"Food ways" is an expression that dates back to 1946. It refers to the eating habits and culinary practices of a people, region, or historical period. This blog shares finds for foodies and food lovers - curated content from around the web, sharing the ways we all like to enjoy our food! Food history, recipe sharing, and all things food-related. This foodie blog is aimed at newbie cooks or beginners. But everyone is welcome! (https://eesfoodiejournal.blogspot.com/)
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My coffee addiction often keeps me from drinking and enjoying a cup of tea. But other members of my household love to brew! They are not tea experts (yet!) and are always experimenting with different flavors – from caramel apple to licorice to green tea to black tea to … on and on and on.
I found an interesting blog post written by Ryan Frey who works as a GO TO tech guy for ShareASale, Inc., an established affiliate marketing network corporation. He not only knows his tech stuff but his office co-workers also think of him as a tea aficionado. He must be. Why else would he suggest drinking tea according to the seasons of the year? In his post, How To Brew Different Tea Varieties for Fall, he recommended five (5) tips for how to enjoy your tea during the autumn season. All excellent advice. A quick summary of the tips is below.
1. Rooibos or “red tea” ... makes a great neutral base for both sweet and nutty flavors. During the Fall, expect to see flavor blends like chestnut, pumpkin, and chai.
3. Green and white teas are more delicate, partially or unoxidized tea leaves and buds. ... often fruity, sweet, and complex.
4. Herbal teas or “tisanes” are like rooibos, in that they aren’t from the tea plant at all. They contain alternatives like spices, herbs, flowers, and fruit.
5. Try other brewed beverages like Pu’erh tea and Mate.
When it
comes to growing children, it's extremely important to choose drinks that
support their health and development. Based on my research (and life experience), here's a list of the best
drinks for children, in order of what's generally considered the
best.
Water: The top choice for hydration, it has no calories,
sugar, or additives. My mom and dad used to call water “Adam's
ale” and they always made sure to keep a pitcher of water in the
refrigerator. I also drank water from the kitchen faucet ... without a filter! Can you believe it?
Plain
Milk: Provides essential nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and
protein. My mom
always kept milk in the fridge because we ate a lot of cereal.
Although? The amount of sugar in those boxes
of cereal? I'm not sure. IT might have canceled out the benefits of
the milk.
100% Fruit Juice: Limited amounts can be
beneficial, but it's best to avoid juices with added sugars. The only juice I remember drinking a lot growing up was orange juice. Back in
the day, we had a milkman who delivered, and either that was the only
juice he sold, or the only juice my mom bought. I really loved
pineapple juice so whenever I got to enjoy it (usually around the
holidays), it was a special treat. These days it seems like
everybody is into “juicing” and blending fruits and veggies into
a drink; or you can buy from the store. There are lots of fruit
juices with carrots or beets. That's cool! But I prefer my fruit
juice separately.
100% Vegetable Juice: Similar to fruit
juice, but with added vitamins and minerals. It used
to be there was only V8 tomato juice and I tried my best to avoid it.
LOL. Now V8 has a lot of variety in their vegetable juice product
line. Of course, you can buy a juicer and make your own. Green
drinks are very popular. I'm guessing that kids will drink it.
Plant-Based Milk
Alternatives: Suitable for children with allergies or dietary
restrictions, but ensure they are fortified with necessary nutrients. Some
kids are lactose-intolerant. In my home, I gave birth to lactose-intolerant children. They got it from their daddy! My late
husband said when he was growing up they gave him goat milk or soy milk.
If it weren't for him and having his children, I might have never
known there was such a thing as Plant-Based
Milk.
Flavored Milk: Can be an occasional treat, but it's
better to stick with plain milk for daily consumption. Occasional?
Not for me! My mom kept milk in the fridge but he also kept Nestlé
Quik powder in the pantry. If I had to drink milk in a glass it
was going to be chocolate! For our school lunches, we had a choice:
white or chocolate. I always picked chocolate! I thought those were
the only two choices in the world. But there are strawberry, banana,
and other flavors.
The
point to be made is coffee, tea, sodas or carbonated beverages and fake fruit drinks that have dyes for
color and a small percentage of real juice are probably not the “best
drinks” for a growing child. (Although we did drink a lot of Kool-aid.) But let's see what a medical professional says about it.
Do you have a favorite fruit topping for your toast? In the house that I grew up, there were only two choices: Welch's grape jelly or Smucker's strawberry preserves. That's what my mom bought. Since she was in charge of grocery shopping, that's what we ate!
So for most of my young life, it never occurred to me to eat something different. Until … one day, my mom brought home grape jam instead of grape jelly. It was still the brand name Welch's but it was jam instead of jelly. I don't know why! Maybe there was no more jelly on the store shelf. It was a mystery. But whatever the reason … we all went “WOW! It was amazing!” We kids made an incredible discovery. Jam spreads much smoother than jelly! It tastes just as good with peanut butter. Why didn't mom always buy this?
