Garlicky Winter Greens and Chickpea Salad

Before we left on our crazy seven week Bountiful book tour and jet down to Southern Australia, we took a look at our dormant and sleepy garden. And then we sighed, wondering if it’s too early to try to seed for Winter veggies. It’s usually during end of October to beginning of December that the garden takes a bow and begins her dormant period. She’s been busy all summer with our a few hundred pounds of fruit and a load of tomatoes.

It’s a much deserved break and with the weather in its awkward Fall/Winter transition, not many vegetables tend to grow. But we were heading into a big travel period and by the time we’d return, we might have missed the perfect time to seed. We figured we didn’t have anything to lose if we seeded a little earlier and doing it all before we headed out on the road might give us the possibility of having some tender Winter greens to graze on when we returned.

Throwing in a bunch of mustard, beet, turnip and bok choy greens was a good idea because when we finally settled back home at the end of November, we started to see everything pop-up and welcome us back home. Well, at least the ones that Lexi, our bratty 1.5 year old Ridgeback didn’t dig up.

Now, we have the most tender Winter greens to eat, chop, stir fry, steam and cook with. This is why we love living in Southern California, despite all the smog and traffic congestion. We suffer for hours on the 405 freeway, but yet we have great weather and thus, a plethora of yummy green salads during December and January.

There’s always sacrifices to anywhere we all live. For us, we get sunshine and garden veggies while all you lucky East Coast or mountian folks get beautiful Winter snow. And tons of skiing. We’re jealous!

It’s also during this time of year that we crave vegetables and anything leafy green. The flavor of the seasons first young greens are always the best with great texture and flavor without the toughness and over-bitter bite of late greens. Today our fluffy-top napa greens looked perfect to picking. They could use a little thinning out too, so that meant making a lunch of winter greens with some chickpeas.

These greens are quickly wilted because that’s all they really need. Cook them for too long and they disappear into a green pile of mush. Cook them to perfect tender-wilt and you have a wonderful bite of flavorful, peppery and tender greens to satisfy the soul. The chickpeas add a great bite of protein and texture. That’s it. A simple salad of garlicky-greens and beans makes a great side dish or, in our case, an afternoon meal that’s energizing and not too heavy that it’ll put us in a food coma.

Happy January.

-Diane

Yield: Serves 2-4

Total Time: 15 min

You can use any greens you want (cabbage, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, beet greens, swiss chard) but as long as they are tender. If your greens are a little tougher, you might want to blanch them in hot water to tenderize them before the saute.

2 Tablespoons olive oil4-5 medium cloves fresh garlic, mincedabout 1 pound of greens, chopped (remove any tough stems or inner ribs)1 - 14.5 ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained & rinsed2 teaspoons soy sauce1 teaspoon sesame seed oil1 teaspoon rice vinegarkosher or sea salt, to tastefresh cracked black pepper, to tasteHeat large saute pan on medium-high heat. Add oil, then add the garlic. Cook garlic until translucent and fragrant, about 2 minutes.Add the greens and cook the greens until they are wilted and tender, folding the greens a couple times while cooking to help them cook evenly (depending on the greens this usually only takes a minute or two). Remove the pan from heat.Add the chickpeas, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold the chickpeas and seasonings into the greens until everything is combined well.Serve warm or cold.

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Winter in Venice at The Venetian Las Vegas

Winter in Venice, The Venetian pictures (1 of 5)

Last week, I was invited to an exclusive dinner hosted by The Venetian at the legendary Cut Steak House in Beverly Hills, to learn more about “Winter in Venice.”

The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas are home to Winter in Venice™, the third-annual celebration of the winter holiday season on the Las Vegas Strip, called “A Gift of The Venetian.”  With 49 days of seasonal experiences throughout both resorts, Winter in Venice is the ultimate destination for a holiday getaway, running Nov. 18, 2013 through Jan. 5, 2014.

