This was a great feast to use up any produce that could not be stored for the winter. Prime beef was salted or “corned” – hence the Corned Beef we use today. Pork was soaked in brine, then rubbed in salt and hung in the rafters over the fire which slowly smoked the meat into filches of bacon and hams. Fish was cleaned and split flat to be packed between layers of salt until it was dried then hung in the rafters. Small fish, too small to hang were stored in oil in large pottery jars called crocks, after salting.

Many vegetables were also preserved for the bleak winters. Caggage was pickled in brine (saurktaut), onions and small cucumbers in vinegar (gherkins and pickled onions) and other vegetables like cauliflower, carrots and turnips were chopped up and dropped into boiling vinegar, with herbs and stored in pottery jars of oil for winter – we call this anitpasta today.

Fruit was dried (eg figs and grapes), made into wine or like apples stored in the dark, to slow the ripening process.

All of these methods are successful ways of preserving foods and have given rise to many delicacies we eat today (bacon, ham, herrings, pickles, salami, olives, kippers, bakala, tinned fish, raisins etc). However in the damp cold middle ages, when homes were not heated like today and nowhere near as dry, often the meat was turning or “off” before spring and the addition of herbs helped add some taste. Even if the meat was good, it had to be boiled to reduce the salt preservative to a level that was palletable. This boiling usually removed any flavour along with the salt. Herbs added some flavour. Herbs like Cardamom that only came from the mystical “Orient” were often worth more than gold, by weight.

Q: Do you have any ideas for the festivals of Michaelmas & Martinmas. They come so close together.

A: Our friend Renee was kind enough to share this story and idea for using it during the transition time between Michaelmas (September 29th) and Martinmas (November 11th). It really does fit well and is enjoyed by young children, who delight in helping to make the pancakes! (and YES, I have included the recipe!)

The Hungry Dragon

The dragon had not been out for days. It had been raining and he hated getting wet, but his stomach was growling. So, he went to the far corner of his cave and there, in his treasure chest, among gold coins and jewels, he found his rain boots, an old umbrella, and bucket for his cloudberries, special berries that grow in Norway.

He ventured outside. Looking up t the clouds and the pouring rain, he grumbled, “It’s miserable, but at least there aren’t any hunters out in this rain.” The dragon was afraid of hunters. Most of the dragons he had known had either been chased, like himself, into small caves high in the mountains or shot dead. There were no berries near  

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In Waldorf schools worldwide, there is a conscious effort to keep school snacks and meals as natural as possible. Most schools have a garden and encourage the growing of vegetable and the grinding of grain. Salads, fruits, nuts and simple soups are the staple of most schools. Rudolf Steiner gave many indications regarding the plant and animal kingdoms and proper nutrition for adults and children.

For further reading, we suggest:

• Foodways by Wendy Cook
• Nutrition by Rudolf Hauscka
• Nutrition 1 & 2 by Eugen Koliso
• Problems of Nutrition by Rudolf Steiner
• When a Child Is Born by Wilhelm zur Linden

“One thing must be thoroughly and fully recognized for this age in a child’s life: the physical body creates its own scale of measurement for what is beneficial to it. It does this by properly developing craving and desire. Generally speaking, we may say that the healthy physical body desires what is good for it. In the growing human being, so long that it is the physical body that is important, we should pay the closest attention to what healthy, craving desire and delight require. Pleasure and delight are the forces that most properly enliven and call forth the organs’ physical forms.

In this manner is is all too easy to do harm by failing to bring children into the proper physical relationship with their environment. This may happen especially in regard to their instincts for food. Children may be overfed with things that make them lose completely their healthy instinct for food, whereas by giving them the proper nourishment, the instinct can be preserved so that they always want what is wholesome for them under the circumstances.”

