Safe Water

Water is a very basic necessity.  Many of us are living with substandard tap water.  In my city chlorine is used in the treatment of our water.  So are fluoride and iodine among other things.  Chlorine and fluoride and not things I want to ingest and I want to control my own dose of iodine.  This water is not palatable and in the summer, in spite of all it's "treatment" there are many cases of diarrhea which appear to be related to the water.  Time and again, myself and my neighbors have "cured" our own diarrhea by simply boiling the water. The Water Dept won't acknowledge any problem at all.  Time for some creative thinking!

For me, there aren't too many options since purchasing water is not affordable and a Brita type filter is still too costly and it can't remove all of the fluoride.  Boiling water is a pain and doesn't remove much except bacteria and some of the chlorine.

First of all, I wanted the fluoride out of there.  But to my dismay, my research showed me there aren't any commercial filters that really do a good job on removing that.  Reverse osmosis does get some of it out, even the charcoal type filter take some out but not enough to make it safe.  [see links at end of article for info on fluoride poisoning]  However, Ted at http://www.earthclinic.com convinced me that borax will remove that fluoride safely.  And borax is not even as toxic as table salt so it is safe, much safer than the fluoride!  This is what I do.  I pre-treat my quart of water with 1/8 tsp common borax from the grocery store.  After it is dissolved it is ready for the next step in my treatment plan.

To set up, you will need a brand new electric drip coffee pot, a cheap one will do fine.  And you will need some pure charcoal, which is inexpensive and easily found at an aquarium shop.  Be sure and get the pure stuff, there is a new product for filtering the fish tanks that contains plastics and is not good for this application.  The large jar pictured here cost me $22. and will last a year. [For 3 people we use about 3 to 4 gallons a day.]  And you will need a box of Borax for pre-treatment. Have a strainer handy,  a coffee filter, a wooden spoon for stirring and some nice clean jugs for the finished water.

Put your new coffee pot in a convenient location near the sink if possible.  Measure 1 cup of charcoal into a strainer and rinse well under running tap water.  Dark dust will wash out into the sink.  Next place the wet charcoal into the coffee pot's basket where the ground coffee would usually go. Fill the glass pot with tap water and stir in your 1/8 tsp borax.  Pour it into the reservoir.  Push the start button and when all the water has arrived in the pot, dump it in the sink and start another pot of borax water.  That first pot will look kind of dark and contains even more charcoal dust.  It wouldn't hurt you if you drank it but it doesn't look very pretty. 

When your water comes into the pot it has gotten very hot, almost boiling, that has killed any germs living in the water.  All of the chlorine should be gone and we hope most, if not all of the fluoride.  Now, switch off the heat under the coffee pot and pour the water into a clean jug.  I use 2 quart mason jars, works out just right for an eleven cup coffee pot.  After the water cools a bit you may refrigerate it or just use it at room temp.

 This water tastes very good and I use it in cooking and to make my ice.  When I start a pot of soup or make some green tea it is nice to have a pot of hot water around too.  Just replace your charcoal when the water doesn't taste as good as at the beginning.  For us, about every 6-8 weeks. 

And, one final thought, if you are worried about bathing in chlorine or fluoride there are options too.  A tablespoon of vitamin C powder [plain old ascorbic acid] will take the chlorine out of your tub, then you can add a tablespoon of borax or even a half a cup to the bath tub.  The fluoride will be gone and the borax will be a relaxing soak.

links: http://www.fluoridealert.org/  
         http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/2009/02/10/thyroid-tidbit-fluoride-in-our-water-is-poison-to-our-thyroids/

Leg warmers!

These were made just for me by a crafty friend.  I got to help pick out the yarns from her scrap basket. No pattern necessary, just a pot of tea and frequent "fittings".  What fun!  And they are welcome warmth in my basement apartment which has cold floors even in the summer!  When this picture was taken it was 10 below zero outside.  That didn't dampen my day or cool off my feet and legs!  I love these and will be wearing them to the grocery store later on today!

The Scoop on Soup!

