When we read old European stories, fairytales, and fables and “corn” is mentioned, it’s probably not the American maize the teller was meaning. In Old English, “corn” was the seed of any cereal plant, usually the one grown in the area of which one was speaking.
The word comes from the Proto-Germanic kurnam, “small seed, ” which also is the source of the Old Frisian and Old Saxon korn “grain,” Middle Dutch coren, German Korn, Old Norse korn, Gothic kaurn, all ultimately from the root *gre-no (grain). The Old English word referred to “grain with the seed still in” (as in barleycorn) rather than a particular plant. The American maize was called “Indian corn” around the 1600s, and eventually American English dropped the adjective.
Maize: (a) Lower part of the plant (b) top of plant with male inflorescense (c) middle of plant with female inflorescenses (d) ear/cob: (1) two pollen grains of a male inflorescense (3, 4) female flowers (5) female flowers with stigma (6) fruit bottom view (7) fruit side view (8) fruit cross-section views Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen , Wikipedia
The story of maize cultivation begins some 9,000 years ago in Mexico. The large yellow ears so common today did not exist then, but a wild grass called teosinte did. The ears of teosinte are the size of a child’s finger, each one bearing a few hard kernels. But those kernels can be eaten. And the people of that time learned to cultivate them and select for desired characteristics.
As people migrated across the Americas they took teosinte and its descendants with them to eat and to cultivate. By 5100 BCE maize was cultivated as far north as Tabasco. Fossilized pollen evidence shows forest clearing around 5100 BCE along the banks of the Grijalva River delta for the purpose of growing maize.
Maize was included in the items Christopher Columbus took back to Europe and was cultivated there. Other Europeans who arrived later sent other varieties home which also were cultivated. Soon maize was a product of trade and spread throughout the world.
For those wondering why there are so many traditional Chinese dishes which use this American grain, maize was introduced to China by 1500, thriving where rice did not grow well, and contributing to the 18th century population boom.
Many varieties of maize are now grown throughout the world, and it is an important crop in international trade. One of the cutest spokespersons is South Dakota’s “cornbassador,” Tariq.
Geraldine left an amazing legacy in her writing and art. There is no way I can honor my own career and at the same time continue the pace she set with her work. Rather than put it in stasis, I have asked other people to contribute to The Questing Feast so that it will continue to grow, and a new generation of readers can benefit from her work.
Kristi “Lakea” Lin (林元欣)
Kristi “Lakea” Lin (林元欣) graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a Major in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a minor in Sustainability. During that time, she also volunteered with the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center. She loves interdisciplinary studies and handicrafts as a member of a fiber arts guild and an improving musician who is still in the process of finding her voice.
Despite persistent rumors, there really is a monkeypox virus. People even can be vaccinated after exposure to monkeypox virus to help prevent monkeypox disease (i.e., post-exposure prophylaxis).
If your doctor tells you there is no treatment, please download the information on how to access the vaccine and give it to your doctor, or share the link with your doctor.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the JYNNEOS vaccine to allow healthcare providers to use the vaccine by intradermal injection for individuals 18 years of age and older who are determined to be at high risk for monkeypox infection.
JYNNEOS, the Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine, was approved in 2019 for prevention of smallpox and monkeypox disease in adults 18 years of age and older determined to be at high risk for smallpox or monkeypox infection. JYNNEOS is administered beneath the skin (subcutaneously) as two doses, four weeks (28 days) apart.
Two vaccines may be used for the prevention of monkeypox disease:
The JYNNEOS vaccine is approved for the prevention of monkeypox and smallpox disease.
The ACAM2000 vaccine is approved for immunization against smallpox disease and made available for use against monkeypox under an Expanded Access Investigational New Drug (EA-IND) protocol.
My goal has always been to be able to cook in a way that is inclusive for all members of the family, even those that are not human. Though our nutritional needs may differ, I can at least try to make foods that are animal-safe in small amounts. And if there is a case of mistaken identity, I have heard many humorous stories about families that enjoyed “granola bars” which were actually meant for the birds, as well as “kool-aid” that was sweeter than any they had experienced before (turns out, hummingbirds prefer the best recipe). After all, food is important to a family.
For the wild birds who care to join me, a complicated recipe is not necessary. In fact, many bird seed mixes are filled with millet and other types of filler that the birds would toss. To make the most of my money, I would buy or grow bags of black oil sunflower seeds from pet stores and grocery stores. Birds are not picky about the type of sunflower, but I read that black oil contains the most nutrition for them. Uncooked and unshelled is fine, just make sure that they haven’t been salted or roasted in something. Many birders even make wreaths of dried sunflower heads and the birds will help themselves to those. After all, the best way to attract birds while allowing them to remain wild is to plant their favorite native food sources.