~Rudolf Steiner

For those of you who partake in cooked food, we also have the following resource available…

• Quality of the Fire & of the Cook

Consider This:

“A wise man, who still knew the secrets of the origin of the world, related; “From a giant arose Heaven and Earth – from his bones the rocks and stones; from his blood the rivers, seas and brooks; from his flesh the crumbly soil; from his hair the grass; the clouds from his thoughts; the wind from his breath. But from the heart of the giant arose the sun. Even today the giant body of Earth is sustained by the Sun as by a warmth-giving and loving heart.

After man came upon the earth, the plants were transformed. God willed that men should see as in a mirror a picture of themselves – the perfect as well as the imperfect – in he plants, which serve them also for nourishment and healing. For this reason the plants have become so many and so different.”

~The Living World of Plants by Dr. Gerbert Grohmann

Raw foods contain the sunlight energies that are stored in their tissues through the process of photosynthesis. He believed that the spiritual progress of humanity as a whole would be enhanced by a progressive increase in a vegetarian eating pattern. Conversely, he felt that a meat/flesh eating diet would exert a negative influence regarding an interest in spiritual life. According to Steiner, plants supply us with their store of the outer light of the sun, which stimulates our INNER light during the process of assimilation. The light released by the plant world helps to stimulate, form and maintain our nervous system. In this way, the taking in of plant food makes a cyclic connection of our inner light with the outer light of the solar system and plant world.

This is a common belief in the practice of Anthroposophical medicine. Steiner said “Nothing clouds the nervous system when nourishment comes from the plant realm. Humanity can more easily delve into the cosmic interrelationships which take place beyond the constricted limitation of the mundane personality.”

~ Rudolf Steiner

According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, “A strong solar resonance field promotes the evolution of humanity to reach our full potential as human ‘sun beings’. Light supports evolution, and a lack of photons in our bodies hinders it. Light and consciousness are interconnected. Rudolf Steiner taught that the release of the outer light into our systems stimulates the release of an equal amount of inner light within ourselves. The more we increase our ability to absorb and assimilate light, the more conscious we become. The more we transform ourselves by enhancing our absorption of light, the more we become that light.”

Source: Conscious Eating

Raw Foods Coaching & Support

Kytka and her family have been through all of the phases of being Vegetarian, Vegan and Raw. Kytka has done a tremendous amount of research into illness and it’s roots based upon dietary choices and she holds a Doctor of Naturopathy degree. Kytka provides a sharing of her vast resources, delicious recipes and most importantly, SUPPORT for your transition to a raw diet.

Her Raw dietary coaching rates begin at US $400  per month. Click to Inquire

Watch the Raising Kids Raw video, over 90 minutes of Kytka and her family!  www.RaisingKidsRaw.com

This page has several verses we used for Blessings and mealtime. But before I share those… some thoughts:

Cultivate Mindfulness.
See gratitude as a daily practice.
In pictures, words and songs,
let children express a grateful heart.

Gratitude & Reverence

Rudolf Steiner stated “If he sees that everyone who stands in some kind of relationship to him in the outer world shows gratitude for what he receives from this world; if, in confronting the outer world and wanting to imitate it, the child sees the kind of gestures that express gratitude, then a great deal is done towards establishing in him the right moral human attitude. Gratitude is what belongs to the first seven years of life.”

Steiner also wrote “If one observes children, who by a right upbringing, have developed a natural reverence for the grownups and their surroundings, and if one follows them through their various stages of life, one can discover that their feelings of reverence and devotion in childhood are gradually being transformed during the years leading to old age. A adults such persons may have a healing effect upon their fellow man so that by their mere presence, or through the tone of their voice, or perhaps by a single glance they can spread inner peace to others. Their presence can be a blessing because as children they have learned to venerate and to pray the right way. No hands can bless in old age, unless in childhood they have been folded in prayer.”

Of course, these qualities cannot be taught. They must be modeled by the adult and imitated by the young child. They must “live” within the parents.

(Source: Steiner Human Values & Education and The Renewal of Education)

Waldorf Teachers consider the Moral education of children to be one of their primary tasks. Gratitude, Love and Duty: Steiner asks that we sow the seeds and cultivate these three fundamental human virtues.

