February 2, 2012 at 18:16 (Basics, Candlemaking, Herbalism, Uncategorized)
Tags: Book, Books of Shadows, Candle, Candlemaking, Cheese, Cleaning, Cooking, Cooking tips, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Music, Recipe, Red wine, Salad, Solstice, Spell, White wine, Wine, Witchcraft
It seems my displeasure with the weather was taken into account – it’s even colder today. But we Witches know that the year is round, and the frost has the promise of fire deep within it, as a great author once wrote. So we wait, and do our best to pass the time reasonably and wisely. And we make candles, eat cheese and celebrate the day of Imbolc.
The recipe for the mulled wine will come up in the next few days, although to be honest You already have it all on the greeting card.
Blessings!
December 21, 2011 at 17:46 (Basics, Uncategorized)
Tags: Books of Shadows, Candle, Candlemaking, Carrot, Cooking, Cooking tips, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Music, Solstice, Wine, Witchcraft
It’s Midwinter again – the second I am celebrating by, among other things, writing a post here. I know I’ve been neglecting my readers more than usual lately, and I also know you must be growing tired of constant excuses. So there won’t be any.
Let me just say something that hasn’t been said in here for some time. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time I wrote here and was not, in some way, depressed. It was probably some time around last autumn, although there have been plenty of reasons to feel lousy since. And yet, here I am, all optimistic and eager to finally make something of my life. We’ll see how long this lasts.
And in the meantime, we have the Solstice to celebrate! It’s not as astronomically significant as the last one, but hey, can’t have everything. And the turning of the tide of darkness should always be a moment of joy. Which, of course, can be greatly expanded by right food, company and music.
I can’t promise to upload the recipe today, but I’m celebrating with a carrot cake this year and you will definitely hear about it in near future. Well, if it comes out all right.
So, there’s no pentagrams in the snow, no blood-shedding, just the warmth of candlelight and of the oven. Time for some plans, too, because it’s going to be all uphill from here.
And, as a small solstical bonus for my readers, here’s a ‘recipe’ – really, it does not deserve the term – for cinnamon oil macerate. It’s pretty handy for both solstical baking and prosperity charms.
Blessed be!
December 21, 2011 at 15:45 (Ingredients)
Tags: Books of Shadows, Candle, Candlemaking, Carrot, Equinox, friday 13, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Recipe, Spell, Witchcraft
As I’ve already mentioned, one of the simplest means to prepare an herbal extract is by maceration. These macerates can be used for many different purposes, which of course have to be kept in mind during their production.
Oil macerates are rarely used in medicine, although some can be potent remedies. They are relatively common in cooking, though, and there’s hardly anything simpler to prepare.
Of the substances that lend themselves well to oil maceration, the most common and desirable are aromatic herbs. Their essential oils, themselves lipids, dissolve in oil easily, thus lending their properties and often preserving it from spoiling as well.
The most common oil macerate is made similarly to an alcoholic tincture – the ingredient in question is placed in a disinfected receptacle and oil is poured over it. The receptacle is then closed and stored safely while chemistry does its work.
However, unless You use an extremely potent ingredient, such as garlic, it takes over a month to feel any noticeable results, so sometimes people speed up oil maceration by using the great power of fire. That is to say, heating it up.
In this particular case, I took two spoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one star anise and a quarter of nutmeg for good measure, put it all in a small pot and poured a glass of oil over it. Of course, the better quality oil, the better result. For these kind of ‘sweet’ spices, like those usually put in gingerbread, sunflower or grapeseed oil are good choices. Olive oil, on the other hand, will clash with their aroma unpleasantly.
The pot is then put over a small fire and heated up until tiny bubbles appear on the surface. Once this happens, keep it on heat but stir it constantly, for about two minutes more. Take out the whole spices, if You’ve added any, and put them in a disinfected bottle : I kept both the star anise and the nutmeg, adding two whole cinnamon canes for good measure. The oil should then be filtered into the bottle to remove the dregs. Since ground cinnamon is a very fine powder, the best thing to use here is… thin pantyhose. Yup, that’s right, a scrap of old thighs You’ve made a hole in is a good friend in the kitchen (washed, of course). Failing that, a paper handkerchief is a good choice. I advice against using cloth, even very thin will still be too thick for the oil and filtering will take forever. It does even if You use paper tissue.
Even filtered, the oil will still get slightly opaque. That’s normal. Keep the bottle shut for some time, allow it to digest in peace – the longer You keep it the stronger aroma You get. Of course, it won’t be as strong as the essential oils you buy for aromatherapy, but that’s not the point – the point is to have cinnamon oil that’s edible.
It’s great to use in baking, when a recipe calls for oil, and in magic, naturally. Oil macerates made of aromatic herbs are also very good for seasoning salads.
