Where the Ginseng Grows

"You have great physical powers and an iron constitution."--fortune cookie I recently received a gift of ginseng tea from my family. Ginseng's genus is panax, coming from the Greek word for "all cure." It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years. A finicky plant, it doesn't like being exposed to direct sunlight. That's why growers will provide a shading structure for the sprouts, shrouding them in 75% shade. Ginseng also needs "virgin soil" because it utilizes all … [Read more...]

My Top 5 Soup Cures

"A good bee never takes pollen from a fallen flower." -Chinese proverb We need to fill our bodies with good things, nourishing foods. Sparked by my post on colds and congee, I've been thinking about nutritious soups I've encountered. Here are my top five soup cures: 1. Special Sesame Chicken Soup--provides energy for new mothers In "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," it says, "Water, water everywhere. Nor any drop to drink." This is the opposite of what happens with this chicken soup; … [Read more...]