Author Archive: My Kitchen Wand

Not so long ago & in a place not so far away lived a bustling little pixie we’ll call Merry-Belle. It’s not her real pixie name but then you & I couldn’t pronounce it anyway. On this particular day Merry-Belle was neither merry nor belle. She was tired & more than a little worried & […]

Hansel & Gretel is from the Brother’s Grimm, a story that does little for the reputation of witches but has advanced the cause of gingerbread houses everywhere. Even though the crumbs did not help get Hansel & Gretel home immediately. They did represent quick thinking, resolve and fortitude in the face of obstacles, something we […]

I always wondered how this recipe got it’s name. Raisins are the largest addition but that is what we called this recipe at home, Pineapple Nut Bread. I am looking at the recipe, in my mother’s handwriting 50+ years ago, shared by Louie Hemphill, my grandparents neighbours and that is what she called it too, […]

When planning a romantic menu for Valentine’s Day, consider quantities. Bodies will use up energy digesting food. Treating dinner as an all you can eat buffet or eating foods that induce the need for a nap are not the best plan. Keeping portions appropriate allows for nibblies and treats during the course of the evening […]

Rosemary, Basil, Thyme and Oregano are the flavour filled additions to these buns and according to Shannon Loeber and Mary Edwards, the kitchen witches of Wisewoman’s Cookery, each herb was added for a specific reason beyond how tastily they combine together. You will need: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 […]

We celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14th because that is the day St. Valentine is honoured on the Catholic church but wouldn’t a day for lovers be better planned when there is easy access to ripe succulent fruit and fresh powerful herbs? Thank goodness for Farmer’s Markets! If you are planning an intimate dessert after […]

I promised we would get spicy and so we shall. Today the focus is on scented Valentine candles for the bedroom. Candles at dinner, from my perspective, are best left unscented so as not to clash with the aromas of the meal. Once you have moved on from dessert, then essential oils will help carry […]

This is a good year round recipe but as Imbolc is near, I thought I would contribute a last “seed” recipe. Seeds are one of the traditional foods of this celebration, along with grains and dairy, all parts of this pinwheel recipe. Many North American recipes for poppy seeds are combined with lemon. This is […]

For over 15 years of my life I was a chandler, I produced my own line of candles, did private labeling and taught classes. I still teach although I no longer have a workshop and at this time of the year I miss being able to melt wax, wick molds and play with scent and […]

One of the “special” gifts I received this year was a selection of herbs; grown in my friends garden and dried in her “doll house”. Since dairy is such a part of Imbolc traditions, sharing a recipe or more accurately a process, I learned years ago from family for turning buttermilk into a fresh cheese, […]