Children should say grace before each meal to express their reverence for the earth and her gifts….

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In Waldorf schools worldwide, there is a conscious effort to keep school snacks and meals as natural as possible. Most schools have a garden and encourage the growing of vegetable and the grinding of grain. Salads, fruits, nuts and simple soups are the staple of most schools. Rudolf Steiner gave many indications regarding the plant and animal kingdoms and proper nutrition for adults and children.

“One thing must be thoroughly and fully recognized for this age in a child’s life: the physical body creates its own scale of measurement for what is beneficial to it. It does this by properly developing craving and desire. Generally speaking, we may say that the healthy physical body desires what is good for it. In the growing human being, so long that it is the physical body that is important, we should pay the closest attention to what healthy, craving desire and delight require. Pleasure and delight are the forces that most properly enliven and call forth the organs’ physical forms.

In this manner it is all too easy to do harm by failing to bring children into the proper physical relationship with their environment. This may happen especially in regard to their instincts for food. Children may be overfed with things that make them lose completely their healthy instinct for food, whereas by giving them the proper nourishment, the instinct can be preserved so that they always want what is wholesome for them under the circumstances.” ~Rudolf Steiner

Consider This

“A wise man, who still knew the secrets of the origin of the world, related; “From a giant arose Heaven and Earth – from his bones the rocks and stones; from his blood the rivers, seas and brooks; from his flesh the crumbly soil; from his hair the grass; the clouds from his thoughts; the wind from his breath. But from the heart of the giant arose the sun. Even today the giant body of Earth is sustained by the Sun as by a warmth-giving and loving heart.  After man came upon the earth, the plants were transformed. God willed that men should see as in a mirror a picture of themselves – the perfect as well as the imperfect – in he plants, which serve them also for nourishment and healing. For this reason the plants have become so many and so different. ~ The Living World of Plants by Dr. Gerbert Grohmann

Steiner Said

Raw foods contain the sunlight energies that are stored in their tissues through the process of photosynthesis. He believed that the spiritual progress of humanity as a whole would be enhanced by a progressive increase in a vegetarian eating pattern. Conversely, he felt that a meat/flesh eating diet would exert a negative influence regarding an interest in spiritual life. According to Steiner, plants supply us with their store of the outer light of the sun, which stimulates our INNER light during the process of assimilation. The light released by the plant world helps to stimulate, form and maintain our nervous system. In this way, the taking in of plant food makes a cyclic connection of our inner light with the outer light of the solar system and plant world.

This is a common belief in the practice of Anthroposophical medicine. Steiner said “Nothing clouds the nervous system when nourishment comes from the plant realm. Humanity can more easily delve into the cosmic interrelationships which take place beyond the constricted limitation of the mundane personality.”

According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, “A strong solar resonance field promotes the evolution of humanity to reach our full potential as human ‘sun beings’. Light supports evolution, and a lack of photons in our bodies hinders it. Light and consciousness are interconnected. Rudolf Steiner taught that the release of the outer light into our systems stimulates the release of an equal amount of inner light within ourselves. The more we increase our ability to absorb and assimilate light, the more conscious we become. The more we transform ourselves by enhancing our absorption of light, the more we become that light.”  ~ Source: Conscious Eating

Recommended Reading

Raw Foods Coaching & Support

Kytka and her family have been through all of the phases of being Vegetarian, Vegan and Raw. Kytka has done a tremendous amount of research into illness and it’s roots based upon dietary choices and she holds a Doctor of Naturopathy degree and is a certified coach. Kytka provides a sharing of her vast resources, delicious recipes and most importantly, SUPPORT for your transition to a raw diet.  Learn more by visiting Health and Wealth Is Easy and/or the site of Dr. Kytka

Find Your Local Farmer’s Market – Directory by State

“To make good food choices in this society you almost have to be a fanatic! ”

- Investigative Report, A&E Network

Raw Foods in the 17th Century:

The following little snippet is from the famous late 17th century diary of Samuel Pepys… From Volume 7, written in 1666:

“… very pretty discourse of Dr. Charleton concerning Nature’s fashioning every creature’s teeth according to the food she intends them. And that man’s, it is plain, was not for flesh, but for fruit… the Doctor, I think, did well observe that creatures do naturally, and from the first, before they have had experience to try, do love such a food rather then another. And that all children love fruit, and none brought to flesh but against their wills at first.” [R. Latham and W. Matthews (eds.), The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Vol. 7 (London, 1971), pp. 223-224].

