Rooibos - Herb of the Week

In keeping with herbs good for hot tea in the month of January (which is HOT TEA month!) I decided to discuss

Rooibos Aspalathus linearis, red bush tea as the Herb of the week.

photo courtesy of www.bushmanskloof.co.za

Deep in the heart of South Africa, in the mountains and valleys of the Cedarberg region near Cape Town, vast vistas, fields of verdant green bushes, fill the landscape. Traveling throughout this precipitous expanse, one may not suspect that this bright bush, which the locals refer to as "Rooibos," (pronounced roy-boss), could be such a versatile and remarkable herb. Among Rooibos' many uses, Rooibos' most popular utilization is as a tisane, or herbal beverage. Also known as Red tea, Bush tea and Redbush tea, Rooibos tea has become the hottest trend in the tea industry.

The product has been popular in Southern Africa for generations and is now consumed in many countries. Rooibos is grown only in a small area in the region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. Like most real teas (Camellia Sinensis), Rooibos tea goes through a fermentation process. Rooibos tea is finely chopped, bruised and left to ferment in heaps. Rooibos tea is then left to dry in the African sun, where it changes from a vivid green to a deep mahogany red the unique color which Rooibos tea is known and adored. This process produces the distinctive reddish-brown color of Rooibos and enhances the flavor. Unoxidized "green" Rooibos is also produced, but the more demanding production process for green Rooibos (similar to the method by which green tea is produced) makes it more expensive than traditional Rooibos. It carries a malty and slightly grassy flavor somewhat different from its red counterpart.

In South Africa it is common to prepare Rooibos tea in the same manner as black tea, and add milk and sugar to taste. Other methods include a slice of lemon and using honey instead of sugar to sweeten.

Rooibos is becoming more popular in Western countries, particularly among health-conscious consumers, due to its high level of antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, its lack of caffeine, and its low tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or unoxidized green tea leaves. Rooibos also contains a number of phenols, including flavanols, flavones, flavanones, and dihydrochalcones. Two rooibos flavonoids, quercetin and luteolin have been known to have cancer fighting qualities. Rooibos does not contain the antioxidant Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).

HISTORY

Through the 17th and 18th centuries, European travellers and botanists visiting the Cederberg region in South Africa commented on the profusion of "good plants" for curative purposes. In 1772, Swedish naturalist Carl Thunberg noted that "the country people made tea" from a plant related to rooibos or redbush.

Traditionally, the local people would climb the mountains and cut the fine needle-like leaves from wild rooibos plants. They then rolled the bunches of leaves into bags and brought them down the steep slopes on the backs of donkeys. The leaves were then chopped with axes and bruised with hammers, before being left to dry in the sun. The Dutch settlers to the Cape developed Rooibos as an alternative to black tea, an expensive commodity for the settlers who relied on supply ships from Europe.

In the 1930s, Ginsberg persuaded local doctor and Rhodes scholar Dr. Le Fras Nortier to experiment with cultivation of the plant. Le Fras Nortier cultivated the first plants at Clanwilliam on the Klein Kliphuis farm. The tiny seeds were difficult to obtain, as they dispersed as soon as the pods cracked, and would not germinate without scarifying. Le Fras Nortier paid the local "volk", some of whom were his patients, to collect seeds. An aged Khoi woman came again and again, receiving a shilling for each matchbox filled with seed. She had found an unusual seed source: having chanced upon ants dragging seed, she followed them back to their nest and, on breaking it open, found a granary. The attempts by Dr. le Fras Nortier were ultimately successful, which led Ginsberg to encourage local farmers to cultivate the plant in the hope that it would become a profitable venture. Klein Kliphuis became a tea farm, and within ten years the price of seeds soared to an astounding rate, the most expensive vegetable seed in the world. Today the seed is gathered by special sifting processes. Since then, rooibos has grown in popularity in South Africa, and has also gained considerable momentum in the worldwide market. A growing number of brand-name tea companies sell this tea, either by itself or as a component in an increasing variety of blends.

Due to the difficulties buying and shipping tea (once again, I'm referring to "real" tea) from war-ridden Asia during World War II, the demand for a substitute beverage was urgent. Since Rooibos tea was such a fitting alternative, Rooibos' popularity rapidly rose.  But it wasn't until decades later that Rooibos teas' real success began. In 1968, South African mother Annique Theron fortuitously stumbled across Rooibos teas' ability to calm her baby, relieving the infant of colic and insomnia. Gratified by Rooibos' natural healing potential, Annique went on to investigate and document Rooibos' health-promoting properties. In 1970, Annique published her findings a book titled "Allergies: An Amazing Discovery." With this publication, Rooibos tea first became widely recognized worldwide.

