The Writing Gourmet

Foodie BlogRoll Contest: Win Super Sweets for Heart Health Month

2012-02-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Prize: THE HEALING POWERS OF HONEY & CHOCOLATE PISTOLES

Drawing on the latest honey buzz and interviews with medical doctors, beekeepers, and researchers, this charming and enlightening book (sweetened with stories about honey bees and humans) reveals 30 healing honey varieties paired with cinnamon and teas, tells you how to incorporate honey into Mediterranean-style, heart-healthy recipes such as Honey Custard French Toast, Honey-Glazed Game Hen, and Filo Pear and Honey Tarts, and provides more than 50 home cures that combat digestive woes to skin woes. Find out more about The Healing Powers of Honey book.

And Enjoy Intentional Chocolate Milk or Dark Chocolate Pistoles!
You can also win a 7 ounce bag of chocolate milk pistoles or dark chocolate pistoles.

100% pure Hawaiian Vintage dark chocolate accented by notes of plum and a hint of ecstasy!
Infused with the spiritual energy of experienced meditators personally trained with the Dalai Lama.
The first product on the market embracing the revolutionary new field of intention-enhanced food.
Academic study found Intentional Chocolate increased vigor, energy by 67%.
50% of profits donated to organizations benefitting humankind.

Sweet Powers of Chocolate for You and/or Your Sweetheart

2012-02-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

Intentional Chocolate

Preface to The Healing Powers of Chocolate

(#3 of the Internationally Popular Healing Powers book series)

It's Heart Health Month and Valentine's Day is Coming... It's time for heart-healthy chocolate!
One summer morning, I woke up and had chocolate on the brain. I did brew a cup of fresh Italian Roast (The Healing Powers of Coffee will be released July, 2012) splashed with organic chocolate milk and paired it with a warm dark chocolate muffin. And then, my creative juices were in high-octane gear. I got a craving to e-mail a query to my book editor. I wanted to write a new book on the healing powers of chocolate. But I hesitated and thought, “This is a crazy idea. Chocolate is a decadent food.”
Later that day I pondered the topic like I would scrutinize a truffle. After all, I had gone to Vinegar World and Olive Land in my two books The Healing Powers of Vinegar and The Healing Powers of Olive Oil. Would my publisher at Kensington really be interested in sending me to Chocolate Nirvana? Or was my idea just a sweet pipe dream of a self-professed chocoholic?
I decided I had nothing to lose, so I sat down in my study and wrote a quick query regarding writing a book on chocolate. A few hours later, I received a response from my editor, Richard Ember. I’d snagged his interest. Within a couple of weeks, the idea was sealed into a chocolate book deal. At last, I was given the go-ahead to write the book I had wanted to pen for more than a decade.
Back in 1999, I pitched the idea to another editorial consultant when I was writing those mini mags sold at grocery store checkout stands. My editor showed interest, but then there was a shake-up in the company and my chocolate-book idea fizzled like hot chocolate gone cold.
Ironically, in both books on disease-fighting antioxidant-rich vinegar and olive oil, I did mention chocolate (also chock-full of disease- fighting antioxidants). And, as a health-conscious Californian and self-professed chocolate lover, I have touched on the once forbidden food—chocolate—in health articles for women’s magazines including Woman’s World and Women’s Weekly. But I noted only chunks of its virtues, from how the good-for-you fatty food can boost your energy to how it can rev up your libido (maybe).
The amazing part is, I was assigned to write a book about my passion—chocolate—and this is how The Healing Powers of Chocolate became one of my favorite love affairs and was finally written by me, a health author who simply loves chocolate.
By being a San Francisco Bay Area native (a popular home of experienced chocolate makers and artisans), I was given the opportunity to share the real chocolate world through my research of famous chocolate makers (three major companies: Guittard and Ghirardelli, part of the Lindt empire; and Scharffen Berger, part of the Hershey moguls).
Also, olive oil, vinegar, and chocolate are linked to the traditional European diet and lifestyle, which continue to make headlines in research and news articles, and which I practice and preach to anyone who is interested in staying healthy and living longer by teaming health and indulgence.
I immediately began my mission and set out in the real world and cyberspace to discover the past and present standout benefits of chocolate: heart health, weight loss, home cures, beauty uses, and so much more. And never did I imagine what a wealth of information is in the wide, wide world of chocolate.
I took the holistic route to chocolate’s wonders and confirmed my instincts that chocolate is good for the body, mind, and spirit. I delved deep into the cutting-edge health benefits, original and edgy home cures, and anecdotes from both famous and everyday people, past and present. And that is why The Healing Powers of Chocolate will surprise you with its extraordinary surprises—like a box of healthful and heavenly chocolates, all natural, of course, and full of flavor.
So make yourself a cup of hot (or iced) chocolate (depending on what season it is), sit down, and grab a pencil (you’ll want to take notes!). I’ll show you, page by page, how this ancient “food of the gods” can be your best friend, too, for the end of time.

10 Hot Ways to Blast Cabin Fever: Winter Blues

2012-01-28T15:56:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Ah, the scourge of winter blues. Ever get it? Today, I was told by a friend that her dogs have fallen victim to "cabin fever." Yep, it's possible. Sure, fresh white powder can be a joy for both two-leggers and four-leggers. But black ice fun? Not so much.
Last night I spoke with the one that got away (two-legger) and he told me how he's not as physically active or prone to clean house during the colder, winter months. At first, I disagreed but then I got it. Sure, come spring, I, too, get that surge of energy.
Yesterday, I went swimming/hot tubbing and wow. It's like taking a mini vacation to another location. No cold temps or fear of falling. A warm, Mediterranean or tropical climate is awesome at the end of January. And I'm hooked.

10 Ways to Get Warm & Cozy

* Make a fire; bake something healthful at the same time.

* Wear a hooded sweatshirt, leggings, and soft socks.

* Turn up the heat while brewing hot herbal tea.

* Open the blinds during the day and let the light shine in/shut at night.

* Layer the bed with thick, cotton comforters, turn up the water heater thermostat.

* Take hot, steamy showers and use fluffy towels next to the wall heater.

* Cuddle at night underneath the covers with two loving dogs and one cat.

* Keep the fish aquarium lights on longer than in the summer months.

* Burn scented candles: Chocolate and Hazelnut.

* Take a teaspoon of raw, natural honey (for energy); a piece of dark chocolate (to boost mood); a cup of java in the a.m., paired with organic milk (to feel warm and fuzzy inside).

Bonus Tip: Swim/Hot tub. Repeat as needed.

Goodbye Coffee Land, Author Leaves Another Book Adventure

2012-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

Today, I re-examined my latest manuscript The Healing Powers of Coffee (July 31, Kensington). I feel a sense of sadness, like I did when I left Chocolate World. Or, a metaphor that comes to mind is when my two Brittanys were puppies and once they grew up it was different. Something was missing despite I enjoy the full grown dogs.
So, now that may edited manuscript is back with the editors in New York, I am sitting here in the process of creating another Healing Powers book adventure. I know, I know...so soon? But the topic has been brewing and it is what it is.
Meanwhile, as I dabble with the new topic it feels like waiting to become pregnant (again). Excitement. Visions. Excitement.
Bottom line: I dedicate this blog post to my The Healing Powers of Coffee and the coffee people for all the pleasure it gave me throughout the researching and writing process. And when the galley arrives on my doorstep (in a few months) it will feel like going to the hosptial and waiting for delivery as "I" probe the final necessary words. Think final delivery before giving birth to my fifth Healing Powers book. So, goodbye Coffee Land. We will meet again. I'm counting on it.

Is it Doomsday for Honey Bees (and Cows)?

2012-01-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Did you know most beef and dairy products count on insect-pollinated alfalfa and clover?

News Flash: The honey bee and our food chain are linked big-time. (See the importance of bees and our planet in the honey bee trailer.) In the new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington), I discuss how crops depend on the beekeepers and small honey bee in a big way. Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect-pollination--and that includes the sacred honey bees.
It's estimated by the USDA that 80 percent of insect crop pollination is done by the hardworking honey bees. If you do the math that means one-third of the total human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants--all the good, healthful stuff that you and I love and eat each day. And that's not where the honey bee's work stops, either.
The problem is, beekeepers are witnessing the mysterious die-offs of bee colonies. But nobody knows exactly why the honey bee is going AWOL. Theories include climate change, diet, stress, pesticides, and more. And if the honey bee becomes extinct--our food chain and planet will end as we know it. So, here are ways we can help keep the honey bee alive and well.
* Devote a portion of your property to growing annual and perennial plants to help honey bees collect nectar.
* Reduce the use of pesticides.
* Supply fresh water in a way so visiting bees don't become a nuisance.
* Donate funds to bee researchers around the country who are trying to determine the causes of Colony Collapse Disorder and what can be done to bolster bee population.

Strange Forecast...No Snow in the Sierra

2012-01-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

Today, January 4, 2012 I sit in my cabin getting over a pesky ear infection. Blame it on last week's swimming, hot tub, tourists, the altitude, or allergies. Perhaps all of it. Antibiotics Day 4. Starting to feel normal but when I look outdoors it looks anything but normal for Lake Tahoe. The weather is San Francisco Bay Area temps. Too weird for words. No snow. (But I forecasted that we wouldn't have a white Christmas; we would have snow in January and February.)
Tonight I may make a fire. Or not. It may be too warm. Really. I'm sensing tourists aren't thrilled. Locals who count on tourists aren't thrilled. But me? Well, I'm torn. I like the white stuff, sort of. An oncoming storm is exciting. The snowfall late at night is soothing. Shoveling piles of powder is not fun. Walking the dogs on black ice is spooky. High utility bills and extra dog nail trims aren't fun either.
So, here I sit getting well in a mountain resort town with no snow during winter; an extended fall season (my dream come true). But hey, I predicted this would happen. However, I also forecasted the Sierra would get a few significant snowstorms this winter. I hold my ground (even though it's dry right now).We do have three months, give or take some days...But I'm wondering what to do with all that wood I purchased? Roasted marshmallows, anyone?

New Healing Powers Honey Bee Book Trailer Creating a Buzz

2011-12-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

As the author of the Healing Powers book series, I have been given the opportunity to learn about some superfoods with amazing powers that have wowed me throughout more than a decade. It all began back in 1999. I was assigned my first book The Healing Powers of Vinegar. Then, several years after, OLIVE OIL, CHOCOLATE, HONEY, and COFFEE followed.

While I'm known as a "health author" -- these books have given me the opportunity to share healing powers of healing foods and lively anecdotes (mine and others from around the globe) that will linger on your mind like a honey bee on a flower.

The best part is, I feel a sense of spirit has come alive with each of these books, one by one. And my favorite one is The Healing Powers of Honey. This creative new trailer created with heart and soul captures the essence of my book and my feelings about the beloved, hardworking honey bee.

Can you imagine a world without honey bees? Take a peek at the importance of this insect and what honey bees mean to mankind and our planet.

NOW Available: Forecasts for 2012 in Oracle 20/20 Magazine

2011-12-27T18:50:00.000-08:00

The olive branch and dove is symbolic of peace, noted in my book The Healing Powers of Olive Oil.

Early December I wrote my Earth Changes monthly column for Oracle 20/20 --and it's now up and published in the January 2012 issue. Every year I focus on forecasts for the year. This time around, like usual, I included quakes, weather, economy, healthcare, politics, and on the fringe predictions--you know, the weird stuff.

As an intuitive and phone psychic (I work as and advisor for two international networks) people know that I'm down to earth and tell it like it is. No sugar coating but I do leave my forecasts on an upbeat note and provide Plan A, B, C...

I realize now though that I left out the biggie: Peace. I want states, countries, the planet, and individuals to find peace. But I know this is going to be a challenge during the turbulent year ahead. That symbolic dove has its work cut out for 2012.
Yes, I'm getting calls about unrequited love or "When will I find love?" but it's the scary money matters that affect callers, too. I know we haven't seen the worst to come. Change is in the air around the globe and it will be unsettling, especially for the middle class and people of all ages.

Despite my forthcoming predictions in Oracle 20/20, I am seeing images of people struggling to capture inner peace by going with the flow or challenging facing their demons. "Bring it on!"
Get ready, whether it be for an earthquake, severe weather, money woes, shakeups in the workplace, and relationship changes. Fasten your seatbelts. Life's curve balls will occur, no ifs, ands or buts about it. But most importantly, don't be spooked--be prepared.

Sweet Winter Contest: Win Chocolate Book & Chocolate Snowmen!

2011-12-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

Two Chocolate Gifts for You!

'Tis the day before Christmas Eve and day after the first day of Winter. Chocolate is on my brain. Actually, during the holiday season through Easter chocolate is a big deal. Really big. I know this because it was discovered during my research for The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington). Ah, those were the days when I received gourmet chocolate from around the globe on my doorstep via UPS.
Yeah, yeah, yeah (popular saying these days) I was in Chocolate Heaven every week, sometimes three times. I'm talking dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Fran's in Seattle to chocolate truffles from Ireland. Not to forget chocolate bars and bon bons from popular chocolatiers in California to New York and Florida to Chicago.
These days, it's coffee which isn't too shabby either. But chocolate is an awesome gift to give or receive. I chose these chocolate covered cookie snowmen from Enjou Chocolat. These cuties seem appropriate due to the snowfall in the Southwest/Midwest. Not so much here in the Sierra. It's 5 degrees and it will be a swim day/fire at night. Manmade snow at Heavenly for now. But I forecast significant snowstorms will follow in January and February.
Meanwhile, edible snowmen will have to suffice. And the chocolate? Well, it'll help boost those feel-good endorphins. Then, one day I'm certain a storm will come in, the white stuff will fall from the sky, shoveling will follow and walking the Brittany duo in knee high powder, and making a real snowman will happen. Till then, a book on the merits of chocolate and eating chocolate cookies is as good as it gets. (Enter the contest on Foodie BlogRoll website and you just may win these goodies.)

New Coffee Book is Percolating: A Beverage to Love

2011-12-20T19:23:00.000-08:00

Today, I was informed that on January 3, 2012, my latest manuscript The Healing Powers of Coffee (July 31, Kensington) will be paying me a visit. Yep, it's editing time. During this phase of book production is work but less work than researching and writing. I put on my editor's hat and read my book with my left brain, not right (creative thinking). So, in two weeks I get to re-enter Coffeeland.
This afternoon I received a package of coffee samples: flavored java for the holidays. It makes my mornings. Imagine: Each a.m. you wake up and can try a new coffee. It's exciting and my new hobby, sort of. And yeah, I've kind of turned into a coffee snob in search of the best cup that's unforgettable.
What's more, today I got to see the cover of my coffee book. I truly adore it--it goes perfectly with the HEALING POWERS book series. (Also available at OneSpirit bookclubs including Good Cook, Quality Paperback, Mystery Guild, Crafters, and Literary Guild.) Now I wait just like when I anticipate a fresh brewed cup of coffee. I choose the beans, grind 'em and chill to savor the first and last taste of Joe wit promise of giving me a feel-good feeling and good flavor. Ah coffee--all types. What's not to love?

Intuitive Cal Orey Forecasted December '11 Ring of Fire Earthquake

2011-12-14T10:41:00.000-08:00

A major quake hit in the Pacific Ring of Fire

On December 14, the Earth moved near the Indian Ocean region, as I predicted that it would. No tsunami. The depth of the shaker was too deep. When I forecast major quakes, it is calming to know that the area dodged a bullet. So, I was right when this region in Papua New Guinea shook. The story is newsworthy and was picked up by major newspapers.
Last week I finished my 2012 forecasts for Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January issue. I cover quakes, weather, politics, economy, and on the fringe prediction. It's the shakers, though, that truly intrigue me. And this time around I predict my forecasts may be unsettling to some readers as they are for me but getting prepared is our best defense. As a down-to-earth intuitive (and phone psychic for two international networks) I call 'em as I see 'em and don't sugar coat what I see.
My Ring of Fire/near Indian Ocean major quake prediction was made on Earthquake Epicenter Forum. As it was cited in the article (link below the map above): "Strong earthquakes are relatively common in Papua New Guinea. The country lies on the "Ring of Fire" – an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim." And, I based this forecast partially on the astrological fact that it's the time frame of Sagittarius--fire. And the long left ear tones and mention of Indian Ocean (and it's quietude) also were on my mind.

Re: 7.0+ Pacific Ring of Fire Now-Dec. 31

December 04, 2011, 11:03:21 AM

Prediction

7.0+ (Maybe an 8.0)

Indian Ocean, Japan (near Tokyo, aftershock) are potential epis as well as the entire West Coast is vulnerable and ripe

Odds 70%

Based on intuition, time frame because of potential aftershocks for Japan and Indian Ocean is overdue...

The Healing Powers of Chocolate Hits Kindle

2011-12-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

Enjou Chocolat provides healthful chocolate items for the holidays.

Today, I was surfing http://www.amazon.com/ and I noticed that my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington) by Cal Orey is now offered in kindle format. That means that kindle folks can read about the amazing powers of chocolate ASAP!
Did you know?...
* Known as Mother Nature's "food of the gods," the medicinal benefits of chocolate were recognized as far back as 4000 years ago.
* Eating chocolate can help boost the immune systerm, lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes--even obesity!--and increase lifespan.
* A 1.5 ounce bar of quality chocolate has as much antioxidant power as a 5 ounce glass of wine--without the side effects of alcohol.
* Chocolate is full of mood-enhancing ingredients, including phenylethylamine (the "love drug") and serotonin.
* Chocolate can relieve a host of ailments, including depression, fatigue, pain and PMS, as well as up your sex drive!
So, imagine: You can enjoy The Healing Powers of Chocolate and visit Enjou Chocolat's online store to find your fave chocolate to savor during the holiday season as you enjoy this one-of-a-kind book--wherever you are. Exploring the world of chocolate, Mediterranean-style, heart-healthy recipes, home cures, and beauty and anti-aging spa treatments is just a mouse click away! That's chocolate power in the high tech 21st century!
P.S. Want to peek at a yummy excerpt? How about coming along with me back in time to a Diary of a Chocolate Goddess? This is a real-life story of how I entered Chocolateland and indulged in a chocolate bubble bath at a high end spa! Ah, it was unforgettable.

The Power Hour: California Author Dishes on Healing Powers Book Series

2011-12-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

I dished out edgy info to Middle America about vinegars, olive oils, and honeys--the 21st century healthful salad dressings....and touted the healing powers of these versatile superfoods.

This morning at 5:00 AM PST, the alarm clock woke me up with rock music. Yes, no Siamese cat alarm today. I got up and brewed a fresh cup of flavored Nutmeg Coffee with a splash of organic milk. And, I walked back to my bedroom and climbed into my cozy oversized waterbed with my two Brittanys, and kitty. Then, at 6:00 AM I was wide-eyed and ready to be a guest on The Power Hour (December 6, Hour 2) with savvy radio talk show host Joyce Riley.
My books published by New York publisher Kensington were put on the table and we discussed the ins and outs of The Healing Powers of Vinegar, The Healing Powers of Olive Oil, and The Healing Powers of Honey. Ironically, tagged a health author it was my job today to dish out how superfoods vinegar, olive oil, and honey can and do keep you healthy and happy. But today I have a pesky flu bug. Read: I feel terrible.
Blame it on the grocery store checker who had the flu on the weekend as she shared her woes while bagging my groceries. (Think the film "Outbreak"-- I was infected.) It didn't help that after the shopping trip I brought in firewood: going in and out of 9 degree temps and 75 indoor climate, and swam/walked the dogs somewhere in between. Also, burning the candle from AM to PM, day after day, didn't do my body any good either. This workerbee is not feeling like a Queen and desperately needs some R&R.

Anyhow, I'm kind of sensing the Midwestern audience knew that the down-to-earth West Coast guest was fighting aches and pains...Perhaps, my raspy words, here and there gave 'em a hint that I was feeling under the sunny Northern California weather. I did get some emails about my hard work and requests for fat-burning diets.
Actually, on a one to 10 Sickly Scale, I'm about a 7.5 today on Day 2. That's not too bad, right? Major sick, not Great sick. No, I'm not going to go swim and do a hot tub--but I want to. Bed rest, water, oranges, and bed rest is on the agenda. Type-A folks don't do rest well. Perhaps this is a lesson. And yes, I will drink lots of hot chamomile tea with honey. I wonder if any doomsday films about viruses are on the sci-fi channel. Maybe that's not such a good idea right now. Perhaps a nice chick flick like "City of Angels" or "As Good As It Gets" will make me feel better. And there are dogs in each one. Or maybe "You've Got Mail"--Meg Ryan's character gets a cold. Misery loves company.

