Last weekend I had planned to go for country walks foraging with the children, that was until a got a call asking if I could make use of some Guernsey cows milk! Could I!?!? Not only can I always make use of milk but the fact that it would also provide a taste of home was an offer I could not turn down and so Saturday foraging was exchanged for a busy kitchen. The children sat watching a movie glass jars full of cream in hand shaking then into buttery goodness. Milk magically turned to curds and whey on the hob or jars of yogurt by the fire. Then curds turned into brie shaped beauties sitting along my kitchen counter and why turned into ricotta. The milk was so good I managed to drink 4 mugs of the creamy white goodness while working. Nothing was wasted and the last bits of whey went to our pigs. My brie has now been maturing for a week and has a beautiful white coat of soft white down which seems to really match these cold frosty mornings. My yogurt, natural unflavoured and unsweetened, has set and I'm very much enjoying it over home made muesli for breakfast or on its own with a teaspoon oh homemade plum and ginger jam added. I'll let you know in another 7 weeks what the brie tastes like. There is also something very satisfying about the smell of freshly baked bread mixed with the wonderful aroma of sizzling home cured bacon with the added delight of home made butter to complete the breakfast buttie!
This weekend we turned our attention back to foraging with mixed results. Our crab pot went out twice returning once with star fish - (which went back to the sea) and once totally empty bait and all gone. We just got the pot last week and much talk about what to do with the elusive crab has been going on, the anticipation has been growing along with respect for the cunning little fellows who avoid our little trap and our resolve that we will one day have crab on the menu on this I will keep you posted.
Ive been reading an interesting book called "The Ministry of Food" By Jane Fernley-Whittingstall. Its a history book come recipe book looking at food production, victory gardens and woman's imagination and frugal ways in the kitchen during WW2. Its fascinating and full of ideas of making the most of what you have. It includes rose hip syrup. A high vitamin C concoction that was used as a tonic to ward off illness during in those days. Interestingly there are quite a few wild rose bushes around the peninsula. One local told me they were planted long ago to provide a source of vitamin C to shipwreck men. How true this is I'm not sure but they provided me with a bag full of ruby red hips. We bashed them slightly, covered with water and boiled until soft, strained through cheese cloth. The liquid was then returned to the heat, sugar added and dissolved. The result is a bottle of rather tasty sweet syrup that I intend to give the children a spoon of daily for the rest of winter and unlike some tonics they really don't mind taking it.
As I sit writing this the room is wafting with a beautiful Herb aroma. I love my herbs and make the most of them. In summer I fill bottles with water plunging herbs such as mint and lemon balm inside. It only needs to seep for an hour before the water takes on flavour and is a wonderful sugar free drink for the children. However its a bit chilly to drink on these cold days and so I'm drying out herbs on the lowest setting of my oven and storing them in jars. These can be then be used to make delicious and healthy herbal teas to warm us up after winter walks. Here are a few recipes.
BLACKBERRY.
At this time of year there are still leaves on my blackberry bushes. These can be harvested and dried the used 4tsps of leaves to about 250ml of hot water. Blackberry is known to have an astringent effect and also used to help asthma.
LAVENDER.
I love lavender, its so versatile. The flowers can be added to cakes and biscuits. Put some dried flowers in a jar with sugar and it takes on a wonderful aroma and mild taste, great sprinkled on cakes. The flowers can also be added to the bath to produce a relaxing result and also aids sleep. The stems can be used as skewers for fruit kebabs too. According to "Herbal Teas" by Richard Craze Lavender also can help to reduce inflammation and prevent the onset of infection. To dry pick stems as long as possible, tie a few together at the end of the stems and hang upside down somewhere out of sunlight. Its often used as a natural sedative as well as for headaches and nerves. Tea can then be made by adding 1 tsp of flowers to 125ml hot water.
LEMON VERBENA
This herb has the most beautiful smell. I cant walk by it in the garden without running my hand through it to release its wonderful lemony aroma. The tea has a wonderful strong lemony taste and its also reportedly good for colds and fevers as well as being antibacterial and antiseptic. You can use two fresh leaves or 1 tsp dried leaves to make a wonderful warm tea. Although it shouldn't be drunk excessively over a long period of time as it can irritate the stomach. Its a favorite of mine with a slice of lemon added and maybe a little teaspoon of honey and if I have a cold a drop of rum turns into a lovely toddy.
Happy cooking
Anna
WHATS HAPPENING IN THE WORKSHOPS.
Pig in a Day
The next two workshops are on July 24th and August the 7th and both are filling up fast. If you would like to book you can do so through our website http://www.preserved.co.nz/
Kids in the Kitchen
The holidays are almost upon us and we have two special days of cooking for kids. Class numbers are strictly limited. TO book call Anna on 0212686483 or visit our website http://www.preserved.co.nz/.
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