Zingertale News Flash -- Miss Bosco Captured!

photo by laura dinerman Marino

Undercover Detective O-D Cohen has single pawdedly captured Miss Bosco,  suspected in illegal trafficking of the Youtan Poluo flowers, and allegedly involved in the sudden disappearance of Lemon Drop, the Wondrous Bat Dog.  Miss Bosco was caught 50 miles south of the unsecured border of Kangaroo Island.  She was alone dogging a fishing boat when Undercover Detective O-D who was vacationing in the South Sea area noticed what he believed to be an SOS flare.  Little did he suspect, when answering the call for help, that he would be making his fluffiest collar to date. 

photo by ana traina

After a long growling interrogation session, a sad faced O-D made a statement to Zingertales, “ We are no closer to busting the dog-gone smugglers or findin’ Lemmie at this time. That Miss Bosco is a tough nut to crack. We believe she’s playing the whacky card as she just kept whining the same song over and over again! This old man, he played seven, He played knick-knack up in Heaven; Knick-knack paddywhack, Give a dog a bone,This old man came rolling home.”  What is Miss Bosco really saying?  The question lingers, is Lemmie a goner? Stay glued to Zingertalesandmore to find out! I’m Ana Traina and this is Zingertales

Garden Adventures with Miss Hannah!

Hydrangeas and Miss Hannah

Hydrangea aka Hortensia

In general the hydrangea stands for friendship, devotion, and understanding.  Here are Miss Hannah's thoughts and impressions on Hydrangea --

Some more little tidbits about the Hydrangea:

The name “hydrangea” comes from the Greek word-meaning vessel. The Hydrangea is native to North America, although these blooms can be found in the far east. Hydrangeas were brought to England in the 18th century, and in no time at all, their popularity spread like wildfire throughout Europe. Many of today’s popular hybrids were developed originally in France.

The hydrangea has medicinal purposes; Native Americans used the root as a diuretic and detoxifier. The bark of the hydrangea was used to ease muscle sprains and burns. It is still used today in alternative medicine as a tonic herb.

The hydrangea has magical properties as well. According to folklore, if a witch put a curse on an unlucky man or woman the hydrangea could be used to break the curse. 

Miss Hannah also feels that Queen Anne's Lace makes exquisite hair adornments and a good floral hat does wonders to lift one's spirit!

Look for more of Miss Hannah's garden adventure, here at zingertales!

Touch-me-not Thistle!

photo by ana traina

THE THISTLE -- AUSTERITY—INDEPENDENCE—RETALIATION

The rose may bloom for England; The lily for France unfold;
    Ireland may have her shamrock; Scotland has the thistle bold.

 Edna Dean Proctor.

Proud thistle, emblem dear to Scotland's sons, Begirt with threatening points, strong in defense, Unwilling to assault.

The Most Ancient Order of the Thistle, which the Scots claim antedates the Order of the Garter, was founded by James V of Scotland. It consisted of the sovereign and twelve knights in memory of our Lord and the Apostles. It has for its insignia the blossom and leaves of a thistle in gold, together with the national motto.  " Nemo me impune lacessit." The polite reading of this is, " No man attacks me without being punished," but the more simple translation of earlier days was, " Touch me who dares! " 

The family is large and widely diversified. The blossoms are purple, yellow, and white. In France, Germany, and Spain there grows a variety known as the carline thistle. It is very large and the country folk hang it outside their cottage doors as a barometer. Before a rain the blossom invariably closes, and when the storm is nearly over it gradually opens. 

It derived its name from its association with Charlemagne. On one occasion, as the story is told, when the Emperor was engaged in war a plague broke out among his soldiers, many of whom died. He prayed to God for help and that night an angel appeared to him and shot an arrow from a cross-bow, telling him that on the spot where the arrow fell he would find a plant, the root of which was the best antidote for the disease. The Emperor followed the direction indicated and found a large thistle with an arrow fastened in its branches. The instructions thus received resulted most successfully.

In Tartary there is a species which grows so large that the natives build their huts in its shade. As autumn approaches the stem decays and the blossom dries into a feather-ball, which is driven over the plains by the wind. It is called the windwitch, and it is said that no one has ever been known to catch one.

