Cal Orey's Blog, page 83

Did the author go to Alaska? Find out in the NEW book on Herbs and Spices! Released in 4 Days?

By Cal Orey

Coming to Seward to find a moose  Did I go to Anchorage? Did I view the Northern Lights and taste Alaskan salmon with fresh thyme?   Find out in the adventurous stories behind that trip (and Dr. Will Clower's tales about sailing around the world and savoring seasonings) in my new book release (December, ready for release). 
I penned this blog post a few years ago. Funny, how things don't always go to plan. I canceled the Alaska trip twice: Once was due to the 100 mph rare storm; second a 7.0 earthquake. So, booked again. I did end up going to Ontario, Canada and it was a bumpy ride which I'll touch on in the new book I'm completing. 
Today, I am home with my family. It's a low-key celebration. Plenty of B-day wishes on FB that make me feel, uh, appreciated.  Baking apple spice scones. Working on book #9 (Healing Powers Series). And cuddling with my beloved Aussie and Siamese makes me happy. I have Alaska to look forward to (a gift from the airline)--and a new book release coming up in December. Gratitude. 

For the past few years, as the Healing Powers series author traveling for research (for new stories to share) to book signings, I've had a love affair with Eastern and Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. With some flight miles saved I knew I was going to go somewhere in the early fall for a getaway, my birthday, and to celebrate the completion of my book on tea. 
At first, it looked like Cleveland and Ontario, Canada was the destination. But then it just didn't seem to be my fantasy because it would take light years and small aircraft to get across the border.  And I waited...

I sent a message to the Barnes and Noble bookstore manager in Anchorage, Alaska, mentioning my the release of my new book The Healing Powers of Vinegar, 3rd edition. After all, it was my sibling who said: "Why don't you go somewhere cool, different--like Alaska?" I waited for a response. But the days turned into a week, two weeks. I assumed it was a no go. 


Then, one day while retrieving e-mails, there was one message--not the Barnes and Noble from Cleveland (I passed) with the words in the subject title "Anchorage, Alaska." I opened it like a Christmas present. The rest is history. I accepted the invitation for a book signing. I booked a flight. I booked a hotel room. I booked a nature tour. But it tanked due to the superstorm and superquake. 

The bottom line: Third attempt. I am booked again for Alaska this year.  It's one dream ready to come true. But the question remains: Who is going to break the news to my Aussie. Posted by Cal Orey, Author-Intuitive at 1:52 PM No co

On the Streets: As the Pandemic Surges So Do Homeless Pets and Their People

 

On the Streets: Homeless Pets and Their People On the Streets

Homeless Pets and Their People

By Cal Orey

“…A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity, and in poverty, in health, and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow, and snow drives fiercely, if only he may be by his master’s side. "


From coast to coast, in San Francisco or Atlanta, homelessness was a problem in the 20th century and it is today. Both humans and their pets cope with weather changes or living without a home due to a natural disaster.  Here is a story that I wrote years ago but it is a timeless one that needs to be heard...

There’s a memorable scene in the movie Down and Out in Beverly Hills where Nick Nolte, a homeless man, loses his little tan dog, Kerouac and soon after attempts to end his life by jumping into a wealthy businessman’s backyard swimming pool.            In the hands of this actor, this is a very moving scene. Behind the absurd outcome, however, is the painful truth about down and out people and our society’s often cold and insensitive attitude toward the way the homeless pets and their people really feel.

            Many dog and cat owners—perhaps even you—may one day be just a paycheck or an illness away from becoming homeless. And when a story like this one shows the streets being a home to people and their sleeping bags, pets and shopping carts, you, like, like all pet people may wonder, “How do the homeless and their pets live?”

            I spent several days on the streets with the disenfranchised and my report, while sad, still serves to illustrate the patience and devotion the companion animal holds for his owner, no matter what the circumstances.

