Free China Bayles' Book of Days by Susan Wittig Albert Page B

pepper—both reputed to have aphrodisiac properties, perfect for a Valentine’s Day evening.
     
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon fine-ground chile powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
6 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
whipped cream
nutmeg
8 cinnamon sticks
     
    Blend dry ingredients together in a large saucepan. Add water, stirring, and simmer for 4 minutes. Stir in milk and reheat. Whisk in vanilla and pour into warm mugs. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, and add a cinnamon stir stick. Makes 8 1-cup servings.
     
    Read more about the mysteries of chocolate:
    Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light , by Mort Rosenblum

FEBRUARY 15
The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent . . . If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.
—THERESE OF LISIEUX
    The Violet: “A Fine, Pleasing Plant of Venus”
    According to Greek mythology, violets helped the god Zeus out of a bind. You see, he fell in love with a priestess named Io. When Zeus’ long-suffering wife, Hera, found out about this illicit affair, she was understandably miffed. To keep Io out of his wife’s way, Zeus turned the young lady into a white heifer. To give her something to eat, he created a field of violets for her—and while he was at it, he sent a bunch of violets to Hera, as an apology. The flowers soothed the jealous goddess, suggesting to the Greeks that these pretty blossoms might have a therapeutic, calming effect. It wasn’t long before violets were being used everywhere as a fragrant sleep aid.
    In the Middle Ages, Hildegard von Bingen used violet juice as the basis for a cancer salve, while physicians employed the herb to treat insomnia, epilepsy, pleurisy, and rheumatism. The plant was said to be ruled by the planet Venus (which ruled the throat), making it a natural as a treatment for throat ailments, too.
    In fact, violet leaves and stems do contain a soothing mucilage, as well as salicylic acid, the precursor of aspirin—good for the throat. They’re also rich in vitamins A and C, and for people who didn’t have access to fresh veggies in the winter, an early spring salad of violet leaves was a very good idea. The flowers taste sweet and are often made into syrup or jelly, candied, and crystallized. Try violet syrup with your favorite pancakes—and a spoonful for that scratchy throat.
    SWEET VIOLET SYRUP
2 cups boiling water
6 cups freshly picked violet blossoms (unsprayed), washed
thoroughly
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
     
    Place violets in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over them, then place a saucer on top to submerge the flowers. Let stand for 24 hours. Line a colander with cheesecloth and pour the violets and liquid through it, squeezing out the liquid. Discard the blossoms. Add sugar and lemon juice to the liquid and simmer in a nonreactive pan until the mixture is the consistency of syrup. Cover and refrigerate. Use within a week.
     
    Read more about violets:
    Flowers in the Kitchen: A Bouquet of Tasty Recipes , by Susan Belsinger
    Violets: The History & Cultivation of Scented Violets , by Roy E. Coombs

    FEBRUARY 16
Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
—KAHLIL GIBRAN
    Wind-tossed?
    If the winds have been playing havoc with your hair, you may need some extra hair care. Hair conditioners help keep hair soft, manageable, and healthy. Ruby Wilcox (who is always playing with hair color and style) has designed two simple home-crafted jojoba-based conditioners that help her get the upper hand over frizzes and tangles. Jojoba (pronounced “ho-ho-ba”) oil is derived from the jojoba bean and especially valued for cosmetic uses. It is a liquid wax (rather than an oil) that helps tame roughness and flaking, and has healing properties. Many conditioning recipes also use eggs, for extra protein.
    ROSEMARY JOJOBA