I have long been a fan of The Venetian in Las Vegas. I have stayed there a couple of times, when they first opened and a few years ago on a business trip. I have stayed in many amazing hotels on the Las Vegas strip, but my stay at The Venetian left lasting impressions…I remember just how spacious the suite is and the view from the room down to the strip was simply spectacular.

During “Winter in Venice” celebrations, a schedule of Italian-inspired experiences will include a new nightly entertainment spectacle, whimsical character performances, a stunning 3D light projection show, and an elaborate Winter In Venice fantasy scene in The Palazzo Waterfall Gardens. For foodies who just love food, especially Italian cuisine, which I am sure many of my readers are, several weekend events will feature world-class experiences for foodies, including the new La Cucina ItalianaFood & Wine Festival, Dec. 5-8, featuring celebrity chefs such as Chef Mario Batali, Chef Wolfgang Puck, and more!

For those with kids or couples, the romantic skating rink above The Venetian’s iconic outdoor Grand Canal, will return. The rink was featured in Travel + Leisure magazine, and was called one of the “world’s coolest skating rinks” by the prestigious publication.  To best experience Winter in Venice, make plans to stay overnight at The Venetian or The Palazzo, begin at only $149 per night. Overnight guests also receive Passaporto di Winter in Venice, a festive bundle of value for the Winter in Venice experience, including free items and experiences worth more than $125 per stay. Additional retail, dining and entertainment offers are valued at more than $1,000!

For those who book an upgraded suite, a Premiere Passaporto di Winter in Venice is a special holiday “upgrade” to a deluxe Winter in Venice experience, including free items and experiences worth more than $300 per stay. Additional retail, dining and entertainment offers are valued at more than $1,500!

For more information on Winter in Venice or these exclusive suite packages, please visit http://www.venetian.com/winterinvenice.

About The Venetian Las Vegas®

The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, the largest property in the country to receive AAA’s Five Diamond and the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Four Star awards, is one of the world’s most luxurious resort and convention destinations. Recreating Venice’s legendary landmarks, the LEED® EB Gold-certified resort offers unmatched service and quality for leisure and corporate guests. With suites ranging from a standard 650-square-foot Luxury Suite to the luxurious 10,000-square-foot Chairman Suite, the all-suite resort boasts more than 4,000 of Las Vegas’ most lavish suite accommodations.  Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian features Grand Canal Shoppes®, an indoor streetscape complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub®, world-class gaming, exquisite restaurants, a wide variety of entertainment such as “Soul2Soul with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill,” the party musical “ROCK OF AGES,” showroom headliners including Human Nature, David Spade, Rita Rudner, Tim Allen and Joan Rivers and extensive convention and corporate services. Guests can earn points while they eat, sleep, shop and play with Grazie, the premiere loyalty program. The Venetian and its sister resort, The Palazzo Las Vegas, are the first ever Alliance Resorts in the InterContinental Hotel Group® global portfolio. For additional information, visit venetian.com, follow on Twitter @venetianvegas and interact on Facebook at facebook.com/venetianlasvegas.

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Winter & Spring 2013 Cooking Classes

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January 03, 2013Winter & Spring 2013 Cooking Classes

Ah, the new year. Time for reflection, refreshing andrestart. Take a half step back and a full step forward. If you subscribe to anAsian mindset toward the new year, you can celebrate twice – first for thesolar calendar and then again for the lunar calendar. (February 10, 2013 willlaunch the Year of the Snake.) That means you can take your time to set goalsand meet them!

I’ve been cleaning my office and making sure that I squareaway past commitments and have new ones in check on my schedule. Last year wascrazy with the book launch, travel and events. I hope to mostly stay close tohome this year, especially because I have the book manuscript to work on.

Additionally, I’ve  committedto teaching a number of local cooking classes. They are all hands-on classesand geared for lots of learning and fun.

