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This article was first published in "Homoeopathy Online". It deals with most of the core issues related to miasms and will provide the general background information.
In contemporary Homoeopathy there has been a great advancement of the psychological aspects of the materia medica as well as in our understanding of how to use the mental rubrics of the repertory. The origin of this tradition stems from aphorism 211 of The Organon of Medicine in which Samuel Hahnemann discusses the importance of the mental disposition.
"This holds good to such an extent, that the state of the disposition of the patient often chiefly determines the selection of the homoeopathic remedy, as being a decidedly characteristic symptom which can least of all remain concealed from the accurately observing physician".
"This holds good to such an extent, that the state of the disposition of the patient often chiefly determines the selection of the homoeopathic remedy, as being a decidedly characteristic symptom which can least of all remain concealed from the accurately observing physician".
With such an emphasis on the mental symptoms is there any reason to study the nature of disease, causation or the classical theory of the miasms? In contrast to this, Hahnemann points out in aphorism 5 and 206 the necessity of understanding the miasms when treating complex chronic diseases. Can the homoeopath construct a complete picture of an individual without knowing how the chronic miasms form layers of disease within the constitution? Can we really manage a complex chronic case without paying any attention to the primary, latent and secondary states of the fundamental miasms? In this presentation I will attempt to approach this rather controversial subject with the help of historical documents combined with the practical experience found in the writings of the masters of our science. Our purpose is to show that what Hahnemann taught in The Organon and The Chronic Diseases is a careful balance between pure vitalism and a deep understanding of the pathogenesis of miasmic diseases. This middle path approach helps transcends the apparent dichotomy between the psychological and physiological aspects of our art and gives the homoeopath the tools necessary to respond to a great variety of situations.
In Search of the Fundamental Cause
From the early days of his career Samuel Hahnemann experienced great success in the treatment of acute diseases but as early as 1816 he was becoming concerned because the constitutional health of his patients seemed to be slowly declining. As he pondered the nature of this continual deterioration in his patients he began to search for a deeper understanding of the processes that lie behind chronic disease. Of these chronic cases he lamented "their beginning was promising, the continuation less favorable, the outcome hopeless." Hahnemann began to wonder about the cause of these complicated chronic diseases that were resisting his treatment. As he continued to administer his remedies he noticed that certain chronic patients, who responded well at first, either relapsed or slowly became more ill. Of this experience he said:
"The remedy which was serviceable the first time would prove less useful, and when repeated again it would help still less". As Hahnemann watched these patients closely he noticed that new symptoms would be added to the old ones that could be removed only "inadequately and imperfectly". Again he would give the most appropriate homoeopathic remedy but each dose was less effective and in the end they worked "no better than weak palliatives". This left Hahnemann searching for the cause of these complicated forms of chronic disease that were resisting his treatment.
For 12 years Hahnemann quietly searched for the fundamental cause of the chronic diseases that was slowly destroying the health of his patients. The outcome of this research was published in 1828 in the first edition of his great work, The Chronic Diseases Their Peculiar Nature and their Homoeopathic Cure, commonly known as The Chronic Diseases. Over the next 11 years he produced 4 more editions of this work that were published in 1830, 1835, 1837 and 1839. In these subsequent editions Hahnemann added new material as well as prefaces in which he gave his latest insights into preparation of the potencies and the dosage for the patient. This work was followed in 1829 by its philosophical counterpart, the 4th edition of Organon. In these works Hahnemann made public for the first time his theory of the chronic miasms. This led to the most controversial period of Homoeopathic history as it marks the first major schism in the history of the homoeopathic school. With the introduction of the theory of Psora and the chronic miasms, as well as the 30c potency, Hahnemann went too far for some of his more conservative followers. They were more secure with the Homoeopathy that Hahnemann practiced in his earlier years and could not adapt to the new territory into which it was expanding. He was well aware that his new ideas were way ahead of the times, and shortly before the publication of his findings, he wrote Dr. Stapf about what he thought the reaction of his students might be.
"They will require more than six months before they recover from the fright and astonishment of this enormous, preposterous affair and will perhaps need another six months before they will believe in it. Therefore, it will probably be three years before they can make any sensible use of it".
"They will require more than six months before they recover from the fright and astonishment of this enormous, preposterous affair and will perhaps need another six months before they will believe in it. Therefore, it will probably be three years before they can make any sensible use of it".
Feeling the way he did about the reception of his own homoeopathic students, Hahnemann could only imagine what the orthodox medical community would think. Speaking of these individuals he said that he anticipated a "great uproar " among the allopaths. All of Hahnemann's predictions did take place only much worse than he expected!
The Importance of Aetiology
Since the dawn of medical history there has been a constant search for the causes of the acute and chronic diseases that afflict humanity. This quest made great advances when the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, taught that all diseases were caused by the predisposition inherent in the innate constitution and its susceptibility to a constellation of causation rather than any one single effect. In the Greek philosophy disease is caused by an interdependent set of circumstances which disrupts the natural ebb and flow of the pneuma (vital force) within the organism. In the Organon of Medicine Samuel Hahnemann separated the origin of disease into two categories, the exciting and fundamental causes, and related them very closely to the susceptibility of the physical constitution. Vide aphorism 5.
"Useful to the physician in assisting him to cure are the particulars of the most probable exciting cause of the acute disease as well as the most significant points in the complete history of the chronic disease, to enable him to discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm. In these investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the patient (especially when the disease is chronic), his moral and intellectual character, his occupation, mode of living and habits, his social and domestic relations, his age, sexual function, etc., are to be taken into consideration".
"Useful to the physician in assisting him to cure are the particulars of the most probable exciting cause of the acute disease as well as the most significant points in the complete history of the chronic disease, to enable him to discover its fundamental cause, which is generally due to a chronic miasm. In these investigations, the ascertainable physical constitution of the patient (especially when the disease is chronic), his moral and intellectual character, his occupation, mode of living and habits, his social and domestic relations, his age, sexual function, etc., are to be taken into consideration".
It is necessary for a homoeopath to understand the nature of the exciting causes of acute diseases as well as the underlying fundamental cause of long lasting diseases, which is usually due to the chronic miasms. Acute diseases are self-limiting disorders which have quick onsets, rapid progressions, and a tendency to develop an immediate crisis. Many of these acute diseases are actually acute acerbations of the chronic states latent within the constitution that have been brought forth by exciting factors. The nature of chronic miasmic disease is slow and insidious in its onset and gradual in its progression. These negative transformations gradually increase until they bring on complex pathologies that eventually are the cause of premature old age and death. The chronic miasms are the effects of infections that are non self-limiting which cause considerable damage to the immune system, the vital force, and the constitution.
Hahnemann taught that the susceptibility to the exciting factors lies in the fundamental cause which is attributed to the chronic miasms. The etiology of a disease, the constitution and temperament of the individual, and the totality of the signs and symptoms are three factors that form a complete picture of an illness. In Homoeopathy we often speak of the totality of the symptoms as the basis of selecting a remedy, but sometimes we forget to include the causative factors, the miasms, and the nature of the physical constitution of the individual. Understanding the innate constitution is fundamental to homoeopathic treatment because it holds the keys to an individual's susceptibility as well as the inherited effects of the chronic miasms.
This is why Hahnemann included a complete physical description of each individual constitution when taking a case history. Some constitutions are thin, quick and warm while others are slow, cold and flabby. The physical characteristics of various constitutions have become associated with different miasms and their constitutional remedies. For example, Phosphorus is well adapted to tall, slender, narrow chested, sanguine temperaments who have delicate eyelashes, soft hair and are deeply affected by the TB miasm. Asteria Rubens, on the other hand, is more indicated in flabby, chilly, lymphatic constitutions that are affected by sycosis or the cancer miasm. Each of these constitutions responds to the same stimuli in a completely different manner which helps to determine their anti-miasmic remedies.
What are Miasms?
Hippocrates was the first physician to use the term "miasm" which has its origins in the Greek word for taint or fault. He postulated that certain infectious diseases were transmitted to humans by air and water tainted by miasms. In late 18th century it was a common belief that miasms were impure airs that were responsible for the spread of epidemic diseases among groups of people. Hahnemann realized that the air could carry infectious diseases but he did not consider the pathogenic material to be gaseous in nature. By the late 1790s Hahnemann had realized that syphilis was an infectious blood disease that could mask itself with the symptoms of many different illnesses. Early in his career he made a special preparation called Mercurius Solubilis Hahnemanni that was the standard treatment for syphilis throughout Europe. He soon found that Mercury in homoeopathic potency worked much better on syphilis than the crude poisonous form and he recorded several permanent cures.
A Dutch naturalist named van Leeuwenhoek invented the microscope and published his observations of small living "animalcules" before in his death in 1723. This information led Hahnemann to believe that microorganisms were at the root of many infectious diseases. For this reason he supported the ideas of the animalculists but at the same time upheld the importance of susceptibility of the host constitution. Very early in his career Hahnemann suggested that certain skin eruptions, such as "crusta lactea", were being caused by microscopic "miasmic animalcule" i.e., micro-organisms. At this time there were four major theories about diseases that spread in an infectious manner.
1. Miasma as a foul gaseous exhalation.
2. The theory of the animalcule.
3. The zymotic theory.
4. The theory of spontaneous generation.
The followers of the spontaneous generation theory believed that germs appeared whenever the conditions were right for their development without the need for reproduction. In some sense this is true as where did the "first germ" come from? The zymotists suggested that certain substances called "zymes" that were inert outside the body could lie dormant until the internal terrain made it possible for them to multiply and caused specific diseases. The observations of the zymotists are very similar to the activities of viral material in the human body. The term zymotic can be found in the old homoeopathic literature and is a rubric in the general section of Kent's Repertory. Hahnemann synthesized the ideas of the animalcule and zymes and redefined the Hippocratic term "miasma" to express the constitutional derangements caused by parasitic infections. He carefully separated the self-limiting acute miasms from the syndromes of long lasting diseases and started to develop a special materia medica and repertory for the treatment of the chronic miasms. Therefore, in Hahnemannian Homoeopathy the word "miasm" means the effects of microorganisms on the vital force including the symptoms that are transmitted to the following generations. These chronic miasms are capable of producing degenerative illnesses, auto-immune diseases and lead the organism toward immuno-deficiency disorders.
Hahnemann noticed that each of the chronic diseases has three phases, a primary stage, latent stage, and a secondary or tertiary state. The effects of these miasms were then passed from one generation to the next generation by inheritance and caused predispositions to certain disease syndromes. The three chronic miasms that Hahnemann introduced in 1828 were called Psora (the itch miasm), Sycosis (the gonorrheal miasm) and Syphilis (the chancre miasm). Hahnemann published his miasmic theory long before the presence of germs was widely accepted so most practitioners found it hard to understand such a sophisticated theory of contagion. From the time of Hippocrates healers conjectured about the possibility of invisible organisms causing disease but Hahnemann founded the modern concept of infection. In fact, homoeopathic pathology is still far more advanced than its modern allopathic counterpart which still does not understand the effects of the miasmic processes or their inherited constitutional syndromes.
In the preface of Charles Hempel's translation of the Organon, Constantine Hering recorded that late in his life Hahnemann made further discoveries and developed a new aspect of the theory of Psora with the introduction of a new miasm he called Pseudo-psora. Hering wrote:
"Hahnemann distinguishes the venereal miasms as syphilis and sycosis; and also subdivides psora with pseudo-psora.".
"Hahnemann distinguishes the venereal miasms as syphilis and sycosis; and also subdivides psora with pseudo-psora.".
Hahnemann's miasmic theory now contained two venereal and two non-venereal miasms that produced life-long chronic diseases. The two non-venereal miasms are Psora (the itch disease) and Pseudo-psora (the tubercle disease). The two venereal miasms are Sycosis (the fig wart diseases) and Syphilis (the chancre disease). Hahnemann noticed that some cases that appeared to be Psora did not depend exclusively on an external skin eruption for their development. He observed that this disease was infectious in nature and possessed primary, latent, and secondary symptoms as well as inherited aspects. He decided that it was caused by a miasmic agent with a distinct etiology so he separated its symptoms from Psora and made a new classification called the Pseudo-psora, the TB miasm. All of these miasms may be acquired through a primary infection or their effects can be experienced through heredity.
It is sometimes thought that Hahnemann taught that all long-lasting diseases are caused by chronic miasms. This is not the total picture. In the Organon he mentions three classifications of long lasting disease:
"those caused by continuing stress factors (disorders upheld by maintaining causes which by their nature are not necessarily true chronic disorders §73),
those caused by drug toxicity and faulty treatment (physician caused §74.),
and those caused by infectious miasms (naturally caused §78)."
"those caused by continuing stress factors (disorders upheld by maintaining causes which by their nature are not necessarily true chronic disorders §73),
those caused by drug toxicity and faulty treatment (physician caused §74.),
and those caused by infectious miasms (naturally caused §78)."
In modern times the diseases produced by man made toxins must be expanded to include the thousands of potential harmful chemicals released into our environment. Between the environmental degradation caused by our massive industrial complex, the vaccinosis miasm caused by compulsory immunization, and great numbers of new medicines produced by the pharmaceutical industry, the second category of chronic disease has grown tremendously. Illnesses that involve all three factors of causation (continual stress; drugs, toxins, vaccinosis; and natural miasms) are the most difficult to treat because all these factors intermingle to form complex layers.
