Category Archives: Beverage

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 […]

With Canada Day this weekend and the 4th of July soon thereafter, here is a cooling, soothing option that you and your guests can enjoy. In folk remedies lemon balm is believed to have calming effects. Check further into the aromatherapy/Alzheimer’s connection if that holds a place in your life. Lemon Balm, also known as Melissa, […]

Last summer I posted a Raspberry Tarragon Shrub made with white wine vinegar. Apple cider and balsamic vinegars add an entirely different complexity to this one with backberries, ginger and basil. This is also a cold processed recipe meaning the fruit is not heated to extract its goodness. I find the finished product is brighter […]

Do you have lemon verbena growing in your herb garden? Try adding some black currants for a warming cup of tea. Well, tisane actually. Tea by definition comes from the Camellia sinensis bush and all those lovely hot beverages made from herbs are better known as tisanes, although most people would call them herbal teas. […]

It is berry season! If you are putting up jams and compotes and shrubs and jellies and sauces, then it is quite possible that you will have leftovers: Simple sugar syrup Fresh fruit Strained jams Fruit purees Fruit syrups This happens quite naturally when cooking from a recipe that does not match the box size […]

In the Anne of Green Gable stories of Prince Edward Island, there is a reference to raspberry cordial. A non alcoholic version gets mixed up with a currant wine, with consequences. This is the “vodka added” version, definitely not for little girls. It is a sweet, brightly flavoured liqueur for after dinner sipping and other […]

Spring might be struggling to find a footing over winter but colds are a year round thing. If you are feeling that a boost to your immune system would be good, this tonic may be just the thing. Please consider this is a short term solution, used as added protection during ” cold season” or […]

Think of this as the start of an idea. The final finished product will depend entirely on what unique bits and pieces you bring to the project and how many little hands get their fingers in the mix. Hot chocolate on a stick can be finished up for a child’s stocking in a cup with […]

The seasonal weather has turned here and we are experiencing the first of the wet grey days that keep the rainforest healthy. I am also appreciating the fact I don’t need to water the newly sprouted grass seeds filling in the empty patches of the sun baked front lawn. So instead I am going to […]

Okay! a little history abour drinking or sipping vinegars. They are hot right now and new to many people but truly they are old and have been around the world, literally. Ships captains used to ensure a daily dose if not two to the sailors onboard. It was thought to fight off scurvy, perk up […]