Bartok, the Concerto and his Leukemia

I am reading a fascinating book by Hungarian-born Canadian author, speaker, and retired physician with a special interest in childhood development and trauma and how it impacts on physical and mental health, addictions and a wide range of illnesses such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and ADHD and many other conditions.  The title of this book I am reading by DR Gabor is When the Body Says No - Exploring the stress-disease connection.

Dr Mate is a fascinating character, like most Hungarians are. He also has an immeasurable empathy and love for those he is talking about and working with. Rare in the medical profession. Dr Mate is light years ahead of the standard medical profession in his views and his recognition of the importance and the role trauma and emotions play in developing diseases.

Although his book is not exactly a popular novel, I still hardly could put it down. Dr Mate is a very eloquent speaker-writer and his style is highly enjoyable, even when he is writing about medical terms and serious issues.

However, on page 96 he made me stop and think. Think seriously about being Hungarian. Hungarians have culture, arts and music in their blood. In their genes. This is what made me stop and think. While for almost one hundred pages he discussed cases and brought examples of people, his patients, on page 96 Dr Mate grabbed me by the heart. Suddenly he was writing about Bela Bartok, Hungary’s most outstanding composer. Even if I did not know that he was born in Hungary, here he has revealed himself. Himself, his origin and his heart. 

Bartok’s case of leukemia and his remission is fascinating.

Page 96

“ At the University of Rochester, a fifteen-year study of people who developed lymphoma or leukemia reportedly found that these maligmancies were “apt to occur in a setting of emotional loss or separation which in turn brought about feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger or hopelessness.” 

Synthetic analogues of the stress hormone cortisol are important components of the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma.  Interestingly, the amount of cortisol-like hormone needed to block the replication of leukemia cells is only a little higher than what should normally be functionally available in the body  In the case of leukemia, episodes of acute stress in which the cortisol levels temporarily rise are sometimes enough to induce a remission.  Such is thought to have happened during the illness of the composer Bela Bartok. 

We need to recall here that the temporary elevation of cortisol that occurs in episodes of. Acute stress is healthy and necessary.  Not healthy are the chronically elevated cortisol levels in chronically stressed persons. 

Bartok, in exile from his native Hungary and stricken with leukemia, was commissioned by the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Serge Koussevitsky, to write a new piece.  The composer went into spontaneous remission, which lasted until the work was completed.  Quite likely, HPA-triggered cortisol and several other elements of the PNI system contributed to the famous remission, which made possible the creation of Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, a classic of twentieth-century music.”

The Concerto was composed by Bela Bartok in 1943, premiered by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Serge Koussevitsky on 1st December 1944. Bela Bartok has died in New York City on 26th September 1945. 

Enjoy this performance of the Concerto by Bartok performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa https://youtu.be/KP-DAOuBsGA?si=6uwQIWUNArBkI44V

Hungarian Cauliflower soup with cheese gnocchi

Divine Cauliflower soup with sour cream and cheese gnocchi, the Hungarian way.

Hungarians love soups and eat them every day. These soups always use the seasonal vegetables and fruits. Thick, heavy, hearty soups for winter and light, cooling, refreshing soups for summer and everything else, between in autumn and at spring? Using the best of the fresh vegetables and fruits! 

Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables that are extremely good you and we all should be eating plenty of it!

Here is an old favourite recipe, how my Mum used to make it with a delicious addition! The cheese gnocchi that makes this soup even more delicious and a true favourite that will return on the family menu frequently!