Healing Powers Books Author Goes to the Dogs at B&N Signing in Reno

2011-12-02T20:19:00.000-08:00

Author Cal Orey's Healing Powers books series B&N signing went to the dogs.

Last Friday I took a trip 50 miles away from Lake Tahoe to Reno, Nevada for a signing of my Healing Powers book series. As a reclusive author-intuitive, this was a big trip for me. But it's not like I haven't done the book tour thing at B&N bookstores before. I have experienced the West Coast book tour adventure--I have.
I've done lectures/signsing at B&N bookstores in Chico (college kids kept me up all night); Seattle (amazing solo trip and fell in love with the mini SF); San Francisco (big audience with Geologist Jim Berkland); San Mateo (for my book Doctors' Orders but no docs arrived); Sacramento (big audience and my face turned red when reading); Glendale (bigger audience with Berkland and quake sensitives); and Palmdale (was on TV after the book signing); and many other B&N stores.
Sometimes, I've greeted a crowd of more than 40 people. Other times it was like a ghost bookstore. You never know what you're going to but you go with the flow. This time around last week it was Black Friday and the bookstore was buzzing with people and dogs. Yes, canines. Sure, my poster boasting The Healing Powers of Honey book teamed with a photo of my beloved Brittany Simon was next to me--and so were special dogs clad in a variety of human-type suits. So it was two hours of talking to locals about the powers of honey, vinegar, chocolate, and olive oil...

As I sipped a comped Pumpkin Latte I sort of wished my forthcoming coffee book (due to be released July 2012) was with me and my Healing Powers children. But I did get a sweet cuppa holiday java and enjoyed dangling conversations with two-leggers and four-leggers. Yep, the book signing went to the dogs.
I even had one woman put her Doxie in my lap. The pooch was clad in a Santa's suit. What can I say? If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. It was fun despite I sold several books instead of dozens. And I admit I was happy to return to Tahoe's trees, lake, cool temps, and my Brittany duo whom I left at the kennel and Zen cat who held down the cabin for his reclusive mountain authoress who took a trip to the city.

Intuitive Forecasts Spooky Shakers on Coast to Coast AM

2011-11-23T17:58:00.000-08:00

A Japan-type great earthquake may rock the West Coast.
--Cal Orey

Last night I was a guest on Coast to Coast AM. It was my job as a guest making a cameo appearance for a news segment to answer popular host George Noory's questions about the Japanese seismologist who was tagged a "nobody" due to his Japan earthquake predictions. Ironically, he was right. Both the 1995 Kobe quake and 9.0 great quake that rocked Japan on March 11 happened. To me, that man is a somebody.
There was so much I wanted to say. After all, I did pen the book The Man Who Predicts Earthquakes: Jim Berkland, Maverick Geologist. But in two New York minutes my words were short and sweet, sort of. After I explained why the Katsuhiko Isibashis in the world are dismissed for their seismic warnings, I surprised myself.
I dished out my own forecast (because that's what I do every day and night as a phone psychic for two international networks). It was a bit early (I pen an annual Earth Changes Forecasts article for Oracle 20/20 Magazine every January) but it was the right time. My right brain (the creative thoughts without logical thinking) was on a roll, so to speak, so I called it as I saw it. And yes, logic does follow. Caveat: I hope I'm wrong on this one, though. One more thing. Today, a strong quake hit Japan. The earthquake near the East Coast of Honshu was upgraded to a 6.1. That spooked me. Is it foreshadow of what's to come?

Warning: The Honey Bee Vanishing Affects You & Our Planet

2011-11-20T18:53:00.000-08:00

If the honey bees become extinct our food chain, mankind, and
Earth will end as we know it.

5 Questions:

Where Have All the Honey Bees Gone?

Q. Colony Collapse Disorder was excluded as a cause of the dead bees in the Florida incident. So, what exactly is this term?

A. Back in 2006, an apiary owner in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, made the problem known. Penn State researchers took note of the bee colony decline, due to a condition now known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This condition causes honey bee colonies to simply vanish without a trace—go AWOL leaving their hives in the dust—lending to eerie images of The Happening and I Am Legend sci-fi films of human and animal extinction.

Q. What are some of the theories behind CCD?

A. Theories include climate change, diet, mites, pesticides, and viruses. Also, the stress of traveling for pollination of crops and the usage of cell phones (perhaps due to the radiation), chemtrails, and even changes in the Earth's magnetic field are in the mixed bag of possibilities for why the bees are vanishing and leaving their beekeepers out of work and shocked by losing half or more of their prized colonies to an unknown cause.

Q. How will the die-off of the honey bee affect our food chain?

A. Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect pollination—and that includes the sacred honey bees. This little insect gives human gifts from the hive but also helps pollinate our crops (one-third), home gardens, and wildlife habitat. And don’t forget most beef and dairy products enjoyed in the United States count on insect-pollinated legumes, such as alfalfa and clover. Worse, if the bee disappears our food chain would decline in diversity and quantity, and images of the futuristic doomsday films without fresh food like Soylent Green and The Road could become a grave reality.

Q. What are scientists doing about CCD?

A. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to help get a handle on Colony Collapse Disorder. In 2010 it dished out $6 million in emergency assistance to beekeepers who had lost their bees. And scientists are busy at work trying to discover what exactly is causing the vanishing of honey bees.

California bee expert Dr. Eric Mussen of UC Davis says, “None of us know why the bees are not as vital as they used to be. In many cases this may be due to limited access to a good varied supply of pollens.” He hopes in our lifetime scientists will discover what is killing the honey bees. “But,” he adds, “even if we find the cause, will we be able to overcome it?”

Q. What can you do to help keep the honey bee alive and well?

A. Devote a portion of your property to growing annual and perennial plants the bloom consecutively over the whole season that honey bees are collecting nectar and pollens for food. Reduce the pesticides of all kinds to a minimum. In areas with extended dry periods, supply fresh water in a way so that visiting bees don’t become a nuisance.

Consider donating funds to bee researchers around the country who are trying to determine the cause of CCD and what can be done to bolster the bee populations.

Support honey bee research at UC Davis: http://beebiology.ucdavis.edu/HAVEN/haagendazshbh.pdf

Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar! (Kensington, October 2011)

Are You Eating "Mystery" Honey--Or the Pure Golden Food?

2011-11-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

To Be 100 Percent Pure Honey--Or Not?
--By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

News headlines continue to show us that the honey we buy may not be pure. In my new book The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar! (Kensington, October 2011), I note that people in the honey bee world, know that the honey they see in some grocery stores and dollar stores may not be 100 percent pure but instead be "adulterated" (contaminated with tainted elements).
This fact is upsetting to people because not only are we not getting what we pay for, but we also are being duped, as often the honey is tainted with unhealthful, cheaper ingredients. This ordeal is making the nes more rather than less and it's causing concern for both consumers and beekeeers.
All-natural, 100 percent pure honey will have one ingredients listed on the nutrition label: honey. Imitation honeys, much like quality imitation dark chocolate, are not a laughing matter in the real world. Honey-flavored syrups, or honey that's diluted with other ingredients, are becoming more commonplace and being sold to the unaware consumer. To be sure you get the pure golden food of the gods, check the label. Don't get stung! Find out all you want to know and more in The Healing Powers of Honey. (Source: National Honey Board.)

Author Unveils Sweet Secrets Behind New Honey Book

2011-11-10T17:38:00.000-08:00

Superfood honey can be used to sweeten up a homemade
pumpkin or sweet potato pie for the upcoming holidays.
--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

1.    Cal tell us a little bit about your background? I'm an author-Intuitive…known for the internationally popular Healing Powers book series.
2.    When did you get interested in the healing power of foods? Since a teen back in the 70s I was a “granola girl.” I ate fruits/vegetables/yogurt. It was “in” to be lean and fit. So I was and still am a “health nut.” I was going to be a nutritionist but ended up getting my master’s degree in English (Creative Writing).
3. I understand you have written several other healing power books? The Healing Powers Book Series began back in 1999 when I penned The Healing Powers of Vinegar. The rest is history. Several years later, the book was a success. Olive oil, chocolate, and honey followed.
4.    Your book draws on interviews with medical doctors, beekeepers, and researchers about the positive effects of honey? Yes, I did go to the “experts” who know about how honey and honey bees…and they told me how this superfood which has been used since biblical times can heal via health improvements to home cures. Also, I met a beekeeper and his queen Italian bees…and I spoke with beekeepers around the globe. I interviewed the editor of Bee Culture Magazine (The Healing Powers of Honey received a positive review in the October issue) about trends of city hobbyist bee keepers to CCD—the mysterious vanishing and die-off of bees with an unknown cause. And I got to taste straight from the hive… honeycomb. A hexagon structure made from beeswax by honey bees to hold honey.
5.    Tell us what makes honey so healthy? It’s got vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants (molecules in superfoods like fruits/vegetables) that can stall Father Time and enhance the immune system and keep our cells healthy.
6.    How many honey varieties are there? Hundreds…more than 300 in U.S. from different floral sources. I got up close and intimate with more than 30…we’re talking different flavors from different sources.The darker varieties are the healthiest…a bit of a challenge for the palate: manuka to buckwheat---which are commonly used in health and honey studies. My faves are sage, wildflower, white honey from Hawaii, pumpkin, blackberry--and orange blossom. Once you taste the varietals there's no going back to one honey flavor.
7.    Are there major differences between raw honey and the commercial varieties? Yes, raw is healthier but mass market varieties still have benefits, too. The real, raw, unprocessed, unheated, unfiltered kind of honey that you get straight from the hive—honeycomb—is the real deal with the good for you antioxidants. Think pure ACV, quality dark cocoa.
8.    What are some short-term health benefits of consuming honey? Home cures: I've turned to honey for sore throat, allergies, cough, cuts, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and it can even boost libido! What's more, manuka honey--found in Australia and New Zealand--is simply amazing for its healing perks. If you have a cut, like I did on my foot, it can heal it in days, thanks to honey's super amazing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.
9.    You say honey can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, increase longevity and even reduce boy fat and unwanted weight? Indeed… If you stay clear of the big diseases…you’ll up the odds of living longer. And honey can help stave off the major life-threatening diseases because of its different compounds. I show studies with humans (not just lab rats) in my honey book how it works to back up this fact.
10.   You say pure, raw, unprocessed honey is a healthier sweetener than table sugar and high fructose corn syrup? You get only empty nutrition with white table sugar…HFCS is controversial but I stay clear from it--found in fruit juice drinks to processed foods. Honey contains dozens of different substances (minerals, vitamins, antioxidants) which makes it more like a fruit than sugar. Sugar and HFCS are simpler compounds containing only glucose and fructose, honey is more of a “functional or superfood”—because of its compounds.
11. How many calories typically per teaspoon? 21--a dieter's dream. And just a spoonful will provide energy to get a move on and boost your metabolism as well as curb that sweet tooth so you're not tempted to overeat sweets that are laden with saturated fat, calories, and added sugar.
12. How much Honey do you recommend people eat daily or weekly? 5 teaspoons/8teaspoons women/men. (None for babies younger than one year old.)
13. How can you use honey in your beauty routine? It’s used in DIY recipes/store bought beauty products/top-notch spa treatments. I use all types to help keep my hair and skin healthy. I was treated to a honey bath at a plush European-style hotel and the story is unforgettable. My skin felt so smooth.
14.   What kind of recipes are there in your book? Scrumptious recipes that'll wow you. The book was purchased by The Good Cook Book Club. Spa chefs/honey companies (big and small) provided many recipes including Honey Biscotti, Bee Breakfast Smoothie, Honey Poppy Seed Salad Dressing, Honey Glazed Hen, Honey Berries with Lime Pound Cake, and Sweet Potato Pie. Wholesome, down-to-earth ingredients are used--mostly from the Mediterranean diet--are used. I'm talking whole grains, nuts, fresh fruit and vegetables, dark chocolate, and olive oil as a primary fat.
15. What easy ways can our listeners use honey in their everyday lives? Use a teaspoon of honey in tea/coffee daily and/or drizzle on fresh fruit or whole grain bread to get a double punch of antioxidants.
The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011) by Cal Orey is available at online bookstores including www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com , local bookstores, OneSpirit bookclubs, and other popular grocery stores including Walmart, Smiths, and Target.

Author-Intuitive Cal Orey Foretells on The Mancow Show

2011-11-07T08:11:00.000-08:00

Monday morning wake-up predictions with Mancow about what's buzzworthy in the future.
--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Up early at 4:30 AM to make a guest cameo appearance on The Mancow Show. I thought I was going to talk about "oddest phobias" (Friday 13th, sleeping, money) but no. As an intuitive I sensed I'd be tossed a curve ball. Really, well sort of.

As a phone psychic for two international phone networks, I dish out readings on cue. Today, Mancow asked for one. Yikes. On the spot I reacted like a cat not ready or willing to perform tricks. Funny, he asked me to "read" him...I drew a blank. I said: "You drank coffee." (I was right.) I then added: "Fuzzy like a eight ball. Try again."

Weird, I can read anyone...Perhaps it was the audience vibe or his strong energy like a fire sign. Yet he is a water/air cuspie. (Very odd. I was blocked but when doing phone readings it comes easily. I felt static like a radio station couldn't get a signal.)

The Mancow did recall my past on-air past prediction for a strong quake in the midwest this year which did hit big-time over the weekend--and 280 miles east is the New Madrid Zone (the seven states shook).
This time around he asked me how I do it--predictions. I said it is a "gift" -- "comes to me like writing." I, the writer labeled "author" added, "Right brain, creative." And then came the predictions, per the popular host's request...
* 2012 will be "like a rollercoaster."
* Presidential election will be crazy.
* If you thought 2011 quakes were scary, 2012 will be super spooky. I'm feeling West Coast and/or America--we've been lucky for the most part so far.
* Dec. 21 will not be the end but "Fasten your seat belts" for the upcoming year.
One more thing. I forecast Obama will be re-elected--but I didn't mention it on air so here it is, whether we like it or not.

And then I disappeared like Glenda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Poof. I wanted to pour another cup of java (Gingerbread/Columbian) and since I was up I signed onto the psychic networks. The phone rang when I was half asleep. No problem. It was a question about a job and friend. A shake-up and stress-related illness(es). It was an easy read, like usual. Mancow? Probably off- air reading him could be a piece of coffee cake with a cuppa coffee (or two). And now the phone is ringing..."Intuitive Callie."

Intuitive Cal Orey Forecasted Midwest 5.6 Quake...and More

2011-11-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

In Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January 2011 issue, Cal Orey predicted a strong shaker in the Midwest/New Madrid Zone that would be felt in several states for 2011. -- Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Yesterday when Oklahoma began to get some shakers, back to back, I posted on my site Earthquake Epicenter Forum that a swarm was happening. "What's up?" Hours later, a registered 5.2 (upgraded to a 5.6) quake hit Oklahoma. I had noted Missouri and Arkansas in my forecast. (AR and MO are on the east). And these two states did get a whole lotta shaking. But there's more...

This strong earthquake was widely felt in the several states of the New Madrid Zone (as I had forecasted would happen). I'm talking Indiana, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, and probably the three other states, too. Reports of feeling it to the USGS are backed up. It stopped at 56,000 plus.
Folks on EEC site are wondering "What's going on?"As an intuitive, I say: "The New Madrid Zone is waking up." I know, I know, OK is not in the Zone but...that is where the epi was (nothing new but stronger than before in this and last century). What's more, it was felt there back in 1811/1812 when the New Madrid Great Quakes happened--and could be affected again if and "if" this quake triggers a stronger shaker east--in the New Madrid Fault Zone.
And history does and can repeat itself. The question is--"Is the Midwest going to have a sequel to the great quakes of the 19th century?" It's possible. When? If you want a time frame I'll say any time from now through 2012.

Going Abroad Sierra-Style

2011-11-05T10:49:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

It snowed yesterday in the Sierra. I have this love-hate relationship with the cold weather. It really wasn't much of a storm, perhaps foreshadow of the white powder to come. Still, my weather forecast for the Fall till late December is nothing to write home about. We may get a few more storms but that will mean slush and rain with temperatures in the low digits at lake level. I can do that. (See Callie in hooded turtleneck sweater, hooded sweatshirt, jeans, mittens, Sorels, neck scarf, ski hat...like the character by the fireplace in the library in the film "The Day After Tomorrow.")

As a city girl, I have to say I miss the culture, people, malls, bistros, and weather of the SF Bay Area. Ah, the fog and overcast. Not sure why I get the moving bug during this time of year--but I do.

Also, it seems like everyone I know is going to Europe: Geologist Jim Berkland is in Portugal (or in the process of getting there); another acquaintance is talking abroad; and someone just got back from Spain.

Meanwhile, I go to the resort pool/hot tub and talk to the straggling tourists (it's off season) and get a bit of culture vicariously through them. And there is the Psychic Power Network and Psychics Forever where I can read the callers calling from different countries. It's a quick fix of going abroad, sort of. (It helps if I'm sipping exotic tea or coffee.)

Perhaps I am meant to stay in my Tahoe rustic cabin, making a crackling fire (I did it last night; my first one of the season), cuddle up with Zen (my Siamese love kitty) and my Brittany duo, and watch Julia in "Eat, Pray, Love".... This lifestyle is in the stars for me, for now. So, chilling and creating articles about Earth Changes, food, and honey to being a guest on radio shows to spread the word about my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington)--next week I will be doing it in Italy--is as good as it gets. Maybe I should learn Spanish. Or not. Hola.

Author Cal Orey is a Spokeshuman for Honey Bees

2011-10-31T20:19:00.000-07:00


Honey bees pollinate our favorite superfoods--strawberries; and alfalfa--what cows eat. Imagine a world without berries and organic milk... --Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

I have a strange bond with the hardworking honey bee. Yep, the honey bee works double shift: This insect makes honey and pollinates our crops--one third of the food we eat. Recently, and in the upcoming weeks, I like the honey bee, am working during the days promoting my books and nights I put on my phone psychic hat and dish out readings for two-leggers.
As an author of the new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington, October 2011) I've been spreading the word about honey. Yesterday morning I was up at 7:30 AM and a guest on KSFO Bob Tanem In the Garden Show. (He noted I am "Type A"--like a worker bee.) Callers called in to talk about the honey bee, its well being to its demise, thanks to colony collapse disorder (CCD) -- a mystery when bees leave their hives and vanish. Speaking of disappearing, my article "The Vanishing Honey Bee" (online, page 26) was published today in the November issue of Oracle 20/20 Magazine. What's more, come November 12, I'm flying to Italy (via phone) to carry on the buzz about the bees. I'll be the beelady on Beyond the Matrix.

Oddly, while my book is about the health perks of honey, it's the honey bee that's upstaging the liquid gold. Why? Because the bee pollinates our grub. We're talking fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, and cocoa--yes, chocolate! And me, now a self-professed spokeshumanoid for my kindred spirits, the honey bees, is spreading the word about the importance of this creature. Oh, and on November 26, I will be at Barnes and Noble bookstore in Reno--for more talk about the amazing bee-healthy benefits of the honey bee. Still pondering if I should wear my honey bee garb. Or not. I feel like I'm morphing into a bee the way Seth did in the unforgettable film The Fly.
Whew! I need a cup of chamomile tea and honey to chill. It's a task working night and day. As I sit here in my study with a hive-like feel to it--solo--I'm sensing I was a queen bee in a past life. But hey, I can live with that. Winter is coming. (Honey bees huddle up to keep warm and share honey amongst them. Like the bees, I'll cozy up and enjoy two dog/one cat nights throughout the colder months ahead. And the pantry is stocked with honeys--all kinds.)