October 6, 2011 at 15:56 (Basics, Candlemaking)
Tags: Candle, Candlemaking, Cooking, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Imbolc, Magic, Recipe, Solstice, Witchcraft
The weather is lovely and the sun is so beautifully warm You’d hardly believe its Autumn here on the Northern Hemisphere. But it is, and soon, days will get short and light will be grey and cold. There are many ways to counter that, of course, such as tea, music, cocoa or cooking. And candles.
If You haven’t noticed already, I like making candles. Shops nowadays can offer really great candles, with lovely, steady light and practically all colours, but my favourite pillar candles always leave a shell of wax behind that just begs to be used again. And who am I to refuse them? Making Your own candles allows You to add all sorts of fragrances and herbs to them, not to mention the additional advantage of having made something with Your own hands. It’s important, at least for me, to know that I can make things, not just use them.
I’ve already shown how to roll something that resembles the usual table candle. But, as a friend of mine remarked recently, it’s damn hard to make them look good and usually their appearance can’t rival the nice, straight shop candles. So, in order to please her aesthetic sense, we’ve worked out an easy way to make votive and pillar candles without specialised equipment, using… Well, garbage, actually.
What we did was take those cardboard tubes that You get from using up a roll of paper towels or toilet paper, scotch tape and some additional cardboard scraps. Here’s how we went about it :
Home-made cardboard candle mold
We cut a circle of cardboard to close the tube from one end and made a hole in the middle to pass the wick through it. We attached it to the tube using a generous portion of scotch tape to make it as impregnable as possible, since we’d be pouring liquid wax into it. After putting the string in, we tried to seal the hole with scotch tape too, but, as You will see, we sort of failed. Still, some other material such as plasticine or chewing gum should do nicely in this case.
Getting the wick just right
We then cut another piece of cardboard into a cross and made another hole through it. This was used to keep the wick straight and centered from the other end. It’s important, as the wick has to run straight through the middle of the candle or it won’t burn properly and might be dangerous. The wick is put through the hole and the cross arms are folded to keep it all in place.
Like this.
Candle sets in the mold. Note the spilled wax which drips from the wick hole in the bottom.
Once all that is done, the makeshift mold should be put on a safe surface (I used my cooking grate, because it won’t stand straight on a flat space since the wick comes out from the bottom) and the wax, molten in the double boiler, can be poured in. Because I didn’t get the bottom hole sealed properly, I put a piece of paper to protect the table from spilling wax. Far more of it poured out than I’d hoped, but after tearing the cardboard away I still got a nifty little candle.
The homemade mold prototype
If You have it all glued up properly and use a tube from paper towels, for example, You can make lovely, tall pillar candles, straight and smooth. Shorter tubes result in nice stubby fellows that can be used as votives. Of course, You are limited by the tube’s diameter, but this way You can make Your own pillar candles out of practically nothing. (The little “crater” around the wick is normal and the result of setting wax losing its volume and can be filled with a new portion of wax easily but I was too lazy.)
September 21, 2011 at 15:58 (Basics, Books of Shadows, Cooking tips, Herbalism, Uncategorized)
Tags: Book, Books of Shadows, Candle, Candlemaking, Cheese, Cleaning, Cooking, Cooking tips, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Music, Recipe, Red wine, Salad, Solstice, Spell, White wine, Wine, Witchcraft
I’ve been neglecting my readers, have I not? Well, there’s not much I have to say to excuse myself, but let me tell You this – I’ve been neglecting a lot of things lately. I didn’t even remember the Equinox was today until a friend reminded me. (Thanks, man!) I was planning to share a recipe for stuffed peppers, but it will have to wait.
Well, the year is round, and Kitchen Witchcraft had made a full circle some time ago. The Autumnal Equinox marks the descent towards darkness, the waning time. But fret not – light will come back again, as it always has. Personally I find much solace in that certainty, as I’m sure I’ve written more than once already. The Autumnal Equinox (on this side of the world, of course. Yes, I know about the existence of Australia) is the time to thank the Earth for all she has given, and let her take her well-earned rest. The gifts of Autumn are bountiful and valuable, but we must use them wisely to let them last for the winter. This is the time to make wine, fruit and vegetable preserves, to dry mushrooms and pickle cucumbers and do all these things that humans invented so that the gifts of the Earth are not wasted.
I was never all that good at making jams, but my Mother is, and she already has. Myself I am probably going to celebrate by preparing an alcoholic tincture of some kind (I’ve just found out that our nalewka is a word used for them abroad as well, and currently awaiting trademark registration) if I have the patience. If not, I’ll pickle some peppers or french beans for the winter. It’s really not all that hard, and I like to think of it as a kitchen ritual that is exemplary of the Kitchen Witchcraft practice – with a spiritual as well as practical meaning.
