Wellness Wednesdays - Tea

Welcome to Wednesday’s Wellness Clinic. I can promise you I am not a doctor, a psychotherapist or a preacher, just someone with a lot going on inside her head looking for a way to calm the storm and impart that wisdom to you.

So, good news: I actually managed a whole day (and a half) without feeling anxiety breathing down my neck. Bad news: yeh, she’s back now. It’s honestly so weird how used to this feeling I am now that it’s gotten to the point where I don’t know what to do with genuine happiness when it sticks around for longer than an hour. It felt good though, enjoying the weather (even when it was stormy….in fact, because it was stormy), feeling more alive while listening to my music, and generally just going through my day not letting niggling thoughts or worries get to me. Now I have a workday to wake up to dreading tomorrow (yay!) but that’s not why I am here at all! No! I’m here to advise you how to escape, or at least alleviate, such symptoms, and this fortnight my remedy is tea.

Green, white, mint, chamomile, or just a standard cup of PG Tips with milk and 2 sugars, however you take it, there’s something instantly comforting about a warm mug in your hands. Now you could say that any hot drink has that effect and you’d be right, but tea has less sugar than a hot chocolate and less caffeine than coffee, so already you’re doing body a favour. And there are a plethora of health benefits to drinking green tea in particular, from lowering cholesterol and keeping your skin clear, to reducing the growth of certain cancers. Admittedly green tea isn’t for everyone; it can be a little difficult to get right – especially when overbrewing can lead to a bitter cup of grass flavoured water – but if you manage it, the taste is something else (I have often had to make myself a second cup when the first was just that good).

Alternatively, you might prefer a [sometimes equally tricky] herbal blend which can either be a single flavour or a mixture of several, many of which have useful properties. Ginger and mint for example are good digestive aides, while chamomile provides calm and aids sleep. I have become a little addicted to T2’s range of flavours, most recently the aptly named ‘Beauty Queen’, a mix of jasmine, rose, nettle, liquorice, moringa and green tea which reminds me of the relaxing scent of a spa. Check out their website and see what blends take your fancy (‘The Quiet Mind’ and ‘Gone Surfing’ are looking pretty appealing to me lately with ingredients ranging from passionflower to eucalyptus and elderflower). Pukka Herbs also have a great range – their Cleanse tea with fennel, nettle and peppermint is a fixture on my work desk right now for when I need a moment of clarity.

There is also straight black tea to consider; blends like Earl Grey and Darjeeling work very well on their own (that is, without the addition of milk and/or sugar, which some people would be inclined to use) and which are proven to boost your immune system. There isn’t much solid evidence as to whether the addition of milk interferes with the natural antioxidants in black tea, but I think it’s probably best to leave it out. There is also the herbal blend of Rooibos or ‘red bush’ which isn’t a black tea but has all the intense colour and flavour of one which is good for circulation, and the delicate Oolong blend which contains an amino acid useful in reducing anxiety (something I think I might have to test out).

If all of these floral and earthy flavours aren’t your cup of tea (pun completely intended) then there is always the not-quite-tea that is the fruit tisane. Coming in a medley of different flavours from berry to apple, lemon to mango, these bright drinks are perfect for brewing and chilling in summer by the jugful (just don’t add any extra sugar – they’re often sweet enough as they are!) Their lack of caffeine and occasional Vitamin C boost also means they’re healthier than many classic summer drinks like iced lattes and fruit squash. And they should help bring a little bit of sunshine into even the dreariest of days. Check out Teapigs fruity herbal range – their hibiscus and berry ‘Super Fruit’ tea rightly claims it ‘tastes as great as it smells’.

So, what does this all mean? Well, put simply, there is a tea for every occasion and your mind may just benefit from a couple of them. Certain herbs like chamomile and lavender are known for their calming properties but, as I mentioned in my last Wellness Wednesday on scent, it is often what smells good to you (and in this case tastes good too) that will determine what effect a certain tea has on you. But once you find the right one, you’ll always have a brew to look forward to.

