The eggplant is a native to the country of India. Since before history was recorded the plant had been cultivated in the Far East for ages and has evolved into many Asian dishes. Although it had a late start in America due to its close association with the poisonous nightshade family of plants, it has since become a popular ingredient in many meals ranging from casseroles to soups.

Few people can resist a sandwich made with fresh Pumpernickel bread and perhaps a slice or two of liverwurst. Top that with a slice of onion and your favorite brown spicy mustard and you are well on your way to ecstasy. The problem these days is the high cost associated with purchasing this delightful bread at your local deli. All is not lost however for you can easily make your own Pumpernickel in the comfort of your home with little or no hassle what so ever.

Native American’s were actually the very first self sufficient group of people on our continent. They lacked the opportunity to hop down to the local supermarket for their bread and milk or other necessities and instead had to rely upon themselves for all their needs.

The season is certainly upon us at this time of the year. You would find that there are few foods available that offer such a vast number of uses as the pumpkin. From this useful garden product you can create delightful pumpkin pies, delicious soup or some tasty pumpkin bread. For decoration during the Halloween season you can use it to craft an interesting lantern or use the seeds as a wonderful snack treat. My wife and I did not grow any sort of pie pumpkin this year however a friend was kind enough to provide us with a huge selection to work with. Not being one to waste valuable food we decided to make good use of this produce.

As most people who are familiar with me know I enjoy making and experimenting with various types of homemade bread ranging from flat breads fried in a skillet to those complete loaves made in a bread machine. In view of my last article on preserving lemons I thought I would also add this easy-to-make bread that includes a touch of lemon.

A recent visit by my friend and fellow survivalist Wayne on Sunday eventually got to the subject of canning. Wayne expressed an interest in a particular type of pickle recipes for watermelon rind. I knew that I had a recipe for it in my notes and was determined to find it for him.