Soup must surely be the oldest comfort food we have.  It was made in very ancient times in baskets filled with water and food items.  Hot rocks from the open fire were added to heat the water and simmer the soup.  Later, it was made in every country with local ingredients and great ingenuity.  In some places soup and bread were the main part of the daily diet.  Long ago many people kept an "eternal pot" of soup boiling night and day on the back of the stove.  Items were added from every meal, meat scraps, bones, left over vegetables, grains, legumes and even stale bread.  That was always ready for a hungry visitor or family meal.  Our love affair with soup is hereditary and basic to hearth and home all over the world.  So it really is a very basic dish to cook and very easy too.

Over the years I have discovered a few things about making soup at home.  And I would like to share my "soup system" with you here.  Let's start with a very basic vegetable soup that is extremely versatile.  Following a few guidelines will ensure a delicious result every time! I won't be posting a "recipe" for this soup.  You don't need measurements, you need ingredients suggestions, techniques and your ability to taste.   So, from the start, this should be made of things you enjoy eating.  Here's how I do it:

I always use; celery [tops and all], carrots, onion, garlic. And I am of the opinion that most soups will benefit from cabbage.  These should all be sliced and diced.  As for the cabbage, it needs to be sliced very thinly and the turned and sliced the other way too that we end up with little pieces that will nearly melt into the broth as they cook.  The "fabulous 5" all go into the large pot with a can of diced tomatoes and enough water to cover by a couple of inches.  Some of these are going to float so use your hand, push them down and guess!  Add some herbs if you like.  I use a bit of oregano, thyme and basil here. Bring the soup to a boil and then turn the heat down a bit.  You want it to continue boiling but not at full speed.  Use a lid that is cocked to vent the steam. Ideally, this gentle boiling should be an hour or even two. The long cooking time isn't suitable for potatoes, or grains as they get mushy.  Ergo, the next step. 

After the soup has had it's first cooking, you may add what else you would like, I use corn, potatoes, a turnip, green beans and parsley if I have it.  You put in what ever you like. At this time bring the pan back to a boil until the veggies and grains are tender. Then add salt and pepper and adjust seasoning to your taste, perhaps adding some bouillon cubes or soy sauce for richness.  At this point, I usually toss in a can of kidney beans or some leftover cooked pintos and a handful of pasta [macaroni, orzo or?] .  Bring back to a boil, cover and turn off the heat.  Ten minutes later, it's ready to eat. This is satisfying soup,  and is a meal in itself if served with toast or biscuits.  It can be stored in wide mouth pint jars as single servings for lunches, etc. 

Just a note here, this type of soup is so versatile.  When my family was all at home and I was cooking for 7 people I would clean out the fridge on Thursday and make all the left overs into soup for dinner.  My kids called it "day before payday soup" .  And I don't remember any complaints about the meals.  In fact it was somewhat like making an old fashioned quilt using household fabric scraps.  Everyone would look at those quilts and remember their winter pajamas or their special dress.  We had a weeks worth of memories in our bowls and it made for  lively conversation.  More soup coming up soon. 


Picture: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=151

Soft scrub, made at home in a flash!  Just sprinkle about a quarter cup of Arm and Hammer baking soda into the wet sink, pour in a tablespoon of Murphy Oil Soap, mix it around with your finger.  With a damp cloth, scrub the sink.  Rinse and enjoy.  Take a moment to admire yourself in the mirror.  You now have a clean, sanitary sink for just pennies!  It smells great too!  Aren't you the clever one! 

This mix can be made up and stored in an air tight container if you like. If it dries out just add some tap water and mix it up.  A wonder worker on the range top, bathtub and shower too.  It will de-grease a pan quick as a wink and works well on out door projects, like garden tools and autos.  I have a fisherman friend who loves it because it cleans all the equipment and gear so easily.  His wife love it because he doesn't smell fishy!  

One final recommendation.  After living with an automotive mechanic for 40 years, I can say nothing, at any price, EVER cleans up greasy hands like this mix.  This stuff is the bomb!  Just rub it in wet or dry and work it around a bit.  Rinse with warm water, maybe repeat once or twice and the mess is all gone. 

Murphy Oil Soap has many other uses for a green and thrifty household, as does baking soda.  More to come on that topic.