Voodooque Spices

10/09/2026

Apple c***r is the name in United States and Canada for an unfiltered, unsweetened, non-alcoholic beverage made from apples
Although the term "c***r", the fermented alcoholic drink is much of the world. In Canada and USA, it refers to fresh "Apple C***r".
Hard c***r is the alcoholic drink. Fresh variety is often as "Apple C***r"
However, in Canada, unfiltered, unsweetened apple juice is “C***r”.
While some states specify a difference between apple juice and c***r.
Massachusetts has attempted at least different fresh raw c***r between processed, cooked apple juice.
However, Apple C***r is the official beverage of the U.S. state of New Hampshire.

Historically, all c***r was in its natural state, raw and unprocessed. In time, airborne yeasts present on apple skins or c***r-making machinery would start fermentation in the finished c***r. Left on its own, alcohol would inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.
As a result, natural raw c***r is a specialty seasonal beverage, produced on-site at orchards, and small rural mills, in apple-growing areas, then sold at farmers markets, and some juice bars. Such traditional c***r is typically made from a mixture of several different apples to give a balanced taste. Frequently, blends of heirloom varieties such as Jonathan and W**esap, once among the most sought-after c***r apples for tangy flavor, are used.
Visiting apple orchards in the fall for c***r, doughnuts, and self-picked apples is a large segment in agritourism.

10/07/2026

I love apple! So many varieties! BUT, Honeycrisp has fallen away recently. We found 9 Widely Available Honeycrisp Alternatives!

SugarBee: a crisp bite and unique flavor profile hints of honey, caramel and molasses.

Cosmic Crisp: offspring of Washington State University, though little less sweet. It’s balanced but plenty of crunch.

Snapdragon: extremely crunchy variety of Cornell University, has a sweet, floral flavor reminiscent of vanilla.

Ruby Frost: also, from Cornell. Crisp, sweet, and tangy and are available nationwide.

Fuji: Firm, crunchy with a pleasant sweetness and low acidity. Developed in Japan in the 1930s.

Braeburn: From New Zealand has a sweet-tart flavor and good crunch.

Cripps Pink and Pink Lady are sweet and tangy with a firm, crunchy bite. Bred in Australia in the 1970s.

EverCrisp: Cross between Fuji apple and Honeycrisp to provide crunchiness and juiciness. It is mild and sweet, with minimal acidity.

Here is delicious recipe with Pink Lady apples!
Quick Pickled Apples
Prep: 30 min; Cook:3 0 min; Total: 1Hr Yield:1 Pt
Ingredients
1 c water
1 c white w**e or ch*****ne vinegar
½ c maple syrup + (grade B if you can find it)
1 ½ tsp pickling spice
½ tsp kosher salt
2 big Pink Lady apples (I prefer Gala or Fuji, but you know I’m goofy)
2-3 Star anise pods
Directions
1. Into a medium saucepan, combine water, vinegar, maple syrup, pickling spice, and kosher salt, then bring into a boil, Reduce heat to low, then cover to simmer, 8-10 min.
*Spoon out a small amount of brine to cool, then taste. If needed sweeter pickle, add more maple syrup, a tablespoon at a time.
2. While brine simmering, wash, then core apples. Don’t need peel.
Cut apples into half (pole to pole). Cut each half into 1/8 in slices.
3. Transfer slices into a medium bowl, then add star anise pods. Pour brine through a strainer into bowl with apple slices, then until apples are covered. Cover bowl, then rest to room temperature.
(Apples will float! Use a strainer to keep apples submerged into the bowl, then tightly cover with plastic wrap.)
4. Once reached room temperature, into a pint glass jar, transfer apples layering evenly around perimeter. Transfer star anise pods into area in middle of apples. Fill jar with brine. Discard leftover brine. Cover jar refrigerated. Use apples a week refrigerated. $

$. Apples might be good up to a week or more. I have eaten them longer. My Lawyers tell me that my pickled apples will DIE if used more than one week! So, there you are!

09/28/2026

Mabon is the modern Pagan and Wiccan festival of the Autumn Equinox, as the second harvest and a time of balance, gratitude, and preparation for winter.
The name Mabon comes from a Welsh mythological figure, Mabon ap Modron (“Great Son of the Great Mother”).

