ROSANNA'S
NEWS AND VIEWS©
February 28, 1999
Results of the poll we took in our last issue were overwhelmingly
in favor of establishment of a Macrobiotic discussion group. We have set up the
group using the facilities at Onelist.com, which is also where we are handling our new
subscriptions. Each of our subscribers will be invited to join and an automated
Email will be sent to each of you. To join the discussion group, simply follow the
instructions in the Email. To decline, one only needs to ignore the invitation.
Of course, anyone will be permitted to join at any time and we look forward to your
participation, whether you are an experienced chef, counselor, or just beginning to check
out the macrobiotic approach.
Rosanna is conscious that the method of preparation for food is important to
how our bodies assimilate and use the food we prepare. In the course of a week she will
use many different methods of cooking and each day she varies the method of cooking for
just about everything in each meal.
Some have asked about the value of raw foods in the diet and have noticed that
the macrobiotic approach has mostly cooked food. They wonder what good it does to kill
certain enzymes which are present in raw foods and if the cooking will diminish the
nutritional value of the food. On the surface, it may appear that this is true, but each
style and method of cooking is done for the effect it has on our health and well being.
It is true that live enzymes are very powerful and care should be taken to
preserve this life in some of the cooking methods we discuss here. Also, not all dishes in
the regimen are cooked. Raw or lightly cooked food is interspersed by the wise cook to
make certain that the enzymes that are important to good digestion are present as
required. Favorable enzymes are introduced to the food through the use of Miso, Soy Sauce
and other condiments and these combinations have been tested over the years and found to
be very effective to health.
Each of us is a universe, we must remember, and each is unique. The general
principles we advocate are not to be taken as gospel. In the final analysis, each of us
must experiment and determine what is the best combination for each to achieve the balance
that leads to health and a more balanced outlook.
The principles and methods outlined in our letters are not religion or dogma.
What works for us may not suit you. However, we give these general principles as
guidelines to form a benchmark for those who are trying to achieve balance, especially
when beginning from an unbalanced position and when we have little sensitivity to our
condition. Our laboratories are our own bodies and those for whom Rosanna cooks each day.
We are not scientists or doctors, rather artists.
If you are an Eskimo, living in Baffin Island, we do not advise a strict
macrobiotic diet as laid out in the classic books on the subject. We must adapt to the
area and climate where we live and the availability of variety to make a diet that works
for us. Then …. we are in a position to develop sensitivity to the BALANCE we all
need to survive with a healthy outlook and plenty of energy to meet the stress of modern
society. We can help you get started or with a particular problem, but your success
depends upon the degree to which you develop sensitivity to the balance of your body.
COOKING METHODS
Here we list a variety of cooking methods and give Rosanna’s artistic view
of each and the effects she takes into consideration when planning a balanced meal. The
list is linked to the various explanations (use the [back]
button on your browser to return to the list).
BOILING, STEAMING,
PRESSURE COOKING, SAUTÉING , BAKING, FRYING, FERMENTING
and PICKLING
Rosanna differentiates between quick Blanching with salt and boiling for a
longer period. Each has a particular effect and method. In blanching one brings the water
to a boil and places the prepared and chopped (into big pieces) vegetables into the water
and removes them just before the water has returned to a boil. One can see that there is a
thin line between raw and blanched and this is desirable as you are adding energy to the
food, while preserving its original character and enzymes.
When blanched the vegetables become very bright in color as material inside the
plant migrates to the periphery when blanched properly. This leads the experienced chef to
judge the proper amount of blanching by the color of the vegetable being cooked.
The effect of blanched food, properly prepared, is to keep us emotionally fresh
and to release long-time problems. It helps prevent stagnation in our thinking process. As
we have done to the food, so our own energy will be liberated from deep inside us and
brought to the surface.
Using longer term boiling, we sacrifice the vitamins and enzymes and liberate
the carbohydrates and sugars to produce a more controlled energy that is slow and steady.
Caution… Too much steamed food can be constricting and give the feeling of
being too tight. To quick steam, use about one inch of water in the steamer and bring the
water to a boil before placing the vegetables in the steamer. The steam rises through the
food, is condensed on the lid and falls back through the food.
