Dispensary, Garden & Kitchen Delights

Today I strained and decanted my homemade vanilla extract that I started in April. I have a solid 24 ounces to see me through several months of various culinary preparations. I readied two packages of herbal medicinals for the Post and returned to the dispensary to blend a couple herbal-ish concoctions that will serve as gifts for a special birthday coming up in October.

I headed to the garden to pull up and trim back many sunflowers before harvesting beans and cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and basil, lettuce, braising greens and to work up a very fine sweat. I made some plain basil pesto for the freezer. While in the kitchen I paused to add the sugar to my black currant cordial so now it can sit quietly to mellow for several more months (or as long as I can stand it).

I even made time to journal.

That's what I made today.

Peace.

Tomatoey Goodness

Seventy pounds of tomatoes from a local farm offered me puree to enjoy at least one tomatoey meal every week for half a year. Even though I still have more from this batch to process, I would love to score another seventy pounds of these beautiful, organic fruits to cover a full fifty-two-plus weeks. We shall see …

That's what I made today. Peace.

My Way Home

I was here … and other places too … until I made my way back home.

Peace.

The First of the Autumn Harvests

Today I made the first harvest of winter squash, three large fruits from a vine I did not plant. I suspect this is from composted seeds from last year's kabocha, though it's more orange than I remember. In any event, it will get roasted just as soon as the seasons cool to that place where roasting indoors is pleasurable.

I also harvested a large bundle of kale, enough for enjoying this evening along with several quart packages for the freezer.

That's what I made today. Peace.

A First Ferment

A gallon jar. A few handfulls of cucumbers. A couple grape leaves. Garlic. Pure sea salt and water (3 tablespoons to each quart of water - 'cause someone's gonna ask). A little weight. Time.

Before long I'll have the first batch of summertime half sours!

That's what I made today. Peace.

Liquid Love

I spent a good portion of my afternoon straining, filtering and/or decanting several aspects of liquid love. Not the least being one of the most literal of botanical loves - the rose. I strained and started a second two-month infusion of my rose petal liqueur, or elixir if you prefer. I also strained, filtered and bottled a quart of delightful rose petal vinegar. I had 12 ounces that wouldn't fit into my bottle, and those twelve ounces sang to me!

They sang of shrub, a vinegar-n-sugar syrup that is mixed with water, sparkling or not, to make cold drink. To my knowledge it is considered an old time farmers' drink that is traditionally made with a fruit-n-vinegar infusions. But this, this rose vinegar sang to me. I listened and I responded.

I measured out one and a three-quarters cups of sugar (equal measure, by volume, to the vinegar), mixed it with the infused vinegar in a heavy pot and placed it over moderate high flame on the stove top. I stirred it as it came to a boil and the sugar fully dissolved. It cooled and I poured it into a bottle for safe keeping.

I tasted some, of course, a small amount mixed with water over ice. And I fell in love.

That's what I made today. Peace.

A Harvest of Sunshine

Today I harvested more calendula flowers - enough for another two quarts of infused oil. This year I'm infusing many of my herbals in organic coconut oil. I love coconut oil and find it a great addition as well as standalone for many of my herbal skincare projects. Last year I made a calendula soap that I fell in love with and I plan to make more, so the six or so quarts of calendula oil I have going now will position me for many a bar. Many for me! Some for gifts! And, perhaps, some to sell. We shall see.

I love the sticky, resinous feel and fresh, green scent that harvesting calendula leaves on my fingers. I love how summer's sunshine can be coaxed into bottles and jars, balms and salves, soaps and creams, skin sprays and tinctures. Not to mention meads and ales.

Since I was harvesting the verve and light of summer I figured a simple spray of sunflowers deserved a spot of honor on my dining table. As it is, so shall it be.

That's what I made today. All under the watch of August's Dark Moon. Peace.

A Simple Harvest

Enough said.

Peace.