The Development of the Miasmic Theory
There has been a tendency in modern Homoeopathy to focus more and more on the mental and general symptoms of the individual while paying little if any attention to the classical doctrine of the chronic miasms. This is not a new phenomena as Baron Von Boenninghausen bemoaned the fact in his Lesser Writings that many practitioners were ignoring Hahnemann's teachings on the miasms as expressed in aphorisms 5 and 206 of the Organon. Even Constantine Hering was skeptical when Hahnemann first introduced his miasmic theory, but after observing the syndromes in his patients, he became a great contributor to the further development of the doctrine. One of the reasons the original theory of the miasms has fallen out of use in case taking is because it has somehow become associated with the concept of orthodox pathology. Are the detailed syndromes that are recorded under the miasmic process really just another form of useless pathology? Can we really take a complete constitutional case through the use of the general symptoms alone while ignoring the presence of the inherited or acquired miasms?
According to the founders of Homoeopathy, to overlook Hahnemann's doctrine of chronic disease is to miss the main point of aphorism 5 of The Organon which deals with the importance of causation, constitution, and the chronic miasms. This trinity forms the foundation of the anamnesis to which the concept of the totality of the signs and symptoms is added in aphorism 5, 6 and 7. Hahnemann classified some remedies into anti-miasmic categories because he discovered that certain deep acting medicines have a similar nature to the syndromes produced by the miasms. What did Kent think about the miasmic doctrine and did it play any part in his case taking methods? Lets see what he has to say about the doctrine of the chronic miasms. Vide Kent's Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy, from the lecture called, "The Examination of the Patient".
"A great deal depends upon a physician's ability to perceive what constitutes the miasm. If he is dull of perception he will intermingle symptoms that do not belong together, Hahnemann seems to have had the most wonderful perception, he seemed to see at a glance. Hahnemann was skillful in this respect because he was a hard student of materia medica and because he proved his materia medica daily".
"A great deal depends upon a physician's ability to perceive what constitutes the miasm. If he is dull of perception he will intermingle symptoms that do not belong together, Hahnemann seems to have had the most wonderful perception, he seemed to see at a glance. Hahnemann was skillful in this respect because he was a hard student of materia medica and because he proved his materia medica daily".
Why does Kent speaks of mixing up symptoms that do not belong together if we only need the totality of the symptoms? Why should we understand which symptoms constitute a miasm? Why is Kent praising Hahnemann's understanding of miasmic layers if his teachings on the chronic disease play no part in Classical Homoeopathy? In his lecture on Natrum Sulphuricum Kent points out the short comings of prescribing on the simple totality of symptoms without any understanding of the underlying miasms. Vide Kent's Lectures on Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
"Asthma, when it is hereditary, is one of the sycotic diseases of Hahnemann......For years I was puzzled with the management of asthma. When a person came to me and asked: "Doctor can you cure asthma?" I would say "No." But now I am beginning to get quite liberal on asthma, since I have learned that asthma is a sycotic disease, and since I have made judicious application of anti-sycotics I have been able to relieve or cure a great number of such cases. You will find in the history of medicine that wherever asthma was cured, it has been by anti-sycotic remedies. That is one of the first things I observed, that outside of sycotics you will seldom find a cure for asthma."
"Asthma, when it is hereditary, is one of the sycotic diseases of Hahnemann......For years I was puzzled with the management of asthma. When a person came to me and asked: "Doctor can you cure asthma?" I would say "No." But now I am beginning to get quite liberal on asthma, since I have learned that asthma is a sycotic disease, and since I have made judicious application of anti-sycotics I have been able to relieve or cure a great number of such cases. You will find in the history of medicine that wherever asthma was cured, it has been by anti-sycotic remedies. That is one of the first things I observed, that outside of sycotics you will seldom find a cure for asthma."
Kent goes on to speak about the limitations of the use of Homoeopathy only on the symptoms without taking into account the underlying miasmic causes and their syndromes.
"While Ipecac, Spongia, and Arsenicum will correspond just as clearly to the supervening symptoms and to everything that you can find about the case, yet what do they do? They palliate; they repress the symptoms; but your asthma is no better off, your patient is not cured."
"While Ipecac, Spongia, and Arsenicum will correspond just as clearly to the supervening symptoms and to everything that you can find about the case, yet what do they do? They palliate; they repress the symptoms; but your asthma is no better off, your patient is not cured."
From these quotes we can see that Kent truly followed Hahnemann's teachings and saw the validity of the theory of anti-miasmic remedies. He also clearly states that using the totality of the symptoms without understanding the miasms underlying the case may lead to mere palliation or suppression of the disease. This is why aphorism 5 of the Organon stresses the need to understand the fundamental cause as well as the totality of the symptoms. The reason that Ipecac, Spongia and Arsenicum will not cure in these cases is because they are not antisycotics. Another experienced homoeopath, H. C. Allen, offered his opinion as to the use of the totality without an understanding of the chronic miasms and their layers in his classic, The Chronic Miasms.
"I think I hear many say, are not the totality of the symptoms, all there is to disease? Yes, but to me it is necessary to know something of what is behind that grouping of the totality. If you do not know this you are prescribing for a Jack-in-the-box. You cannot follow the evolution of the curative process; you cannot even prescribe intelligently the proper diet for a patient, unless you know the basic miasm. Of course the diseases that are present will help you to some extent, but you have no surety unless you know the underlying basic disturber of the disordered life".
"I think I hear many say, are not the totality of the symptoms, all there is to disease? Yes, but to me it is necessary to know something of what is behind that grouping of the totality. If you do not know this you are prescribing for a Jack-in-the-box. You cannot follow the evolution of the curative process; you cannot even prescribe intelligently the proper diet for a patient, unless you know the basic miasm. Of course the diseases that are present will help you to some extent, but you have no surety unless you know the underlying basic disturber of the disordered life".
Our old friend Dr. Allen's example of a "Jack-in-the-box" is quite illustrative. If the homoeopath does not know the layers of the miasms in their proper order, they will not know what to look for in the future, so that some dramatic complication may just "pop" out of the vital force as if came out of nowhere. Those who study Hahnemann's teachings are more prepared for what the future might bring and know what to do when obstructions arise. In reference to the hallowed law of the totality of the symptoms, and its use as a guide to the choice of the remedy, Dr. Allen shared his feelings in this way.
"We make no attack upon the law; no cure can be made outside of the law. But we do believe it is necessary to know whether the phenomena presented in a given case are of sycotic, syphilitic or tubercular origin; for the totality grouping of the symptoms must be around the symptoms of the active miasm."
"We make no attack upon the law; no cure can be made outside of the law. But we do believe it is necessary to know whether the phenomena presented in a given case are of sycotic, syphilitic or tubercular origin; for the totality grouping of the symptoms must be around the symptoms of the active miasm."
Thus we can see that in Hahnemann's method the totality of the symptoms includes the signs and symptoms of the miasms classified by their layers and listed according to their development. The active miasm is the center on which the totality of symptoms is built so that the remedy chosen matches the underlying miasm syndromes. The symptoms should be arranged in such a manner so that it is easy for the homoeopath to see the layers of the case so they will know what to expect next. Hahnemann states in The Chronic Diseases that in severe chronic cases the homoeopath may have to use a series of anti-miasmic remedies to complete the cure. This is because in complex disease the layers may represent several etiologies and the miasms can require different remedies as they become exposed. Allen expressed the need to know the layers of a chronic case in the following terms.
"Those brilliant cures that are occasionally made with the single remedy, occur where a single miasm lies behind the phenomena, but where the mixed miasms are present, brilliant cures are not so made, and it is in those cases that it is so necessary to understand the order of their evolution."
"Those brilliant cures that are occasionally made with the single remedy, occur where a single miasm lies behind the phenomena, but where the mixed miasms are present, brilliant cures are not so made, and it is in those cases that it is so necessary to understand the order of their evolution."
Some homoeopaths spend all their time searching for the single constitutional remedy for the patient. When the remedy picture fits Phosphorus they state that the patient is a "Phosphorus constitution". In this way they search for that one special remedy that will solve all the patient's problems. Our elder homoeopaths of years past might have asked, "When was this person a Phosphorus? When they were born? Now? Forever? When they had pneumonia? Because they have the inherited TB miasm?" The search for the grand constitutional remedy may lead the homoeopath to construct permanent essences out of something that is in continual change.
Complex chronic diseases are often made up of many interdependent components rather than one single constitutional factor. Although many cases have been ameliorated by just one constitutional prescription such miraculous responses are the best of circumstances. Homoeopaths who wish to treat chronic diseases must be prepared for the worst! In a more complex chronic illness it may not be so easy to pigeon-hole the entire case into one single remedy. It may take a series of related remedies to remove the miasmic layers as the person moves toward the state of health. This is why it is necessary to know in what order the layers of the case have formed along the timeline so that they may be unraveled in the reverse order by which they developed.
Symptoms and the Miasms
The etiology of a disease, the constitutional temperament of the patient, and the totality of the signs and symptoms are three factors that form a complete picture of a disease. In Homoeopathy we often speak of the totality of the symptoms as the basis of selecting a remedy, but sometimes we forget to include the causative factors, miasms, and the physical constitution of the individual. The physical signs of a person are fundamental to the treatment of chronic disorders because the constitution and temperament shows the effects of the inherited miasms. We must get beyond relying solely on the personal or family history to uncover miasms. The miasms are present in the very symptomatology of the client. The syndromes produced by the miasms point to the fundamental cause even if it cannot be traced in the case taking to a specific etiological factor.
Each of the chronic miasms have their own characteristic signs that are an integral part of the totality of the symptoms. For example, Psora tends to produce irritation, inflammation, and hypersensitivity and Sycosis tends to produce infiltrations, indurations, and over growth. Pseudo-psora tends toward tubercles, fibrosis and suppuration and Syphilis tends toward granulation, degeneration and ulceration.
As far as the physical constitution, Psora tends to make the organism toxic, the skin unhealthy, and perverts the functions of the digestive and eliminative organs. Pseudo-psora tends to produce pipe stem bones, narrow chests, sunken cheeks and sparkling eyes. Sycosis tends to cause heavy bones, water retention, over growth of tissue and slow metabolism. Syphilis tends to cause congenital defects, asymmetrical bony structure, deformed teeth and the classic bull dog face.
The psoric temperament is full of pseudo-scientific, philosophical, political, religious ideas. They are self expressive, talkative, self deceptive and may think they are full of genius yet seem foolish and impractical to others. Pseudo-psora (TB miasm) is romantic, erotic, social, extroverted, cosmopolitan. erratic, optimistic, yet dissatisfied and always wants to change places, jobs, mates, etc.. Sycosis is pessimistic, a hard realist, skeptical, secretive, suspicious, jealous and has fixed ideas and hidden self disgust. Syphilis has a mixture of madness and genius with a deep sense of irony that leads to obsession with death and destruction. They become guilty, self destructive, and end in idiocy, insanity or suicide.
The pains of Psora are itchy, crawling, tickling, and burning; the pains of Pseudo-psora are neuralgic, sharp, piercing, twisting, stitching; the pains of Sycosis are sudden, intense, spasmodic, crampy and colicky; the pains of Syphilis seem lacking for the condition present or are deep, aching, agonizing, and esp. < at night. Psora has fairly scanty, irritating, itchy discharges; Pseudo-psora has pussy, purulent, yellow, bloody, musty discharges; Sycosis has pungent, brine-like, fishy odors with watery greenish or dirty brown discharges; Syphilitic miasm has very offensive, foul, putrid, smelly discharges.
The skin of Psora is dry, rough, unhealthy, every little injury becomes infected and the lesions are itchy and have scanty pus. The skin of Pseudo-psora is translucent, fine, smooth, bruises easily, and its lesions bleed easily and exude excessive pus. The skin of Sycosis is full of warts, flecks, moles, growths, dark discolorations with over growth of hair. Syphilitic skin has brownish red, or coppery color spots, eruptions that do not itch, and a tendency toward easy ulceration.
Classifying Miasmic Rubrics
This list of rubrics goes on and on but I hope these few examples give an idea of how the symptomatology of the miasms is present in the symptoms of the case. It is these symptom pictures that clue the homoeopath into which miasms are present within the constitution of the individual. Thus the etiology points to the symptoms and the symptoms point to the etiology. This is how the homoeopath understands which miasmic layers are dormant, latent and active. All of these factors point to the proper anti-miasmic remedies, which more often than not, are not the nosodes. For example, while taking a case history a client reports that he used to be friendly, outgoing, loved to travel, and had many girl friends (Tubercular miasm), but for the last few years he has changed his lifestyle and become more conservative. Most of his friends have not noticed how much he has changed except that he seems to have settled down. Some people think that he has changed for the better. This is because he is trying to hide the fact that he feels as if he is losing his clarity of mind (Sycosis) as well as his feelings for others (Sycosis).
On further investigating the changes in this person's temperament the homoeopath finds that he caught gonorrhea due to his cosmopolitan lifestyle (acquired Sycosis) which led to a change in his perceptions (new layer). He was treated with antibiotics which immediately "cured" his symptoms (suppression) but he has felt contaminated from that time (Sycosis and Syphilis). On inquiry we find that since then (never well since) he has suffered with feelings of guilt (Sycosis), loss of short term memory (Sycosis), has become more angry, suspicious and introverted (Sycosis).
He used to love to have people around (TB miasm), but now he doesn't like visitors, especially strangers (Sycosis). He is especially bothered because he is having difficulty expressing himself and finding the correct words (Sycosis), whereas he used to be quite articulate (Psora and TB miasms). He used to be mentally carefree (TB miasm), but now his mind has become more fixed and obsessive (Sycosis). His joints and muscles are becoming more painful and rigid (Sycosis) and he has developed a fishy order from his arm pits and genitals (Sycosis). His general constitution is tall, thin, with pipe stem bones (inherited TB miasm), but since he became ill, he has gained an unhealthy weight around his hip, abdomen and thighs (Sycosis) and became chilly (Sycosis). His skin is fairly pale and translucent (TB miasm), but as of late, he has been developing a few dark spots and warty flecks (Sycosis)