It used to be that I had to travel faraway to teach engaging,intensive classes but this won’t be the case in 2013. Thus far, the class scheduleincludes:

4-hour classes atLove Apple Farms: We sold out the first time around with this series ofclasses so we’re running them again. Some people took all of them, driving asfar as Fresno. I already know that someone is flying out from the Midwest forthe Viet class. Love Apple Farms is a unique biodynamic farm in the Santa CruzMountains, about 1 1/4 hours from San Francisco. There are locals who sign upbut many people make a day-long excursion to cook in the mountains, thenhang-out by the beach for dinner.
Sun, Jan 27, 12-4pm:Asian Dumplings (great for gearing up for Chinese New Year)Sun, Feb 24, 12-4pm: DIY Asian Tofu(plus a mostly vegetarian full menu of tofu dishes)Sat, Mar 16, 12-4pm: Get Into the VietKitchen (includes banh xeo sizzling rice crepes)
5-hour classes at theSan Francisco Cooking School: This is a brand new facility in San Francisco.The classes will be intensive and fun so I hope you’ll join me to break in thenew school. I’ve got a weekend booked in March. The longer class format meansthat we can do interesting things. For example, in the tofu class, we’re going tomake yuba, fresh tofu skin that’s out of this world, not to mention vegan. Thedumpling class got tweaked a bit too from others that I’ve taught.
Sat, Mar 23,10am-3pm: Homemade Tofu (go from bean to curd, make yuba, and awhole meal of tofu) Sun, Mar 24, 10am-3pm: Asian Dumplings(master classic doughs, shapes, and cooking techniques)

1/2 day at CakebreadCellars: I like to offer a little wine at the end of each cooking class butfor this special class at renowned Cakebread Cellars, the winery is doing thepairings! Hurray. I’m looking forward to what the winery uncorks. We’ll startoff with a morning hands-on class of Vietnamese favorites and then you get totake a private tour of the winery. Finally, everyone gathers for lovely sit-downlunch with paired wine. The staff and I will be on hand to answer questions. Nowonder Cakebread calls their cooking classes the “Good Life Series.”

Sat, May 18,9:30am-early afternoon: Viet Spring Celebration (cook, drink, andlearn about Viet food and wine pairing)

With all of these cooking classes, there is a staff to cleanup. You attend to cook and tinker. At the end, we eat the food that we make.Hope to cook with you this year.

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Comments Winter & Spring 2013 Cooking Classes

Ah, the new year. Time for reflection, refreshing andrestart. Take a half step back and a full step forward. If you subscribe to anAsian mindset toward the new year, you can celebrate twice – first for thesolar calendar and then again for the lunar calendar. (February 10, 2013 willlaunch the Year of the Snake.) That means you can take your time to set goalsand meet them!

I’ve been cleaning my office and making sure that I squareaway past commitments and have new ones in check on my schedule. Last year wascrazy with the book launch, travel and events. I hope to mostly stay close tohome this year, especially because I have the book manuscript to work on.

Additionally, I’ve  committedto teaching a number of local cooking classes. They are all hands-on classesand geared for lots of learning and fun.

It used to be that I had to travel faraway to teach engaging,intensive classes but this won’t be the case in 2013. Thus far, the class scheduleincludes:

Stay Connected                    Asian Tofu in the News"A whole cookbook devoted to tofu? Yes, please."
— Kate Williams, Serious Eats 2012 Favorite Cookbooks

"Cooking with Tofu (Are You Serious?!)"
— Michael Rulhman on his tofu conversion

"This book should be a priority for anyone with the slightest interest in Asian cuisines."
— Anne Mendelson, Taste & Travel

"The most gratifying part about cooking from Asian Tofu is that all the recipes work the way they’re written."
— T. Susan Chang, Boston Globe

Book info, reviews, radio & TV . . .2013 Hands-on Classes4-hrs @LoveAppleFarms, Santa Cruz
Sun, Jan 27, 12-4pm:Asian Dumplings (CNY is Feb 10)
Sun, Feb 24, 12-4pm: DIY Asian Tofu ++
Sat, Mar 16, 12-4pm: Get Into the Viet Kitchen!

