my favorite meal blessings with you, that reminds me to be thankful.

We have so much before us on for this we are thankful.
We have so many blessings, and for this we are thankful.
There are others not so fortunate, and by this we are humbled.
We shall make an offering in their name to the gods who watch over us,
That those in need are someday as blessed as we are this day.

Merry Mabon! May you have a bountiful harvest and enjoy the plenty through the season.

My Pagan Anniversary, Pride, Thoughts & Permaculture

I practically live for September. September, in the Pagan world, is Pride Month. That's the month when festivals are held all over the country where we come together, sell our wares, buy supplies, teach and learn in workshops that pertain to our various paths, and enjoy the company of like minds. For many Pagans that's the only time there is any sense of real community. Many Pagans don't get the chance to interact with other Pagans throughout the year, so September is that one time to actually be face-to-face with "our kind."

I'm sad to say I'm a little disappointed in this year's festival at Rochester. I missed out on last year's events due to my work schedule so I was really anticipating this year, but the festivities fell a little flat. I don't know if it was a lack of organization, lack of organizers in general, community politics, shortage of volunteers, or leadership changed hands. There were some very good workshops that I enjoyed, but there weren't a lot to choose from.
The first workshop of the day was an introduction to Voodoo. I was expecting something a little different than what I got, but in a good way. Being a New Yorker, obviously I don't have many opportunities to interact with any Voodoo practitioners, so having this different "flavor" at our event was a treat. The presenter of the workshop, Witchdoctor Utu, a white Canadian (who has totally earned his stripes in the Voodoo community,) really shattered a lot of my misconceptions of the path. Even I, a fellow Pagan, had some prejudices toward it. I'm not ashamed to say so because I was willing to challenge them.

Of the things I learned from Utu's presentation, was that there were many influences in the North American Voodoo path. The original roots are indeed African, but were later blended with Native American, then European (mainly Irish folk religion) and later French influences. Some Voodoo practices were also further influenced by Catholicism. It's a very ecclectic blend. I think one of the highlights of the workshop was how practitioners of Voodoo "feed" their tools, drums and other sacred objects with rum, by blowing the rum into or on the tool- thus also feeding it with their breath. It's sort of a blessing. When an object is fed it will perform well for you. I'm thinking there are ways I can incorporate this into my kitchen witchery. Now, I'm not going to start spitting rum on all my utensils, however when you "feed" a cast iron pan with lots of yummy fat, it does perform VERY well for you! Perhaps just the act of seasoning my pans can become a more spiritual task. A little reminder to always be mindful of the magick I'm creating.
Later I attended an introductory workshop on Native American traditions where we learned about the directions of the medicine wheel, the deep sacred meanings of the peace pipe, and some of the social dances associated with some Native American traditions. I really appreciated the various stories associated with different aspects of Native American religion. They have a very coloful mythology. A lot of emphasis was put on the sacred nature of tobacco- not something I especially care for- but it was interesting still. Of course "The Three Sisters" were included in the workshop. Beans, Corn and Squash. I wouldn't make a very good Native American with my Primal diet, I decided.

At the closing of that workshop we all took a card with an animal totem on it. I'd half expected the coyote, which has long been one of my favorites and an animal I feel especially close to. Instead I drew the fox. It's a close second favorite. According to fox wisdom, I should blend in and not be the center of attention, and be protective when needed. I'm still not sure what that means, but I'm sure I'll find out eventually.

Other workshops included one that focused on practical magick. I was surprised to realize just how "experienced" I am in my path, and it didn't strike me until the ride home that it's this month that I've been practicing exactly 10 years. It sort of took me unawares. I guess part of me just... not really takes it for granted. I guess it's just so intertwined to my life and what I do, that I don't notice when I'm being "Witchy." I guess it just IS, and that's really what it should be, shouldn't it?