Sweeten Up Your Life: Win The New Honey Book on the Block

2011-10-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

Get the buzz on honey and the honey bee!
--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Very odd how I fell into the world of cooking and baking. Well, maybe not so strange. At different stages of my life I have been found in the kitchen--not following directions and like a mad scientist experimenting with ingredients. And now, it's unbelievable but I am one of thousands who are members of Foodie Blogroll and there are treats...
Ironically, as I sit here writing and watching "Food Network"'s "Chopped" I gobble up all the competition, especially when the chefs get flustered and are critiqued by the judges. I flunked the baking contest in junior high. My Boston Cream Pie got kudos from but the Mocha Yule Log was the winner. I survived, sort of. But I felt bad (like the contestants on "Food Network" do win the other chef wins). The winner's prize cake looked store bought. It was perfect. My homemade entry was lopsided (just a tad) but it was a complicated dessert with decadent layers.
Tomorrow, "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin" is in the Friday edition of Tahoe Daily Tribune, like it is every Friday. What's more, I dream of shifting gears and opening up a Mediterranean bistro in a coastal town. How weird is that? It's not happening in the winter of 2012 as I can see images of my cabin buried in the Tahoe snow--and two dog nights.
Meanwhile, Foodie Blogroll is offering my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (published by Kensington and purchased by OneSpirit bookclubs including The Good Cook Book Club) to 8 winners, one a week. Other foodie bloggers are simply paying it forward and mentioning my book on Twitter, Facebook, or their blog. (You can do that, too, on Facebook: Just type in Cal Orey and scroll down to see my post Sweet November.)
All this food chat has got me thinking food. As the temperatures drop, the appetite soars. But if you're savvy, you can still eat your fave fall edibles and stay lean and happy. True, I did munch on salt water taffy (last night but my excuse was pre-Northern California quake jitters). Tonight I'm thinking semi-homemade Apple Turnovers with a taste of the whimsical wildflower honey. Or maybe Cranberry Croissants with notes of orange blossom honey. The kitchen is calling out to me. And I do have a pantry stuffed with honeys from around the globe (yes, each one has a long shelf life). Honey power! What about Gingerbread with a Lemon Honey Glaze?

I Forecasted the 4.7 Sierra Shaker...and So Did My Cat Zen

2011-10-27T01:03:00.000-07:00

The Earth moved tonight...and my cat Zen sensed it coming...
Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Tonight my Siamese mix cat Zen was meowing nonstop, much like prior to the recent San Francisco temblors. This breed is a talker...and I should have known. I forgot my recent forecast on the website Earthquake Epicenter Forum as well as the one in Oracle 20/20 magazine for this year for this region, a moderate to strong temblor near Truckee and/or Reno noted to be felt throughout Northern CA--which it was.
Next time Zen vocalizes I promise to be more compassionate. I ended up mimicking him and meowing back but it didn't help. Nor did food or cuddling. Nothing mattered Mr. Meower until the Earth moved.
Worse, I have a headache. Now, this can mean more shaking is on its way or it's just a headache. On the upside, kitty is sleeping sound next to me. And so it goes.

Lake Tahoe Gets the Big Chill: Fall Weather Forecast

2011-10-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here comes the bittersweet cold. -- Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

It's late October and I'm just about to bring in the firewood to make and enjoy the first fire of the autumn season. The thing is, once you go there there is no turning back. The gas heat has kicked on and I've put on the storm windows for added warmth. Yep, it's the beginning of cold weather days. This week the temperatures are dropping into the teens. It's here. The big chill has arrived.
FALL WEATHER FORECAST: On the upside, my weather forecast: I'm holding my ground. I made this prediction a month ago on Earthquake Epicenter Forum. It will be a warmer fall than normal for the Sierra. Much toastier than 2010. No significant snowstorms this year. We'll talk winter of 2012 come December when I create my annual Earth changes forecast.
However, in December we may get one nice snowstorm with the white powder above 7000 ft. Lake level will have the slush or slain...Read: No mega shoveling. Black ice. And some flooding? Count on it.
Meanwhile, it's time to make a casserole and bake honey bread, bring out the flannel sheets, and anticipate the awesome crackling, warm fire throughout the night and into the morning. Ah, that means a quick clean of the firesplace and bringing in the wood. Perhaps the first fire in my cabin will be made October 26, the day of the New Moon.

Author-Intuitive Forecasted Major Turkey Quake

2011-10-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

In January I forecasted a major temblor would rock Turkey in 2011.
--Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Back in December 2010, I penned my monthly Earth Changes column for Oracle 20/20 magazine (online and hard copy; in "older entries below magazines shown"). I included the forecast of a Turkey and/or Greece major quake would happen in 2011. And when I woke up yesterday and saw the headlines on CNN and the Internet it hit home...
As a survivor of the 7.1 World Series Earthquake on October 17, 1989, I know what it's like to feel the Earth move and it feels like the world may be ending. Fleeing to the door, I fell before it was over and was frightened beyond words. Fifteen minutes seemed like eternity.
After the shaking stopped, the San Francisco Bay Area was greeted with strong aftershocks for days and weeks that followed. And deaths occurrred, too. "Is the BIG ONE coming?" haunted people who endured the deadly earthquake that rumbled through the Bay Area. Because in reality, a great earthquake is an 8.0 (like the 1906 Great San Francisco Earthquake); a 7.0 is considered "major." However, due to a variety of factors (depth of quake to faulty infrastructure) a major shaker can be deadly (i.e., Haiti) and the intensity can be sci-fi film strong--a time when people can and do panic, flee to the streets, and buildings collapse.
Speaking of scary movies, The Final Destination comes to mind. That is the film where the teen gets visions of disasters that occur, one after one. It's a "gift" to be a "psychic" (yes, I do work as one on two international psychic networks) but as they say--it's also a "curse." My heart goes out to all that have been affected by Mother Nature's wrath. I get it. And that enables me, like other quake survivors, to be able to empathize with the chilling after effects.
One fellow intuitive on Earthquake Epicenter Forum did some research about the odds of my forecast for this Turkey earthquake to occur this year and he said it had a 10 percent chance of happening. There will be no "congrats!" on this one, nor do I want that. But it is an unsettling feeling to forecast a natural disaster and see it unfold in front of your eyes on the news...and to hear that "270+ dead in 7.2 magnitude earthquake" is eerie and unsettling. So, the fact remains yes, my 2011 major Turkey earthquake forecast came true. But I wish it hadn't.

Autumn Quakes, Pumpkins, & the Honey Book Buzz

2011-10-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

'Tis the time for autumn heaven. -- Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

It's the day after yesterday--the big red letter date when the world as we know it was supposed to end, according to Harold Camping's doomsday forecast. I created an anti-prediction on my website Earthquake Epicenter Forum that while the Earth could move with a noteworthy shaker near October 21 (and it did twice in the San Francisco Bay Area--the night before--and a 7.4 hit near Tonga on the day)--life would continue. And here I am with pumpkin on the brain.
Autumn Days in the Sierra. If you live at Lake Tahoe or visit during this time of off-season you'd feel fall. The autumn colors are gold, orange, red, and brown. Wood piles are seen in yards. But we're having an Indian Summer and the temps are warm during the day. (I swam yesterday and it was heavenly.) But looking ahead we're going to experience a cold spell (low in the teens) next week. So, my first fire is nearing.
Baking is on my mind. That includes pumpkin pie (I will wait till November), pumpkin scones, muffins, bread, and fudge--all included with sweet honey. There's something about pumpkin that is addictive. All this pumpkin chat is creating a craving for pumpkin seeds. Maybe I'll buy a pumpkin and make the seeds myself. Or not.
Computers and Rice. After the computer fiasco last Friday evening (my Brittany duo dumped a water bottle on my laptop), tonight I am getting used to my new machine. And the drowned one? Well, maybe putting it in a bed of rice helped dried it out. I will know next week from the tech. It may have seen its last days and the world for the last time. The cranberry and rice pudding provided some comfort but the cost of purchasing a new computer when my casualty was not even a year old is heartbreaking.
The Healing Powers of Honey. And so here I sit thinking about my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (published by Kensington). It's making a buzz like a honey bee flying flower to flower. It's offered on FoodieBlogroll (a contest); I'll be a guest on San Francisco's KSFO come October 30; a piece about the vanishing honey bee in Oracle 20-20 magazine, November issue; Donna Seebo will interview me via her radio show on November 2; a book signing at Barnes and Noble in Reno will see me the day after Turkey Day; an excerpt about my visit to a beekeeper in the Tahoe Daily Tribune; And so it goes. Pumpkins and a honey bee book. Did I mention I love fall despite its ups and downs?
UPDATE: I wrote this blog post before I got the news of the 7.2 Eastern Turkey earthquake. (I forecasted a major earthquake would happen in Turkey and/or Greece in 2011. It was printed in the January issue of Oracle 20-20 magazine , Earth Changes column--see older entries link on website.) My heart goes out to all affected by Mother Nature's wrath.

Imagine a World without Chocolate & Strawberries... Save the Honey Bee!

2011-10-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

Surprise! The honey bee pollinates strawberries and cocoa.

Can you imagine a world without chocolate and strawberries? Did you know that our crops depend on the beekeepers and small honey bee in a big way? Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect pollination--and that includes the sacred honey bees. This little insect gives human gifts from the hive but also helps pollinate our crops, home gardens, and wildlife habitat.
It's been estimated by the USDA that 80 percent of insect crop pollination is done by hardworking honey bees. If you do the math, that means one-third of the total human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, including fruit, legumes, and vegetables--all the good, healthful stuff that you and I love--like chocolate covered strawberries created and available by Enjou Chocolat.
But despite the need for the honey bee--who works a double shift with making honey and pollinating crops--there is a megaglitch that is becoming a growing problem: The honey bee population is declining.
While you enjoy chocolate and strawberries, consider donating funds to researchers around the country who are trying to determine the causes of Colony Collapse Disorder and what can be done to bolster the bee population. (More information in chapter 16 "And the Bees' Buzz Goes On...")"in the new book The Healing Powers of Honey by Cal Orey, published by Kensington Publishing Corp.)
One more thing... Cooking and baking with chocolate and fruit--and sweet honey--is healthful and scrumptious. I can't envision a world without these good-for-you foods. Can you? Meanwhile, there are dozens of recipes in The Healing Powers of Chocolate and The Healing Powers of Honey to show you how sweet it is now while the honey bees are buzzing in the U.S. and around the globe.
(Photo courtesy of Enjou Chocolat.)

The Buzzworthy Cure for Autumn Allergies

2011-10-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Cures From Your Kitchen:
Autumn Allergies Bee-Gone!

'Tis the season when allergies, colds, coughs and flus hit households around the globe. Living at Lake Tahoe is a treat during autumn but...this year while Indian Summer is welcomed, the ups and downs of temperatures are wreaking havoc on my body. Walking in a snow flurry last week and gardening in the sunshine this afternoon is enough to make anyone feel a bit out of whack. But honey comes to the rescue!
As the author of the book The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011, Kensington Publishing Corp., ) I forgot about this sweet home remedy that is good for the body and spirit --as I note in both The Healing Powers of Chocolate and The Healing Powers of Honey books. That's right, by turning to immune-boosting, antioxidant-rich chocolate, you may find your own allergy symptoms, from hay fever to seasonal-change woes, may stop in their tracks--rain, slush, snow or shine.
The truth is, I've been too busy fighting allergy symptoms that I forgot about home sweet cures like chocolate and honey Blame it on the new season and oh, oh, oh--the two shedding dogs and cat. Hairs, hairs, hairs everywhere. My black T-shirts and sweaters look like a white bunny rabbit's fur. Two weeks ago, I paid a visit to my doctor. My eyes were red, itchy, runny, and oh-so puffy! Not to forget the post-nasal drip and sneezing--not fun. And today, my throat is sore and voice is raspy. It's time for this honey book author to practice what she preaches and take her own sweet ancient cure, straight from the hive.
Allergies (Stop Seasonal Misery): Dealing with a runny nose, and coughing can ruin an indoor and outdoor event, thanks to seasononal pollen. Every year when the yellow pollen arrives in the spring like an uninvited visitor at Lake Tahoe I hold a tissue in one hand and am on the phone to a pharmacist with the other. I am always on a mission to find the natural remedy to stop my sniffles.
What Honey Rx to Use: Try eating a tablsepoon of locally produced honey. Proponents of honey tell me that your immune system will get used to the local pollen in it (it should be withing a 50-mile radius from where you live).
Why You'll Bee Happy: If you have mild allergies, honey may enhance the immune system to build up a better arsenal against airborne allergens. Honey enthusiasts like D.C. Jarvis, M.D., believe honeycomb is excellent for treating breathing problems. The honey prescription, according to him, was chewing honeycomb, which may line the entire breathing tract... "Vermont folk medicine uses honeycomb as a desensitizing agent; from the results obtained by its use it appears to be anti-allergic in its action," notes the good doctor who gives credit to the honey bees.
Beekeepers tell me that honey may help allergies linked to trees and ragweed--the culprit in hay fever and its irritating symptoms during spring and autumn months. So, as beekeepers are workerbee busy at work selling local honey to allergy sufferers, like me (and maybe you, too), I am busy including all types of honey in my diet becasue I want to be covered. And if honey can help me cope with congestion and pesky sniffles, I'm in. While further research is needed, I'm not going to wait for scientists to go to their lab rats for a go-ahead. More honey, please.

The Honey Bee Decline: Is The Honeymoon Over?

2011-10-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

"The honey bee population is declining."

In my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011, Kensington Publishing Corp.), I noted in chapter 1, bees make honey and work double shift as key pollinators for mankind. Did you know that our crops depend on the beekeepers and small honey bee in a big way? Millions of acres of U.S. Fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect pollination--and that includes the sacred honey bees. This little insect gives humans gifts (from health to beauty and eco-friendly uses) from the hive but also helps pollinate our crops, home gardens, and wildlife habitat.
But despite the need for the honey bee--there is a megaglitch that is becoming a growing problem: The honey bee population is declining... In the upcoming weeks, I'll be a guest on talks shows such as Michael Quinsey's Connecting the Light in the UK, a program in Italy, and KSFO in the SF Bay Area (October 30, Sunday at 7:30 AM, PST) to dish out what's going on with our honey bees gone AWOL.
It's no secret. Beekeepers across America are witnessing the mysterious die-offs of bee colonies. Back in 2006, an apiary owner in Pennsylvania, made the problem known. Penn State rsearchers took notes of the bee colony numbers' decline, due to a condition now known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This deadly disorder causes honey bee colonies (50,000 to 60,000 bees in one) to vanish without a trace--leading to The Happening and I Am Legend images of thriller sci-fi films of human and animal extinction.
And in my book on honey and the honey bee I devote an entire chapter to this intriguing topic and I will continue to expound on the frightening phenomenon about the latest theories behind CCD--and what's happening today. Top scientists to beekeepers shared with me their take on the spooky demise of the little honey bee and what it may mean for us in the big picture.
Update: Millions of Floridian honey bees die. Pesticides? Poison? CCD is not suspected to be the cause.
[Excerpt The Healing Powers of Honey]; By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

New Charming and Enlightening Honey Book Hits Mainstream America

2011-10-04T20:13:00.000-07:00

My first encounter with honey was when I was five years old.

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

As a child, in my dreams I lived in a cottage with my father, a dedicated beekeeper, and my mom, who did all cooking, canning, and baking with honey. In our garden I'd watch my father experiment with hives and establish an apiary on 10 acres. He shipped Italian queen bees across the United States and around the world. But my home was normal, because in reality I grew up in a middle-class suburb of south San Jose, California, a place once touted for its nectar sources--a honey bee's dreamworld.
My first encounter with honey was when I was five years old. In kindergarten I remember drawing a giant honey bee on a wildflower. (It didn't hold a beeswax candle to beekeeper Prince Cesi's microscopic drawing of the insect.) After art time, Mrs. Berry dished out graham crackers (sweetened with honey and developed by Sylvester Graham in 1829), milk cartons, and Mr. Bee-Good notes (little square papers with special kudos to three good students once a week). When I wasn't one of the chosen few, my mind wandered; What would life be like as a bee? My imagination soared with images of me morphing into an insect and flying from flower to flower to fill up on sweet nectar.
That was decades ago, and today I can look back at my life experiences and see how the honey bee and honey played a role in my real world. I wasn't raised by a beekeeper and his wife, nor as a kid did I put on bee veil and visit bees. But I got a taste of honey and its healing powers through the years of growing up and traveling like a wayward bee... The best part is, I have discovered the healing magic of honey, and a world I've called Honeyland that I want to share with you.
[Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Publishing Corp.)]

Bee Culture Magazine Unveils New Book: The Healing Powers of Honey

2011-10-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

"This is a good book to
give someone who doesn't want to know all about bees and beekeeping--but just honey."
--Kim Flottum
By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

I was pleasantly surprised today when I received a copy of Bee Culture: The Magazine Of American Beekeeping. On page 12, my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (published by Kensington Publishing Corp.) is scrutinized like a honey bee found on an orange blossom. And the review penned by editor Kim Flottum--is sweet and enlightening like being in a field with gentle honey bees.

He gets it. Flottum writes, "It does cover a bit of beekeeping history, and mentions some well known authors in our field. But, it does cover a lot of topics, none of them in enough depth to become boring, or dull. It is a good starting place for someone very interested in knowing more about honey, sources, flavors, colors and what's good to eat with each kind." And that's not all...

"Each chapter leads off with a bit of her history," the editor continues on, "as she roamed the U.S. and Canada in her youth, looking for adventure [like a wild honey bee gone AWOL], and good food...actually, any food sometimes, and she always has a dog with her."

The fact is, Flottum (a fellow busy author) dishes out praise to my workerbee's work: "...The healing chapters cover honey and cinnamon, teas, home remedies, creams and lotions from beeswax, beauty aids, and lists and charts and graphs and more lists and more lists of things to use honey, things to use honey for, things honey can cure, and more."

Whew! I'm exhausted just reading what the magazine editor caught and that I captured and infused in 302 pages. Good job, Kim Flottum. Thank you for including The Healing Powers of Honey in the "Good Reading" column of your October issue. I'm buzzed!

News Flash! Groundbreaking Honey (Bee) Book Has Landed on Earth!

2011-09-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

THE HEALING POWERS OF HONEY:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO NATURE'S REMARKABLE NECTAR!
BY CAL OREY (KENSINGTON BOOKS)

Today, September 27--the day of the New Moon--the new honey book The Healing Powers of Honey has been published and is available at all bookstores. On the back of the cover you will read: Drawing on the latest honey buzz and interviews with medical doctors, beekeepers, and researchers, this charming and enlightening book (sweetened with stories about honey bees and humans) reveals 30 healing honey varieties paired with cinnamon and teas, tells you haw to incorporate honey into Mediterranean-style, heart-healthy recipes such as Honey Custard French Toast and Filo Pear and Honey Tarts.
The author's dedication is heartfelt and original: This book is dedicated to the honey bees--especially the persevering workers and queens--whom I feel are my kindred spirits. I feel a strong and moving bond to this small but remarkable hardworking creature with big efforts--nature's greatest gift. And that's not all...
This landmark book has been featured by a buzz-worthy Youtube, NewsMax, will be reviewed in the October issue of Bee Culture Magazine, and graces the homepage in an interview on Red Room: Where the Writers Are. And this is the new beginning of the workerbee author's work spreading the news of the groundbreaking honey (bee) book.

It's Almost Here! The New Bee-Healthy Book for Autumn

2011-09-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar
By Cal Orey (The Writing Gourmet)

Tomorrow is the first day of Fall. Next week is the time when my book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, September 27, 2011) will be released. The popular NewsMax featured a story about my new book. It's sweetened with bee-healthy health data, home cures, decadent recipes--and tales about honey bees and humans. Finally, I get to share my very intimate on the road experiences with my dog(s), which is similar to wayward honey bees in search of a new home.

Truly it's perfect timing. After all, September is National Honey Month. It is the season when beekeepers are busy harvesting honey bees' gift to mankind. And it's a time when I try to snag some R&R at Lake Tahoe, a nirvana in autumn, in between nesting...

Like a queen bee, I'm busy in my hive. So much work to do before winter. Is the fireplace clean? Will the firewood man answer the phone? Do I stack wood against the fence or garage? Will snowfall be unbearable or doable? The double pane window covers--where are they? My pantry is still stuffed with honeys--all kinds--what do I bake?

Meanwhile, I am getting booked on national and international radio shows to dish out the words about honey--nature's sweet nectar. On September 30, I'll be up before the crack of dawn and talking on the Tom Roten Radio Show. October 1, it will be time spent with Dr. Will Clower. The other night on Tuesday, I made a cameo appearance on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory (quake chat) and while my honey book and honey bees are important, October is the month for earthquakes in my Golden State. But I'll still be promoting my book during shine or shake.

