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First Harvest

Carrot Cake

Mon, 07/28/2008 - 13:59 — kitchenwitch
Ingredients:

1-3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups shredded carrots (5 to 6 medium)
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 300 degrees. In mixer bowl, combine sugar, oil, and eggs; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.

Notes:

This is my favorite birthday cake. Since my birthday is on Midsummer, I associate this cake with that holiday too. But its warmth and heartiness lends itself well to cooler weather and harvest celebrations as well.

This cake has energy related to prosperity, fertility and lust and is particularly aligned to the sort of sweet, devoted love of an idealistic young couple eager to starti a new family making it great for a wedding cake. That also makes it appropriate for your Heiros Gamos (or Sacred Marriage) on whatever holiday it happens to fall on.

Quick Witch Tips:

Blackberry

Sun, 01/06/2008 - 19:01 — kitchenwitch
Botanical Name:

Rubus fructicosus, Rubus canadensis

Zones:
3-8

There are many subspecies of this plant, but all work equally well.

Propagation:

Blackberries grow everywhere, and especially prefer dry, sandy soil in hedges or at the forest's edge. It can be cultivated by seed, or by softwood cuttings in the early summer or leaf bud cuttings in the late summer, or division in the early spring or autumn. It needs well-drained soil in a partially shaded position. This plant is an annual and will not produce fruit till the second year. Blackberries are susceptible to cane blight, crown gall, aphids and viral diseases. They are excellent additions to faerie and wildlife gardens as they provide good shelter. They attract birds including the brown thrasher, catbirds, cardinals, mockingbirds and vireos. They are also popular with swallowtail butterflies.

History and Folklore:

According to some English folklore, passing under the archway formed by a bramble branch will cure (or prevent) all manner of afflictions including hernia, ruptures, pimples and boils. This has also been used as a remedy for "downer" cows.

Celtic lore said that blackberries were fae fruit, and thus forbidden for people to eat, but blackberry wine is allowed.

In Greek mythology, the hero Belleraphon was thrown into brambles when he dared to ride the Pegasus to Olympus and was blinded by the thorns and wandered outcast and alone therafter.

In Christian lore, Christ's crown of thorns was made of brambles, and thus the berries were turned from red to black.

Another tale says that Lucifer landed in brambles when he was cast down from heaven and thus he cursed them so that they would be ugly (I think they're kind of pretty, actually). It is said that he hates them so much, he stomps on them on Michealmas Day and after that, it's unlucky to harvest them. Other folklore says this happens on Halloween.

Even so, blackberries were considered as protection against earthbound spirits and vampires. If planted near a home, a vampire couldn't enter because he would obsessively count the berries and forget what he was about.

Harvesting & Storage:

Berries should be harvested as soon as they ripen (they turn black). Overripe berries should be discarded and underripe berries should not be eaten. Berries can be used fresh or dried, or preserved in a jelly, jam, wine or any number of tasty treats.

Leaves should be harvested before or during flowering and laid to dry in the usual manner.

Roots can be dug in the summer. After the berries have appeared in the second year is the best time to do this. They should be dried quickly, in an oven or under a hot sun.

Young shoots can be harvested in the spring for use in salads.

Blackberry plant parts for use in protective magic should be gathered during the waning moon.

Household Use:

A permanent black dye can be made using blackberry leaves and lye. The young shoots produce light gray using alum mordant. The root produces orange dye. The canes produce reddish tan and the berries bluish gray.

Leaves can be added to a bath tea to freshen the skin in the winter.

Dried berries can be added to potpourri.

Magical Attributes:

Blackberry is feminine is in nature and associated with Aries, the planet Venus and the water element. It is strongly associated with the Goddess Brigid, healing, prosperity, protection and first harvest festivals.

Blackberry vines can be woven into protective wreaths and the leaves can also be added to mojo bags and other preparations for general household protection and prosperity.

Drinking a tea from blackberry leaf is said to aid in spells to increase money and to work as a mild aphrodisiac.