Some facts taken from:

Penn Medicine: https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/december/health-benefits-of-tea

WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits

Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-benefits-of-tea-with-milk#bottom-line

Musical Mondays - Monster (2008) by Oomph!

So I miss one week of music reviewing and somehow it’s a full month before I get around to another. Oops. Well it’s a good thing I have some new(ish) material to introduce you to. Now, thus far I have been reviewing music in English, but my love of rock and metal extends into foreign realms too and none more so than the heavy metal maestros of Germany. You’ve probably heard a bit about Rammstein, but this week I want to let you get to know their progenitors, the source of all that industrial instrumentation and scandalous song-writing, a powerful three man band by the name of Oomph! In the 32 years since their formation in 1989, they have produced 13 studio albums, opened for big name headliners like Metallica, Marilyn Manson, and HIM (I have no idea how I would’ve survived that last combo if I’d been there), and never once have they changed their central line up. They also pioneered the Neue Deutsche Härte movement (otherwise known as New German Hardness or dance-metal), a name which wasn’t coined until Rammstein’s Herzeleid album in 1995.

(right) Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

And so, it would seem appropriate, wouldn’t it, for me to review one of their earlier 90s albums? But no, that honour will be going to their 2008 album Monster for two very good reasons: 1. Of the three albums I bought, this one didn’t have as much attraction for me, so I want to learn to love it, as I did with Korn’s The Nothing back in January, and 2. ‘Labyrinth’, the most successful single from this album, is the reason I started listening in the first place. And listen I did because it seemed like nothing I had ever heard before. Even the vampiric grace of Blutengel’s Chris Pohl couldn’t prepare me for what Oomph!’s vocalist Dero Goi could do to my ears (or my heart! Just look at him!)

Opening track ‘Beim ersten Mal tut’s immer weh‘ (The First Time Always Hurts) is very much a sneaky jump scare with Andreas Crap’s driving guitar and a drum beat that sets the tone for almost the whole album. The slightly robotic vocals of the verses, however, are just one facet of Dero’s repertoire, for now a rapid, deep intonation in a song which cheekily makes you think it’s about sex when really heartbreak is all that’s on the menu.

‘Labyrinth’, by contrast, could be a slightly sinister song about being stuck in one’s own mind, but a few translations (including the English version, which I could only listen to once – the original is far better) have taught me there’s something more perverse going on here. It’s strange what a little perspective can do. But nonetheless it is a beautiful song, full of piano-style synths, electric guitar vibrance, and plenty of creepy Manson-like backing vocals, not to mention the Alice in Wonderland-themed music video with Dero in the starring role of the truly psychotic Hatter.

‘6 Fuß Tiefer’ (6 Feet Deeper) allows you some reprieve from the usual weight – without losing any of the theatricality – especially regarding Dero’s vocals which take on a velvet purr, alongside the palpable bass and one hell of an epic guitar solo. This is undoubtedly one of my favourites – followed by the much less memorable ‘Wer schön sein will muss leiden’ (Whoever wants to be beautiful must suffer). Apparently in reference to the phrase ‘Beauty knows no pain’, this track again slips in some suggestive lines while the theme of children is never far away as a creepy little girl asks her ‘Großmutter’ how she is still so young. Her answer is that she sold her soul to stay beautiful forever (Evil Queen from Snow White much?). The instrumentation is suitably theatrical and haunting, but the next track ‘Sandmann’ again steals the show (check out the music video too).

This one has a fairy-tale feel, being about the infamous Sandman (though quite darkly also about how class divides starve German children), and has all the energy that ‘Labyrinth’ did – a real electronic slammer – with an enchanting lullaby pre-chorus that I would love Dero to sing to me. It almost catches you out again when ‘Die Leiter’ (The Ladder) comes creeping in, giving off distinctly Rammstein-influencing vibes with sinister, metallic synth and strings, heavy drum and bass, and deeper, rawer vocals – and another killer guitar solo! – before slinking off again. In its place comes the beautifully classic ‘Lass mich raus’ (Let Me Out) full of such sweet guitars, bass vibration, and Dero’s now husky vocals that I could never have guessed this song was written from the perspective of an unborn child (Dero, where is your mind at?)