There are three steaming methods that Rosanna uses:
Quick Steaming: This method emphasizes and makes available the energy in the
fiber and carbohydrates. Quick steamed food is bright in color and crispy. It has a
fibrous quality and texture. Food that is quick steamed has an astringent effect and tends
to gather and settle down the person who eats it. To quick steam, use about one inch of
water in the steamer and bring the water to a boil before placing the vegetables in the
steamer. Steam vegetables for about one minute.
SUKIYAKI: This method of steaming is done in a pot without a steamer basket.
The vegetables are cut into small pieces and a one inch piece of Kombu put in the pot
first, with one inch of cold water. The vegetables are arranged in groups around the pot
and are not mixed while cooking. The pot is brought to a boil over high heat and as soon
as it boils, add a few drops of Soy Sauce and remove from the heat. The effect is similar
to that of quick steaming and the vegetables are sweeter this way. This food gives dynamic
energy.
LONG STEAMING OR NISHIME: This is done in an iron pot with a heavy lid. Use
Kombu or Wakame in one inch of water as in the Sukiyaki. The vegetables are cut into big
chunks and layered, vegetable by vegetable, so they protrude from the water. With the lid
on, bring to steam and then simmer for 20 minutes, add Soy Sauce and cook for another 10
minutes.
Nishime is deeply nourishing and builds endurance. It is to be consumed one to
three times per 10 days. Use of this dish more frequently, will reverse this process and
one will feel heavy, sluggish and dense. It is a dish to strengthen the internal organs.
The effect of Kombu is to soften the food and it emphasizes the richness of the
vegetables. Kombu brings out the minerals to assist with digestion of protein. The Wakame
has a more opening effect and food prepared like this gives a lighter energy than when
Kombu is used.
This is actually a variation on steaming, but is of higher intensity and so
deserves a category of its own. There is the obvious advantage of saved time. Grain
prepared in this way is useful to release the pressure of illness deep inside the person.
Grain is expanded and softened in a different way than when boiled. One will notice the
difference in texture as the result of its more active energy and the effect is more
intense because of the pressure.
We will deal with two variations of this method. Either method may be
accomplished with water or oil.
Quick Sautéing, also called Kimpira, is accomplished with a hot skillet. When
the skillet is hot, water or oil is added and the vegetables (usually root vegetables, cut
very thin) are added according to how long they take to cook, starting with those that
take longer, so they all come out done just right. They are stirred constantly over high
heat until done, usually about 3 minutes and the vegetables are still crunchy and crispy
and bright in color. About one minute before they are done, add a little Soy Sauce.
Kimpira gives strong energy and is useful when doing physical exertion.
Various condiments may be used. If you add Ginger at the end, it has a
gathering effect. Shichimi or other hot spices have a more dispersing effect.
Long Sautéing uses a lower flame and oil. Water or a combination of oil
and water may be used. The vegetables are cut into large pieces and put into a hot skillet
with a little water or oil. Sauté, stirring constantly for a few minutes, then add a
little more water, lower the heat and put the lid on the pot. Simmer for a few minutes,
add Soy Sauce and/or other condiments and serve.
This method brings out and makes useful liquids, proteins, fat, minerals and
taste. This "bringing out" must be carefully monitored to avoid overdoing it, so
the energy is not lost from the food as it is overcooked. Even though taste may be
enhanced, the conscious cook will be aware that baking, especially as it pertains to flour
products, should be used sparingly.
Baking is especially useful during cold weather and in cold climates. The
energy that is imparted to the food is of a slowly warming nature and those who are new to
macrobiotics find it substitutes for the animal food that many feel they require to keep
warm during winter. Care should be used to avoid unbalance by consuming too much baked
food as it can intensify emotional problems and puts pressure on the kidneys, which organs
have enormous effect on the emotions and are of key importance to good health.