I was lucky enough to live in an area with Scrub Jays, so peanuts and cracked corn were a must for attracting them and their corvid relatives. Again, uncooked, unseasoned, and unshelled is fine. Aflatoxin-tested is a plus, but keeping your supply fresh may be a better idea. I suspect that they would also appreciate other sources of protein, as I’ve seen their relatives in Alaska shelling uni. I also see many ravens in my area flying around with cheese puffs, but how they acquired those and whether or not those are healthy for them warrants further investigation which I am not inclined to do in favor of eating those snacks myself. I normally feed my animals better than I feed myself, but not when a food may be too indulgent for them. Ravens also love eyeballs (which is depicted in many traditional Alaskan art forms) but sourcing those may be frowned upon.
Speaking of corvids, people used to feed them and other scavenging birds as a form of divination known as augury. The word “auspicious” comes from the Latin “one who looks at birds,” as this practice was known as “taking the auspices.” Its invention is attributed to the prophet Tiresias who features in as many stories as he has extra lives. He is also transgender as a classic liminal figure. The ways in which the birds eat, what they eat, and even the number of birds that show up all factor into the divination. Many of us may be familiar with the Mother Goose rhyme:
One for sorrow, two for joy, Three for a girl, four for a boy, Five for silver, six for gold, Seven for a secret that must never be told.
This poem refers to the number of magpies that show up, although many versions exist that also apply to other black birds. This is also why a flock of magpies is called a “tiding.”
Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss, Ten a surprise you should be careful not to miss, Eleven for health, Twelve for wealth, Thirteen beware it’s the devil himself.
Aesop (yes, the one responsible for Aesop’s Fables. Who knew he was born a slave, possibly in Ethiopia where his name may be derived? He was so dark-skinned that he almost died of hypothermia when one of his masters tried to wash his color off of him, and he was so deformed with a hunchback and misshapen head that he couldn’t even speak until a deity granted him the power at the age of 8) was once told to look outside to tell his master Xerxes about the number of ravens he counts. Aesop saw two, and reported the good news to his master who prepared for a joyous outing. However, upon stepping outside his master saw one raven. He started beating Aesop, claiming that he was trying to get him in trouble, when a messenger arrived and told Xerxes that the prince had invited him to a party. On seeing this, Aesop remarked on the irony that he was beaten after seeing two ravens, while his master was invited to a party after seeing one. He did eventually gain his freedom because Xerxes wanted to be rid of him but could not sell him because his value as a slave couldn’t get any lower.
One’s sorrow, Two’s mirth, Three’s a wedding, Four’s a birth, Five’s a christening, Six a dearth, Seven’s heaven, Eight is hell, And nine’s the devil his old self.
~Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
The role of harbinger does not seem to bode well for the birds themselves, as Greek myth claims that the raven was scorched black after it informed Apollo of the unfaithfulness of his lover, Coronis. I prefer to invite them to the table with nothing expected in return except for their good company.
For the smaller birds, I had special thistle feeders because thistle is a smaller seed that is harder to keep in some feeders, not to mention expensive and difficult to remove if it takes root. I also despise flax seed for its tendency to stick to things, and so I prefer it in bread than I do in bird feeders. I have seen valiant efforts by oak titmice to carry off peanuts, but I found that adding some diversity encouraged all the birds to share. I had always seen crowds of little goldfinches in the area, but they never visited the feeder until I added thistle to the mix. So much of feeding birds is observing them to see what they may be struggling with and how you can meet that need. When your observation skills pay off, you are rewarded with so much wonder.
It is entertaining to watch how different birds go about shelling seeds, unless you wish to spare yourself the trouble of cleaning shells. Birds are messy eaters, so complicated feeders are not necessary either unless you wish to discourage certain species that are not good at sharing. It is also important to know what the rules in your area may be, since the mess that birds make is not always welcome. It is also a good idea to stay up to date on what local wildlife rescues or other agencies dealing with wildlife may say, as they often warn of diseases that may be affecting birds and ways to prevent their spread at feeders (like washing more often or taking down feeders at certain times). They can also give updates on migrations and other visitors you may expect.
