Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and The... (160 page)

Serves 4

½ pound dried unsulphured apricots, cooked in water until tender

2 tablespoons honey or Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

2 tablespoons heavy cream, not ultrapasteurized

5 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch of sea salt

The secret to a successful desert souffle is to make it in small quantities. This unusual souffle will fill a quart-sized souffle dish or four smaller souffle ramekins. If you double the recipe, use two quart-sized souffle dishes, not one larger one.

Transfer cooked apricots with a slotted spoon to food processor and process with honey or Rapadura, egg yolks and cream. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with pinch of salt until stiff. Fold in apricot mixture thoroughly, but as quickly and as lightly as possible. Pour into a buttered quart-sized souffle dish or four smaller ones and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Check progress by peeking though the oven window—not by opening the door. Serve immediately

Variation: Fruit Souffle

Use
2 cups fresh berries or other fruit
instead of apricots. Sprinkle with
2 tablespoons Rapadura
and mash with a fork. Let stand about ½ hour. Meanwhile, blend honey, egg yolks and cream. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fruit to egg yolk mixture and fold in. Proceed with recipe.

The people of Hunza have lived in relative isolation high in the Himalaya Mountains for over 2,000 years, following a way of eating and thinking that has lengthened their lives and reduced their susceptibility to the diseases of civilized man. In this tiny country many Hunzas live to be over 100 year of age, physically healthy and mentally alert. Men in their 90's play polo and volleyball and father children. These sturdy people often walk over a hundred miles a day, go barefoot in the snow or swim in icy water. The mortality rate of infants is very low, and death usually comes to the very aged in their sleep with no specific cause. The whole body just finally wears out. The secret of their healthy life is found in their simple and natural diet, vigorous outdoor life and freedom from mental worry. These mountain dwellers eat little meat but large amounts of whole goat milk products. They also eat vegetables and fruits grown on their intricately terraced mountain sides, wheat cakes (
chapattis
) and mineral-rich, milky colored glacier water. They flavor their food with mint, salt, green pepper, ginger and curry. Herb tea, with salt, is enjoyed as well as grape wine. Apricots are very important in the Hunza diet. The fruit is dried and stored for winter use, and the oil extracted from the pits is used in cooking and is a major source of fat in their diet. Food is scarce so everyone eats sparingly. However, no one ever starves. There is no tooth decay, cancer or respiratory disease in Hunza. "Nutrition: The Appetite of Man"
PPNF

MERENGUE MARVEL

Serves 10-12

12 egg whites, at room temperature

pinch sea salt

½ cup arrowroot powder

¾ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups
whipped cream

2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1 cup
carob chips
, chopped

1 cup crispy almond slivers (
Crispy Almonds
), chopped

Draw two circles, about 11 or 12 inches in diameter, on parchment paper (See
Sources
) and cut them into rounds. Place each on a cookie sheet and butter them well.

In a very clean stainless steel or glass bowl, beat egg whites with pinch of salt until softly stiff. Gradually add the arrowroot while beating continuously. Gradually add the Rapadura while beating continuously. Add vanilla extract and beat a minute more. Divide the egg whites between the two rounds, spread to the edges and smooth the tops.

Bake at 150 degrees for about 12 hours or until completely dry and crisp. To avoid the merengues becoming stale, place each on a plate and cover tightly with plastic wrap until ready to assemble.

Shortly before serving, place one merengue on a decorative plate and spread with half the whipped cream. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon optional brandy, ½ cup carob chips and ½ cup chopped almond slivers. Place second merengue on top and repeat with remaining whipped cream, brandy, carob chips and almond slivers.

Variation:

Use
2-3 cups blueberries or raspberries
in place of carob chips.

It is difficult to think of a popular beverage that is healthy—tea, coffee, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and even fruit juice—all should be avoided because they contain caffeine, concentrated sugars or large amounts of alcohol. Our collection of beverages offers unique alternatives to all of these. They feature dilute fruit juices, seeds, nuts and yoghurt; all enhanced by the process of lacto-fermentation to make their nutrients more available and to supply lactic acid and
lactobacilli
to the intestinal tract. The heartier drinks made from grains and nuts qualify as foods; the others, as refreshing pick-me-ups and digestive aids. We offer the theory that the craving for both alcohol and soft drinks stems from an ancient collective memory of the kind of lacto-fermented beverages still found in traditional societies. These beverages give a lift to the tired body by supplying mineral ions depleted through perspiration and contribute to easy and thorough assimilation of our food by supplying
lactobacilli
, lactic-acid and enzymes.

