I worked at Whole Foods Market for a very short time in the specialty department. I specifically wanted to work in specialty since they work with cheese, olives, coffee, chocolate, beer, etc (all the best stuff). So I got to sample everything in Whole Foods’ cheese case. I cut the cheese every day, if you will, it was my job. It was during this time that I devoted my attention to developing my palate for cheese. It was fun and nowadays, I like to enjoy my apples with cheese. Lots of different kinds of cheeses (goat, sheep, or cows milk).

On this particular day, organic pink lady met a raw milk, grass-fed cheddar from Canal Junction Cheese. Now, I’ve had better marriages… ha. But it was good. Canal Junction produces excellent quality cheeses, but the cheddar I was tasting was a little more grassy than I prefer (that’s not because it’s a grass-fed cheddar, but probably due to the type of grasses and plants the cows are eating). I should like to try some of their swiss-style cheeses and their blue looks nice.

High quality cheeses made with high quality milk are good for you! Cheese has beneficial bacteria (probiotics) and enzymes that are good for your gut! Typically, raw milk cheeses sold in stores have been heated in the making, but they are lower heat levels and maintain more of the original bacteria and characteristics of the milk and usually have more complex flavors.

There are random cheesemakers all over that I stumble across that have truly raw milk cheeses that retain all the original bacteria of the milk. I just had a real nice cheddar from Nourishing Meadows in Ohio (which I got in my stocking for Christmas… how about that). Organic Pastures also sells “truly raw” cheese.

I like simple food and clean food. All that to say, apples and cheese make an excellent healthy snack… and marriage.

No, that is not weed… that is wild licorice. Huh… I feel like I forgot all about it. I want some licorice. I like licorice… and not the fake stuff… the real thing. It seems that it is hard to find these days even though I would suspect that Whole Foods would have it. I have ordered it online before.

I was perusing blogs as I tend to do and came across this blog about licorice root helping canker sores. I used to get those when I was younger… now not so much… unless I am stressed out or something. Anyway, back to licorice.

Licorice root makes an excellent tea. It’s excellent for a cough or sore throat. Ah… Zagarese I just remembered. That is the brand I was thinking of.  Since anise oil has a similar taste many use that as well and pass it off as licorice or flavor licorice with it… not bad. Hmmm… anise seed in biscotti is excellent. My grandma used to make that and it was some of the best biscotti… so good that it makes you not want to eat store bought biscotti because it just doesn’t measure up.

How did I go from licorice to anise to biscotti… shoot. So back to licorice… if you are a tea drinker I would recommend trying a licorice root tea. A brand I like is Yogi Tea. Another one of my favorite brands is Long Life Tea. They produce a high quality product… no staples in the bags and unbleached paper.

Welp. I am out. Have a nice Memorial Day.

I was just enjoying some macaroons and thought I would share the experience with you. I am eating Jennies:

Sure you can, and should, make your own… as that is the best way to ensure quality ingredients. I must say it is nice to find someone who makes a decent product though. Jennies ingredients are:

-Unsweetened Coconut

-Honey

-Egg Whites

That’s my kind of ingredient list… short and sweet. Macaroons are an excellent snack as coconut is an excellent source of medium chain fatty acids that that body uses for energy (burns much easier than long chain). It is also an excellent source of lauric acid which, as I mentioned in my previous post, is the precursor to monolaurin which is very antimicrobial. Therefore, lauric acid, such as found in coconut helps to protect the body from viruses and such other damaging microbes.

So go enjoy some macaroons. Beware since not all of them are created equal. Read the ingredients… or better yet make your own. When I do, I will post about it and you shall see the macaroon in all of its glory.

Out