            In San Francisco during the Depression dogs kept company with the jobless and transient hobos. During the turbulent Sixties dogs freeloaded with the hippies on Haight Street and freeway ramps. And now, amid a recession, pets band together with the homeless in the Tenderloin and at Golden Gate Park. Regardless of the era or locale, it’s the pet, however, who sticks by his or her owner’s side—for better or worse.

            Statistics prove pets and their people who are homeless, ill or financially destitute are far too common on the streets of San Francisco today.  In the Bay Area, there were an estimated 46,000 homeless in 1988. How many own pets? No one knows for sure. But you can bet it’s a lot.

            Often it is the homeless person rather than society who is blamed when the inevitable doubt arises: “Did he create his plight?” And too frequently, the judgmental question is posed by the homeless themselves who more times than not, have lost their pride and self-worth.

MEET A HOMELESS MAN AND HIS DOGS

            Reno, a homeless person, for example, owns two dogs in San Francisco.  After a painful divorce, several years ago the anguished man grabbed his guitar and pup, left Colorado, and hit the road. For over five years, Reno has been broke and struggling on the streets of San Francisco with his “two girls”—Tramp, an Australian Shepherd/Bull Terrier and Puget Sound, a black Labrador retriever from Washington state.

            Often the 38-year-old unkempt man and his two canines can be found on Market Street where they panhandle for food. Some people call the homeless with dogs, like Reno, “scam artists.” Many turn their heads. And others are losing patience and won’t spare a dime. Dog or not.

            One recent afternoon, in between tears and flashing a snap shot of three dogs, Reno said in between tears he had lost Puget’s daughter, Bingo in an operation. He blamed the doctors for “killing his dog.” Not surprising, his anger and frustration carries over to The City’s Mayor, and the police who often harass the homeless and keep them from living at Civic Center Plaza.

            Reno’s feelings are common among homeless people. “Maybe, the only one that cares and gives support is their companion animal,” says Richard Avanzino, president of the San Francisco SPCA. “Because homeless people have this unique bond and special relationship, in many cases, the animals are better cared for than they take care of themselves. And that’s because the animal has stood by their side when society and the world and human beings have discarded them.”

            Why? Why do people (veterans, children, adults with disabilities, single parents, teenagers, part-time employees—without housing, end up on the streets?

            Experts answer that the primary reason of homelessness is lack of affordable housing. Also other societal factors such as low-paying jobs, inaccessible health care, as well as personal disasters, drug abuse and alcoholism can cause homelessness.

            Despite the growing problem of homeless people and their pets, it continues. Slowly, pet owners coping with hard times are fighting back, and rediscovering their dignity, civil rights, and freedom.

A DOG-LOVING VETERAN AND HIS TROOP

            As a Vietnam veteran living in the Tenderloin, Ray Masterson was homeless for 20 years. With a likeness to John Steinbeck’s fictional character Pirate, a dog-loving man who owned five dogs in Tortilla Flat, he tells his story: “After I go out of the service it was hard to hold down a job, moving from one part of the country to the other. I’ve always had a dog when I’ve been without a home. It’s a fulfillment of being needed. It’s like having a family that I don’t have.”

            Ray has owned several dogs while homeless: Corky, a Coyote/Dingo; Samson, a Husky/Wolf; Toker, a Pit Bull Terrier/Great Dane; and Bear, a Pit Bull Terrier/Chow Chow. “Corky was a real good panhandler,” he says and laughs out loud. “Bear took right to freight trains. Every animal I’ve has had their own personalities and quirks. I got Bear on the rebound because Corky had been run over by a tractor trailer up in Oregon. I worked my way around for about a month and somebody gave me Bear as a pup. As he grew bigger and stronger I got tired of carrying his food and water plus mine in a backpack—so I built him a pair of donkey saddle bags. He carried his own food and water for over a year.

