China Bayles' Book of Days

by Susan Wittig Albert

  • Belle Isis, before 1845 (Gallica). Shell-pink, with a strong scent of myrrh, rose, and anise, Belle Isis is a landmark in rose breeding. Gallicas set hips readily, and figure in most medicinal and herbal lore.

  Explore the world of old roses:

  Growing Old-Fashioned Roses, by Brent G. Dickerson

  Roses: Old Roses and Species Roses, by Paul Starosta

  The Love of Roses: From Myth to Modern Culture, by Graham Rose and Peter King

  To pickle Rosebuds: Pick Rosebuds and put them in an earthen Pipkin, with white wine Vinegar and Sugar and so you may use Cowslips, Violets or Rosemary Flowers.

  —MURRELL’S TWO BOOKS OF COOKERIES & CARVING, 1650

  OCTOBER 5

  We lay under our tent, having pitched it more prudently with reference to the wind and the flame, and the usual huge fire blazed in front. Supper was eaten off a large log, which some freshet had thrown up. This night we had a dish of arbor-vitae, or cedar-tea, which the lumberer sometimes uses when other herbs fail: “A quart of arbor-vitae, To make him strong and mighty.” But I had no wish to repeat the experiment. It had too medicinal a taste for my palate.

  —HENRY DAVID THOREAU, THE MAINE WOODS, 1847

  The Tree of Life

  Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) may not have pleased Thoreau’s palate, but it was certainly a life-preserving tree for a great many Native Americans. As a decoction, infusion, poultice, tincture, or salve, it was used to treat rheumatism and menstrual disorders, (Algonquin, Quebec); headaches and infections (Chippewa); urinary and bladder ailments (Cree, Woodlands); cuts, bruises, sores, fever, stimulant (Iroquois); and swellings (Menominee). Many tribes used it in their sacred rituals, and burned it as a purifying and exorcising smudge. Others employed the bark and fiber in the making of baskets, tools, weapons, and canoes. The leaves were used as insect repellent, and the bark as a tanning agent.

  The first news of arborvitae’s health-giving properties came to Europe via the report of French explorer Jacque Cartier, who was taught by an Indian guide to use the decoction to treat his men, who were suffering from scurvy. Vitamin C was not yet known, but the Indians understood the therapeutic nature of this important tree. Scientists have learned that one of its constituents is thujone (also found in artemisia, lavender, sage, and juniper); a stimulant, thujone acts on the heart and central nervous system. Today, arborvitae oil is used in insect repellents, soaps, and room deodorizers.

  Want to grow it? It thrives in Zones 3-7, in both tall and dwarf cultivars. “Prostrata” (a prostrate cultivar) is good in rock gardens; “Little Gem” is a hardy dwarf; and “Globosa,” a globe form, grows to five feet in diameter. Plant it now or in the spring, give it plenty of room, water deeply during the first year, and watch for bagworms (its only serious pest). If you don’t want to repeat Thoreau’s experience with arborvitae tea, try using the fresh bark and needles to brew an invigorating tea to add to your bathwater.

  Aromatherapist Jeanne Rose (The Aromatherapy Book) mentions the scent of arborvitae as useful in smoothing transitions and grieving loss, which may cause both emotional or physical disharmonies of the heart.

  Read more about the Tree of Life:

  Leaves: In Myth, Magic & Medicine, by Alice Thoms Vitale

  OCTOBER 6

  The Tale of the Priscilla Hollyhock

  Flowers tell stories, and stories can teach us something important about ourselves. This story teaches me about faith and hope and renewal. My sixth-grade teacher read it in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and told our class about it—about the handful of hollyhock seeds that came to Southern Illinois in the pocket of a slave-child named Priscilla.