While I'll still be in worker bee mode, I'll still be able to pamper myself as I savor the changes I see, feel, taste, hear, and touch. There is a crispness in air at night. Autumn produce should be out and I wish I had drones to go out and fetch it for me. No matter. I will do it and this weekend in between fall cleaning I'll be baking honey breads to cakes. 'Tis the season to enjoy buzzing about like busy beekeepers and honey bees.

'Tis the Month for Honey Bees: Un-Bee-lievable Man's Best Friend

2011-09-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know?...September is National Honey Month? It's a busy time for beekeepers. The beloved honey bee--nature's workhorse--is giving its gift to mankind. As the author of the new book The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar! (Kensington Books, September 27, 2011), I discovered honey's amazing bee-healthy powers.

Drawing on the latest honey buzz and interviews with medical doctors, beekeepers, and researchers, I sweetened this book with my intimate John Steinbeck "Travels with Charley"-type on the road stories (like a wayward honey bee type of gal) and other charming and enlightening tales about honey bees and humans.

I also included 30 healing honey varieties and discussed the power of cinnamon and teas--honey's companions. Mediterranean-style, heart-healthy recipes such as Maranated Mackerel, Honey Berries with Lime Pound Cake, Honey Oatmeal Cookies, and Italian Honey Croissants (the photo above is my own adaption) are just a few of dozens of dishes, with compliments to spa chefs, honey organizations, and brand name to small and big honey companies.

Not to forget, I reveal more than 50 home cures that combat digestive woes to skin woes. And I enjoyed Cleopatra's milk-and-honey beauty treatments and eco-friendly beeswax household uses--all made with the amazing honey bee's gifts!

A Major Quake Is Coming to the West Coast--But When?

2011-09-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a newsworthy 6.7 (downgraded to a 6.4) quake hit Vancouver, British Columbia and rumbled through Seattle, Washington and was felt down to San Francisco. On August 24, I--the quake sensitive and intuitive--was a guest on two radio shows: Coast to Coast and The Mancow Show. The hosts George Noory and the Mancow asked me what's next (it was after the CO 5.3 and VA 5.8). I answered: The West Coast.

Well, this is a start but I'm strongly sensing that this is just the beginning. I, like many folks, believe in the Trigger Effect and this strong shaker could certainly produce more quakes in the region (it is a place with a history of quake swarms) or move its way down to Offshore OR/CA (especially Petrolia, Eureka or even Crescent City); SF Bay Area (East/South Bay or offshore by Santa Cruz or Daly City like the Great AK 1964 quake or October 17, 1989, 7.1). And let's not forget SoCal: San Fernando Valley (we did get a widely felt 4.2 after my cameo radio appearances) or San Bernardino. And yes, even the sierra, my home, could give us a 7.0 (it has before and could do it again).

The bottom line: Yes, the Golden State is overdue for a major earthquake. The question remains: What day will it happen? I don't believe anyone knows that but Californians know that we're living in "Shaky Country" and we're next in line. On the upside: If you have seismically sensitive companion animals, you may get a head's up. Or, if you're a quake sensitive you can tune into your cues. Either way, be prepared.

A significant quake is coming to the West Coast and more than likely it will happen September or October--but definitely before 2012. But it's like the Wheel of Fortune to the exact day and time when it's coming.

One more thing. I did shuffle the Tarot Cards. The outcome: Two Of Pentacles: Change (came up twice) and The Tower.

Tis the Month for a Honeyfest--The Healing Powers of Honey Is Coming!

2011-09-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

September is National Honey Month--the month for people to celebrate honey...And I've been as busy as a honey bee that I forgot that fact. At the end of the month my new book will be released. That's right, The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, Sept. 27, 2011) is almost here. It will come alive in autumn (when I was born). Fall is my favorite season and the time for honey harvests in many parts of the world. And on September 23 I'll be enjoying some R&R in the sierra--a place where fall comes alive with its vibrant tree color changes.

Meanwhile, I've been lost in a new Healing Powers book, which next week will be en route to New York. Ah, then it's time for this queen bee (in her past life) to savor off season at Lake Tahoe. It's a time when I can feel the nights dropping down to the 30s; see locals stocking up on firewood; enjoy the lower food prices and seasonal fall produce; bake fruit breads, muffins, and scones; take long walks with the Brittany duo; cuddle up with Zen cat (doesn't he look like a feline version of a Siberian Husky?); make a cozy fire, and anticipate the first snow flurry.

So, here I sit fine-tuning the new superfood book that'll be published in August 2012--before the Mayan forecasted end of days. No worries. Harold Camping's end of the world prediction fizzled (I predicted that it would do just that as will his extension on October 21). But, but, but--there will be Earth changes, for sure. For now, I'll rejoice next week and the weeks to come because my hard work on The Healing Powers of Honey book will be in the hands of humans. Oh, oh, oh...the honey bee book is in the fall line-up (scroll down the page on Kensington Books).

One more thing. Summer does have its perks and I will miss the sunshine, swimming outdoors, wearing sleeveless tops, and getting golden...And the breakfasts--get this--Blueberry Pancakes on a late summer morning. with coffee-and no fluffy snow to shovel. Ah, I'm missing the season and it's not even over yet.

West EQ Forecasted on Coast to Coast Show By Intuitive Callie

2011-09-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Listening to CNN as I edit my latest book I got a report that Greater Los Angeles Region, Southern California rocked and rolled this afternoon. We're talking about a whole lotta folks feeling a moderate to light earthquake in a populated metro area, including San Fernando Valley (I pinpointed this region for this year). And yes, this shaker was widely felt because it was a shallow earthquake.

Actually, this temblor is no surprise. My seismically sensitive Siamese has been vocalizing up a storm/clingy to the max. I got a left ear tone about 30 minutes before (good for the West Coast). My dog Simon (proven track record as a sensitive Brittany) has been playing Velcro Canine -- even in the warm days/nights. And that's not all...

Last Wednesday night, after the 5.3 CO/5.8 Virginia/3.9/3.4 SF widely felt shallow quakes in the SF Bay Area--I was a guest on Coast to Coast. I said to George and his listeners that I sensed West Coast is next in line for a significant shaker...Very odd how these quakes are all on the same 37 latitude. And then, SF rocked again, south in the Pinnacles we got a 4.6 a few days later and it was felt all the way to Reno, 50 miles from my home at Lake Tahoe. (I also noted a potential ping pong effect with jolts in our usually shaky Golden State.)

Fast forward to today. Yes, the 4.3 could indeed be a foreshock...All the quake activity elsewhere, the seismic drought in CA, high surf, New Moon...and the other cues I mentioned above. So, Californians do what you do best--chill and be prepared. It's not over. And a stronger shaker most likely will follow before the end of 2011.

One more thing: September and October are shaky months. I survived the October 17, 1989 World Series Earthquake that rumbled through the SF Bay Area and was felt throughout Calif. The critters in my life were hip to it before. Not to forget the San Fernando 1971 6.6 in the same region. We could see a ping pong effect like we did in our state back in June 2005. My cat is meowing (again). Head's up, Californians, my Zen is giving us a quake warning.

Quakes, Hurricanes, Floods...Oh My!

2011-08-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday afternoon and I feel like I'm watching a chilling rerun of "The Day After Tomorrow." Hurricane Irene (and the shakers in California) are keeping me on edge. I did predict a Category 5 would hit the Atlantic Seaboard this year--I was wrong, sort of. Irene was a 3 downgraded to a 2 and now a 1--but the flooding potential I sense is going to be historical (I did note this hurricane would go down in history). And yes, New York City is a mega concern of mine and I can see (psychic girl here) water, water, water and mega power outages. (Been there, done that in December at Tahoe in a snowstorm for three days. I felt like the character Sam in the sci-film while I wore a hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and sat by the fireplace with a huge, crackling fire. I felt isolated not being plugged into the world.)

Meanwhile, on Wednesday I was on Coast to Coast and The Mancow Show and I forecasted that the West Coast (including the SF Bay Area) could be next in line after the 5.3 CO, 5.8 VA, and two jolts on the Hayward Fault in the SF Bay Area. Well, look at the map above and you can see a moderate quake hit in the Pinnacles (San Andreas Fault Zone, the Big Daddy) south of San Jose. Early this morning the Earth moved and this 4.6 was widely reported felt in the SF Bay Area all the way up to Reno, 50 miles from South Lake Tahoe--my home.

Back to Ms. Irene... Some say Irene is a "dud" or "fizzled" -- I say the jury is still out as I did back when Katrina made landfall. I watched anchors do high fives saying all was OK but in the morning the levees flooded New Orleans, as I sensed would happen. I'm not saying NYC will be under water like that but I see water, water, water from a storm surge; mega power outages; chaos with transportation. I'm talking rain, flooding, flash floods and a mess.

One more thing: The saturated ground from previous rain and the New Moon/High Tides are making this a set up for the "perfect storm"... So, is the media blowing this storm out of proportion? Not sure. But if I lived on the East Coast I'd be in prepared mode as I was during our Angora Fire in 2007; 7.1 World Series quake in 1989; Santa Cruz Mountain flooding in 1982...And yeah, I've been hitting the crunchy peanut brittle (again) and Zen--my seismically sensitive Siamese-mix just jumped up on my lap. It's 81 degrees! Worse, it feels like earthquake weather outdoors.

Quake Sensitive Speaks on Coast to Coast

2011-08-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

Surprise...Tonight I made a 2 minute guest appearance on Coast to Coast (scroll down to news segment guest link to hear in their archives). So, what's all this shaking about, anyhow? Well, George and listeners, it's eerie that it all started with the Colorado 5.3 shaker; Virginia 5.8; 4.2 Mammoth Lakes; and two SF Bay Area jolts. These earthquakes were all on 37 latitude--a straight line across the U.S. My gut instinct is saying the West Coast is overdue for a significant "major" quake before the end of 2011 and all this seismic activity could be leading up to it. (And SF Bay Area to Mammoth Lakes are on that 37 mark; a major temblor either region could be felt throughout CA.)...

Also, I did sense the "trigger effect" after the CO quake and posted on my website that the East/New Madrid could be next. Well, four out of seven New Madrid Seismic Zones states did rock--2 hours after I posted that forecast...and I did say SF Bay Area/Tahoe could shake soon due to my cat being oh-so clingy like now the way he was yesterday. Anyhow, my prediction is more shaking ahead. Californians be prepared because the 37 latitude number is a sign to me--the intuitive, phone psychic. My cat Zen will not get off me and Mammoth Lakes is south of Lake Tahoe (felt as far as Carson City, NV) and SF is 200 miles away. Aftershocks for CO/VA are a no-brainer. But we folks in the Golden State get it. We just don't want to go there again.

P.S. Yes, I did forecast a Category 5 Hurricane (Atlantic Seaboard)--back on July 18, on The Mancow Show--saying it would hit during the season and here we are. So, Irene is no surprise. And if the West Coast--especially California, northern or southern, shakes I'll be right here in a "Bring it on" mode because I know it's coming.

Intuitive Cal Orey Predicts Next Quake on The Mancow Show

2011-08-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

This morning at 5:00 AM, PST, I was a guest on The Mancow Show. My cameo appearance was short and sweet. Mancow noted my sixth sense is like the horses that sensed the oncoming East Coast shaker that hit yesterday... and rocked 22 states, including the New Madrid Seismic Zone, like I predicted it would...just 2 hours prior, noted on my earthquake website.

Meanwhile, a 3.6 hit the SF Bay Area (as I noted it would do in an email to the show's producer before it happened) last night before midnight. On my blog post below this one I noted I needed peanut brittle yesterday (like popcorn to chill before shakers) and sure enough a 4.2 hit this a.m. south of Lake Tahoe, my home. Note to self: Zen cat is seismically sensitive and wouldn't get off me last night. Good kitty.

So, on air I predicted that CA will be next for a major quake by the end of the year. And right now while Easterners are freaking out I'm sensing we may see a ping pong effect in our Golden State like we did in June 2005 after the 7.2 Offshore NorCal...

And lastly, I did predict a category 5 hurricane would hit the Atlantic Seaboard/Gulf States during the season...on both The Mancow Show and Oracle 20-20 Magazine I forecasted this puppy and it's now a category 3 and headed toward the East Coast this weekend. I need a cup of comforting coffee. Second thought, a cup of chamomile tea. I hope I can find peanut brittle on my quest somewhere in this resort town sometime today.

One more thing: While I predicted CA is next for a major quake--the entire West Coast from AK to South of the Border is not immune.

I Predicted the East Coast 5.8 Shaker, Sort Of

2011-08-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

As an author-intuitive and phone psychic the 5.8 East Coast earthquake didn't surprise me. At all. Back in January 2011, I penned forecasts for the year in my Earth Changes column published by Oracle 20-20 Magazine. I noted quakes may happen in seismically inactive regions and noted the New Madrid Seismic Zone may get hit with stronger shakers than it did back in 2010.

Fast forward to this morning when Colorado got its 5.3 (not unusual for CO to rock but a quake of this magnitude is a bit odd). So, at 9:19 I posted on my quake forum website that I sensed a trigger effect was in the works for the East and noted the New Madrid Zone... This afternoon, short after 1:00 pm, a 5.9 (downgraded to a 5.8) rocked Virginia, near Washington, D.C. And, thousands of USGS felt reports rolled in, including people feeling the earth move in 22 states--Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennesse (New Madrid states).

So, did I get a "hit" with my prediction? Sort of. I did sense a trigger effect--and that's what happened back in Dec. 2004. An 8.1 hit three days prior to the great quake and big wave; and more events elsewhere after. Today, I did mention the word "east" and I did note New Madrid states. But that's not all...

On July 18, I was a guest on The Mancow Show and I dished out predictions. One: A category 5 Hurricane on the Atlantic Seaboard (maybe the Gulf States); a major West Coast quake; a financial meltdown/Recession Sequel; no end of world on Oct. 21, as Harold Camping forecasted his extended end of days prediction.

Tomorrow morning at 5:15 a.m. PST I'm going to be a guest, once again, on The Mancow Show. I know what I know and sadly, when I pass out more predictions I do hope I'm wrong. It's kind of like being in those sci-fi films like "Knowing" -- and they spook me. Worse, I'm really craving crunchy peanut brittle (it's a 21st century version of volcano predictor King's popcorn effect before an earthquake)--and there is none to be found at Lake Tahoe.

Here Comes Hurricane Irene, As Intuitive Callie Forecasted

2011-08-22T09:11:00.000-07:00

The season's first hurricane has hit and could be heading for the U.S. Uh, um--didn't I forecast this to happen this year? Yep, on The Mancow Show (July 18, in the archives) I did note four predictions: One include a possible Hurricane Category 5 that may hit the Atlantic Seaboard and I hoped it wouldn't make landfall in the Gulf States. Meanwhile, Hurricane Irene is on the move West, headed for the Carolinas and Florida...and it's coming before peak season, as I also noted in Oracle 20-20 Magazine, 2011 Forecasts...

I'm really feeling fall...Crisp nights, falling pine cones, a new coffee brewer, and anticipating Victoria's Secret cataloge. I read baggy jeans and sweaters--colors teal and chocolate brown--will be in vogue. That's cool. Note to self: Find firewood man and order wood.

So, I tried to go swimming yesterday. As a sensitive, I swear the temp was lower than 78 degrees and just couldn't do it. It was so cold, not even a goldfish would do it. Need to find new, warmer pool for the fall. The trusty treadmill and dog walks will have to suffice.

Three more weeks of edits/proofing the new Healing Powers book #5 and it's out the door en route to New York. Not to forget, I'm lining up radio interviews for The Healing Powers of Honey--my sweet latest book baby chock-full of bee-healthy home cures and charming tales of our sacred honey bee.

So, I look at the aspens in the photo above; I sense real aspens around the Lake at Tahoe are beginning to turn colors as I type. Fall is on its way and I'm loving it. The Brittanys and Zen cat are under the comforters with me--another cue. Oh, oh, oh: Zen, my newest Siamese-mix addition to the household--is going to be featured in Petfolio Magazine, Nov/Dec issue. How cool is that? He's so vain (yeah, he looks at himself in the mirror a lot) so I'm feeling his strong cat vibe that he's looking forward to it. (I wonder with his cat smarts if I could teach him to clean the fireplace. Nah, he's too smart.)

The Healing Powers of Honey Book is Abuzz

2011-08-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

I feel fall is in the air, as I predicted I would mid August. Yep, last month I told my sibling that on August 15, we would feel autumn at Lake Tahoe. Indeed. Tomorrow night the temps will fall to 36 degrees. Pine cones are falling onto the ground, and baby squirrels are seen here and there. Sure, I still see blue jays, feel warm sunshine, and today went swimming outdoors. But fall is on the horizon and I am thrilled as a queen honey bee in her comfy, cozy hive.

Speaking of the honey bee, last week advance copies of my latest book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, Sept. 27, 2011) were in a package on my doorstop. Excitement hit. My fourth Healing Powers series book has arrived.

Meanwhile, I'm still busy working on book #5 -- like a busy bee I'm burning the beeswax candle at both ends. But, I can see the light. It's a challenge to be an author-phone psychic. If you told me when I was a kid that this would be my life -- it wouldn't surprise me. I was the girl who read her biography in front of the class in fifth grade; on overcast Sundays sat in her bedroom writing poems, gazing at the trees my dad planted around the house in the burbs and was wowed by the view of Los Gatos foothills-Santa Cruz Mountains (viewed from the living room window), and cuddled up with her Dalmatian.

So, here I am, granola girl, solo again (like a queen bee), with her honey bee book (packed with stories about me on the road like a wayward bee) and finishing her next nature's finest superfood book, surrounded by two Brittanys, Simon and Seth, and one Siamese-mix cat, Zen. Yep, I've found my balance to bee happy and healthy--it's got to be because my season is coming around the mountain.

The Joy of a Recession II: Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

2011-08-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

Today was scary, straight out of a Stephen King sci-fi film or The Final Destination. As I watched CNN, I saw my forecast begin to come to fruition. A financial meltdown coming into play. I predicted the last recession (and was one month off); it's no surprise that this time around I could be right again. The jury is still out, as outlined by economists. Actually, in Oracle 20-20 Magazine (Jan. 2011, in the archives online) you can see that I said a double-dip could happen by the end of the year. But hey, I flunked math in college. Liberal Arts major here who doesn't like to balance her checkbook...

And tomorrow may be worse--perhaps we may hit the 10,000 mark--when the jobs data by the Labor Department report graces the TV screens and anchors report the numbers. (I may sleep in or start slowly with the Asian markets before turning on CNN. Thank God for Mocha Java.)

On the upside: Coffee companies are doing well, according to the stocks today. And, I am working in Coffee World on a new book. Perhaps, it will be java that'll keep people feeling good, energized, stave off diseases if and when we do fall into the sequel: Recession II. Or not.

It's weird being an author-intuitive. When bad things happen that I write and forecast it's not a cool thing to scream out: "Hey, I got a hit!" especially when people are going down, down, down. But it does feel right when my vision does come true. It shows that my intuition isn't broken and it's working. Meanwhile, I promise not to complain that I'm working hard for the money as an author and intuitive. I am pleased to have work and coffee--lots of coffee--roasts, flavored coffees, and blends from around the globe. Despite sad money matters on Earth, I believe there is a happy coffee God in heaven.

A New Moon Is Rising July 30: It's a Sign

2011-07-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend a New Moon will greet us once again before August arrives. I know the photo shows a Harvest Moon but that's because it's what's on my mind. Summertime in a tourist town is a challenge. Visitors are playing and locals are working. It seems unbalanced. But only a month and a half and it will be a different place, calm, cool, and superb.

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to receiving advance copies of my new book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, Sept. 27) on my doorstep. And tomorrow, I'll wake up buzzing like a honey bee in its hive to greet new superfood gifts: chocolate, chocolate, chocolate with a healthy dose of coffee as I am in CoffeeWorld. It is odd. When I work on a book it is consuming. It's like real life is not real and you're in another world on another planet.

Next week some stories I've written will be published in online mags: A dog and man's best friend quiz; The Honey Bee: Friend or Foe?; Chocolate in the Summertime...And I'll be working on a piece about how I found my "Zen" and how I helped a caller on the psychic network lose her "soul mate" due to being duped. And, I guess, I'll be putting some sort of edibles together for Callie's Cabin.