DEEP FRYING: Fried food is fine for healthy people, so long as it is not used
more than once or twice in each ten day period. Rosanna distinguishes between several
basic frying methods. They include:
TEMPURA: This fast frying over high heat is done with a batter (see recipe for
Mixed Vegetable Tempura in the MAIN MEAL SECTION) in very hot
oil. The cooking is concentrated on the periphery of the vegetable while the center
remains crispy and somewhat raw. Carbohydrates and protein are made readily available in
this method and this produces energy deep within the body.
SLOW DEEP FRYING: Cooks to the center of the food. This method liberates even
more carbohydrates and produces even deeper and longer lasting energy. A variation on this
method is DOUBLE FRYING, using first the slow method, then the fast. This dynamic approach
gives the best of both worlds.
Properly fried Tofu and Tempeh give more strength than animal food.
This process breaks down complex food and makes it more readily digestible.
Vitamin B12 is a natural byproduct of fermentation of certain food. Enzymes,
too, are produced in properly fermented food. There are two basic methods:
SHORT FERMENTATION: This process is used in the production of Amazake
(fermented sweet rice). The cooked rice is seeded with Koji, which is rice that has been
inoculated with a fermentation agent. After some hours of fermentation at warm
temperatures the brew turns sweet and makes a delicious drink or cereal that contains no
added sugars. Watch for a recipe for this delicious concoction in an upcoming newsletter.
Tempeh is another staple produced by short fermentation of Soy Beans. This delicious food
is popular as a meat substitute and is loaded with protein. A future newsletter will also
present several delicious recipes for Tempeh.
LONG FERMENTATION: Beer, Mirin, wine and other alcohol products are the product
of this process. We hope to learn more about this process with the passage of time and
maybe we will start to make our own. We don't drink too much, but enjoy it from time to
time. Rosanna's father made wine at home and her brother carries on that tradition and we
look forward to sharing it with our guests who visit Italy with us.
The chief pickling ingredient is salt.
Here again, several methods exist and they relate to the length of time for the
pickling process. Quick Pickling is accomplished within a range of a few hours
to several days. An example of this technique is the Pressed Salad you have seen in
so many of our recipes and we have it just about every day, for a wonderfully cleansing
effect on the system. One who regularly eats this salad will become more flexible,
physically and mentally.
Medium Pickling ranges from a few days to several weeks. Examples of food
produced in this way are, Sauerkraut, pickled Daikon, Cucumbers, Ginger and other tasty
little pickles. They create stamina and assist with digestion at the end of a meal. They
fortify against cold climate.
Long Pickling produces the Umeboshi Plums which have been the subject of an
earlier newsletter, Miso (the backbone of Macrobiotic cooking), Soy Sauce and other
condiments that are essential in the magical transformation of Macrobiotic food. The
pickling time ranges from a few months to many years.
MAIN MEAL
MISO SOUP
Ingredients
10 cups Spring Water
1 Onion, diced
1 Carrot, cut matchstick
1Parsnip, cut matchstick
1 small Rutabaga, diced
3 inch piece Wakame,
soaked and cut into small pieces
1 cup chopped greens
(Kale, Escarole, Watercress)
1®
2 Tbsp. Aged dark Barley Miso, diluted in a little of the broth
Preparation
Bring Water and all root vegetables to a boil over medium high flame, then
simmer for 15 minutes. Add Wakame and greens, return to a boil, then lower heat and add
diluted Miso. Cook for 2 minutes and serve.
TOASTED MILLET with GOMASIO
Ingredients
2 cups washed Millet
4 cups Spring Water
Preparation
Heat iron skillet to high heat. Pour in washed and well drained Millet and dry
roast, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it is toasted and a nutty aroma rises
from the Millet and it is golden (do not overcook or darken them). Slowly and carefully
add the water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with a couple
teaspoons of Gomasio sprinkled on top.
CHICK PEAS
Ingredients
1 cup Chick Peas
1" piece Kombu, soaked briefly
1 medium Onion, diced
1 Carrot, cubed
1 stalk Celery, cubed
1 Parsnip, cubed
1 Tbsp. White Miso
Spring Water as required
Preparation
Put Kombu in pressure cooker, add vegetables, add chickpeas, cover with water.