            “Bear and I were homeless in The City for about nine months. We slept up in the churchyard mostly, where we had permission from the church. Bear wouldn’t let anybody near me,” explains Ray. Like a proud father, he points out Bear’s distinct facial features, and adds, that as a pup his dog’s face was full of fuzzy fur resembling a California Grizzly Bear.

            These days the 37-year-old war vet who’d spend his last five dollars on his dog, receives compensation from the government for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Even though Ray’s off the streets for now, he’s busy at work as a homeless advocate.

So when society turns their back on people who are down and out it’s understandable why these folks go to man’s best friend for comfort. One man’s words---attributed to Senator George Vest in 1870—from his writing “Tribute To A Dog” says it best:

“…A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity, and in poverty, in health, and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow, and snow drives fiercely, if only he may be by his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all others desert, he remains.”  

One Week -- Herbs and Spices: Timeless Treasures Can Be Your Best Friend for 2021 Beyond (Pre-Order)

  Cal Orey

The mega-popular Healing Powers series from bestselling nutrition writer Cal Orey continues with its 9th installment, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices, exploring the many ways fresh herbs in your fridge and dried spices in your kitchen cupboard can provide medicinal powers, home cures, weight loss benefits, beauty treatments, and adventurous flavors and textures to enhance plant-based dishes. 
And during the pandemic there is a spice surge because of the home-cooking comeback! The key to vibrant health for all generations is in your kitchen...
Anise, bay leaf, garlic, parsley, turmeric, and more (I use a lot of the McCormick classic brand) --for thousands of years, herbs and spices have been praised for preserving and flavoring food, as well as preventing and curing illnesses. The latest research reveals that the seasonings already in your pantry--or easily found fresh in your supermarket or garden--can lower your risk for cancer, heart disease, and obesity. This A-to-Z guide catalogues the most popular and versatile herbs and spices, drawn from the Mediterranean Diet but suitable for any diet plan. You will learn how to harness herbalism to heal your body and mind.

Discover how to use nature's gifts including allspice, chives, fennel, oregano, pepper, tarragon, saffron, and special blends like Herbes de Provence to:

●Bring abundant zest to your table while lowering your cholesterol, balancing your blood sugar, and revving up your metabolism--at any age!
●Ward off colds and flu, banish a hacking cough, and even ease PMS or menopause woes, by adding tasty plant therapy to your favorite food or drink.
●Lessen your anxiety and boost your mood with aromatic natural ingredients found in dried and fresh flavorings.
●Soothe aches and pains without harmful side effects--and trigger feel-good endorphins--using sweet and savory garnishes, including edible flowers.
●Create in-home spa treatments using the same herbal potions featured at luxury spa resorts.
Caraway Breadsticks, anyone? How about Cilantro Lime Slaw, Herbal Greek Bean Soup, or Roasted Paprika Cornish Hens? With over 50 taste-tempting recipes, along with personal stories and fascinating historical anecdotes on medicinal uses dating back to biblical times, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices is your go-to guide to embracing limitless energy and healthy longevity while feasting on memorable meals full of aroma and deliciousness!

Stock Your Panty with Superfoods and Dried Spices for Winter Wellness

 By Cal Orey

Garlic and Thyme for the Holidays

Truth be told, I almost baked a batch of cookies. I updated my mom’s super favorite recipe for Pinwheel Cookies and then chose cute Gingerbread Men. It’s amazing how this woman worked full-time, raised three kids, and made time to bake cookies to love. I was whooped after thinking about the wide variety of colorful balls and bars.

After shoveling the wet snow off the deck, driving like a snail on icy roads to Carson City to see an ear doctor, and en route back to Tahoe spinning out of control, I thought, “Why not cook an easygoing but healthful meal?” Forget working all day and night mixing, rolling, baking, decorating and then eating a batch of cookies. It’s the 21st century!

After all, we’re all trying to slim down and healthy up, right? And keeping our immune system strong this holiday season is on our minds, too. So, I closed my eyes and images of a red, green, and gold pasta plate appeared. Perfecto!

