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Wow Them: Scented-Geranium Infused Blood Orange Curd

11/21/2022

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Give this strangely-hued, amazingly delicious treat a try! With the Winter citrus harvest coming in, now is the perfect time to whip up a batch. Unbelievably easy to make, Blood Orange Curd is sure to thrill. Take it up an extra notch by infusing it with scented-geranium & spoil your loved ones this Holiday Season--
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The gorgeous color of the flesh of Blood Oranges is due to anthocyanin pigments. Colder evening temperatures are needed for these to develop in the fruit, & the depth of that color ranges wildly from orange-veined blush to deep-ruby-almost black. Their skin is similar to plain oranges, most often with a blush or red tinge depending on the variant. While they are visually stunning, it is their unique flavor that makes them so popular, with distinctive raspberry-like notes joining the citrus base. 
December & January are the height of their availability nationwide– time to scoop up a ton & enjoy them while we can!
Extremely versatile just like regular oranges, they are lovely for cooking, baking, & drinking! Dehydrated & bedazzled slices of Blood Orange are one of my favorites to use to garnish cocktails. Unsurprisingly, I love to substitute blood orange juice in the cocktails & zero-proofs I craft –  Blood Orange Mimosas are particularly stunning! I love to make marmalade with them & found it to be as delicious as it is beautiful. My other favorite way to enjoy them is to make Blood Orange Curd & I am happy to share my recipe here. We enjoy this beautiful curd in crêpes & tarts, on scones – or even stirred into yogurt!  I like to infuse my  juice with fresh scented-geranium leaves to make it extra special & provide a really herbal note to my curd. This is an extra step & not necessary to make curd of your own– But I recommend this if you have access! Let’s do it!
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I find dehydrated blood oranges make stunning garnishes on my cocktails

Scented Geranium-Infused Blood Orange Curd

3 Large Eggs 
1 cup Sugar 
⅔ cups Blood Orange Juice 
*Small Handful Fresh Scented Geranium Leaves 
2 TBS Blood Orange Zest 
4 TBS Unsalted Butter, small diced & chilled 
Pinch Sea Salt
*infusing with geranium is optional– but delicious!
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Scented Gernium Leaves Make A Perfect Addition To The Flavor Of This Curd
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Zest your washed oranges & set aside. Juice your fruit & reserve, removing any seeds. I do not strain out the pulp from the fresh juice, as it adds such lovely flavor. Stir in a small handful of fresh scented geranium leaves & let them infuse in your juice if desired. The scented geranium lends a lovely herbal note that really puts this curd over-the-top. My favorite to use are leaves from our Attar of Rose Geranium, Gerald.  [LOCALS: I am always happy to share Gerald cuttings– come see me in store!] I find them to add a particularly tasty floral-herbal flavor that is delicate, but certainly worth this extra step – However, if you do not have any scented geranium at hand, plain Blood Orange Curd is delicious on its own, so no worries!  Infuse your juice for 1-2 hours, then pull the leaves out; I do not recommend straining them out as we are looking to keep all the flavorful pulp in our juice.
meet gerald & learn more about scented geraniums here
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 Set up your double-boiler & simmer [or a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water works just fine]. Add the eggs, sugar, & juice, & begin whisking to blend & temper. You will notice it becoming the strangest lavender-mauve color as the blood orange & egg yolk combine. It is beautiful & strange to behold, & makes for a truly unique presentation in your final product! 
Cook & continue whisking constantly to prevent the eggs curdling. Your curd will foam up at first. As the foam dies down, you will see it start to thicken & get glossy.  This should take between 5 & 10 minutes. Once thick, remove from heat & begin to add the small pieces of butter, one at a time, whisking to incorporate. Once all of your butter has been whisked in, add the zest & pinch of salt.
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Voila, delicious Blood Orange Curd! ​
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Geranium-Infused Blood Orange Curd Crêpes? YES PLEASE!
It will continue to thicken as it cools. This recipe makes about 3 cups of curd. Pop it into mason jars to store in the fridge -- These make lovely gifts if you are feeling generous! If you are planning to use it in tarts, put the curd in the fridge to set-up & cool for at least 30 minutes. Not up to making crusts?  Honestly, it is hard to beat simple plain Crêpes, ends dipped in sugar, topped with a heaping spoonful of this curd with  sliced figs & blackberries! STUNNING!
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Have Extra Scented geranium Leaves? click the link below to Hop Over & Grab My Easy Recipe For Geranium Sorbet!
easy geranium sorbet
I hope I have inspired you to grab some blood oranges when the Winter Citrus harvest hits your local grocery store,  & try this recipe!  And seriously, if you are local, come grab a cutting of my Attar of Rose Geranium to grow! Gerald is DELICIOUS!  Please let me know what you make with your curd & share PICTURES! I love to see what you are all up to!   Until next time--Stay safe &  #StopAndEatTheFlowers 
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Herbal Spotlight: Quince with my Quince Gin Recipe

