Greetings my dear friends and fetish lovers, and Be Well Come once again to Barbara’s Kinky Kitchen. Since this issue is already chock full of sex and blood, I thought I might revert to my original theme and offer up some inexpensive ways to help you ease the growing cost of market purchased food. And a little later I will explore what the next few months offer us.

First off, anyone who has a yard or access to a local park or field—these recipes are for you. I will be discussing some of the many ways to make use of what is ordinarily considered a yard pest, but has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years as a plentiful food source. I am speaking of the lowly Dandelion.

This plant evolved about 30 million years ago, originally native to Europe and Asia, and has been used by humans for food and herbalism for much of recorded history.

The dandelion is a common weed in gardens, yards and fields the world over. The flower is a beautiful golden yellow and turns into a round white puff-ball after pollination. The leaves are dark green, deeply incised and spread out in a rosette pattern around the base of the plant. It gets its name from the likeness of the leaf edges to a lion’s tooth.

Many people around the globe still eat dandelions and they are well known for their high content of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. These plants contain 25 times more vitamin A than tomato juice and 50 times more than asparagus, and contain more iron and calcium than spinach. The milky latex-like sap has even been used as a mosquito repellent.

The young spring leaves are tastier than those of the late season, but since we are now well into summer I will stick to a few recipes which only require the later version.

Wash the dandelion leaves under cold water and remove all dark or bruised parts. Shred them by cutting crosswise in ¼ inch strips. Drop the leaves into a 4-5 quart saucepan containing 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the leaves thoroughly, squeezing out all of the water. Cool to room temperature. Drop greens into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with vinegar, sugar and salt. Toss so all the leaves are well coated.

In a 4-5 quart casserole pan, melt the bacon fat over moderate heat. Peel and core your crabapples and cut them into ¼ inch wedges. Cook the onions and apples in the casserole until they are lightly browned. Add the coated dandelion greens, 2 cups boiling water and the beef stock. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Check periodically to see that the leaves remain moist. If they seem dry, add another tablespoon of boiling water.

When finished, there should be very little liquid left. Just before serving, stir in the wine and cranberry jelly. This dish can be served from the casserole or a hot platter.

As a bonus, the roots of this plant may be used for coffee. Dry the cleaned roots near a slow burning fire. When the roots are shriveled, break them in pieces; grind them to a rough powder and use as ordinary coffee. The pre-ground version of this coffee may also be purchased in Health Food stores.

And here is something you can include with any meal—Dandelion Wine.
You will need:

1 gallon of water	2 quarts of dandelion heads (the yellow flowers)
3 pounds white sugar	4 oranges
1 teaspoon yeast nutrient	1 package wine yeast

It is important that the flowers be picked at midday when they are fully opened and the wine making process should begin immediately.

In a large kettle bring your water to a boil. Measure the yellow heads, discarding as much green as possible. Put flowers in a large plastic container and pour the boiling water over them. Cover and let steep for 2 Days. Do not exceed this time limit or a curious odor may set in.

After 2 days pour the water and flowers back into the kettle, add rind from the 4 oranges (without any white pith) and boil for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve lined with fine cheesecloth, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. When cool add the yeast nutrient, juice from the 4 oranges and the yeast.

Put into a fermentation jar and fit trap. Your fermentation jar can be a gallon jug of glass or plastic, but clean it thoroughly with hot water before use. The trap may be obtained from any store which sells wine-making supplies.

When the wine has cleared, siphon off the liquid into clean bottles with a plastic hose. Make sure not to pick up any sediment from the bottom of the jug. Serve chilled.

And there you have it; a nice meal, coffee and even wine from your own back yard. For more similar recipes, check out the Internet or “The Edible Wild” by Berndt Berglund and Clare E. Bolsby.

And now, on to other areas of nature.

The month of August is named for the first Roman emperor, Augustus Caesar.

August 1st is the cross-quarter day festival of Lammas. Lammas is the first harvest of the traditional year—that of grain. “Dry August and warm, doth harvest no harm.” At this festival of the first harvest, the first corn is cut, baked into a loaf and offered to the goddess in thanksgiving.

August 12 is the ancient Egyptian festival of the Lights of Isis, which later became the Christian day of St. Clare.

August 15 is the day of St. Mary, the continuation of the Great Mother goddess in her fertile aspect, when she is invoked to ensure a good vintage. This day is the Christian festival of the assumption of the Virgin Mary. It also marks the end of the dog days of summer, the hottest period of the year.

August 17 is the first day of Odin’s ordeal, where he hung upside down on the world tree Yggdrasil, leading to the discovery of the runes. His ordeal lasted nine days.

August 23 the Day of Vertumnalia is held in celebration of Vertumnus, Roman god of the change of the seasons and the transformation of flowers into fruit.

August 25—Odin’s ordeal is over with the discovery of the Runes.

August 29—Agustus Caesar (for whom this month was named) died on this date in 14 C.E.

The month of September is so called because it was the seventh month in the old Roman calendar. The goddess Pomona, patroness of fruit and fruit bearing trees, is the ruling deity of this month.

September is most notable for containing the autumnal equinox, the Mabon of Celtic tradition, the Alban Elfed of the Druids and the Winter Finding of the Norse.

September 2 is harvest time when the raw materials of life, both physical and spiritual, are collected for processing into something higher.

September 21—Alexander the Great was born on this day in 356 B.C.E.

September 22 is the Autumnal Equinox this year, as well as Mabon. It is a time when darkness overtakes light, and nights grow longer than days. It is a time of calling, ripening of the harvest, a prelude to awakening at Samhain.

October was the eight month in the Roman calendar, and is one of my personal favorites.

The festival of Samhain begins at sundown on October 31, the New Year in Celtic tradition. This is also traditionally the time of the first frost and the final harvest. Leaves on the trees begin to turn colors and cold weather finally settles in.

October 3—The Grecian divinity Dionysus (and Roman Bacchus) was god of wine and revelry, so this date is a time of celebration after the final harvest. Old and new wine are mixed together and enjoyed.

October 14—Winter’s Day marks the beginning of the winter season in the old northern European calendar. Preparations for winter now take priority over summer activities.

October 28—The festival of Fyribod or Forebode is a marker of winter and bad weather; a time to undergo changes leading up to winter. It is a time of introspection, analysis, seeking and finding order.

October 31—The feast of Samhain marks the onset of a darker, more introspective time of year, when access to the otherworld is easier than usual. The festival is also known as Halloween, when spirits are abroad.

And that, my friends, is all there is for this issue, which also marks the beginning of our 2nd year of publication. I wish you all a joyous Samhain, and will see you back here next time for our big Yule issue. Blessings to one and all!