DOING THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY

Some of my interests include cooking, herbalism, and reading. Sometimes these interests intersect in unusual ways. I have found some very different perspectives in my search for books that include my interests. I'd like to share a few of these.

I was searching for a good pie recipe when I came across this:

Snitz Pie

1 gal apple butter                   1 c. brown sugar

3 gal applesauce                     1 tbsp. salt

2 1/2 c tapioca

   Mix well (no heating needed) and then put into unbaked shells.

Bake at 350 degrees. Makes enough filling for about 30 pies.

Pie Dough

6 lb flour                               3 lb. lard

1/2 c brown sugar                 1 1/2 tbsp. salt

1/4 c baking powder

   Yields about 18 pies.

Hmm. Do I double the dough or halve the filling?!

There is also a recipe for Snitz for Pies;

   Put one bushel apples through apple peeler, but don't use peeler, just use slicer and corer. One bushel fills a 12 quart, 8 quart, and 6 quart. Set on top of woodstove for 12 to 18 hours or until apples are soft. Do not add water. Put through Victoria strainer or ricer and add:

3 tbsp. cinnamon                2 tbsp. allspice

1 1/2 tsp. salt                      15 c. sugar

          Makes 9 to 10 quarts. Cool pack for 20 minutes.

I'd better set aside a weekend for this project!

Another fascinating find came about when seeking more books on herbs and natural remedies.

Under Receipts (I think they are referring to recipes):

No. 20. - For Palsy.

   First let the patient thoroughly cleanse the blood with burdock root, then take one ounce of umbril, called lady slipper, half pound of angle worms, half pint of spirits turpentine, fourth of a pound of lobelia seed, one ounce oil origanum, one ounce oil of spruce, one ounce oil of cinnamon, four green frogs alive, put these all in a stone vessel, under a heap of rotten manure, well stopped up for ten days, then take it out and strain it, and rub the afflicted parts with it, and wrap the parts in flannel as warm as can be borne, let the patient drink plenty of sage, pennyroyal, or horsemint tea, for a constant drink, and I warrant them a speedy cure.

No. 94.- For the cure of the Epilepsy.

   Take some of the after birth of a woman, wash and pound it well, after mix it with rye flour, in order to make bread with it, and bake it in an oven, the patient must take the weight of half an ounce of it, to eat, morning and evening, every first day of the first quarter of the moon.

   The most part of the remedies that have been given for the apoplexy, may also be used in this case; therefore, they may be resorted to when necessary.

I'd like to think that maybe an apple a day will keep the doctor away!!!