We can see that this gentleman's innate constitution is affected by the inherited TB miasm but this has been suppressed by an acquired sycotic syndrome. The TB miasm has affected his basic temperament and helped stimulate the excesses in his lifestyle that brought him to an infection with VD. The TB miasm is now dormant because it has been repressed by the active miasmic symptoms related to the gonorrhea and its suppression. The transformation of his innate temperament from outgoing, social, cosmopolitan (TB miasm) into a suspicious, fixed, private man with feelings of guilt and loss of confidence (Sycosis) are the most important symptoms in his case.
We can see that the totality of his active symptoms are definitely Sycotic so we must search for a remedy for his condition from the antisycotics. A person who prescribes by miasms might think that Medorrhinum should be used but all the symptoms point clearly to Thuja. Thuja will remove this sycotic layer and the individual will become his old tubercular self again. Now his case should be retaken and his innate constitutional remedy should be sought among the remedies that reflect the Pseudo-psoric miasm. This will remove the excesses of the TB miasm from his personality and prevent him from doing the kinds of things that caused him to acquire the gonorrhea in the first place! Understanding how the constitutional remedies relate to the miasms is a fundamental part of the materia medica of chronic disease. This is what Hahnemann was pointing at when he published The Chronic Diseases in 1828 and introduced the idea of categorizing deep acting remedies by the chronic miasms. This is an integral part of our homoeopathic heritage and should not be forgotten if we are to cure the most complex forms of chronic disease.
I hope this article on the classical miasms will prove helpful to those students of Homoeopathy who wish to follow in the footsteps of Samuel Hahnemann. Homoeopathy is a gift from the Most High as well as the summation of several generations of hard work by many individuals. This article is dedicated to those who have gone before, those who are practicing now, as well as those who are coming in the future.
After all, as Hahnemann pointed out, Homoeopathy is De Medicina Futura!
Application of the Miasmic Theory
A Case History of Sycosis
Normally, we think of gonorrhea of Neisser as the only pathogenic agent involved in the transmission of the sycotic syndrome but this may not be the complete picture. The sycotic miasm also causes a person to become susceptible to a whole range of venereal disorders. The most probable candidates are chlamydia, trichomonas vaginalis, ureaplasma urealyticum, and candida albicans. This case is an example of a person with an inherited case of sycosis that was activated by the suppression of a chlamydia infection rather than by a new infection of gonococcus. In many of our old books there are stories of the reinstatement of suppressed discharges during the process of homoeopathic treatment. The following case is an example of how this phenomena comes about. In Homoeopathy we often speak of Hering's laws of cure. One of the most important factors of this law is the reversal of the developmental order of the symptoms. This phenomena was first observed by Samuel Hahnemann and recorded in the 1828 edition of The Chronic Diseases. Hahnemann wrote:
"The latest symptoms that have been added to a chronic disease, which has been left to itself are always the first to yield in an antipsoric treatment; but the oldest ailments and those which have been most constant and unchanged, among which are the constant local ailments, are the last to give way; and this is only effected, when all the remaining disorders have disappeared and the health has been in all other respects almost totally restored."
"The latest symptoms that have been added to a chronic disease, which has been left to itself are always the first to yield in an antipsoric treatment; but the oldest ailments and those which have been most constant and unchanged, among which are the constant local ailments, are the last to give way; and this is only effected, when all the remaining disorders have disappeared and the health has been in all other respects almost totally restored."
The following is a case in which an LM potency was used to treat a case of suppressed venereal disease. The client was an Irishman who was studying with a yogi in India. He was a strong, well built, rather coarse kind of a person. He was not stupid in any way yet sometimes one had to say things a few times before he would grasp what you really meant. His appearance was a bit disheveled in that he wore half Indian and half western clothes. I had known him for a few years and I had already observed that many of his habits were rather psoric but the predominance of his psychology demonstrated the sycotic miasm. He was a suspicious sort of fellow who looked out of the corners of his eyes and questioned the motives of others and sometimes held fixed opinions. Compared to the average person in society he was a true religious fanatic as he lived in a cave in far off India with few belongings. These are some of the traits that pointed toward inherited sycosis. At the same time, he also had something of the dullness, genius and madness that is associated with the syphilitic miasm. This appeared to be the deepest, darkest, most hidden part of his personality. So it seemed that his miasmic states were layered in the following manner; sycosis was the most active layer, followed by psora which was more latent, and syphilis which was quite deep and dormant. These are only some of my personal observations as I had not taken a detailed case history of his chronic states. He went to England for a visit and contracted a severe case of chlamydia. This produced a greenish, dirty discharge as well as much local irritation of the penis. I did not see the case in its acute state so I do not know all of the exact symptoms. He visited a homoeopath who gave him Thuja in the centesimal potency. This did not help the situation so he went to an allopathic doctor who gave him a full course of tetracycline.
The treatment with antibiotics suppressed the acute symptoms so he was left with a little gleety discharge which manifested as a clear or white secretion at the meatus that caused much itching. In the mornings he would express a small amount of the discharge which would return later during the day. He returned to the allopathic clinic and was told he had non-specific urethritis (NSU) and there was nothing they could do about it. From this time forward he developed several of the symptoms of the sycotic miasm. First of all, his prostate gland began to swell and become painful with concomitant pains underneath and in his rectum. This was followed by a loss of memory and dulling of the intellect. Evidently his susceptibility to chlamydia was due to his latent sycotic miasm and this new infection activated the entire syndrome. This was not a simple local urethral discharge caused by NSU. The entire sycotic syndrome began to manifest deeply in his constitution. He began to develop a pain in his lower back that started moving up his spine to his head. At the same time, his extremities were becoming arthritic and painful. This was followed by a further deterioration of his mental and intellectual levels and his memory really began to slip. He became dull and had difficulty thinking and could not find the proper words when speaking. He began to feel guilty, dirty and contaminated. Although he wore ragged clothes, he was not particularly dirty yet he could smell his own body odor and it upset him greatly.
By now he had dullness, sadness, depression, despondency, doubt of cure, and salvation. When he looked around he would squint his eyes which made him look shifty. His memory continued to fail and his mind became more confused. He became very sleepy, apathetic, tired and lazy as well as more dirty as he started to change his clothes less than before. The symptoms continued to increase over a period of around eight months until he was in pretty bad shape. I formed the totality of the symptoms around the syndrome of the sycotic miasm and the state of his present temperament. His religious and philosophical ideas, rough lifestyle, ragged clothes, depression, despondency, sleepiness, loss of memory, tiredness and laziness led me to investigate the remedy, Sulphur. These mental states were best reflected in Phatak's Materia Medica which gives under mind: "Dull, difficult thinking: misplaces or can not find proper words; when talking and writing. Too lazy to rouse himself and too unhappy to live. Strong tendency to religious and philosophical reveries, with fixed ideas. Hopeful dreamers. Disgust, up to nausea about any effluvia arising in his own body". The itchy nature of his gleety discharge and the redness of his meatus also pointed toward this remedy. This was confirmed by the general concomitants like his warmer constitution, his desire for soupy foods, and his sensitivity to his own body odors.
Sulphur is a multi-miasmic remedy although it is most famous for its antipsoric nature. In Kent's Repertory it is listed as a 2 for sycosis as well as for syphilis. It seems that acquiring the venereal disease brought out this man's inherited sycotic miasm which magnified certain aspects of his potentially Sulfurous nature. Before the acquired venereal disease he seemed quite sycotic as he was more suspicious and closed minded than is usual for psora or Sulphur. It was as if the newly acquired venereal syndrome actually made him more Sulfurous than he was before the suppressed sycotic infection. Perhaps the suppression had produced a complex disease as his symptoms seemed to be rather psoro-sycotic with a dormant, hidden syphilitic layer. I was very excited because Sulphur was one of the only LM potencies I had at the time and I wanted to experiment with them.
In aphorism 281 of The Organon Hahnemann taught that sensitivity can be measured on a scale of 1 to 1000. I felt sure that this gentleman was on the low end of that sensitivity scale. After the suppression of his primary symptoms, a Dutch homoeopath had given him all sorts of high potency remedies yet he felt absolutely nothing. Anyone with an average to high sensitivity would have felt some good or bad reactions to so many high potency remedies yet he felt absolutely nothing. Taking into account the sluggishness of his nature at this time, his rather coarse lifestyle, and the fact he could take so many high potencies without any effects, I decided his constitutional sensitivity was rather low. For this reason I began the case with Sulphur LM 0/3. In The Organon Hahnemann recommends beginning LM cases in the "lowest degrees" of potency. Most chronic cases are started on the LM system with the 0/1 potency, although under certain conditions, cases may be begun with the LM 0/2 and LM 0/3. As this individual seemed to be at the lower end of the sensitivity scale I began the case with Sulphur LM 0/3. This is the highest potency I have used to begin a chronic case at the present date.
I prepared the medicinal solution by placing 1 small #10 pill of the Sulphur into a 4 oz. solution of water mixed with brandy. After succussing the bottle 10 times the client was asked to stir one tablespoon into 4 oz. of water in a glass. From this dosage glass he was advised to take 1 teaspoon as his dose. I asked him to take one dose and come back to see me the next day. When he returned I asked him how he felt and he said, "Oh, I feel all right." I told him to take another dose. At the time he was staying near my house in a room under a Tibetan monastery so it was easy to see him daily. The next day I asked him how he was feeling. and he responded that he felt pretty good. He seemed a little brighter and he didn't have as much of the squinty look to his eyes. He may have been responding to my questions a little better. The rest of the symptoms were exactly the same so I said, "Take it again tomorrow."
It is often said that the LM potency can be repeated daily, or every other day, for months. This is not the total picture as in the note to aphorism 246 Hahnemann explains that this should be done only "if necessary". I'm not recommending that the LM 0/3 should be repeated daily with your average client. In fact, Hahnemann says in paragraph 246 of The Organon that any "marked obviously progressing improvement" is a condition in which a single dose of an LM potency should be allowed to act without repetition. He goes on to say, however, that in "slowly" improving chronic cases the remedy may be repeated at suitable intervals to speed the cure to 1/2, 1/4, or less the time it would take without repetition. If the remedy is over repeated it will either cause aggravations or slow down the curative reaction delaying the cure. In the 6th Organon Hahnemann offers a middle path that lies in-between the method of giving a single unit dose and waiting for a relapse, and the mechanical repetition of remedies. In the LM system the correct remedy may be repeated in cases that show only gradual improvement to speed the cure rather than waiting for a full relapse of the symptoms. This can only be done if the homoeopath is using a medicinal solution which is succussed just prior to ingestion. Hahnemann introduced a similar method for the centesimal potencies in the 5th Organon (1833) and in the 1837 preface in The Chronic Diseases called, Concerning the Technical Part of Homoeopathy.
After six days of repeating LM 0/3 Sulphur my client returned to me and said, "Gosh, I'm feeling a little bit funny". I asked him how he felt and he said, "Well, you know, I keep seeing these kind of black things floating around." He was seeing the black motes which Sulphur often produced during its provings. This remedy is a 3 in Kent's Repertory for black motes. I had repeated LM 0/3 for six days in a row and now the remedy was beginning to mimic the provings of Sulphur. It was obvious that I needed to slow down or stop the remedy. I said, "I don't think you'd better take it today but come back and see me tomorrow". He came back the next day and I said, "How do you feel?" He said, "They're going away. I don't think I even see them anymore." Most LM aggravations pass through rather quickly unless the client is a hypersensitive. These aggravations tend to last for one, two, or three days under normal circumstances. Nevertheless, the power of the remedies must be carefully controlled through adjusting the dose to match the susceptibility of the constitution and being conservative with repetition.
A homoeopathic aggravation is produced when the primary action of the remedy is too strong. This is caused by too large a dose, too high of a potency, or too much repetition of the remedy. For this reason I waited for two more days and then adjusted the dose by taking one teaspoon from the first dosage glass and placing it in a second glass. From this second glass I had the client take one teaspoon as a dose. The following day this gentleman came running over to my house. He looked extremely excited and he had a covered glass in his hand. I asked him what happened and he said he suddenly felt an urging and a pulling down pain which made his penis feel as if it was going to explode! Then he passed four ounces of filthy greenish-yellow putrid pus-like discharge into a glass. The entire episode lasted less than a minute. When someone passes a discharge like this the question comes to mind, where did it all come from? This is one of the mysteries of Homoeopathy. How does the vital force do this? The answer to this question lies outside our normal understanding of pathology.
On seeing the discharge I slowed the repetition of the remedy down to once every three days and all of his symptoms peeled off layer by layer in the reverse order in which they had developed. His mental temperament improved, his memory came back, he lost the feeling of being dirty and contaminated. The pains in his head and spine moved downward toward the coccyx, and the rectum and prostrate stopped hurting. The gleety discharge disappeared and none of these symptoms have ever returned. I slowed down the remedy even further as he continued to improve and then finally stopped it. He was a changed man who later left for England where he studied Homoeopathy and was awarded a certificate. I saw him a few years later in India and he said, "Thanks a lot. You saved my life."
This case, and others like it, shows that the complete sycotic syndrome can be overcome with the skillful use of homoeopathic remedies. The reinstatement of old discharges, and the return of other old venereal symptoms, is a definite sign that the homoeopathic remedy has attained its goal. The removal of these deep miasmic taints from the constitution is one of the greatest gifts of Homoeopathy, because it not only removes the illness from the sufferer, but also from the following generations. In this way the homoeopath can overcome the past, transform the present, and change the future. This is surely the blessing of Providence and the fruits of the dedicated work of Samuel Hahnemann and those who follow in his footsteps.