Come October, vacation, vacation, vacation...and my birthday. I can see it. I can feel it. Till then, the New Moon will have to suffice. It'a a sign that my season will pay me a visit soon. I can feel it already. I need another batch of peanut brittle. Still don't get why it's a seasonal treat.

Intuitive & Zen: The Mancow Show

2011-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

This morning at 3:38 the alarm clock woke me up with a song, of sorts, much like in the film "Groundhog Day." Usually, Zen, my Siamese-mix meows me to get up. Not today. I staggered to the kitchen, brewed a cup of Coconut flavored coffee and saunterd back to bed. At 4:15 PST, I, the "author-intuitive" was on air--The Mancow Show. I'm a cool cat in the wee hours of the morning--perhaps it's the presence of my new sensitive kitty Zen (an author-intuitive's dream companion) who thinks he's a dog. Or maybe I'm more lively as the nightowl.

So, there I was, cozy in the waterbed (wishing I was in Hawaii as I sipped the tasty brain juice), flanked by two Brittanys under the comforters and one pussycat by my side. And, it was my job to dish out world predictions--gloom and doom stuff. I talked a potential West Coast quake to a potential financial meltdown to come before 2012.. I noted two more forecasts, from a category 5 hurricane (Mancow perked up with that prediction) to another anti-prediction for Harold Camping. (I beat the first one because we're still here.) And most likely we'll still be here but a bit more weathered come October 21.

After my cameo appearance, I cranked out an excerpt of my forthcoming book The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, Sept. 27, 2011). It's for a mag that the rich and famous read. Then, I made the decision to go back to sleep--and it worked.

All was not lost for the day. Food for "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin" for the Tahoe Daily Tribune was snagged at our store, and I fixed my quirky modem all by myself. Still feeling a bit seasick and sleepy, and I'm working hard for the money on the new superfood Healing Powers series book.

Lastly, taking a break from the psychic networks (I ranked a "top producer" for the week) so I'm giving the psychic vibes a rest. And Zen, he's cool. We played with his neon mouse and that kept us mellow. Note to self: Find out which type of coffee can perk up you up when getting up before dawn. I wish I had my own swimming pool. But I will visit it tomorrow.

P.S. Later today, a 5.6 hit Aleutian Islands; a storm in the Atlantic; and the stock market and fear of money madness fed the media. The year is young. Bracing for turbulent times.

It's a Peanut Brittle Day

2011-07-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Thursday and it feels like Wednesday. There is a nip in the air at Lake Tahoe and that makes me smile. Just returned from a lovely swim (not too cold but cold enough) and it's back to CoffeeWorld. Read: The Healing Powers book I'm working on as I type. Ah, I received a box of awesome flavored coffees--several kinds, including Coconut Creme to Wild Blackberry. How exciting is that? (It's got me giddy as a honey bee...The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books, Sept. 27, 2011) is flying to me in August, prior to harvest season and this worker bee is thrilled as a queen bee in the comfort of her hive.)

Speaking of Excitement...I had Tahoe quakes on the brain. "What if we have a shaker and the coffee beans fall out of the pantry/fridge/freezer and my food-loving Brittanys eat 'em?" No dancing goats legend here. DOA doggies on java beans. Note to self: Get dog-proof coffee containers.

Back to the quakes. It's odd, but King (another quake sensitive) believes people eat popcorn before the Earth moves. It could be the crunch factor which can release anxiety linked to sensing oncoming quakes. I've been craving peanut brittle--a lot. The stores are all out. They had gourmet stuff and now they tell me it's a seasonal thing. Great. Now that I'm hooked it's AWOL.

Anyhow, thought I'd stop by ("writer's block") and spread the word that we had a minor quake today 3.1 (yes, I predicted it but something stronger could be in the works now through August due to the CA quake drought). Nothing to write home about -- yet, or even to share on The Mancow Show this coming Monday a.m., when I make a cameo appearance. Well, I predict something earthshaking should happen by the 18th. Blame it on the Full Moon. Gosh, I think I'm going to cave and order peanut brittle via online.
UPDATE: Soon after I scored 1/2 lb. of peanut brittle at Tahoe. Not gourmet but doable. Then, the quakes came... A 6.1 (strong) hit AK. Bottom line: More to come for the West Coast, from Alaska down to SoCal--or somewhere in between. Worse, I need more peanut brittle. Wonder if order it online they'll FedEx it. Read: Shaky times ahead.

Summertime Cats, Chocolate & Croissants

2011-07-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey

The

Writing Gourmet

I used to love the summertime. The glitch is, when you live in a resort town like Lake Tahoe it changes things. Ever see the Stephen King film The Langoliers? Well, it's like that, especially, during holidays like Independence Day. The tourists invade and I see 'em coming over the hill...

Imagine: You're on deadline to pen and finish a 300 page book. Plus, you're on call as a phone psychic. But I'm whining because of the chaos factor. Blame it on tourists' dogs off leashes (see I Am Legend canine dark seekers), rowdy backyard hot tub goers at midnight, police sirens, echoes from concerts at Stateline, and screams from kids to grown ups, not to mention the neighborhood barking outdoor dogs (a lot of 'em) that get my indoor boys (sporting dogs on their best behavior for mom) going bonkers. Not to forget the sweet anti-dog cat teaser next door. He prowls the winter weathered fences outside and peeps into my kitchen and backyard windows to taunt my calm Brittany duo. He flees when we flee outdoors to say "Hello, Kitty." I'm assuming he'll be AWOL come the Fourth when those loud fireworks happen (but I'll turn up the tunes and try to tune it out and calm my critters). And so it goes around the hood...
Feeling Blue. I just read an interesting article on msnbc.com about Summer SAD. I knew about it. In fact, I have interviewed the doc--Norman Rosenthal--who coined the term. I may have it--or perhaps get it. Or not. It's not that I don't love gardening, getting a nice golden brown, walking the pooches, watering the trees, and drinking cold water, and no-cook meals--it's the noise pollution. Maybe I'll ring up Victoria and order a bulky sweater and skinny jeans to give me incentive that I know that everyone knows that fall will come.

I long for fall, off-season when it's quiet. The day I receive the fall Victoria's Secret catalog I know my time is just around the corner. Two and a half more months. Barking dog alert. As I was saying, 75 more days, give or take, and the town will be back on even keel. I wish I could move to a place where it's autumn year-round. Note to self: Relocate next summer (or before.)

Meanwhile, it's cool cats, like my new Zen (he looks like a Siberan Husky in cat), chocolate (I confess I consumed a large amount of dark covered chocolate malt balls the other night while inputting the history chapter in my new superfood book); and warm croissants n' hot mocha java in the a.m., that make me smile during these warm summer days. It's cats, chocolate, and croissants when I field the psychic phone network calls and decide which chapter to input for "the book" that are helping me to stay centered. Oh, oh, oh. The swim today took me to Fishheaven (again) and I had my very own lane. (Plus, my new fish like the warm weather. All are alive and enjoying the aquariums.)

P.S. Getting a lot of network calls from folks around the nation who are feeling the lovesickness of summer fever and asking me the question: "When will I fall in love?" I turn to Tarot Cards and sigh inside wishing the leaves would turn color and that catalog would arrive sooner than later.

It Feels Like Summer, Sort Of

2011-06-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

I remember back in 2007 this time of year I fled to Reno (with my two dogs, and former cat Kerouac) to wait out the drama of the Angora Fire at Tahoe. In 2008 it was the quake swarm at Verdi-Mogul that continued on through June. (And yes, Kerouac was on the sensing shakers beat.) The following summer the ups and downs of the recession hit Lake Tahoe. And in the summer of 2010 I was working like a worker bee on The Healing Powers of Honey (Sept. 27, 2011; Kensington Books). And this year I'm penning another Healing Powers book in between distracting chaos around the globe--caused by Mother Nature...

Read: Yes, I forecasted the 7.2 Alaska quake that hit on June 24, two days ago. Flooding at Tahoe didn't pan out as bad as NOAA (and I) thought it would. North Dakota's historical water from snowmelt is another story. And now a nuke plant in Nebraska is another woe. It should feel like summer, a time for beach going and ice cream cones--but for some reason it doesn't feel fun 100%.

In the upcoming issue of Oracle 20-20 magazine I dish out how to read your cat or dog to get a handle on what may or may not be coming your way--good or bad. And today, I sit here amid my cat Zen (from the indoors he's hunting spiders to flys), two Brittanys Simon and Seth, and feel the block as I get ready to go back to the big book. I feel Zen's restless nature. Maybe that Sierra quake will cometh before June ends...

Meanwhile, I'm craving chocolate. Not sure why but it's a feel-good superfood. The shrimp salad that I wrote about for Tahoe Tribune's "What's Cookin' at Callie's Cabin" worked for a while but it's gone. Swimming today outdoors was heaven but it's over. The bottom line: I'm suffering from writer's block and instead of going with it I'm fighting it. Or not. Writing books is so much easier to do in the winter or even fall (my fave season) when it's off season. Perhaps, I'll bake a pie or cake and that may stir the creative juices. Or maybe I'll play with Zen and his new neo light mouse. Here kitty, kitty. Wanna play with the mouse? I need a chocolate fix ASAP. Oh, oh, oh. ChefShop.com is sending me a special chocolate bar. I have something to look forward to this week.

It's June 15, 2011--Here Comes the Full Moon

2011-06-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey

Last night I saw it and was awestruck. The huge bright moon greeted me through my bedroom window. As I fielded calls for the psychic network and input prose for my latest Healing Powers series book, I saw it. The moon said, "Hello, there." And I smiled back.

The question is, will quakes occur in the following week. After all, it's June and back in pre-summer of 2005 our Golden State rocked and rolled like a fast game of ping pong.

Meanwhile, the wildflowers did not bloom at the Lake. One local told me yesterday that they "froze back." No splashes of bright yellow in the neighborood or fields that I walk my Brittany duo. Still, store bought flowers are out and trees are in bloom (about 75%). And the weather? It's getting warm--so much that my fish, my goldfish went to fish heaven. Not fun. Had the water tested by the fish people and it's normal, they said. Blame it on the rise in temperature. And I wonder if the snowmelt from the mountain tops will cause flooding at the Lake and surrounding Lake Tahoe; NOAA and I are on alert for the next week.

Today, I'll fantasize about my first outdoor swim of yesterday as I am inputting words in the big book on the new healing superfood; anticipating the arrival of The Healing Powers of Honey come fall harvest--my fourth book child in the series. I'd rather be dancing by the lake with my cat under the full moon. Windows open, new fish, warm air, calls from around around the world with callers treating me like a magical guru will have to suffice. Well, the day is still young and we are now entering the total lunar eclipse window. I'm craving a special chocolate delivery--it's on its way, Enjou Chocolat tells me. And more coffee...

P.S. No worries. I'm on watch for Earth changes and the phone should be ringing a lot tonight--it's proven, folks and animals go haywire during lunar cycles. "Intuitive, Callie--chill. Now, I'm sensing you're a fire sign, perhaps on the cusp of water, right... No, no, no...it's not over but it should be." And then I pet Zen, my cat, take a sip of chamomile tea, turn up alternative tunes and tune into callers' woes.

(Photo courtesy www.michaelleu.com)

Spring Has Spung: But It's Hot Chocolate at Tahoe

2011-06-01T23:58:00.000-07:00

Lake Tahoe flowers, blue jays chirping, front yard trees blossoming, and sunshine are not in the cards. Yesterday I walked the Brittanys in a snow flurry. By five P.M., I made a roaring fire. What's more, I ordered a veggie pizza. No springtime here: no birds, flowers, or trees in full bloom. Sure, it's the sierra and back in 2009, we had snow, thunderstorms, and flash floods. Yet several years ago, in April I'd walk to the Lake each day and the 70s feel like warm 80s in the mountains.
This weather weirdness is playing games on my mind and spirit. Last night, for instance, I almost ordered gourmet coffee chocolate from an online chocolate company. But when the customer service rep told me corn syrup was one of the ingredients in the chocolates of my choice--I quickly hung up the phone. A cup of unsweetened hot chocolate sufficed...Today, my June Earth Changes article in Oracle 20-20 Magazine graces the cover: Spring Has Sprung: Is Armeggedon Here? by Cal Orey. I wrote it last month before May 21, Judgment Day, according to Harold Camping. My anti-prediction on The Mancow Show panned out and I hold my 100% accurate thumbs down to wacky forecasts...Speaking of forecasts, I have been accepted as a "psychic" on another well known psychic network. And I'm loving it. Busy, busy, busy like a worker honey bee. Yep, I'm still dishing out answers like an Eight Ball and getting "hits" again...

BUZZ-WORTHY NEWS

And this day is the final day for me to proof the honey bee book and it will fly via fax back to the publisher. This excites me. I will probably bake a honey dish (or two) to celebrate. Plus, as always, after the completion of a book that I pen, I make a fire and sip a healthful beverage. Read: A cup of herbal tea, hot chocolate and/or Joe are on the agenda for this chilly Thursday in June, pre-summer. No recipes required. Hot healthful beverges are best despite spring has sprung, sort of. But the heater is on and the sky is gray. Time to put on the hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and walk the Brittany duo in the big chill. No honey bee sightings today.

P.S. It's time for a cup of hot chocolate and a dark chocolate caramel (or two) after our romp. Ah, bliss. Watching Food Network; on the phone psychic network, and the big honey bee book is back in New York for its final trek. The worker bee's work is done!

A Toast to NO Doomsday, May 21, 2011

2011-05-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow is the beginning of the end of the world, or so one doomsayer and his followers claim. As a doom and gloom gal, I won't jump on this end game bandwagon. Back on April 22, I, author-intuitive Cal Orey was a guest on The Mancow Show following the guest dishing out the end of world words. When asked by Mancow if I sensed May 21 would be judgment day I darted back "No." And I'm holding my ground to that when the world does not experience an apocalpse. (But something challenging could indeed happen as it seems to past and present because that's life.)

This scenario reminds me of a scene in the classic film "Groundhog Day." When the character Phil (not the groundhog) pondered that if the world stopped as he knew it, why not live life to the fullest. He began to wolf down high fat food, and indulge in everything because it didn't seem to matter. So, should I go gamble? Book a Red Eye flight? Get reckless and throw caution to the wind? Nah, because my sixth sense tells me that May 22 will arrive.

Yep, the galley for The Healing Powers of Honey (Kensington Books) is coming next week and will have to be proofed by moi. My research mode for the new superfood book is in full gear. And I sit here waiting for a caller from the psychic network. Life goes on.

But note, due to this dire forecast of doomsday despite my anti-prediction that it won't happen, I did buy biscotti and will drink java (and study how to create latte art) because I need to feel centered. And coffee (and goals) give people a boost of energy and well-being and the Italian cookie has a crunch when it's high anxiety time. What's more, I bought food for the week because chances are I will be here and food is part of living. (I even bought Zen, my new cat a mouse because we most likely will be here and he needs toys.) Goodbye cruel world. Till Sunday, May 22.

The Healing Powers of Honey Is Buzzing

2011-05-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet
Like a honey bee in the springtime, I feel change is in the air. Change is scary. Change is exciting. Change is good. I am a fall girl, perhaps because I was born in October. But this year I can see novelty has its perks. A whole lot of changes are happening... One: The galley for my book The Healing Powers of Honey (September 27, 2011, Kensington Books) should arrive on my doorstep this month. It's kind of like viewing the birth of your book child. Two: After the passing of my beloved cat Kerouac who I sense is still around me but physically is chasing mice in feline heaven, I am now infatuated with my new Siamese-mix 2 year-old kitty Zen. It took 11 days for my Brittany duo to get used to the fact that this companion animal is part of the pack and here to stay forever. It gets better. We slept together peacefully two nights in a row. We are family... What's more, this athletic cat looks like a Siberian Husky and boasts dog-like qualities: bold, affectionate, and doesn't like to be alone. Read: Velcro Cat. (Note: More quakes may be on their way south of Tahoe on the CA-NV Border. I sense I've got another seismically sensitive creature in the house.)
Three: Due to a pesky glitch in the system of a psychic network that I worked for for 15 months, I was was out of work for two weeks trying to play phone tech due to a phone glitch that noone could solve so I changed to a cell phone and voila. Fast forward: Alas, my work as an intuitive continues on... Four: ...I feel like a worker bee. Now and through the summer, I am working on a new Healing Powers series book (and surprise superfood) and it's work but exciting. And the wonderful treats for a honey bee type of gal are arriving on my doorstep as well as research is in the works. Five: Swimming outdoors is right around the corner. Not. (Still feels like winter with snow.) Most importantly, Zen cat has given me a sense of peace and harmony, showing me this season that life goes on no matter what Mother Nature does or losses hit our world, big or small, we blossom again.

Top 5 Californian Chocolatiers for Mother's Day

2011-04-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally sprung. I'm starting to see the signs around Lake Tahoe. No bright splashes of flowers or birds yet. But the sun is warmer during the day and opening windows to doing feng shui inside and outside is on my mind. While fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits, and salads are stuffed in my fridge, I've got chocolate--the good stuff-on the brain. Blame it on the upcoming New Moon and Mother's Day. Both events can play games on feelings during a time of renewal.
I've been busy at work on my new Healing Powers book (a surprise superfood); and The Healing Powers of Honey (both published by Kensington Books) is due out in September. So, these are my new kids (sort of). And my new blue-eyed male Siamese cat, Zen is doing magic with my Brittany duo. Next Sunday, it's time to celebrate the popular holiday to show sweet appreciation for nurturing caretakers. Welcome to the Golden State's gourmet chocolate....People often ask me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate, "What's the best chocolate brand?" Well, here is a quick glance at some of my fave chocolatiers in Napa, the SF Bay Area, and Santa Cruz--just in the nick of time for you and/or the mom (to two or four-leggers) in your world... Annette's Chocolates : Truffles, creams, chews, nuts, and assorted specialities, plus chocolate sauces infused with cabernet, port wine, and amaretto, are just some of the goodies that locals and tourists can and do enjoy. CocoaBella Chocolates: If you love chocolate, you'll love the wide array of chocolates, chocolate-flavored coffees, hot chocolates, and more. Guittard Chocolate Company: This long-time chocolate company offers healthful 71 and 91 percent 2-ounce chocolate bars. It also has Single-Origin & Blended Bars. Recchiuti Confections: At Recchiuti they infuse a variety of chocolates, pairing them with an adventurous spectrum of flavors, from Bergamot Tea, Lemon Verbena, and Spring Jasmine Tea. Their distinctive confections contain the finest herb, nut, and fruit essences in surprising combinations. Richard Donnelly Chocolates: Their dark chocolate sea salt caramel bars dipped in premium Valrhona bittersweet blend are 100 percent bliss, as are their truffles.
One more thing. To celebrate my late mother, I made a Boston cream cake (she did the classic "pie" from scratch). However, while I turned to a store bought butter loaf cake and instant pudding with fresh organic milk, it was the dark chocolate chips from Ghirardelli from San Francisco that made this decadent chocolate dessert work with some healthy virtues. Its 21st century wonders made me feel like a female octopus busy at motherhood and work. (I inherited the Type A thing from my mom. Hope she's converted to Type B in Parent Heaven. I'm still working on it. "Zen. Hey Zen...")

Down-to-Earth Intuitive Dishes It Out This Week

2011-04-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm sensing the Golden State is on a roll...

