These are golden with a tinge of green; perfect for tortes but too tart to dry. I dream not in sugar plums but in Italian prune and this year my dreams are all coming true; the neighbor’s tree is bursting with succulent blue fruit. I harvest the plums in succession for each recipe tastes best […]
Archive for the ‘Cooking’ Category
Plum Torte
Posted in Cooking, tagged plum, plum cake, plum dessert, plum torte, plums on September 15, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
Homemade Noodles with Fresh Garden Vegetables
Posted in Cooking, tagged homemade noodles, Noodles on September 13, 2022 | 1 Comment »
Here’s one from the archives! I went out in the garden last night and found several tomatoes, a couple of handfuls of beans, a small zucchini, kale and Italian parsley. The chickens are all back laying in full force so we had plenty of eggs too. Time to make pasta primavera! Wash and prepare your […]
Fermented Dill Pickles
Posted in Cooking on August 28, 2022 | 2 Comments »
Making great pickles is easy! Here’s what you need: Kosher or pickling salt A few grape leaves for crunchy pickles. Fresh cucumbers with the blossom end cut off to prevent softening. Garlic Dill Pack grape leaves, cucumbers, dill and garlic into clean jars and cover with brine solution. Brine solution is made by dissolving 2 […]
Carmelite Water
Posted in Cooking on August 3, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
Here’s a soothing tonic for stressful times. Carmelite Water or Eau de Mélisse, has been used since the Middle Ages to settle nerves. Here’s how to make a simplified version using readily available ingredients: Two cups white wine One cup lemon balm leaves Zest of one lemon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Peach Jam with Pomona Pectin
Posted in Cooking, tagged peach jam, pomona pectin on August 3, 2022 | 3 Comments »
With the warm weather all the fruit is coming in strong! In fact there’s so much it’s time to start canning and jamming. Friends have been telling me about the virtues of Pomona Pectin for quite a while. I recently got some from PCC, and now I’m hooked. Because it doesn’t require sugar to jell, […]
Plant Prints
Posted in Cooking on July 28, 2022 | 2 Comments »
To imprint fabric with leaves and flowers place the plant material on your material, cover with a second layer and pound with a hammer. Let dry then flake off dried plants.
Plant Dyes
Posted in Cooking on July 27, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
How do you know if a plant might make a good dye? Rub it between your fingers and see if it stains. If it does give it a try! To help the dye “bite” the yarn or fabric you need to use a mordant. Pickling alum is one I like to use; easy to find […]
Making Your Own Herb Blends
Posted in Cooking, tagged herb blends, herb de provence, herbs on July 26, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
Now that you have dried herbs making your own blends is easy! These make great gifts as well as stepping up the flavor of your own dishes. Lavender Here are some of my favorite blends: Herbes de Provence Herbes de Provence usually contains basil, bay leaf, marjoram, rosemary, summer savory and lots of thyme. Lavender can […]
Hawthorn Berry Ketchup
Posted in Cooking on July 21, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
There are lots of things you can do with this versatile berry from ketchup, to syrup to a deep purple dye. First find the berries. As with any gathering be absolutely sure you’ve correctly identified the plant. If you have any doubt don’t use it. Here’s the recipe: One cup washed berries 1/3 cup cider […]
Time for Raspberry Jam
Posted in canning, Cooking, tagged raspberry jam, u-pick on July 14, 2022 | Leave a Comment »
Summer has been here for a while and the raspberries are ripe and ready! Turning the berries into jam is an easy, almost magical process that brings back the flavors of summer deep into winter. Of all the jams I make raspberry is by far the one that people like the most. This is great as […]
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