Mabon marks the moment when day and night are equal, signaling the shift from summer’s light to the darker half of the year. It is one of the eight sabbats on the Wheel of the Year and is often called the “Witches’ Thanksgiving” because of its focus on harvest and gratitude
Although the equinox was honored by many ancient cultures, the term Mabon itself is a modern adoption within Pagan traditions.
Symbolically, it represents balance, completion, and the transition toward introspection as winter approaches
Harvest: apples, grains, pumpkins, nuts
Colors: red, orange, gold, brown
Symbols: cornucopia, acorns, vines, pomegranates

Mabon Scones (The Second Harvest to reflect the year’s bounty)
Prep:30 min; Cool:30 min; Bake:30 min Total:90 min Yield:12 scones
Ingredients
2 ¾ c A/P Flour, leveled, sifted
1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 tsp Autumn Spice
1 tsp File` Gumbo
½ c cold butter
2 c Stuff*
1 c Sweet Potato, roasted, peeled, mashed, sieved
2 large eggs
purple sanding sugar, for topping
Directions
1. Line a baking pan with parchment, then sprinkle a bit of flour atop. Set aside. Into a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
2. Work in butter until mixture is crumbly. (chunks of butter remain unincorporated.) Stir in Stuff*.
3. Into separate bowl, whisk Sweets and eggs until smooth, then add Sweets/egg into dry ingredients. Stir dough until is moistened and holds together.
4. Scrape dough onto floured parchment, then divide in half. Round each half into a 6" circle as about ¾-in thick. Brush each circle with milk, then sprinkle with purple sanding sugar* or cinnamon sugar.
5. With a bench knife under cold water, slice each circle into 6 wedges.
Carefully pull wedges away from center to separate about ½-in space between towards their outer edges. Heat oven to 425F. Place uncovered scones into freezer for 30 min.
6. Remove baking sheet from freezer into a 425F oven, then bake scones for 22-25 min, or until golden brown. Remove scones from oven, then transfer a rack to cool, 2 min. Transfer scones to a platter, then serve until warm.

* Dried Fruits? Sunflower and pumpkin seeds? Walnuts or hazelnuts?
Mabon, (Autumn Equinox) as the second harvest and invites us to reflect on the year’s bounty

09/26/2026

The Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox — in 2026, the equinox falls on September 23, making the September 26 full moon the Harvest Moon. Historically, its extra evening light allowed farmers to gather the last crops before winter, giving it its name.
In folklore, it is a moon of gratitude, completion, and transition, tied to ancient agricultural traditions and seasonal change

Harvest Moon means apples, grains, pumpkins, nuts. Across cultures, the Harvest Moon has been honored with rituals and stories.
Celtic tradition: Offer the last sheaf of grain to the Corn Mother to ensure fertility in spring.
Native American names: Called the Corn Moon, Corn Maker Moon, or Moon of Brown Leaves, linking it to harvest and seasonal change.
Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival: Mooncakes are shared in a ritual of family reunion and thanksgiving.
European names: Barley Moon (Old English), W**e Moon (French/Italian grape harvest), Singing Moon (Celtic fairs).

These traditions reflect a shared theme: gratitude for abundance and preparation for the inward journey of winter. Keep your expectations soft. The Harvest Moon is not a deadline or a test. It is an invitation to notice how much you have already grown, and to gather it with open hands.

Sweet Potato Cookies w Raisins
Prep: 20 min; Bake: 40 min; Total: 60 min Yield: 6 doz.
Ingredients
1 ½ c brown sugar, packed
½ c shortening #
2 eggs
2 c sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled, mashed
½ tsp ginger, grated
2 ¾ c flour, sifted
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp Autumn Spice
½ tsp salt
1 c raisins*
1 c pecans, chopped*
Directions
1. Heat oven to 400F. In a medium bowl, add flour, bake powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Set aside.
2. Into large bowl, blend sugar, shortening, eggs, ginger, and Sweets, thoroughly.
3. Sift dry ingredients into Sweets mixture, then blend well. Fold in raisins and pecans.
4. Onto an ungreased baking sheets, with a ¾ oz scoop, drop batter.
Transfer sheets to a 400F oven, then bake, 15 min, or until lightly browned.
5. Remove sheets from oven, then transfer to a rack to cool, 5 min. Transfer sheets from cookies to cool, completely.
* I like raisins and pecans but cut half. Up to you!
#(I’ve used Crisco, margarine, butter and lard. It’s all good. I want to use bacon grease! Maybe ½ bacon& ½ butter. I’ll tell when I get there!)