If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with parrots (and you may be surprised how many places have them, as escaped pets who thrive on ornamental palms) they may benefit from palm nuts. I often find surprise flocks of urban parrots on palm trees in parking lots and shopping centers. Pickier birds like hyacinth macaws seem to respond well to macadamia nuts. Remember, when hand-feeding nuts to a parrot, place the nut on the center of your palm and hold your hand out flat so that the bird (many of whom are extremely far-sighted) can tell the difference between your hand and the nut instead of conflating the two and mistaking your hand for a shell that needs to be cracked to access the nut. Some hyacinth macaws even make use of tools like string or sticks to get a better grip on bigger nuts when cracking them.
There are also many ways of making a feeder inaccessible to all but those with wings by installing guards or by elevating it using slippery surfaces. My feeders tend to be upturned or broken open by the birds themselves before long (as we have many acorn and nut eaters in the area), so I prefer to use platforms, trays, or bowls, located close to greenery and other potential sources of shelter so that dinner guests may hide in case of predators. Of course, some birders enjoy having a “two-tiered feeder,” but I prefer simplicity for the sake of cleaning. Feeders should be washed weekly, or more frequently if conditions may invite early spoilage (especially for live prey, hummingbird feeders, and other sweets). Do not use strong chemicals as birds have sensitive lungs. 9 parts water to 1 part bleach, or 1 part water to 1 part vinegar, or Dawn dish soap work. Simple Green was also a popular option in many of the labs and wildlife rescues I’ve volunteered with. Feeders should ideally be soaked for 10 minutes in the aforementioned solutions, but spraying and waiting for 15 minutes was something that I also did at those labs and rescues.
In summary, the mix that I would recommend for a backyard bird feeder or a hike into an area with friendly birds would be:
Wild Bird Mix
1 cup of black oil sunflower seeds
1 cup of peanuts
1 cup of assorted dried fruits (this may work on birds that are not normally feeder visitors)
½ cup of thistle seeds (because they are expensive, and a little goes a long way)
On a hike, it may also be a good idea to bring some cat food and water, as well as a water bowl for any long-lost pets you may find. That being said, if you find a wild animal that is not behaving normally (as a skittish wild animal), it is not a good idea to feed them or give them water. Leave that to the professionals.
This mix could also be added to peanut butter and slathered on bark or pinecones, which make lively holiday ornaments since they may even attract shy birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches. It is even possible to add melted coconut oil to this mix and freeze for three hours in fun shapes to create suet cakes that are great for helping chickens to regrow their winter feathers.
In addition to birdseed, frozen peas, broccoli, kale, chopped cabbage, and sliced grapes may be popular with waterfowl at the duck pond. There are many videos of Pet Goose George eating watermelon off the ribs, or corn off the cob (he’ll sharpen the cob like a pencil, as his caretaker would say. Just remember to dispose of the cobs so they don’t dirty the water after). This is also a great way to teach kids about the vegetables they won’t eat.
From there, you can adjust based on who shows up and what is left over. Bird baths (complete with little marbles or river rocks so they can double as bee baths) as well as jam feeders and mealworm feeders may be good options if you see birds that are more difficult to attract to a feeder. Oranges and orange peels are great for filling with jam to attract more nectar-eating species, while there are plenty of stories about unexpected visitors to hummingbird feeders. Both may require an ant moat and more frequent washings. Mealworms and stuff from the bait shop may work to attract birds that are not seed or fruit eaters, although the best way to attract those may be to build a birdhouse that meets their specifications. Live mealworms are preferred, but my pet fish aren’t so picky. Some birders offer nesting materials, but those need to be kept short and natural in case of tangles. Again, it may be best to offer native plant species and other sources of natural nesting material for them to collect themselves.
Despite all our efforts, there may still be birds that will never grace our feeders. We may see swallows swooping above. They may even build their mud nests under the sides of our rooftops, but they will never come down to land. The Greeks described those birds as lacking feet in their legends, much as the people who first saw Birds of Paradise, taxidermied without feet, crafted fantastical stories of how those birds spent their entire lives in the air. In a tragic twist, the albatross that has lost its nesting grounds may also be described as a wanderer who will never touch land again. Instead of despairing that such birds may never join us at the table, I prefer to look to those that do spare a moment for us, and appreciate the spaces that we can share with the others.
Hummingbird nectar recipe
4 parts white sugar (not honey, not brown) and 1 part water. Tap water is usually fine.
Stir to dissolve.
Wash feeders every week in cold weather and every two days in warm weather.