STOCK YOUR PANTRY WITH WINTER SUPERFOODS

Not only are the ingredients superfoods, they are simple to put together. What’s more, they are nutrient-dense. Also, likely you have all the foods in your pantry. If you don’t – now is the time to stock up for winter. It will give you peace of mind for a snowstorm, power outage or shortage of one of these food staples.

You will want to have olive oil, dried garlic (fresh doesn’t last very long), natural marina sauce (just in case you don’t have fresh tomatoes or zucchini and don’t want to make a store run), whole grain pasta (different shapes for variety), (canned Parm if you run out of fresh), dried thyme if you don’t have fresh, and an assortment of multi-grain crackers to substitute for fresh French bread. Don't forget adding other dried herbs and spices, teas, honeys, and bottled water.

Holiday Pasta Plate with Thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons European Style Butter with sea salt

Garlic, 1 fresh clove, minced

3 large Roma tomatoes, slice

½ cup zucchini, sliced or diced

Whole grain penne pasta (a short thick diagonally cut tubular pasta)

Shrimp, cooked (optional)

Parmesan cheese, shavings (fresh)

Thyme, fresh or dried (I used McCormick dried thyme but also love fresh thyme)

Old country Italian Bread, fresh (Safeway bakery)

European-style butter or olive oil (for dipping bread)

In a deep skillet on medium heat sauté place olive oil, butter, and garlic. Add tomatoes. Turn to simmer. Cook about 15 minutes until the tomatoes and zucchini turn into a chunky sauce-like texture. (You can also bake the vegetables until tender.) While the sauce is simmering, cook pasta per box directions. When al dente, remove. Place pasta on plates, top with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and thyme. Serve with slices of warm French bread and real butter or dip in olive oil. Serves two or three.

Ah, the aroma of fresh garlic in the kitchen and dining room is heavenly. Sure, sweet and spicy cookies feed the soul but garlic is heart-healthy. Yes, this is an easy dish to prepare. But this season at Tahoe is still full of twists and turns.

Why not prepare an old-fashioned, good-for-you pasta place that brings back memories of normalcy. Also, pairing pasta with red or white wine in moderation will give you antioxidants – the good stuff for your body. The quickie meal for lunch or dinner will take you to that happy place with promise of more happy times to come in 2021.

-- Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, Essential Oils, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Her website is http://www.calorey.com .

