Bird Nest

Carry On

I don't know why it has taken me so very long to set up this space (I'm speaking of the window ledge...) in my house.  Well, I do know that this window needs to be opened during much of the year (hello, old house with no ventilation system!) and this ledge is so tiny.  But I'm putting my foot down.  This need for mama-soothing is bigger than the need to easily throw open a window.  I need this space to hold on to when my boat is sinking, when I'm being pulled under by the lashing current of mama-bear anger.  Too often in the day, I'm finding myself faced with the demons that motherhood has exposed.  I get angry.  I get mean.  I hold off from displaying this to my boys for too long and then I bust.  And so, now this space, to help me remember.  Shocking how we need such screaming reminders to tell ourselves to BREATHE. 

When I'm feeling my top spin, or even when I don't notice in the slightest the simmering and brewing that is occurring, I step over to the sink to wash one more spoon and I see this reminder.  I could come up with 200 such reminders, cliches, quotes but this one is working for me for now.

Perhaps a garland of beeswax-ed autumn leaves will grace this space tomorrow.  Or perhaps that seasonal craft will slide one more day as I hum along, washing dishes, keeping calm and carrying on.

Shall We Wait Until It Rots?

I've fallen back into one of my "things".  (One of those things I dive deep into, and often walk away, sometime just step to the side and come back another time.) 

The book Nourishing Traditions has shifted my thoughts on food.  I should say some of this is aspirational, but slowly I am bringing more of these traditional food practices into our daily lives.  After attending a few recent workshops on cooking with grains and dairy, I've been re-inspired to get back on the "NT" wagon.  It can be challenging in some areas to find sources for pastured animal products and raw dairy, but luckily in Portland we have a few options.  (We love the products we've purchased from this farm.)

It's exhilarating to experiment with these traditional food methods.  Strange that they have become so foreign to us in such a short history in our culture.  Soaking grains.  Fermenting.  Culturing dairy.  Fun stuff!

Here is our pantry, with a full shelf of whole grains.  Currently rotating is sorghum, farro, wheat berries, rye berries, oat groats, quinoa, millet and spelt berries.  These grains are soaked overnight before cooking, in water or dairy (whey).

Sometimes these grains are ground by hand before we soak them.  We have been testing cookies, scones and pancakes all with fresh ground (and soaked) grains.  This is so fun with kids!  And frankly, I find it adds something interesting to the process as well, just to know that you have ground it all by hand.

 

Here is our first batch of pickles - or fermented cucumbers.  No vinegar - these are left out to soak in salt water and ferment for 3 days.  Even jbird enjoyed these.  surprise.

Using raw milk cream, we made fresh butter and buttermilk, just by shaking in a jar.  

  

Making kefir from the raw milk.  This has been the most challenging process to get right.  I'm still working on this one and figuring out how to keep the kefir grains "happy" and yet not be overrun by kefir-making.

Brewing Kombucha.  This is amazing, and easy, and yes, that is the scary thing you see floating in the jar.  I know.  It's usually covered by a cloth though - so there is that.  Also next to the kombucha is the fermented beets and a second batch of pickles.  yum.

And finally - yogurt cheese (farm cheese) and it's by-product; whey.  Whey is useful in traditional foods to use for soaking grains and pickling.  See, full circle here.

So,  in sum.  Lots of cultured foods.  Lots of raw.  Lots of fermenting.  It's nice to let something "go" naturally.  Also in my fridge, but not photographed is fresh chicken broth and duck broth and duck fat.  The mason jars in our fridge are about to get frightening.  Perhaps already so.  Happy digestion.