Sage Hill Gardens – Page 23 – Sustainable Living With Healthy FOOD

Cooking With Cast Iron~

Ever wondered why your cornbread, fried squash, fried okra, fried chicken etc., doesn’t taste quite like grandma’s or your mothers. If so, it might be because you are not using the right pan? Nothing says “old timey” cooking quite like the use of a cast iron skillet. Cast iron heats evenly, retains it’s heat, and if properly seasoned it is virtually non-stick.

Here is how to season a cast iron cooking vessels (for those who don’t already know):

What You Need

Materials:
Dish soap
A stiff brush
Clean, dry cloth
Vegetable oil or shortening (or other oil of your choice)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Wash the skillet with warm, soapy water and a stiff brush. Cast iron should not normally be washed with soap, but it’s fine here since the pan is about to be seasoned.

3. Rinse and thoroughly dry the skillet.

4. Using a soft, cotton cloth.. apply a thin coat of vegetable oil or melted shortening to the inside and outside of the skillet. Vegetable oil and shortening are the most commonly recommended oils used for seasoning, but according to Lodge, you can use any oil of your choice.

5. Place the skillet upside down on the oven’s center rack.

6. Place a sheet of aluminum foil below the rack to catch any drips.

7. Bake for an hour.

8. Turn off heat and allow to the skillet to cool completely before removing from oven.

Additional Notes: A seasoned skillet is smooth, shiny, and non-stick. You’ll know it’s time to re-season if food sticks to the surface or if the skillet appears dull or rusted.

Here are some tips on cleaning your cast iron cookware (NEVER use soap):

1. Clean the skillet immediately after use, while it is still hot or warm. Avoid soaking the pan or leaving it in the sink, or it may rust.

2. Wash the skillet by hand using hot water and a cloth or stiff brush. Avoid using the dishwasher, soap, or steel wool, as these may strip the pan’s seasoning.

3. To remove stuck-on food, scrub the pan with a paste of coarse kosher salt and water. Stubborn food residue may also be loosened by boiling water in the pan.

4. Thoroughly towel dry the skillet or dry it on the stove over low heat.

5. Using a cloth ( I don’t use paper towels because they can leave bits of fiber in the oil) apply a light coat of vegetable oil or melted shortening to the inside of the skillet. Some people also like to oil the outside of the skillet. ( I don’t) Buff to remove any excess.

6. Store the skillet in a dry place.

Additional Notes:

Using soap, steel wool, or other abrasives is not the end of the world, but you may need to re-season the skillet. If the skillet is well-seasoned from years of use, a small amount of mild soap may be used without doing much damage – just be sure to rinse it well and oil it after drying.
Remove rust using steel wool or by rubbing it with half a raw potato and a sprinkle of baking soda (seriously, it works!). Again, it may be necessary to re-season the pan after cleaning.

A Month Of Enchantments #3

Rituals Of The Common Kind~

Come spring, we feel the urge to brighten every corner, as to prepare for a favorite guest. Roll up our sleeve, polish and dust…just as generations have done before us….our personal “welcome back” to the sun, the song of the birds, ring of the chimes…..

Biblical Dendrology and Other Interest~

Today is Good Friday and this weekend is Easter Sunday or Resurrection Day in the Christian world. Trees feature strongly in Christianity, reflecting their social, spiritual and economical importance throughout history. Some 37 tree species receive mention in the Bible. ( I have found and documented 20, the search continues…)

Trees are very significant in the Old Testament. Perhaps no more so than in the ‘tree of life’:

… on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.… Revelation 22:1-3

In Genesis 6:14, to escape the impending flood God commanded Noah, “Make thee an ark of gopher wood“; the meaning of gopher wood remains a mystery to modern scholars.

Within the New Testament, trees continued to be of great significance. Among the three gifts brought by the wise men to the infant Jesus, two were the product of trees: the tree resins (dried sap) of frankincense from Boswellia spp. and myrrh from Commiphora spp. On the Sunday before his resurrection, Jesus entered Jerusalem and the people placed tree branches for him to walk on; a feast now celebrated as Palm Sunday.

Fragments of the written word tells us that Jesus was crucified on a cross made from Dogwood, even though none of the 30 or more species of Dogwood as we know it today, grow large enough to produce suitable timbers for this purpose. The discrepancy is explained in this delightful poem:

The Legend of the Dogwood
Anon.

In Jesus’ time,
the dogwood grew
to a stately size
and a lovely hue.

‘Twas strong and firm
it’s branches interwoven,
for the cross of Christ
its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress
at this use of their wood
Christ made a promise
which still holds good:

“Never again shall the dogwood grow
Large enough to be used so.

