China Bayles' Book of Days

by Susan Wittig Albert

  • Catmint (Nepeta mussinii). I prefer to grow catmint rather than catnip—the blooms are prettier, and my cat enjoys it just as much. She rarely bothers plants I grow from seed. Sow 4 inches apart, thin to 12 inches.

  • Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum). My favorite is the “slow-bolt” variety. Cilantro doesn’t transplant well, so outdoor sowing is best. Plant 1-2 inches apart, thin to 4 inches. Planting every two weeks will give you cilantro all summer long. The blossoms are nice in salads, the spicy leaves a must for salsa. A staple in Southwestern cuisine.

  • Dill (Anethum graveolens). Fresh dill leaves are wonderful with grilled salmon, eggs, and salads, and the seeds are an essential ingredient in pickles. I grow the shorter variety, ‘Fernleaf,’ although many people prefer the old-fashioned taller varieties for flavor.

  • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Great for bees, a necessity for herbal teas.

  • Parsley (Petroselinum crispum). I’m partial to the curly, crispy varieties. Try it as a border plant, and as close to the kitchen door as possible.

  • Sage (Salvia officinalis). Is a perennial, but starting new plants every year ensures that you will have plenty. The gray-green leaves (or try the attractive tricolor sage) make it an attractive landscape plant. I like a variety called ‘Berggarten,’ which has larger leaves and a softer taste.

  • Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus). I love the bright, cheerful colors. And did you know that you can pickle the seeds and use them like capers? ‘Dwarf Jewel’ is a favorite in my garden.

  Read more about good beginnings, from an expert herbalist:

  Growing Herbs from Seed, Cutting & Root, by Thomas DeBaggio

  You may yet slip Lavender, Thyme, Peneroyal, Sage, Rosemary etc., and the oftener you clip and cut them, the more will they thrive.

  —JOHN EVELYN, 1620-1706

  In the floral calendar, today’s flower: greater stitchwort (dead man’s bones).

  APRIL 16

  Today is National Stress Awareness Day (appropriate, since yesterday was National Send-in-Your-Taxes Day).

  You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry, and stop to smell the flowers along the way.

  —WALTER HAGEN

  Stressed? Use Some Scents!

  Remember those lacy lavender-filled sachets your grandmother tucked under her pillow? And the soft scent of roses from the necklace of rose beads that your great-aunt loved to wear? Now, scientists are learning that roses and lavender don’t just smell good, they’re therapeutic, and especially helpful in relieving stress. In other words, aromatherapy. Here are some fragrances you can use—in a bath, massage, aroma lamp, compress, or facial steam—to reduce the stress of your everyday life. And if you need to lower the stress of commuting, place a few drops of essential oil on a tissue or scent diffuser and stow it in the car, renewing as necessary.

  FRAGRANCES THAT SOOTHE

  • chamomile, for sleeplessness, depression, irritability

  • eucalyptus, for mental fatigue, emotional stress

  • jasmine, for anxiety, fearfulness, tension

  • lavender, for sleeplessness, nervousness, depression

  • orange, for apprehension, nervous tension

  • rose, for depression, irritability

  • ylang-ylang, for sleeplessness, nervous tension

  Read more about the uses of fragrance:

  The Aromatherapy Book: Applications and Inhalations, by Jeanne Rose

  The Aromatherapy Companion, by Victoria H. Edwards

  If odours may worke satisfaction, they are so soveraigne in plants and so comfortable that no confection of the apothecaries can equall their excellent Vertue.

  —JOHN GERARD, HERBAL, 1597

  APRIL 17

  According to some sources, the Celtic month of the Willow began on April 15 (April 15-May 12).

  All a green willow is my garland.

  —JOHN HEYWOOD, 1497-1575

  “All a Green Willow”

  Various species of willows (Salix sp.) grow around the world. It is a deciduous shrub or tree that can grow as high as 80 feet, producing green tapering leaves and catkins in the spring—pretty to look at, but nothing out of the ordinary. Just another green tree, growing on a riverbank or along the edge of a marsh.

