CLEAN CHIMNEY

Joyce Chen 2 Quart Ceramic Tea Kettle with Bamboo Handle, Ebony

2 Qt Ceramic Tea Kettle. Safe for use directly on gas or electric burners. The heat resistant bamboo handle protects your hands from the hot kettle. VEry popular in Japan because the glazed ceramic won't affect the taste of the tea. It also retains heat and is easy to handle. Ebony Black color.

This Chinese-style ceramic teakettle has been fired to 2,700 degrees F, making it tough enough to be put directly on your gas or electric burner. The kettle retains heat extremely well: The water continues to boil for 30 seconds after the kettle's been removed from the burner. In addition, the high-fired ceramic is nonreactive, which means the boiled water won't pick up unwanted flavors from the kettle. Classic style elements include a matte finish and a bamboo heat-resistant handle. --David Drury

by Ross LewAllen & Pamela Jensen ©1998

"River medicine is very powerful. As long as the river water dances, the dance of life will continue," Gray Antelope explained as he handed Ross a small bottle. It held water from the Snake River.

"You put the Snake River water in the grandmother clay pot. All you need is a couple of drops. Dip your finger into the water. Everyone that you touch will experience its healing touch," he said.

Before Ross could say thank you, Antelope said, "Let's go for a ride in your car." Ross and the medicine man got into his car. He started up the engine and slid the sun roof open. He headed north. "You have a great car for medicine," Antelope said merrily," it has this top that opens. You can go down the highway and throw medicine corn out the roof. Everywhere it lands there will be a blessing." He laughed as Ross reached into his pocket and withdrew a small pouch. Taking dried corn from the pouch and flinging it through the sun roof, Ross wondered whose life would be changed from a chance encounter with the blessing corn.

Ross kept driving with no particular destination in mind. As they drove through a wooded area, Antelope seemed to know what was around the next turn in the road, "Ho! Deer on the road up ahead," he shouted out. And when the car sped around the bend, there stood two graceful brown-eyed does that had to bound off the road to escape. Antelope laughed, giving Ross a light tap on the arm. Ross smiled and kept driving north until they were following the river.

"Pull over here," Antelope requested and Ross pulled off the road onto the bare dirt. There was no other traffic on the road and the only sound was the rush of the river. The mountains rose high on the other side of the water and the sky turned dark above.

"Looks like a storm's coming in," Ross said, thinking of rain and flash floods. He felt a single raindrop hit his forehead.

"You will need to know how to open the river. I will teach you how to do this," Antelope said, ignoring Ross's concern about the storm. He walked through the trees and down the slope toward the river. Ross hurriedly shut the sun roof, rolled up windows and locked the car doors. Then he followed the path Antelope had taken. He saw Antelope standing in the shadows cast by the great cottonwood tree down by the water's edge and stopped to watch the medicine man.

Antelope stood in silence and looked up and down the river. He reached into his pocket and the sky rumbled above him, swirling with dark clouds. As he threw a handful of blessing corn onto the water, lightning crashed above him streaking across the sky like an angry silver snake. He was illuminated by the flash of light in that split second, a tiny human against a backdrop of wild river and mountain, captured like a snapshot in Ross's mind forever. He seemed frail and vulnerable and yet totally unafraid. For the first time, Ross feared that some harm might come to him, that he might lose his friend, Gray Antelope. He hurried down the hill and stood next to him.

"Hey, that was close. Are you okay?" Ross asked.

Antelope did not answer, but handed Ross some corn to use to bless the river. Ross hesitated for a moment as he looked up at the sky, waiting for the return of the lightning. Antelope watched smiling and Ross tossed the blessing corn into the water.

"When you open a river, you open it for all the beavers, so they can do their work. They are part of the river. When you open the river, you open it for the people, for all the children. To let the river energy flow to open their hearts." Ross nodded his head and waited for Antelope to continue.

"I can see all the people. I can see all the children. They put their hands out but their fingers are clenched down tight into their palms. They can't uncurl their fingers. They can't open their hands to touch and feel the world around them. Their eyes are closed," Antelope said, his voice full of emotion.