09/24/2026

Nutmeg is a tropical evergreen tree that spice made of its seed. The tree is native to the Spice Islands of Indonesia principally cultivated there, then into the West Indies.
Nutmeg seed has a distinctive pungent fragrance and a warm, slightly sweet taste. Nutmeg is the spice made by grinding the seed.
Mace is the spice made from reddish seed covering (aril) of nutmeg seed. Mace’s flavor is similar to that of nutmeg but more delicate

Nutmeg and Mace, commonly used as food spices, have been used in folk medicine for their psychoactive properties, while their aphrodisiac effects are not supported.

Nutmeg and Mace are also used in soups, sauces, and baked goods. It is also commonly used in rice pudding.
Nutmeg is a common spice for pumpkin pie and in recipes for other winter squashes, such as baked acorn squash.
Nutmeg is a traditional ingredient in mulled c***r, mulled w**e, junket and eggnog

Baking: Ground nutmeg adds warmth to cakes, pies, cookies, and breads—especially holiday favorites like pumpkin pie and gingerbread.
Savory Dishes: A pinch enhances creamy dishes like béchamel, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and soups. It’s also great with leafy greens like spinach.
Drinks: Sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg on eggnog, hot chocolate, lattes, or warm milk for cozy, aromatic comfort. In the Caribbean, nutmeg is often used in drinks, such as the Bushwacker, Painkiller, and Barbados rum punch.
Spice Blends: This is a key component in spice mixes like garam masala, ras el hanout, and apple pie spice.
Meat Seasoning: In some cultures, it is used to flavor sausages, stews, and ground meat mixtures.
Cultural Uses: Nutmeg is used in Caribbean jerk seasoning, Middle Eastern desserts, and Indonesian, Indian, and European cuisines.

Classic Bushwacker
2 ounces (¼ cup) aged, white or dark rum*
2 ounces Kahlua
2 ounces creme de cacao (white or dark; we used white)
2 ounces cream of coconut
2 ounces milk
3 cups ice
For the garnish: Shaved chocolate or grated nutmeg, cocktail cherry (optional)
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
Garnish with shaved chocolate or grated nutmeg, if desired. Add straws and serve. (You can stir with the straw when the drink starts to separate.)

09/23/2026

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine.
Ginger is in family Zingiberaceae, which also includes turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.
Ginger originated in Maritime Southeast Asia and was likely domesticated by the Austronesian peoples. Ginger was carried with them in their voyages as canoe plants during Austronesian expansion reaching as far as Hawaii.
From India, Ginger was carried by traders into the Middle East and the Mediterranean during the spice trade, along with peppers, cloves, and numerous other spices. Ginger was introduced to the Mediterranean by the Arabs, along with its relative, galangal, imported by the Roman Empire as very expensive herbal remedies,

In Indian cuisine, ginger is a key ingredient especially in thicker gravies. In many other dishes, vegetarian and meat-based, Ginger has a role in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
In Japan, ginger is pickled to make beni shōga or gari, then grated and used raw on tofu or noodles.
In Korean kimchi, ginger is either finely minced or juiced to avoid fibrous texture, then added to ingredient of spicy paste just before the fermenting process.
In the Caribbean, ginger is a popular spice for cooking.. Ginger tea is often made from fresh ginger, as well as the famous regional specialty Jamaican ginger cake.
In Western cuisine, fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of six to one, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is traditionally in sweet foods used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, ginger snaps, parkin, Speculaas, crackers, cakes, ginger ale, and ginger b**r.
In United Kingdom, a ginger-flavored w**e traditionally is sold in a green glass bottle. Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea. Candied, or crystallized ginger, known in UK as "stem ginger", the root is cooked in sugar until soft, and is a type of confectionery.

09/23/2026