  Priscilla’s trek had been a long one. Born on a Georgia plantation, she had been sold to a Cherokee chief. Shortly thereafter, the Indian band was evicted from their homes and forced to take the terrible journey that came to be called the Trail of Tears. On Dutch Creek, near Jonesboro, Illinois, a wealthy Southern Illinois farmer named Barzilla Silkwood encountered the Indians, who were being sent under military escort to Oklahoma. Priscilla, by that time about 12 years old, was with them. With surprise, Silkwood recognized her as the very same child, an orphan, whom he had seen earlier working as a house servant on a Georgia plantation. Moved by her plight, he bought her—for a thousand dollars in gold, it is said—but not as a slave. He freed her and took her to his inn near Mulkeytown, Illinois, to join the fifteen other orphaned children to whom he and his wife had given a home. Priscilla lived at the Silkwood Inn until she died at the age of 75 and was buried in the Silkwood family plot.

  And the hollyhocks? They are a small variety, almost a dwarf, the flowers a dark-veined rose-pink, the leaves dark green. Priscilla had brought the seeds from the plantation where the little hollyhocks had blossomed, to her home with the Cherokee Indians, and then on the Trail of Tears. In 1838, when she made her new home with the Silkwoods, she planted the hollyhocks in the garden, where they have flourished ever since. In 1950, to complete the journey, some of Priscilla’s seeds were gathered and sent to the daughter of the last chief of the Oklahoma Cherokees, where they were planted around the Indians’ homes—the gift of a little girl who had faith in a flower.

  Read more about Priscilla’s journey, and about hollyhocks:

  “Priscilla,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, April 8, 1953, by John W. Allen, Curator of the Southern Illinois University Museum

  A Contemplation Upon Flowers: Garden Plants in Myth and Literature, by Bobby J. Ward

  The Hollyhock, first brought to this country from China, was once eaten as a pot-herb, though it is not particularly palatable. Its flowers are employed medicinally for their emollient, demulcent and diuretic properties, which make them useful in chest complaints.

  —MRS. GRIEVE, MODERN HERBAL, 1931

  OCTOBER 7

  In some years, this is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, a day of fasting and reflection.

  Break-Fast

  Fasting, whether for religious or health reasons, can be an important part of our lives. People who fast regularly suggest that pre-fast meals should be simple and nourishing, low in carbohydrates and salt. And the break-fast meal is also important, to replenish both the body and spirit. This lemon-herb-egg soup is traditional throughout the Mediterranean region.

  EGG SOUP WITH LEMON AND HERBS

  ½ cup uncooked rice or orzo

  6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

  3 teaspoons parsley, chopped

  2 teaspoons dill, chopped

  6 egg yolks

  1 cup lemon juice

  In a medium pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add rice or orzo and cook until done, adding herbs in the last few minutes. In a medium bowl, thoroughly beat the egg yolks. Add the lemon juice slowly, continuing to beat. Then very gradually add about 2 cups of the hot broth to the eggs, beating constantly to incorporate and prevent curdling. Add the egg-lemon-broth mixture to the soup, stirring. Serve hot.

  ORANGE-MINT FRUIT SOUP

  3 cups hot water

  ½ cup raisins

  ¼ cup small pitted prunes

  ¼ cup dried apricots

  ¼ cup uncooked quick-cooking tapioca

  1 cup apple juice

  1 cup orange juice

  1 can Mandarin orange sections

  2 tablespoons snipped mint

  yogurt

  nutmeg, sprigs of mint, orange peels for garnish

  In large saucepan, over medium heat, combine water, dried fruit, and tapioca. Stir until smooth. Reduce heat and simmer 30-35 minutes, until the tapioca is transparent and the soup is thick and clear. Add apple juice, orange juice, Mandarin orange sections, and mint and heat to desired serving temperature. Serve with dollops of yogurt, dusted with nutmeg and garnished with sprigs of mint and orange peel. Serves 6.

  OCTOBER 8

  Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for: National Frappe Day! It’s also National Flower Day: In 1986, the rose became the national flower of the United States.

  Herb
al Frappes

  Frappes, frozen fruit desserts, fruit shakes, smoothies—whatever you choose to call them, these concoctions are marvelous. And they’re even nicer when they’re flavored with your favorite herb. These recipes make one serving.

