Must share this with you....

My video-kitchen classes are such fun and so popular, ‘cause of the adventure and unexpected happenings....for instance...recently at a class to make herb-ed syrups and try everyone’s "ready to be used" extracts and sugars and vinegar ‘n oils.....

All was great with 3 kitchens reporting in and each making several flavors of syrups...different and different non-sugars being tried....stove-top made, oven made and microwave made....

The stove-top ones were super easy and worked well...even got a ‘pumpkin pie ground spice blend’ flavor that was very good in tea and coffee and warmed milk.....recent feedback is that it is also great in rice pudding instead of plain sugars....

The oven method we (3 kitchens and 6 adults and 8 kids) could not make work well....never could get the temp right or a strong flavor....2 kitchens took their mixtures from oven and sealed in glass jars and let them sit in fridge for several days, then warmed up to room temp and tried in tea, and they were acceptable yet sugary....

Now the microwave...wooooo!!! Was this a roaring hoot.....some cooked sugar too long and it sugared...some got too brown...some cooked the herbs to nothing....and one absolutely fried a microwaveable container and its contents into one smallpuddle...melted everything....and all 3 kitchens had black smoke billowing out the windows at one time or another......the kids loved it!

Adults making mistakes...always gives kids hope and admiration for their designated adults....they saw that mistakes are not the end of the world...just for a dish of herbed sugar.

We never could get it right...right power or time...we do know you have to go slow and low and stir...maybe someone out there in microwave land knows more about melting sugar and we can try it another time...

Oh, yes...the sampling of extracts was put off til next time...everyone was too tired after all the cleaning up from the adventure....

Wonder what the kids and I can come up with next time......

Donna D-

Greetings of the Solstice,

I hope you are enjoying the solstice promise today.  The sun is growing stronger each day to bring us spring.  I always feel my energy rising each day with every extra minute of sun.

I think it appropriate to give you some herbs and botanicals associated with the sun at this time. 

calendula /marigold flower, thyme, yellow yarrow, myrrh,

yellow sunflowers, patchouli, lemon verbena, cinnamon, parsley, buttercup,

rosemary, oak, beech, cedar, hazel wood, dill, allspice,

bay leaf, celery seed, rosemary, fern, lavender, cherry, periwinkle, oranges,

tobacco, celandine, clove, ginger,

Whether as tea, bath mixtures, incense, shampoo/rinses or as seasoning or flavoring bring the 'warm' 0f Solstice Sun into you and your world.

Enjoy......

Donna D

Readers, so sorry to have been silent.  But, life has interferredwith my life!
Due to illness and family loss I am not working on much right now.  Need a bit of grieving space.

Will be back soon with up to date class exploits....

Thanks for understanding.....

Donna D.

Hey, title for young readers book will be
 Vanilla Fries and Jalapeno Shampoo....the extraordinary possibilities of using herbs and botanicals everyday....hopefully available by Nov 15...had to add a new chapter on herb mint chews/snuff and energy drinks...so a delay...

Wow !  Last week my herb guide was published.  Should receive a copy this week.  Cannot wait to see it in person.  The e-book version was done a few days ago and looks great, even on the small cell screen.  Exciting!

Got a video-cam kitchen class today, so will try some of the recipes from the guide and the upcoming one, to make sure every instruction and quantity is right.  

Also, have some students from classes doing some experiments with some new recipes for herbed goodies.  Can't wait to hear from them and/or taste the real stuff.

I will be adding more information on everyday versions of herbal recipes and sharing recipes and ideas sent to me.

Working really hard and fast as I can on the new guide Young Readers Guide to Herbs....  It is a bigger (more pages) guide.  Therefore, it is taking longer.  Will keep you posted.

Gotta run....

Donna

Hey, almost forgot.  Got a pix of the new Superhero 'ERB Club t-shirt  yesterday.  So cute.  I do hope the kids go ahead with this idea.