Well! All of the siblings, my sister, my brothers and me, decided to unite and requested that mom buy jam henceforth and forevermore! She complied. My mom was easy! (Sometimes.)
Fast forward to my life as a young adult. Got a job working for the federal government and was sent on an official assignment to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Usually, I ate breakfast in the hotel before leaving for work. I ordered a typical American breakfast: bacon, eggs, and toast. At this particular hotel, they had a basket of assorted jellies and jams on the table. Included in the assortment was pineapple preserves.
My life was changed forever!
Those pineapple preserves made the toast tastes like I was having a tropical party in my mouth! It got so that I looked forward to having breakfast every morning!
So now, if anybody asks what's my favorite jelly, jam, preserves or fruit spread?
Learning about the medicinal uses and benefits of flowers and plants has become my new passion. It grew out of concern for not only my own health and well-being but mainly the health and wellness of some of my children. Some of them do not like going to the doctor and prefer to search out natural remedies for whatever is ailing them.
My late mother rarely went to see a doctor. She believed in herbal medicine and treated herself as much as she could before finally being persuaded to seek the advice of a medical professional. I have to say that many times her natural remedies really did work. Unfortunately, I did not pay attention to the various concoctions she used to mix when I was growing up, and so none of her knowledge was transferred to me.
When my children started strenuously objecting to visiting the doctor’s office and opted instead to find alternative health practitioners, I decided to do research. I started studying on my own because I wanted to know about the various remedies that were being suggested to my children. I say “children” as if they are minors, even though they are past 20 and 30 years of age. My late husband also began to use herbal remedies in addition to his prescribed medications for his health condition.
Please note that I am not a healthcare professional and when I speak about using these remedies I am only talking about my personal and family experience. You should always seek professional medical advice if you have an ailment. Don’t play guessing games with your health.
In this article, I want to share a summary of what I have learned about four (4) flowers or plants used for medicinal purposes:
Many people grow honeysuckle flowers in their home garden because not only do they have a wonderful fragrance but they attract hummingbirds and butterflies. There are close to 200 different varieties, but the most common is the Japanese honeysuckle. This variety grows profusely in Japan and Korea. Other varieties grow in China, Europe, and North America. They remind me of the hibiscus flower because you can suck the sweet nectar from the tubes. Since the Middle Ages, people in Europe would eat the stems to treat dysentery, for infections in the upper respiratory tract. The ancient Chinese used honeysuckle for snake bites. Be careful which variety of honeysuckle you pick because some are edible and some are toxic. Botanists say the ones that grow in Europe are usually poisonous. You are also advised not to go by the taste. Sometimes the sweet tasting berries are toxic, and the berries that are not sweet are not toxic at all.
Who says watching TV for entertainment isn’t educational? The first time I ever heard the word “hawthorn” mentioned, I was watching a Korean drama about a vampire. They didn’t use crucifixes in Korea to repel vampires. They used hawthorn. Interesting huh? The hawthorn berry grows in Asia, Europe and North America. Good to know! Suppose you’re in Europe or North America but you get attacked by an Asian vampire. It’s just humor. On a more serious note, hawthorn berries have many health benefits. To name a few: they can lower your blood pressure, reduce blood fats, and treat digestive problems. Is it any wonder it is used with traditional Western medicine to treat heart failure? You can make a tea using the entire plant: the flowers, the dried berries, and the leaves.
This perennial plant has been called the “immortality herb” Some say it’s the “new ginseng”. Ginseng, as you probably know, is credited with making you strong, smart, and sexy. The gynostemma plant is a climbing vine that grows in southern China and other parts of Asia. It grows and grows and grows. The Chinese simply chew the leaves, serve them in a salad, or make tea to drink. Advocates claim that this plant can improve your cardiovascular health. They say it enhances the “yin” and supports the “yang”. In Vietnam, they are researching to determine if traditional medicine and Western medicine can be integrated, and this plant can be recommended in mainstream medical practice to treat diabetic patients.
The sophora flower is often used as a Chinese herbal remedy, and that’s why whole, dried flowers and the flower buds can be found in Asian markets. They treat headaches, high blood pressure, and even bleeding hemorrhoids. Be warned. It may be an effective herbal remedy but an overdose can prove fatal. Women who are pregnant or lactating should not that not take any medicines that contain the sophora flower. It’s also called the Japanese Pagoda Tree. Those who practice Western medicine are also familiar with this flower, but say that even though people use the flower for such ailments as hemorrhoids, menopause symptoms, and vomiting, there is no reliable scientific proof of its efficacy.
♦ What do these 4 flowers and plants have in common? When dried and combined, they can be used to make a medicinal tea that reduces your cholesterol. But, according to health experts, many other foods and drinks can lower cholesterol.