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UPDATE: St. Cloud Schools Lift 'Containment', No Major Incidents Reported At Area Schools
SAUK RAPIDS -It's been quiet so far today (Friday) at our area schools. They have been on heightened alert, due to some social media rumors involving the one-week anniversary of the Connecticut school shooting, as well as the end of the Mayan Calendar today.
St. Cloud Superintendent Bruce Watkins says Apollo High School is no longer in a "containment", and Tech High School will lift their "containment" after the lunch break. A containment is different than a lockdown in that kids are allowed to move around the building in between classes, but they are not given any hall passes.
Superintendent Watkins, and other school officials, fielded dozens of calls from anxious parents all morning long. Some parents elected to keep their kids home today.
Sauk Rapids Police Chief Perry Beise says they did have extra patrols parked outside of the school buildings this morning, but they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He says they also made an announcement to the students letting them know the school is safe.
Sauk Rapids-Rice Superintendent Dan Bittman says the are not aware of any specific threat. There were a few parents that called the district asking to take their kids out of school after hearing some rumors.
Sartell-St. Stephen Superintendent Joe Hill says it's been a more quiet day for them, compared to some of the other area districts. He says the district's principals have received just a few phone calls from parents. Hill says the district has been on a heightened alert since last Friday, but it's been business as usual for them.
Up in Little Falls, that district did go into a lockdown this morning, after rumors of a threat. The districts says after multiple interviews and an in-depth investigation the did not find anything.
Below is a letter sent to the ROCORI parents today:
ROCORI Parents,
At the start of our day, we were notified by St. Cloud school officials of a social media report centered on the St. Cloud schools. The notification indicated that restrictive procedures were being implemented in the St. Cloud Schools. As a precautionary response to the social media report, a number of area schools (along with all ROCORI Schools) will be operating their day in a Soft Lockdown mode.
We want to be very clear that the ROCORI Schools were not mentioned directly in the social media exchange and we do not have any evidence to support any kind of threat at our sites, but as a precautionary measure we will operate today in a "soft lockdown" status.
What this means, for the most part, is that we are taking extra steps and cautions to prevent others from entering the buildings. All exits and entrances are locked and will be checked regularly throughout the day. Any students or visitors entering or leaving the buildings will have to do so through the main office. Inside the building, this status means that we will keep students in their classrooms as fully as possible with restricted passing ability; students will not be allowed in the hallways during class time.
Again, we have not had anything directed toward the ROCORI Schools and the notification originated from social media exchanges within the St. Cloud District. We appreciate their notice to us and we simply want to be more attentive to issues within our buildings.
Thank you for your support. We trust you will have a great day and a wonderful holiday break as we conclude the day!
Scott R. Staska, Superintendent