  GINGER-PEACHY BREAKFAST FRAPPE

  Ginger is valued in Eastern cultures as a metabolism booster, while Western research shows that the herb stimulates the digestive process, prevents nausea, and relieves cold symptoms. Start your day with a ginger-peachy frappe. Pour half a cup of boiling water over a one-inch piece of fresh ginger root (peeled and crushed) and let steep for five minutes. Strain and stir in 2-3 tablespoons of honey to make a syrup. Refrigerate. At breakfast time, place one peeled, pitted, chopped peach and one sliced banana in a blender and whir. Add the syrup and process until smooth. Delish!

  LUNCHTIME VANILLA POWER FRAPPE

  Protein powder (available in groceries) is a good basis for meal-substitute frappes; flaxseed is a heart-healthy herb, and vanilla an all-time herbal flavoring favorite. For lunch on the run, blend together ½ cup ice water, 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup protein powder.

  DINNERTIME BERRY-MINTY DESSERT FRAPPE

  Made with soy milk, this frappe is good for your bones. Tasty, too! In a blender, combine 1 cup soy milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 cup fresh strawberries, ¼ teaspoon mint flavoring extract, 4 ice cubes. Blend until thick and foamy. Garnish with mint sprig.

  BEDTIME BANANA-YOGURT FRAPPE

  Researchers tell us Calcium can help you go to sleep and lemon verbena has a sweetly sedative effect. For a bedtime frappe, try this calcium-rich treat:

  ¾ cup yogurt (plain or fruit-flavored)

  ¾ cup milk

  ½ cup sliced banana

  1 tablespoon lemon verbena

  1 tablespoon honey (optional)

  Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Dust with nutmeg.

  Learn how to make other frappes:

  Smoothies, Shakes, and Frappes: 750 Refreshing, Revitalizing, and Nourishing Drinks, by Sally Ann Berk

  If you pull up your kale today and dirt clings to the roots, good fortune lies ahead.

  —GARDEN LORE

  OCTOBER 9

  Pomegranates are in season now.

  Celebrating the Pomegranate

  The pomegranate is one of the earliest cultivated fruits, planted in Northern Iran or Turkey between 4000 BCE and 3000 BCE. The first archaeological evidence is found in Jericho, dating from around 3000 BCE. An important food, it has played many other roles in various cultures. In China, the pomegranate with its numerous seeds symbolizes fertility, posterity, and royalty, while in Hebraic tradition, it represents fullness and confidence—again, because of the many seeds. (In Jewish lore, the pomegranate is said to contain 613 seeds.) Medicinally, the seeds were used by the Greeks and Romans as a vermifuge (to remove intestinal parasites), the rind treated complaints that had to do with the blood, such as menstruation or hemorrhage; and the leaves and rind were used as a poultice for ulcers and eye ailments. In Sri Lanka, the flowers made a red dye; in Morocco, the bark, used in tanning, gave Moroccan leather its distinctive yellow hue. The rind was an ingredient in ink, and throughout the Middle East, the plant was used in needlework and architectural design to symbolize abundance. And some scholars say that the fruit was the original “apple” from the Tree of Knowledge.

  POMEGRANATE MUFFINS

  2 cups flour

  cup sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling

  1 tablespoon baking powder

  ¼ cup minced candied ginger

  1 tablespoons grated orange peel

  1½ cups pomegranate arils and seeds

  (the yield of 2 medium pomegranates)

  1 cup milk

  1 egg

  ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled

  ½ teaspoon salt

  Preheat oven to 400°. Place paper cups in a 12-cup muffin pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir in ginger, orange peel, and pomegranate seeds. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg, and butter or margarine. Pour into the well and stir with a fork until just blended. Spoon into muffin cups and bake 12-14 minutes. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Serve warm.

  To seed a pomegranate: Cut off the blossom end of the pomegranate and cut the fruit into sections. Soak the sections for 5-10 minutes in a large bowl of water. Working in the water, pull out the arils (juice sacs) with your fingers. Strain out the water. (Beware: pomegranate juice stains—permanently.)

  More Reading:

  Pomegranates, by Ann Kleinberg

  OCTOBER 10

  Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October.