10/2/2022

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These ancient members of the Rose family have fallen from fashion in most cooking circles & are viewed by many as simply ornamental shrubs. If you live in New England, chances are you've got 1 or 2 in your yard, & it might just be the tastiest thing you didn't know you were growing. If you’ve never taken the time to harvest & cook some up, you don’t know what you’re missing!  Join me as we delve into harvesting & preparing quince, & just what to make with it once you do --
Quince shrubs & trees are grown all over the world, with recipes for quince dishes dating back to ancient Rome. Their flowers herald Spring & are a beautiful pale pink; every Winter, I bring branches inside to force & enjoy a bit of Spring in February. Like their relatives apples & pears, the lumpy irregular-shaped quince are also harvested in autumn. They store long & well, as most other Fall crops do. Quince are loaded with Vitamin C & are a good source of calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium & copper. And the taste? Delicious -- delicate, sweet, & incredibly fragrant! 
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Quince is wonderful in desserts & drinks, jellies & pies, & also with savory items like hard cheese & meats. Why then do we not typically see bushels of them at the grocery store? I believe it is because quince are challenging to work with. Simply put, it’s delicious, but you are going to work for it -- And it will be worth it!
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Be sure to have a good pair of gloves when harvesting them; most varieties have thorns just like their rose cousins. There are many varieties, some are tiny & some larger, some are even covered in fuzz like a peach. All are challenging to peel due to their knobbly shapes [though the larger ones are easier] & are very tough to cut & core. On top of that, they are basically inedible when raw -- in fact, the longer they are cooked, the tastier they get. Something truly magical happens when you poach them with sugar & a little water or wine. Not only does their flavor develop, but they turn an incredible rosy pink!  The reward is absolutely worth the effort here-- especially when you factor in that most of us are growing them with no effort & harvesting them for free. ​
A couple key factors to keep in mind when harvesting-- First off, if they are still green, tuck them aside to ripen fully. Quince grow a beautiful, golden yellow, some with a bit of a blush or small brown spots, when they are perfectly ripe. The riper they are, the more fragrant & delicious they will be. Simply pop unripe fruit in a bowl & place it in a sunny window to ripen; your patience will be rewarded. Second, plan an afternoon of processing, then you can use them at your leisure. A nice, rainy Fall afternoon with pots of quince simmering away on the stovetop filling your home with their fragrance is lovely instead of tedious. Lastly, I suggest poaching most of your haul. Poached quince is truly lovely on its own, baked into a pie, or used to top yogurt or waffles. Once poached, they will keep for about a week in the fridge or can be frozen in their syrup for up to six months. And don’t throw out that poaching liquid -- it is amazing for all manner of cocktails, zero-proof drinks, & as an ice cream or waffle topper! You can even use it to make sorbet.
While poached quince & quince jelly may be the go-to recipes for most, in this house, it is all about Membrillo quince paste & Quince Gin! The paste is truly a labor of love, & I have shared my recipe in a past post [see it here.]  The Quince Gin is incredibly EASY to make & fantastically delicious. All you need is a nice botanically-forward bottle of gin, some quince, & time. As we are infusing the already bottled gin with the fruit, no cooking is required! It is truly ridiculous how easy it is to make when one considers how few people bother to do it, literally taking 10-20 minutes to get infusing – If you have the fruit growing free in your yard [or access to a friend’s…] do Future-You a favor & make some!  Let me show you how!
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Mebrillo Quince Paste is delicious with charcuterie and cheeses
get my quince paste recipe here

