Rosemary syrup

A generous colleague with rosemary growing in his greenhouse gave me several fresh sprigs. Some are even flowering. So lovely! I remember being in Seattle and being so jealous of all their flowering rosemary, growing like weeds everywhere. Will definitely plan to include rosemary in our future greenhouse planning.

I wanted to make rosemary simple syrup with some of the rosemary. Herbal syrups are a favorite way to enjoy and benefit from herbs. They make for a tasty homemade soda or a good cocktail mixer.

I've missed green! This winter has been a long one.

I infused the 1:1 (water to sugar) mixture with the rosemary for about 5 hours over very low active heat and another 8 or so steeping. It was a long time but I wanted a strong rosemary flavor and to extract as much benefit as possible. I was also light-handed with the amount of rosemary I used because I didn't want to use up my gift in this syrup alone. 

Here's the finished syrup below. It's a rich color and has a relatively strong aroma. I think the 1:1 ratio makes a really sweet syrup. Next time I'll use less sugar, but it might not keep as long. Which doesn't matter so much because it's not going to last very long around here. Mixed with soda water (about 1 tbsp syrup water to a cup of water) it's light and refreshing and will likely get used quickly.

Rosemary syrup is perfect for a gray day like today

Close up. Does this count as a selfie?

I took it a step farther and mixed 2 tbsp syrup with a cup of water and a liberal splash of apple cider vinegar. The result is a sweet, tangy sipping drink. Rosemary switchel.

Switchel is an old-timey drink that uses vinegar and a sweetener as prominent ingredients

After draining the syrup, I took the sugar water-coated rosemary springs, stuffed them in a pint jar and covered with 1 cup of brandy. I'll let the rosemary and sugar infuse in the brandy for a few weeks, shaking occasionally. I'll drink this infused brandy some evening in the future and remember today's rosemary experiments.

Rosemary bathing in brandy

Rosemary potions

- Cari

Pi and Chai

Today was Pi Day (3.1415) and I made Mike a blueberry pie to celebrate.

My secret ingredient was an Italian lemon preserve mixed into the blueberries for a sweet tartness to complement the fruit.

Mini pi pie in a ramekin

Later on Pi day I played around with a new recipe for a special chai that I'll be selling soon. First the chai spices, below. I went out on a limb and tried black cardamom instead of the usual green. Black cardamom is a more earthy, warming spice and I like the note it adds to the chai.

My chai spices include cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, mace, black cardamom, ginger, and star anise

Then I added nettle leaves for a nourishing, mineral-rich chai, balancing the green of the herb with the warmth of the spices. After trialing, my final product will also contain mint to round out this delicious blend.

- Cari

So long, February, well met, March weekend

February was a tough month, and a really long one for such a short one. I love winter and I have to say I used complaining about winter as a metaphor for other not-great things happening these past few weeks. And I know I haven't been alone in feeling that way. So goodbye, February. Can't say we'll miss you but there was a lot of good, a lot of beauty and joy in you and those are the things we'll remember when the bad taste of bitter cold and storm after freaking storm passes. This is Maine.  We can handle it, we just need to let off some steam.

As this month came to a close, it was a busy productive weekend of work (especially for Mike), entertaining, socializing, getting out in our woods we love so much, farm business planning, salve making, good eating. Here are some pics of the weekend.

Gals snowshoe with my mom, sister, and our friend. Mike has made loads of nicely marked (and stamped down) snowshoe trails through the woods. It's so vital to get out in that cold air to get re-energized when the winter starts to wear you down.

Great light on this allee of trees yesterday.  

An example of Mike's snowshoe paths. Love.  

From future Pigland out to the pasture.  

Treehouse needs shoveling.  

Ridge Pond Farm.  

Across the field to the barn.  

Snow.  

Moose maple.  

The first of March. Shapes under the snow.  

Down the steepest headwall.  

The snow looks like frosting.  

Nature's tophat.  

Some people's idea of a perfect ratio of frosting (snow) to cake (tree).  

The Happy Woodpecker Inn.  

Couldn't resist one more. They're so cute.  

For comparison. And this is just what has stayed behind on this downed tree after some windy storms and settling. It has been a snowy month.  

Gray.  

The crane can finally poke his head out from the snow now that some of it has melted and settled. This was before last night's storm, which probably covered him up more. 

More of Mike's many paths.

Blue privy window.

End of the weekend soup - turmeric corn chowder. My sister Jane saw a picture and said it looked like sunshine in a bowl. 

- Cari