For further reading, we suggest the following books:

• Foodways by Wendy Cook
• Nutrition by Rudolf Hauscka
• Nutrition 1 & 2 by Eugen Koliso
• Problems of Nutrition by Rudolf Steiner
• When a Child Is Born by Wilhelm zur Linden

SOURCE: Ask Kytka Archives, March 3, 2002

Zanna loves to cook, write, blog and write poetry.

Learn more about Zanna at her new blog at: www.ZannaJezek.com

Zynnia loves to cook, create videos, blog and attend personal development events…

I sure do!

Here are a few of our favorite verses, a Sunday Bread story!

Enjoy!

Bread Making Verses:

* * * * * * * *

The farmer gave us golden grain
For us to grind and grind.
Now it’s flour brown and white,
Soft and very fine.
Add the water, yeast and honey,

Mix it with our hands.
When it’s soft and not too runny
Let it stand and stand.
Shape the dough into a loaf.
Put it in to cook.
When it’s crusty, crisp and brown,
We’ll have a look.

* * * * * * * *

Slice, slice, the bread looks nice.
Spread, spread butter on the bread.
On the top put jam so sweet,
Now it’s nice for us to eat.

* * * * * * * *

Bread is a lovely thing to eat.
God Bless the barley and the wheat.
A lovely thing to breathe is air.
God Bless the sunshine everywhere.
Earth is a lovely place to know.
God Bless the folk that come and go.
Alive is a lovely thing to be.
Giver of life we say: Bless Thee.

The Sunday Bread Story

In the town lives the baker. On Saturday he wants to bake. He takes a bowl and from his sack pours flour into it, and then he adds milk. He kneads and leaves it on the table to rise. Then he goes off to the garden to have a rest. He lies down under a tree and soon dreams his sweet baker’s dream.

The dough in the bowl rises, and rises over the edge and looks around and says: “Oh, how large the world is. I want to rise more and see the whole wide world:

I rise and rise, higher and high
I rise and rise to see the sky.”

And the dough rises up the chimney, and to the top of the chimney there he sings:

“I rise and rise, higher and high
I rise and rise to see the sky.”

The song awakens the baker. He looks up, sees the dough on the chimney and says; “What are you doing up there?” – “I want to see the whole wide world.” says the dough. ‘Well, I will help you to see the whole wide world, come down.”

The dough comes down and goes back into the bowl. Then the baker takes the dough, adds raisins and nuts and divides the mixture into pieces. He rolls each piece out and kneads it and kneads it. Then he puts the loaves on the baking tray and pushes them into the oven. When they are baked golden brown and crisp, he lays them into his basket and goes into the street, where he calls out:

“Sunday bread, Sunday bread,
Baked with nuts and raisins red.”

Doors open and children come running along and say: “A Sunday loaf, please.” – “Yes, here you are,” says the baker. “A Sunday loaf please!” – “Yes”, says the baker and shares out the loaves of bread. The children say: “Thank you,” and skip away. Then the baker looks into his basket and says: “And now my dough has gone into the whole wide world!” and he goes home.

Bread Baking Verse

Lads and maidens, fair and strong,
to the baker: come along!
Early in the morning hour
bring the meal and bring the flour,
coarse or fine – corn or wheat,
makes delicious bread to eat.
But whatever you may bring,
don’t forget the seasoning:
put in salt and caraway,
anise seed or sesame,
mix it well to make the dough,
yeast and water make it grow.
Keep it warm and let it rest
For to rise – that is the best.
Now you knead with might and main,
knead it over and over again,
shape a round loaf, roll or bun,
stretch a long loaf – easy done.
Stroke them well with water clear,
gentle hands are welcome here.
In the oven’s steady glow
to be baked the bread must go,
basking there like in the sun,
getting brown until it’s done.