A survey of popular ethnic beverages will show that the fermentation of grains and fruits to make refreshing and health-promoting drinks is almost universal. Usually these drinks are very mildly alcoholic, the result of a fermentation process that is both alcoholic (by the action of yeasts on sugars) and lactic acid forming (by the action of bacteria on sugars). Beers made from millet, corn, barley and wheat are ubiquitous:
tesquino
, an Aztec beer, is made from corn;
munkoyo
, a beer of Zambia containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol, is consumed in large quantities by young and old;
kaffir beer
, a thick brew made from millet with a very short shelf life, is the national drink of Blacks in South Africa;
chicha
, a beer used by the Incas during religious festivals, is made from little balls of dough that have been chewed to inoculate them with saliva; very mildly alcoholic beers made from rice are found throughout Asia;
kvass
, the Russian national drink made from various cereal grains and fruits, contains less than 1percent alcohol and is used to treat the sick; a similar Middle European drink called
kiesel
is made from oats or rye. Wines and ciders made from fruits, such as grapes, bananas, apples, pears and watermelon, are also found throughout the world:
pulque
, a Mexican drink, is made from juice of a cactus plant; palm wine, found throughout tropical countries, contains less than 2% alcohol and is made from spontaneous fermentation of palm sap; natives of British Guyana make a drink called
fly
from sweet potatoes and cassava; and fermented tea is found throughout Asia and Europe. The American Indians made a drink from crushed soaked pecans while European peasants made a similar beverage from walnuts. In Colonial America we find spruce beer, brewed from spruce leaves and a variety of seeds and berries. The Indians taught the explorer Cartier that a similar beverage made from hemlock leaves would relieve the symptoms of scurvy. It was for the same reason that Washington included "one quart of spruce beer per day" in the rations of the Continental Army.

Although most of these traditional beverages were mildly alcoholic, we have found that alcoholic fermentation can be minimized by the addition of whey and a little sea salt to our beverage preparations. The results are pleasantly acidic drinks, sometimes slightly bubbly, with complex flavors, especially if allowed to age for several weeks or more. Be sure to use homemade whey (see
Whey and Cream Cheese
), not concentrated or powdered whey sold at health food stores. Use only Celtic sea salt for lacto-fermentation (See
Sources
).

The use of whey to make nutritious drinks is not so much an innovation as a revival of an ancient method found throughout the British Isles and probably in other European countries since very ancient times. Medical treatises written during the 17th and 18th centuries extol the virtues of whey-based drinks including "wine whey" (wine mixed with whey) and "whey whig" (a beverage made of whey flavored with herbs).

We also offer one grain-based drink in which the culture is a mixture of bacteria and yeasts derived from bread making. Such "small beer" (as opposed to alcoholic "strong beer") was consumed throughout Europe and the Middle East in earlier times.

Throughout the world, these lactic-acid-containing drinks have been valued for medicinal qualities including the ability to relieve intestinal problems and constipation, promote lactation, strengthen the sick and promote overall well-being and stamina. Above all, these drinks were considered superior to plain water in their ability to relieve thirst during physical labor. Modern research has discovered that liquids containing dilute sugars and electrolytes of minerals (mineral ions) are actually absorbed faster and retained longer than plain water. This research is used to promote commercial sports drinks that are merely high-sugar concoctions containing small amounts of electrolytes. But natural lactic-acid fermented drinks contain numerous valuable minerals in ionized form and a small amount of sugar, along with lactic acid and beneficial
lactobacilli
, all of which promote good health in many ways while at the same time cutting the sensation of thirst.

Both soft drinks and alcoholic beverages—and even plain water—are poor substitutes for these health-promoting beverages. Taken with meals they promote thorough and easy digestion of food; taken after physical labor they give a lift by replacing lost mineral ions in a way that renews rather than depletes the body's reserves. The day when every town in America produces its own distinctive lacto-fermented brew, made from the local products of woods and fields, will be the day when Americans see the dawning of a new age of good health and well-being, as well as a new era of economic vitality based on small-scale local production rather than on large-scale monopolistic control of the food-processing industry.

To make beverages you will need some 2-quart-sized glass containers with tops or lids that seal tightly. A juicer is needed for the production of
grape cooler
and
apple cider
.

GINGER ALE

Makes 2 quarts

¾ cup ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated

½ cup fresh lime juice

¼-½ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

2 teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

2 quarts filtered water

This is a most refreshing drink, taken in small amounts with meals and as a pick-me-up after outside work in the sun.

Place all ingredients in a 2-quart jug. Stir well and cover tightly. Leave at room temperature for 2-3 days before transferring to the refrigerator. This will keep several months well chilled.