‘Revolution’, however, has nothing to hide, being synth-heavy and with a hint of Marilyn Manson’s rebelliousness to make it almost anthemic, emboldening you with the belief that yes, ‘du hast die Macht’ (you have the power). So it’s a little disorientating to again hit the brakes with the sad gentleness of ‘Auf Kurs’ (On Course), at least initially; this one builds spectacularly from a subtle piano and violin intro to a soaring ballad of strings by the chorus with Dero’s vocals taking on new and shiver-inducing resonance. And then, just like that, the attitude is back for ‘Bis zum schloss’ (Until the End) with eerie synths, gorgeously blended backing vocals and a rock steady beat which creates an unremarkable but enjoyable song, pierced with Dero’s occasionally raw growls.

‘In deinen Hüften’ (In Your Hips) is another song which stole my heart with its electric tango fusion, its hard and fast guitar notes, and its ever-rich vocals. I carefully side-step the undertones of STDs because hey, why ruin a good song? When I really think about it, this one is no more remarkable than ‘Bis zum Schloss’ but it’s for all the above reasons that it stands out. Much as ‘Wach Auf!’ does for being perhaps the most Rammstein-like of all the songs on this album: stabbing guitars, sinister synths and exceedingly gritty vocals with just a little reprieve in an eerie pre-chorus vocal echo (Einatmen – ausatmen / Breathe in – breathe out). Things quiet down again a little for ‘Gebor’n zu sterben’ (Born to die) with a stripped back intro of acoustic guitar which steps up to electric, a slow drum beat and a skeletal little glockenspiel, before the theatricality of the chorus spills out with trumpets and a gorgeous yet short guitar solo. But by the end, you definitely need a final dose of something gentler: ‘Brich aus’ (Break Out) gives you classic electric guitar licks, drumbeats, and Dero’s velvety vocals, so soft against the instrumental weight – shattered only when he decides to scream the title.

I think from all of this you can gather that I’ve developed another foreign crush (as if Ville Valo and his sultry Finnish charm wasn’t enough) but this band know how to make an impression even without melting a few hearts. This album is a rollercoaster of heavy metal, dance and lullaby that I was somewhat reluctant to get off of, and it has rightly earned them a place in the influential Hall of Fame. There are many songs which make their 2004 album Wahrheit oder Pflicht considerably superior to this (just listen to ‘Sex hat keine macht’ or ‘Dein Weg’), but this was an exercise in learning to love what I previously did not and I think I have succeeded.

FULL ALBUM (with translations): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu12mucz_9TuKpHZXwsn2wBExUmZPZ0cC

All additional info taken from Oomph's Wikipedia page and related album pages.

Photography Thursdays - I looked up and saw a meadow in the sky

I looked up and saw a meadow in the sky (Slingsby Place, London) - 6th May, 2021

This was most certainly an unexpected and pleasant find after such a slow and irritating day. The way the sky lights up the coloured glass while the rest of the shot is in shadow, almost as it were monochrome, is a beautiful contrast. I took a few different orientations but none had the same focus, drawing the eye perfectly to the colour pop of the flowers. Let's hope I can continue to bring you fresh shots like this in the coming months.

 

Tasty Tuesdays - Fisherman's Pie (St Michael All-Colour Cookery Book by Jeni Wright)

Well I have been away a while, haven’t it? Seems like forever since I did a Tasty Tuesday, so I thought I’d bring in some comfort food for the fish lovers, especially useful given how cold it still is (despite Summer being only a month away now!) This recipe is an old-fashioned fisherman’s pie taken from Jeni Wright’s 1980 edition of The St Michael All-Colour Cookery Book. Until somewhat recently, this was one of my main go-to dinners, but it has fallen out of favour in my house for a combination of reasons – I can only cook dinners on a weekend, my sister doesn’t like it much, and I’m starting to prefer testing out new recipes when I can cook – so I thought, why not share it here?