It had a place among the mystical plants, as sacred to Thor. Carried about the person it was said to protect the bearer from all evil and especially lightning. In some places thistles were placed on the first corn that ripened to drive away evil spirits from the fields. 

In England there was an old superstition that if a maiden wished to find out which of several suitors loved her the best she must take the heads of thistles, cut off their points, give each flower the name of a person, and put them under her pillow. The one that put forth a new sprout loved her the best. It was a lucky omen to dream of being surrounded by thistles. The dreamer in a short time was sure to hear some good news.

There is an old saying that first loves float from the memory like thistledown in a breeze.

In a wild, barren spot near Mecklenburg, where a murder was once committed, there grew a strangely formed variety. Every day at noon it appeared with what looked like human arms, hands, and head. Daily a new head was produced until twelve different ones had appeared, when the plant mysteriously disappeared and a new one came in its place. Every one avoided the spot. One day a shepherd declared that he was not afraid, and taking his staff started to pass the weird plant. The staff immediately turned to tinder and both his arms were paralyzed. This story is told by Mannhardt, the German mythologist, who died in 1880.

The plant has several medicinal properties. It is claimed that when gathered before it blossoms and the leaves and stem are bruised, the juice applied to the scalp will make the hair grow. Mixed with vinegar, it was used to heal leprous sores. It was also said to be a remedy for disorders of the stomach. The roots were boiled and used for food. Pliny, commenting upon this, said, "No four-footed animal save the ass will eat it." Finches, however, feed upon the blossoms and the seeds. Excerpts from Katherine McMillan Beals -- Flower Lore and Legend

The Really WILD Food Guide

SWEET  CHILLI  THISTLES

Thistle leaf ribs

Chilli powder - pinch

Oil

1 tbsp. tomato puree

Water or stock

Honey - clear

Salt and pepper

Parts of certain, but not all types of thistle, are edible. Don't believe it? Then try this method of cooking the main ribs of young spring basal rosette leaves of the Dwarf Thistle [Cirsium acaule]. The leaf ribs of larger specimens [this one was about 12 inches across] can be quite succulent.

PREPARATION

The first thing to to is protect your hands with some gloves. To harvest the leaf ribs place each leaf on a chopping board and cut on either side of the main rib with a sharp knife. Just use the thickest 3 or 4 inches of each rib and discard the rest. Collect about a good handful per person.

Next, place each rib on a flat surface and with a sharp knife scrape away any downy material to
reveal the slender green stem beneath.

VARIATIONS & ALTERNATIVES
There's no reason why the leaf ribs could not be curried [add some diced potato for bulk], used as a simple vegetable, or perhaps boiled then added to a salad. Rather than using tomato paste you could use canned tomatoes to conjour a sort of vegetable stew.

METHOD

· Drop the greens into boiling water and cook for about 3 - 5 minutes. Time will depend on rib thickness and bitterness [sample one rib after suggested time, however don't overcook].

· Meanwhile, take a pinch of chilli powder and heat in a pan with a slug of oil to release the flavour. · Add some tomato paste to the pan and stir in, followed by about 1 cup of water
or stock. Stir. · Add the thistle greens and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. · Season to taste and then stir in a good slug of clear honey. The Really Wild Food Guide: Or 350+ Ways to Wok the Wild

There is Magic in Milkweed!

photo by ana traina

Milkweed is named Asclepias after Asklepios, the father of Greek medicine. "Incarnata" means flesh-pink.  Rose milkwood is also known as flesh-colored milkweed, red milkweed, swamp silkweed, white Indian hemp, incarnate swallowort, and Asclepias pulchra.

Milkweed is associated with Summer Solstice magick and the fluff-bunnies with fall equinox.  Some sources of magickal lore recommend using the juice of this  herb to anoint a baby's third eye to enhance its imagination and creativity, but milkweed latex can cause itchy dermatitis even on adult skin. Caressing the area with a leaf tip might be a better idea skin-wise. Iroquois Indians used this plant to prepare themselves to fight witches, so it obviously has protective properties as well as being useful in divination.  Its easily spun fibers offer unique opportunities for knot magic. (Knot spells have been created for cutting pain, binding love, and traveling safely. The string or cord can be made out of almost any material, but natural fibers such as hair, wool, hemp and cotton are preferred. Although ladders are often created for as part of a specific spell, many wiccans keep a personal ladder. In this case, the knots or beads are used to keep track of repetition in a spell or prayer, similar to Rosary beads.)

