Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

One last ode to the Irish before March 17th. If you have never heard of a “Hot Whiskey” you might have come across a “Hot Toddy”. Same church, different pew. Hot Whiskey is a classic Irish answer to the onset of any cold, including an imagined one or for simply taking off the chill of […]

My Gaelic roots hail from the Scottish side of the Irish Sea but I wanted a chance to play in the kitchen and since St. Patrick’s Day is happening this week several themes came together. This dish can be thought of as a side to Bangers or Corned Beef and Cabbage. It can also be […]

The storms are heading my way again. The rain has started. So before our power is once again disrupted, I think it best to finish up this little experiment and share. The So Simple Einkorn bread has been rummaging around the back of my mind for a few days now, along with the knowledge that […]

Eggs have such a long connection to the celebration of spring. Ancient Egyptian parents would give eggs to their children as symbols of fertility. Easter egg hunts to gather a fresh food would have been a famliy or community endeavour once enough light was again available and birds were able to produce eggs. Classical Greek […]

I taught a goats milk soap making class last week and ended up with leftover goats milk that I used to make some doggie treats and this batch of chevre cheese. As a personal preference, I would normally choose a cow’s milk fresh cheese over goat’s milk so I was pleasantly suprised at the taste […]

Last week I posted a recipe for a simple Einkorn bread. The recipe works well as a tasty loaf of bread that can be topped with honey, cheese, meats or just butter. I shared some with a friend who has a very sensitive tummy and she was happy to report that it had been a […]

There is something you may not know about me, I have a great deal of trouble remaining faithful and I tend to swing back and forth. First there was Pheobe, beautiful brown eyes with gorgeous highlights in her husky fur. Then Morris came along, all don’t touch me, which I ignored and now he jumps […]

There are so many interconnected themes attached to what has become a day to celebrate caring in its many forms. School children exchange cards with their classmates. Couples celebrate together. Moms make Valentine’s Day treats for the whole family. Behind this lightness is massacre; Victorian era etiquette and romance; Christian martyrdom; Roman Lupercalian fertility rites; […]

This year I thought I would offer up family friendly Valentine treats. Nibblies that everyone can enjoy. Below are two recipes for a soft centered chocolate, one with added cream cheese and the other with a nut butter. The bonus is you don’t have to temper any chocolate unless you really want to. Cocoa beans […]

If you are someone who thinks “yeast bread from scratch, way toooooo much work“, I hope you enjoy this post. It is easy, there is no kneading and you can mix it up the night before for fresh bread 30 minutes after it gets into the oven the following morning. Last week I shared Einkorn […]