In dream symbology, blackberries represent loss, sorrow and remorse. If you are pricked in your dream, the your enemies will conspire with your friends against you. If they draw blood, then you will get the raw end of a deal.

Blackberries are traditionally baked into pies to celebrate the First Harvest.

A healing spelli that invokes Brigid makes use of blackberry leaves. Dip nine leaves in a natural water source and lay them on a burn or a red inflamed area. Say to each leaf as you lay them on the wound- "Three ladies came from the East, One with fire and two with frost, Out with fire, in with frost!"

Healing Attributes:

Blackberry is a cooling herb.

Fresh leaves, bruised can be applied to give some relief to burns, especially from steam or boiling water and is also useful for hemorrhoids, skin ulcers, and eczema. A decoction used as a mouth rinse is also good for sore throats.

The fruit is especially good for the liver and kidneys, while the leaf acts on the stomach and intestines.

The fruit should be eaten, either fresh, or in jam or wine, by those having trouble with stones or diarrhea. A decoction of the root bark or an infusioni of the leaves may also be used. For stones, simmer 1 tbsp of root per cup of water for 20 minutes. Add enough water to return it to one cup, and drink one cup per day, spaced out throughout the day in 1/4 cup intervals.

In the summer when the berries are ripe, make this syrup to help ease winter colds and flu- cover fresh berries with malt vinegar and let them stand for three days. Mash and strain. Add one pound of sugar for each pint of juice that results and bring it all to a boil. Allow it to boil for five minutes, then let cool and seal. Add a teaspoon of this syrup to a cup of water to help keep your feverish little ones hydrated.

Culinary Use:

Blackberries are tasty right off the bush or sprinkled over shortbread and smothered in cream, or added to a bowl of cereal. They also make great jams and wines.

The dried leaves may be added to herbal tea blends.

Practical Kitchen Witchery:

There are probably some blackberry canes in your back yard right now.

Arnica

Sat, 01/05/2008 - 15:54 — kitchenwitch
Botanical Name:

Arnica montana

Zones:
5-9

Arnica is a member of the Asteraceae (or Compositeae) family along with sunflowers and dandelions. It is a hardy perennial native to the mountains and pasturelands of Central Europe.

Propagation:

Arnica enjoys a well-drained, slightly acidic soil. To increase drainage, if needed, add some sand to the soil. To increase acidity, you can add some peat moss. If using potting soil, mix equal parts sand and peat moss and combine that mix with equal parts potting soil.

You can propagate by root division or by seed. Roots should be divided in the spring, and seeds collected in the fall. Plant as early as you dare in the spring; ideally starti them in a cold frame and set them into the ground in May. This plant requires full sun and does grow well in a pot. It prefers high altitudes.

Arnica is a great addition to a rock garden.

Collect the flowers as soon as they bloom and hang upside down in a dark place to dry. The root may be collected in the fall after the flowers die down. The root can then be dried in the oven.

History and Folklore:

The word arnica comes from the Greek arnikis which means lamb coat. This refers to the flower's furry sepals.

The German name for arnica is Wolfsblume, or Wolf Flower. In ancient times, the people believed that the spirit of the Corn Wolf wandered among the cornfields adding his strength to the coming harvest. Arnica was placed around the fields to prevent him from escaping before the corn was ready to be harvested. His spirit then entered the final sheaf that was cut and it was later carried to the village in honor. (Note: Corn then was not what we think of corn now, but grain in general.)

Arnica has been wildly popular in Germany for centuries where it claims over 100 medicinal uses for everything from heart disease to anemia. The American variety was used by Native Americans and the early settlers for a variety of uses as well.

Harvesting & Storage:
Household Use:
Magical Attributes:

Arnica is masculine in nature and associated with Midsummer, the harvest and harvest spirits. It is sacred to Freya, Ra and Apollo. It is aligned with the sun and the element of fire.

To drive away thunderstorms (why you would want to, I don't know) burn arnica and say "Set arnica alight, set arnica alight, thunderstorm take flight."

Arnica can be used in general protective rituals as well as rituals for fertility of crops.

Arnica can be planted around an area to keep a spirit from entering or leaving. It will only work until the plant dies back in the fall.