In lore, legend and life: In World War II, children in the United States were encouraged to collect milkweed pods and turn them in to the government, where the fluffy silk was used to stuff life vests and flying suits.  The silk was especially good because of its exceptional buoyancy and lightweight. Also in World War II, because of the shortage of natural rubber, scientists in the United States tried to turn common milkweed’s latex into a rubber like substitute. 

Monarch butterflies are particularly attracted to the flowers of the common milkweed and other milkweed relatives. 

In Hindu mythology, relatives of the common milkweed were considered to be the king of plants; it was believed that the creating god was under the influence of milkweed juice when he created the universe.

In the Autumn when the pods are bursting and the fluffy seeds are flying across the fields, a wish is granted for each seed that can be caught and then released again.

A root tea has been used by various tribes as a diuretic, expectorant and for any number of medical conditions including respiratory conditions, joint pain and digestive problems. Warning: This plant, especially the root is considered toxic! 

Milkweed by Philip Levine

Remember how unimportant 

they seemed, growing loosely 

in the open fields we crossed 

on the way to school. We 

would carve wooden swords 

and slash at the luscious trunks 

until the white milk started 

and then flowed. Then we'd 

go on to the long day 

after day of the History of History 

or the tables of numbers and order 

as the clock slowly paid 

out the moments. The windows 

went dark first with rain 

and then snow, and then the days, 

then the years ran together and not 

one mattered more than 

another, and not one mattered. 

Two days ago I walked 

the empty woods, bent over, 

crunching through oak leaves, 

asking myself questions 

without answers. From somewhere 

a froth of seeds drifted by touched 

with gold in the last light 

of a lost day, going with 

the wind as they always did.

Being a Cloud Gazer again!

photo by ana traina

 Yesterday, I decided to take a long needed break from my desk and went on a hike.  I chose Ooms Conservation area at Sutherland Pond, because it is close to my house and I love its scenic pastoral landscape, the open grassland and the aquatic flora.  I was secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of the spectacular Blue Heron I had seen there once before by the pond.  As I was taking in the panoramic views of rollicking countryside, uncovering unusual animal tracks, and noticing the lush wildflowers in bloom, a flock of noisy geese flew over my head.  I looked up and all at once was struck by the beauty of the passing clouds and their airy escapades.  A smile shadowed my whole being. I was reminded of those thrilling heydays, when there was nothing more delightful then lying back on the cool grass and taking in a full, uninterrupted view of a cloud-dotted sky.  Spying snaggletoothed bunnies, tiptoeing through rosy cloud gardens and dreaming of swashbuckling duels with magical beings on the puffy, white clouds above. Yes, it was good to be a Cloud Gazer back then, but perhaps it is even a little bit better, now! To inspire cloud gazing tendencies, try this enchanted recipe for --

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS

serves 40 and only takes 8 minutes to make --

3 cups flour, 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 cups miniature chocolate chips, 8 ounces miniature marshmallows, frozen.

Preheat oven to 400. Until you are ready to assemble the cookies just prior to baking, keep the marshmallows in the freezer - otherwise they will thaw too rapidly.  In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda. Set aside. Combine sugars in a large bowl. Using mixer, blend in butter, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and beat at med. speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed until combined.  Batter will be very stiff.  Gather 4-5 frozen marshmallows in the palm of your hand and cover them with a heaping tablespoonful of dough. Wrap the dough around the marshmallows, complete encasing them and forming a 2" diameter dough ball.  Place balls on ungreased baking sheets, 2" apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool on pan 2 minutes, then transfer to a cool, flat surface.

What did you say, Hibiscus sabdariffa, what?

photo by ana traina in her garden

As I work among my flowers, I find myself talking to them, reasoning

and remonstrating with them, and adoring them as if they were human

beings.  Much laughter I provoke among my friends by so doing, but that

is of no consequence.  We are on such good terms, my flowers and I.

-   Celia Thaxter,  1835-1894

Some random thoughts and uses -- The Hibiscus is used as an offering to the 

goddess Kali and Lord Ganesha in Hindu worship.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is considered to have a number of medical uses in Chinese herbology. 

