| In the last several months without a donor, I've learned a lot of things, as evidenced by my previous article. Some psychic energy will help, some natural energy will help. But the need for blood can rise and the desperate, physical craving can turn what was once a rational, passing normal human into a full on theatrical vamp-bitch. Ask the people I work with, I can get down right nasty (granted, this summer has had extenuating circumstances). The little tips I've worked on for a while haven't helped much, and I've turned to those who've been around much longer. I've tried many of their suggestions this past month or so, and found a great deal of relief.
Meantime though - I must always recommend caffeine. Strong coffee, as strong as you can make it without it getting bitter. Add sugar and cream (even if you don't generally drink it this way). The caffeine/sugar/Vitamin D combination seems to work. Oddly, black coffee doesn't, at least, not for myself, or a friend of mine. It does however, work for another friend of mine (although, I think his is espresso).
Other Suggestions:
Sangi, at her site (Sanguinarius.org), suggests coffee as well. She goes on to suggest rare or medium-rare steak. Others at the site suggest steak as well, when the "real thing" is not available.
Sarah Dorrance suggests red Gatorade, mixed with orange, beef broth and liquid multivitamins. I couldn't find red Gatorade, so I used the new Cherry Burst Powerade - works, and she's right - it does taste a little like blood! I did let it sit on the counter until it was room temperature though. ;)
g0th, in an article also at Sanguinarius, advises orange juice and mediation to help stave off the blood addiction. I have to admit, orange juice does help, if you can stand the acidic taste and it doesn't make your cheeks meet in the middle of your mouth. I've taken the advice a step further (oranges being a citrus fruit after all) and moved on to lemonade - which for whatever reason - does not make me want to suck back a bottle of vinegar to cut the acid. Yes, I know - I'm strange.
Saboankh's Blood Substitute
(found on SphynxCat's Vampire Support Pages)
"This one is great if you are really close to frenzy/beasting, as it tastes awful but works well:
Get a 2 serving container of prepackaged tomato or V-8 juice (one of the drinkable vegetable/tomato based concoctions) and open it. Pour into a blender. Add:
* 3 Tbsp black freshly ground pepper
* 1 Tbsp. Cayenne pepper.
Blend until well-mixed and add 5 drops lemon juice.
Now choke it down if you can, and it honestly will ease the hunger (as well as killing taste buds by the hundreds)."
* Saboankh's Web Page *
I've tried this - it hurts, it burns, it's like liquid fire. It WORKS. I also have to agree with the suggestion of salt on the tongue. I will often grab a few grains of canning salt (aka rock salt) and try that. If I catch it early enough I can sometimes quell it enough to continue on my day without too many "shakes".
And how about the old stand by alcoholic drinks? Bloody Mary and Bloody Caesar. Almost anyone over 18 knows how to make these.
Bloody Mary
In a salt-rimmed cocktail glass combine one shot of vodka with tomato juice, Worcestershire and Tabasco Sauces, dash pepper and a sprig of celery.
Bloody Caesar
In a seasoning salt-rimmed cocktail glass combine one shot of vodka with Clamato juice, Worcestershire and Tabasco Sauces, dash pepper and a sprig of celery.
Fighting the thirst does not always meaning drinking something either. As it's often called the Hunger - if there is something in our stomachs, the need may not arise at all. So - either solid or liquid will often work. I've also included some recipes here for some "old-fashioned" foods that include blood. Almost makes me wonder about our ancestors. Then again - they did live the "waste not want not" livesâdidn't they? I haven't tried these. I probably Won't (capital W). For a Vampire, I have a severe dislike of cooking with blood unless it's in/on/surrounding a steak on my plate. Maybe it's a phobia of English food? Nope, I don't mind Bubble n' Squeak or Toad in the Hole. ;)
Blood Pudding
(ichef.com)
Ingredients
1 1/4 qt Fresh pig's blood
8 7/8 oz Bread cut into cubes
1 1/4 qt Skim milk
1 lb Cooked barley
1 lb Fresh beef suet
8 oz Fine oatmeal
1 ts Salt
2 ts Ground black pepper
2 ts Dried and crumbled mint
Instructions
1. Put the bread cubes to soak in the milk in a warm oven. Do not heat the milk beyond blood temperature! Have the blood ready in a large bowl, and pour the warm milk and bread into it. Stir in the cooked barley. Grate the beef suet into the mixture and stir it up with the oatmeal. Season with the salt, pepper and mint.
2. Have ready 2 or three large roasting pans. Divide the mixture between them - they should not be more than 3/4 full. Bake in a moderate oven -- 350 F - for about an hour or until the pudding is well cooked through. This makes a beautifully light pudding which will keep well in a cold larder.
3. Cut into squared and fry till heated through and the outside is crisp, in bacon fat or butter. Delicious for breakfast, or for supper with fried apples and mashed potato.
Genuine Haggis
(old cookbook, handwritten, edited by Jodi)
Ingredients
1 sheep's stomach and pluck (pluck being lungs, heart and liver?)
1 lb lean mutton
1/2 lb suet
1/2 lb oatmeal
2 chopped onions
1/4 pint blood
water
salt pepper
Instructions
(I'm re-writing part of this, because cleaned and sanitary parts are available from butcher's now. There was a long and rambling part on how to clean the stomach etc.)
Toast the oatmeal in the oven until crisp, and slightly colored. Finely chop pluck and mutton. Shred the suet, and combine with chopped mixture and onions, season with salt and pepper. Add a bit of water and blood to moisten. Stuff the stomach part way (notation says half or twill burst). Tie off each end with cord. Pierce haggis with knife in several places, stand upright in boiling water with cord hanging out so it can be pulled out when done. Boil for afternoon (note - four hours).
Now I remember why I rarely venture out to the Scottish Clan days.. ;) | 