QUINCE-INFUSED GIN

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-A 25 oz [750ml] bottle of Gin
[see my suggestions below…]

-12-14 oz of ripe quince fruit

- ½ cup Granulated sugar

- A handful dried, pesticide-free rose petals [OPTIONAL]
Sterilize a jar mason jar [big enough to hold all your ingredients.] Clean & ready your quince. Scrub them nicely– if yours have “fuzz” rub it off. Be sure they are nice & clean as we will not be peeling them. Next, quarter & core all your fruit. You will need a large, very sharp knife & a paring knife to accomplish this. Be careful, as the fruit are hard to cut & the cores are very woody. I like to cut them in half, then quarters, then core them. Some use a melon-baller to remove the seeds & woody core; I find the paring knife more effective. 
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Take a moment to appreciate the fragrance coming off them as you work  -- 
​almost like vanilla & roses.
Once they are all cleaned, place all of your quince in the bottom of the prepared jar. Add the sugar to the jar, pouring it over the top of the fruit. I like to add a handful of dried, pesticide-free rose petals here as well. That rose note enhances the quince flavor & the petals give a touch of pink color to the resultant infusion. No need to worry if you do not have petals to add, your gin will still be lovely! Next, pour your gin into the jar, ensuring all fruit is covered. You may wish to keep that empty gin bottle to decant your finished quince gin into when it is ready if you do not have any decanters or extra bottles. 
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grab some of our wild foraged beach rose petals
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You can use literally any type of gin here, but botanically-forward gin works best with the flavors you will be laying down. Choose a gin you enjoy sipping– while quince-gin plays nicely in cocktails, it is also quite lovely in a small glass on its own after dinner! Personally, I like to use either Hendricks Gin or Uncle Val’s Restorative Gin to make my own. Stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved, place a piece of wax paper over the mouth, then cap your bottle & set it aside out of the sun to infuse. [see? I told you it was REALLY easy to make!]
You should plan to infuse this mixture for 3 - 4 weeks. The gin will take on a very pretty, yellow hue as it lifts the flavor from the fruit – if you used the rose petals, it may have a soft peach color instead. Give your bottle a light shake every few days. You will notice the quince pieces beginning to turn brown as your gin turns yellow. This is normal & not a concern.  After 3 weeks, you can give it a try– you may be happy with the flavor at that time & finish it off. If you’d prefer a stronger flavor, let it go another week. Once the flavor is where you’d like it, double strain it to remove all fruit/petals. Your Quince-Infused Gin is now ready to enjoy! Pour it into a decanter [or that empty bottle from before] & enjoy it!  No need to refrigerate it & I have not found it to go bad once infused, although to be fair, it never lasts too long around here, so I haven't truly tested the time…..
As I mentioned before, it is nice to sip on its own, but also works well in mixed drinks, both cocktails & zero-proofs. One of my favorite ways to use it is in a Quince riff on a Brandy Alexander. Have fun with it. I am sure you will have fun getting creative!
There you have it! We are heading into prime quince season-- Hop on out there, pick yours & give ‘em a try! Infusing gin with them is absolutely the easiest way to enjoy their unique, delicious flavor; I think you will be thrilled with the results. That is all for this week-- Stay safe & don’t forget to #StopAndEatTheFlowers
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Herbal Spotlight: Pink Lemons, with my Pink Lemon Curd Recipe

3/3/2022

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They're real & they're SPECTACULAR! Pink lemons are in season right now & absolutely worth tracking down! Less acidic than their yellow cousins, these beauties also have a soft rose note to their flavor-- Wonderful for cooking, drinks, & desserts.
​Join me as we make stunning Pink Lemon Curd with them & prepare to be OBSESSED!
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Herbal Spotlight: Butterfly Pea Flower, About & Uses