  But that’s not the whole story, for this nondescript tree has had an extraordinary life. The earliest records of medical use are found in Chinese medical texts from around 500 BCE, prescribing the bark and leaves to relieve pain and fever. In 400 BCE, the Greek physician Hippocrates suggested similar uses, and every physician since has endorsed the prescription. The willow was a staple medicinal herb, used to treat everything from colds and flu to colic, diarrhea, and bleeding gums.

  It wasn’t until the early 1800s, however, that people began to understand why the willow was such an effective medicine. In 1828, Johann Buchner, professor of pharmacy at the University of Munich, chemically isolated a minute amount of yellow, needlelike crystals, which he called salicin. Salicin was not an acceptable substitute for willow, however, because it upset the stomach and left a bitter taste in the mouth.

  Ten years later, it was learned that the herb meadowsweet (Spirea alba, now called Filipendula ulmaria) also contained salicin, and that it was more readily tolerated. The extraction process was improved, salicin was “buffered” with additives, and a compound called acetylsalicylic acid was produced, which had fewer negative side effects.

  It took more tinkering, but on March 6, 1899, the Bayer Company was ready to apply for a patent. The new drug was called aspirin: a for acetylsalicylic and spirin for Spirea, the original genus name of meadowsweet. People flocked to buy it, and before long this new variant of an ancient remedy was flourishing in medicine cabinets around the world. It even went to the moon with the Apollo astronauts.

  Willow, willow, all a green willow. You’ve come a long way, baby.

  Read more about the extraordinary life and times of willow:

  Willows: The Genus Salix, by Christopher Newsholme

  April weather

  Rain and sunshine both together.

  —TRADITIONAL WEATHER LORE

  APRIL 18

  Every year, about this time, the Fredericksburg Herb Farm holds its annual Herbfest.

  The best gardeners I know are those who practice regularly the habit of visiting other gardens.

  —ALAN LACY, THE GARDENER’S EYE

  Going Places: The Fredericksburg Herb Farm

  If you love herbs and enjoy talking to people who are deeply involved with them, sooner or later you will want to visit a working herb farm. A quick search on the Internet or in a local directory will help you make a list of local places to visit. One of my favorite herb farms is only a couple of hours’ drive, so I try to go there at least once a year.

  A good time to visit this Fredericksburg, Texas, herb farm is the weekend of their annual Herbfest, where you’ll see all kinds of herbal goings-on. A spring tradition in the Texas Hill Country, the annual festival celebrates herbs and their many uses, with gardening workshops, food, wine, art, and entertainment. I always enjoy wandering through the herb gardens and the fields where herbs are grown for the many products made on the farm: vinegars, potpourri, soaps, oils, lotions, and candles.

  First established in 1985, this herb enterprise now occupies 14 acres of working fields and gardens, including a Celtic Cross herb garden, a Secret Garden, a Children’s Garden, a Kitchen Garden, the Ichtus Garden (a faith garden in the shape of a fish), and a large five-pointed Star Garden centered with a windmill. Each of the sections of the star is home to herbs used for particular purposes: culinary, medicinal, crafts, cosmetics, and bee and butterfly herbs.

  A pioneer farmstead home built of limestone houses a gift shop, a tearoom, and a restaurant that features wonderful herbal food: on the menu when I visited was a terrific rosemary-marinated roast beef, sliced thin and topped with a creamy horseradish and chive sauce.

  An overnight stay in the Herb Haus (once th
e home of a Fredericksburg midwife) is a special treat. And if you go in mid-April, you’ll enjoy an added bonus: the bluebonnets and wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country.

  Visits to herb farms and gardens are a refreshing break in a routine of work and family. I always come home with dozens of photos and a notebook full of ideas for my own garden. There’s no better way to spend a weekend!