subset: commoncrawl


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'America's Got Talent' Auditions Coming To Nashville
Want to be the next Big Barry or Prince Poppycock? Then don't miss out on a chance to audition for the new season of America's Got Talent in Nashville on December 13th. Auditions will be held downtown at the Nashville Convention Center next Thursday 10am-8pm. Auditions are open but it is suggested you pre-register here.
Good luck!


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With many students graduating college with significant college loans, it's important they understand how this debt shapes their credit score and purchasing power in the future.
Continue Reading Below
While having a significant amount of student loan debt may limit grads' discretionary spending and force them to live on a tight budget as they work to pay it off, it doesn't necessarily mean their credit history will suffer.
According to MyFico.com, 39% of individuals with more than $50,000 in student loan debt have a FICO score above 700 and more than 7% of individuals with student loans have credit scores higher than 800. Most experts consider a credit score of above 700 to be solid.
"You are not doomed to a horrible financial future simply because you have a high amount of student loans," says MyFico.com advisor and CEO of MoneyZen Wealth Management, Manisha Thakor. "What you have to do is manage them responsibly."
Here's how student loans can affect credit history and expert tips on how students can keep their score in check.
Pay on Time, Every Month
Paying bills on time is big component of a good credit score, says author and credit card expert, Beverly Harzog, and introducing monthly loan payments into a grad's budget is a great opportunity to show history of timely payments.
"Student loans are installment loans and it helps boost your credit score if you have different types of credit--if you also have a credit card, then this adds an installment loan to your credit profile," she says. "When your credit score is calculated, it's considered a positive if you can handle different types of credit."
Whether grads choose to set up automatic bill pay or another method to stay on top of payments, keep in mind that credit scores are used to indicate how likely a borrower is to default—the higher the score, the lower the risk, says Jon Chapman, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at EverFi.
"Once you start missing payments, even just a few, it raises a red flag about your creditworthiness and can lower your score."
Having a low credit score impacts grads' ability to make big purchases like a car or home.
Credit Card Debt is Your Biggest Threat
Maintaining control on any existing or future credit card debt is essential for keeping credit history on the upswing.
Despite the fact that students are taking on hefty amounts for education expenses, credit card debt has a larger influence on a person's FICO score than student loan debt because it's a stronger indicator of a person's credit risk, according to Thakor.
While it's important to build positive credit, grads will likely have student loan debt for years and any additional credit card debt needs to be limited if not nonexistent, says Harzog.
"Keep in mind that student debt isn't discharged in a bankruptcy," she says. "This can affect your finances and your credit score in a very negative way--make decisions today that will help you meet your loan obligations later."
Work With Lenders if You Can't Make Payments
If grads realize they are having trouble paying student loan debt, it's important to contact lenders to discuss options such as forbearance, deferment, or income-based repayments.
"If you have not been employed for three months and your loans are in forbearance, banks and lenders are going to look at specifically why and a lot of them understand, but that's something that borrowers need to highlight," says Orlando Espinosa, president of marketing and outreach of ScholarshipProz. "Banks look for consistency, [payment history], and the income that the borrower actually has."
Harzog explains if an account is listed as deferred, it can lower a grad's score and impact a lender's decision to extend additional credit lines.
"If you are planning to apply for credit in the future, wait until you start making payments on your student loan to show that your credit history shows regular payments," she says. "This will go a long way toward making you look better to a lender."
Check Credit Report Regularly
College students and grads should pull their credit report from all three credit scoring bureaus at least once a year to ensure that their loans and payments are being reported correctly.
"Make use of annualcreditreport.com and just get in the habit of checking your credit report regularly so that your credit score can accurately reflect the hard work that you're doing," says Thakor.
Be aware that the individual credit reports won't always be exactly the same because some lenders don't report to all three bureaus and loans are not always reported the same, says Harzog.
"Many students borrow what they need as they go through college as opposed to getting one giant lump sum at the start of college," she says. "In many cases, each time you borrow more money, it's a different line item on your credit report, so it can look like you've got a lot of debt when a lender looks at your report."
Grads should review their reports to check for any discrepancies such as a fraudulent charges or inaccurate accounts, says Espinosa.
"If you find something that you didn't purchase or something that you're not in agreement with, you would contact one or all three [credit bureaus] so that they can remove that information that's not yours."