Chocolate Rx for Pandemic Winter Blues

Chocolate Rx for Pandemic Depression

 By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet



Ever wonder if chocolate can cure health ailments and cosmetic problems? It can! I'll describe 10 uses for some common woes, from A to Z, and provide amazing but different chocolate folk remedies for each Chocolate Rx--straight from The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington) -- which includes dozens of chocolate home cures. So, take two chocolates (or sip a coffee mocha) and call me in the morning. (1.99 at online bookstores
1 ACHES AND PAINS
What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try eating an ounce (or two) of dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa content to lessen sugar intake) or drinking a cup of hot dark chocolate once a day during a bout of pain. Also, teaming this remedy with aerobic exercise (such as walking or swimming) can help loosen tight muscles and improve symptoms of pain. A soothing Jacuzzi is also helpful for achy muscles.Why You'll Like It: Chocolate is rich in magnesium, a mineral that can help both muscle pain and stress. Both exercise and hydrotherpy paired with dark chocolate (it includes endorphins--natural painkillers in your body that act on the nervous system to alleviate pain).2 ANOREXIAWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Try drinking a cup of hot chocolate (unsweetened cocoa with organic milk) or bar infused with plenty of essential vitamins and minerals.Why You'll Like It: While anyone suffering from anorexia should consult a doctor, adding multivitamins, minerals, herbs, an healthy food high in complex carbs may provide help in dealing with this eating disorder. Functional foods, like dark chocolate, chock-full of healthful mood-boosting compounds, can be beneficial for the mind, body, and spirit.3 BONE LOSSWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Team chocolate with other bone builders, including magnesium, manganese, and calcium-rich milk. Each day opt for a cup of chocolate milk or a chocolate shake (low-fat if you're counting calories).Why You'll Like It: Magnesium is great for beating bone loss, as well as calcium absorption. You need manganese, another bone-boosting mineral, to maintain bone cartilage and bone collagen formation. A bonus tip: Drink your energizing chocolate shake before or afgter exercise. Weight-bearing exercise (such as lifting free weights) can also keep your bones strong. 4 BRAIN FOGWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Try two squares of dark chocolate or exotic truffles found from chocolatiers like Lake Champlain Chocolates. Repeat as needed in moderation.Why You'll Like It: A chocolate square (especially infused with spices, herbs, and fruit) is convenient, quick, and it works. So whether you have a test or a mental task to tend to , wouldn't it be fun to enjoy something that is good for you as well as tastes superb?5 MOODINESSWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Chocolate recipes, from breakfast muffins, cocoa pasta, fudge and lava cake, can help zap mood swings.Why You'll Like It: Not only will youg get a serotonin boost (a hormone that may be lacking often during cold, dark winter days), but the monounsaturated fat from both chocolate and olive oil (used in baked goods with chocolate) may help lift your spirits so you'll not be such a crab.6 SINUSITUSWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Try a half-cup serving of Mexican or Sicilian mole, complete with spices, such as cayenne, chili paired with antioxidant-rich, immune-boosting onions, garlic--and chocolate. Serve over whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. Note: Dark chocolate infused with chili spice is a treat that will suffice, too.Why You'll Like It: Hot spices help unblock sinuses. Hot foods stimulate nasal secretions and loosen up unwanted muscus.7 SLUGGISH (Athletic lack of energy)What Chocolate Rx to Use: Drink a cup of brewed coffee mocha before you perform your physical performance.Why You'll Like It: Athletes are all too familiar with the energetic buzz linked to the properties of quality chocolate and java. Not only does it enhance energy, but it also curbs distracting hunger pangs before participating in a physical event. And yes, brewed coffee contains caffeine (about 85 milligrams pwer 8-ounce mug), much more than chocolate (1 ounce of semi-sweet dark chocolate contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine).8 UNIVERSAL EMERGENCYWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Put chocolate bars, unsweetened cocoa powders, pistoles, and enhanced healthy chocolate cookies in an airtight container, and store these chocolate lifesavers with your emergency supplies.Why You'll Like It: If you are waiting for a tornado to hit or miss, having chocolate can uplift your spirits, calm your nerves, and keep your mind alert. If disaster hits, such as an earthquake or flood to power outage, chocolate in easy to eat form will be a godsend as you cope with the disaster or rejoice that you got through it.9 WATER RETENTIONWhat Chocolate Rx to Use: Both morning and night, drink an 8-ounce glass or cup of dark chocolate with a 70 percent cocoa content and/or try chocolate fondue with fresh fruits--strawberries and apples. Team this with drinking six to eight glasses of water, and fresh vegetables or juices. Plus, take a multivitamin mineral supplement.Why You'll Like It: This chocolate and bloat-busting fresh produce/water cure boasts an all-natural diuretic effect. You can follow this remedy for one or two days and this will help your cells release retained water. 10 YOUTHFULNESS, WANT TO FEEL YOUNGER FOREVER?What Chocolate Rx to Use: Run, do not walk, to your nearest health spa and order a pampering, youth-boosting antiaging treatment, such as a chocolate bubble bath.Why You'll Like It: Pampering your body also takes care of your spirit. Plus, the Bella Lucce Chocolate in a spa bath includes anti-aging antioxidants so your skin will feel smooth and rejuvenated to the touch. Or you can use the chocolate beauty treatment in the comfort of your home. No matter what age you are, this is a healthful and soothing trick to feed your senses and ageless soul.