  Read more about the Fredericksburg Herb Farm: Herbs: Growing & Using the Plants of Romance, by Bill and Sylvia Varney

  Visit the Herb Farm online at www.fredericksburgherbfarm.com

  APRIL 19

  Today is National Garlic Day.

  Garlic in History

  The first prescription for garlic was cut into a stone tablet around 3,000 BCE. The “stinking rose” may have provoked the first labor strike in history, when slaves stopped work on the pyramids because they didn’t get the promised garlic. Roman soldiers carried bags of garlic as they marched across Europe. It was a legendary ingredient of Four Thieves’ Vinegar, which protected robbers against the plague as they plundered their victims. Modern science has confirmed garlic’s reputation as a powerful antibiotic; it can also help to reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels, decrease cholesterol, and lower the risk of blood clots.

  Garlic is easy to grow. All it asks is sun and friable soil. Grow varieties you can’t get in the supermarket: rocambole, porcelain garlic, artichoke garlic, or silver-skin. Garlic goes with just about anything, from soup to salad to dessert—even garlic ice cream! Maria Sanchez’s soup is a Pecan Springs favorite, often served at Bean’s Bar and Grill.

  MARIA SANCHEZ’S HEARTY MEXICAN GARLIC SOUP (FROM LOVE LIES BLEEDING: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY)

  3 whole heads of garlic

  3 tablespoons olive oil

  1 large onion, sliced thin

  8 cups rich chicken stock

  1-2 chipotle chiles, fresh, dried, or canned

  1 teaspoon cumin or more to taste

  ¼ cup lime juice

  garnish: sour cream or yogurt, sliced green onions, and

  minced fresh cilantro

  Preheat oven to 400°. Separate the cloves of garlic, put into a bowl, and coat with 1 tablespoon oil. Place in a shallow pan and bake about 45 minutes, until soft. Peel when cool enough to handle. Sauté onion in 1 tablespoon oil, then put into a blender with the peeled garlic. Puree, adding a little chicken stock if necessary for a smooth blend. Put the remaining oil in a large saucepan, heat, and add the pureed onion and garlic. Cook the mixture until it begins to dry and brown lightly. Add the rest of the stock, chipotles, and cumin, and simmer 25-30 minutes. Add lime juice and pour into serving bowls. Garnish with sour cream, green onions, and cilantro. Serves 6-8.

  Read more about the “stinking rose”:

  Everything Tastes Better with Garlic, by Sara Perry The New Healing Herbs, by Michael Castleman

  Waste not a leaf of garlick on your hens.3

  —TRADITIONAL LORE

  APRIL 20

  Today or tomorrow, the Sun enters the astrological sign of Taurus.

  The second sign of the Zodiac, Earthy Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of love and desire. A fixed (stable, resolute) sign, feminine Taurus governs practicality and security. Earthy, reliable Taureans tend to be conservative, possessive, and sensual. They understand what they need in order to lead the good life.

  —RUBY WILCOX, “ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS”

  Herbs of Taurus

  In the ancient world, the planet Venus (ruler of Taurus) was regarded as the female embodiment of beauty, sexual love, and desire, and Taurus is related to those things that we desire. Astrological herbalists assigned soothing, moderating, and balancing herbs to Venus, as well as plants that have lovely flowers.

  • Violet (Viola odorata). A beautiful flower, violet is also a powerful soother and emollient. Violet leaf tea has been used to ease sore throats and coughs. Candied violet flowers are an edible, delectable garnish for many desserts.

  • Daisy (Bellis perennis). The flower heads contain mucilage, which make the tea helpful in the treatment of a raw throat. Daisies have also been used to treat kidney problems.

  • Plantain (Plantago major). Especially useful in the treatment of respiratory ailments. The tea soothes the mucous membranes of the throat and is a specific for bronchitis.