I strongly advise against store-bought nectar and adding red dyes because the wildlife rescue where I volunteered received many hummingbirds in poor condition with red excrement. They are attracted to red colors, but wearing red clothes while feeding them and planting red flowers will more than suffice to attract nectar feeders.
Hummingbird image from the Florentine Codex (original in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence) Visit Mexicolore.co.uk for more information.
With the Chinese pirate Shek Yang (Zheng Yi Sao) going viral after books and movies included her, I thought it would be fun to do some recipes of her homeland. She probably was born in the Xinhui area, on the Tanjian River. Using modern transportation, her homeland is about an hour drive from Zhongshan, the homeland of my own Chinese ancestors.
“The stern of the boat held a basic kitchen, with a tiny brick stove and some wood and kindling. We had an iron pot for making the simplest “fish rice,” as well as an iron plate for frying fish and shrimp. . .
“The boat was only five or six meters long. My father and grandfather would take turns standing at the bow to pole the boat forward and cast nets. The middle of the boat was a “ship’s cabin” made from a bamboo canopy, with long wooden boards fixed along either side. These served as both benches and beds. Clothing and food were stored beneath the boards on one side, while fishing nets were piled on the other side, along with water tanks, miscellaneous fishing gear, and repair tools. Whenever the sun was out, the top of the canopy would be covered with all kinds of drying fish.
“My mother made cloth curtains for the two sides of the cabin, so that we could change and groom ourselves with more privacy and keep out some of the wind and rain. “
Because of the challenges of cooking onboard a boat, meals probably were very simple, using as little fuel, space, and working time as possible. It seems that different styles of jook and other soups were the mainstay. Once in the pot, they can be left to simmer over a bed of coals. Dishes that required more complicated cooking, such as baking and frying in oil, might be purchased from nearby communities, though the Tanka were not welcomed in the towns.
At the bottom of this article I have a jook recipe, and found a couple of nice videos to share. I’ll add more recipes as I find them, so please check back!
This pencil and ink sketch (at the Peabody Essex Museum) shows a scene of a woman poling her boat near Macao. She could easily be Shek Yang in her younger years.
Shek Yang probably was a descendant of the Baiyue, ethnic groups who inhabited the region for about 2,000 years before their tribes were assimilated into the expanding Han empire. The Book of Han describes various Yue tribes and says the peoples can be found from the regions of Kuaiji to Jiaozhi. They were described as having short hair, body tattoos, fine swords, and great naval prowess.
According to official Liu Zongyuan (Liou Tsung-yüan; 柳宗元; 773–819) of the Tang Dynasty, there were Tanka people settled in what are now Guangdong province and the Guangxi Zhang autonomous region.
A Tanka Boat Girl Chinese School of Art, 19th Century Shek Yang probably dressed much like this young woman.
By the time of Shek Yang, the late 18th century through early 19th century, many of the Yue descendants had been pushed to the rivers and oceans, displaced by the Han communities in Guangdong who called the earlier inhabitants “Tanka” or “boat people.” The term is now considered derogatory and many discourage its use. Nàamhóiyàn (People of the Southern Sea) or Séuiseuhngyàn (People Born on the Waters) are gaining in usage.
Today, the People Born on the Waters are facing changes from the environment, development, and society. I hope that they can navigate these new currents to live as they wish.
River Dwelling, Canton, Guangzhou, China John Thomson, 1869Auguste Borget sketch 1838 Shek Yang might have been born in a home similar to these. Land-based homes often were made from boats which had been pulled up out of the water, or the homes were constructed to be similar to a boat.
Unfortunately, many people are sharing turn-of-the-century photographs claiming that they are Shek Yang, and these images have nothing to do with her!
Though they should not be conflated, there are similarities between the Ainu and the Séuiseuhngyàn. Both are indigenous peoples, both were colonized and displaced, both are being severely impacted by environmental destruction.
You can learn about the Ainu people in this excellent documentary below by Dr. Kinko Ito, a professor of sociology at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) in the United States. She conducted her research and many unstructured interviews in Hokkaido in 2011, 2012, and 2014. This ethnographic film features several Ainu people, and the interview topics include identity, marriage and family, human relations with non-Ainu Japanese, their history, and school and work experiences.
This image below also is not of Shek Yang. But the actress Crystal Yu is, indeed, lovely!
Shek Yang would have looked much more like this woman, below. Maybe I should make my own Shek Yang fan art?!
You can help support my research in global food and culture by becoming a patron of the Questing Feast Patreon page which continues to support the work and legacy of Geraldine Duncann.