The bark of the hibiscus contains strong bast fibres. They can be obtained by letting the stripped bark sit in the sea in order to let the organic material rot away. In  Polynesia these fibers (fau, pūrau) are used for making grass skirts.  They have also been known to be used to make wigs.

Hibiscus, especially White Hibiscus and Red hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine,  Ayurveda. Roots make various concoctions believed to cure ailments such as cough. The flowers are boiled in oil along with other spices to make a medicated hair oil to prevent greying and hair loss. The leaves and flowers are ground into a fine paste with a little water and the resulting lathery paste is used as a shampoo plus conditioner.

A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of pre- hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults. Three cups of tea daily resulted in an average drop of 7.2 points in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 1.3 point drop in the volunteers who drank the placebo beverage. Study participants with higher blood pressure readings (129 or above), had a greater response to hibiscus tea, their systolic blood pressure went down by 13.2 points. This data supports the idea that drinking hibiscus tea in an amount readily incorporated into the diet may play a role in controlling blood pressure, although more research is required.

In the Philippines, the gumamela (local name for hibiscus) is used by children as part of a bubble-making pastime. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky juices come out. Hollow papaya stalks are then dipped into this and used as straws for blowing bubbles.

Dried hibiscus is edible, and is often a delicacy in Mexico. It can also be candied and used as a garnish.

The red hibiscus flower is traditionally worn by Tahitian  women. A single flower is tucked behind the ear. It is used to indicate the wearer's availability for marriage.

Hibiscus Flower Margarita Recipe

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
1 cup sugar
4 cups water
1 measuring cup + tequila

Then I let it simmer for 10 or 15 minutes. Strained through cheesecloth, and put the hibiscus water in the fridge to cool.

To serve add the tequila (to taste). Then mix and pour over ice. You want to be able to taste the hibiscus, and you don't wan't it too sweet. You may want to add a bit of water if it is too sweet or strong.

What and Where to buy: Look for Jamaica flowers (also known as hibiscus or flor de Jamaica) in most Latin grocery stores; they’re often found in the bulk bins or in the dried herb section. You can also find them online.

LEMON DROP LIVES!

photo by ana traina

An Exclusive Poopy Scoop Report from Ms. Beckella B. Barkson, the world renowned photographer and gossip-mongrel for “Howlywood Fair” and “Zingertails!”

Ms. Barkson told us, here at Zingertales, that she was vacationing on a remote island in the South Pacific.  She let it slip that the island was somewhere between Marlon’s old haunt and Johnny’s new islet.  Although she was quite happy and relaxed whilst having a paw-dicure, she happened to spy with her little eyeglass something not quite kosher on the adjacent isle, which was dubbed “The Island of Dolls,” according to Ms. Barkson.  Now, Ms. Barkson thought to herself, “Well, I’ll be a surly-toad spotted wagtail if that isn’t, Lemon Drop over there!  What is Lemmie doing on the Island of Dolls when the whole worried world is waiting for her safe return?”  She just had to find out, so Ms. Barkson hopped into her new apple-red Sonex JSX -1 jet, a present from a not-so-secret admirer, Howard the Hound, and hurried over.  Here are a few aerial shots that she managed to snap --   

photos by jane shirek

Yes, Lemon Drop lives but the question is, "What in the barnation is she doing on this Island of Dolls?!"  Stay glued to Zingertalesandmore to find out! I’m Ana Traina and this is Zingertales.

That Flower's got Game!

The Patolli -- Dawn tints the contour of the mountains red. A perfumed breeze whirls in the air. Innocent dew tiptoes through the branches of trees and the petals of untold flowers. Far away, the familiar sound of a sea snail’s conch is overheard. That is how the Aztec Empire awoke. The Aztecs worked hard, played hard and were passionate about one of the most common ancient Aztec games - patolli.  Patolli is actually a type of board game, which was played by the common people as well as the nobles.  The word patolli means beans, specifically the colorines (a red small kind). The colorines or patolli were used as chips and gave this game its name. 