5-hrs @SFCooking, San Francisco
Sat, Mar 23, 10am-3pm: Homemade Tofu & Yuba too!
Sun, Mar 24, 10am-3pm: Asian Dumplings

1/2 day @Cakebreadwines, Rutherford
Sat, May 18, 9:30am-early afternoon: Viet Spring Celebration (cooking class, winery tour & luncheon)

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Gabrielle’s Winter Tomato and Corn Soup

Last week in writing about my confessions of coffee snobbery got me thinking about food snobbery in general. You know what I mean; “If it’s not seasonal, local, and organic then it’s not going on my table”,  or the “fast food… forget about it” crowd,  (unless it is from a fast food chain that has a cult following and then it is ok).

Then there is the tamed down version of a food snob, a foodie. Another title which not long ago many wore as a badge of honor yet over the last couple years has sullied into a term most of us would prefer not be labeled. It doesn’t carry the same “holier than thou” connotation as a food snob, but its minions have managed to tarnish the usage in the general public’s eye.

Check out urban dictionary for foodie and the first entry you get sounds kind of appealing: “A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation.” But that entry was from back in 2006, nearly a century ago in today’s digital age. Think about it, Myspace was THE Thing back then.

Second entry for foodie in urban dictionary is a bit more modern, “A douchebag who likes food.” Ouch.

However all of this focus on food and its qualities in our recent history has been a great thing. Farmers markets are thriving, the populace in general has an increased awareness in their food, where it comes from, and in its quality. American restaurants and cuisine is no longer the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Things of the past which were feared nearly lost; home gardens, canning, curing meats are now not only no longer at risk of being forgotten, they are cool to do. Nothing like buying a slab of pork belly and making your own bacon for a little bad-ass recognition around the water cooler.

We all are a part if it, one way or another. From those who are embarrassingly fanatical to the impassive home gardener. Together we influence the food culture surrounding us, from our home kitchens, to our markets, to the farmers’ fields. Where do you stand in the food cycle?

For Diane and me, it seems hard to define in words. We’re massive garden geeks, building our garden around most things edible. We’d rather spend a Friday night making puff pastry or doing a roast than hitting the clubs (God we are getting old-although we did that in our 20's so go figure). We can appreciate the artistry behind a 3 star restaurant but more often hit up a well-ran gastropub, and we are more than happy with the occasional Shake Shack or other burger run.

Even with us growing so much of our own food and having amazing farmers’ markets surrounding us nearly all week long, we still have a pantry stocked with a few nice canned goods to supplement our own summertime canning. There are times when you come home and want something quick and uncomplicated. And fixing up a meal from canned ingredients doesn’t automatically make you a Sandra Lee.

Anytime I think about the subject of canned foods, a particular friend comes to mind.

Her name was Gabrielle. An amazing artist, world traveler, and a kind soul. She was living on a houseboat and when Diane and I were in her area, she invited us over for an afternoon chat. We settled into the cozy cushions in the “living room” while she effortlessly made a quick soup using canned tomatoes and creamed corn. Served with a crust loaf of bread while the salty, cool ocean air wrapped around our senses and it was one of those perfect meals you never forget.

This incredible soup was humble, deeply satisfying and truly made from the heart. That’s what good food is about, nurturing what you have on hand, made with love and from the heart.

Even though is has probably been over a decade since we’ve seen Gabrielle, there isn’t a time when we have the soup in which we don’t think of her. And for us, a meal from a can will never automatically carry a negative connotation.

-todd

Yield: Serves 4-6

Total Time: 15 min

Serve with your favorite bread or crackers. This makes a great cool weather, quick hearty meal.

