Erotic Cyn for your senses

Yesterday was the true cross-quarter day for Lughnasadh. I spent the day mostly at work, then I came home and got some time in with my friends online. I also used the day to work some ritual spelling and managed to do a couple of tarot readings. What’s really nice, I was able to cook and spend some time walking with my dog outside, enjoying how lovely everything looks around here.

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Today I begin my vacation. This time of the year has always been special for me. More so because it’s a great time of the year to enjoy the bounty of the earth. Today is the time of the harvest, one of the major holidays for most pagans. It’s also a time celebrated by those who grow food. But what does it mean to celebrate Lughnassadh- the time of the harvest? More »

This cheese recipe came to me from my gramps and verified by a Romuva member. I grew up with a cheese that wasn’t like anything else I had tried since. It was soft, pale, but my gramps would make it and flavour it in many ways. Finally, after searching his cookbooks and getting the information about Lithuanian suris, I’ve finally gotten a good recipe for this cheese. (I’m so excited!)

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon milk

2 Tbsp lime juice or white vinegar

Assorted seasonings– cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, dill, etc.

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Heat the 1/2 gallon of milk to a boil, then remove it immediately from the heat. Stir in the lime juice. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes until curds form and separate from the yellowish whey. If they don’t separate, use another Tbsp of juice or vinegar and keep stirring. Once they separate, let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Then pour into a colander lined with cheesecloth, letting the liquid go down the drain. At this point, I normally bring all four corners together, twisting it slightly, to help wring more liquid from the cheese. I let the balled mixture hang in the cheesecloth another few minutes or until the dripping stops.

At this point, you can add in various seasonings, then mold your cheese into a container, or a specialized mold that you’ve bought, etc. Once you’ve put it in a mold, you’ll want to place a heavy object on it, to not only disperse remaining liquid, but to also help it to conform to the mold.

One thing to note- this cheese doesn’t melt much, which makes it good to make cheese sticks, and other goodies where you want the cheese to remain fairly intact.

My favourite holidays are Samhain and Beltane. I make no bones about it. But the holiday that I find myself always looking at and smiling is Lughnasadh. Why? Because it’s a cultivation holiday. We’re not enjoying the first fruits and vegetables of the season, but we’re in the height of plenty. We;’re enjoying the warm weather, gearing up for school time that’s coming, and thinking ahead to the fall season. Because of that, it’s one of those holidays that can be easily forgotten. More »