I never questioned the concept of teaching a workshop on making magick practical, and even this workshop didn't REALLY do it. It did give new-ish Pagans a good idea on how to create a spell that works for them, but not a whole lot on making it "practical" per se. I think that's just something you learn, with time and practice. It's really a lot like cooking. When you're new and young you follow the recipe exactly. As time goes by you learn to eyeball it and improvise. Use what you have, make it a part of your daily life. In an odd sort of way you could compare magick to an old pair of sneakers you've worn a million times. After a time they're just so comfortable and broke in that you sometimes forget that you have them on.
The last workshop wasn't so very "Witchy" but it was immensely helpful. It was a workshop on permaculture, using magick in gardening, and edible forest gardening. It gave me a lot of really great ideas for creating an edible landscape that will feed me for seasons and years, and work in better harmony with nature than the typical (and as it seems unsuccessful) potted garden. Again I was surprised by just how much I know about certain topics, and now I find myself toying with the idea of presenting a workshop myself!

There's a lot to permaculture, but I love the concept. It's about creating a habitat for vegitation, and just letting it go. Nature does the work, and the plants interact as a community. Polyculture rather than monoculture, and making the very most out of the least space, as nature is so good at doing. If you're interested in permaculture, here are a few really helpful links that I picked up...

Web Resources:Alternative Nature Online Herbal - http://www.altnature.com/
Edible Forest Gardens - http://www.edibleforestgardens.com/
Apios Institute - http://www.apiosinstitute.org/
Finger Lakes Permaculture Network - http://flxpermaculture.net/
www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/classroom

Books: Bud, Blossom & Leaf: The Magical Gardener's Handbook by Dorothy Morrison
Edible Forest Gardens volumes 1 & 2 by Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier
Gaia Garden: A guide to Home-Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability by David Holmgren
Perennial Vegetables by Eric Toensmeier

I hope you find these resources helpful. I'm still looking through many of them myself but this is a subject I'm quickly becoming interested in. I would love to hear from folks who are already working on their own sustainable gardens and how you went about it.
In spite of the smaller turnout and the limited workshops available, I had an enjoyable time. It got me thinking a lot about my path over the last 10 years- from growing up Pagan, becoming a new "fluffy" Wiccan, to dedicating myself to Artemis, Religio Romana, and now flowing into a Kitchen Witch who just does what she does and hopes for the blessings of the gods... and lots of wondering where my path will one day lead.

One thing I learned is that you never stop learning, nor should you. Life is a journey, a process, ever changing and flowing. Just when you think you've got a handle on where you are and what you're doing, it's time to change again. Sometimes it happens without you even realize it. Other times it's forced upon you against your wishes. In either case, it's usually for the better in the long run so you might as well enjoy the ride.

This coming Saturday's festival is in Syracuse, and it looks like there are a lot of great workshops scheduled. I'm excited to get up there and see what else I can learn.

Restoration

OK, I'm finding myself having to do a little bit of a re-vamp on this post. Part of it is because I think I could explain myself better, and part of it is to add a personal note to my readers.

First, to my readers. Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate that there are people out there interested in what I have to say. Obviously some may not agree with everything I have to say. I get that. I did expect to get some nasty comments on this post, based on its content. That's fine. Of the things commented (and I did not publish the negative comments) was to "just stick to recipes." I'm sorry. I'm not a cookbook. My blog is about food, nature, health and spirituality. This particular post is about spirituality as I see it and as I'm experiencing it. If you want to unsubscribe because I see politics or religion differently than you, that's your perogative. I'm more than happy to be read by only those who appreciate my point of view, whether or not they agree with it. It's the quality of my readers, not the quantity, that matter most to me. Thank you.

Here is the re-worked version:


Restoration


Last weekend I went to Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally in Washington DC. Ok, ok... hear me out on this. Don't just close the window. This is good. I promise.

So as I was saying, I went to Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally. Yes, I know, I know... but it really was moving and important. It was a very eye-opening experience on many levels. It was a fun way to test out my Primal lifestyle, mostly with success, it was a day of feeding my spirit, and it was a huge inspiration that will hopefully be reflected here on my blog, in my daily life, and my goals for the future. I really do feel like a changed person with new perspectives, and I feel I am better for having participated in 8/28.