Put on the lid and bring to pressure. Lower flame and cook for one hour. Pour off any
excess water (after opening as instructed by the manufacturer) and reserve water for
future use in soups, etc.. Dilute the Miso with a little of the reserved water and stir it
in. Simmer 15 minutes without pressure and mash a few of the Chickpeas to make the dish
more creamy. Serve.
PRESSED SALAD
Ingredients
2 stalks Celery, thinly sliced, diagonally
½ head Fennel, cut as with the Celery
10® 15 Red Radishes, thinly sliced, half moon
1small Red Onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
½ head Endive, torn into small pieces
1 bunch Watercress, cut in half
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Umeboshi Vinegar
¼ cup toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Preparation
Wash and prepare vegetables, then in a mixing bowl, mix well (using your hands)
with Soy Sauce and Vinegar. Cover with a plate to press the salad. Put a heavy weight,
like a stone, to press the salad with the plate. Press for one hour and serve, sprinkled
with the Pumpkin Seeds.
VEGETABLE TEMPURA
Ingredients
1 small Lotus root, sliced diagonally in thin rounds
½ head Cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 Parsnip, thin diagonal cut
1 cup Snow Peas
Organic cold pressed Corn Oil (or Safflower or Sunflower)
for the batter:
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
pinch of Salt
Spring Water, enough to make it loose, but not too loose. The trick is to see
how it coats the vegetables. After you fry a few veggies this way, add Flour or Water as
required. Make the batter in small batches, starting with a cup or less of the Flour and
make up a second batch. If the batter sits too long, the Flour is altered in character and
it will not properly coat the vegetables.
For the Ginger Sauce:
½ cup Soy Sauce
½ cup Spring Water
1 Tbsp. Finely grated Ginger Root
Preparation
Use a narrow but deep cast iron pot. Get the Oil very hot. Corn Oil will bubble
if it is not hot enough and make a mess of your stove. Dip each vegetable in the batter
and gently lower into the oil. Use enough Oil so the vegetables are completely immersed.
Do several at once, but don’t crowd them. Stir them once and with a slotted spoon
take them out when they are crispy and golden and drain on paper towels. Mix all Sauce
ingredients, pour in small bowls for each diner and serve as dipping sauce with the
Tempura.
STEAMED KALE
1 bunch Kale, washed and chopped coarsely
Spring Water
Bring a steamer with one inch of Water to a boil. Put Kale in and steam for a
couple of minutes, until the color is very bright. Don’t overcook and let it get dull
in color. Serve.
ROSANNA’S FRUIT CRISP
Ingredients
4 Apples, peeled, cored and diced
4 Pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 Cup Blueberries
2 Tbsp. Kuzu
1 cup Spring Water
1 Tsp. Vanilla
for the crust:
2 Cups Rolled oats
½ cup Pecan halves
½ cup Almonds, cut in thirds
½ cup Rice Syrup or Barley Malt Syrup
Preparation
Cook Apples and Pears in the Spring Water until soft. Add Vanilla and stir in
Kuzu which has been diluted and mixed in a little cold water. Stir continuously until it
becomes creamy and transparent. If it comes too thick, add a little water to make it a
creamy consistency.
Pour mixture into cookie sheet (no oil is necessary) and evenly sprinkle
Blueberries over the mixture and put aside.
Bring an iron skillet to high temperature. Add Rolled Oats and stir constantly
until they are evenly toasted, taking caution not to burn them. Turn into mixing bowl with
the nuts and Syrup. Mix well and pour/place evenly over the fruit mixture. Bake at 350
Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Serve hot or cold with Bancha tea.
Buon Appetito....Rosanna and
James
JOKE BOX
| This from Gregg Adams... Dear Diary:
For my birthday this year my wife purchased a week
of private lessons at the local health club for me. Though still in great shape from when
I was on the varsity chess team in high school, I decided it was a good idea to go ahead
and try it. I called and made reservations with someone named Tanya, who said she was a
26-year-old aerobics instructor and athletic clothing model.