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

This week before Easter you'd think I'd be busy in the kitchen. Not so much. The truth of the matter is, I'm getting over losing my seismically sensitive cat Kerouac (his nine lives ran out). And my Brittany duo is trying to get acclimated to Zen--my new Siamese-mix kitty who I rescued and he rescued me back. But the companion animal crisis that rocked my world isn't all...
Speaking of rocking, there is a mega sierra earthquake swarm happening as I type--and it's happening south of me at Lake Tahoe. (Click your mouse on that link and see the map. Callie and her seismic sentries are in the big circle!) Yep, Hawthorne, Nevada (near the dormant volcanoes) has been shaking it up with more than 500 earthquakes in the recent weeks this month. And this is bigger than the 2008 Verdi-Mogul/Reno quake swarm that ended up rattling my cabin at 11:45 PM, April 25. Of course, Kerouac sensed it before and gave me a head's up, as well as my two Brittanys acting out (rough housing and being Velcro pooches). And we're getting a repeat. My blue-eyed Zen (I know, I know how New Age is that) is vocalizing up a storm and is oh so affectionate (it's only been 5 days! and he's sticking to me like glue). Here come the tremors...
Tomorrow I'm going to be a guest once again on The Mancow Show. Topic? The sierra quake swarm, especially while scientists are "concerned" and their instrumenets are all over the shaky region! After all, I did tell Mancow on the last show after the Japan catastrophe(s) that our Golden State was next in line... But why does it have to be so close to home?
As an article is running right now about my confessions of a phone psychic (featured on MyDaily) you'd think I'd know the answer, right? Wrong. Sometimes, when intuitives are too close to a topic the read is fuzzy. So, I say flip a coin. The next significant shaker could hit in the Sierra south or north of me, the SF Bay Area, SoCal, or even Offshore NorCal. But I--the author-intuitive--can tell you this: as I penned in Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January issue, 2011 Forecasts, California is going to rock and roll. Count on it. I don't need tarot cards to confirm this prediction. (I randomly picked the temperance card for this post--which I just realized deals with loss and that is too spooky. So, the next card that came up was the strength card which is more positive and tells me, a Californian living on shaky ground to be prepared.)
P.S. For serious foodies who wanted a yummy Easter recipe for The Writing Gourmet, do as I do during shaky times: Detox diet. That means fresh fruit, veggies, brown rice, herbal tea, and water (one dark chocolate truffle per day). And pet the cat and dog(s) for comfort. Repeat as needed during turbulent times.

Here Comes Peter Cottoncat and Enjou Chocolat

2011-04-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

As a Catholic girl, I have always loved Easter--a time of renewal. When I was a kid, my mom would make a mega ordeal out the holiday. After Sunday mass, she'd bake a honeyed ham, sweet potatoes, a vanilla and lemon filled bunny coconut cake. Not to forget my dad who always gave me and my siblings Easter baskets full of chocolates--eggs and bunnies. And, of course, we colored boiled eggs and hid them around the house and backyard.

This year, I'm starting to think about Easter baskets. Making one at home can work but so can getting a ready-made basket (or other holiday goodies) at Enjou Chocolat. I glanced at the array of Easter treats and this Easter basket would make bunnies around the globe smile. Enjou Easter Basket includes a large floppy-eared chocolate bunny, jelly bean carrot, Enjoy connoisseur collection of chocolates, 1/2 pound solaid milk chocolate eggs, and more. It doesn't get much better than that...

But there is an exception. Tomorrow, the Easter Bunny is coming early for me. I pray that God's feline creature is a purr-fect fit for both of us. And something is telling me that this new kitty on its way may make the upcoming days this spring wonderful and full of life. And if my intuition pans out, an Easter basket will be an ideal way to celebrate the ressurection of a cat in my cabin to help fill the huge void of my beloved Kerouac, one of the feline loves in my life. Here comes Peter Cottoncat and chocolate. "Here comes Peter Cottoncat hopping down the kitty trail..."

RIP Kerouac

2011-04-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, Kerouac, there are birds, Brittanys, mice and sunshine in cat heaven.

P.S. I will always love you, my dear sweet cat companion. You were a multi-faceted creature with an uncanny sixth sense. It will take an extraordinary feline to fill your paws. Thank you for being patient when raising my two dogs; sensing oncoming earthquakes and storms with me; our dangling conversations; keeping my lap warm when I penned articles and books; relaxing me during radio shows; purring me to sleep; and using your gentle paw to ask me if you could share my cereal and milk in the morning. I enjoyed our last bittersweet days together. You were the fearless one this morning in bed when you told me it was time to go for dignity's sake. I promise not to cry too much (I'm lying but you surely sense that, right?). Your cat trees, cat nappers, and aquariums are empty. There is a void in the house. I miss your even tempered presence that gave me balance. We'll reconnect in my dreams, my friend. Catch a mouse for me.

Chocolate, the Soothing Universal E.R. Must-Have

2011-03-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey

The Writing Gourmet

Heartbreak or natural disaster, either event can take a toll on you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, fires, and even nuke disasters and losing loved ones are part of life around the globe.

This latest super catastrophe at Japan has affected countless countries and the world. It is surreal. As an author-intuitive, and one who predicts earthquakes, my quake prediction(s) were correct but never did I sense it would have such an aftermath of consequences.

Late December, I was invited to be a guest on The Mancow Show, January 3. My job was to dish out quake predictions. I sent the producer my forecasts for 2011--it included 8.0+s and tsunamis in the Pacific Ring of Fire (Japan is in this active seismic zone)--and on the early morning show I noted my predictions. Flash forward to February 27. I also predicted the quake with more precise details on my quake site Predictions Forum thread Japan Quake on Earthquake Epicenter and included the region, 7.0+ by March 12, Eastern Honshu region, nearby Tokyo. I based my forecast on the swarm in the area, left ear tones, and it was overdue.

Then, it happened. And, on the day of the 8.9 great quake, I received an early morning call from The Mancow Show producer. Once again, I was on air. But this time around, I was anticipating tsunami warnings for the entire West Coast, my home. And yes, I was asked for the next forecast. Our Golden State, I said.

Today, like millions of people, I watch the destruction from the quake, big waves, fires, and nuke crisis building. As a boomer, I've seen fire and I've seen rain, with respect to James Taylor. I have seen the destruction of the Great Alaska 1964 quake in March to the major 7.1 earthquake that rumbled through the San Francisco Bay Area. I have been in a major wildfire at Lake Tahoe (two, actually) to a blizzard in Wyoming. But this natural disaster in Japan surpasses anything I've seen or experienced.

SOOTHING CHOCOLATE In my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate, I cover chocolate as a universal emergency cure. And yes, it can help humans in crisis mode. So, if you do not have it in your own E.R. stash (dry foods that have a long shelf life, water, first aid kit, coffee, tea, etc.) , now is the time to prepare and add the "food of the gods"...

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Put chocolate bars, cocoa powder, and chocolates of any form (except fresh truffles) in an airtight container and store with other emergency products.

Why You'll Like It: If you are dealing with a disaster, such as quake aftershocks (yes, these can be anxiety-provoking as I have gone through in 2008 during our quake swarm at Reno to after the 1989 Loma Prieta aka World Series quake) chocolate can help calm your nerves, uplift your spirits, and provide mental alertness. If you are trapped at home or elsewhere like at an office or car, and have chocolate on hand, rationing the nutrient-rich superfood just may save your life, as it has for others who have endured a natural disaster.

The bottom line: No, chocolate sea salt caramels or a cup of cocoa will not fix or undo the ill effects of a mega disaster (or radiation levels soaring) or make it go away. But it may help you or if you're affected feel better like chicken soup, a cup of tea. Yeah, chocolate can nourish your body and soul, whether you're a survivor or watching other people endure catastrophic events.

Love for Artisanal Chocolate Soars in Asia

2011-03-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

For more than a decade, New York-based Christopher Norman Chocolates has developed a sweet chocolate connection with Japan. Evidently, Japanese clients love the gourmet chocolates that show craftsmanship and attention to detail, according to the company's president, Joe Guiliano. Any creative, gourmet chocolate treat that boasts a distintive shape (like the hand-painted tiles) attracts chocolate lovers in Japan--or so it seems.

A few years ago, the Christopher Norman chocolatiers were invited to show at the Salon du Chocolat in Tokyo. "The Japanese like our chocolates," points out Guiliano, who adds that he was currently working on an order of 1,000 of their chocolate Cappuccino Cups for them. These gems are described as follow: "Espresso and Grand Marnier are the flavors for this little latte. A soft, creamy ganache fills the chocolate cups, the boldness of the beans is cut with the sweetness of orange. All topped off by a buttercream."

It's no surprise that that these special artisan chocolates made an impression in Japan--and that they wowed me when I received a batch of the awesome goods. I still recall the taste to this day--about a month away from Easter, a big period for chocolate companies and chocolate lovers who like eggs and bunnies and adore these Cappuccino Cups.

And White Day--January through the end of April--in Japan is a popular period for chocolate with an artists' twist.

Chocolate Frogs & Bees for Good Luck in March

2011-02-27T19:39:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Here comes buzzworthy March tagged the "hump month"--a time between winter and spring. Depending on where you live, it can be cold one day and warm the next. Despite whatever Old Man Winter brings us, with chocolate and a bit of the Irish luck will help me (and perhaps you, too) get through the unpredictable days with flying colors.

As a kid, Saint Patrick's Day was a big event in my house because my mother was part Irish. And I can't forget the corn beef and cabbage as well as the dark chocolate cupcakes frosted with fluffy green frosting.

While I was researching and writing my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), Lake Champlain Chocolates sent me an adorable Saint Patrick's chocolate frog boasting three types of chocolate: milk, white, and dark. Since I'm thinking about it now you can be that I was impressed.

Last year, on March 17th, I also received a sweet surprise. The deal was sealed for me to pen my latest Healing Powers book The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011). Could it be just a coincidence or perhaps luck was on my side because of the special holiday? Also, I just read that Victorian people believed bees were messengers between heaven and Earth. What's more, they adorned themselves with bee jewelery to help boost their financial luck. For me, during the recession "recovery" I believe eating dark chocolate and wearing a bee necklace or bracelet may be in the cards.

Meanwhile, may I suggest incorporating chocolate into your upcoming days to help you deal with rain or snow and give you a mental and physical boost? I plan to include chocolate in my March meals--and, of course, I'll give them an Irish spin with a chocolate frog (or two).

BTW: Frogs are another symbol of good luck and yes, a ceramic one is sitting indoors by my front door.

Tea & Sympathy for Jim Cypher, My Literary Agent

2011-02-23T15:55:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Last night via an eye-opening e-mail I discovered my literary agent Jim Cypher has passed onto the other side. When I first read the note the news didn't register. I thought he was sharing the information about his father. In other words, it was an earthshaking shock. Gosh, about a month ago, upon his request, I confirmed him on my Facebook wall. And today, as I sip chamomile tea--it's calming--I'm still trying to accept the fact that Jim is gone.

Several years ago, he scooped me up (it's a challenge to find a good agent) and accepted me as one of his clients. Together we worked liked dedicated working dogs. He did find me a publisher for the book The Man Who Predicts Earthquakes: Jim Berkland, How His Quake Warnings Can Save Lives (Sentient, 2006). In the Acknowledgments, I wrote: "I praised Jim Cypher, my dedicated literay agent, who kept the faith. He sent out my book proposal to numerous publishers and posted the project on http://www.publishersmarkeplace.com/ , where we did find an interested publisher. Not only did Cypher persever in the beginning of the this project, but he also went beyond the call of duty from start to finish of this book. In The Writer Magazine, I once tagged him as being my "fairy godfather."

The revolutionary book, thanks to Cypher, did change the course of my life in many ways. Not only did I fine-tune my intuitive skills but I ended up being a regular guest on countless radio programs to dish out my own quake and weather predictions. What's more, I created a website for earthquake sensitives, landed a monthly Earth Changes column in a national magazine, and am a working intuitive for an international phone psychic network.

While I do pen health-related cookbooks (this wasn't his cup of tea), I still follow my passion of helping others get and stay connected to Mother Nature. And for all of these endeavors, I have Jim Cypher to thank. I remember he told me more than once that his plan was to work till the end. Yes, he loved his career as an agent and he was loved by hardworking authors, like me, around the nation.

So, as a devout Catholic, I truly believe he is in heaven--a serene place that is full of good people, pleasure and without earthling worries and woes. A toast to Jim Cypher. Goodbye my dear friend.

Chocolate With A Heart: Unforgettable Chocolatiers

2011-02-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Welcome to February and American Heart Health month. During last year this time, as a solo adult I embraced chocolate like an excited kid by savoring heart healthy dark chocolates from the West Coast, Midwest, and East Coast. It was a love affair with chocolate.

* Christopher Norman Chocolates: Chocolatier John Down's whimsical creations arrived on my doorstop. I loved the petit fours: hand-painted pastries that include dark chocolate and strawberry.

* Romanicos: Another gourmet chocolate company, in Florida, made me smile on Valentine's Day. In February, living in a region with snow-covered ground, it was great to taste the dark chocolate truffles packages in an attractive red box. I loved the Floridian orange flavored gems with distinct notes of the sweet citrus ffruit.

*Christopher Elbow: Two days after Valentine's Day, I received a box of Christopher Elbow chocolates: a 16-piece selection in a sophisticated white box with an earth colored brown ribbon. Chirstopher Elbow is one of the most popular chocoaltiers, praised for his enticing, eye-catching, and beautiful pieces mde from the best chocolate and ingredients.

So, this Valentine's Day I was welcomed with a UPS box on my doorstep. When I opened it up, a white box with a red ribboned bow greeted me. As I took out the gift my eyes feasted on a heart-shaped edible chocolate box filled with several dark chocolates. This experience is so much more exciting than bringing home a bag of chocolate from the grocery store. It's unforgettable to receive a box of chocolates with a special flair.

Thank you Enjou Chocolat, I feel special today and I owe it to you, chocolate, and the Westminster Dog Show coming tonight along with an overdue snowstorm on its way at Lake Tahoe. It will be a two dog-one cat night, with a crackling fire, hot cocoa, and a few chocolates to savor. And, now after the snow arrived, I'm dreaming of baking a decadent Italian dark chocolate cake to boost my spirits during the snowed-in time.

Super Chocolate's Fave Friends Are Super, Too!

2011-02-10T20:32:00.001-08:00

Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

A new study in Chemistry Central Journal has tagged chocolate as the new "super fruit". But hey, this is no news to me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate. During my year-long research in Chocolateville, I did get to savor lots of exotic foods infused in super food chocolate--and that is newsworthy to chocolate lovers and chocolatarians, like me.

Yep, chocolate goes well with herbs, spices, and fruits--but it doesn't stop there. Creative chocolatiers are infusing dark chocolates and truffles with good-for-you foods, too. Not only do the pairing add an extra exotic touch, but they add texture and irresistible flavor, too.

*Balsamic Vinegar: For 1,000 years, balsamic vinegar hs been touted for its healing powers. As with red wine vinegar, it's grape-filled counterpart, it contains powerful antioxidants that protect against heart disease--and may even fight cancer. Best Choco Blend: Balsamic vinegar can be infused in dark chocolates and truffles (Vosages Haut-Chocolate is the go-to place online for this treat), baked desserts, and topped on dark chocolate ice cream.

* Cheese: Like other good fatty foods, cheese does have its nutritional benefits, including calcium and protein. Best Choco Blend: Italian cheeses are teamed with dark chocolates in truffles, and in sauces such as mole.

* Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil contains health-boosting nutrients, including vitamin E, essential fatty acids, phenol compounds, and disease-fighting polyphenols. Best Choco Blends: Olive oil is infused in exotic chocolates, truffles, and baked goods, including biscotti, cake and cookies.

* Peanut Butter: This good-for-you fatty food (in moderation), like cheese, olive oil, and chocolate, is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and resveratrol. It also contains protein, vitamins B3 and E. Best Choco Blends: Chocolates (like you'll find at Lake Champlain Chocolates), truffles, cookies, ice cream with dark chocolate, and chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

So, now that more folks are getting the word and believing that dark chocolate is a superfruit/superfood, it's just a matter of time when savoring the combo with its fave friends becomes a household word (or study), too.

The Chocolate Craze Hits Home

2011-02-05T21:17:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

***

Welcome to Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day, the 14th of February, a traditional day for the change of romantic gifts of affection in both America and Europe. These tokens can include chocolates of all kinds, shapes, and sizes.

During my Valentine's Day experience in 2009, as an adult I embraced the popular holiday like an excited kid by savoring gourmet chocolates from both the West Coast and East Coast as well as the Midwest and Deep South. It was love affair with chocolate.

While I enjoyed champagne truffles, hand-painted pastries, orange-infused chocolates, and chocolates with nuts of all kinds, I forgot about the delicate roots of chocolate and the cocoa bean--which seems to be in danger these days...

* * *

Widespread Chocolate Appeal

The deal is, Africa produces 70 percent of the world's cocoa crop, followed by Latin America and Southeast Asia, and other regions around the world. Folks in "chocolateville" around the world are not ignoring the plight of chocolate--which is derived from cacao trees tagged as the "food of the gods."

America continues to lead the globe in cocoa bean importing and chocolate production. But Switzerland maintains front-runner position in its chocolate consumption. Like the worlds of olive oil, vinegar and wine, the world of chocolate is both competitive and delicate--and that's where the danger lies.

Cocoa bean harvesters count on Mother Nature to do her best, I learned. There are two main harvests per year, but some cacao can be harvested all year long. Also, pests, disease, and weather destroy some of the world's cacao each year. Sadly, chocolate craziness--including political, social, and economic woes are happening amid the Ivory Coast, a dangerous place right now like back in 2002. And this unrest puts the cocoa bean business in jeopardy and prices may soar (affecting the pocketbook of both chocolate makers and chocolate lovers) in the coming years.

As I anticipate arrival of a box of assorted dark chocolates from one of my favorite East Coast chocolatiers, Enjou Chocolat, I continue to send positive energy to the chocolate gods that all will be well in chocolatelands so chocolatarians, like me, can reap the healing rewards.

Chocolate: Winter Weather E.R. Medicinal Cure-All

2011-02-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

During late December 2011 thanks to a snowstorm, the lights went out at Lake Tahoe. Think no electricity, no TV or Internet, ice dams, a cold waterbed, aquarium fish with dead filters, and good, fresh food going bad. On the upside, Lindts Lindor Dark Chocolate Truffles (two packages) helped get me through the event. Yes, the sierra did get a good share of heavy, wet snow but it seems light years ago. As the Midwest and Northeast deal with the scourge of snowstorms (yes, I predicted this would happen in my 2011 Earth Changes Forecast in the January issue of Oracle 20/20 Magazine; "I Survived a Three Day Power Outage," February issue), having chocolate on hand can make the ordeal a bit sweeter.

In my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington), I include 50 A-Z Chocolate Home Cures . Known as Mother Nature's "food of the gods," the medicinal benefits of chocoate were recognized as far back as 4000 years ago. Today, chocolatiers to medical doctors know it can relieve a host of ailments, including depression, fatigue, pain and PMS, as well as up your sex drive!

And these woes--and other pesky problems--can hit you if you're dealing with a snowstorm (or not). If you're snowed in, suffering from cabin fever, need energy to shovel the white stuff, or want to calm high anxiety--chocolate can be your best friend.

* * *

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Chocolate bars, cocoa powders, pistoles, and chocolates can all come to the rescue. Think dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa content) and in moderation. (Shelf life varies but usually up to one year if stored in a cool place. Truffles are an exception.)

Why You'll Like It: If you are waiting for a snowstorm to end, having chocolate can help uplift your spirits, calm your nerves, and keep your mind alert. If you're stuck in a motel or your own home--grab the medicinal cure-all and a few bites will take you to warm and friendly chocolate heaven. (You can give thanks to its super compounds, including serotonin, PEA, theobromine, and tryptophan.)

Meanwhile, if you're not affected by the snowstorm of 2011, it's a good time to stock up on chocolate so you'll have it at all times. No need to go for the high end off the charts in price chocolate (especially during a chilling recession "recovery")--premium brands at your local grocery store or online can do the job when Old Man Winter makes our lives more challenging.

***

My Favorite Budget-Friendly Choco Brands

Hershey's

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

See's Candies

Dagoba Organic Chocolate

Enjou Chocolat (Photo Courtesy)

Valentine's Day Top Nutty Chocolatey Matches

2011-01-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Years ago, my landlord-friend, a sophisticate who loved Europe and loved good foods, was like a good teacher (like the character in the film Harold and Maude). During our dining experiences she, in her eighties, always ordered one glass of red wine and said to the waiter, "It's good for my heart." And one night I remember we were sharing our tales of chocolate love. She told me without hesitation, "My favorite chocolate candy is the dark kind with nuts." And note, my longtime food-savvy friend is now almost 100.

Too many people who struggle with unwanted pounds and body fat are too quick to say, "No, thank you" to eating nuts with or without chocolate. This is a mistake. I do eat nuts and I do eat all-natural peanut butter with chocolate, especially in homemade cookies--in moderation. Both are high in monounsaturated fat (this is the good stuff like in chocolate and olive oil), which can help satisfy cravings for junk food while they boast essential nutrients. I'm talking about flavonoids, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, mangnesium, and protien.

