Mourning Gloria (36 page)

But I did.

Pull the corn husks down but don’t remove them. Remove the silks, and pull up the husks around the ears. Put the ears into a large pan and cover with hot (not boiling) water. Soak for 15 minutes to saturate the husks. Drain the ears, leaving them wet.

 

Combine the butter, cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions. Pull down the wet husks and rub one-eighth of the butter mixture onto each ear of corn. Pull the husks up to cover. Tightly wrap each ear in aluminum foil and place on a hot grill. Steam for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and grill the ears (still wrapped in the husks) 5–7 minutes longer, turning several times. Serve with additional herb butter.

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper cupcake cups. Sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the oil, grated carrots, and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture and nuts. Blend until just mixed. Fill the cups ¾ full. Bake about 25 minutes. Cool and frost.

 

Bring the cream cheese and butter or margarine to room temperature. Add the vanilla and blend, then beat in the sugar. Separate into three small dishes and add food coloring, if desired. If the frosting is still too stiff, add a few drops of milk. Frost.

Decorate the cupcakes with edible flowers (unsprayed!) from your garden: blossoms of lavender, thyme, chives, basil, nasturtiums, bachelor’s buttons, clover, chrysanthemum, calendula, and squash.

In a large bowl, add ice cubes to cold water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop whole tomatoes in the boiling water. When the skin is loosened (about 1 minute), remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and drop them into the bowl of ice water. When cool, remove the skin, cut each tomato in half, and remove the seeds. Chop and set aside two tomatoes. Chop the rest and puree in a blender, food processor, or ricer.

 

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion, bell pepper, carrot, zucchini, and garlic about 5 minutes. Pour in the pureed tomatoes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, herbs, and wine. Add the bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 2 hours. Stir in the tomato paste and simmer an additional hour. Discard the bay leaf. Cool and spread over unbaked pizza. Add toppings and bake.

Mix the oil, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, cilantro, and cumin. Place the meat in a zip-top bag and pour the marinade mixture over it, making sure that all the meat is covered. Marinate for 8 hours. Skewer the meat, alternating with tomatoes, onion, pineapple, and green peppers. Brush with the marinade. Grill over hot coals for about 10 minutes. Turn, repeat. Serve hot.

In a large bowl, beat the shortening and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, separately, beating well after each addition. Add the grated lemon rind and lemon juice, and beat until blended. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and herbs. Add by thirds to the butter mixture, beating just until blended. Divide the dough into thirds. On wax paper, form each third into a 12-inch log. Wrap in wax paper and chill 4–6 hours. Slice each log into ½-inch slices (about 28), and place on parchment-covered or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12–14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the cookies to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container, or freeze.

Gather several cups of young and older leaves. (Young green leaves have the most caffeine.) Roast the leaves at 200° for 1–2 hours, or toast in a hot skillet until they are dry and brittle. (Euell Gibbons, in
Stalking the Blue-Eyed Scallop,
writes that the darker the leaves, the stronger the caffeinated effect.) Use immediately or store in a tightly lidded jar.

 

Pour boiling water over crushed leaves in a mug or teacup. Use about 1 tablespoon per cup of boiling water. Allow to steep for 4–6 minutes.

Serve either hot or iced. May be flavored with mint or lemon herbs.

In a blender or grinder, pulverize all the herbs, dried zest, and powders. Place in a large-holed shaker. Excellent on poultry, fish, meat, vegetables, and salads.

 

*Lemon zest is the yellow peel, without the white pith. You can use a potato peeler to peel the lemon. Slice or chop fine and dry thoroughly before using.

Remove the peel from the tangerines and scrape and discard the bitter white pith from the inside. (Save the peeled tangerines for another use.) Chop the peel and place in a pan in a 200° oven for 2 hours. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and leave the peels in overnight.

 

Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add the rosemary leaves and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Strain and discard the leaves, using a fine-mesh strainer. Add the dried tangerine peel and coriander and pour into a clean 1-quart container with a tight-fitting lid. Let cool for 20 minutes. Add the vodka and brandy. Cover and let stand in a cool, dark cupboard for 1 month. Strain through a coffee filter into another container, cover, and allow to age for 1 month before serving. Makes about a quart.

Follow the directions for preparing tangerine peels for Rosemary Tangerine Liqueur.

 

Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Add the mint and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Strain and discard the leaves, using a fine-mesh strainer. Pour into a clean 1-quart container with a tight-fitting lid. Add the lemon balm, lemon thyme, lemongrass, and dried lemon peel. Let cool for 20 minutes. Add the rum. Cover and let stand in a cool, dark cupboard for 1 month. Strain through a coffee filter into another container, cover, and allow to age for 1 month before serving. Makes about a quart.

Cosmetic vinegar helps to tone, refresh, and restore the skin’s natural acidity. For each kind of vinegar you want to make, you’ll need 4 cups of high-quality apple cider vinegar and 2 cups fresh (or 1 cup dried) herbs, as suggested below. Steep the herbs in the vinegar for several weeks, then strain into pretty bottles. For a gift, add a raffia tie and this instruction:
To use, mix ½ cup vinegar with 3 cups water, and spritz or splash it on your face after washing.

 

Combine and mix the oils. Store in a small dark-colored bottle. Use in a diffuser.

AN UNTHYMELY DEATH CHINA BAYLES’ BOOK OF DAYS

 

 

THE TALE OF HILL TOP FARM
THE TALE OF HOLLY HOW
THE TALE OF CUCKOO BROW WOOD
THE TALE OF HAWTHORN HOUSE
THE TALE OF BRIAR BANK
THE TALE OF APPLEBECK ORCHARD
THE TALE OF OAT CAKE CRAG

 

 

THE DARLING DAHLIAS AND THE CUCUMBER TREE

 

 

WRITING FROM LIFE
WORK OF HER OWN

TOGETHER, ALONE, A MEMOIR OF MARRIAGE AND PLACE AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS