PecanSpringsJournal

>>chinaberry beads

Around Pecan Springs, the chinaberry trees (Melia azedarach) are turning golden and their berries hang on the trees like small golden balls. This is what the berries (more accurately: drupes) look like, up close and personal.

This fast-growing, drought-tolerant tree (a relative of India's famous neem tree) came to the United States from Asia as an ornamental back in the 1880s, and has spread across the country. In fact, in some areas chinaberry (also called an umbrella tree, for its arching canopy of lacy green leaves) is considered invasive. It grows in clumps, sometimes occupying habitats that native trees enjoy, and may crowd out the natives.

We have a chinaberry here at the shop, and I always point it out to visitors as an herbal tree--especially in the spring, when it is covered with light lavender-pink blossoms. From a distance, the tree seems to be enveloped in a cloud of lilac smoke. The berries persist throughout the winter, giving the tree a lovely silhouette against a dark winter sky.

In the far East, this tree plays a role in herbal medicine: its bark is emetic and has been used to treat intestinal parasites. It is also thought to have anti-viral and anti-cancer properties, although there is no scientific confirmation of this. A strong tea made from ground seeds or bark, mixed with water and dishwashing liquid and sprayed on grass, has been used as a flea and insect repellent. (Birds don't seem to be affected by the toxicity, although they may get drunk on the fermented berries.)

I like to demonstrate another use for chinaberries: making a bead necklace. In India, this tree is called the Bead Tree, and its seeds are valued for their use as beads. If you have chinaberry trees, you might want to try your hand at making beads. Boil the berries (they're toxic, so use a pan that you don't use to cook with) to soften and remove the fleshy covering. Drain. When they're dry, they'll turn a soft bone-white. You can dye them with food coloring or fabric dye--a quarter teaspoon in a half cup of hot water will do the trick. (In the photo, I've dyed the red with fabric dye, the blue with Wilton's food coloring.) The hardest part is drilling the center hole without cracking the seed. I use a Dremel drill with a 1-2 mm bit (be careful!), and position the berry in a small vise to hold it. String on waxed linen thread or filament, alone or with other beads.

Other seeds make beautiful botanical beads: Job's tears, castor beans, datura, acorns, melons. And of course, there are rose beads, made from rose petals. Check out the directions in the May 20th entry in the Book of Days.

Herb writer Susan Belsinger has written an article about Ruth J. Smith's fascinating collection, part of which Smith donated to Kew Gardens. The article will give you some ideas for experimenting with seed beads and starting your own collection.

Have you made seed beads? Have a story to tell, or information to offer? Share by posting a comment.

And drop in next Monday (the day before the mid-term elections), when I'll be posting on Election Cake!

>>Ruby's post: Scorpio herbs

Today, the Sun enters the sign of Scorpio. In early times, Scorpio was ruled by the planet Mars; now, it is considered to be ruled by Pluto. (If you're worried that Pluto's recent demotion from planet status to "dwarf planet" will change your astrological signature, read this explanation of why it won't.)

In China's Book of Days, you'll find an interesting entry for October 23, about Scorpio herbs. (Don't tell anybody, but China didn't write that entry--I did! In fact, I wrote all the pieces about herbs and astrology that appear in China's book. It's one of my special interests, along with Tarot and the I Ching, things like that. If you've ever visited my shop, The Crystal Cave, you'll understand.)

Until a few hundred years ago, the idea of writing about astrology and herbs together would have seemed perfectly natural. In earlier times, people saw all things as parts of one coherent whole. They applied their understanding of one aspect of the cosmos—the planets, say—to all other parts: the plants and animals, as well as the human body. In this scheme of things, certain herbs were classified as “belonging” to certain planets. So if you were born under that planet’s influence, or if you had some sort of ailment related to that planet, you would have a special interest in those herbs.

Scorpio is said to rule the process of catabolism and anabolism, the continuous death and regeneration of body cells, and cleansing and the elimination of toxins. Pluto’s regenerative and transforming influence also manifests itself in the sexual union (Mars rules sexual desire). So Scorpio herbs are those that help to cleanse, rejuvenate, and restore. They include (among others):

• Ginseng. The Chinese value ginseng above most other herbal remedies, using it as a general tonic, restorative, and aphrodisiac. Research suggests that ginseng combats stress and fatigue and may counteract the effects of toxins.
• Wormwood, southernwood, and other artemisias have been used to cleanse the body of intestinal parasites.
• Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) and blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) are traditional remedies for regularizing the menstrual cycles.
• Aloe vera has a laxative effect, cleaning the liver and kidneys. Used externally, the gel (which contains allantoin) helps to heal and regenerate tissue.
• Dong Quai root is a general tonic for menstrual cramps, irregular cycles, and menopause. It is also used as a blood purifier.

Even if you don't believe in a connection between the planets and plants and think this is all silly superstition, perhaps you'll find the history of this belief interesting.

Wonderful tales had our fathers of old--
Wonderful tales of the herbs and stars--
The Sun was Lord of the Marigolds,
Basil and Rocket belonged to Mars.
Put as a sum in division it goes--
(Every planet had a star bespoke)--
Who but Venus should govern the Rose?
Who but Jupiter own the Oak?
--Rudyard Kipling, "Our Fathers of Old"

>>saffron in your garden

Yes, you can grow saffron--the most prized of spices--in your garden. In fact, if you spot a few purple crocuses blooming now among the last of the fall flowers, they may be Crocus sativa, or saffron.

But restrain your enthusiasm, please. Each blossom yields only three stigma (known as saffron threads). It takes 13,000-14,000 threads to make an ounce (worth about $70), and the process of picking, sorting, and storing the spice is long and laborious. Growing your own saffron is definitely not a get-rich-quick scheme.

But it's fun, and as easy as growing other flowers from bulbs. To get saffron flowers in October, plant the corms, or bulbs, between June and September. (Buy from a nursery you trust, and be sure you get the true Crocus, not Colchicum, sometimes sold as "Autumn crocus." These have six stigma, not three.) Start with a few and divide and replant after they have bloomed. The corms thrive in a hot, dry summer, and do best in a well-drained, friable soil that isn't too rich. If the ground freezes in your area, you might want to dig your corms, overwinter in a dry, cool place, and replant the following summer. 

Twenty-five bulbs can produce about half a tablespoon of saffron threads the first year, more thereafter. You can cook with the fresh saffron threads immediately, or you can dry and store them. Dry on paper towels in a warm place for several days, then place in an airtight container. You'll find some helpful how-to-use tips here.

Don't want to grow it? You can buy saffron in the spice section of your grocery. (Here is a good photo of what you're looking for.) And here is my favorite never-any-leftover paella recipe:

China Bayles' Spanish Paella

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 bacon slices, chopped

6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 7-ounce jar roasted diced pimentos with juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
8 oz. bottled clam juice
3/4 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 pound cleaned squid, bodies cut into 1/2-inch rings
18 large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined

6 clams, scrubbed
6 mussels, debearded and scrubbed
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot. Add chopped bacon and cook about 6 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bacon drippings in pot and cook over medium heat until brown, about 7 minutes per side. Take out the chicken and set aside. Add onions, celery, and garlic to pot and saute until it begins to brown, 8-10 minutes. Stir in rice, pimentos, and saffron. Add clam juice and chicken stock to pot and bring mixture to simmer. Remove from heat.

Pour rice mixture into baking dish. Arrange chicken, shrimp, squid, clams and mussels (in their shells) on top. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and peas. Cover and bake about 45 minutes, until rice is tender, chicken is cooked through, and clams and mussels have opened. (Discard any that don't open.)  Serve with lemon wedges to 6 ravenous diners.

"For those at death's doore and almost past breathing saffron bringeth breath again."--John Gerard, Herbal, 1597

For more saffron history and lore, read the October 16th entry in The Book of Days.

>>herbal sushi?

Herbal sushi? You bet! Actually, sushi has always been about herbs--we just don't think of it that way.

Sushi is that wonderful Japanese treat: a roll of seaweed-wrapped rice with a savory filling. Traditionally, sushi is filled with raw fish (tuna is a favorite), but since coming to America, the fillings have undergone a transformation. Now, you'll find just about anything in the center: turkey, avacado, cream cheese, ham, and on and on, deliciously.

Did you know that the traditional sushi wrapper, nori, is an herb? It's a particular kind of algae, Porphyra, that has long been valued in the Orient for its nutritional and therapeutic qualities. So the next time you make sushi, think of it as an herbal rice roll--which may give you some ideas for including herbs in your own unique kind of sushi. Or if you don't fancy a traditional sushi (or if your soul-mate refuses to eat algae), try a different wrapper: lettuce leaves, tortillas, or one of the colored soy wrappers available in supermarkets.

The sushi I made last weekend, pictured above, features whole basil leaves wrapped around cucumber, grated carrot, and fresh raw tuna, encased in a rice and nori roll. I made another roll with shrimp, and another with crab. Served with wasabi (Japanese horseradish, grated and made into a paste) and pickled ginger, the sushi was a tasty hit. And perhaps you know that wasabi (like our own American horseradish) has been used to treat sinus infections, sore throat, and lung problems, and that ginger helps to settle the stomach. All in all, an herbal delight, and good for you, too.

For easy instructions on how to make sushi, visit this great site, which also offers plenty of ideas for various fillings. For herbal sushi with a difference, try this dessert sushi, which features ginger. And of course, there's always chocolate (which is an herb, naturally).

Shall we file this under "Playing with your food can be fun"?

Don't forget--the Book of Days is now available. Lots of herb lore, crafting, recipes, and growing tips!

>>today's the day!

Seems like we've been waiting forever...and for some of us, that's almost true. Susan started thinking about The Book of Days over ten years ago, back when we were publishing "China's Garden," the print newsletter. (Every now and then, Susan says she runs into somebody who has all those old back issues--probably a collectible by now!) So today is a happy day for all of us. The book is here, and it's absolutely gorgeous. Thanks to all the folks at Berkley for making it possible, and to Peggy Turchette for her beautiful art work. We can't stop oohing and ahhing over the lovely pages.

There's a mystery connected with this book, though, and although the best and the brightest of the Pecan Springs amateur detectives have tried, none of us have been able to figure out what happened. Susan has posted a page that will give you all the clues, and maybe you can come up with the right answer!

In the meantime, you can read excerpts from the book on its website. If your fall roses are still in bloom, there are instructions for rose potpourri. If you're into herb lore, you can find out what herb will make you invisible. And if the autumn evenings tempt you to make popcorn, try out some of McQuaid's favorite popcorn sprinkles.

Susan and I hope you'll like our book as much as we do, and that you'll want to have a copy for yourself and for all your friends. And don't forget--when you purchase through the book's website, you'll be supporting the work of the Story Circle Network, Susan's favorite nonprofit organization!