Patolli is one of the most ancient games in prehispanic Latin America. It was played by Teotihuacanos (200 BC - 1000 A.D.), Toltecas (750 - 1000 A.D), the inhabitants of Chichen-Itza (1100 - 1300 A.D.), the Aztecs (1168 - 1521 A.D.) and all the groups conquered by the latter. With the Spaniards´arrival, the patolli was played in Mexico, as it is showed in the codexes. We know, for example, from the Magliabecci Codex the patolli was a chance game. It apparently had a ceremonial and religious aspect which sense has not been clarified. It can be supposed that there are elements that point out the coincidence between the games and some elements of the Aztec cosmogony: the time cycle of the Aztecs is based on a 52-year measure which is the same number of squares in the game. There are four cardinal points as well as four players on a board with four sides. 

The Magliabecci Codex says: The God of the patolli was Macuilxochitl, five Flower, which the players called upon before the game. In their homes, they offered incense and food to their protector deity and the game instruments before going out to play. The patolli and the ullamaliztli had a chance aspect: the big bets of players were, maguey plants, gold beads, and precious stones. There were those who even bet themselves and if they lost, they were made slaves until they covered the debt. 

Fray Diego Duran describes how before the game started, incense was burned or promises were made to the dice. While playing they invoked the help of Macuilxochitl. 

The patolli was forbidden during the Conquest because it was considered dangerous, idolatrous and pagan. The hands of the players were burned if they were caught practicing the game. 

The patolli is played on a board with a diagonal shape form divided in blue or red squares. Four or five marked beans are used as dice. It is a game chance and strategy. To participate, the players must make their bets and the rule is that none of them can bet beyond their possibilities. The goal is to get the objects bet by the opponent. That is possible after going through all 52 squares placed on a cross form on a petate (a straw mat) and occupying each of them with colored stones which are moved according to the numbered indicated by the marked beans thrown in each player's turn. Whoever goes through the whole circuit with his chips wins the game along with all the objects gotten from the opponent. The game ends with the opponent's death and the loss of the bet belongings.

LEMON DROP, drops off radar!

photo by Susan Sedlmayr and digitally enhanced by Ana Traina

When last seen, Lemmie was walking the lonely road that only super heros and wondrous bat dogs walk, listening for any clues, as savage lizards watched and waited in the hot sun and a wicked wind beat down upon her.  Although she twisted and twirled and tacked, against all doggie-odds, Lemmie sniffed out a bone, and its seductive perfume was luring her Eastern bound.  Yes, the East is where she would find those smugglers.  However, little did Lemmie know what would be waiting for her just beyond the golden horizon.  The notorious Little Miss Firecracker and the most patriotic Miss Bosco! 

What’s this? A special report, just in from our part-time sleuth, and part-time novelist, Moonshine the Man of Mystery, “Lemmie has fallen off the Zingertales’ radar, folks! Not hyde nor hair or even a little paw of Lemmie, the Wondrous Bat Dog, has been seen in the last 24 hours.”  

We asked, Moonshine the Man of Mystery, to ney in on the perilous mission of Lemmie and here is what he had to say so far, “Lemmie’s situation is touch-and-go right now, due to the simple fact that the notorious Little Miss Firecracker and the most patriotic Miss Bosco are very complex and tricky villains that repeatedly plumb the depths of canine depravity to get what they want. You see, it’s not just past secrets they’re trying to hide.  They’re awaiting a hush-hush shipment of the Youtan Poluo flower that is already late, and they have the kind of customers no one can afford to howl back at.  For as vicious as Little Miss Firecracker and Miss Bosco are, they’re just the bottom of the criminal doggie food chain stretching halfway around the world.  There is terrible trouble at every turn in the seemingly prosaic beach country of Florida.  You see, Evil comes in many forms, and death is a constant presence that threatens to overwhelm Lemmie and his ‘untarnished paws’ at any moment, if it hasn’t already.” 

Dear Avid Readers of Lemmie’s ‘tails’, if you are weak of heart or even stomach, it would make sense for you to put some distance between yourself and the hard-core troubles that seem to be bearing down on Lemmie, right now! For the real troubles of Lemmie are yet to come!”

The question is no longer will Lemmie aka Lemon Drop crack this case, but will Lemmie stand to bark another day!  Stay glued to Zingertalesandmore to find out! I’m Ana Traina and this is Zingertales.

Become a fan of Moonshines the Man of Mystery on Facebook!

The Slippery Slope Saga of Queen Anne's Lace!

