I feel awful for being away all week and not posting. It was an exhausting few days. My little dog Cody has been very sick and kept us up for three nights, needing to go outside every couple of hours.
Cody is an English Labrador who usually eats anything without problems, so when he vomited two days in a row and kept wanting to go outside, I knew something was wrong. Despite that, he remained somewhat playful and still showed interest in food. Staying up all night and working during the day left me exhausted. The problem turned out to be his food. The brand we buy changed its packaging — and, unbeknownst to me, the recipe changed as well. I’d been feeding him the same kibble for years, so when I asked a store representative about the new packaging, she said it was just a facelift. In reality, the kibble now contains more fat, which caused intestinal upset, fatigue, irritation, and required medication. Lesson learned: never switch a dog to a new food abruptly; transition gradually. I hope we’ll all get some rest now.
I had planned to share a bunch of Halloween ideas, but the holiday passed while I was caring for Cody. I did receive a wonderful box of Spooky Foods from Frieda’s and still want to tell you about these interesting items.
Frieda’s Produce carries many unique exotic fruits and vegetables. If you can’t find their products locally, they offer seasonal items for order. They also share updates on new products, recipes, and promotions through their community channels and newsletters. I’d like to describe a few of the unusual foods Frieda’s sent for me to sample — some may be unfamiliar to you.
The first item was the Buddha’s Hand Citron. What an intriguing fruit. It’s a large citrus with finger-like segments, sometimes with many “fingers” extending from a central core — very striking and a little spooky.
Although Buddha’s Hand is highly fragrant, it contains very little juice. Its best uses focus on the rind and zest: candied citron, jams, infused spirits like vodka or limoncello, liqueurs, or simply as a natural room freshener. Wherever a recipe calls for lemon zest, the Buddha’s Hand rind can often be used instead.
With cold and flu season approaching, try making a traditional Chinese cold remedy using Buddha’s Hand Citron. It’s soothing and aromatic.
Buddha’s Hand Citron Chinese Cold Remedy
Directions:
Slice the citron thinly (use a mandoline or vegetable peeler). Place slices in a colander, sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of salt, and let sit for 30 minutes.
In a saucepan combine:
– 1 cup pulverized rock sugar
– 1 1/2 to 2 cups water
– 1 tablespoon whole cloves
– 1/4 cup sliced fresh ginger
Cook slowly until the liquid has reduced and the mixture becomes thick. Stir in 1 cup local raw honey and mix thoroughly. Store the mixture in a sterilized jar with a lid in the refrigerator; it will keep for months.
To serve: place one tablespoon of the mixture in a mug and pour hot water over it. Stir and sip slowly.
Drive your cold away with this comforting remedy!
Note: Rock sugar does not burn.
I’ll share more about the other Spooky Foods Frieda’s sent soon — stop by again to see what else I discovered.