Herbapalooza!

Sarah Bromby did a fantastic job teaching Sunday's Learning Lunch...here's a list of the herbs we used and their healing powers...

Lavender
Parts Used: Flowers
A wonderful plant for the nervous system, lavender helps alleviate stress, nervousness,
insomnia, muscle tension, headaches and depression. It has the ability to relieve muscle
spasms, thus helpful in treated muscle aches and cramps, both menstrual and abdominal.
When applied externally, it helps relieve sunburns, inflammation and wounds, such as
insect bites.

Rosemary
Parts Used: Leaves
Rosemary is one of the plants most praised for its effect on the circulatory system. It
helps stimulate circulation, which is beneficial to the entire body. Helping the body stay
warm, rosemary is an ideal plant to take in the winter months, especially for those who
often have cold extremities or are suffering from respiratory congestion. It helps the
mind stay focused and helps the memory because it increases circulation to the brain. It
stimulates hair growth and helps relieve muscle pain.

Peppermint
Parts Used: Leaves and flowers
Peppermint has a beautifully refreshing effect and is typically used to treat the digestive
system. It also has a wonderful effect on the respiratory system and is used in cases of
colds, bronchitis, sinusitis or asthma. Peppermint, as well as other members of the mint
family, is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene and chlorophyll. The oil can be used to relieve
sore muscles and skin disorders, such as rashes.

Lemon balm
Parts Used: Leaves and flowers
Lemon balm is a plant that helps balance moods and emotions. It helps people go with
the flow, bringing a positive outlook on life. Lemon balm is often used to treat tension,
stress, depression, anxiety, mental fatigue, PMS and insomnia. As a member of the mint
family, lemon balm also helps in treating digestive disorders.

Basil
Parts Used: Leaves, stems and flowers
Basil is a popular herb to use in the kitchen but many don’t know that it has strong
antispasmodic properties, making it a great remedy for digestive disorders. It has a
particular affinity to both the digestive and nervous system, especially when there are
digestive problems caused by stress or headaches/migraines caused by digestive issues.

Fennel
Parts Used: Primarily the seeds, but the root can be used as well.

A wonderful digestive aid, fennel treats abdominal cramps, indigestion, nausea,
flatulence and helps stimulate the appetite. It helps increase breast milk for nursing
mothers and is an excellent remedy to relieve colic in babies.

Thyme
Parts Used: Leaves, stems and flowers
Thyme helps boost the immune system by stimulating the thymus gland. It is extremely
helpful in treating lung problems and convulsive coughs because of its antispasmodic
properties. Its antiseptic and antibacterial properties make it a good choice for treating
sore throats and head colds. It also helps the digestive system in cases of gas and bloating
due to poor absorption of foods.

Nasturtiums
Parts Used: Flowers, leaves and seeds
Nasturtium has fantastic antiseptic properties, making it an effective herb for treating
infections. It has such strong antibacterial actions that it can be qualified as a natural
antibiotic. Nasturtium helps stimulate circulation and has a particular affinity with the
respiratory system and is useful in treating allergies colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. The
flowers and leaves help digestion and the seeds can be used to treat constipation.

Oregano
Parts Used: Leaves and stems
Because of its antiviral and antibacterial properties, oregano has the ability to fight
infections, whether they are related to the respiratory system (bronchitis, laryngitis
and sinusitis) or the skin. Oil of oregano is particularly effective in treating infections.
Oregano also helps treat digestive and muscle spasms.

Chives
Parts Used: Stems
Chives have similar properties as garlic but are less potent. They have antiseptic
properties and help digestion and help treat the respiratory system.

Cumin seeds
Parts Used: Seeds
Cumin seeds help improve digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes. Its carminative
properties help treat and prevent abdominal gas. The seeds can be chewed after meals to
promote digestion.

Hot peppers (Cayenne)
Parts Used: The fruit
Cayenne is a powerful stimulant for the circulatory system and a wonderful tonic for
the heart. It also improves digestion and treats the respiratory system due to its antiviral
and antibacterial properties. Cayenne has the ability to stop bleeding both internally
and externally. It helps stimulate the immune system and can be used externally to treat
arthritis and muscle pains.

Parsley
Parts Used: Whole plant
Parsley is a very nourishing herb as it is high in iron, beta-carotene and chlorophyll. It
is a diuretic (increases urination) therefore it is a crucial herb for treating bladder and
kidney problems. Because parsley is high in iron, it’s great for treating anemia and
fatigue.

Food Quotes

"If it isn't lime-infused, it's not food." "I made lavender ice-cream. How did it taste? The most accurate description would be to say it tasted pretty." "I dropped out of cooking college because I was hungry. Hungry for food that didn't taste like it was made by students." "Sure, it tastes great, but it's ugly. Make it less ugly." "Actually this cat has a particularly refined palette. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one." "You can make a sandwich, yes - but you cannot cook a sandwich. We cook things here, and you should be prepared for that." "Bacon is transcendent." "What is that? I see. I will temporarily reserve judgement and give you more time."

Stealing from my own blog...

Down on the farm...

It's been pure chaos recently, and the best kind of friends to have when things get tough are farm friends.

Turkey Hill Farm is a beautiful piece of land, complete with alpacas, an attack duck, rows and rows of vegetables and a wood fired oven. We shared delicious beer, home made pizza dough and garden fresh toppings: it was beautiful, relaxing and inspiring.

Take that farm to table movement,
we brought our table to the farm!

Food Art

What artists do if given wire and household objects and too much time on their hands! You say tomato, I say tomato.  You say potatoes, I say zombies. Fruit with life experience Zombies are nuts about brains Modest pear Literary interpretations Paper training our little dog, Frank.

the 5 commandments of cole

Having decided to take upwards of twenty jobs, watching my face and resume get plastered about town in a weak attempt to become a local celebrity, I've ignored my sweet sweet blog of the Banana Omelettes variety...you'll most likely find me blogging now at Decadent Maine, promoting my cooking classes, foodie trolley tours and various workshops featuring cheese, herbs, and wine.  Though it's been fun, and has been a nice transition from not working to overworking, I miss my sarcastic, embittered, "witty" fun on my original blog.

I've realized that my cooking style follows certain guidelines...commandments if you will...

1. Simplify, simplify
I stole that one from Henry David Thoreau.  Food doesn't need to be complicated.  Keep it simple, which leads me into my next commandment
2.  Keep it fresh!
This allows you to better apply rule 1, if you have the best product, then you don't need to do much to make it delicious.  A perfect fresh scallop only needs a little sea salt
3. Keep it local
The farther your food travels, the more tired it tastes, the more chances it has of being less delicious.  We all have had that experience of something fresh from the garden, warmed by the sun...few things are better.
4. Respect the food.
This ties into my earlier rules, I've gotten to know a lot of farmers, foragers, and fishermen in my day, and these guys take such pride in their work and their product that it seems downright rude to disrespect their efforts by an overly complicated sauce.  Keep it simple, honor your producers.  The farmers are the true chefs.
5. Read. Study. Learn.
If you're SO determined to do something with effort, beyond proper seasoning, then study, know your stuff.  One of the best ways to approach a new style of cooking is to study the history of the ingredient, find it's origin and then follow it around the world, it will allow you to rethink preparations, I call it true fusion.  Look at how the history of the world has had an impact on different cuisines, look at how they've influenced one another, don't be random. Be smart.