Smultron seeds update#
Smultron seeds series#

The tendrils that connect the new runner daughter plants to the mother plant could look like thin straws.This is the etymology favored by the OED, according to Liberman. The “seeds” of the berry could, perhaps, look like straw.Liberman rejects this because before strawberries were cultivated, they were popularly harvested in the wild. When cultivated, gardeners usually use straw for mulching the plants during the winter.So, perhaps at one time, they were “strewberries.” Liberman rejects this interpretation as it would have been unlikely the first part of the word would have been a verb. The “straw” is derived from “strew,” which describes how the berries send out runners in a mess of different directions.

One thing is clear: the Germanic invaders of Great Britain did not bring the word strawberry to their new homeland from the continent. The word goes back to Old English, and there must have been a serious reason for coining it or for changing the traditional denomination (that is, “ earth-berry,” which did turn up at that time but, judging by the extant texts, was known very little). The double trouble with strawberry is that no other European language has a similar name (one late occurrence in Swedish is of unknown provenance) and that, on the face of it, straw– makes little sense in it. A lovely article by Anatoly Liberman from the Oxford University Press blog details many theories. Last summer, we planted strawberry plants for the first time in our garden and wondered about the origin of the word. In looking through past posts, I was sure that I had written about the etymology of “strawberry” before, but apparently not! All my strawberry research so far has been off the clock. Mes amis, on this day of Prairial, we celebrate the strawberry as the French Revolutionaries would surely have wanted – with ice cream. Pour into coupe or flute and top off with Champagne. Long live Lady Sybil! For me, it ranks up there as one of my favorite cocktails to make and drink – a close second to the Gin Bennet.Ĭhilled brut Champagne (I use cava, usually)Ĭombine the Gin and St.

Smultron seeds series#

They had a series celebrating Downton Abbey in 2012 where each of the three sisters received their own cocktail. To celebrate, I have made a cocktail that I have enjoyed for the past five years – ever since I read the recipe for it on The Kitchn. The liqueur is made not from the elderberry, but from the very fragrant blossoms of the tree. Germain has only been on the market since 2007. I was surprised to discover when reading about the inventor’s death in 2016 that St. Up until last year, I had foolishly thought that the liqueur was as storied as its art deco bottle. Today, we celebrate the elderberry with a cocktail using St. We’re doing a little bit of skipping and heading on to 17 Prairial before doubling back to peas in our next post. To serve, spread the peas over the toasted bread, top with vegetables and mint. Add the onions to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. Drizzle some olive oil over the bread slices and when the veggies have cooked for 15 minutes, remove the pan and arrange the bread on the edge of the pan. In a food processor, mix the peas, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the veggies, except onions, with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. This is taken from a Bon Apetit recipe, but I switched around some veggies based on family preferences.įirst, slice the carrots, radishes, asparagus and onions. Just a couple of veggies and some mashed peas. Enjoy!įor 13 Prairial, we celebrate the pea! It’s been a hot couple of days, so I went with “not soup” for today’s recipe. Mix until smooth and then add the salt and frost the cake when it is completely cooled. Invert onto a platter and make the icing.įor the honey buttercream, beat the butter until pale and creamy. Pour the batter into the prepared ban and cook for 30-35 minutes. Add the vanilla.Īdd the flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

In an electric mixer, beat the butter mixture and sugar until pale and creamy. Turn off the heat and let steep for 10 minutes.Īfter 10 minutes, strain the mixture over a sieve. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, milk and chamomile tea bags to a light simmer for 2-3 minutes. Prepare a 9 inch pan with cooking spray or butter and flour.

It is taken from Kate Hackworthy’s which is a marvel of innovative desserts. I think this cake was lovely and would be a welcome addition to a low tea get together.

Smultron seeds update#

A quick update on the wasabi root I planted earlier this spring: it definitely died. Today, 22 Prairial, we celebrate chamomile! This date has inspired me to order some chamomile seeds to plant in the yard for future tea.