Raines Realm

It's that time of year, the time when colds and flus start running rampant. Isn't that all year? I digress... As with so many things this year, society is getting back to it's roots and rediscovering ancient elixirs. Rooted in Chinese medicine over 2500 years ago, bone broth is making a comeback. This "meaty miracle" will apparently cure what ails you. It's modern day claims include healing your gut, protecting joints, better sleep, improving memory and immune support, stronger bones, and increased energy. This gluten-free, cure-all can be sipped as a beverage in place of coffee or tea, used as a base for soups, or even added to smoothies. (Although that last one scares me.) In 1760 the editor of the Dublin Courier first recorded an instance of  beef tea, which is bone broth as we know it today. According to the "experts" is recommended for daily use. And during the cold and flu season, extra doses if you actually get sick. ...

It's that time of year, the time when colds and flus start running rampant. Isn't that all year? I digress... As with so many things this year, society is getting back to it's roots and rediscovering ancient elixirs. Rooted in Chinese medicine over 2500 years ago, bone broth is making a comeback. This "meaty miracle" will apparently cure what ails you. It's modern day claims include healing your gut, protecting joints, better sleep, improving memory and immune support, stronger bones, and increased energy. This gluten-free, cure-all can be sipped as a beverage in place of coffee or tea, used as a base for soups, or even added to smoothies. (Although that last one scares me.) In 1760 the editor of the Dublin Courier first recorded an instance of  beef tea, which is bone broth as we know it today. According to the "experts" is recommended for daily use. And during the cold and flu season, extra doses if you actually get sick. ...

With the vegan population experiencing steady growth, even the most dedicated meat-eater is succumbing to the occassional "meatless Monday". Global warming and animal cruelty seem to be the two biggest concerns that drive individuals into the arms of the vegan lifestyle. A close third is being vegan for health benefits, especially with the recent WHO report condemning processed and certain red meats. You can read more about that here:   http://alacuisinellc.blogspot.com/2016/11/even-who-seems-scared-to-tell-you-to.html?m=1 Everywhere you look, there are resources, groups, and social media pages devoted to everything vegan. With all of this attention and growing popularity, a vegan butcher shop seemed to be the next evolutionary step. Enter the Herbivorous Butcher. Siblings Aubrey and Kale Walch started their enterprise at the Minneapolis Farmers Market in June 2014. By January 2016, they were able to open their brick and mortar storefront. This trail-blazing e...

This so-called drug has Americans consuming 32 billion strips annually. It was first introduced to the world by China in 1500 B.C. and...it's bacon. This high-fat delight has taken some heat in the past couple of years with scientic reports stating that it is a level 1 carcinogen. Oh, and it's just as addictive as cocaine. But even with this alarming scientific evidence, the bacon industry only saw a 16.5 percent decline after the WHO report. What makes bacon so addictive? Umami is a word used to describe the 5th flavor of taste. (The other four being bitter, salty, sweet, and sour.) Umami is described as delicious, salty-sweet, pleasantly savory, meaty, long-lasting, mouth-watering, full and mouth-coating, balances taste, and rounds out flavor. I think we can all agree that umami describes bacon. The particular taste of umami causes a chemical reaction in the brain that leads to consistently craving the taste. We constantly want more and there's no shortage of wa...

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it's time to take a heartfelt look at all of the things we sometimes take for granted. One of the biggest things is probably the dining room table. Eating at the table can be a magical experience. Its also very practical and beneficial for everyone. Sharing meals at the table has always been an excellent way to truly connect with others. When we eat with others, we tend to have improved communication. This is important for family and friends alike, but especially for children. Studies have concluded that children who eat at the table 5 or more times a week had better grades and lower rates of smoking, drinking and illegal drug use. Manners were also much more developed. Enjoying meals at the table is also connected to more mindful eating. We generally eat slower and can better understand our body's full signals. We can also focus on the tastes of our food and truly enjoy it. The table is the stage where our meals are allowe...

If you find yourself with overwhelming amounts of candy this Halloween, you have a few options. You could always gorge on it and consume astounding amounts of sugar and fat, or you could do something more. You can sell it to a dentist. Some local dentist offices will buy your Halloween candy. They pay per weight and it seems the average is $1 per pound. You can search by zipcode for the nearest participating dentist here:  http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/ You could send it to a soldier. Operation Gratitude will gladly take your candy and send it in care packages to soldiers oversees. Here's their link:  https://www.google.com/amp/s/opgrat.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/halloween-candy-for-the-troops/amp/ You could donate it to charity. Among others, Ronald McDonald House accepts unopened candy after Halloween. You can find the nearest location here:  http://www.rmhc.org/ There is no wrong decision regarding what you do with your Halloween candy, but it'...

"Candy!" is generally the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of Halloween, but a traditional Irish fortune-telling cake is more accurate. We all know that Halloween is the modern-day celebration of the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhaim (pronounced Sow-in). It was originally celebrated as the time of year when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. This led to all sorts of fortune-telling and divination methods in hopes of learning about the future. Thus enters the barmbrack. This simple fruit bread is the delicious ancestor of the questionable fruit cakes of today. The fun part about this bread though, has nothing to do with its taste or appearance, but what it has inside. Particular "charms" are wrapped in parchment paper, evenly distributed, and baked inside. Traditionally, the items include a coin, ring, thimble, button, and scrap of cloth. The cake is then divided and whatever charm you had in your piece was you...