Queen Anne’s Lace is a showy white flower shaped like an umbrella and is made up of many small flowers in a lace-like pattern.  At the center is a purplish-black floret.  Although it is a very charming flower, it just happens to be a very slippery bloomer as well.

Queen Anne’s Lace name is derived from one of the two Queens Anne’s (Queen Anne of England and Anne of Denmark) that have been among the British Royalty. Both women were reputed to be champion lace makers. While the legend sits on the fence as to which Anne the plant is named for, both versions are evenhandedly certain that whoever she was, she nicked her finger and a drop of blood is responsible for the unique tiny purple center of a Queen Anne’s Lace flower.

One of the lesser know lore about Queen Anne’s Lace is that if you bring it in your house, it will kill your mother.  Now, don’t all run out to the garden at once, there is plenty for all you Mother haters!

Because of this lore, Queen Anne’s Lace is also known as Mother Die, (but the name is less frequently use among “civil society”).

Turns out though that the lore may not have been all that far off. The leaves of Queen Anne’s Lace are toxic. Queen Anne’s Lace is a member of the carrot family and is frequently also called a Wild Carrot. It also looks remarkably similar to several kinds of hemlock. It would not be too much of a strain to the imagination to consider that some, ahem, unsuspecting green soul cooked up a whole kettle full of Queen Anne’s Lace (or what they thought was Queen Anne’s Lace) to feed to their beloved, dotty mother and found her dead as a doorknob in the morning.  There may be another reason Queen Anne’s Lace has a matricidal reputation. It was the first oral contraception consisted of potions made from plants and bark. One of the oldest known plants used for contraception was silphium, a member of the giant fennel family, described in the 4th century BC. The extract was purportedly very effective, causing the plant to be used to extinction by the 3rd or 4th century AD.  More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates described the use of Queen Anne's lace or wild carrot as an oral contraceptive and abortifacient. John Riddle writes in Eve's Herbs, that Queen Anne's Lace seeds are one of the more potent anti-fertility agents available, and a common plant in many regions of the world. "The seeds, harvested in the fall, are a strong contraceptive if taken orally immediately after coitus."  When herbal lore such as this survives the test of time, there is a good chance there is some truth behind it.

Naughty, naughty you say? Okay, so it is a little pernicious weed, rumored to have killed little old fruitcakian ladies and performs back-yard abortions in its free time. But nobody said that all the pretty florets were innocent.

Wild Carrot Cake
From The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook
Wild carrots are especially good in carrot cake because they provide more flavor than commercial carrots do, and they're still crunchy after cooking.  Unlike the usual cakes, in this recipe you add the icing before you bake the cake.
Icing
Two 19-ounce packages silken tofu, drained
3/4 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons arrowroot or kudzu
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon almond oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon liquid stevia or 2 tablespoons honey, barley malt, or rice syrup
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cake
4 cups (19 ounces) sweet brown rice flour and 4 cups (1 pound) oat flour, or 35 ounces any whole-grain flour
1 cup arrowroot or kudzu
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly ground flaxseeds (6 tablespoons seeds)
2 teaspoons freshly ground star anise
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons apple juice
1 cup corn oil or other vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
1/2 cup lecithin granules
2 teaspoon liquid stevia (herbal sweetener)
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups wild carrot taproots, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the icing: In a food processor, combine the icing ingredients and process until smooth.

3. To make the cake: Mix together the flour, arrowroot, ground flaxseed, spices, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.

4. In a blender, combine the apple juice, corn oil, lime juice, lecithin granules, and liquid stevia and process until smooth. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the raisins and grated wild carrots.

5. Divide the batter evenly between 2 oiled 12-inch round cake pans. Pour the icing over the cake batter in each pan. Bake the cakes until the bottom of each one is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Let the cakes cool on wire racks before serving.

MAKES 2 CAKES

Traditionally, tea made from the root of Queen Anne’s Lace has been used as diuretic to prevent and eliminate kidney stones, and to rid individuals of worms.  Grated wild carrot can be used for healing external wounds and internal ulcers.  The thick sap is used as a remedy for cough and congestion. The root of Queen Anne’s Lace can be eaten as a vegetable or in soup.

Disclaimer: If you try any methods used on this page you do so at your own risk.