The jury may be out on swine flu treatment & prevention, but here on the farm our Mothers of Invention have already taken some important steps. You've heard the saying, "think global--act local." Well, thanks to my three adopted Asian siblings, I was trained early to pay attention to what was happening in other countries--especially Taiwan and Korea. My interest in my own heritage actually developed much later. (When I learned my first words of Gaelic and tasted my first haggis, I'd already been humming Korean folk songs and eating rice with chopsticks for fifteen years.)
Remember the Avian Influenza scare a few years ago? Scientists in South Korea found that kim chi, a potently-spiced Asian variant of sauerkraut, sped the recovery process for infected birds and showed distinct promise as an overall immune system booster.
So, in the service of public health, we offer this educational song:
THE SWINE FLU KIM CHI SONG
(sung to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean")
My bovines are giving me notions.
My livestock I must oversee!
For swine flu demands potent potions--
I'll feed all my critters kim-chi!
CHORUS:
Kim-chi, oh kim-chi, bring strong kim-chi to them--and me!
Kim-chi, oh kim-chi: feed kin, kine* and swine with kim-chi!
For centuries, Korean grannies
Have boosted their families' health;
With crocks of kim-chi they've been canny.
Now--can some and come share the wealth!
CHORUS
The scientists fed it to chickens
when studying avian flu:
They perked up and thrived like the dickens--
Guess we'd better try the stuff, too!
CHORUS
Shred cabbage, add garlic and ginger,
salt, scallions and hot pepper flakes.
We'll learn how to be kim-chi bingers--
Oh, what a fine pickle we'll make!
CHORUS
My sisters both came from Korea.
From Taiwan, a brother came too.
I love them--and their kitchen wisdom
Might just save us all from swine flu!
FINAL CHORUS:
Kim-chi, oh kim-chi: it's good for our critters, for you and me!
Kim-chi, oh kim-chi, a life-saving pickle, kim-chi!
(image sources: www.saemaul.com & www.asianrecipe.com.)
*kine=Scots word for cows)
P.S. Happy Birthday, Brother Zach!
3 comments:
Holly, What a crack up!
You made my morning! Wait until Zach reads this...I buy kimchi for him regularly!
Well,guess I better go plant cabbage!
Love, Mom
Your brain is amazing. (You obviously got my share of imagination . . . and I'm so envious.) I smiled all the way through 'The Swine Flu Kim Chi Song.' You rock, Girl!
For a multicultural feast, you could add some lutefisk and durian. This meal won't cure swine flu if you already have it, but it will keep infected people (and everyone else) at a safe distance.
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