Tom Johnson photograph of Tanka woman 1869
Tingzai Zhou艇仔粥 (Sampan Jook)
Tingzai Zhou is the modern spelling of the old-fashioned sampan jook I grew up with. This variety is also known as boater’s jook, boat congee, or any of several other names. Considered to have been developed by the Nàamhóiyàn of Lìzhī Wān (Lychee Bay) it’s a great one-pot meal. One pot meals that are easy to prepare, filling, and nutritious are important in the limited space of a boat! While my family is descended from the later Han inhabitants of the Zhongshan area, sampan jook became a popular dish throughout the Pearl River Delta.
Here is how my family prepares it:
If you don’t have an item, donʻt worry about it, just substitute something else that would taste good in the blend. This kind of cooking is not about following a specific recipe, but about adapting a basic recipe to what is available.
Rice (white or brown short grain)
Chicken carcass or pork bones
Chicken meat
Pork meat
Shrimp
Fish (I prefer a white flesh fish for this)
Water chestnut, slivered
Ginger, slivered
Scallion, shredded
Pi dan (hundred year egg), roughly chopped
Fried peanuts
Cook rice as you normally would. You will want about a half-cup of uncooked rice per person, plus one full cup. When we know we want to make jook, like when a storm is coming, we make lots of extra rice the night before.
For the main proteins, combined, you will want about a half-cup per person.
While the rice is cooking, or even the morning or night before, boil the chicken carcass and/or pork bones to create a broth. You want about 2 cups of broth per person. Strain all bones out of the broth.
When the rice is cooked, add it to the broth and cook just below a simmer. Long slow cooking to make a porridge about the consistency of split pea soup. These days, I do this in my slow cooker.
While the rice is cooking, prepare your other ingredients. I cut the pork, chicken, and fish into pieces about 1/2in by 1in or 2in. These are blanched to set and firm them. The fish, especially, will tend to fall apart in the jook if not set first. It will still be tasty, but there won’t be delicious chunks of fish to eat! Set them aside.
If the shrimp is small enough to pick up with chopsticks and eat conveniently, just shell, de-vein, and blanch them. If it is too big, then after cleaning, cut them into bite-sized pieces.
When the proteins are cooked, garnish the top with the remaining ingredients.
You can serve this in one big bowl with the garnishes already added, and people can scoop out what they want, or you can serve in individual bowls and people can add the garnishes they like.
Here is another way of preparing this hearty jook:
Youtiao 油條
Also known as yau char kway in Southern China and guǒzi in Northern China. It also has a multitude of other names throughout the dough-frying world!
For myself, I just buy them, so my advice on how to make them will not be the best. I guess I need to make them, though, as these days I cannot find anyone who sells them. I like this video series:
Ok, now that you have your lemon curd, you need something to put it on! Here is Geraldine’s recipe for scones.
If you want one of the fancy recipes with chocolate chips or some such, there are plenty at other websites, so out of respect for Geraldine, we won’t put them here. The auld Scotswoman who taught her to make scones used to say, “Well, you can put in what you like, dear, and they may taste lovely, but they doon’t be scones.”
Scones
by Geraldine Duncann
Makes 12 scones
This sounds hard but it really isn’t. Just follow the directions and don’t stir the dough too much or you won’t have scones; you’ll have Hockey Pucks.
2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup sugar
1 ½ sticks of cold butter or margarine
3/4 cup cold water
Preheat the oven to 500° or 550°. Oil a baking sheet (cookie sheet) or line it with baker’s parchment, and set aside. Sift the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and sugar together into a large bowl. If you don’t have a sifter, just put them all into the bowl and stir with a fork or wire whisk. Cut the butter or margarine into very small pieces. Then, using a wire pastry blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until it is well blended.
At this point, none of the bits of butter should be bigger than a pea. (if you don’t have a pastry blender you can cut it up with two table knives or even use your hands and mush it.)
After the butter is worked into the flour, pour in the water, all at once, and using a dinner fork, stir it all round and round until the flour mixture has all been moistened.
Then, gather it into a ball and sort of shove it all together. Put it on a flat surface that has been lightly sprinkled with flour. Set the ball on the flat surface and cut it in half.
Form each half into a ball. Flatten the balls into disks that are about six inches in diameter. Cut each disk into six equal sized wedges; like you were cutting a pie.
Place the wedges of dough about an inch apart on the baking sheet and put in the center of the preheated oven.
Bake for five minutes, then turn the heat down to 350° and bake for another twenty minutes.
Remove from the oven and put in a basket or bowl lined with a clean cloth to help keep them warm.
