Category Archives: Litha/Summer Solstice

Over the past two days I have shared some black currant recipes that I had been playing with over the long weekend. The jelly and curd left me with cooked berries that were definitely still useful. This post is all about what other options are available for the left over mash. Black currants grow locally […]

A fruit curd is a usually tangy, sweet spread used in cakes, on scones, for tarts and pies and as a topping on ice cream, pancakes or waffles. Lemon curd is probably the most well known flavour. Lemon meringue pie, began as lemon curd topped with a meringue. Black currants are another tangy fruit, currently […]

I so enjoy black currants as a flavour and even had several bushes in a previous home. They do not require full sun and do well in shadier areas, unusual for berries. They also do not generally need a lot of attention and can be left to their own devices. Black currants grow wild across […]

Before the days of Kool-Aid, moms made this recipe to jazz up all that summer water. It goes at least as far back as my grandmother and probably at generation further. Glasses would be marked with nail polish initials on the bottom and when someone wanted a long cool drink with something extra, out would […]

In conversation with Karen and Kim from Aromatica Fine Teas a while ago we chatted about how different a tea can taste when steeped in unboiled water. Heating the water allows for alternate components to be released so expect some surprises when using the sun or your fridge to steep these summer coolers. Any tea […]

Stay hydrated while celebrating this summer. Quick and pretty, this lemonade, with delicious fruit can be just the thing for those really hot days. Serve cold while stretching and enjoying the local bounty. Consistently adding lemon juice to your diet can have a cleansing and detoxifying effect which will aid in the proper digestion of […]

During hot summer days, water is the best choice for remaining hydrated. Yes, it can be a little repetitive and slightly boring but your body will thank you for getting all those good cups inside you. Once in a while though it is nice to have something special, tasty and maybe a little celebratory. There […]

The two celebrations most often shared outside are Litha (summer solstice) and Lammas/Lughnasagh (August 1st ish). The days are usually still warm and it is enjoyable to have a personal connection to that big ball of flame above us. Lammas is also linked to “first fruits” and in the Church of England “the feast of […]

Ice Cream! Yea!… well maybe not. Plans are sometimes subject to change. I had brought the ice cream maker to class as a possible surprise to finish up Playing with Herbs but the bowl had been out of the freezer for too long, even with the extra ice it was packed in and we would […]

With weeks of cool gray weather it is hard to believe it is officially summer. But I am hearing rumours of hot weather on the other side of Canada, so somewhere popsicles will be appreciated. This is essentially a recipe posted several years ago but I wanted to focus on the Sweet Cicely added to […]