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes, if you use salt-free then add salt to taste1 (10 oz) can creamed corn1 cup skim or low fat milk1/2 medium onion, minced3 cloves garlic, minced2 Tablespoons olive oilabout 3-4 green onion stalks, choppedadditional salt and pepper to tasteHeat medium pot, add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and garlic and cook until transluscent.Add canned tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes until combined well with onion/garlic mixture.Add canned creamed corn and milk. Stir to combine evenly, then slowly bring to boil.Reduce heat, add green onions and salt/pepper to taste.Cook for about 5 minutes until soup is combined well.Serve warm with your favorite bread or crackers.

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Happy Winter Solstice

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Monday photos: Winter in Provence

For the past couple of years I’ve been spending most of the winter months in Japan, or somewhere else. Last year I spent most of January in New York and Seattle promoting the Just Bento Cookbook, and the year before I was in Japan, doing the photoshoot for the book! And the year before that I was in Zürich. So, even though we bought this old broken down stone house about 2 years ago, this is the first January I’ve been here.

There isn’t too much going on in this sleepy corner of France in the winter months. The tourists will start arriving in the spring, and the fields are quiet. But it’s still so beautiful. I’ve been indoors most of the time for weeks, waiting for my surgery wound to heal. It’s finally started healing up a bit so I can go out (at least, it’s not leaking copiously anymore). It feels so good to feel some fresh air on my face again.

Olive trees keep their shimmery silver leaves throughout the winter. We don’t get much snow here in Provence, except on the top of Mont Ventoux, here in the background.

Besides olives and vines, many kinds of fruit trees are grown here. Here in the Baronnies, in an area just to the north of Provence proper called the Drôme Provençale (administratively part of the Rhône-Alpes, but in spirit and landscape all Provence) the land is very hilly, so the orchards are terraced. I think they are apricot trees there.

And of course, there are vineyards, many many vineyards. These terraced vineyards are about 10 minutes away from the house, nestled in a magical little valley. Everywhere you go in this northern section of Provence, wherever there is a little patch of sunny land, it is planted with vines or olive trees or fruit trees. (The Dentelles de Montmirail, which you can see in the far right, are nearby many famous AOC wine producing villages such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras and Beaumes de Venise.)

Still some ways to go for these old vines…

It’s hard to believe this dead looking branch will be, in just a few weeks, bursting with life. But it will. It’s just taking a long nap.

More than the plants are taking a winter break. We stopped by one of my favorite brocante (junk/antiques shop) a few days ago, only to discover it’s closed…until February 29th! Someone had impatiently scribbled underneath the store sign, “[2 months is] VERY long!!”

By the end of February, my surgery wound will hopefully have finally healed and I’ll be able to move around freely. My father’s memorial service will be done. In March my radiation therapy will begin, but I feel confident that it will go well. And maybe we can resume work on the old house again, finally install a kitchen, finish the floors, install a staircase to the upstairs. Ah, so many things. Still, when I see how much beauty we are surrounded by here, I feel so very lucky.

In the meantime, on February 29th I’ll be there at that store to see if they’ve gotten in anything new. I can’t wait.

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Happy Winter Solstice

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Winter Melon Soup

April 29th, 2011 | Chinese, Chinese Recipes | 13 Comments

Winter Melon Soup pictures (1 of 3)

Winter melon soup is one of my favorite soups. I find it extremely nourishing and cooling, especially now that I am down with a cold. Winter melon has a very mild taste so it’s hard to make it into a flavorful soup unless you add in extra ingredients. Other than pork ribs, I boil my winter melon soup with a trio of dried seafood: dried scallops, oysters, and  shrimp. To rid the potential “fishy” taste in the soup, I add some freshly cracked white peppercorns to spice up the flavor. Another secret ingredient that I always use in Chinese soups is dried honey date or ??, an inexpensive that lends a subtle and sweet fruity note to soups…

The Cantonese believe that soups are “tonic” and rejuvenating. There is a saying in Cantonese that “women need to take tonic or else they will age fast” (???????). I am a firm believer and will share more soup recipes with you here on Rasa Malaysia.