Serve immediately with lots of butter and strawberry preserves. To eat these wonderful scones, do not cut them apart with a knife. Just pull them apart. If you try to slice them while they are hot, it will sort of squash the crumb and they won’t be quite as nice.
According to one tradition, Hinamatsuri (雛祭り Doll Festival) started in 1625. The imperial court ladies of Emperor Go-Mizuno set up beautiful dolls for his daughter, Okiko, to play with during the Peach Festival season.
Okiko was born on 9 January 1624. When her father abdicated in her favor on 22 December 1629, she was only five years old. She succeeded her father as the Empress Meishō, ruled Japan for fifteen years, and then abdicated on 14 November 1643 at age 19. She was succeeded by her brother Tsuguhito, who became Emperor Go-Kōmyō.
Many political intrigues and changes occurred during her reign. Her mother was Tokugawa Masako, and the Tokugawa shogunate rose in power at this time, encroaching on much of the Imperial power.
I often think how difficult it must have been for her, being surrounded by the powerful court from the time she was a tiny girl. But there were some moments of fun.
During her reign, in 1687 “Hinamatsuri” became the official name of the holiday. Doll-makers began making elaborate and ever larger dolls for the festival, until laws were passed to restrict their size. Eventually, the hinazakari standardized to include fifteen dolls and their accessories. They are displayed on a hinadan, a stepped platform covered with a red cloth.
Today, hinazakari can be found that are small and simple or large and elaborate. Some families start small, with the emperor and empress, and add more figures each year. Some families have hinazakari that date back many generations and are cherished heirlooms.
Special foods are prepared for Hinamatsuri. In general, they are made in the delicate pastel hues of spring time. Among them are:
Hina Arare (雛あられ) – A pastel and often sweeter version of the small rice crackers popularly eaten as snacks.
Hina Arare (雛あられ) – A pastel and often sweeter version of the small rice crackers popularly eaten as snacks.Hishi Mochi (菱餅) – A layered mochi cut into a rhombus shape. The pink/red of the mochi are derived from fruits of Gardenia jasminoides (山梔子), and is symbolic of plum flowers. White is made from the water caltrop (菱, hishi), and represents the snow and its cleansing effects. Green comes from Gnaphalium affine (ハハコグサ) or mugwort like kusa mochi, and is believed to be a restorative that improves the blood.Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司) – Chirashizushi literally means “scattered sushi.” It is a bowl of sushi rice with sushi toppings arranged on top. The chiraishizushi pictured is from Kitchen Umeko in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
Hamaguri no Suimono (はまぐりの吸い物) – A soup made using clams. Because the clam shells close, fitting together perfectly, they represent wishes for the girl to find a husband who fits perfectly with her.
Shirozake (白酒 white sake) – A special sake made to celebrate Hinamatsuri. Today, girls are given a non-alcoholic version. But the traditional style is made by adding mirin (sweet cooking wine) to steamed mochi-gome (glutinous rice). This is thoroughly mixed and then left to ferment for a few weeks. In some areas shochu (a distilled spirit) and malted rice were added to the steamed mochi-gome.
It is said that the method of manufacturing shirozake originates in the ‘nerizake‘ brewed in the Hakata region from ancient times and that, from the Edo Period, it came to be used as an offering in the Doll’s festival, a custom from the Heian Period, in place of the peach leaves soaked in sake which had been used from the Muromachi Period.
Pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and have a slice of Mama’s Lemon Icebox Cake, recipe below.
Now:
Please hear this in my very best “Church Lady” voice. “Oh, my sweet summer child, Game of Thrones did NOT coin ‘sweet summer child.’ GOT may have popularized it, but GOT did NOT create it.”
“Sweet summer child” already was old when my grandmother used it in the 1960s.
Blue was the summer ah—, and mild The fragrant breeze,— sweet Summer’s child. All rob’d in white, dead Stanley seem’d, And radiance, from his features, beam’d;— Meta, companion of his way,— Yet pale as when, on earth, he lay.
Thy home is all around, Sweet summer child of light and air, Like God’s own presence, felt, ne’er found, A Spirit everywhere!
Poems eulogizing children are found throughout newspapers of the 1880s. This one was used for at least two different children, including “Little May Tyng” and, in this case, attributed to Frances B. M. Brotherson in the Blount County Dispatch of Blountsville, Alabama. It seems to have been common practice to use such poems as a structure and then alter specifics to match the individual child’s circumstances.
