I was reading Buffalo Birdwoman's Garden again and came across
the description of eating ashes in place of salt for seasoning on
foods. She said they much preferred the taste and only used salt
when they'd run out of the ashes. Her description sounds simple
enough, after the corn harvest they burn the cobs. Next morning
before any wood or trash is added to continue the fire, the women
would collect the cob ash into clay pots. They were very particular,
if children had been running and playing near the cob fires, they
would be careful to throw out any dirt or debris that might have
burned in with the cobs.
On another list (cheesemaker group), its pretty common practice
to ash cheeses. Rather than waxing them, they ash some of the
wheels before aging them. My first thought is cheese is a fat and
ashes x fat = lye, but maybe once it's actually a cheese, the
saponification won't happen.
Anyone played with ashes lately?