Your main ingredients are fish, a white sauce, eggs, and potatoes but each can be altered or even omitted according to personal preference. So let’s go through them.

• FISH: a firm white fish like haddock or cod is recommended or you can use salmon (all of which can be smoked or unsmoked). You will be poaching this fish in milk (in the oven or on the hob) and this milk will go into your white sauce so be a little generous with your seasoning before cooking.

A handful of cooked prawns are also a good addition, but you can use them as your main fish ingredient instead if you like (these won’t require poaching).

• WHITE SAUCE: this is typically made with a 50:50 roux of butter and flour to which you slowly stir through the strained milk from the fish. I like to add some extra fish stock (Knorr stock pots work well), a splash of white wine, and a small grating of nutmeg as well as mashing in the onion from the poaching milk for added flavour. The recipe suggests adding a little grated cheese, but I never really followed that step, preferring to save the cheese for the potato topping. It also helps to add a dash of herbs (fresh or dried), so you can choose from dill, parsley or tarragon depending on which fish you’re working with.
• EGGS: Aside from the fish and sauce, sliced boiled eggs are the only other filling ingredient so it makes sense to want to personalise your pie somewhat. I usually add about 1-2 oz / 25-50g of cooked rice (white, brown, wild – whichever you like or have time for) or small shell pasta, and a large handful of peas, but you can try mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, or sweetcorn. Alternatively, check out this BBC Good Food recipe for Salmon andBeetroot Fish Pie which is sure to make you love beetroot.
• POTATOES: When it comes to potatoes, there is seemingly no end to the ways they can be prepared, even when it comes to a pie topping. You can mash them with butter and milk, slice and layer them, or even matchstick them. And you’re not just limited to the standard white potato. You can use sweet potatoes, baby potatoes (lightly crushed with some melted butter and cheese on top) or even combine in some cooked carrot and parsnip for a sweet edge. Whatever you choose, be sure to make it your own.

So, that’s the personalisation part over with; let’s move on to the recipe itself.

FISHERMAN’S PIE (serves 4)

½ kg / 1 lb filleted white fish (haddock, cod)

400ml / ¾ pint milk

Salt and pepper

3 black peppercorns

1 onion slice (I use one whole sliced small onion)

1 bay leaf

25g / 1oz butter

25g / 1oz flour

50g / 2oz Cheddar cheese, grated (as I said, you can save this for adding into or on top of the potatoes)

For the topping:

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

½ kg / 1lb potatoes, boiled and mashed with 25g / 1oz butter, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 beaten egg

• Place the fish in an ovenproof dish with the milk, salt, pepper, onion and bay leaf. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 15-20 minutes (or 8-10 minutes in a large flat pan on the hob) or until the fish is tender and will flake easily with a fork.
• Remove the foil from the dish and flake with a fork, discarding any skin (or bones). Keep warm. Strain the milk and cooking juices and reserve.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the reserved cooking juices, stirring vigorously (use a hand whisk if it helps). When all the juices have been incorporated, return the pan to the heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the grated cheese (or whatever alternatives you are including) and add the salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese melts into the sauce, stirring constantly (a lot more stirring than I remember).
• Fold the flaked fish into the cheese sauce, then transfer to a deep ovenproof dish. Place the sliced hard boiled eggs in a layer on top of the fish and the mashed (or pre-cooked and sliced) potatoes on top of the eggs. Mark the potato with the back of a fork and bake on the top shelf of a fairly hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 10-15 minutes or until the potato topping is golden-brown. Serve straight from the cooking dish.  

This goes well with the addition of some steamed green vegetables on the side,

(I would've found a way to get a photo in here but I'm very tired this evening - see you next time!)