The spice trails taken by the Europeans can be traced backward from India to Arabia (formerly Asia Minor) to Africa to Egypt, and all the way to the ancient Greco-Roman world. Wars were fought over precious spices and in the end … we all won! Because the end result of the wars and the global spice trade is that these days, exotic spices are readily available, either via online shopping or maybe even at your local grocery store. If you would like to learn about the history of spices, here are a couple of links of interest.
India is not the only country that supplies herbs and spices to Europe and the USA; however, these days, it is a major exporter. The spices which were introduced to the West by way of India include, but are not limited to, cardamom, cassia, ginger, tamarind, curry, and turmeric. Cardamon is referred to as the "queen of spices". Do you know which spice is called the “king of spices”? Saffron!
(Although some say it's black pepper. Not me! I'm in the saffron camp.)
The origins of saffron may be disputed. (History of Saffron.) But not its flavor, health benefits, or its recognition as the most valuable spice in the world.
Were I to recommend four (4) spices to turn my mundane everyday meals into extraordinary-everyday dining experiences, it would be:
(1) Saffron - Little-known fact:Saffron was once used as an ancient antidepressant and battlefield medicine.
In ancient Persia, saffron was brewed into teas to lift mood and courage before battles.
Cleopatra reportedly bathed in saffron-infused water before romantic encounters, believing it heightened pleasure and skin glow.
During the Black Death, saffron was so valuable that shipments were guarded by armed escorts, and “saffron pirates” existed.
Medieval Europeans believed saffron could ward off evil spirits; hanging it in doorways was thought to protect households.
A single pound of saffron requires about 75,000 flowers, all hand-harvested—one reason adulteration scandals were common.
(2) Cardamom - Little-known fact:Cardamom was once chewed as ancient mouthwash and breath magic.
In ancient India and Egypt, cardamom pods were chewed after meals to clean teeth and sweeten breath—a practice that still survives in parts of South Asia.
Norse traders brought cardamom to Scandinavia over 1,000 years ago; it became so embedded that Sweden consumes more cardamom per capita than India.
In Ayurveda, cardamom is considered a “sattvic” spice, believed to clarify the mind and promote spiritual balance.
Some Middle Eastern coffee rituals insist that cardamom must be added before serving—adding it later is considered disrespectful.
Ancient Arabic poetry linked cardamom’s aroma to divine speech and wisdom.
(3) Curry - Little-known fact:“Curry” as a spice blend is largely a colonial invention.
There is no single spice called curry—the word comes from the Tamil “kari,” meaning sauce or relish.
British colonizers in India created standardized “curry powder” to recreate Indian flavors back home, simplifying complex regional blends.
Traditional Indian cooking uses freshly ground masalas, often changing daily or per dish—fixed curry blends were uncommon.
In Japan, curry became so popular via the British navy that it evolved into Japanese curry, now considered comfort food.
In 18th-century England, curry powder was marketed as an exotic digestive aid, not just a flavoring.
(4) Turmeric - Little-known fact:Turmeric was once sacred body paint, not just a spice.
In ancient India, turmeric was used to paint brides and grooms, symbolizing purity, fertility, and protection.
Hindu mythology associates turmeric with solar energy and prosperity; it’s still tied to sacred threads and marriage rituals.
Before synthetic dyes, turmeric was widely used to dye robes, but it fades in sunlight—symbolizing impermanence.
Marco Polo wrote that turmeric resembled saffron so closely that Europeans initially thought it was a cheaper fraud.
In Southeast Asia, turmeric was rubbed on skin to ward off malevolent spirits during travel.
🌿If I were thinking of a gourmet food gift for an aspiring chef or a friend or relative who wants to improve their cooking skills, it would be one or more of these delightful spices.
Basil has a
revered status in various cultures, and some refer to it as “the sacred herb”. It serves as a symbol of spirituality, protection, and even
divinity. References to Basil's sacred nature are found in religious
texts, historical manuscripts, and cultural literature.
Last, but not
least, basil is a culinary delight. Its leaves are very aromatic
leaves and the herb has a distinctive flavor. Basil's popularity
extends to many countries and culinary traditions:
Italy and
Greece: Basil is a fundamental herb in the Mediterranean diet.
It is a key ingredient in Italian cuisine, and complements the
Mediterranean flavors commonly found in Greek food.
Thailand and
Vietnam: Thai cuisine incorporates basil in dishes such as Thai
basil chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) and green curry. The herb is also common
in Vietnamese cuisine, and featured in dishes like pho (Vietnamese
noodle soup).
That short list
includes just a few examples. But is it any wonder that basil is
found in spice cabinets and herb gardens all over the world?
Just a few quick notes about the mythology behind the wonderful herb basil.
~ Pliny, a famous Roman citizen, friend to the emperor, a writer, philosopher, and a naturalist, was convinced that basil was a powerful aphrodisiac. Consequently, basil became a symbol for love and lovers.