Spice Surge due to Stay-at-Home Cooking! New Herbs & Spices Book Release Dec.!

  Cal Orey

The mega-popular Healing Powers series from bestselling nutrition writer Cal Orey continues with its 9th installment, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices, exploring the many ways fresh herbs in your fridge and dried spices in your kitchen cupboard can provide medicinal powers, home cures, weight loss benefits, beauty treatments, and adventurous flavors and textures to enhance plant-based dishes. 
And during the pandemic there is a spice surge because of the home-cooking comeback! The key to vibrant health for all generations is in your kitchen...
Anise, bay leaf, garlic, parsley, turmeric, and more (I use a lot of the McCormick classic brand) --for thousands of years, herbs and spices have been praised for preserving and flavoring food, as well as preventing and curing illnesses. The latest research reveals that the seasonings already in your pantry--or easily found fresh in your supermarket or garden--can lower your risk for cancer, heart disease, and obesity. This A-to-Z guide catalogues the most popular and versatile herbs and spices, drawn from the Mediterranean Diet but suitable for any diet plan. You will learn how to harness herbalism to heal your body and mind.

Discover how to use nature's gifts including allspice, chives, fennel, oregano, pepper, tarragon, saffron, and special blends like Herbes de Provence to:

●Bring abundant zest to your table while lowering your cholesterol, balancing your blood sugar, and revving up your metabolism--at any age!
●Ward off colds and flu, banish a hacking cough, and even ease PMS or menopause woes, by adding tasty plant therapy to your favorite food or drink.
●Lessen your anxiety and boost your mood with aromatic natural ingredients found in dried and fresh flavorings.
●Soothe aches and pains without harmful side effects--and trigger feel-good endorphins--using sweet and savory garnishes, including edible flowers.
●Create in-home spa treatments using the same herbal potions featured at luxury spa resorts.
Caraway Breadsticks, anyone? How about Cilantro Lime Slaw, Herbal Greek Bean Soup, or Roasted Paprika Cornish Hens? With over 50 taste-tempting recipes, along with personal stories and fascinating historical anecdotes on medicinal uses dating back to biblical times, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices is your go-to guide to embracing limitless energy and healthy longevity while feasting on memorable meals full of aroma and deliciousness!

Pre-Winter Ebook Sale -- Bundle Up! at Your Fave Online Bookstore

By Cal Orey

 -- Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, Essential Oils, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Her website is http://www.calorey.com.   

NEW Spice Health-Cookbook! A Book Club Pick in Major Women's Magazine Jan. 2021! Pre-Order for Dec. Gift!

 Cal Orey

The mega-popular Healing Powers series from bestselling nutrition writer Cal Orey continues with its 9th installment, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices, exploring the many ways fresh herbs in your fridge and dried spices in your kitchen cupboard can provide medicinal powers, home cures, weight loss benefits, beauty treatments, and adventurous flavors and textures to enhance plant-based dishes. 
And during the pandemic there is a spice surge because of the home-cooking comeback! The key to vibrant health for all generations is in your kitchen...
Anise, bay leaf, garlic, parsley, turmeric, and more (I use a lot of the McCormick classic brand) --for thousands of years, herbs and spices have been praised for preserving and flavoring food, as well as preventing and curing illnesses. The latest research reveals that the seasonings already in your pantry--or easily found fresh in your supermarket or garden--can lower your risk for cancer, heart disease, and obesity. This A-to-Z guide catalogues the most popular and versatile herbs and spices, drawn from the Mediterranean Diet but suitable for any diet plan. You will learn how to harness herbalism to heal your body and mind.