God took her forever, Our sweet summer child— She passed through the valley With Thee, Undefiled! So trusting, so fondly To Thee did she cling, Thou wert the sure refuge— Of little May Ting
In that oh-so-Victorian poetry, the “sweet summer child” can refer to anything tender and summery—from a gentle breeze to an actual child.
So, how did such a tender sweet phrase develop its stinging backhand? Well, for that, let’s turn to my Nana. Born in 1900 in St. Louis, Missouri (properly pronounced “Muzurah,” I have been informed), she moved to Hawaiʻi as a young bride. When she packed her bags for the islands, a number of colloquialisms jumped in before she could get the latches fastened.
If you know anything about the ladies of that time and place, you know that they were strong proponents of “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Instead, they became masters of making a cut while using the nicest possible words. And, the same phrase can have many different meanings, depending on the skill with which it is deployed.
“Why, bless your heart” can mean anything from “thank you, that was so sweet of you,” to “how on earth did you come up with THAT?”
And so, “Oh, my sweet summer child” could be anything from a simple comment on the beauty and grace of a small child playing in the summer sun to a verbal head shake at unfathomable naïveté. It can refer to a very young child born in summer, a person with a summery disposition, or a person who has little to no experience of “winter:” hardship, trials, and tribulations, or just someone who is clueless as to anything that has happened before they came on the scene.
In the 60s and 70s, I frequently heard it in response to some bit of pre-teen or teen angst I expressed in my youthful confidence that in under two decades I had managed to acquire far more wisdom than had the totality of adults of my acquaintance. “You really think no one else has thought of that? Oh, my sweet summer child.”
So in honor of Summer Children everywhere, here is a recipe for Mama’s Lemon Icebox Cake. No, not my Mama’s Lemon Icebox Cake. HER Mama’s lemon Icebox Cake. It’s good. Try it. But first, make the lemon curd.
A colander full of lemons waiting to be juiced. Gleaned from a friend’s yard, they are not especially pretty, but they are juicy and flavorful!
Lemon Curd
by Geraldine Duncann
What is Lemon Curd? It’s the yummy stuff in the middle of a lemon meringue pie. That’s about all Americans use it for. In England however, it is used like jam or preserves, being served with scones at tea time and eaten on toast or bread.
There are many recipes, some thickened with eggs only and others thickened with cornstarch only. The egg ones taste just too eggie for me and the cornstarch only aren’t rich enough. This recipe I feel is a perfect blend.
1 cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ½ cups of cold water
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Grated Zest of 1 lemon
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
Combine the cornstarch and sugar in saucepan. Add the water and stir until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks.Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over a medium heat and continue boiling for one minute. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the lemon juice, zest and butter. Allow to cool. This is wonderful used like any jam or jelly. It is also the base for many other elegant desserts.
Mama’s Lemon Icebox Cake
by Geraldine Duncann
Make 1, 8 to 9 Inch Round Cake
We had a lemon tree on the farm that seemed to have a plethora of lemons on it all year round. In our Southern California summers when the temperature inside the kitchen could be well over 100 degrees, Mama would stay up late at night after the kitchen had cooled and make this delectable and refreshing lemon cake for us to enjoy the next day. It was a lot easier for her to make once we got an electric refrigerator to replace the old ice box. You may use my Basic Lemon Cake (below) as the base, or a commercial cake mix. Make the various components in the early morning before it gets hot or in the evening after things cool down.
1, 2 layer lemon cake
Juice of one or 2 lemons
1 cup lemon curd
½ pint whipping cream
Thinly slivered curls of candied lemon peel if available
Sprigs of fresh mint
Split the two layers of cake in half. Sprinkle the cut sides with lemon juice and set aside. Whip the cream to hold stiff peaks. Save about a cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Temper the lemon curd by gently folding about half a cup of whipping cream into it. Then, gently fold this lightened lemon curd back into the remaining whipped cream, (minus what will be used for garnish.) Place one of the split layers on a cake plate. Spread with the lemon curd, whipping cream mixture. Top with another split layer. Spread with cream. Continue until all the layers have been coated with the lemon cream. Do not frost the sides. Just let the cream ooze out between the layers. Refrigerate until ready to use. Just before serving, garnish with dollops of whipped cream, candied peel and sprigs of fresh mint. This is a delectable and refreshing dessert for those hot, hot summer days.
Basic Lemon Cake
by Geraldine Duncann
Makes 1, 8 to 9 inch 2 Layer Cake
This basic lemon cake is delicious on its own or as the beginning of many other desserts.
