Aniversary Treats

2008-07-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary this month. .

As our anniversary fell on a weekday, there wasn't enough time to do much on 'the' day. My husbby was working from home. So I couldn't surprise him much, as he could smell every thing that I prepared while it was being prepared.

Elder Flowers

2008-06-22T12:38:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to Elder flowers for the first time by a friend who has a lovely garden. And in her garden, she has an Elder tree. One day when she had invited us over for lunch, we were sitting in her beautiful garden and in front of us in the far end close to the fence was this strikingly beautiful tree full of bunches of tiny white flowers. Then she offered us a very soothing drink that I had never know before. I loved it's flavor. She told me she had prepared it from the Elder flowers from the tree in front of us.

After doing a little research I learned, Elder is a large deciduous shrub with tiny, scented cream flowers that blossom in summer, followed by black berries. The flowers are mainly used, although the leaves, fruit, bark and roots are also used.

Elder flowers are traditionally used to treat influenza, colds, mucus, sinusitis, feverish illnesses and other upper respiratory tract problems, as well as hay fever. The fruits are used for rheumatic complaints and the bark for constipation and arthritic conditions.

The flowers are also used for sore eyes, irritated and inflamed skin, mouth ulcers and minor injuries. Though care must be taken when using this plant for herbal remedies as the leaves and raw berries contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides and are poisonous.

The flower heads can be fried in batter, made into cordials, summer drinks and to add flavor to stewed fruits, jellies and jams. The creamy blossoms can be beaten up in the batter of flannel cakes and muffins, to which they gave a more delicate texture.

Elder Flower Water in eye and skin lotions. It is mildly astringent and a gentle stimulant.

Here is a recipe that can be carried out at home: Fill a large jar with Elder blossoms, pressing them down, the stalks of course having been removed previously. Pour on them 2 quarts of boiling water and when slightly cooled, add 1 1/2 OZ. of rectified spirits. Cover with a folded cloth, and stand the jar in a warm place for some hours. Then allow it to get quite cold and strain through muslin. Put into bottles and cork securely.

Elderflower Water in olden days was a household word for clearing the complexion of freckles and sunburn, and keeping it in a good condition. Every lady's toilet table possessed a bottle of the liquid, and she relied on this to keep her skin fair and white and free from blemishes, and it has not lost its reputation. Its use after sea-bathing has been recommended, and if any eruption should appear on the face as the effect of salt water, it is a good plan to use a mixture composed of Elder Flower Water with glycerine and borax, and apply it night and morning.

Elder Flowers, if placed in the water used for washing the hands and face, will both whiten and soften the skin-a convenient way being to place them in a small muslin bag. Such a bag steeped in the bathwater makes a most refreshing bath and a wellknown. It ia a fine aid in the bath in cases of irritability of the skin and nerves.

Tea made from Elder Flowers has also been recommended as a splendid spring medicine, to be taken every morning before breakfast for some weeks, being considered an excellent blood purifier.

A salad of young Elder buds, macerated a little in hot water and dressed with oil, vinegar and salt, has been used as a remedy against skin eruptions.

Elder Vinegar made from the flowers is an old remedy for sore throat.

The flowers of the elder tree can be used to make a quick and easy drink or a syrup that will keep for years, with no added preservatives, flavours or colours.

In late May and early June the elder tree (Sambucus nigra) flowers, gorgeous white plate like flowers comprised of countless tiny florets. The flowers have a wonderful fresh smell that scent the entire room.

If you are gathering flowers in the wild, make sure that they aren’t protected, as birds heavily rely on their berries for food, and also that you are picking the correct flowers – incorrect identification can cause disaster!

Elder Flower Drink Stays fresh only for a few days

Ingredients:
70 citron tablets, dissolved in a bit of water or lemon concentrate to taste, or juice of 3 or 4 lemons
½ kg sugar + 1 litre cold water in which to dissolve it
8 fresh new elder flowers
Cold water

Method
Soak the flower heads for twelve hours in four litres of cold water
Remove the flower heads
Dissolve the sugar in the one litre of water
Dissolve the lemon tablets in a little bit of hot water
Add the sugar water to the flower water
Add the lemon tablet water to the flower water mixture, or add the pure lemon concentrate, or juice of three or four lemons
Strain and put into clean bottles and drink within a few days.
This is a refreshing summer drink, not too sweet, and with a light fruity taste. It’s always made in the Hungarian countryside and served to any visitors.

Elder Flower Syrup
1 litre cold water
10 fresh new elder flower heads
800 g sugar
10 citron tablets dissolved in a little hot water, or one dessert spoon lemon concentrate, or the juice of one lemon

Mehtod
Soak the flower heads in the litre of water for 24 hours
Take out the flowers
Add the suagr and dissoved citron tablets, or lemon concentrate, or juice of one lemon, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Strain the syrup - to catch the flower heads - into clean bottles with screw top lids
label and store
This syrup will keep for longer than a year.
It has a wonderful aroma that brings back memories of summer during the colder winter months.

Uses
It can be diluted with sparkling or cold water in summer for a refreshing scented drink. If the cold drink is too sweet, add a spoonful of plain yoghurt. It can also be used in cake recipes, pudding recipes, poured over ice cream, and used for flavouring cream or yoghurt. Dilute with hot water in the winter as an alternative drink to tea or coffee. It aids perspiration and is useful at the onset of a cold.

Breakfast at Mendocino Headlands Inn

2008-06-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

In March this year we decided to drive North and discover some places in Northern California. So we arrived in Medocino. He where booked in an Inn on the Headlands, that had a lovely view of the Pacific Ocean and the Headlands. The inn was very comfortable and the host was a very sweet lady. But most of all what immpressed us most was the complimentary Breakfast. I must admit we have not seen it all, but of most we have seen and experienced this was the best complimentary breakfast I have ever had. It was prepared by our host in her kitchen and I the late afternoon when we passed her kitchen we knew something wonderful was baking and were delighted to see those baked goodies serve to us.

Mendocino is such a lovely place. And the Headlands Inn is a great place to stay. I loved their presentation so very much that I too a picture to share ir with you.

These are images of breakfast served on two days. It included fresh fruits, baked sweets and savouries.

BeeT RooT

Aniversary Treats

Elder Flowers

Breakfast at Mendocino Headlands Inn