Discover how to use nature's gifts including allspice, chives, fennel, oregano, pepper, tarragon, saffron, and special blends like Herbes de Provence to:

●Bring abundant zest to your table while lowering your cholesterol, balancing your blood sugar, and revving up your metabolism--at any age!
●Ward off colds and flu, banish a hacking cough, and even ease PMS or menopause woes, by adding tasty plant therapy to your favorite food or drink.
●Lessen your anxiety and boost your mood with aromatic natural ingredients found in dried and fresh flavorings.
●Soothe aches and pains without harmful side effects--and trigger feel-good endorphins--using sweet and savory garnishes, including edible flowers.
●Create in-home spa treatments using the same herbal potions featured at luxury spa resorts.
Caraway Breadsticks, anyone? How about Cilantro Lime Slaw, Herbal Greek Bean Soup, or Roasted Paprika Cornish Hens? With over 50 taste-tempting recipes, along with personal stories and fascinating historical anecdotes on medicinal uses dating back to biblical times, The Healing Powers of Herbs and Spices is your go-to guide to embracing limitless energy and healthy longevity while feasting on memorable meals full of aroma and deliciousness!

Autumn Fruit Crumble -- to Feel Warm and Fuzzy

 Callie’s Cabin

A Morning with Autumn Fruit Crumble

By Cal Orey

During World War II, sweet fruit crumbles were a cheap replacement for pies thanks to shortages of pastry ingredients and rationing. Flour, sugar, butter, and oatmeal were common staples for the quick dish that can be shared with special people. (And these are foods that are AWOL on the store shelves during a lockdown -- which we're going to experience again, any day now.)

Speaking of the past, I recall my late geologist friend and I went on a California book tour. It included Southern California – Glendale and Orange County. We even paid a visit to the San Andreas fault -- and were on TV in Palmdale. After one book signing we stopped at a small roadside café. We ordered homemade fruit crumble with ice cream. His down-to-earth tales of being amid nature as a student, professor, geologist for Santa Clara County, and predicting earthquakes was fascinating.

During tough times, like now, I miss his words of wisdom. He was like a dad to me. So, this pandemic era in an autumn at south shore, to comfort my feelings of loss, isolation, and no traveling, I baked a fruit crumble for two – to celebrate my longtime friend.

Apple-Cranberry Crumble for One

2 cups apples,, chopped

½ cup cranberries, fresh or dried

1/8 cup (each) brown and granulated sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon allspice

1 lemon cut in half, all the juice

Crumble Topping

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup European style butter, melted

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup oats

½ cup nuts

In a bowl put chopped fruit. Add sugar, flour, spice, juice. Set aside. In another bowl combined flour, butter, sugar, oats, and nuts. Put fruit mix in ramekins. Top fruit with crumble topping. Bake about 40 minutes. It’s done when topping is golden brown and fruit is tender and bubbly. Best served warm. Serves 2. Top with vanilla bean gelato. Double recipe if preferred.

And, this week one morning I whipped this up when it was chilly in the cabin. The spices filled the cabin and reminded me of my sweet relationship with a man who lived to be an octogenarian. He called me his biographer and taught me the ropes of predicting quakes. As I took my first bite of the crumble it was nice, like visiting with a dear friend from long ago. This sweet and savory crumble reminds me of Earth’s finest fruit and a man that left an imprints on my heart.

 -- Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, Essential Oils, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Her website is http://www.calorey.com.   

Author-Intuitive Predicted Second Wave of Covid-19 Would Hit U.S. -- Likely More Severe Than in Spring

By  Cal Orey

 UPDATE:   Covid cases are spiking. California is starting to shutdown (again). The virus is out of control...  