My wife seemed very pleased with how enthusiastic I
was to get started. They suggested I keep an "exercise diary" to chart my
progress:
Day 1.
Started the morning at 6:00 AM. Tough to get up,
but worth it when I arrived at the health club and Tanya was waiting for me. She's
something of a goddess, with blonde hair and a dazzling white smile. She showed me
the machines and took my pulse after five minutes on the treadmill. She seemed a little
alarmed that it was so high, but I think that just standing next to her, in THAT outfit of
hers, added about ten points. Enjoyed watching the aerobics class. Tanya was very
encouraging as I did my sit-ups, though my gut was already aching a little from holding it
in the whole time I was talking to her. This is going to be GREAT.
Day 2.
Took a whole pot of coffee to get me out the door,
but I made it. Tanya had me lie on my back and push this heavy iron bar up into the
air. Then she put weights on it, for heaven's sake! Legs were a little wobbly on the
treadmill, but I made it the full mile. Her smile made it all worth while. Muscles ALL
feel GREAT.
Day 3.
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the
toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I am certain that I
have developed a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to
steer. I parked on top of a Volkswagen. Tanya was a little impatient with me and said my
screaming was bothering the other club members. The treadmill hurt my chest, so I did the
stair monster. Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete
by the invention of elevators? Tanya told me regular exercise would make me live
longer. I can't imagine anything worse.......
Day 4.
Tanya was waiting for me with her vampire teeth in
a full snarl. I can't help it if I was half an hour late, it took me that long just to tie
my shoes. She wanted me to lift dumbbells. Not a chance, Tanya. The word
"dumb" must be in there for a reason. I hid in the men's room until she sent
Lars looking for me. As punishment she made me try the rowing machine. It SANK!
Day 5.
I hate Tanya more than any human being has ever
hated any other human being in the history of the world. If there were any part of my body
not in extreme pain I would hit her with it. She thought it would be a good idea to work
on my triceps. Well I have news for you Tanya - I don't have triceps. And if you
don't want dents in the floors don't hand me any barbells. I refuse to accept
responsibility for the damage, YOU went to sadist school, YOU are to blame. The treadmill
flung me back into a science teacher, which hurt like crazy. Why couldn't it have been
someone softer, like a music or social studies teacher?
Day 6.
Got Tanya's message on my answering machine,
wondering where I am. I lacked the strength to use the TV remote so I watched eleven
straight hours of the weather channel.
Day 7.
Well, that's the week. Thank goodness that's over.
Maybe next time my wife will give me something a little more fun, like a gift certificate
for a root canal.
 |
Sufi WISDOM OF
Hazrat Inayat Khan
"In preparing a thing one not only puts one's magnetism into
it, but the voice of one's soul is produced in the thing one prepares. For instance, it is
not difficult for an intuitive person to feel in the food that comes before him the
thoughts of the cook. It is not only the grade of evolution of the cook that is produced
in it, but also what the cook was thinking at that particular time. If the cook is
irritated while cooking, if he or she is grumbling or sighing, if he or she is miserable,
wretched - all THAT is prepared in the food that comes before you.
It is the knowledge of this fact which made the Hindus accept a high-caste Brahmin as a
cook: that person was taken as a cook whose evolution was great, whose life was pure,
whose thoughts were elevated. It is not a custom of the past, it is a custom even of
today. The Brahmin who is sometimes the Guru, the teacher of other castes, may also be the
cook.
Besides this, in ancient times when human psychology was keenly observed in all one did,
every person, whatever his rank or position in life, was equipped for cooking and
preparing dishes for himself and for his friends. A great mark of appreciation and
affection was shown by people who invited some relations or friends to their house by
placing before them dishes that they themselves had prepared. It was not the dish, it was
the thought that was put into it."
Quoted from THE MYSTICISM OF SOUND
Marquita Wepman has written an article on this subject for the
current issue of Macro Chef magazine and it is available online. We highly recommend
it. She and her husband Warren operate a macro waystation, The Dojo at Stoneycrest.
Warren is contributing to our next issue. Click here to
visit the Macro Chef article.