2/15/2022

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Butterfly Pea Flowers [Clitoria ternatea] provide gorgeous natural color, as well as many benefits for the mind and body. Add some natural Botanical Blue to your routine & brighten things up as we explore these amazing flowers & their benefits, & their uses.
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 More than just a pretty face, Butterfly Pea flowers are a powerful Herbal Ally! Native to Southeast Asia, these flowers have been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress & calmative agent; they are staples of Chinese & Ayurvedic medicine. Clitoria ternatea are considered to be adaptogenic. Adaptogens are substances that work to help the body resist stressors of all kinds, whether physical, chemical or biological, & to exert a normalizing effect upon bodily processes. They are packed full of antioxidants, flavonoids,& peptides, as well as anti-inflammatory compounds, particularly anthocyanin, which are believed to support cardiovascular health. 
They also contain catechins, which are said to be instrumental in burning belly fat, aiding weight loss as well as helping to control blood sugar. Drinking butterfly-pea flower tea is purported to rev up your metabolism, making the body burn more calories.
Butterfly pea flowers are also traditionally used cosmetically to stimulate hair growth, & to support glowing skin & graceful aging. The compound anthocyanin is known to increase blood circulation & helps to maintain a healthy scalp. It also aids in strengthening the hair follicles from within, resulting in increased hair growth. In fact, a 2012 study found these flowers to be more effective than the commonly prescribed minoxidil at promoting hair growth. Additionally, the flowers have been used in Thailand for centuries to make a rinse for the hair that is said to keep the dark color of the hair longer! They are considered one of nature's most effective ingredients for promoting hair growth & darkening hair naturally. Infact, we offer an SLS-free shampoo bar  & A Lash & Brow Serum using these gems! 
​Our Stimulating Shampoo Bars are crafted with Butterfly Pea Flower Infusion & Neem Oil to naturally strengthen the hair shafts & encourage new growth, while our Brow & Lash Serum marrys it with the power of pure Castor Oil to stimulate & condition these fragile, fine hairs while encouragibng new growth.
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shop our stimulating
​sls-free
shampoo bars here
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shop Lash & Brow Serum
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Butterfly pea flowers are most often used as a tea & have an earthy-green flavor similar to that of green tea. The dried flowers, when steeped, release a deep indigo-blue color. Due to this, they are also often used as a natural food coloring agent in Malasian, Thai, & Burmese cooking.
​Most interestingly, this color is pH sensitive, producing a wide variety of shades ranging from fuchsia to bright blue-green as it is exposed to different ingredient’s pHs! 
This makes the herb VERY popular for cocktails!  As anyone who knows me would expect, I have had quite a lot of fun playing with their effects & use them frequently in the drinks I craft. 

​ I also craft an adaptogenic tea blend which contains them called Botanical Bliss. It is comprised of 15 different herbs & spices, including tulsi, elderflower, & nettle; many of these ingredients are wild-foraged. 
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Enjoy naturally deep blue tea -- Or add a slice of lemon to turn yours fuschia!
​Want to play with them yourself?  We also offer individual herbs, including butterfly pea flowers, for sale bulk here in store & online.

Organic Butterfly Pea Flowers, Hand Foraged

$3.95 - $12.95

Wild harvested & carefully dried to preserve the whole flower heads. Our butterfly pea flowers are collected by hand in Thailand by Supanij Farm. 100% organic & wildcrafted. Dried flowers can be used in tea, cordials, tinctures, & syrups, as well as in cooking & beauty products. Delightfully pH sensitive, on their own they provide a deep indigo blue color, add an acid [like lemon juice] & watch it turn a vibrant purple-fuchsia! Flavor is an earthy floral-green note.

Sold by volume in 1 oz [about 5g] & 2 oz [10g] bags or 4 oz bail-jars that contain 3 ounces by volume [15g] of dried herbs.
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The flowers can be steeped directly in all liquids, not just hot water, & the color is sure to thrill the child [or child-at-heart] in your life. Using them to create true blue milk is particularly fun for Star Wars fans. The pH color shift is really fun to play with as well – Simply add a slice of lemon to your tea & watch it go violently fuschia! 
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Steeping Butterfly Pea Flowers In Milk
Check Out My 'Winter Blues' rice Pie Recipe Here
More than just the sheer strangeness of the colors, remember you are getting the herbal benefits of the butterfly pea flowers. This Herbal Ally provides so many benefits for mind & body. It is definitely worth adding to your own tea selection or Herbal Apothecary. 
I hope you enjoyed this look at these amazing flowers. Let me know how you like to use Butterfly Flowers & what color combo you create!   Until next time--Stay safe &  #StopAndEatTheFlowers ​
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Herbal Spotlight: Ginger, with an easy Ginger Liqueur Recipe