Pre heat the oven to 350°. Prepare 2 8 or 9 inch cake pans with non stick spray or by lining with bakers’ parchment. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside. Blend the sugar and butter together until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beat in well after each addition. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix well. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the water and mix well. Divide between the prepared cake pans and bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a slim skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on cake racks before removing from the pans.
Other phrases my Nana used:
Well, bless your heart
This useful phrase fills in for everything from a warm “thank you” to a frustrated hope to never have to deal with you and your willful incompetence again.
Well, bless your little punkin’ head
This is similar to “Well, bless your heart,” but you had to do something a several degrees more stupid to earn it.
It don’t/doesn’t amount to a hill of beans
Beans were cheap and abundant food in my Nana’s day, so if something did not amount to a hill of beans, it did not amount to much at all.
She’s blowin’ up a storm
The wind rises before a storm blows in, bringing with it a unique smell.
Got more of _______ than Dr. Carter’s got little liver pills
Dr. Carter was the inventor of his own brand of liver regulating pills. They were tiny round things, the size of the head of a quilting pin, and a whole bunch of them fit into a tiny little glass bottle.
Madder than a wet hen
Personally, I never noticed my hens any more mad when they were wet than when they were dry, but I grew up in Hawaiʻi and it rains a lot here. Maybe chickens in MO are less amenable to rain. I did know that when Nana said I was making her madder than a wet hen I should hush my mouth and head over yonder.
Hush your mouth
Be quiet.
Over yonder
A distant place, usually indicated by pointing with the chin and/or eyebrows.
ʻTil the cows come home
All day, or a very long time. The cows come home in the evening at feeding time.
Pretty as a peach
Fresh and plump, appealing looking.
Full as a tick / Swoll as a tick
Ate so much you can’t eat any more. “Swoll as a tick” is the same, but not as polite, and might also refer to constipation.
Good Lord willing and the creek/river don’t rise
As long as no disasters happen. Also, the small body of flowing water is pronounced “krik.”
Hold your horses
Back in the days when horses were the only things providing horsepower, if you did not hold your horses (either by having someone stand at their heads and hold the bridle, or tie them to a hitching rail), they might wander off while you were loading your wagon. So, “hold your horses” means to slow down and make sure things don’t get away from you while you are getting things together for a project.
__________ as all get-out
“Funny as all get-out,” “frightened as all get-out,” “shocked as all get-out…” the phrase adds a level to whatever emotion you are experiencing.
Too big for your britches
You have an elevated sense of self-worth.
Gumption / Moxie
A sense of drive and purpose, “sticktoitiveness,” being really on the ball.
Jack London, one of America’s greatest novelists, a social advocate and a true renaissance man, was born on January 12, 1876. What better way to celebrate than with some of his favorite foods.
Along with pioneer vintner, Agoston Haraszthy and botanist, Luther Burbank, author Jack London is one of my favorite California folk heroes. This may in part be due to my family’s close connection with him. As a boy, my father knew Jack London and often spent summers at the ranch in Glen Ellen.
Jack taught my father to ride and fish and much to my grandmothers mortification, also to cuss, tell risqué stories and to drink. My dad always reminisced with great fondness of the lavish meals served in the rustic setting of the Glen Ellen camp where Jack and his second wife, Charmian spent much of their time during the construction of the ill fated Wolf House.
Socialist London’s political views were ahead of his time. Dying in 1916, he was not to see the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, giving woman the vote in the United States. He had long been a supporter of a woman’s right to vote and contributed some of his favorite recipes to Mrs. L.O. Kleber, author of “The Suffragette Cookbook,” a book published in 1915 to raise money for the suffragette movement.
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Unfortunately Jack fondness for life led to his early death at the age of 40. In his own words:
“I would rather be ashes than dust. I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than that it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
This is another method of serving oysters that my father learned from Jack London. It also uses Anchor Steam Beer as well as a lot of finely chopped garlic.
Fresh live oysters in the shell
Finely minced garlic
Anchor Steam beer
Salt and pepper and favorite hot sauce
Scrub the shells of the oysters with a stiff brush under cold running water. Discard any that are open and do not close when you tap the shell. Place the oysters, on a rack over the glowing coals of a barbecue. Leave until they just begin to open. Using tongues, remove them and with an oyster knife, pry the shells the rest of the way open. Place the oyster in the deep half of the shell. Add a pinch of minced garlic and a bit of beer. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste and return to the barbecue and continue cooking to desired degree of doneness. SPECTACULAR!
