No Sew Dream/Sleep Pillows
The veil is said to be thin during the time of Beltane and Samhain making it a good time to connect with spirits and departed family. Dreams are one of the ways to do that and so it was included in an Herbs of Samhain workshop last week. Please do a little additional research to […]
Continue readingKraken au Chocolat
Monsters are part of the fun at Hallowe’en. Potentially scary things have always been a big part of the evening. Fright nights, scary movies, zombie hordes and other delights to get the heart racing. The biggest mythical monster is the Kraken, a humongous octopus that used its tentacles to drag ships underwater so it could […]
Continue readingSamhain Tarts with Apple, Sage, Hazelnuts & Honey
Sometimes the ingredients chosen for a recipe are not always what we might naturally graviate towards. Cinnamon is more common than straight nutmeg as a spice in apple dishes. Sage is not often added to something sweet. This tart is such a dish. It contains four of the flavours associated specifically with Samhain and was […]
Continue readingElderberry, Pomegranate Spritzer with Apple Cider Vinegar
At class last Saturday, we made this beverage to enjoy while sewing up herbal sleep pillows. In many ways it is similar to summer shrub recipes I have posted in the past. This mixture though is make from the fruits of Samhain, elderberry, pomegranate and apple. Apple cider vinegar may be all the rage for […]
Continue readingThree Price Conscious Hallowe’en Treats
A trip to the grocery store is a quick way to get the neighbourhood kids sorted out for Hallowe’en but homemade for/with special friends can also be reasonably priced when making these three options; Rocky Road, Trailmix Bark and Rice Krispie Toffee Clusters. Let’s start with the chocolate. There are two types of chocolates available […]
Continue readingBasil and Sage Pesto with Macadamia Nuts
A couple of years ago I posted a sage and lovage pesto as part of a friend’s birthday high tea. Her birthday has come around again today and it reminded me that many people think of pesto as basil and pine nuts, which is true. They are the ingredients of a classic Pesto Genovese. There […]
Continue readingCream of Fall Harvest Soup
I know that autumn is here. I have just roasted my first pumpkin of the season! A walk through the corner grocer or farmers market becomes a delight with all the lovely tastes available right now. Cooler nights mean more appetite and heartier dinners but they can still be simple fresh from the garden meals. […]
Continue readingPluot Cake
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 […]
Continue readingTomato Pasta Salad
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 […]
Continue readingSour Cherry, Almond and Oat Flour Muffins
Sour cherries are here for a very short time so I am fortunate that there are two orchards in the general area. Just like sour apples generally make better baking apples, sour cherries are usually thought of as cooking cherries. Cakes, puddings, cold soups and other deliciousness can come from sour cherries. When ripe sour […]
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