All You need is a jar big enough to hold the portion You want, water, salt and citric acid. Clean the beans and boil them for a short time (3 minutes are enough). The jars have to be absolutely clean and the lids must fit perfectly. For best results, boil the jars in a big pot just before use. Boil the water with salt and acid, put the hot beans into the jars and pour the brine over them. Screw the lids on tight and put the full jar back into the pot. Boil them for about an hour, then take them out. After 48 hours boil them again for about 40 minutes, and now You have jars of french beans ready for winter.
And traditionally, Kitchen Witchcraft provides You with music for this special day. Have fun, I’m off to celebrate!
April 13, 2011 at 21:09 (Basics, Herbalism)
Tags: Books of Shadows, Candlemaking, Cleaning, Cooking, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Recipe, Red wine, Salad, Solstice, Soup, Spell, Wine, Witchcraft
Theoretic introduction has been done, so it’s time for some practical advice on the matter of herbal tinctures. After all, theory is easy to access these days, but some things You only learn with time.
Since those are alcohol- based brews, they are highly resistant to bacterial contamination. This means they will keep long and, usually, they can be stored in second-hand bottles or jars that have been thoroughly washed by means of preparation. Oil macerates or ointments, on the contrary, need a container that has been at least sterilized by boiling, and even then You’re being casual about it. However, there’s still a few guidelines that should be observed with alcoholic tinctures.
Not every herb lends itself well to alcoholic extraction, so You’re safest when following trusted recipes, as it’s near-impossible to list all cases and exceptions. Not every case will benefit from an alcohol-based remedy, either. It is also very important to choose the ingredients with a specific situation in mind. In magic, this of course means a right herb for a right spell ; in herbalism, the ingredient must be right for the patient. Common mistletoe plant (visci herba) is, for example, often used in remedies for chronic headaches, but given to someone with low arterial pressure it might prove quite disastrous.
When making a tincture from more than one ingredient, remember they can, and will, interact with each other. By no means can You presume that similar herbs (or those with similar properties) can be safely mixed and prepared together. If You have Your heart set on a multi-component tincture, always make sure You that whatever You’re mixing can be put together safely. Again, it’s best to follow recipes that’s been checked and proved fine.
This has proven to be quite a problem for apprentice herbalists, as I know from experience. Most good recipes will give the exact strength needed, so that the maker can achieve the desired effect by careful mixing of spirit and water. However, this depends on the intended use for the tincture : rubbing alcohol can be used for external purposes, but absolutely not if the resulting potion is to be consumed. Rectified spirit (sometimes uncut, sometimes mixed in right proportion with water) is the best bet here, since it can be used for both purposes without problems. If a lower alcoholic percentage is sufficient, clear vodka can be substituted.
Generally, if You have a dependable recipe and are following it, You’ll be good. Some ingredients need to be stored in the dark while infusing, some shouldn’t be exposed to alcohol too long, some need shaking or stirring and some absolutely do not. If You have a recipe that doesn’t specify these details, it might be best to look for one that does, so You know what You’re doing.
A lot of this knowledge will only accumulate over time as You practise the skills required, so remember to keep notes. Still, even with those uncertainties, alcoholic tinctures are by far the easiest herbal preparations to make. Don’t even get me started on ointments.
April 8, 2011 at 16:55 (Basics, Herbalism)
Tags: Books of Shadows, Candlemaking, Cleaning, Cooking, Equinox, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Recipe, Red wine, Salad, Solstice, Soup, Spell, Wine, Witchcraft
So, we’re having Spring around. Things are growing, sprouting leaves and all that. Soon, there will be a new supply of fresh herbs for us to use for anything that a Kitchen Witch might want, and this means more or less everything. But fresh herbs are not available forever, which is why herbalism has devised many techniques for preserving them. I’ve already outlined some of those, and today, we’ll explore the subject of alcohol tinctures in more detail.
One of the oldest and simplest tricks in the book, a tincture is a preserve obtained by the simple expedient of putting an ingredient of choice in a receptacle, pouring alcohol over it and waiting. While no particular skills are needed to do this, maybe accept for a steady hand, You will still need considerable knowledge if You are to make an effective and safe herbal tincture: knowing exactly how much alcohol (and what kind) to add, how long to wait and what to apply the result to.
Tinctures can be made of both fresh and dried ingredients with the fresh ones being, naturally, stronger. There are some exceptions, but no need to obsess over them. They are handy for internal use, and there is some backing to the theory of flavoured alcoholic drinks having evolved from medicinal tinctures, especially those intended to cure the digestive system. External use of alcohol-medicines depends on the condition of the patient’s skin, and the ailment in question (thank you, Captain Obvious), but they can be very helpful in that field, too. A tincture of calamus rhizome and certain additional ingredients is extremely effective against dandruff, for example. There’s also a whole range of recipes for obtaining alcoholic beverages that way.
