Cooking Needles
cooking needles
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Taylor Classic Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer $2.99 This thermometer instantly ascertains the temperature of foods, whether they’re on the buffet line or being cooked. Its 1-inch dial, protected by a shatterproof plastic lens, displays temperatures from 0 to 220 degrees F. The thermometer comes with a pocket case and has a 5-inch stainless-steel stem. Should it seem to be off kilter, the thermometer can be recalibrated by twisting the hexagonal hub… |
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Jaccard Supertendermatic 48-Blade Tenderizer $19.95 Original multi-blade hand-held meat tenderizer. Maximized cooking results from less expensive cuts of meat… |
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Bayou Classic 5011 2-Ounce Stainless-Steel Seasoning Injector with Marinade Needles $15.45 Features: 2 ounce capacity. 304 Stainless steel construction that will not rust. Comes with two needles – one perforated and one solid…. |
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G & F BladeX5 Classic Cut and Slash Resistant Gloves, Grey … |
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Straight 8 Thanksgiving Turkey Trussing Needle Cooking Kitchen $14.99 8″ Trussing Needle New to Thanksgiving turkey duty this year? Or maybe even a long time turkey cooking expert! Either way, a trussing needle is an essential tool for getting the Turkey evenly cooked to perfection. Your turkey will taste so good you may get more than you bargained for—getting asked to cook it again next year! Made of Stainless Steel. |
Another way of making a Pine, Spruce, Sapa Needle TEA!!
Eating Wild — Spruce Bud Tips
I seldom had colds, or head and stomach aches as a child. It was an act of self-defence, because my father had a home remedy for any ailment. One of the most unpleasant and, consequently, effective, was his one-two-three punch for coughs, congestion or sniffles.
His first line of attack was Seneca root, chewed. I could have been the poster-boy for Buckleys cough syrup. It tasted awful, but it worked! For a deep-rooted cough, Doctor Dad prescribed a mustard poultice, mixed with dried plantain leaves applied to the chest. The mustard was the real thing, not some wimpy domestic mustard, with the seeds ground fine and boiled to a paste. It stung, and left a lasting red welt where the poultice was applied. But, it, too, seemed to work its magic in a day or so. His third offensive thrust against colds – more preventive than curative – was spruce bud tea.
The phrase, “spruce buds” sounds almost delicate and inviting. But how many of us have seen spruce flowers, so, in fact, spruce “buds” clearly is a misnomer. The spruce buds are those tips of the spruce branches that emerge in spring, a slightly bluish colour compared to the medium green of the older needles. In theory, those buds are at their most tender. Good thing, because in a matter of weeks after the last of the snow, the tough adult needles are sufficiently solid to stitch up a deep cut!
Spruce needles are exceptionally high in Vitamin C. The natives of North America were aware of this, and often picked spruce and other conifer needles to boil as a tea. The spruce was a valuable winter source of food, even in the mid to high latitudes of Canada’s prairies and northern Ontario. It is a testament to the endurance and fortitude of our North American founders!
But Dad knew how to make spruce tips palatable, in many ways. (He just chose not to do so, when providing us with a cold “remedy.” His belief was that if the cure was more distasteful than the illness, one’s body would surely learn to reject a cold in order to not have to accept a cure. It was his own aversion therapy.)
Spruce tips can be made into an acceptable, if not delicious tea, with nothing more than some sweetener. The bitter citrus taste takes on the flavour of a green tea with a slight grapefruit aftertaste.
As a spice with wild game, there is nothing quite like spruce needles. Use them like you would rosemary (another evergreen) on venison, goose and moose meat, rubbing a generous amount of needles into the surface of the meat, along with crushed blueberries or saskatoons and dried morels. You won’t find better in any restaurant.
Even more inviting is candied spruce tips. Mix 2 cups of needles with one cup of granulated sugar, and either bake on a cookie sheet at 225-250 degrees for 45 minutes, or cook in the top pot of a double boiler. Carry them with you on a winter hike for energy and nutrition.
Although early spring is the best time to harvest and consume spruce tips, conifer needles can provide emergency food during all four seasons, as well as a warm underlay for your sleeping bag when camping outdoors year round, or as a great fire starter.
About the Author
Bob Lee is a former business developer and owner of Biz Dynamics (www.bizdynamics.ca). His wife, Janice, is currently employed as a casual customer service representative for a national bank, and is gradually “giving up her day job” to work with Bob on developing their small market garden and dream home — a yurt in the backwoods. Janice & Bob began their “living green and lean” journey in 2006. Visit us at our blog, http://movingtoayurt.blogspot.com/
can i use pine needles and wood chips for mulch?
i heard it is very acidy, is this true, my soil is naturally limey so will the acid eventually leave. i have no worry about it breaking down as it has already started to “cook” after just a day
When I lived in Virginia I had 18 pine trees in my yard. I used the needles as mulch for years. Worked really well. My mom, an expert gardener, also uses pine needles. Both of us had a lot of plants that thrived in acidic soil. I have never used wood chips for mulch, but I know that they pull nitrogen from the soil when they are decomposing, which can cause problems for shallow rooted or young plants. Wood chips can be composted with no problems, however. Once they have rotted they are a good soil amendment.
In this day and age, most of us are searching for ways to simplify our lives, including making mealtimes easier to deal with and enjoyable for all in the family. It’s gotten to the point where many people have turned to frozen foodstuffs in order to save time and energy! I don’t know about you, but for me the mere thought of keeping a stock of frozen items, checking to see which ones are still fit to be used, all while planning 3 square meals is disturbing! As an alternative, I think crock pot cooking is a fabulous idea.... Click here to read the rest of the article: The Joys of Cooking!
