Journal of the New Alchemists

“Six-Pack” Backyard Solar Greenhouse, 1975. Image: Journal of the New Alchemy. After reading an article by Paul Ehrlich, “Eco-Catastrophe!,” Nancy Todd turned to her husband John and said, “We must do something.” The year was 1969 and the Todds along with Bill McLarney went on to found the New Alchemy Institute. History repeats itself. What the New Alchemists did, in response to the 1970s era energy crisis and political instability, sounds a lot...

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Gardening in an Apartment Windowsill

...“a curryish plant that is awfully nice for smelling but underwhelming for cooking.” Read an interview with Helen about this garden here. Gardening is not about the quantity of space one controls or the weight of the food harvested. It’s about a love for beauty, an attention to detail and an appreciation of good food. Imagine if all our unused or neglected urban spaces were as beautiful and useful as Helen’s garden. We’d live in a world transforme...

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Sourdough, Preserves, Barbeque Sauce and Chutney!

...Cook, executive chef of Jennie Cooks A Catering Company to offer a special cooking class on Sunday September 13th at 2 p.m in Los Angeles. We’ll demonstrate how to make sourdough bread and Jennie will cook up a batch of her mouthwatering chutney, barbecue sauce and more. Here’s the 411: “Hang out and cook with the Urban Pioneers who created an oasis in So Cal where they grow their own food, bake their own bread and brew their own Hooch. We’ll put...

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Chicken of the Woods

...calyptus. The very same mushroom pundits suggest thoroughly cooking all Laetiporus. I can report having consumed a lot of the mushroom we foraged with no ill effects. It was, in fact, one of the most delicious mushrooms I’ve ever consumed. But one should not trust the musings of an aging urban homesteading blogger when foraging for mushrooms. Find yourself a local mushroom nerd or run it past your cats. That said, don’t be too fearful either or yo...

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103 Ugly Little Greens with Mia Wasilevich

...from Foraged Ingredients.” During the show we discuss: How she got started cooking. Mia’s new book Ugly Little Greens. Eating invasives. Working with mustard. Elderflower ghee. Nettle aid. Mallow. Currants. Working with acorns. Lambsquarters. Meal planning. Fish sauce. James Townsend and Two Fat Ladies. Mia’s website Transitional Gastronomy. Cottonwood Urban Farm. If you’d like to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-...

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