Herbal tinctures are easy to make, inexpensive, and keep well. If You’re a beginner in the field, this is a good way to start.
February 1, 2011 at 16:13 (Basics)
Tags: Candle, Candlemaking, Cheese, Hand-crafted, Herbs, Imbolc, Incense, Magic, Red wine, Solstice, Witchcraft
I’d sit with the men, the women of God, There by the lake of beer.
We’d be drinking good health forever, And every drop would be a prayer.
- Saint Brighid’s Prayer
Falling halfway between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox is the festival of Imbolc, the day traditionally marking the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. Of course, the snow is still here, but the Sun is stronger, and soon it will be strong enough to chase the Winter away. Yes, I know that something similar has been said about the Winter Solstice, but while the Solstice was a promise, Imbolc marks the moment when the promise starts being fulfilled.
It is a truly ancient holiday*, having its roots back in the pre-agrarian times, when people’s lives were fully dependent on animals. Some scholars say that the date was not chosen for solar connotations, but rather because it marks the ewes’ pregnancy period. This meant that the flocks could multiply, and, maybe even more importantly, that the ewes would start giving milk, making cheese and other dairy products available. This could mean life or death for the whole community, especially in this particular season: February and the beginning of March are the peak of the Hungry Gap.
Another important part of Imbolc celebrations is the fire. Lighting candles (or whole bonfires) and blessing them for the new season is performed in most rituals associated with this festival, symbolising the Sun returning to the world and bringing us warmth.
So, the best way to celebrate Imbolc is to go into the woods, make a bonfire and eat cheese.
Can you think of something better?
Oh, actually, there is one more thing. Music. A festival such as this deserves a fitting musical background. Of course, it would be ideal if we could play a harp ourselves, but, as my Mother tells me all the time, You can’t have everything. So, for all those among You who – like me – have to rely on recordings, here’s something wonderful.
*Imbolc is so old, in fact, that its actual date remains uncertain – it can be either the first or the second of February. But I’m feeling in a festive mood today 
December 21, 2010 at 19:00 (Basics)
Tags: Books of Shadows, Candle, Candlemaking, Herbs, Incense, Magic, Solstice, Wine, Witchcraft
Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think
that those branches would turn green again and blossom
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Solstical pentagram in the snow
Tonight, the Northern Hemisphere will turn the tide of darkness, in more than one way. Starting tomorrow, the days will be getting longer here as Earth goes visibly towards spring. Plants and animals will start their way towards awakening, and Life itself will stir in its sleep.
A Solstice is always a special time, but today’s is so in many ways, universally for the world and specifically for me. However, You might be more interested by the former than in the latter, so that’s where I’ll start.
This year’s Winter Solstice falls on the day of total lunar eclipse.
The last time a lunar eclipse happened on a solstice was 372 years ago, in 1638. That’s right – Galileo was still alive, as was Anne Hutchinson, banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for her “heresy”, part of which included insisting that women should be allowed to voice their opinions. (Quite a lot of her followers were male, so let’s not get all self-righteous here.) And cardinal Richelieu has just appointed Mazarini his assistant. While king Louis XIV of France was born.
As You can see, it is quite a unique night, so I hope You can find a moment to celebrate and profit from the occasion. A solstice is always helpful when You want to turn the page in Your life, and a Winter Solstice, the day of leaving darkness behind, is the best. One as unique as tonight’s is not even an invitation, it is a requirement to change and to grow, as I hope You will all feel. Personally I am in the process of leaving behind quite a large pool of darkness of my own and I’m looking forward to the Solstice’s help*.
The lunar eclipse will be visible from Greenland, Iceland and North America, starting at about 2:41 in the night. For those geographically inconvenienced, NASA is supposed to be streaming the event on their webpage.
So Merry Solstice and Blessed Be!
ΦΦΦ
* As a solstical bonus for all of You, I have posted a recipe for spinach pancakes earlier today. Although personally I will be celebrating with the very-not-pagan spaghetti napoli.
December 8, 2010 at 13:50 (Basics)
Tags: Candle, Candlemaking, Magic, Raven, Witchcraft
Quoth the raven. Get it? Yeah, very funny.
- Terry Pratchett’s talking raven, Quoth
I just saw this today and felt compelled to share. This beautiful bird would be the perfect familiar for any Kitchen Witch, especially since it bathes without constraint. Not to mention the additional bonus of shedding feathers, which can be then used for magic, or making jewellery. Or for magical jewellery.
Oh, and of course it can sit perched on a skull, between dribbly candles and go “caw” ocasionally in the approved , occult fashion. While wet, which means it won’t catch fire so easily.
All credit goes to the video’s owner. And the crow’s owner, of course, although I don’t think You can actually own a bird.
So what do You think would be the best name for a crow familiar? Quoth? Or maybe Edgar?
