Easter is upon us. For me, it is a reminder that we can all have a fresh start. After days and days of grey, gloomy wet weather, that stretch into weeks with nary a ray of sunshine, you think you can’t bear to put on your trench coat and rubber boots yet again. Then, all of a sudden, the days grow longer and the sun pokes its head out more; tulips, daffodils and fragrant hyacinths are in full bloom. And that is when I feel the stirrings in my heart of new possibilities.
It wasn’t love at first sight, not even second sight. My “date” was quite verbose, but I was seduced by his vulnerability, the ease with which he stripped his….heart bare (clothes stayed on). Once I fell into his grasp, I fell hard for him. My husband knew of this love affair, and was fine with it because the object of my affection is a book, The Goldfinch. I devoured it for hours at a time, good thing I don’t have kids, otherwise I would surely have Child Services knocking on my door. I was swept away by the raw beauty of Donna Tartt’s writing, and how the main character wooed me into his inner life. The story unwound itself page by page and wrapped itself around me in sensurround. The Goldfinch in the title of the book refers to an actual painting that became very dear to the main character, but please go read it for yourself if you haven’t already.
I wanted to make an edible Valentine to The Goldfinch, and thought something lemony would be fitting. I decided to create golden cupcakes that are tart and sweet, which is one of the book’s messages, that is – even though your life may be sour, sweetness can still be found. Because the book is so substantial in content and length I wanted my cupcakes to be dense and substantial, almost like a pound cake quality. For the love of The Goldfinch, below is my Valentine cupcake recipe.
I don’t really do resolutions anymore, because I realize something about myself (which is probably true of a lot of people) and that is – I have no trouble starting something, but sticking with it is a whole other matter. This doesn’t stop me from trying something new!
“Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want” I want to be a Spcie Girl! It’s because I want to use more spices in my cooking and which one to start experimenting with? In the last few years, turmeric has been gaining popularity in the supplement world because of its powerful active compound curcumin, which is actually a golden orange hued pigment. It has antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory properties and may even be instrumental in slowing down the effects of Alzhiemer’s disease. It has also supports the liver as a detoxifier.
Who knew cola could be a medicinal drink? When I had the sniffles or a sore throat as a child, I was given a hot drink of cola, boiled with ginger and lemon. And, by gosh, after drinking this delicious concoction I seemed to feel better. Once in a while, I order this drink, which is still served at Hong Kong style cafes, and let it transport me back to my childhood.
Now, instead of hot cola, my husband and I make a hot drink with ginger when we feel under the weather. “Shall I make you the concoction?” offered by my wonderful husband is music to my ears when my nose is runny and my chest is congested. After a cup or two of this drink, the congestion loosens up and I am able to expel the, ahem..mucous. Since this drink does such a good job of chasing away those nasty symptoms I am calling it the Ginger Bomb!
Ginger is a rock star in the superfood realm, it might not look very pretty with its knobby physique, but it is packed with medicinal and therapeautic properties. You may think of it as a root, but in fact is the subterranean stem of the plant, called a rhizome, from which roots and shoots extend from. It has been used in China for thousands of years, and spread to many other cultures via the Silk Road.
It is full of antioxidants like zingerones and gingerols, as well as having antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and antiseptic properties. Ginger may also be just as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in helping with pain relief. Studies have found a significant decrease in pain from muscle soreness in women athletes, and a reduction in migraine headaches and even in menstrual cramps. It is also well known to be effective in reducing nausea and upset stomachs. It is also great for coughs because it helps drain the lungs of mucuous, which is why it is in our concoction!
Ginger is usually sold in pretty large chunks, so when I can’t use it up fast enough, I put it in the freezer, and just grate what I need.
Naturally, you can enjoy my Ginger Bomb concoction even if you don’t have a cold or the sniffles! It’s a cozy and healthy drink anytime of year.
Other Superfoods in the recipe:
Pineapple – Contains Vitamin C, bromelain which is a digestive enzyme.
Lemon – Contains Vitamin C and lots of phytochemicals.
Honey – May help in treating seasonal allergies if you take a daily dose of honey made from your local area. It fights infections, in particular manuka honey, which is made from the tea tree plant.
The Ginger Bomb serves 2
Ingredients:
Directions:
*You may save the ginger slices to be used for another bomb.
Eat well and stay healthy! {Kake}
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