"They can't see the beauty around them. When they look at each other, it is with anger or hatred. Their hearts are closed. There are so many children. They need so much help. There are so many things to block their path, ancient enemies, old wounds, greed, alcohol, gambling, the lure of the golden cross. Many follow the wrong path. They close their hearts to each other and close their hands so that they can not receive the blessings that Spirit sends. So you must open the river to let the river energy go to them. The river will open their hands to receive and their hearts to love. It will open their eyes, so they can see the way."

Antelope squatted down and put his hand into the water and stood and rubbed some water onto Ross's hands.

"Take the blessing water and put it on the hands of children," he instructed. Then pulling a long red sash from his pocket, he added,"Tie several loos

She decided that cooking was her passion. I decided to have a special evening where together we would make ratatouille, invite others to eat with us and then watch the animated film Ratatouille. Over half the ingredients were already provided by a kind and generous person from the local organic food farmers' market.

A number of people who provided ratatouille recipes on the Internet warned about how much you'll mess up the kitchen when you make ratatouille the "proper way."

The Canadian ratatouille that I made included vegetables available in fall where I lived.

So I cut as many as I could in rondelles and cooked them separately first using separate pots and pans on all stove elements, my vegetable steamer and counter top toaster oven with my Pampered Chef clay pan. I crushed the canned tomatoes with my hands and added them to some of the vegetables cooking in olive oil along with some basil and parsley. When the younger ones arrived I let them arrange their own uinque pan of ratatouille based on their own preferences. One made happy faces and chose based on colour and shape. The eleven-year-old passionate petite chef arranged hers according to the tastes of the foods. I then divided the vegetables into two pots, my slow cooker and a large oven dish. The other adults were an hour late which was great because I could bake everything longer and slower. It also gave me time to clean up one of the messiest kitchens I had worked in in a long time. It seems like every pot, pan, bowl, cutting boards, tables and counter tops had been used. By the time the tardy adults arrived everything was clean and ready! We tried the three oven-baked dishes. The flavours were amazing. The squash was a particular success. The ratatouille in the slow cooker was ready later in the evening. It was the least interesting in terms of flavour. The young chefs loved the entire experience and I think our laughter during the film had a lot to do with the hands on process of learning that anyone can cook.

The Romertopf #1132 clay baker is extra large, cooks for up to 8 people. Accepts up to 14 pounds or a 13 pound turkey. Clay pot cooking allows you to prepare quick, healthy, high quality meals that cost less and taste better. Food cooked in a clay pot requires no liquid unless specifically called for. The result: all natural juices, the full flavor and taste and all the essential nutrients and vitamins are retained. The taste is truly superb. You can cook all kinds of food without adding any fat, in line with the demands of modern dietetics. The Romertopf is made of a special porous clay and is unglazed inside and out allowing it to breathe during the cooking process. By soaking the pot in water before cooking, moisture is absorbed by the clay. The tiny water particles are released during cooking, penetrating and blending with the natural food juices, increasing flavor, tenderness and enhancing aroma.

Cooking pork spareribs in the oven or on the barbeque often requires frequent basting and attention to prevent a dry and flavorless meal. Meanwhile, frying the ribs in a skillet necessitates the use of fatty cooking oil. Each year, the dilemma of cooking juicy, savory meats without the toil and fat inspires a plethora of fresh tools and appliances. Despite all this new-fangled technology, the most effective solution was born during the Roman Empire era: the clay pot. Reco International Romertopf has launched the renaissance of clay-pot cooking with quality products, such as this baker. The baker holds approximately 14 pounds of food, or 4 quarts, and accommodates four to six people. The baker finds use in preparing soup, jambalaya, and pot roast dishes alike.
The baker features the classic Romertopf design. The porous clay construction is free of lead, cadmium, and other impurities. Two shaped handles enable baker transportation. A lid fits on top to contain steam and nutrients. Prior to each use, soak the baker for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the clay to absorb moisture. While cooking, the baker releases this moisture to infuse the dish's natural juices for greater flavor and tenderness. Do not preheat the oven when cooking with Romertopf as sudden temperature shifts may result in irreparable damage. Place the filled baker instead in a cold oven for gradual heating. Wash the baker with warm water and sponge and dry immediately. Avoid hardy detergents that may permeate the clay for negative flavor. The baker's interior stains over time, a reflection of natural seasoning. Read all enclosed materials with care before the baker's initial use. The baker comes with a limited guarantee. Made in Mexico, the baker measures 16 by 11 by 8 inches and weighs 11 pounds upon shipping. --Jessica Reuling