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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in food

Posted by on in Studies Blogs
Riddle Me This

One of the genres you may not expect to be popular in the Middle Ages is that of riddles. They're not usually as straightforward as the riddles we know. They tend to be more metaphorical. I mentioned before in The Magic of Names the riddle that has 'magpie' as its solution (probably). Many of them are scatalogical or full of double entendres, which also doesn't fit our image of pious monks -- but it's our picture of monks that's wrong.

The myth persists that the church ruled the Middle Ages with a heavy hand. Like the myth that people thought the world was flat, it's just wrong. Many people who thought of themselves as Christian went to church once a year to confess and that was enough for them. Many monks who were part of the church were no more devoted to their religion than the average slacker working for a giant corporation is. It gave them a living if they weren't inheriting any wealth. For many it was an easy life (see Chaucer's monk for example).

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Recent Comments - Show all comments
  • Tasha Halpert
    Tasha Halpert says #
    Sweet riddle! Love it. Thanks for sharing! A most interesting blog.
  • Dragon Dancer
    Dragon Dancer says #
    Haha, I was gonna say apple.
  • Kate Laity
    Kate Laity says #
    The answer is of course -- an onion!
If Pagans Had a Food Taboo, What Would It Be?

By and large, the pagan religions are not known for their food taboos.

Oh, we may have our dietary preferences, but it's worth noting that, when food taboos are present among pagans, they tend to apply only to the priesthood, or to be observed only for a certain period of time. Otherwise, generally speaking, the default food setting for pagans is Omnivore.

But if, say, Indo-European-speaking pagans did have a food taboo, what might it be?

Please note that what follows is neither prescription nor suggestion. It is, merely, three points of historic data.

West

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Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Rediscovering Cinco De Mayo

Its no big secret that Americans adore Mexican food and drink. Every time May 5 rolls around, we all want to get in on the celebration. Weirdly, the last time I visited Mexico, they didn't even seem to notice. Contrary to popular belief, Cinco De Mayo isn't actually "Mexican Independence Day." The state of Puebla does still
recognize the holiday, where they successfully defended themselves from an attempted French invasion back in 1862.

This year, if you wish to celebrate, why not do so with a little more authenticity, rather than getting bombed on tequila shots at your favorite Americanized version of the real deal? Here are some staple dishes that are fun and easy to concoct on your own:

    MAÍZ A LA PARRILLA MEXICANA (MEXICAN GRILLED CORN)
        4 ears corn
        1/2 cup mayonnaise
        1 1/2 cups sour cream
        1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
        1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
        1 lime, juiced
        Red chili powder, to taste
       2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish
    Remove the husks of the corn but leave the core attached at the end so you have something to hold onto.
    Grill the corn on a hot grill or cast iron griddle pan until slightly charred. Turn it so it gets cooked evenly all over.
    Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and cilantro together. Grate the Parmesan in another bowl. While the corn is still warm slather with mayonnaise mix. Squeeze lime juice over the corn and shower with Parmesan. Season with chili powder and serve with extra lime wedges.
    (Recipe from Tyler Florence)
    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/mexican-grilled-corn-recipe-1947651

TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tomatillo_salsa_verde/

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (REFRIED BEANS)
http://mexicanfoodjournal.com/refried-beans/

After enjoying a tasty meal with these dishes, complimented with a little homemade sangria, give an offering of thanks to Centeotl, the Aztec God (or Goddess) of Maize. Burn some leftover corn husk from your meal with a little copal incense in an iron cauldron or other fire-safe device. If Centeotl doesn't grab your fancy, there are many Aztec Gods and Goddesses to choose from and read up on, if you visit the first ThoughtCo link below. Make a point this year to visit a local cultural center and educate yourself to the customs and art of a culture that you appreciate and are drawn to. La paz.

References:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo


https://www.thoughtco.com/centeotl-the-aztec-god-of-maize-170309

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One Advantage of Hosting the Ritual...

...is that you get all the leftovers.

My festive First-Day-of-Spring breakfast:

  • Steamed asparagus
  • Toasted sesame egg bread
  • Fresh farmer's cheese with garden chives
  • Ostara eggs with hot sauce
  • Fresh strawberries
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Posted by on in Paths Blogs
Food and Cooking in Minoan Crete

One way to connect with an ancient culture like the Minoans is to learn about their daily life: what they did for a living, what their houses looked like, and especially what they ate. Food is a powerful way to connect with other cultures, and that includes those of the ancient world.

A while back I wrote about how the Minoans cooked - what their kitchens and cookpots were like, how they used braziers or outdoor cookfires instead of hearths. Today I'm going to talk about what they cooked. Much of this information comes from an appendix in my book Labrys and Horns.

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Posted by on in Paths Blogs
Minoan Cooking: A taste of the ancient world

One way we can connect with ancient cultures is by exploring their daily lives: how they cooked, dressed, worked, played, and so on. These are things we all do, things we in the modern world can relate to and that can help make ancient people more real to us. And this, in turn, can help us connect with their spirituality.

So how about the Minoans? Let's explore their food a little bit so we can get a taste (ahem) of what their life was like.

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Posted by on in Paths Blogs

One time during the time period when I was learning how to follow the Goddess Diet to honor the goddess Sif, I was preparing for a potluck, and I went to the grocery store. I saw some corn on the cob. I thought, “That would be great to bbq. But I don't know whether it's GMO or not.”

Then I remembered that the GMO corn is a yellow corn. If the corn is some other color then it's not GMO. So I checked it and it was white corn, so I bought some. At the checkout, I was thinking, "I really hope I'm right and that I did this right for Sif."

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Recent Comments - Show all comments
  • Megan Gypsy Minx
    Megan Gypsy Minx says #
    I've never personally looked at coins before but it's truly amazing how the universe provides insight everywhere.
  • Anthony Gresham
    Anthony Gresham says #
    I've come across Canadian pennies before; though I understand they've stopped making them, but I've never come across an Australia

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