  We found a man in a canoe going from Santa Maria to Fernandia. He had with him some dried leaves which are in high value among them, for a quantity of it was brought to me at San Salvador.

  —CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, JOURNAL, OCTOBER 15, 1492

  Tobacco

  While minor quantities of nicotine may be found in some Old World plants (belladonna and Nicotiana africana), the habitual use of Nicotiana tabacum began in the Americas and was widespread by the first century CE. Rodrigo de Jerez, exploring Cuba, adopted the natives’ smoking habit. Back home in Spain, however, his neighbors were so terrified by the smoke coming out of his mouth and nose that the local Inquisitor sentenced him to seven years in jail. By the time de Jerez got out, everyone in Spain was smoking, and tobacco was on its way to becoming one of the most prized herbs in history.

  The dried leaves of tobacco were smoked for the feeling of well-being. But it was the herb’s medical properties that were most often touted. It was claimed to be a panacea, especially effective in the treatment of headaches, toothache, worms, bad breath, lockjaw, and cancer. In 1603 in England, the physicians wrote an urgent letter to King James I, complaining that the drug was being used without a prescription; the king promptly levied a large import duty on tobacco imports. A few years later, though, Sir Frances Bacon wrote that more people than ever were smoking, and that it was next to impossible to quit. And in the American colonies, where a would-be husband was required to fork over 120 pounds of tobacco for his chosen wife’s passage, tobacco rapidly became the monetary standard. It helped to finance the American Revolution, subsidized the practice of slavery, and contributed enormously to the new country’s growing wealth.

  It wasn’t until the 1950s that the significant health risks of tobacco consumption were officially recognized. The first tobacco lawsuit, filed by a man who lost his larynx to cancer, was won in 1962; the first secondhand smoke suit was won in 1976. In 1995, the FDA finally declared nicotine a drug.

  More Reading:

  Tobacco: A Cultural History of How an Exotic Plant Seduced Civilization, by Iain Gately

  Tobaco is a remedy for the Tooth-ache, if the Teeth and Gumbs be rubbed with a linnen Cloth dipp’t in the juice, and afterward a round ball of the leaves laid unto the place.

  —JOHN GERARD, HERBAL, 1597

  OCTOBER 11

  Culinary note: To cook chili, you have to know how to spell. Chiles are peppers, ranging in temperature from mild to incendiary. Chili is a thick stew made with meat, peppers, herbs, sometimes tomatoes, and (if you live north of the Red River) beans. If you live in Springfield, Illinois, or other northern or eastern locations, you might spell chili with two l’s: chilli. Texans never spell chili with beans, unless they’re looking for a fight.

  —CHILE DEATH: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

  Chiles and Chili

  Tobacco wasn’t the only thing Columbus exported from the New World, of course. Most people would probably agree that the chile pepper has contributed a great deal more than tobacco to human civilization. While it’s not official, chili has to rank right up there with ballpark hotdogs and movie popcorn as the Great American Dish. And yes, where I grew up, the word is spelled chilli and the pot is full of beans. Red beans. Red kidney beans.


  China’s favorite chili recipe is named for the Pedernales River (that’s pronounced Purd-nal’-is, folks), which flows through President Lyndon Johnson’s Texas ranch. This no-frills, no-fuss chili was said to be Johnson’s favorite, and the recipe comes from a card Mrs. Johnson used to hand out. “It has been almost as popular as the government pamphlet on the care and feeding of children,” she once remarked. You will notice that there are no beans.

  PEDERNALES CHILI

  4 pounds ground lean beef

  1 large onion, chopped

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  1 teaspoon ground oregano

  1 teaspoon ground cumin

  3 tablespoons chili powder

  2 cans tomatoes

  2 cups hot water

  salt to taste

  Brown ground beef in heavy iron skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook 4-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer one hour. When cool, skim fat. Better on the second day, when the flavors have mellowed.

  Discover the secrets of chili cookery:

  The Ultimate Chili Book: Connoisseur’s Guide to Gourmet Recipes and the Perfect Four-Alarm Bowl, by Christopher B. O’Hara