Healing Attributes:

Arnica is topically soothing and aids healing in bruises and sprains and should be applied as quickly as possible after the injury occurs to aid healing. The essential oil can be added to massage oils for use before and after strenuous physical exercise to prevent muscle aches and strains. It is great for muscle aches of all sorts (including PMS) as it reduces inflammation and sooths pain. Arnica actually reduces clotting, however, and does not speed the disappearance of bruises, merely soothes the pain.

It should never be applied to open wounds, rashes or any broken skin. However, a compress of the flowers and roots can be applied in a compress over a bandaged wound to relieve pain and aid in healing. A hot compress can also be applied to aching, arthritic joints and wrists afflicted with carpal tunnel syndrome.

A good salve mix for bumps, bruises and sprains is witch hazel, comfrey and arnica.

Some people are allergic to this plant and repeated or continuous use can cause some people to develop an allergy to it. Use with caution and only for first aid purposes. Use something else for daily maintenance.

If you are allergic to any other member of the Compositae family (ragweed, for example) you are probably allergic to arnica! If you allow yourself to develop an allergy to arnica through overuse, you will most likely develop allergies to other members of the Compositae family as well.

Do not take arnica internally. It can cause intestinal irritation, inflames the mucus membranes, and affects blood pressure and heart rate. Even a small amount can kill you or, failing that, cause permanent damage to your heart.

Homeopathic arnica is safe.

Culinary Use:

Arnica should never be eaten as it is bad for the heart and can cause severe gastrointestinal upset.

Practical Kitchen Witchery:

A. montana is threatened in the European wild. If you must use this species, do not use those collected in the European wilderness!
In the US, however, it's a weed!

Stone Soup

Mon, 12/31/2007 - 14:39 — kitchenwitch

This is more of an interactive storytelling thing that is a fun way to produce the communal meal at any gathering, especially while camping at a festival.

Tomatoes

Sat, 12/29/2007 - 10:09 — DawnBlack
Botanical Name:

Lycopersicon esculentum

Zones:
5-10

Tomatoes are members of the nightshade family along with potatoes and eggplants. They are either upright and bushy in habit, or they grow in trailing vines.

Propagation:

Tomatoes like lots of sun, at least six hours. Plant them deeply in good soil in the sunniest location in your yard. Compost the base of the plant. As your plants get taller, you will probably need to stake it to keep it upright. You can do this with a stick and some string, tie the string to the plant and then to the stick (Don’t hogtie the plant to the stick) or you can use a tomato cage. Occasional pruning will produce bigger fruits.

Tomatoes grow well in containers. Use 3 gallon buckets or larger. Don’t let the soil dry out completely, but don’t over water either. Be sure to water the soil and not the leaves to prevent fungal infections. Cut back on watering and stop fertilizing when the tomato begins to fruit. Tomatoes reseed readily.

Depending on the variety, tomatoes may be red, orange, yellow or green when they are ripe. Tomatillos (little green tomatoes inside husks that look like Chinese lanterns) are ready when the husks starti to split. Be sure to harvest your tomatoes the moment they are ripe, or their skins may start to split or the birds and squirrels will eat them. Tomatoes reseed readily. A fruit abandoned to rot on the ground will return next year, whether you want it or not.

Tomatoes often have problems with hornworms.

History and Folklore:

The botanical name for tomatoes means “edible wolf peach”.
Tomatoes are native to Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador where they have been cultivated since time immemorial. Common folklore says that when Christopher Columbus first landed in South America he decided the Orinoco River in Venezuela (where he discovered tomatoes) was the gateway to the Garden of Eden.

Tomatoes were once considered a powerful aphrodisiac and associated with the temptation of Eve in the Garden of Eden. Their French name, Pomme d’amore (apple of love) and the Spanish name poma amoris, reflect this. Hungarians called it paradice appfel (Apple of Paradise). The Greeks called it pomadora, Golden Apple, and associated it with the Hesperides and the golden apples of Hera.

