Category Archives: Mabon/Autumn Equinox

A couple of weeks ago, right in the middle of tomato harvesting time, my stepmother was given fresh small tomatoes and beans from a friends garden. The beans were purple and green and the seeds had been smuggled from the Ukraine decades ago, when families were forced to flee war. They had been faithfully grown […]

Along the sides of roads and down country lanes blackberry brambles are in full fruit. They are in fact coming to an end and before they disappear for another year along with fresh blueberries, here is an easy mixed berry pie, finished with a crumble topping. When picking wild blackberries, it is always a good […]

We have a valley about three hours away by car that grows wonderful fruit; grapes for wine making, cherries, melons, apples, peaches, apricots and nectarines for jams, wine, preserving and just enjoying. This time of the year I always look forward to the first of the local nectarines and generally do not do anything other […]

In that time where summer transitions to autumn and we are not really ready for gingerbread or spiced pear cakes, this lighter fresh option makes sense to me. Delicate and fragile, the taste of pears stands alone. I have mentioned before that I have a favourite little 4 inch spring form that I often use […]

As we head towards the end of summer, the vine-ripened field tomatoes and basil are perfectly paired in this light and tasty soup. Large beefsteak field tomatoes have wonderful flavour this time of the year and that would be my first choice. Delicious fresh with mayonnaise and a little salt on a slice of Sovital […]

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 […]

Looking for a quick to make contribution to an equinox potluck? Black and white combinations are an appropriate choice. Equinox cookies or dark & light meringues are also good options when a little more time is available. This wafer roll highlights that coming together of opposites and it doesn’t get any simpler. Really! It is […]

As the wheel turns and we move towards Imbolc, I generally get an urge to clean. It just seems natural to me after the Yule decorations disappear, that clearing cupboards, class supply boxes and fridge of leftovers is the next step. A richly flavoured cookie for the dark half of the year and those who […]

Pluots are part of a group of hybrid fruits known as interspecific plums. Apriums, Apriplums and plumcots are also in this group that are a combination of plums and apricots. Sometimes this happens through natural cross pollination and other times they are man made. Pluot’s parents are Italian prune plums and apricots. They have that […]

As summer comes to an end, I anticipate the arrival of large field grown tomatoes, ripe and juicy and full of flavour, warmed by long days under a heating sun, nourished by the earth rather than greenhouse hydroponics. There is just something different about the taste that makes me happy. Tomatoes, a fruit of the […]