In my first member update for 2025, I talk about recovering from a bad cold, a new format for videos, not being perfect in the kitchen, and a whole lot more!
These conversational vodcasts are available to the Kitchen Pioneers who have joined my YouTube membership community—The Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy.
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Table of Contents
Starting Off 2025 with a Cold
As I mentioned in my last few Mary’s Nest newsletters, my husband Ted and I came down with bad colds at the beginning of the year.
When we first became ill, we checked to see if we had more than a cold. My husband stopped by our local grocery store to pick up some test kits. We swirled the test swabs uncomfortably in our nasal passages a few times before following the process to check for viruses. Fortunately, our tests came back negative. We didn’t have the flu, but we had sore throats, clogged sinuses, and generally felt unwell.
I updated my Praised Chicken recipe page to talk about the meals I made to provide us with protein and build up our constitution. I also used some of my extra onions to make my ancient home remedy for colds and flu and took my elderberry syrup. (In addition to getting the medical attention you may need—as I have done—it’s always helpful to have a well-stocked herbal medicine cabinet to make the natural remedies that may help you feel better.)
My husband has bounced back, but it’s taking me a while to recover. Although my stuffy nose and sore throat are better, I lost a significant amount of hearing in my left ear. I visited my ENT doctor for a checkup, and although I don’t have any damage to my ear drum, he was able to verify my hearing loss. He prescribed some steroids to see if that would help my hearing to return, and I’ll return for a follow-up visit to see how I’m doing.
I’ll keep you posted on my recovery in my latest newsletter editions, but if you’ve experienced this type of hearing loss before, please let me know how you’re doing and if anything has helped to restore all or part of your lost hearing.
Disclaimer
I am not a doctor or medical professional. If you are not feeling well, please seek professional medical attention and medicine. And if you are thinking of supplementing your treatment with home remedies, be sure to talk to your medical professional about them. It’s important that you get the medicine and treatments you need to get back to good health.
Video Thumbnails and Filming Formats
You’ve seen me try different video thumbnail designs in 2024 to try to reach new audiences who may be interested in traditional foods recipes. I’ve switched between (1) my traditional thumbnail with words on the left side and my picture with the recipe on the right side and (2) a full-length picture of the recipe with an image of me on the right side. After trying different formats, I finally decided to go back to my traditional design since it’s the most recognizable. (Thanks for your patience with me! 😊)
A viewer told me he likes my traditional thumbnail design because it reminds him of a printed cookbook with text on one side and a picture on the other. I didn’t think of the design in that way before, but since I love all kinds of cookbooks, especially the vintage kind, it was a nice compliment!
In my first recipe video of 2025, Cream of Bone Marrow Soup, you’ll also notice that I’m trying a new filming format where I added in the use of an overhead camera and talk about how to make the recipe with video and picture overlays from different camera angles. Since I published the video, I’ve received a lot of comments from viewers who like the new format. Yay! I like it too!
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The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
My comprehensive vodcasts are exclusively available to members of the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy, who we call Kitchen Pioneers. You can learn more about my optional YouTube membership community, including members-only videos and exclusive perks.
This membership community is optional. I’m still publishing my weekly detailed instructional cooking videos on my public YouTube channel that you can watch for free. (Thanks so much for being a Sweet Friend and subscriber!)
Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
As a Kitchen Pioneer member, your YouTube video comments include a special badge next to your YouTube username. You’re always welcome to post questions and comments on my videos, and I’m happy to reply.
Catch up on some of the videos in our membership community that you may not have seen:
- Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy video playlist (Optional Membership Community)
Kitchen Academy Videos
Baking with Ancient Grains in the Traditional Foods Kitchen
Bake with Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt—nutritious ancient grains that bring rich flavor and tradition to your favorite recipes.
Discussing the Secrets to Perfect Green Herbal Oils
Let’s talk about the popularity of flavored herbal oils.
Are You Salt Sensitive or Salt Resistant? Get the Latest Salt Intake Research
Learn how your body may react to salt intake differently from others.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a printed book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
- Visit my Shopping Guide page
Get up to 15% off for stocking your Traditional Foods Pantry and equipping your Modern Pioneer Kitchen, including discounts from US Wellness Meats, Farmhouse Teas, Lehman's, Masontops, Cultures for Health, Survival Garden Seeds, Redmond Real Salt, Plan to Eat, and More!
Recommended Reading
Disclaimer:I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.