12/12/2021

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​Warm, spicy ginger is an ideal Herbal Ally for the colder Winter months. It has been used as a spice & medicinally for hundreds of years. In this post we will discuss some its properties & traditional uses, & I will share my recipe for a quick, easy Ginger Liqueur to enjoy on the imminent chilly evenings–
Ginger [zingiber officinale] is a member of the zingiberaceae family; the utilized part of the ginger plant is the rhizome, or the underground stem. It is an important cooking spice used all over the world in widely varied dishes from Indian curries to British gingerbread. Every form it can take, including fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, & powdered, has myriad uses in dishes from savory to sweet. Ginger is without a doubt the most versatile of flavors.
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photo: K.Menard

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Wow Them: Easy Salt-Preserved Lemons

11/29/2021

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Give a Moroccan, umami lift to your Holiday cheese & charcutierie boards!  These preserved lemons are easy to make & will be ready in just 3 weeks---
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Salt-preserved lemons, a popular ingredient in many Middle Eastern & Moroccan recipes,  are often found for sale in foody boutiques & are usually quite expensive. If you have ever tasted them, you know what a lovely punch they pack! Their  bright & deeply umami notes are quite Heavenly & can be used in myriad ways. Lovely on cheese boards, in dressings & compound butters, & to highlight entrees, preserved lemons are definitely worth exploring! What you may not realize is that they are extremely easy to make at home, for all you really need is lemons, salt, & time. In fact, if you get them started this week, you will have them in plenty of time to enjoy over the Holidays.

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Herbal Spotlight: Chokeberries with my Simple Syrup and Candied Berry Recipes.

10/18/2021

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Delicious & just as immune-supportive as the Elderberry, Chokeberries are in season now & are fabulous!   Join me as we discuss their growing habits, traditional uses, & I make a simple syrup & craft some delicious drinks with their bright, tart flavor---
Chokeberry, or Aronia, are part of the Rose [Rosaceae] family & are native to North America, although they are grown all over the world now. These shrubs are deciduous & are likely to be found growing wild in slightly-wet-to-swampy, wooded areas. There are wild growing red & black chokeberries; I am lucky to have nicely established patches of the black [aronia melanocarpa] growing around me. Aronia are easy to grow & fully mature in 5 years. Due to their amazing health benefits, these shrubs are also making the scene at many nurseries around the country, their popularity growing & now only slightly behind elderberry shrubs. Indeed, our local Food Co-Op, Rising Tide, just announced they are carrying frozen aronia from a local farm now!
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Herbal Spotlight: Elderberries with Elderberry Brandy Cordial Recipe

9/20/2021

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Delicious & powerful, elderberries are wonderful for colds & flu, & also in times of stress. What better way to enjoy some than in a flavorful Elderberry Brandy Cordial?

​Early Fall, with elderberries in season, is the perfect time to make some. It's easy & delicious -- I'll show you how!

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Herbal Spotlight: All About Amari & how to make your very own

8/23/2021

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Amari have been around for centuries & are the secret stars of more & more cocktails these days, but many people are still unfamiliar with them -- A tragedy I am doing my best to remedy! 
​ Join me as we explore what they are, how to use them, & even how to make your very own at home!
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Herbal Spotlight: Chocolate Mint with Recipes

8/9/2021

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With her striking purple stems & killer flavor, Chocolate Mint is one to grow. Join me as we discuss this beautiful mint cultivar & a bunch of options for using your harvest!
Chocolate mint [Mentha × piperita f. citrata]  is one of many mint varieties easily picked up at your local greenhouse. You may have rubbed its leaves between your fingers there, enjoying that delicious fragrance, & thought “but what would I do with it?” & decided not to buy it. Well, this spotlight post is full of suggestions & recipes for your chocolate mint harvest, so indulge away! 
Okay,  this plant is in the MINT family [Lamiaceae] so it will spread if not contained! Plant it somewhere with that in mind or in containers. And, expect it to come back with friends yearly, hence the need for an arsenal of use ideas!  ​
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