Nuts are used in candy--like truffles--both for extra flavor and texture. Here are some popular nut and chocolate combos you will find in chocolate, truffles, and baked goods.

* Almonds--combined with hazelnuts. Dark and milk chocolate. Chocolate bars, chocolates, clusters, truffles.

* Cashews--combined with dark chocolate. Chocolate clusters.

* Hazelnuts--combined with almonds. Balsalmic vinegar with dark chocolate and Sicilian hazelnuts. Dark chocolate.

* Macadamia nuts--often solo. Dark, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Chocolates, truffles.

* Peanuts--often mixed with caramel. Dark and milk chocolate. Chocolate bars, chocolates, truffles.

* Pecans--often solo. Dark and milk chocolate. Chocolates, truffles.

* Pine nuts--combined with chocolate in baked desserts, chocolates, and coffee.

* Walnuts--often mixed with fruits including apricots. Dark and milk chocolate. Chocolates, truffles, baked goods.

So, where oh where can you buy chocolate with nuts for Valentine's Day? One click of your mouse can help you to pick and choose a good-for-you nutty chocolate gift for you know who or even you. Here are a few of my fave chocolate companies that keep me smiling.

Recchiuti Confections

CocoaBella Chocolates

See's Candies

New Chocolate Cure Combos From Your Kitchen

2011-01-19T11:43:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Ever wonder if chocolate can cure health ailments and cosmetic problems? It can! I'll describe 10 uses for some common woes, from A to Z, and provide amazing but different chocolate folk remedies for each Chocolate Rx--straight from The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010)--which includes dozens of chocolate home cures. So, take two chocolates (or sip a coffee mocha) and call me in the morning.

1 ACHES AND PAINS

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try eating an ounce (or two) of dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa content to lessen sugar intake) or drinking a cup of hot dark chocolate once a day during a bout of pain. Also, teaming this remedy with aerobic exercise (such as walking or swimming) can help loosen tight muscles and improve symptoms of pain. A soothing Jacuzzi is also helpful for achy muscles.

Why You'll Like It: Chocolate is rich in magnesium, a mineral that can help both muscle pain and stress. Both exercise and hydrotherpy paired with dark chocolate (it includes endorphins--natural painkillers in your body that act on the nervous system to alleviate pain).

2 ANOREXIA

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try eating an enhanced healthy chocolate drink or bar infused with plenty of essential vitamins and minerals.

Why You'll Like It: While anyone suffering from anorexia should consult a doctor, adding multivitamins, minerals, herbs, an healthy food high in complex carbs may provide help in dealing with this eating disorder. Functional foods, like dark chocolate, chock-full of healthful mood-boosting compounds, can be beneficial for the mind, body, and spirit.

3 BONE LOSS

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Team chocolate with other bone builders, including magnesium, manganese, and calcium-rich milk. Each day opt for a cup of chocolate milk or a chocolate shake (low-fat if you're counting calories).

Why You'll Like It: Magnesium is great for beating bone loss, as well as calcium absorption. You need manganese, another bone-boosting mineral, to maintain bone cartilage and bone collagen formation. A bonus tip: Drink your energizing chocolate shake before or afgter exercise. Weight-bearing exercise (such as lifting free weights) can also keep your bones strong.

4 BRAIN FOG

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try two squares of dark chocolate or exotic truffles found from chocolatiers like Vosages Haut-Chocolat and Lake Champlain Chocolates. Repeat as needed in moderation.

Why You'll Like It: A chocolate square (especially infused with spices, herbs, and fruit) is convenient, quick, and it works. So whether you have a test or a mental task to tend to , wouldn't it be fun to enjoy something that is good for you as well as tastes superb?

5 MOODINESS

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Chocolate recipes, from breakfast muffins, cocoa pasta, fudge and lava cake, can help zap mood swings. (More than 50 chocolaty recipes are in The Healing Powers of Chocolate--accepted by The Good Book Club.)

Why You'll Like It: Not only will youg get a serotonin boost (a hormone that may be lacking often during cold, dark winter days), but the monounsaturated fat from both chocolate and olive oil (used in baked goods with chocolate) may help lift your spirits so you'll not be such a crab.

6 SINUSITUS

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try a half-cup serving of Mexican or Sicilian mole, complete with spices, such as cayenne, chili paired with antioxidant-rich, immune-boosting onions, garlic--and chocolate. Serve over whole-wheat pasta or brown rice. Note: Dark chocolate infused with chili spice is a treat that will suffice, too.

Why You'll Like It: Hot spices help unblock sinuses. Hot foods stimulate nasal secretions and loosen up unwanted muscus.

7 SLUGGISH (Athletic lack of energy)

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Drink a cup of brewed coffee mocha before you perform your physical performance.

Why You'll Like It: Athletes are all too familiar with the energetic buzz linked to the properties of quality chocolate and java. Not only does it enhance energy, but it also curbs distracting hunger pangs before participating in a physical event. And yes, brewed coffee contains caffeine (about 85 milligrams pwer 8-ounce mug), much more than chocolate (1 ounce of semi-sweet dark chocolate contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine).

8 UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Put chocolate bars, unsweetened cocoa powders, pistoles, and enhanced healthy chocolate cookies in an airtight container, and store these chocolate lifesavers with your emergency supplies.

Why You'll Like It: If you are waiting for a tornado to hit or miss, having chocolate can uplift your spirits, calm your nerves, and keep your mind alert. If disaster hits, such as an earthquake or flood to power outage, chocolate in easy to eat form will be a godsend as you cope with the disaster or rejoice that you got through it.

9 WATER RETENTION

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Both morning and night, drink an 8-ounce glass or cup of dark chocolate with a 70 percent cocoa content and/or try chocolate fondue with fresh fruits--strawberries and apples. Team this with drinking six to eight glasses of water, and fresh vegetables or juices. Plus, take a multivitamin mineral supplement.

Why You'll Like It: This chocolate and bloat-busting fresh produce/water cure boasts an all-natural diuretic effect. You can follow this remedy for one or two days and this will help your cells release retained water.

10 YOUTHFULNESS, WANT TO FEEL YOUNGER FOREVER?

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Run, do not walk, to your nearest health spa and order a pampering, youth-boosting antiaging treatment, such as a chocolate bubble bath.

Why You'll Like It: Pampering your body also takes care of your spirit. Plus, the Bella Lucce Chocolate in a spa bath includes anti-aging antioxidants so your skin will feel smooth and rejuvenated to the touch. Or you can use the chocolate beauty treatment in the comfort of your home. No matter what age you are, this is a healthful and soothing trick to feed your senses and ageless soul.

(Photo Courtesy Enjou Chocolat)

Chocolate Power, Timeless Book Sweetens World

2011-01-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

* * *

One year ago, my fave book The Healing Powers of Chocolate made its debut in the world--just in the nick of time for Valentine's Day and American Heart Health Month. But chocolate power is not just for February, it's a superfood that's still touted for its healing merits year-round...

The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010) has been recognized by a wide variety of media, including prestigious book clubs (such as The Good Cook Book Club and One Spirit Book Club), magazines, newspapers, and I've chatted chocolate on many national talk shows. What's more, the good for you food has proven to keep its place in the health world. In other words, chocolate--especially the dark stuff with its feel-good-compounds is as good for you today as it was last year this time.

Drawing on the latest scientific research as well as interviews with medical doctors and chocolatiers, my book reveals how to live longer and healthier while indulging in one of nature's most decadent and versatile foods. I explored real chocolate (infused with fruits, herbs, and spices). I included heart-healthy recipes created by pro-chefs, plus home cures that combat everything from seasonal affective disorder to stress. I also share rejuvenating beauty and anti-aging spa treatments--all made with antioxidant-rich chocolate!

Since one year ago, this unique chocolate book was chosen as Complete Woman Magazine's Editor's Fave pick; touted in the new Elegant Living Magazine; praised in Energy Times Magazine and msn health and fitness, talked about on a number of radio stations, including What's Cookin', Tom Roten, KSFO, and Canada's X-Zone. What's more, the one-of-a-kind chocolate book with a long shelf life has been picked up for translation rights by three publishers in Brazil, Czech, and Saudia Arabia.

The bottom line: The HEALING POWERS series (The Healing Powers of Honey will be released October, 2011) sweetens up the world with The Healing Powers of Chocolate, much like its sister books The Healing Powers of Vinegar and The Healing Powers of Olive Oil. As we edge closer to romantic Valentine's Day and Heart Health Month (chocolate is a must-have for both events), a copy of The Healing Powers of Chocolate--or the trilogy--may sweeten up your world, too.

S.F. Bay Area Shakes It Up, Cal's Quake Cake Rx

2011-01-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Last month the West Coast was getting slammed with snow and rain. This month we're getting our share of earthquakes at San Juan Bautista, Central California and people are reporting feeling the tremors throughout the San Francisco Bay Area--my home. I still have an uncanny connection to my roots, San Jose, where I grew up and went to SFSU. (I even took an earthquake class and on a field trip we visited San Juan Bautista). Before and after I survived the 6.2 Morgan Hill temblor while living in Santa Cruz Mountains; and the Loma Prieta 15 second shaker that rocked my San Carlos bungalow on the peninsula--and thousands of people--in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California.

Actually, the earthquakes south of the South Bay are no surprise to me (or to my fellow quake sensitives at Earthquakeepi-center forums--both two-leggers and four-leggers are on top of the seismic activity). On the radio and in print media--I predicted this may happen in 2011. Sure, in the past week, a 4.1 (epi at Seven Trees, north of San Juan Bautista), a 4.5, 3.7, and 3.9 and a bunch of smaller shakers are not a 6.0 (as I forecasted in Oracle 20/20 Magazine, January issue; page 23, Earth Changes column)--but the year is still young.

As a native Californian earthquakes are nothing new to me. And back in April 2008, Gemma Sciabica, olive oil guru and cookbook author, whipped up an Earthquake Cake for me (and she sent me chocolate biscotti) so I could deal with our hundreds of quakes here in the Reno-Tahoe region. Caveat: Dark chocolate can help soothe rattled nerves and high anxiety when Mother Nature makes moves. Chocolate (in many forms) is the 21st century nature's finest remedy for coping with earthquakes. (It used to be popcorn.)

So, I'd like to share Gemma's recipe--straight from my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010)--purchased by the Good Cook Book Club, One Spirit Book Club, Crafters, Mystery Guild, and translated in three languages so far.

* * *

Cal's Earthquake Cake

2 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 cup dark cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Sciabica's or Marsala Olive Oil

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon Danish pastry extract

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup raspberry-creame filled chocolate squares (chop)

1 large banana, mashed

Cheese Filling

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 egg and 1 egg yolk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well or use cooking spray in a 10-inch bundt tube pan. In mixing bowl, sift dry ingredients together, make well in center. Pour in buttermilk, olive oil, eggs, and flavorings. Stir until smooth. Add chocolate pieces. Pour half the cake batter into prepared pan. Spoon the filling mixture evenly over the layer of batter. Carefully pour second half of batter over the filling. Bake 55 or 60 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool cake on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before glazing. Glaze as desired, or, may be sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Serves 12.

Gotta Headache...Chocolate, Anyone?

2011-01-03T09:42:00.001-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

It's the beginning of the New Year 2011--and already strange sci-fi film-like happenings on our planet are in the works. Blizzards, "biblical" floods, and earthquakes. Dead birds (too many), lifeless fish (thousands) in Arkansas--one of the seven states in the New Madrid Seismic Zone are freaking me out. So, what's next?

I was asked just that this morning at the crack of dawn; Ms. Nightowl was a guest on The Mancow Show, a live syndicated radio show in the Midwest. In a 10 minute time frame I dished out my perspective on our global wacky weather. Then, I was asked to switch gears to a prediction. I spoke my mind ASAP (right brain) and said I sensed a Midwest shaker may hit this year. Translation: The New Madrid Seismic Zone is ripe for a strong earthquake. But after I tossed out the forecast there was dead air. Bumper music came on loud and clear. The interview was over. On the upside, the producer told me that the segment would run a few times that day (maybe he was thankful for the warning).

So, was my prediction too far out, too bold, too scary? Or maybe it hit too close to home in the Midwest. Did I shake up more than less listeners? (Gee, on April 18, 2008 a 5.2-5.4 rocked Illinois and 40,000 folks reported the quake to the USGS. Not to forget the "rare" 3.8 shaker in Indiana the other day that moved 10,000 residents.) I wasn't being "evil"--it was just a head's up from the "quake sensitive".

Meanwhile, in Arkansas (a place where the great 1811 quake make the Mississippi flow in a different direction) Stephen King-type fictional happenings are happening. Thousands of blackbirds falling from the sky are making the news today to 500 small quakes since September 20 is enough to shake up anyone on the West Coast, East Coast or Midwest. I sense a tension or earthquake headache coming on. Perhaps we native Californians living on shaky ground do earthquakes better than Midwesterners.

* * *

I NEED CHOCOLATE!

I'm sensing it's time for chocolate. In my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), I address the chocolate cure for headaches.

Headache While we all get sick, many of us get headaches now and then, too. While effective drug therapy has revolutionized treatment for migraines, some people may be wary of potential side effects. Stress and tension can cause many headaches, possibly lowering your magnesium level.

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Try a small square of dark chocolate--once or twice a day. Team this with remedy with aerobic exercise. It my relieve the effects of stress. Plus, chocolate also releases some endorphins in your brain--so-called runner's high.

Why You'll Like It: Chocolate is rich in magnesium, an antistress mineral that helps relax smooth muscles of blood vessels, which lowers the risk of headaches. Also, it works on brain chemicals to block pain messages--and that may help chase your headache(s) away.

So, it's to the treadmill--and chocolate. You can't control stressful events and Mother Nature, but you can control your own behavior during unpredictable times, like these. And yes, with the mystery die-off of birds and fish--and quakes--dark chocolate can help keep headaches away.

My Fave Chocolate Secrets, Chocolate Makers

2010-12-23T19:34:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

The New Year is here and Earth changes are in the works. After coping with a three day power outage, slushy snow, ice dams, and cold temps (low will be zero on Tuesday) at Lake Tahoe, I realize it could have been much worse. Once connected to the world again, news of an outbreak of tornadoes in America during the winter and "biblical flooding" down below welcomed me. It has me recalling chilling scenes of the doomsday film "The Day After Tomorrow" .

In the real world, cabin fever is setting in early for me and fantasies of Hawaii or even Washington are toying with my mind. The pool I favor is overflowing with tourists--and I miss my exercise endorphin natural high; it's icy outdoors which makes it a challenge to walk like a penguin with my two Type A Brittanys. Maybe the town will be a bit more sane this coming week and I can sneak a swim and hot tub in before the snowboarders and skiiers do it.

Meanwhile, I'm turning to my furry companion animals and a bit of "winter" dark chocolate to get through the series of severe wacky winter weather around the globe and seasonal effective disorder (SAD). Here, take a quick look at how you can get a quick mood booster from some of the most talked-about compounds in chocolate.

* * *

My Fave Chocolate Compounds

* * *

* Anandamide: Touted as the "bliss chemical," it occurs naturally in the brain and when released to our brain recepteros can provide good feelings.
* Caffeine: This ingredient has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. But note, both chocolate and cocoa contain minimal amounts of caffeine. A 1-ounce piece of dark chocolate contains 10-20 milligrams of caffeine. (You get a lot more in a cup of brewed java.)

* Endorphins: Dark chocolate, like exercise, helps release endorphins, natural painkillers in your body that act on the nervous system to zap pain.

* PEA: Another brain chemical known as the "chocolate amphetamine" can increase blood pressure and feelings of excitement. It also has been called the "love drug" because it can mimic feelings of falling in love.

* Serotonin: This is a brain chemical that can make you feel happier and improve brain power. It can even provide a calming effect.

So, everyone asks me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010) (embraced by The Good Cook Club and One Spirit Book Club), "What's your favorite chocolate brand?" It's a task to narrow it down to one, but here is a quickie list that works for me, a devout chocolatarian. In my chocolate book, I discuss in sensory detail about both the "food of the gods" and these specific chocolate makers' unforgettable treasures, which are found either online and/or in grocery stores, too.

* * *

My Fave Chocolate Makers

* * *

Christopher Norman Chocolates

Fran's Chocolates

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Meanwhile, while I have chocolate on the brain, I just heard that we may have fresh snow come this weekend (easier to walk the pooches and a cleaner look outdoors). And I have a nice, roaring fire working its magic in the fireplace, the ice dam is hooked up (thanks to electricity), and I'm watching "Untraceable" (a spooky reminder that I have access to the Internet). It's time to grab a piece of anti-stress dark chocolate and put those feel-good, calming compounds to work.
(Photo: Christopher Norman Chocolates)

News Flash! Chocolate May Stop a Hacking Cough

2010-12-22T16:03:00.001-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Surprise! Today, a hot off the press news report (actually more than one!) was no surprise to me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010). It's noted that the compound theobromine may be what the doctor will order to stop a cough. Uh, yeah... I knew that because London researchers were onto this cure some time ago--and now a British-based drugs company called SEEK are working as I write. In the Home Remedies from Your Kitchen section of my chocolate book, I wrote:

COUGH (Stop Hacking) Sometimes with colds or after them, a cough will follow. Nobody likes to suffer hacking, because it hurts after a while as well as disturbs you and other, right? Chocolate--yes, chocolate--may be the tasty cure for a cough, according to medical researchers. But if you have acute bronchitis, run--do not walk--to your doctor for a checkup. (Bronchitis can end up as a life-threatening pneumonia.)

What Chocolate Rx to Use: Drink a cup of quality dark hot cocoa (or two cups if you can afford the calories; if you're sick your appetite is AWOL, anyhow). Or, opt for an ounce or two of dark chocolate (contains nearly 1,000 milligrams of theobromine--the ingredient that will help suppress your cough) with a 70 percent cocoa content.

Why You'll Like It: If it works, you will be able to rest easy. Also, cough syrup doesn't always taste good, and cough drops don't seem to work that well. And, medical doctors believe dark chocolate may work as well as cough medicine, which often contains codeine, which can make you drowsy. Yes, melting your cough away with chocolate may work. It's the ingredient theobromine--found in cocoa--that proved more helpful than codeine. The reason? The natural cure acts on the vagus nerve, the culprit of coughing.

So, 'tis the season for colds and coughs. While I'm not going to wait for two years to see if the new researchers' work pans out, if I get a tickle in my throat, it's time for hot chocolate stat!

Psst Santa! Chocolate is Still the Craze Everywhere

2010-12-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

I can remember that when I was a little girl chocolate was a part of holidays in suburbia, where I grew up. Once Christmas rolled around, through the New Year's holiday, chocolate chip cookies for Santa, chocolate pudding, and homemade fudge were rich treats that everyone in the family couldn't resist.

Four more days to Christmas...And if you're wondering what gift to get for you know who, chocolate may be just the perfect thing. According to consumer companies, it's the dark healthy stuff that is making the news for the future chocolate makers and chocolatiers.

Here, take a look at some sobering facts, straight from my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010)--that'll show you that chocolate is still the crazy during the best and worst of economic times:

* Research company Packaged Facts claiming in a past report that the U.S. market for chocolate was primed for growth from $16 billion to $18 billion in 2011.

* Mintel, a leading global supplier of consumer products, believes the sweet tooth does not seem to be linked to the economic downturn. Mintel projects Americans will continue indulging in innovative dark and premium chocolates.

* The international market for chocolate has skyrocketed in Asia, where chocolate is a modestly priced and available Western luxury that attracts the middle-class folks.

* More than 6 of 10 Americans are loyal to a particular brand of chocolate, but many are trying new brands.

* What's more, nearly 4 out of 10 Americans eat chocolate at least a few times per week.

* Fifty-four percent of Americans said they eat chocolate because they like it, while 4 percent eat chocolate for health reasons.

* Chocolate is American's favorite flavor.

* Chocolate was a favorite comfort food during the Depression in the 1930s.

So, these days come with challenges for many people due to the sluggish economy due to the Great Recession. But the chocolate craze, whether you bake a batch of fudge or buy a box of premium chocolates or gourmet chocolate bar, continues on as a tradition.

