Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

There are a very few weeks each year were garlic scapes are available and we are there in this part of the world. Garlic comes in two varieties, hardneck and softneck. Hardneck  garlic needs to have their tops taken off so that the energy goes into the bulbs, making larger bulbs for harvesting later in […]

Most Litha celebrations are sourced in European traditions. Whether it be an Italian all white midnight picnic or Celtic dancing around the community bonfire, summer solstice marks the shifting from the growing/waxing half of the Wheel of the Year to the half that is connected to dieing/waning and death. Nordstjernan.com an online magazine celebrating all […]

The Wheel of the Year is all about our relationship with the sun, so a respected and tended fire is always a perfect addition to any solstice celebration. Because we are outside more at this time of the year, that can also be a campfire, a small bonfire on the beach or even some burning […]

Sometimes you just don’t want the usual. Chocolate? Nah. Local fresh fruit? Not in season yet. How about…? Takes too much time and effort. This coffee cake may be just the thing. Yes, there are several steps, like a simple struesel to make but once it is in the oven you can choose to be […]

Our bimonthly throwdown was yesterday, a chance to catch up on what has been going on in everyone’s life and nibble someone elses creativity.  The May challenge was mushroom caps, something I have actually only made once before. I was looking forward to seeing what range of finished caps there would be and I was […]

There are stories of Baba Yaga, an archetypal Russian crone, who gathered rhubarb stocks for use in her kitchen. Rhubarb was said to bring together the energetic influences of what was being brewed. Using the stocks to stir increased the magical potential and adding a little rhubarb to preparations had a binding effect on the […]

Looking for that ” been having a fabulous day at the beach look”? A sea salt spritzer can help bring out that added wave and glow and making it yourself can save some pennies along the way. When searching online you will see a number of suggestions for ingredients. I thought it might be valuable […]

As I look at tomorrow’s rainy forecast, I am more grateful than ever for yesterday’s first hot sunny day. And it was on a long weekend! Along with the heat comes the need for healthy summer style treats and it just so happened all the ingredients were on hand. You will need: 1 cup yoghurt […]

Sometime during the second half of the 1600’s, the first European recipe for sorbet was written down. It happened in Naples, Italy and is attributed to the first person to also put pen to paper with a recipe for ice cream, Antonio Latini. The story goes that the idea of mixing fruit juices and ice […]

Not all treats for special occasions need to take hours to prepare. Sometimes it is the fresh from the oven warmth that does the trick and makes things special. These baked lemon doughnuts fall into that category and since is is best to bake them on the day needed, there is not a lot of […]