*Special Thanks to Miss Michelle for sharing this story & verse.

Please visit the following pages to learn more…

• Child’s Food for Life – A look at diet in relation to Waldorf Education
• Steiner on Vegetarianism
• Steiner Speaks on Nutrition
• Cooking Measurement Equivalents

Recommended Reading:

• The Tassajara Bread Book:   This book is the Bible of bread books – and all of the Waldorf schools I have been in contact with use the dough recipes from this wonderful little book.   Highly Recommended!
• The Waldorf Book of Breads:  What child doesn’t like to feel and knead bread dough, watch it rise, and then taste it fresh from the oven? Not only is such hands-on sensory experience fun for everyone, it is also invaluable to young children as they continue to incarnate into our world. These recipes have been handed down by grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and friends. They are easy to follow and encourage the baker, young and older alike, to use the best possible ingredients, making bread once again the healthy “staff of life” it once was. The Waldorf Book of Breads includes tasty breads for the daily table and specialty breads for the seasons and special occasions.
• The Waldorf Cookbook: The Waldorf Cookbook is a collection of recipes from Waldorf Schools, teachers, and parents all over the world. These recipes are the most cherished in the Waldorf tradition, and hand selected by Waldorf Schools around the globe. Inside The Waldorf Cookbook you will find wholesome, natural recipes to fill your home with health and harmony. These recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, crossing oceans and mountains to find their way into your family’s home. There is nothing like an old-fashioned recipe, one that has a history and has been nourishing the hearts and minds of the world for ages. This is what the Waldorf Cookbook brings to you.

In Waldorf schools worldwide, there is a conscious effort to keep school snacks and meals as natural as possible. Most schools have a garden and encourage the growing of vegetable and the grinding of grain. Salads, fruits, nuts and simple soups are the staple of most schools. Rudolf Steiner gave many indications regarding the plant and animal kingdoms and proper nutrition for adults and children…

For further reading, we suggest the following books:

• Foodwise: Understanding What We Eat and How It Affects Us : The Story of Human Nutrition by Wendy Cook
• The Biodynamic Food & Cookbook: Real Nutrition That Doesn’t Cost the Earth by Wendy Cook
• Nutrition by Rudolf Hauscka
• Problems of Nutrition by Rudolf Steiner
• Nutrition: Food, Health, and Spiritual Development by Rudolf Steiner
• When a Child Is Born by Wilhelm zur Linden
• Instinctive Eating: The Lost Knowledge of Optimum Nutrition A charming, unique confession of one mans radical transformation through eating exclusively whole raw foods. Zephyr delves boldly into the organismic core of our relationship with food, unearthing a diet that is profoundly pleasurable, truly healthy, and utterly ecological. He completes his vision by integrating instinctive eating with permaculture and tribal community. Instructive, inspirational, idealistic, yet clearly practical.

“One thing must be thoroughly and fully recognized for this age in a child’s life: the physical body creates its own scale of measurement for what is beneficial to it. It does this by properly developing craving and desire. Generally speaking, we may say that the healthy physical body desires what is good for it. In the growing human being, so long that it is the physical body that is important, we should pay the closest attention to what healthy, craving desire and delight require. Pleasure and delight are the forces that most properly enliven and call forth the organs’ physical forms.

In this manner it is all too easy to do harm by failing to bring children into the proper physical relationship with their environment. This may happen especially in regard to their instincts for food. Children may be overfed with things that make them lose completely their healthy instinct for food, whereas by giving them the proper nourishment, the instinct can be preserved so that they always want what is wholesome for them under the circumstances.” ~Rudolf Steiner

Please DO eat the flowers:
Do you know that many types of flowers are not only edible but delicious too!

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