30% of Americans May Be Infected With COVID-19 by Year's End -- Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Newsmax

As  a former magazine journalist living in San Francisco, I wrote articles during the frightening AIDS epidemic, which we learned can affect all people of all ages. But this Asian epidemic morphed into a pandemic -- which I predicted but never thought it would be this nightmarish and surreal. I long for the pre-pandemic days that we all took for granted. Our freedom is gone -- for now.
The glitch is, while this new respiratory virus--coronavirus--may not be as deadly as the deadly 1918 Spanish flu--it doesn't discriminate. Worse, it comes with a longish incubation period--and there is no cure yet.  And now we are discovering it can be deadly and have long-term effects on organs and neurological damage. People with healthy immune systems are not immune. 
But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you get and stay healthier and you end up contracting the virus from getting infected by another person, your body will be in better shape to fight the symptoms of the flu and get well faster.
*  *  *The Four Thieves Formula, different versions, can be found in the history chapters of both The Healing Powers of Vinegar and The Healing Powers of Essential Oils  I discuss in length how each ingredient works its magic with its antiviral properties. In other words, you can build up your immune system to guard against colds, flu, and even new viruses. (Books are available at all fine bookstores--ebook, paperback, mass market.)

Past research shows vinegar and herbs to essential oils can help kill  germs--and guard against a virus. People used it during the Swine Flu pandemic, SARS in China (actually, prices soared for nature's remarkable remedy). And even in the Middle Ages vinegar to a variety of herbs were used to fight bubonic plague...

During the Middle Ages, vinegar made its mark, too. Four robbers in the French town of Marseilles preyed upon the homes and belongings left behind by the people who fell victim to the bubonic plague, or "Black Death" of Europe. Eventually they were caught and brought before French judges, who wondered how these four thieves had protected themselves from the deadly plague while looting plague-ridden possessions. 
The legend is that the four thieves bargained and exchanged the famous Four Thieves Vinegar for freedom, explaining that they washed themselves with the infection-fighting liquid every few hours. Upon learning about these immunity-boosting qualities, the formula was used by priests and doctors who treated the ill. No one seems to know who wrote the formula, which differs from recipe to recipe, but it is basically the same and it works in various ways. It can be used to disinfect sick rooms. If diluted with water, if can be used as a body wash. Taken by the teaspoonful (consult with your doctor for the safe amount), it can be used as a preventive measure to stave off viral infections, such as the flu.

And now, Europe to the U.S., and other countries are being challenged again. 10 Ways to Bolster Your Immune System

1. Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water, herbal teas, and vitamin C-rich liquids can flush out any toxins that you accumulate.

2. Wash your hands frequently. (See the link and popular doctor who agrees.) Viruses can be transmitted by shaking someone's hand and then touching your face, nose or mouth. (This is probably the most important strategy. Use the recipe Four Thieves Formula--apple cider vinegar and herbs or the version with essential oils. It can be used topically, to clean surfaces in your environment, and more.)
3. Eat right. "There are many plant chemicals such as carotenoids and flavonoids that have antiviral and antibacterial activity," one California-based medical doctor told me. So eating nutritious produce daily will help keep your immune system strong. He also eats fish, whole grains, onions and garlic which help stave off flu, too.
4. Treat yourself well. "I try to minimize junk food, but I do succumb to chocolate or calcium-rich ice cream once or twice a week," said the good doctor. He added, "It's possible that lots of sugar can interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system."
5. Take vitamin C. Most of the research says that it improves the immune system.
6. Take echinacea. This herb is touted to have both antibiotic and immune-stimulating properties. But note, it's best used as a preventive measure before you get the flu.
7. Zinc yourself well. Zinc is a potent virus-fighters that can cut the time you spend in misery.
8. Drink herbal teas. Tea is a superfood chock-full of antioxidants.
9. Exercise, exercise, exercise. "It helps me sleep more deeply at night. Deep sleep is a time when the immune system has a chance to regroup itself and get revitalized," pointed out the health practitioner that taught me well.
10. Chill out. By keeping your stress levels down, you can keep your immune system up and healthy.
Note: I wrote this article back in February. Also, I predicted the epidemic would end up as a pandemic. At this writing, I forecast a second wave will hit the U.S. -- and likely it will be more severe than what we endured in the Spring months.