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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles
I am so excited to write about this little candy-making project! I had seen recipes for homemade Reese's style peanut butter cups, but was never remotely tempted to give them a try. As far as my tastes go, there is no improving on the perfection that is a dark chocolate Reese's peanut butter cup (and I've got no problem with the classic milk chocolate ones either). If I crave a high end version, I treat myself to Vosges' divine peanut butter bonbons.
These truffles might look like nothing more than a homemade peanut butter cup with some jam. And they sort of are. But the result is soooo much more than the sum of its parts. All the components just work. The flavors and textures together are amazing. The idea came from the December issue of Food and Wine magazine, but I ended up modifying the method and using a simpler and (I think) better peanut butter filling. Shockingly, they are not as much of a pain to make as I thought they'd be. I would absolutely do it again!
Although I'm sure they exist in various other places, the only time I've had a peanut butter and jelly truffle was at the now sadly closed Ethel M chocolate cafe at The Shops at North Bridge on Michigan Avenue. Mike and I tried them on our first ever trip to Chicago before moving here, and we loved it. Ethel M makes great candy, but as far as the PB and J truffle goes, I like mine best. Do I have to mention that they'd make a perfect Valentine's gift?
Peanut Butter and Jelly Truffles
Adapted from Food and Wine magazine
I love Merck's dark coco disks for candy making because, unlike pure high-end chocolate, it does not need to be tempered and will set quickly and beautifully--just melt it in the microwave and go. It also tastes great. I've also used Wilton's candy melts, and they're good too. You can get the silver liners--mine were 1 inch high by 1 1/4 inches wide--at Kitchenkrafts.com.
Makes 18 to 30, doubles easily
Equipment: 18 to 22 mini foil cupcake liners (1" by 1 1/4")
Mini muffin pan (optional)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural), preferably Jif
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch fine salt, or to taste
8 oz dark chocolate disks (see recipe head note)
18 to 22 mini foil cupcake liners (1" by 1 1/4")
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
flaky sea salt
Heat the peanut butter in the microwave on medium power for 30 second intervals until warm and soft. Add the sifted (this prevents lumps) powdered sugar, vanilla and salt to taste. Stir well, heating again briefly if desired, in order to thoroughly blend the ingredients. Chill.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave on low to medium power for 30 second intervals, stirring each time. With a small spoon, dab some chocolate into a foil liner and spread it around to coat the sides (I stopped about 1/4" from the top, but you can coat the whole cup if you want). Place in mini muffin pan to set. Repeat with remaining liners (I stopped at 18, but you can do more; just save enough chocolate for covering the fillings.). Chill until well set, about 1 hour.
Fill each chocolate cup with about 1 tsp chilled peanut butter mixture. Top with about 1 tsp jam. Reheat remaining chocolate in the microwave so it is fluid again. Spoon chocolate over each cup to cover filling. Sprinkle with sea salt (do each cup immediately if using candy-making chocolate--it sets quickly). Chill until completely set, at least 2 hours.
4 comments:
- Kitchen Riffs said...
This looks really interesting. I don't often do desserts (my wife does them better and enjoys it more; I cook almost everything else) but this sounds amazingly delicious. I'll definitely give it a try.
- Cakewhiz said...
These truffles look so yummy! They would make such nice gifts when wrapped in fancy paper and placed in gift boxes. Thanks for sharing.
- Sally said...
I googled "saucy enchiladas" a couple of days ago and came upon your blog and a recipe you called "Mike's Saucy Enchiladas" from 2006. I made them tonight and they were delicious! Amazing! Thanks for posting it out on the web. I'll just have to come back and rifle through your other recipes. :)
- aer conditonat said...
I love truffles so much. definitely I'm going to try out your recipe.
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text:
Tovi — SuicideGirl of the Day
Meet Tovi, a 22-year-old word nerd SuicideGirl from Texas who loves finding new cuts and bruises on her body and says the USDA makes her sad.
Name: Tovi
Age: 22
Location: Texas
Into: Contradictions, proper spelling and grammar, sarcasm, chivalry, gay rights, making inappropriate comments around conservative people, sexual innuendos
Not into: Corrupt governments that don't hold concern for their people, religion, eating flesh, unavoidable drama, close-minded people, discrimination
Makes me happy: Day-naps, lingerie, spontaneity, kitchen appliances, corsets, finding new cuts and bruises on my body, weird (natural) ingredients, pugs
Makes me sad: Sunburns, when my work schedule interferes with spontaneity, the USDA, poor spelling, animal cruelty, airline prices, being woken up, clocks
Hobbies: Bakin', cookin', pistol-shootin', bikin', readin', video game playin', pug watchin', volunteerin', playin' the ocarina
Five things I can't live without: Chapstick is definitely one of my living essentials, but everything else I could live without.
Vices: Impatience
I spend most of my free time: Lost in my own fantasies
Favorite books:
- Sword of Truth
- Future Proof
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Edgar Allen Poe
- a Clockwork Orange
- Sookie Stackhouse books
- Fast Food nation
- Martha Stewart cookbooks
- Vegan cookbooks
- Almost any cookbook
SuicideGirls is a community that celebrates alternative beauty and alternative culture from all over the world. Since 2001, tens of thousands of models have submitted millions of photos to their website hoping to become SuicideGirls.


text: On Mon, 6 Jan 2003, Florent Calvayrac wrote: > > Taking this method a step further still, MPI latency might even able to > > be used (delta time between the compute nodes and the head) > > this is certainly much simpler to implement than downloading sprng, > (on http://sprng.cs.fsu.edu/ ) > or just implementing a node-number dependent recurrence formula on each > machine, as RGB is also doing. Measuring an MPI latency time > (in order of several thousands cycles), communicating back and forth, > and running the same calculation on another cluster to predict the > results as you suggest is also certainly faster and more elegant to > achieve independence of the streams. Sure, but a) this sort of thing is very dangerous and b) why bother? /dev/random is ALREADY doing a moderately sophisticated (and probably much more sophisticated and better thought through) job of doing this sort of thing. If the issue is one of "random" (by which I mean "uncorrelated by all measures of correlation") vs "uniform deviate generator" (a term that avoids the oxymoronic descriptor "random number generator":-) then it is extremely difficult to come up with entropy from ANY source or sources available on OTC systems on an OTC network sufficient to provide "truly random" numbers fast enough for a random number-hungry application. There are all kinds of subtle time correlations in nearly anything you choose to use as an entropy source short of a piece of specifically engineered hardware desirnged for that purpose, and you have to wait for several of the longest correlation times of each source in order for its next output to be "random" relative to the previous one. By definition, by the way. The problem is: what are these correlation times? They turn out in many cases to be order milliseconds to seconds, not nanoseconds to microseconds (relative to 32 bits). Or if you prefer, order of 100 microseconds per "random" bit. And there's the rub. If a pair of systems were executing some fairly deterministic MPI code and passing a systematic pattern of same-size messages, you would have to do a lengthy and nontrivial computation just to MEASURE the correlation time, and the correlation time for a nominally periodic process could be VERY LONG. If you fail to do this measurement and just "assume" that you know when the times are adequately decorrelated, you could end up with very significant correlation in your "random" number stream. Worse, since your measurement will be heavily state dependent, you have to ensure that a state with a longer correlation time than whatever you measure can "never" occur, which is all but impossible on a system running on a fixed clock. Basically, you should read "man 4 random" (which uses a variety of sources of entropy, not just one) before deciding that you can do better, and you should recognize that /dev/random is really only suitable for generating seeds or other infrequently required "really random" numbers. Or, to argue the other way, if you INSIST on using e.g. /dev/random as a source of a stream of "really random" random numbers, accepting that it will block until it accumulates enough entropy (by its internal measures) to return the next one AND accepting that abusing it by USING it to generate a stream in this way, where each number is almost by definition "barely random enough" according to the standards of "barely" implemented by the designers and may or may not be random "enough" for your application, then this is indeed a suitable sort of thing to implement on a cluster basis! Inserting /dev/random reads into my cpu_rate timing harness, I measure a /dev/random return rate on the order of 5 milliseconds. This is a very believable number, suggesting correlation times averaging maybe 1 millisecond in the entropy sources used (relative to 32 bits -- ~100 microsecond bit correlation times). In order to saturate even 100BT (call it two and a half million 32 bit random numbers per second) one would need, lessee, 200 per second per node into 2.5x10^6, um, order of 10^4 nodes, PRESUMING that entropy accumulates as rapidly on nodes with no keyboard, mouse, or significant multitasking as it does on my "noisy" desktop where I just ran the benchmark. Somehow I think that buying a hardware RNG device based on e.g. radioactivity or thermal noise would be cheaper and would probably work better as well. Now, if you only wish to generate "a few" really random (heh!;-) numbers to use as seeds for UDG's so that they can produce distinct sequences of uniform deviates (accepting whatever degree of high-dimensional correlation associated with the method, as usual), you simply won't "build" an entropy-based source of the random seed that is any MORE suitable than /dev/random, and implementing /dev/random is (with unsigned int seed): if ((fp = fopen("/dev/random","r")) == NULL) { if(verbose == 10) printf("Cannot open /dev/random, setting seed to 0\n"); seed = 0; } else { fread(&seed,sizeof(seed),1,fp); if(verbose == 10) printf("Got seed %u from /dev/random\n",seed); } gsl_rng_set(random,seed); Hard to get any simpler. Then, as noted before, you can either wear your pants with belt AND suspenders and keep track of all the seeds used to ensure that the gods of randomness don't whack you via the 1/2^32 chance of getting any given unsigned long int over the sequence of your jobs (a very good chance -- basically unity -- if you plan to run say a million sequences, btw) or you can accept the overlap and ignore it (reasonable for a few hundred or even a few thousand runs) or if you are REALLY going to use a LOT of runs (order 10^9), you can create a list of all the ulong ints and shuffle it with a good shuffle algorithm for starters. However, few UDG's will likely turn out to be adequately decorrelated if you start saturating the space of potential seeds -- iterated maps aren't really random and if you literally sample the space of starting points densely, you will almost certainly get significant but very difficult to detect correlations in the generated streams. So once again, your error estimates (based on independence) will be incorrect, and other problems can arise. As always, if you are planning to do anything with very large numbers of UDG's or random numbers or the like, you are well advised to do some moderately significant research on UDG's and randomness before implementing anything at all. For some applications (e.g. writing a game:-) it won't matter -- "any" UDG will suffice, as long as it yields independent play experiences. For others (doing a long running simulation for the purposes of publication) it is essential -- there are famous cases of results obtained at great expense and published in the most respected journals only to discover (to the embarrassment of the authors, the referees, everybody) that they were based on a "bad" UDG (relative to the purpose) and were, alas, cosmic debris, incorrect, totally erroneous, suitable for the trash can. Truth be told, I'd say that most of us who actually work in this game have this as one of our secret nightmares. The oxymoron is a real one. There are no RNG's, only UDG's, and it is very, very difficult to predict whether the correlations that you KNOW are present in a UDG will significantly affect your answers at any given level of precision, provided that you avoid the UDGs with known and obvious problems. Real Computer Scientists (and theoretical physicists, mathematicians, statisticians) spend careers studying this problem. There is almost a heisengbergian feeling to it -- if you only generate a few UD's, you can easily enough get adequately decorrelated ones but your statistical accuracy (in a simulation) will suck. The more UD's you need, the greater your statistical accuracy (presuming independence) but the greater the contamination of those results with the generally occult correlations. It Is Not Easy to know when one will hit the optimum -- the best results one can obtain that have a reliable estimate of statistical accuracy. Indeed, one way of determining the PRESENCE of the correlations is to look for statistically significant deviations from outcomes theoretically predicted for model problems for perfectly random numbers (e.g. the mean length of a random walk in N dimensions). When the outcome isn't known a priori, and one is using a UDG that passes most of the "simple" tests for correlation satisfactorily, one is basically engaged in a crap shoot...maybe your problem is the one that (eventually) will reveal a Weakness in your particular UDG, or UDGs. rgb Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:rgb at phy.duke.edu