First, it really wasn't political. It wasn't. Yes, Sarah Palin spoke, but she wasn't there speaking as a politician. She was there as a mother- the mother of a combat veteran, the people we were all there to support and honor. The Restoring Honor rally was about two things. One, it was about honoring and supporting our military and their families, and two, it was about bringing integrity and honesty back into our own lives, and thus back into our country as a whole.

I think the principles highlighted in the rally are important to everyone, or at least they should be. It doesn't matter if you're a Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal... whatever. Honor, integrity, and truth should not be political matters. Whatever our political party, we should be the best people we can be, not only in our personal lives but in our professional or public lives. Whether it's interacting with our dieties, our significant other, our community, our coworkers, our bosses, integrity is important. Most importantly, we need to be honest with ourselves.

I've been a Glenn Beck listener for a little while now, and a lot of what he said at the Restoring Honor rally had been said before on the radio, but being there in that crowd of five hundred thousand, something really hit home. All of us standing together, showing our love and support for our troops, promising to be honorable in our word and our deed... that's pretty powerful stuff. Not to get all hippy on you, but there was a lot of peace and love going on that day.

Glenn's rally really got me reflecting a lot on my own life and the way I interact with the world, how I behave and believe. It's been a gradual change that solidified that day. I've always tried to be a good person, be honest and do the right thing. I've always taken pride in my work and tried to have integrity, that what I say is what I mean, and always keeping my word. I've just never been so passionate about it as I am today. A seed has been planted at my core, and it's growing into something that I think is very beautiful.

For some time now I've struggled with discontentment in my life, tending to focus on what I wish I had instead of appreciating what I do have. Relationships, money, career, weight... you name it, I've been wanting something better instead of wanting what I've got. How does that song go? "If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with." I guess it applies. It's been a struggle though, and honestly, it still is. Somehow I think that restoring honor into my life ties in with this issue. It all comes down to honesty- being honest with others and not "keeping up with the Joneses" if I can't afford to, and being honest with myself about how and why I don't have the things I desire. I am my own worst enemy when it comes to my goals. I can sabbotage myself like no one else, and laziness is my greatest weapon. It's kept me from advancing in every arena. I know this, because I am honest with myself.


So what does any of this have to do with my blog that's usually about food?

Well... food isn't the only thing that nourishes. This blog is about more than just food to me. It's a documentation of my life and what's most important to me. I'm very passionate about food- good food- but I'm also passionate about my spirituality, in its weird and wonky form sometimes.

Sometimes we need to nourish the soul, and sometimes that only comes from times like these- great moving experiences like Restoring Honor. Feeding the spirit nourishes the body in ways you can't define. I believe our spirit and our bodies are connected in all ways. What affects one affects the other. If you let one deteriorate or become ill, the rest fails with it.


Faith, Hope & Charity

Faith, Hope and Charity. These were the themes of the Restoring Honor Rally. These were the things we came together around and took into ourselves, that we pledged (to ourselves) that we'd express in our daily lives.

Of all the things, I think my friends and associates got the most hung up on the "faith" aspect. The rally was very spiritual. There was a lot of talk about God, with a big "G." Lots of praying, even some preaching. My friends couldn't understand this, or why I'd go to such a "churchy" event, as one of them put it. Another was polite, not wanting to step on my toes. "Nothing but respect for you so I'll ask you this off the public. Aren't you Wiccan/Pagan? Beck is really Christian and bangs home the Christian bible. Just curious."

Let me explain.