To serve, strain into a glass. Ginger ale may be mixed with carbonated water and is best sipped warm rather than gulped down cold.

Now the sun and the wind were hotter and Laura's legs quivered while she made them trample the hay. She was glad to rest for the little times between the field and the stack. She was thirsty, then she was thirstier, and then she was so thirsty that she could think of nothing else. It seemed forever till ten o'clock when Carrie came lugging the jug half full.

Pa told Laura to drink first but not too much. Nothing was ever so good as that cool wetness going down her throat. At the taste of it she stopped in surprise and Carrie clapped her hands and cried out, laughing, "Don't tell, Laura, don't tell till Pa tastes it!"

Ma had sent them ginger-water. She had sweetened the cool well-water with sugar, flavored it with vinegar, and put in plenty of ginger to warm their stomachs so they could drink till they were not thirsty. Ginger-water would not make them sick, as plain cold water would when they were so hot. Such a treat made that ordinary day into a special day, the first day that Laura helped in the haying. Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Long Winter

RASPBERRY DRINK

Makes 2 quarts

2 12-ounce packages frozen raspberries or 24 ounces fresh raspberries

juice of 12 oranges

¼-½ cup Rapadura (see
Guide to Natural Sweeteners
)

¼ cup whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

2 teaspoons sea salt

about 1½ quarts filtered water

Place raspberries in food processor and blend until smooth. Mix in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Skim any foam that may rise to top. Strain through a strainer lined with a tea towel. Pour into a 2-quart glass container, cover tightly and store in refrigerator.

Modern ginger ale has two ancestors. One is ginger beer, brewed and bottled at home like root beer. A fermented, bubbly drink, it was sometimes alcoholic, mostly not. The other is ginger water or "switchel," as New Englanders called it, a nonalcoholic drink prepared for farmers during long, hot days of scything in the hayfields. By Laura Ingalls Wilder's day, ginger drinks were flavored with sugar rather than with natural sweeteners, such as maple syrup or honey; and the tart taste was obtained from vinegar rather than from lacto-fermentation. SWF

APPLE CIDER

Makes about 1 gallon

about 4 dozen organic apples

1 heaping tablespoon sea salt

½ cup whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

As it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain unpasteurized apple juice, we recommend starting from scratch with organic apples. Wash the apples, cut into quarters, remove the cores and pass them through a juicer. A great deal of foam will rise to the top of the juice—remove as much of this as possible with a spoon. Strain the juice into a very clean large bowl and stir in salt and whey. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 3 days. Skim off any foam that may have risen to the top. Pour into two 2-quart-sized glass containers, cover tightly and refrigerate. Flavors will develop slowly over several weeks. The cider will eventually develop a rich buttery taste and may become slightly effervescent. The sediment will fall to the bottom of the containers and should remain there if the cider is poured out carefully.

ORANGINA

Makes 2 quarts

juice of 12 oranges

2 teaspoons sea salt

¼ cup whey
Whey and Cream Cheese

½ teaspoon orange extract

about 1 ¼ quarts filtered water

Place all ingredients in a 2-quart glass container and stir well. Cover tightly. Leave at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator. In several days the juice will develop an interesting banana-like flavor. Stir before pouring.

Soviet cancer researchers determined to find out why, where and how this dread disease [cancer] had increased so dramatically following World War II. . .. There in the midst of dreadful cancer statistics two districts in the region of Perm, on the Kama River in the central western Ural mountains, stood out like neon lights. The districts of Solikamsk and Beresniki had hardly any cancer cases reported, and those few with cancer often turned out to be people who had only recently moved into the area from elsewhere. How could this be? Environmental conditions were not any better than other districts—in fact, the region had potassium, lead, mercury and asbestos mining with production facilities spewing plenty of pollution. In fact, trees in the area and fish in the Kama were dying.

. . .two teams of scientific investigators were set up, one in Solikamsk, the other in Beresniki. They probed into private lives and investigated and analyzed. In the end they were puzzled. . .the people of these two districts drank as much vodka as other Russians but did not seem to have the social drunkenness problems, nor the poor work record usually associate with drinking. The problem was finding an explanation for this curious improvement.

Then it happened that one of the scientific team leaders personally visited the home of a family selected to be studied. It was a warm summer day and the family was away—only an elderly "babushka" was at home. The old woman offered Dr. Molodyev a refreshing beverage. . .. It turned out that Dr. Grigoriev in Beresniki also stumbled across tea kvass at about the same time, and it was soon confirmed that nary a home in the region was without the fermenting crocks of kvass or kombucha. Tom Valentine
Search for Health