Deep breath, then--and I've really been looking forward to sharing these thoughts about golden colors and a golden spice. First, though: thanks for all the good suggestions about the raw gingerbread: I tried it again today with some tweaks and I think it's much better--we'll see if my testers agree and I'll report back.
At our poetry group last week, our gracious hostess served "golden milk:" warm milk (almond milk, in this case) mixed with turmeric paste and sweetened. It's been a while since I've had what used to be a great comfort for me, and it was such a lovely surprise. I felt warmed, welcomed, and somehow accepted, met: I hadn't expected to see a drink like this anywhere but in my own home. Our hostess' home is a Rivendell of a gorgeous woodsy retreat and we sat at the windows watching sun turn to rain and back, sipped from beautiful little cups, talked poetry. It was easy to remember to feel grateful.
Of course I had to make my own...
...and a banana and some wild blueberries...
...not really golden anymore once it's allmixedtogether!
Still that lovely, golden taste, though, even if it looks like a child's painting.
I think it's just as good in sweeter things as in savory. On the savory side, I used a little in the dressing for this beautiful wild rice and bean salad (recipe coming soon).
Especially this Fall season, it feels good, now that I've been reminded, to get turmeric in everywhere I can. No, it's not cacao, but it is as versatile and has a comparable number of widely touted benefits-- without the overstimulative/addictive/other adverse effects. Perhaps I'm overstating to compare it to cacao (I can see a few people rolling their eyes) but seriously, take a look at all of turmeric's known benefits, and step beyond the curry bubble! Expect more from me on this.
It's not just the taste and all the beneficial nutritional/medicinal properties that endear turmeric, though: it's the color! The 17th century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper (great name for an herbalist!) recommended marigold (calendula) partly because "it gladdens the heart" with its bright orange-golden blooms. In homeopathic medicine, aurum, i.e. gold, is frequently prescribed for people suffering depression or a sense of dislocation.
I found myself seeking out the color beyond the spice.
The fruit plate that I put with our breakfasts has been canteloupe and orange lately--nicely golden...
...And of course, at this time of year (although not for much longer), all we have to do is look outside! I've shared some pictures already of our Fall glory, but these larches (aka tamaracks) are particularly special: they're the only conifer that is also deciduous. We're enjoying them until a windstorm blows everything off, as happened this time last year surprisingly early.
I've never even heard of "golden milk"! Sounds like something I'd like, though. Especially sweetened with honey, or coconut nectar/sugar.
ReplyDeleteI have had "golden milk". Craig Sommers has a recipe for it in his book "The Raw Food Bible" (I bought the book after seeing him give a talk.) His uses pine nuts and water as a base for the "milk" part. The pine nuts and water are blended with a very generous amount of turmeric, along with coconut oil, cinnamon, and stevia. Suggested optional ingredients include: chopped fresh ginger root, cayenne, goji berries, sea salt. I made it by just following the basic recipe and then I warmed it just a tad on the stove, not enough to cook. It was very comforting and soothing and delicious. I like the idea of using almonds for the milk. Using pine nuts makes the milk "golden" in more ways than one, since pine nuts cost an absolute fortune these days - last I checked pine nuts were about $35.00 a pound in the bulk bins! Eeek!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite beverage made with turmeric came from a little book I bought called "Chakra Tonics" by Elise Marie Collins. I really like the little book a lot, btw. Anyhow, there is a recipe in there called "Be Strong Banana Shake". (The golden color is associated with the belly chakra in the yogic system - the belly chakra is said to be the center of will and action). So, the shake is made with banana, tamarind paste, turmeric and whatever type of milk you want to use, plus some soaked dates for sweetener, which I find I need to balance the tamarind and turmeric - the banana by itself wasn't sweet enough. She also suggests several "bonus ingredients". I have added 2 of them (sesame seeds and maca) to my shake and really, really liked it - though I like the simpler version also.
That tree looks glorious, and I love your bandana. I don't think I've ever seen one in those colors - gorgeous and gladdening. :)
Thanks, Amber--I hope you try it: it really is good.
ReplyDeletelove
Ela
Mindy, those 'golden milk' variations sound so yummy, especially the 'chakra tonic.' I actually have some tamarind paste in the fridge, so I'll have to try that one today. Sounds so good... I like the idea of particular flavors and colors balancing particular parts of us...
ReplyDeletelove
Ela
the golden milk with the accessories sounds really good. i've been looking for a new way to eat goji berries and this might be it.
ReplyDeletebitt--I think goji berries and turmeric are a wonderful combination--for how they look as well as how they taste. Chia pudding with turmeric and goji berries sounds pretty awesome to me too...
ReplyDeletelove
Ela
I love turmeric; thanks so much for sharing your love for it too! have you had Jamu, it's a yummy turmeric based beverage. Anyway, you might really like this turmeric salad: http://sanfranshakti.blogspot.com/2011/10/recipe-3g-salad.html. Hope you do! :)
ReplyDeleteKate--welcome and thanks for visiting. I don't think I've had Jamu but will look it up, and will check out your salad too.
ReplyDeletelove
Ela