  • Other Venus-ruled herbs. Roses are used to treat headaches. Coltsfoot, thyme, and marshmallow relieve the throat. Horehound helps to relieve coughs, soothe sore throats, and ease upper-respiratory ailments. Cowslip has a beautiful yellow flower that was once used as a skin softener. Nicholas Culpeper says: “Our city dames know well enough the ointment or distilled water of it adds to beauty, or at least restores it when it is lost.”

  Read more about Culpeper’s astrological herbalism, in this edited and illustrated edition:

  Culpeper’s Color Herbal, by Nicholas Culpeper, edited by David Potterton

  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 plant had a star bespoke)—

  Who but Venus should govern the Rose?

  Who but Jupiter own the Oak?

  —RUDYARD KIPLING, “OUR FATHERS OF OLD”

  APRIL 21

  Amaranth (the word means “unfading” or “eternal”) is the generic name for a number of annual plants that have been used as food, medicines, dyes, and ornamentals. You may recognize the ornamental variety, Love-lies-bleeding. The handsome bloodred flowers look like dangling ropes of fuzzy chenille.

  —LOVE LIES BLEEDING: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

  Love Lies Bleeding: About China’s Books

  Love Lies Bleeding is one of the darker China Bayles mysteries. It was one of the harder books for me to write, too, for it is about betrayal: the betrayal of public trust and of the private bonds of love. It is also about the dark side of heroism, and the tragedy of a good cop who goes bad.

  Searching for a symbol of this tangle of passion, greed, and betrayal, I came upon the herb love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), which is prized for its ropelike, bloodred blossoms. Traditionally used to staunch battlefield bleeding, the plant became symbolic of martial prowess, masculine virility, and heroism. In the Middle Ages, it was worn by knights to symbolize purity and truth, but by the time of the Renaissance, when it was used to treat venereal disease, it had become a symbol of corruption. Love-lies-bleeding provided exactly the signature I needed for this dark tragedy.

  But all China Bayles Mysteries are a mix of laughter and tears, and as usual, Ruby Wilcox lightens things up with her optimistic cheerfulness. She also heats things up a bit when she serves her latest cookie concoction, which is liberally spiked with habanero powder. “Soul searing,” China mutters. “Cookie monsters. My palate may never recover.” But Ruby’s hotter-than-Hades cookies have turned out to be the personal favorite of many readers.

  RUBY WILCOX’S HOT LIPS COOKIE CRISPS

  1 cup soft shortening

  2 cups brown sugar

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 eggs

  1½ cups whole wheat flour

  1½ cups unbleached flour

  ½ teaspoon soda

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon habanero powder

  1½ cups finely chopped cashews

  Preheat oven to 325°. Cream shortening and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together with the nuts, and stir into the creamed mixture. Chill. Roll out like a log, about 2 inches in diameter, slice, and bake until golden.

  Read China’s sixth adventure:

  Love Lies Bleeding: A China Bayles Mystery, by Susan Wittig Albert

  APRIL 22

  Earth Day is usually observed on this day.

  Natural Nibbling

  In generations past, children growing up
in the woods and fields enjoyed a springtime banquet of free natural treats. Alice Morse Earle, remembering what it was like to grow up in the 1860s, writes:

  The children ate an astonishing range: roots, twigs, leaves, bark, tendrils, fruit, berries, flowers, buds, seeds, all alike served for food. Young shoots of sweetbrier and blackberry are nibbled as well as the branches of young birch. Grapevine tendrils have an acid zest as do sorrel.

  Here are some of the other healthy, natural treats that children used to gather from the fields and woods throughout the year:

  • sunflower seeds (Helianthus annuus)

  • leaf buds of spruce trees (Picea)

  • cinnamon fern fiddleheads (Osmunda cinnamomea)

  • wild mustard (Brassica sp.)

  • oak apples (oak galls) (Quercus)

  • wintergreen berries (Gaultheria procumbens)