That is the group I started on Facebook yesterday. The intent is to share recipes and remedies from plants, fruits, etc that are readily available around us.
I freely admit that part of the inspiration was based on recently watching James Wong’s BBC series “Grow Your Own Drugs”. I like his approach simply because as an ethnobotanist he puts the science into what is often referred to as “an old wives tale”. BTW some episodes are available on YouTube which I will continue to post on the page as a good starting point to explore this topic. Though it is far from the only resource that will be posted.
Like James, I grew up in Malaysia where modern medicine and traditional cures were used side by side. I remember my father telling me, “Chew on this grass and put it on that scrape you just got”. And it wasn’t just a case of my Grandmother or an Aunt recommending a local plant cure for a common ailment “Boil this with pork bones and drink the soup… and you’ll be all better” … in fact, our family doctor would often suggest “certain foods to eat” that would be “beneficial” for certain ailments.
Over the years, even living here in the US, I have continued to use these remedies on occasion and when the need arose. So, creating remedies and cures from plants is not new for me.
Another part of the inspiration is the fact that I live in Fresno, California… arguably the center of the largest agricultural valley in the world. The climate here is conducive to cultivate just about everything… so, why not take advantage of that.
And thirdly… some of you know that I cook. Part of my kitchen philosophy includes the cooking aesthetic of the dominant cultures that make up Malaysia (I sometimes call it “the alchemy of the Malaysian kitchen) . Each of them hold the common component of “foods that are good for you”. I’ve stated on more than one occasion that even the “street junk food” is healthy and nutritious there. The prevalent notion (from the West) “if it’s good for you it will taste like crap” is a totally alien one to me. It also continues to baffle me that a separation between “good food” and “health food” actually exists.
So, there you have it. Let’s hope this group spawns home remedies (every culture has some) and especially (for me) recipes that are yummy and good for both the body and soul. Perhaps by doing so we can all rediscover the benefits of everything within our easy reach.