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Bringing heritage and photography together....
TimeLine Events, where Heritage and Photography come together and recreate scenes from a past era.
Whether you are an enthusiast of a particular theme, someone that enjoys the past and has a love of photography or simply a photographer that likes the idea of joining a group of like-minded people for an enjoyable day out photographing things in an environment that may otherwise not be possible, either way you will find plenty to enjoy at one of our events.
Open to photographers of all levels and style our events are geared to giving you a day out that will be remembered for years to come. Our aim is too as close as possible recreate scenes from a bygone era, focusing on British transport and industrial heritage dating back to the Victorians. Within the portfolio of regular events you will find a mix of railways, boats, planes, buses and other road vehicles, all set in environments that will make people look twice at your images. It is our passion and mission that drives us to ensure the past is recreated as authentically as possible, working with many of the UKs top museums, heritage hangers, preserved railways and private owner collections. Adding to this we also work closely with many of the UKs finest re-enactors and re-enactment groups to ensure the human interest is apparent in many of the recreations we set.
Our events are professionally managed to ensure all participants are given equal opportunities to capture the cameos that are presented with time to make sure you get the best from the session. Equally we take safety very seriously on all of our events with you as the photographer in mind at all times, emailing a safety and procedures leaflet to all participants before any event helps ensure it is in the minds of everyone involved, thus helping to ensure we all have a safe and enjoyable day.
For further information on current events please take a look on our calendar page and to make sure you are kept aware of new events as they are launched please fill in the contact information so you can be added to our database.
We look forward to welcoming you to an event soon.


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Party Time at the FAA - (Atlanta, GA) $5 Million
"It beats being at work!" glowed one Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) manager at a taxpayer-funded conference last December. The FAA spent $5 million to send 3,600 employees to a "conference" in Atlanta, although "whistle blowers and critics say [the conference] was little more than an excuse to throw a three-week-long Christmas party." An undercover investigation by ABC World News revealed the nightly parties got a bit on the wild side. "Anytime you get a bunch of FAA guys together, it is nothing but a party," bragged one FAA employee. According to the report, "[a]nother conference attendee asked a female ABC News undercover reporter if she was a 'hooker' because 'I was ready to reach for my wallet.'"
Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
Copyright © 2019, Sun Sentinel


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Justin Bieber Offered Contract to Play Minor League Ice Hockey
He shoots, he scores!
If Justin Bieber wants to abandon his career as a pop star, he has options for another line of work. He has been offered a contract to play minor league ice hockey with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL.
It's an interesting offer, since The Biebs hails from Ontario in Canada, where hockey is the national pastime, and the Condors hold court in warm and sunny California. The Biebs is mostly based in the Golden State these days, so if he wanted to accept this offer, it's entirely feasible.
Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Matt O'Dette offered the 'Boyfriend' singer a single year contract after seeing a video of him skate with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In a statement (courtesy of Press Party), O'Dette said, "Very rarely do you see this combination of skill and toughness. We share a common Canadian heritage since we both hail from Ontario. I've scouted some video of him online skating with my hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I think he could provide some elusive speed up front for us. Plus, he's a right-handed shot which we've been looking to add."
It could be that O'Dette is looking to get some press exposures for his team by associating it with The Biebs. The contract offer could be a publicity stunt. Or perhaps he genuinely would like The Biebs in uniform as a Condor.
Watch Justin Bieber Play Hockey With Toronto Maple Leafs


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Today was the big day here in Prague. The Osiris Experience invite-only am contest went down at the Mystic Skatepark. It was a head-to-head bracket format, and after each two-man jam, a winner was chosen to advance to the next round and given a cash prize. 200 Euros in the first round of elimination, and 400 Euros and prize packs from the sponsors in the semis. Our final two ams were Tomas Stejskal and Douwe Macare (who won last year's Osiris Experience). Their finals heat was insane! The judges had a hard time calling it, but Douwe was named winner and got an additional 2,000 Euros, a GoPro camera, and a bunch of other gear. Thanks to all the event sponsors: Osiris, Monster, Boom, Spy, and GoPro. Check out all the photos. Check out the video!
Photos by Shigeo


text: On Fri, 16 Jan 2009, Greg Lindahl wrote: > On Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 04:26:00PM -0500, Lechner, David A. wrote: > >> Sometimes the newer technology uses less power and is cheaper to >> operate....(anyone ever create a KW/MFLOP vs. Time curve? has that >> really gone down? ) > > I'd think that you would have looked that up before you posted! I > don't have the curve, but it's falling rapidly enough that it's > obvious that an older cluster can be replaced with a mch smaller, new > cluster of equal performance for the cost of power. How old? I don't > know, but I'd guess it's less than 6 years. And anyone who rents > machine room space probably replaces in ~ 3. I've done the estimate in detail several times (estimate because it depends a bit on power costs in your area etc) and I get between years 4 and 5. I'm sure the estimates are described in detail in the archives -- probably more than once. If one factors in additional costs -- maintenance is the usual one, but machine room costs outside of power is another valid one for sure -- more rapid replacement is indicated. I've had discussions on and off line with people who argue that to minimize "TCO" replacement every twelve months is in order. In general I don't agree with that -- maybe in a horribly inefficient corporate environment with a high payoff to staying bleeding edge current and equally high expenses for management and maintenance, but noplace sane -- and would "recommend" a general replacement cycle of the period you keep your systems under HW maintenance. Usually three or four years, in other words. > Since many clusters are funded by one-off funding sources, and often > the cluster buyer doesn't have to directly pay for power or rent, > you'll probably find that actual replacement dates don't make any > sense... not only for academic sites, but commercial ones, too. Agreed. If you get money this year for a cluster, you might run it for four years (under maintenance) and then just use it until it dies (sometimes canniblizing along the way to the last node standing) if you can't get new funding for a replacement, especially if your University pays for the power and human management out of overhead etc. rgb > > -- greg > > > _______________________________________________ > Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf at beowulf.org > To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf > Robert G. Brown Phone(cell): 1-919-280-8443 Duke University Physics Dept, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Web: http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb Book of Lilith Website: http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/Lilith/Lilith.php Lulu Bookstore: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=877977


