I have used yogurt for marinating various meats and it suddenly occurred to me that kombucha would make a good marinade. It did, the meat was so soft, it just melted in our mouths. This recipe is fantastic. The rosemary comes gently through the meat–it is just amazing how well rosemary goes with lamb.

Serves 2

• 2 lamb shanks (grass-fed is best!)
• 1/2 c kombucha (or thereabouts)
• 2 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
• 3 toes garlic, minced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 c meat stock
• 4 carrots, medium dice
• 1/2 lb green beans, cut into pieces

Method: Place the lamb shanks into a dish and cover them with the kombucha, add the rosemary and garlic and roll the shanks around. Place in fridge overnight.

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This recipe is adapted from D. Mary’s recipe for Cucumbers in Jars on page 75 in the book Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning

• 1 1/2 T sea salt per quart (litre) of water
• unchlorinated water
• small handful fennel seeds
• 6-10 black peppercorns
• 1 T mustard seeds
• 5-7 cloves
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 8-10 small to medium sized cucumbers, washed
• dill flower heads and leaves
• small handful of coriander seeds
• clean jars with canning tops
• 1 horseradish root, sliced (to keep cucumbers firm)

Method: Add the salt to a bottle of transmogrified water and shake it until it dissolves. Give your cucumbers a good wash and put the spices and garlic into the jar. Pierce the cucumbers with a fork a few times so the brine will penetrate into them. Squeeze the cucumbers upright into the jar (with the horseradish) and place the dill on top.

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serves 4. This refreshing and balancing salad will cool you down on a hot summer day.

• 2 bulbs fennel, sliced as thin as possible and placed in ice water while preparing remaining ingredients
• 1 bu fenugreek leaves, chopped (1c)
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 2 t lemon juice
• 1 t harissa
• 1 lg garlic clove
• salt and pepper

Method: Toss together. Taste. Adjust flavor.

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Method: Crush walnuts and garlic together. Add salt, pepper and onions. Mix with vinegar and parsley.

Serve with fish, poultry or vegetables.

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“It is truth, garlic gives man youth.”

–cry of 5th century Greek garlic street hawkers

Allium sativum has been called many things from bountiful bulb to poor man’s treacle

Liliaceae: Lily Family. The other members of this family-the onion and leek, also contain many of the same compounds that are in garlic to a lesser degree and are therefore used quite similarly in most cases.

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Garlic is the name given to the leek (herb) with gar (spear) shaped leaves and phallic flowers. Perhaps referring to the belief that garlic imparts warlike properties and raises passion. Its Latin name Allium sativum is derived from al = burning, sativum= harvested. It is uncertain exactly where it originated but it is believed to be from either Central Asia and/or Siberia.

William Harvey who published a revolutionary book The Motion of Blood in 1628, was intrigued by a folk remedy for colds which placed a clove of garlic in the stockings overnight. This generally led to the smell of garlic on the patient’s breath the next morning, and reinforced his ideas of how blood circulated around the body. The other well-known connection between garlic and blood is the herb’s traditional property of repelling vampires.

Garlic was also reported to destroy a magnet’s power of attraction. Galen described it as the rustic’s theriac, (meaning heal-all or antidote to poison). Garlic has been used for thousands of years for both culinary and medicinal purposes all over the world.

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This is really easy to make and handy to have in the kitchen. A mainstay in Burmese kitchens it results in two great additions for salads. Crispy golden fried garlic and garlic-turmeric infused oil.

Method: Peel and slice thinly as much garlic as you would like to have available. I suggest 2 heads of garlic to make the exercise worthwhile.

• Fill a heavy bottomed pan with enough oil to deep fry the garlic.
• Add a teaspoon or so of turmeric
• When it starts to sizzle slightly add the garlic
• Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the garlic. It is quite easy to burn at this point
• When it begins to get golden and before it starts turning black, quickly take the garlic out of the oil and drain on paper towels
• Allow to cool and store it in an air-tight jar. This crispy fried garlic will keep indefinitely stored in this manner
• When the oil has cooled store it in a jar in a cool place

Use it for flavoring your hand-tossed Burmese salads!

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Garlic cloves are used as a remedy for infections (especially chest problems), digestive disorders, and fungal infections such as thrush.

For Colds and Flu: At the faintest sign of sore throat, running nose, or aching bones, simply peel a clove of fresh garlic, cut it in half and place one-half in each cheek, allowing the juice to be absorbed in the saliva and pervade the system. Or place garlic cloves in your stockings before going to bed.

To Mask Garlic Breath: The odor can be masked by use of anise, cinnamon, or caraway seeds; chew these with a little parsley.

Wound Healing: Decocted garlic extracts that are left to set overnight are very effective in healing wounds.

Garlic Bandage: Fresh grated garlic or expressed juice may be put directly on any external wound or infection.

Garlic Cough Medicine: Fill jar with peeled and sliced garlic. Cover with a mixture of equal parts of raw cider vinegar and water. Let stand 4-5 hours, strain and add an equal amount of honey. Chill, shake well before use. Use 1 Tablespoon 3 or 4 times a day.

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A feast is not a feast unless to begin Each guest is given ample Toes of Garlic, That finest aphrodisiac To whet his appetite for later revelry

Quintus Horace (65-8BC)

Garlic has been used for thousands of years all over the planet for health, strength and protection in man and animal. If this doesn’t prove it’s power what does? It’s antioxidant properties help to keep away cancer of the digestive system, keeping the blood clean and the toxins moving out of our system. Also good for respiratory–detoxifying our lungs and strengthening our mucous lining with beneficial bacteria.

Digesting our food is key to being healthier and happier, bacteria and yeasts help us to do this and garlic helps to keep the balance. The smell is also a part of the key to garlic, as people used to merely hang garlic from their rafters, over their beds, or around their necks for protection from vampires and evil bloodsucking creatures that drain your life force….

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This sophisticated hand-tossed salad is a signature Burmese dish. Not only is it simple, delicious and quick to prepare but it is also inexpensive. Dice it to create a tasty bruchetta topping. Add green chilis for extra kick. Go ahead! Try it! It is also very nourishing and a great side-dish for rice. Recipe

Ingredients: tomatoes, onions, garlic and turmeric oil, cabbage, peanuts, lime, coriander, sesame seeds, fish sauce or salt and green chilis.

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