I have no issues with Christians, or any faith for that matter. I think Christianity teaches a lot of great lessons, and speaks a lot of truth about how we should treat each other. In fact I agree with almost everything Christianity says, except of course the theology. It's a good religion. I'm sure most religions are good and have valuable lessons that can be gathered from them, if we don't let the theology and the dogma get in the way. I'm comfortable in my Paganism, in my relationship with my dieties to experience spirituality in other "religious languages." To me it doesn't matter how we do it, as long as we do it. Yes, I prayed when they prayed... both to their God and mine. I sang "Amazing Grace" when they sang, and I was equally touched, even if (and I have to admit this) I still don't know all the words. And yes, I cried. Amazingly enough, Beck didn't. That in itself is a miracles, and Glenn said to expect miracles! I think to discount a person, or a message, because of where it comes from is bigotted. I'm no bigot.

Hope... that got thrown around a lot in the last few years. I like what Glenn says about hope, and how hope comes from truth. Again, this ties directly in with honor and integrity. You have to be honest, tell the truth, and be in the reality of the situation. Lies only create false hope. Politicians can't give us hope. They lie. Government can't give us hope. They lie. Our money, our jobs, our significant others... none of those things can give us hope. Truth brings hope.

Saturday's event was also about charity. It was HUGELY about charity. Not only was it a magnificent fund raiser for Special Operations Warrior Foundation, where we collectively donated $5.5 Million, but it was also about being charitable to each other, and to our families, and everyone around us always. I tell you what, the people I met on this trip were amazing. So good for each other, and very giving- whether it was lending a hand, spending some time, or just taking a minute out to explain how to work the metro card machines, or helping us country folk understand the train and when to get off at the right stop. If I had been in any other large city, at any other time in my life, I wouldn't have been that at home or that comfortable travelling independently. I realized that I do need to work on becoming more charitable to those around me, and to my community. It matters, for real. I want to have a charitable, giving heart.

Beyond how the Restoring Honor Rally encouraged being honorable ourselves, it also put forth that we should see the honor and integrity in others. One point that hit me with this is directly tied to my Primal lifestyle and this blog. I've been doing some magazine interviews lately, mostly about my weight loss and my lifestyle. In order to be successful I have to be honest about what I really eat, how I exercise and be truthful about my successes and my stumbles.

It's also important it is to see honor in others. That means supporting our community- especially when it comes to where we get our food. The recent egg debacle is a perfect example of what happens when farms don't have integrity in their product, and what happens when people support dishonorable people. When you know your butcher, your farmer, the people who provide you with food, you know if they have integrity, and that you're buying a worthwhile product. You know your meat and your veggies were treated with care and respect. When you can look face to face with the person who produced your food, you know they've got honor. Those are people worth supporting, both monitarily and socially.


So what's the point?

The point is... Just tell the truth. Be honest to others and be honest with yourself. Pray. Do the right thing. Give. Be a person of integrity. It matters.

I should have done this before the rally on 8/28, but I'm doing it now. For the next 40 days and 40 nights I pledge... I COVENANT to practice faith, hope and charity by doing these things.

First... faith. I will pray on my knees every night for the next 40 nights... starting TONIGHT. Pray for guidance, inspiration, peace... pray for the leaders of our country. Pray for their safety, and that they will receive wisdom. I will re-establish my relationship with my gods.

Hope... hope comes from truth. You can't have hope based on lies. If you go to the doctor and you're in the early stages of cancer, but the doctor tells you that you just have the sniffles... that's false hope, and it won't help you, in fact, it would kill you. So, we have to have honesty, to have real hope. So, I will stop all lies for the next 40 days. That includes lying to myself. I will establish a pattern of honesty and make it become habitual. I will question with boldness... everything... even the things Glenn Beck tells me... I will do my own research... and then pray for my own confirmation on the things I have learned. I will find out what is true in my life.

And third... I will have charity. Charity begins at home. I will do something kind for my family at least once a week. I will write it down, and then do it. Also, I pledge to take notice of how blessed I really am. I live in the greatest country the world has ever known...and even the least prosperous among us, are among the wealthiest people in the world... I will be grateful."

Of course it's my hope that this will not just be for 40 days, but every day. Won't you join me?