Ingredients:
250g cauliflower
1 onion
1-2 carrots
1 parsnip
2 tablespoonful of olive oil
1 tablespoonful of flour of your choice
1 teaspoonful of Hungarian Paprika
2 tablespoonful of sour cream
1 litre of water
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
chicken or vegetable stock cube

Ingredients of the gnocchi:
1 egg
3g smoked cheese
salt to taste
2 tablespoonful of flour of your choice

To serve:
Finely chopped parsley or coriander

Cooking method:
Peel and slice the onion finely and sautee on the olive oil.
Break the cauliflower into small pieces, peel the carrots and parsnip and cut them into small slices. Add the washed and slices vegetables to the sauteed onion, add salt and pepper to taste and cook the mix for a few minutes.
Add water, add chicken or vegetables cube and cook until the vegetables just softened.
In the meantime, prepare the gnocchi. Whisk the egg with a pinch of salt, add the finely grated smoked cheese and the flour. If the mix is too soft, add flour. If too hard, add a little water.
Put another pan on the stove and in a heated olive oil brown a spoonful of flour, until golden brown. Take the pan off the stove to add the teaspoonful Hungarian Paprika so it does not burn and get bitter and burnt. Mix it with a wooden spoon and add 100ml water and mix it well. Add this paste to the gently simmering soup while gently, constantly stirring the soup.
Gently bring it to boiling point then with a small coffee/tea spoon cut and shape and add the gnocchi mix to the simmering soup and cook it for a few minutes, until the cheese gnocchi is cooked.
Serve this delicious soup with freshly chopped parsley or coriander and enjoy!

Fluffy Hungarian Apple Poppy Seed Cake - quick & easy!

You know those Sundays when you feel like baking something but you don't want to labour in the kitchen all day? You feel like something yummy to have with your cup of tea or coffee?
Poppy seed is my BIG favourite! Hungarians LOVE poppy seeds and they make some incredible cakes, strudels and pasta with poppy seeds!

This is one of my favourite recipes because it's quick and easy and the cake is fluffy and delicious!
When I made this the first time, it brought back memories of my family, baking with my Mum, dad watching sports on the TV and beating the egg whites for mum to help with the cake! Precious and fun times!

Today when I prepared this recipe again, I decided to use my doTerra essential oils so I included how to replace lemon with oils! These oils have become my best friends for many reasons. It's easy to place a drop on my wrist a few times during the day and taking supplements done! Tick! I love putting some in my water! Immune system protection and weight loss management done! Tick! I love smelling them! Little pleasures of the day, tick! They make me feel good. Mood enhancement, tick! I love smelling good. Being aromatically dressed, tick! Love massaging oils onto my skin. Massage, beauty treatment, skin care, tick! Now, that was enough...what not to like about essential oils? But wait!...... You even can cook with them! Just make sure they are 100% pure, Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade!

I have been experimenting using my oils in different recipes. It is fabulous that if I don't have lemon, basil, rosemary, lemongrass or other herbs at home fresh, I still can prepare that recipe! I almost wanted to write that it turns out better than with herbs... The flavour is definitely more intense even from 1-2 drops of oil!

So, let's bake that apple poppy seed cake!

Ingredients
1 egg
100g sugar
100g flour
1 teaspoonful of bi-carb soda
100g ground poppy seed
1 grind of a lemon and a tea spoonful of the juice (you can replace the lemon juice and the grind with 2-3 drops of Lemon Essential Oil by doTerra)
100ml oil (coconut oil, melted butter, sweet almond oil, whatever you have home)
250ml sour cream
2 apples (grated on the larger cheese grater)

Method of preparation
Start the oven and preheat it to 180C. Line a baking spring form or a baking dish with baking paper.
Mix all ingredients in a bowl in the same order as they are listed  above. Pour the cake batter into the baking form and place it in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes.

This recipe takes for me 40 mins in my oven. I find that many cakes collapse after taking them out of the oven because the middle is not properly baked, even when the pin test comes out clean. I tried an extra 10-15 mins extra baking time and it results in better consistency! Just make sure than you keep an eye on your cake and don't burn it! So I add another few minutes after the pin or the fork came out clean!

Tips:  In my family we put a tiny rum to almost every cake recipe! I started to follow this tradition and I like it better! A little alcohol makes almost every cake recipe taste better!
This cake is delicious with some vanilla custard, cream or raspberry sauce! True indulgence but you are worth it! And what are Sundays for if not spoiling yourself and your loved one!