At any rate, it was about 150 years after their discovery before Europeans considered them safe for civilized consumption and even then they were only suitable as ingredients for sauce. Those who weren’t afraid they would succumb to uncontrollable lust at the taste feared their teeth might fall out.

In 1820, Robert Johnson of New Jersey announced that he was going to publicly eat a tomato. People came from miles around to see what they were sure was a foolish act that would end in a horrible death. He, of course, survived.

Harvesting & Storage:

Tomatoes will last for several days at room temperature. Their flavor is best if they are not stored inside a refrigerator. If they aren’t completely ripe when picked, they will ripen off the vine.

Tomatoes do not freeze well, but they can beautifully and can be made into sauces and salsa and canned for use later in the year. Sun dried tomatoes are delicious.

Household Use:
Magical Attributes:

Tomatoes are associated with Venus and with Aphrodite and Hera. This plant is feminine in nature.

The presence of a tomato help protect from negative influences. Putting one on the window sill will prevent evil from entering the house.

Eating the fruit inspires love and passion. It is a good addition to romantic dinners and also good to eat to inspire creativity.

A much anticipated summer treat, tomatoes are suitable offerings for first harvest festivals and are especially suitable for Native American deities.

Although the flavor is completely different, tomatoes can be used in place of apples in many magical spells. They can also be used in place of other members of the nightshade family.

Healing Attributes:

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, lycopene (an antioxidant), potassium and citric acid making them a valuable addition to the diet for the general maintenance of health. They aid in liver function and help cleanse the body of environmental toxins. They are also said to aid in the digestion of fatty foods and help maintain the health of the circulatory system. They are also excellent for rehydration after a fast or strenuous exercise.

Tomatoes are acidic in nature and they may upset some peoples’ stomachs. Some people are also very allergic to them.

Culinary Use:

Tomatoes are great raw or cooked. They are excellent marinated, in salads, or sliced and sprinkled with sugar or salt, or not as you prefer, or made into sandwiches with mayo or cream cheese. They are great roasted with other vegetables, stewed and served with pasta or as a soup base, or made into sauces for pasta, rice or couscous. Some tomato varieties are more acidic than others. Adding a bit of sugar will help cut the acidity.

Practical Kitchen Witchery:

The Wicker Man Effigy

Thu, 12/20/2007 - 16:27 — kitchenwitch

The Wicker Man Effigy was made famous by The Wicker Man Movies, there are two, the

Harvest Salad

Thu, 11/29/2007 - 15:07 — kitchenwitch
Ingredients:

2 green apples chopped
2 red apples chopped
1 cup green grapes
1 cup red grapes
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp lime juice (or to taste)
2 tbsp honey (or to taste)
Candied walnuts or candied pecans

Rinse and chop fruit and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Notes:

This is best eaten right away. If you store it too long, the dressing starts to separate and if you store it with the nuts in the nuts will lose their crunch.

This is a great recipe for newlyeweds as it contains energy to enhance feelings of love and to promote prosperity and fertility. If you're more into the fertility than the prosperity, you can bring in some color magic by omitting the green grapes and apples and use more red, if you're more into the prosperity than the fertility, use more green.

Quick Witch Tips:

You could use lemon, lime or vanilla flavored yogurt as a quick dressing for this and omitt the lime and honey. But it won't be as good.

Blueberry Dumplings

Thu, 11/29/2007 - 15:01 — kitchenwitch
Ingredients:

Fruit
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tbsp cornstarch

Dumplings
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tbsp shortening
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350

Notes:

You can use any fruit with this recipe. Try it with apples, add some cinnamon and nutmeg to the fruit mixture. You'll have to simmer the apples a bit longer.

This is great for dessert or breakfast! Serve hot with cold milk for breakfast. Yum!

This recipe contains energy for sexual energy, potency and fertility and is also very protective.

Quick Witch Tips:

You can use pre-made canned pie filling and Bisquick or Jiffy baking mix to make this a superquick dessert.

Cornhusk Dollies

Fri, 01/19/2007 - 09:44 — kitchenwitch

Corn as we know it, or maize, is a Native American grain.

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