Winter Melon Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

8 cups water
8 oz pork ribs, cut into riblets
1 1/2 lbs winter melon, cut into small pieces, skin removed
2 dried scallops
6 dried oysters
1 tablespoon dried shrimp, soaked in water water for 10 minutes
1 dried honey date
1 teaspoon white peppercorn, lightly pounded with a mortar and pestle or the back of a Chinese cleaver
Salt to taste, optional

Method:

Bring the water to boil in a deep pot. Add the pork ribs and boil for 5 minutes before adding the winter melon, dried seafood, peppers, and honey date. Continue to boil on medium heat for 15-20 minutes before lowering the heat to low. Discard the “foam” at the top of the soup. Keep boiling the soup on low heat for about 45 minutes or so or until the soup is full of the sweet flavor of all the ingredients. Add salt to taste. If you like, you might add some more water and bring the soup to boil before serving.

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Home Remedies for Winter Cough: Vick’s and Ginger Brew

Home Remedies for Winter Cough: Vick’s and Ginger Brew - Viet World KitchenViet World KitchenHomeArchivesRecipe IndexVWK StoreClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission and CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

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February 11, 2011Home Remedies for Winter Cough: Vick’s and Ginger Brew

Today is the first day in six (6) weeks that I haven’t had spasmodic coughing fits. I’ve been down with this winter’s nasty coughing virus. You may have heard of it – the one that starts with the gripping sore throat, maybe involves fever/congestion/body aches, and eventually settles into a long period of dry coughs. Some say it’s a resurgence of whooping cough. Children are suppose to get immunized.

All I know is that whenever there was a temperature change from warm to cold, I coughed as if my insides were about fly out of my mouth! It was hard to take in a full breath too, but I was basically functional.

By the time I went to my regular MD, she said I was pretty much fine but that I just had to wait for my body to recuperate. No antibiotics but she prescribed an inhaler, which helped a bit but not much. I used it for a few days but the coughing persisted.

My dad and friend Terrence suggested this home remedy: rubbing Vick’s VapoRub on the soles of your feet and wearing a pair of socks. My dad is 80 and Terrence is my contemporary. They both swore that the Vick’s-and-socks approach worked for them and would for me. It’s a remedy that’s been passed around the Internet for a couple of years. Some say it’s a hoax while others say it’s inconclusive. Nevertheless, it’s a topical thing so it’s not like you’re going to swallow it!

I figured that it was harmless to try because my cough seemed to linger. So every night for the past week and a half, I’ve been rubbing Vick’s on the soles of my feet, then slipping on a pair of socks. My friends – I slept like a baby and felt better in the morning. The coughing began to further subside.

I also went to my acupuncturist, Dr. Jasmine Berke. She poked and cupped me to boost my immune system. Then she sent me home with an herbal tonic called “Wise Judge” and a tea recipe called “Ginger Brew.” I was at the tail end of the virus but Jasmine assured me that the tea would help me get over it once and for all. I made a batch and drank it over the course of a week. I dosed myself with Wise Judge too.

The herbs helped but things shifted back to normalcy after I drank the tea and rubbed on the Vick’s. If you got this persistent coughing thing, talk to a medical professional but try the Vick’s and tea to alleviate matters. I am so happy to finally be cough free!

Ginger Brew

Helps with digestion, eliminates clear phlegm and mucous, and warms the interior. Remember to wash the ginger before using it as you won’t have to peel it. Posted with permission from Dr. Jasmine Berke of Acupuncture Today.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

1/2 pound of unpeeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
8 cups water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

In a saucepan, simmer the ginger and 4 cups of water, partially covered for 20 minutes. Strain the ginger into another saucepan. Add the honey, stirring to dissolve. Add the lemon juice and remaining 4 cups of water. Drink warm or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

If you have a remedy to share for a winter cough, let us all know!Posted in Miscellaneous | Permalink

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Congratulations on getting over the cough! I'm so curious to try the vicks and socks cure. Had something similar a couple of years ago and was prescribed an inhaler which made the cough worse. At a recent visit to the doctor, she recommended that I take a tetanus booster (Tdap) as it is now includes the vaccine for whooping cough as well.