Slender and twisted it shall be
with blossoms like the cross for all to see.

As blood stains the petals marked in brown,
the blossom’s center wears a thorny crown.

All who see it will remember Me
crucified on a cross
from the dogwood tree.

Cherished and protected,
this tree shall be.
A reminder to all of my agony.”

~~

Bunny rabbits and brightly colored eggs are beautiful and I enjoy them in displays.

However, please let us each make the true meaning of this season the real focus…Jesus~

A Month Of Enchantments~#2

And this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and love and wings…” … C.C.Cummings

“The Passionate Observer” written by the 19th-century entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre. His lyrical writings on insects is filled with delightful words and tender watercolors….It was republished at some point by Chronicle Books…if you can find it, it’s a must have.

“The Italian cricket, he notes, “makes music everywhere among the rosemary-bushes, while the Glow-worms light up their blue lamps to complete the revels.”

A Month Of Enchantments~

In the “Mending Wall,” Robert Frost wrote, “Spring is the mischief in me.”….I think I identify with Robert Frost. Spring wakes me up from a wintery lullaby and jolts me into a never-ending dance of color, scents, and the many creative moods of a new dawning.

Will you join me in a creative month of surprises?

The Garden Gate is….

Someone once said:

Behind every gate is a secret path.Don’t be afraid to enter, the gate will open when you are ready to leave.

Sweet Hospitality….

The highest compliment one can receive is an invitation to walk through my gardens….so, come stroll with me and leave your footprints among the spring flowers.

Healing Power of Salt~

For years I’ve been advocating the benefits of salt in a health focused routine…if you are still using basic table-salt, please, please… Stop!!

Table salt is refined to a negative point with additives of anti-caking agents, these are the elements that cause issues in blood pressure and other health related maladies …we have so many other wonderfully-healthy salts to choose from.

A list of good choices and the benefits of each can be found on the Sage Hill Gardens website for future reference.
~~
Salt is healing…this is documented in a plethora of ways back through the earliest of times.

These are the four I opt for and would suggest to you!

(Salts for Soaking in a Bath…)

1.. Epsom: A hydrate form of magnesium sulfate named for the mineral rich spring waters of Epsom, England.
2..Celtic Sea Salt: A brand of unprocessed salt with trace minerals; from coastal France.
3..Himalayan salt: A rock salt mined in Pakistan that sometimes has a pink tinge from iron oxide.
4..Hawaiian sea salt: Sea salt mixed with red clay containing iron oxide, color ranges from white to pink.
~
+ One…Baking Soda: Sodium bicarbonate; softens water and relieves minor skin irritations.

+ One…The Celtic and/or Himalayan is a perfect replacement for your table salt/food usage.

Charm~Romance~Remembrance~In The Garden.

Charm~Romance~Remembrance~In The Garden.

Some would say a ‘garden is a garden’….but I would say….each garden has its own special signature. Whether formal or cottage style, there are many touches that can transform the simplest to splendor and the formal to ease and comfort.

Cottage gardens began in England and were more for growing food than for simple pleasure.
As more and more food became available in markets the cottage garden became more ornamental.

My first thought when Cottage gardening comes to mind is “overcrowded.” However, overcrowded can be beautiful if a little thought goes into the placement of the bulk of planting.
Fencing and hedges, paths and garden art can define areas of interest, leaving the rest for casual viewing and not so much close-up inspection.

If one is lucky enough to have plants from previous generations of family or friends…this can bring an element of meaning to be cherished and passed on to other family and friends who garden.

A Memory garden inside a garden is a special way to honor those who have gone from our lives.

Sage Hill Farms is named in memory of my mother….who thought she could not cook anything worthy of eating without Sage.

Don’t forget the critter garden when remembrance spots are planned…..children especially have a hard time adjusting to losing a pet, understanding why baby birds get tossed from their nest and die…butterflies with broken wings that render them helpless….knowing they are in a safe place that can be cared for makes these rough moments a bit easier to accept.

Whatever plans you have for your spring garden…make it you own, name it, treat it with the same love and attention that you expect for yourself….the rewards will be more than you can imagine.

Oh…and don’t forget to add herbs anywhere and everywhere. Garlic grows well among and is beneficial to roses. Basil is a lifeline for tomatoes.

Above all else, let your own personality guide you~

Edible Elegance~

They will come…so preparing for the least amount of damage is imperative.

Be it animal, plant, or human…and smile, in today’s environment, you might be on camera!!

We are four days away from the official beginning of Spring… Yes!!!