5 Must-Have Holiday Wines & Chocolate Partners

2010-12-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

In my latest book The Healing Powers of Chocolate Kensington, 2010), I dish out health perks of red wine and dark chocolate. While I do not drink (perhaps that'll change in 2011 and definitely 2012 before the end of days), I do know that red wine is good for you and is included in the Mediterranean diet.
Wine guru Anita L. LaRaia, author of Pick a Perfect Wine in No Time, knows the perks of wine, and chocolate, too. In a nutshell, it's the double dose of good for you disease-fighting and anti-aging antioxidants from dark chocolate and red wine that make it all good. Here is an excerpt from my chocolate book on some wine and chocolate marriages made in heaven (and I include an entire chapter on this topic) ...

* * *

*Blane de Norie-Sparkling Wine: Vosages Barcelona Bar--41 percent cacao; deep milk chocolate with hickory-smoked almonds and grey sea salt.

* Zinfandel (California): "Zinfandel is a good match for semi-sweet dark choclate--and there is a sweet Zinfandel chocolate port that's made as a chocolate sauce for pouring over ice cream, or for dipping strawberries," notes the wine wizard.

* Malbec: LaRaia recommends teaming Malbec with a seven-layer chocolate cake, which will provide a touch of elegance.

* Pedro Ximenez, Sweet Dessert Wine, Montilla, Spain: The wine gal advises pairing this wine with a bittersweet chocolate mousse cake.

* Ruby or Vintage Porto: And last but not least in this mini wine and chocolate menu selection is a sweet red, high 20 percent alcohol dessert wine from Portugal. Porto is a perfect partner with chocolate cheesecake or chocolate pecan pie.

* * *

So, here I sit on a Saturday night with the ambiance of a crackling fire, two dogs and a cat. I finished baking a batch of scones that proves there is a Scone God. I found the secret to perfect, to die for scones! I am working and using my "gift" of intuition (yes, I'm still a phone psychic "Intuitive Callie" for Psychics Forever)--and I'm sensing that a piece of chocolate cake would be divine. And a glass of red wine? Perhaps in the New Year I'll try my first taste (or not). Happy Holidays to you and yours. (Looking for a holiday gift? Grab a copy (or two) of The Healing Powers of Chocolate and/or enter the contest on Foodie BlogRoll). Ah, the phone is ringing. A caller wants this human eight ball. Till next time. Take care.

Foodies' Forecast 2011: Eating on a Shoestring Budget

2010-12-05T18:28:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

As a former starving graduate student at San Francisco State (yes, I rolled pennies and cashed 'em in), I realize now I was getting crash courses on how to survive in the real world. (One professor talked the greenhouse effect; another about how to live life so you have something to write about.) Actually, it wasn't as economically scary back in the '80s because my fellow peers were all hungry and living in jeans, T-shirts, and enjoying the free things in life. The cool thing is, I did eat healthy for being flat broke. Read: Brown rice, fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain bread and bagels, peanut butter and honey played a role in my minimalist diet...

Fast forward to the present-day. While warming isn't happening (the temps are dropping andrain/ snow will fall at Tahoe), tonight for dinner, I was going to cook a poultry dish but my little all-natural birds were still frozen. So, peanut butter, bananas, whole grain sourdough bread, and honey (I have a lot thanx to my forthcoming book, The Healing Powers of Honey, Kensington, October 2011) came to the rescue.

The sandwich of health nut students hit the spot as I nibbled on it (and my sweet and sneaky food loving pooch Seth snatched the last bite); while reading the latest news about the ups and downs of the current econony. I'm so confused. Everything is good except for a mega lack of jobs and countries abroad have caught the economic sickness. Not to forget CA, NV and other states dealing with foreclosures, layoffs, and homelessness. I give up trying to figure it all out. I flunked math in college, anyhow. But, as an intuitive (yep, I serve up answers to callers who have questions about the future), I do know and can sadly say that there are a growing number the haves and have-nots. My article "Middle Class Melt Down" (page 24) on this topic made the cover on Oracle 20-20 Magazine, December issue.

My point of this blog post? I, like you maybe even you, can eat healthy on a roller coaster cash flow. That means, sticking to the staples as noted above. These foods are found in the Mediterranean diet--what I practice and preach in my HEALING POWERS book series. These simple and nutrient-rich foods will keep you healthy and lean. And it's so much better to eat this stuff rather than processed foods and junk food. In other words, keep it simple and real and you'll survive eating well in 2011, whether you're a have or have-not or floundering somewhere in between. And now it's time for me to dish out my 2011 Forecasts, including what we can expect for the economy and food costs. That calls for a cup of hot honey vanilla chamomile honey tea (or two).

P.S. I did sense and predict the recession of 2008. My doom and gloom forecast (complete with my black cat's sixth sense) and food facts was dished out in a PR press release to radio talk shows and even geologist Jim Berkland (the scientist who predicted the World Series Earthquake). He didn't believe me at first but later did give me credit for being spot on once it was a global reality and groundbreaking news. Too bad it was a "hit" and not a miss. It's tea and honey time.

News Flash: Hot Cocoa Beats SAD

2010-11-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

It's still fall but we got our first significant snowstorm at Lake Tahoe...and it's not over. More of that white stuff is going to dump outside tonight. Sure, I like the storm part--before and during. After it's all done, not so much. Tourists and some locals like to play in the white powder but if you live here it's not fun to shovel the deck, keep the wood clean and dry (more shoveling), and walk the pooches in three feet of snow and walk like a penguin on icy asphalt. (Snow removal service doesn't do these tasks.) And that's where sweet dark chocolate and/or cocoa comes in...

So I'm a fall gal, and I find myself facing Old Man Winter. It's a time when I feel irritable, and fed up with the shorter days, colder nights, and lack of sunshine and warmth. It's enough to make a person feel blue and out of whack. Welcome to the world of seasonal affective disorder. But don't despair. Hot chocolate comes to the rescue.

When your serotonin level is low, you may feel down. The happy fact is, dark chocolate contains serotonin. This is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that can make you feel happier and improve brain power and memory. It is a compound in chocolate that can also provide a calming effect. Also, tryptophan, the essential amino acid in chocolate may react like mood-boosting, calming serotonin, helping to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress.

The bottom line: While light therapy and exercise can and do ease SAD, nutritional experts belive that happy foods--like dark chocolate and cocoa--are important, too. A bonus: Grab the best, such as Lake Champlain Chocolates to Ghirardelli Chocolate. To get a comprehensive Resource List of my fave chocolatiers and premium chocolate, grab a copy of my book, The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), available at online bookstores or have your local bookstore order it for you.

The Comfort of Chamomile-Honey Tea, the Dove & Olive Branch

2010-11-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

By Cal Orey,
The Writing Gourmet

Last night I watched the film "Milk" and it brought me back to my days and life in San Francisco--a place of love, hope, diversity and change. I was touched by the acting, true story, one which had a bittersweet ending of tragic loss and earned triumph--which brings me to present-day full of life's ups and downs...
As an intuitive who works often as a phone psychic advisor, you'd think I'd have a built-in wall by now since I deal with peoples' woes from around the globe. Like a cool, calm, collected personality of a healing Indian doctor, I have fine-tuned my emotions, but it's sipping plenty of hot and sweet chamomile-honey that helps me get through the calls and help people feel better and more balanced.

Speaking of loss, today, I finally made the phone call to Gemma Sciabica, my dear cook-bakeress mentor and friend. It was time for me to acknowledge the passing of her beloved husband, Joseph. I could feel her pain and it saddens me. A lot. Meanwhile, I sit her next to her cookbooks and my HEALING POWERS books and see stories and pictures about the late Joseph, who lived to 95 years young. Joseph was an olive oil maker since 1936. His father, Nicola, and he began with grassroots of olive oil production, which he learned in Sicily, Italy, as a young man. In Waterbury, Connecticut, in the 1940s, it was common for Joseph to deliver a load of wine grapes and olive oil to an Italian family in the city. In fact, Nick Sciabica & Sons sold olive oil directly to Italian families from 1936 to 1968.
Fast forward to the 21st century. As I penned in my book, The Healing Powers of Olive Oil (Kensington), Joseph followed the traditional Mediteranean diet--the foods found in each and every one of Gemma's cookbooks--progressive gems that show how olive oil is the primary fat of choice for good health and longevity. I'm also talking fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry, nuts, and, of course, olive oil. Joseph also had one glass of homemade red wine with his dinner each night. And yes, chocolate played a role in his life, too. He did eat chocolate almonds in moderation.

As I sit here I am sad that we lost a fine man, just shy five years of 100. Joseph was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and icon in the olive oil world. I keep hearing Gemma's words she shared with me today about looking at the olive trees and thinking of her dear Joseph, a goodhearted man who always treated her like a lady. Joseph led a happy, complete life with a loving wife and family. As a romantic, I am deeply sorry to see an old-fashioned couple (who were together almost 70 years) be separated.

May God watch over these two eternal lovebirds and provide peace of the symbolic dove and olive branch to each of them--and anyone else who endures the bridge over trouble water.

Sweet November, Sweet Chocolate Fondue

2010-11-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

It's November at Lake Tahoe. The pine cones are still dropping onto the ground which is covered with pine needles not white powder. Today, the temperature was in the high 60s--like Indian summer. And I still haven't made a fire. It's too warm except late, late at night or early in the morning...
Still, chocolate fondue seems like a perfect treat at night. How decadent and healthy can chocolate and good for you tidbits be? Imagine dipping your fave fresh fall fruits into warm dark chocolate? It's ideal for a party, a couple, or even just one for the thrill of it all. And in my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), I include the perfect recipe (on page 180), straight from Lake Champlain Chocolates.
My brain is on honeycrisp apples (these are available now, pricey but worth every penny). And strawberries are still available at our stores. Marshmallows are low cal and a fun sweet; homemade brownies (made with extra virgin olive oil and 70 percent cocoa) dipped in this fondue may be the winner in this house. Sure, it would be 100 percent ideal if I waited till our first snowfall. But sometimes, doing what feels good is worth it.
And yes, I do love the unforgettable tearjerker film "Sweet November" based in San Francisco--my home. It's a place that I remember for my umpteen experiences in my post-Haight Ashbury days to artsy friends' flats, my everlasting link to SFSU, its diverse people from around the globe, a potpourri of restaurants and cafes in North Beach, culture with a capital "C" -- and the winning Giants!

Chocolate Fondue

* * *

1/2 cup half-and-half

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or pistoles

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped or pistoles

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
marshmallows, pound cake, or brownies, peppermint sticks,
strawberries, bananas, raspberries, or apricots

In a saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Stir in vanilla until smooth. Pour fondue into a serving bowl or individual cups. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed. Dip the goodies!

A Chocolatey Autumn Thanks To Christopher Norman

2010-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

'Tis the cold season rich in falling golden and brown leaves and big orange pumpkins. It's the time chocolate lovers and chocolatiers make a connection--a chocolate link and rejoice. As the author of "The Healing Powers of Chocolate" (Kensington, 2010), I admit I miss the chocolate I was treated to during my research. And Christopher Norman Chocolates is one company that I will not forget.

Today, my fingers on the keyboard took me to their web site. The autumn chocolatey items are awesome: cats, pumpkins and leafs, oh my! If you open that sculpted dark chocolate pumpkin or leaf box you'll be greeted with four seasonal truffles. How warm is that?

Meanwhile, as I scrutinize the variety of autumn chocolates that grace the pages of Christopher Norman's site, I know from past experience that the palate won't be disappointed--mine or yours. Creative, original, chocolatey-delicious are words that are on my brain.

In my chocolate book, I discuss nine top-notch chocolatiers and this company in New York is one of them that is buzzworthy. Not only does Christopher Norman Chocolates play up seasonal chocolates but they are good to go year-round.Since autumn is my fave time, I can't help but enjoy the chocolate wonderland of creations. It's that time to put my order in and anticipate a fab chocolatey season.

Recession Food for the Haves and Have-Nots

2010-10-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Recently, I've been booked on upcoming radio shows such as "Turn Financial Fears into Cheers" to chat it up about money making hurdles as we Americans continue struggling on the bumpy Recession Recovery Road. I've never been a huge "have" but regressing to a penniless "have-not" as I was in graduate school and hitchhiking across America in the seventies, is not something I prefer to do (again). Been there, done that...

In the January 2010 issue of Oracle 20-20 Magazine, I forecasted that "the middle class will struggle to make ends meet and the "haves" and "have nots" will be more defined this year. Money issues will continue to affect all ages groups around the nation." And this prediction does ring true as we edge toward the end of the year.

More than 20 years ago. I fell into the health-nutrition writing genre. The cool thing is, hundreds of articles and many books later, I know how to eat and stay healthy during lean times. But other people continue to shock me by their ideas about eating when money is scarce. Some folks still believe that if money is tight that eating white rice and spam or hamburgers and fries is the way to fill up and survive.

There really is no need for me to dish out a recipe for cooking up brown rice and veggies. This is what is on the menu for tonight. Sauteed cruciferous vegetables, and tofu with cooked whole grain brown rice (with a bit of olive oil, herbs, and honey) should suffice. What's more, this can last for leftovers. Not only is it cheap and healthy, but it's so easy to put together and it's tasty. And you'll stay lean and heart healthy eating like this, too.
So, the question remains, why do people eat processed food (stuff in cans) when times are tough (or not)? Whole grains, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, herbal teas--are some of the feel-good edibles. It's cheap eats, like these (including a dark chocolate truffle or full cup of a homemade latte), that enhances happiness while coping on Recession Recovery Road.

A Time to Celebrate with Chocolatey Biscotti

2010-10-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

I'm craving crunchy chocolate. Last week I purchased gourmet store bought traditional biscotti. It was yummy. To give it a lift I made frosting from scratch. I used a mixture of dark chocolate chips, 60 percent cocoa content), confectioners' sugar, half and half organic milk, and pure vanilla. Mix till the consistency is the way you like it--creamy. Yes, it was to live for. All gone...

So here I sit taking calls for the phone psychic network and watching a chick flick, "Obsessed." No wonder I'm craving chocolate. Another unrequited love call to unsweeten my mind. Okay, chocolate is on my brain. Yes, good chocolatey stuff is chock-full of mood enhancing ingredients, including PEA (the love drug) and serotonin (the get happy compound we need when it's gray and cold outdoors). It's time to turn to Gemma Sciabica's recipe for biscotti. She is the biscotti guru on the planet. Last week on the phone she promised me that these are easy to make and bake. See her cookbooks. I feel like I have a Julie and Julia connection--but Gemma is alive and likes me! (Her recipes are in my Healing Powers series (olive oil, chocolate) and in my upcoming brand new book, The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011, Kensington).

* * *

Chocolate Biscotti

3 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar packed

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (3 ounces)

1/3 Marsala Olive Oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons rum liqueur

grated peel of 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60-70 percent cocoa content)

1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped, small

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. Make well in center. In another bowl add eggs, melted chocolate, oil, juice, rum, peel, and vanilla, sir. Pour egg mixutre into flour mixture, stir until dough is well blended. Add chocolate chips and nuts. On floured board divide dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Shaped pieces into logs 2 by 12 inches long. Place on foil-lined greased baking sheet, 4 inches apart. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for about 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven; cool about 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into about 1/2-inch thick slices. Place biscotti, cut side down, on pans; bake 8 to 10 minutes to toast. Makes 60 to 70. Cool. Frost with chocolate frosting (white chocolate or dark).

Ah success. I just received a call, a repeat caller from the network. My intuition was correct! The young woman got her wish met for a challenging career-school goal. I am so happy. She succeeded as I sensed she would (along with my continual intuitive tips and advice). This calls for a celebration. She is so faraway in miles and my reading was spot on. It's time to make chocolate biscotti with dark chocolate frosting. The phone is ringing. It's going to be a long night. I sense it.

A Sensitive Dishes It Out: "I Feel Your Heartburn..."

2010-10-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

So, how in the big cruel world did I, a health-cookbook author-"quake sensitive" end up being a part-time phone "eight ball" for an international phone psychic network, anyhow? Blame it on the Great Recession hit (yes, I predicted it as others did back in 2007). In the winter of 2009, I called a psychic (or 10) to ask questions about my work as a writer. The answers were off the mark...

Then, one pre-spring day I thought, "For years, I've been dishing out quake predictions and getting credit for "hits" on national radio shows. Reading people and their challenges that rock their world is no different." The rest is history.

These days, on the job I tune into the faraway caller around the globe. Once I hear a voice it sets the stage. Often I can pick up if the call is from the West Coast, East Coast, Canada,Trinidad, New Zealand or Australia. It's not always the accents. It's my animal-like intuition that kicks in from the get-go. But there's more.

I use the planets as a baseline, lunar cycles (emotions and calls soar during the New and Full Moon), and a tarot card (or two) to get an objective read which often coincides with what I've picked up with my gut instincts. As a super sensitive I can read a caller's woes by tuning into their voice, energy, and words. I get cues within a minute or two of their, age, sun sign, and issue(s) why they're ringing me.

Yeah, I can feel vibrations. Both callers and myself are often surprised that I know things, such as if they have a toothache or heartache. The most common problem, however, I am faced with, is unrequited love--and this hurts. How do you say, "he or she isn't that much into you?" especially when the caller's ego is wounded, fears being alone or the unknown. Part of me wants to play Mayer Hawthorne's song, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out" while I drink a cup of peppermint tea to soothe my empathy pains of the caller's heartburn.

But I offer advice and words of preparedness for upcoming events (even if a caller can't see it yet). I tell it like it is (yes, I do get images, words, feelings like I do before an oncoming quake) because saying good things doesn't always bring good results. It's like saying, "A quake won't hit" when I'm looking at the USGS map watching an aggressive swarm in a city on an active fault; and the caller is located at the epicenter. (You can find out more about how I do what I do in my Earth Changes column article "Confessions of a Phone Psychic" page 24, September issue of Oracle 20-20 Magazine.)

P.S. Excuse me, the telephone is going to ring. Trust me, it is. Meanwhile, the Full Moon is on the 23rd. If you'd like to speak with me about what's eating you, e-mail me via my web site . You can also see my roots of being a sensitive at work Author-Intuitive Cal Orey.

Healthy Chocolate for Worker Bees

2010-10-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

By Cal Orey

The Writing Gourmet

It's Sunday afternoon and it's raining outside. I feel SAD, sort of. A bee guru warned me that postpartum blues could hit home once I finished my hard work on the big sweet honey book. This guy knows worker bees...

Yep, I'm feeling a bit down. My mood could be also due to not swimming today (the resort pool is off limits to locals during the weekends). I do miss my link to writing about the nectar of the gods and sacred honey bee. But hey, I did walk the dogs, cleaned the fish aquariums, worked the psychic network phone lines, and am getting ready to whip up a dish for my Tahoe Daily Tribune column, "What's Cookin at Callie's Cabin". I am so worker bee-oriented. Blame it on my genes or maybe I was a bee in a past life. If it wasn't for the recession (yes, I sense it's not over) in the works I'd probably fly to Italy for its honey and...

... chocolate: A while ago, I was sent a box of Chava Vital Chocolate. It's super "healthy chocolate"--the stuff that's good for you, really good for you. I'm not talking about mass market milk chocolate at the grocery store, nor premium chocolate filled with sugary goo and artificial ingredients. These chocolates are the real deal. Yep, we're talking super dark chocolate squares with super antioxidants. The cool thing about this healing chocolate is that it tastes healthy so you won't overdo it like you can with the sugary junk. Also, it boasts a creamy texture and a flavor that tastes like almonds or cherries. That means it keeps me coming back and it's not ending up in the trash like some healthy chocolates I've tried in the past.

So, go ahead. Check out this good for you chocolate. ChefShop.com excerpted a list of compounds in chocolate from my book, The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010). And I'm sure as a honey bee on the job that these guys are in Chava. Also, I penned an article "Chocolate World" in this month's Oracle 20-20 Magazine (page 24) that'll explain more info about chocolate for chocolate lovers.You can grab a copy of my chocolate book from me http://www.calorey.com/, online bookstores, book clubs, local bookstores, and anywhere you choose. (Psst! On October 28 it's Chocolate Day!)

Meanwhile, I think I'm going to go and snag a square of Chava for a nice pick me up while the sky is gray and it's all wet outdoors. I used to think I could live in Washington state but if I did I'd have to have chocolate--all kinds! (To find out all about Chava power, log onto this link and discover the dark secret.)