My ginger tea is about the same as the above recipe. Lately, I've started adding crushed garlic (when I know I'm not going to be meeting anyone!). Tastes great to me and garlic has powerful antibiotic properties as well.

Posted by:Veena |February 11, 2011 at 04:42 PM

I am glad you are feeling better. I was also down with a nasty cold 3 weeks ago. I hardly ever get sick but once I get sick, it's full blown.

Anyway, I paid a visit to my doctor to rule out any bad bacteria or what have you. I also drank homemade ginger tea with slices of lemon and honey. Let me tell you, it works on my cough like a charm. Even my pharmacist friend recommends it. Apparently, ginger has anti-inflammatory property.

Isn't it nice to be able to take a deep breath without choking up in your cough?

Posted by:Anh |February 11, 2011 at 05:41 PM

When I was young, years ago, my grandmother would put Vick's on my chest (or on a cloth around my neck) and I would sleep through the night...it was also used for muscle soreness...the active ingredients, camphor, menthol and eucalyptus can cross the skin to enter the bloodstream and work on your body. I would get a variation of the ginger tea as a cough medicine which also contained alcohol. Those were the remedies from my childhood. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by:johnt |February 11, 2011 at 06:57 PM

Funny about the Vicks and socks remedy, my aunt uses it a lot and it works for my son when he has a cough

Posted by:momgateway |February 11, 2011 at 08:15 PM

Poor A! Take care and keep up the regimen of Pappy Van Winkles.

Posted by:Ivy Manning |February 12, 2011 at 09:27 AM

So glad you are feeling better!

I have never heard of that Vicks thing. Odd. But the tea is one of my standard winter teas. I just chop a few slices of ginger (unpeeled), throw into a pot with some water. Boil a while (maybe 1/2 hour), add honey and lemon to taste. I like it as a warming winter thing.

Posted by:Diane |February 12, 2011 at 10:19 AM

Ivy reminded me that then I first got sick, I tried to cure myself with a steady supply of hot toddies made with Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. Or, I'd just sip Pappy to calm the cough. I got some psychedelic dreams one night, maybe due to too much Pappy and a light fever(?!).

My dad loves to use 100% eucalyptus oil for cold-like symptoms. I grew up with that cure but boy does it make unpopularly stinky!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |February 12, 2011 at 11:29 AM

Never heard of the Vick's Feet thing!?!?!?
When I'd just fallen pregnant last winter I had a winter cold that went after a week to be followed by a cough. It too was persistent & I went through three bottles of cough mix. After one finished I tried a different one as the one I'd finished made no difference. A month later, I was still coughing but then found I was expecting! That ruled out any cough mix for me and came up with my own. (Similar to yours in fact.) 4 thin slices of ginger (skin on or off up to you) in a mug, pour in a little hot water and microwave for about 30-60 secs. The water does rise so don't add too much water and watch carefully! Add in 1 teaspoon of honey and 3-4 slices of lemon, top up with hot water. Worked for me when no other cough mix could touch it!

Posted by:PlumLeaf |February 13, 2011 at 07:35 AM

thank you very much,everyone has this problem, hope this will work for my kids,i am always hear them coughing,

Posted by:Illinois health insurance |February 14, 2011 at 02:37 AM

Glad you're feeling better.
My family recipe for the ginger brew includes lightly charring the outside of the lemon first before slicing and squeezing the juice out, then dropping the lemon slice, charred peel and all into the brew.
Chewing kumquats is another home remedy for coughs and ... don't know the English word for kh?m kh?c.

Posted by:Linh-Dang |February 14, 2011 at 08:47 AM

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