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We have information you must know before you buy the Montero.
We want to send it to you, along with other pricing insights.
We will not spam you, and will never sell your email. You may unsubscribe at any time.
The Mitsubishi Montero Sport boasts rough and ready looks backed up by truck-tough underpinnings and a part-time four-wheel-drive system for serious off-road use. It's tough enough to tackle rugged terrain, yet stylish enough for a night out on the town.
For 2002, Mitsubishi adds a full-time four-wheel-drive mode designed to improve traction in slippery or inconsistent conditions, such as snow, ice, gravel, dirt, or rain-slick roads. This all-wheel-drive system enhances the safety of the Montero Sport when bad weather hits civilization.
The Montero Sport continues to offer more cargo space than a Nissan Pathfinder or Isuzu Rodeo. You can dress it up or dress it down, with optional leather and an available 3.5-liter V6 that delivers gutsy performance.
Mitsubishi's 3.0-liter V6 is a smooth revver, while the optional 3.5-liter V6 gives the Montero Sport more responsive acceleration performance. Accelerating from a standstill, the 3.5-liter V6 makes the Montero Sport feel almost as potent as some of the bigger, V8-powered SUVs. It certainly shows no sign of strain when asked to move its 4330 pounds.
Montero Sport handles well on freeway ramps, and on winding roads. The new all-wheel-drive system (AWD) adds to its handling stability in corners. Fewer steering corrections are needed in tight, bumpy corners than what's often required in other SUVs. It rides well on gravel roads. Really big impacts are felt, but you only feel them once and they never leave you with the feeling that you've broken something. The front suspension has adequate travel, so it will soak up uneven railroad crossings with aplomb. However, while you notice very little shake inside, there is enough side-to-side wiggling of the body to remind you that Montero Sport is not a car. Like a truck, it uses body-on-frame construction. Its frame is fully boxed, and its long front torsion bars, beefy A-arms, and hefty rear trailing arms are unmistakably heavy-duty pieces.
That said, the most comforting aspect of Montero Sport's ride is the lack of rattles, squeaks, and extraneous movements, which are endemic to most truck-chassis vehicles. (You'll notice them particularly if you are trading in a passenger sedan for your new sport-utility.) In comparison, however, the more expensive Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes M-class wagons hide big bumps the best.
On the pavement, the brakes feel terrific, and provide good feedback to the driver. They are easy to modulate around town. When driving off road, you can tell if you're on slippery or sticky roads by the feel of the pedal. Antilock brakes come standard on all four-wheel-drive models, and work well going down steep hills in four-wheel drive, even when low range is selected in the transfer case.
New on all 4WD models is Mitsubishi's full-time ALL4-wheel drive or A4WD. Essentially, this is an all-wheel-drive system, which adds stability in slippery conditions because it automatically provides the appropriate traction to the front and rear tires for both on-road and light off-road conditions. Drivers do not need to activate the system. It's always on. It's in A4WD whenever it isn't shifted into regular, old-fashioned part-time 4WD.
Driving around town in 4WD will cause the front and rear wheels to fight each other in tight corners, particularly noticeable in tight parking lot situations. In the A4WD mode, however, parking and around-town maneuverability in tight spaces is easier because binding and friction in the system is reduced. A viscous coupling, similar to what's used in Mitsubishi's all-wheel-drive cars, apportions power between the front and rear wheels according to traction needs.
All-wheel drive seems to add stability to the Montero Sport when cornering, even on dry pavement. Charge into a corner, such as a freeway ramp, and the suspension is not upset by coming on and off the throttle. This may help the driver maintain control in an emergency maneuver. In other words, all-wheel drive makes for safer handling and easier driver control than two-wheel drive. EPA-estimated highway fuel economy has dropped to 18 mpg from last year's 20 mpg, however.
For more extreme conditions, drivers can shift into part-time 4WD as well as low-range 4WD. Part-time 4WD uses a locked center differential to ensure power is being distributed equally between front and rear axles. To enhance traction further, Mitsubishi offers a limited-slip rear differential; it's standard on Limited models and comes as part of the optional Touring Package ($1790) on XLS models, which also includes one-touch power sunroof, 210-watt Infinity audio system, platinum-finish interior trim, and leather-trimmed steering wheel, parking brake lever and shift knob.
Mitsubishi's Montero Sport is a stylish package with real off-road capability. Its new all-wheel-drive system gives it improved stability on the road, particularly when it is slippery. The Montero Sport is priced below the larger, more-popular Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, while offering similar performance.


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|Eliza Bodine and James Cutler, Bertha Cutler's parents.
Bertha married Philip Kuhn on September 19, 1860. Just days after their two-year anniversary, Philip enlisted in the 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He would be gone from home for the next three years. On May 8, 1864 Philip was captured on the Red River and transferred to Camp Ford, a prisoner of war camp near Tyler, Texas. Through the magic of Google, I was able to find an archive of letters between Philip and Bertha during that time.
In 1894 the couple moved to Baldwin City, Kansas, in order to give their children better access to higher education. They raised educators, a reverend and doctors. Philip died in 1899 and Bertha was the head of her household until her death in 1908. She died in Baldwin, Kansas, and is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery.
Bertha's obituary as printed in the The Baldwin Ledger, 30 Oct. 1908, page 1, col. 5.
Bertha Cutler was born Dec. 28, 1841, at Plymouth, Ohio, and passed to her rest Wednesday, Oct. 21, 1908. When very young she united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which she continued a consistent member until death. She was united in marriage to Philip Kuhn, Sept. 19, 1860. At the close of the war they removed to Wellsville, Mo., from there to Centralia, Kans., and since 1894, have made Baldwin their home. The funeral services were conducted by Dr. L. H. Murlin, assisted by Rev. Jenness, at the home on Friday afternoon, and interment was Monday at 11 a.m.Mr. Kuhn passed to his rest nine years ago. Mrs. Kuhn was a member of the W.C.T.U. and a life member of the Missionary Society of the M. E. Church. She leaves to mourn her death, one sister, two brothers, five sons and four daughters, all of whom met at the old home. It was a sad return home for the entire family had not met at the old home place together since the death of the father. The family re-union that was being planned for the Christmas time came all too soon and the bereaved brothers and sisters returned to the last home gathering with sad and aching hearts.
All who knew Mrs. Kuhn recognized in her a pure Christian woman whose kindness of heart shone out of her eyes and was betrayed by her every act. She was the devoted mother of 11 children, 9 of whom are still living and all members of the same church.
Words can add nothing to a life like hers, full of devotion to her family, her friends, and above all, her church.
During her life in Baldwin she formed many friendships and the breaking of the tie brings grief to many hearts. The deep sympathy felt for the bereaved family is expressed on every hand.
The old home is broken and the brothers and sisters departing to their work, but the memory and influence of the good mother will always live in their hearts, and give inspiration and courage to a high and noble life.
I mentioned above that I will never really know what Bertha was like, but that isn't totally true. It is clear through the information I do have that she was loved, so she must have been loving. She was willing to move to a new city for better opportunities for her children and she was passionate about her faith. I imagine her to be a "salt of the earth" type of woman and very strong. Maybe that's why she is one of my favorites!
To read more about Bertha Cutler Kuhn, please check out the following links:
To Meet Tuesday - Bertha Cutler Kuhn
Breaking down a genealogical brick wall - Worldcat.org
Based on the above information I have the following "due-outs" for Bertha:
1. Find a photograph!
2. Research Methodist Episcopal church records for more information on Bertha.
This post is part of my on-going goal of 2013 to research each of my 32 3rd great-grandparents more in-depth. Bertha is #2 on my list.


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Well it seems the holiday season is in full swing! I've been busy with deadlines over the last month, but in the coming weeks I'm going to set aside some time for personal Christmas projects. Meanwhile, I have a backlog of completed work on my list to share with you, so stay tuned. I've been meaning to post about these mini-wreath escort cards I made for Project Wedding; I think they'd also be lovely used as place cards at a holiday dinner or as ornaments, tied onto to tree branches with seam binding or ribbon. These are made out of a wired berry garland, and "frosted" with a dusting of fine glitter. Find the full how-to here.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Berries & Frost
Labels: Crafts, Entertaining, Holidays, Tutorial, Wedding
13 comments:
- Anne Marie said...
that would be a great idea for a wedding - or even intimate dinner party -
- December 8, 2010 at 7:11 AM
- Georgia Jones said...
Just lovely.......
- December 8, 2010 at 7:27 AM
- elsie said...
those would be absolutely lovely for christmas!
your blog just has amazing style and I've been so inspired by it!! ♥
- December 8, 2010 at 9:46 AM
- Haylee said...
I love them! so lovely.
- December 8, 2010 at 9:51 AM
- Kellie Collis said...
They're so pretty! Enjoy the beautiful day, Kellie xx
- December 9, 2010 at 6:05 AM
- Molly said...
Those are gorgeous! Frosting them with glitter is the perfect touch!
- December 9, 2010 at 1:33 PM
- Sara said...
Oh, how perfectly lovely!
- December 9, 2010 at 1:53 PM
- kms said...
so, so festive and lovely!
- December 9, 2010 at 4:18 PM
- Bryn said...
Ah, I think I have a new project on my hands! I like your blog, it's creative :)
- December 13, 2010 at 5:46 PM
- Natasha said...
these mini wreath escort cards are just beautiful!
- December 17, 2010 at 6:59 PM
- Craftiness NOW said...
simple and gorgeous, love it!
- December 19, 2010 at 7:44 AM
- Anonymous said...
you are too cool and i love all your work. i wish you lived in dallas, tx or i lived in australia so i could be friends with you. thanks for sharing your brilliance with us!
- January 7, 2011 at 10:40 PM
- Livy said...
thanks theecleticlife-
I'm actually located in San Diego :)
- January 8, 2011 at 12:40 AM


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Author Notes: In Spain, going out before dinner for drinks and tapas is a must. Young and old, single and married, everyone goes out, even moms pushing prams. It's their way to socialize with friends, relax and talk. Every bar has plates with small bites from Potato Tortilla to plain cured Ham, Pimientos de Padron to fried baby squid, I mean, you can dine on all the amazing tapas they make.
Croquetas de Jamón Serrano are typical from the Basque country but nowadays they are served everywhere in Spain. Their base is béchamel sauce to which you add cured ham, normally the drier parts you cut away before slicing the ham.
The Croquetas can be made with a lot of things, to use up leftovers - chicken, meat, fish, shrimp, even spinach, and you can eat them as an appetizer or as a main meal with a salad or sautéed vegetables. Make them the previous day so the béchamel has time to set - it will be easier to handle when shaping the croquetas.
I learned these croquetas with my Spanish friend Cristina who is a wonderful cook. Thank you Cristina!
—Maria Teresa Jorge
Serves: 8
tablespoons butter
tablespoons finely chopped onion
tablespoons all purpose flour
cups cured ham (Jamon) very finely diced
cups milk
Salt (not very much because of the salt of the ham
Pepper freshly ground
beaten egg
Vegetable oil for frying
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the cured ham (jamon) and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the flour, and cook for about three minutes until smooth. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low, and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 12 minutes so the sauce loses its raw flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a Pyrex, smooth the top, cover with cling film and allow to cool. Put in the fridge overnight.
- With 2 spoons, make balls of the mixture and put them on a tray.
- Roll the croquetas in egg and then breadcrumbs. Put in the fridge until ready to fry.
- Fry and serve warm or cold.
- The croquetas can be frozen before frying - to fry, no need to thaw because they are quite small.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Picnic Recipe
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Road Trip Snack
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Dish with Meat as a Flavoring
More Great Recipes:
Breadcrumbs|Ham|Milk/Cream|Pork|Serves a Crowd|Fry|Make Ahead|Fall|Spring|Summer|Winter|Appetizer