Category Archives: Herbs, Wildcrafting and other things Earth related

This mix of chocolate, whipping cream and flavouring is in celebration of the more stimulating flavours of Beltane. When mixing ingredients with a purpose in mind, the finished product may taste a little untraditional. Rosemary for example is a strong addition to chocolate and you can choose to steep a smaller amount in the whipping […]

Remember the egg shells I suggested be collected last week? Well this is the project! Homemade egg shell chalk. Who needs a clean driveway or patio anyway? I will be posting this a little early in 2020 as Covid-19 has lots of children at home and learning something new might be helpful. Under “back to […]

Probably the most well know tradition of Imbolc is spring cleaning. It can sound a little funny to be thinking about spring in January but this is how it happens. In North America season changes are connected to the equinoxes and solstices, spring starts on the vernal equinox, somewhere around March 20/21. Imbolc has a […]

Along with the corn husks for the brooms posted a few days ago. I saved all the corn silk from the cobs and decided to preserve them as a tincture and glycerite, along with making tea. In traditional Chinese medicine, corn silk is listed in the “herbs that drain dampness” category so it will come […]

For the past few years, at the end of July, I teach a “Working with Herbs” class. It is often the last class of the season and I try to make it a little special. My challenge is that there are several people who have taken each class and I therefore work at coming up […]

A calming, thirst quenching summer drink with three ingredients. According to Medical News Today there are a range of health benefits to having chamomile in your diet, inflammation reduction, relaxation, better sleep, support in reducing blood sugar level and diminished menstrual pain. Magically chamomile is an herb of purification and protection.To prevent negativity from entering […]

When summer is closer to fall we start looking for earthier flavours and this ganache will definitely fit that description. Herbs de Provence is generally a mixture of herbs commonly used in the south of France. They usually include savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano with lavender leaves sometimes added for the North American market. […]

Recipes for stuffed eggs can be found back to when Ancient Rome was at its height. The domestication of chickens however goes much further back so that is probably not the beginning of deviled eggs. Deviling was a term applied first to meats and meant highly spiced. By the 1500’s deviled eggs was a well […]

Sometimes preserving the aroma and essence of an herb is better than using them fresh in an immediate recipe. That way they can be enjoyed long after the season is finished. Lavender can be preserved in vinegar, sugar and oil. Jean’s lavender is just opening and she generously gave me some to take home so […]

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 […]