Widely acclaimed throughout the media and a New York Times Bestseller, The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith extols the delicious qualities of naturally sweet Rooibos tea. Set in Botswana, Africa, The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency is the first book in a series (of the same title), wherein the main character, Precious Ramotswe, frequently entertains clients and visitors with a cup of what is referred to as "Bush" tea or "Redbush" tea (these, as we know, are colloquialisms for Rooibos). The enormous success of this series seems to have catalyzed a remarkable demand for Red tea, bringing Rooibos tea to the forefront of the beverage world.

USES

No matter what it is called (Red Tea, Redbush Tea, Bush tea, Mountain tea, Long life tea, Herbal Allergy tea or Rooibos Tea), all can agree that Rooibos is a delicious, naturally sweet and versatile beverage.  When Annique first made this discovery, it was impossible for her to know the many amazing health benefits Rooibos tea can provide. Throughout many years of rigorous scientific investigation, many benefits have surfaced and more are sure to follow.  Although most health claims about Rooibos have not been entirely proven, we are very clear that Rooibos tea contains many flavinoids, free-radical fighting antioxidants (similar to Polyphenols which have made Green tea famous). Even more alluring, unconfirmed studies are showing that these flavinoids may be up to 50 times more effective than those found in Green tea.

Rooibos is purported to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. Traditional medicinal uses of rooibos in South Africa include alleviating infantile colic, allergies, asthma and dermatological problems.  Although human studies of rooibos are scarce in scientific literature, animal studies suggest it has potent antioxidant, immune-modulating and chemopreventive effects. In addition, no adverse side effects of consuming rooibos tea have been documented.  Being that Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine free (an especially important benefit for pregnant women, children and caffeine-sensitive drinkers), Rooibos tea can be consumed before sleep without caffeine's stimulant side effects. Rooibos tea has also been shown to soothe the body's reaction to allergy and rashes. Rooibos tea also contains anti-spasmodic agents which can relieve stomach pains. In Asia, it is known as "Long Life" tea, in that many believe that Rooibos has anti-aging effects

When added to lotions, Rooibos has been shown as an effective herbal remedy for skin ailments such as eczema and acne. In cooking, Rooibos tea has been shown to be an effective meat tenderizer and a wonderful marinade. Rooibos is also being used as a dye, a vitamin, a spice and just about anything that could be imagined.

RECIPES

Orange flavored Rooibos

3 Rooibos teabags

One can of Concentrated Orange Juice (341 ml Frozen and unsweetened)

Iced cubes

Prepare 1 liter of strong Rooibos (by steeping 3 bags in 1 liter of boiling water for more than 10 minutes).  Sweetner can be added to the warm Rooibos if a sweetened drink is required. Remove the teabags and add the frozen orange juice. Stir and add ice (2 to 3 trays of ice will be enough to cool down the tea and dilute the concentrate) Serve immediately with more ice cubes, garnished with fruit slices and mint. This mix can also be served later but then we recommend that you add less ice and let it cool down normally. Will serve 12 glasses.

Rooibos Fruit Smoothie

1/2 banana (preferably frozen)
3 cups fruit (peaches, berries, frozen or not)
Cold Rooibos until it reaches the top of blender

Blend and enjoy! A healthy energizing treat anytime!

Rooibos Pancakes

Using yesterday’s tea to make this mornings pancakes is a great way to use up Rooibos and add flavor, color and nutrients to your recipe.

2 cups cold Rooibos tea (or warm if it happens to be)
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat or unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda with a tsp of apple cider vinegar to activate it
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
2 tablespoons oil of any kind (I use olive, canola or sunflower would be fine)

Combine the wet ingredients (except vinegar and oil), add the dry ingredients including baking soda and add the vinegar right on top. Once it fizzes, stir dry ingredients into wet until you have a smooth mixture. If it seems too stiff, add more rooibos, water or milk. If it seems too liquid, add a little more flour. The last step is to add the oil and stir just a few times so you can see the oil coating the outside of the batter. Heat cast iron pans or some other non stick pan. Pour into fry pans by the cup and when you see bubbles across the top of the pancake flip and cook on the other side for 25-50 seconds depending on the heat. The pancakes should be a golden brown color on both sides and cooked all the way through.

Rooibos Vegetable Soup

1/8 cup olive oil 

3 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 lb of bacon, diced

2 cups broccoli, broken into florets

3 carrots, chopped  

4 potatoes, diced

2 1/2 cups green beans, cut into 1” pieces

2 cups cabbage, sliced (optional)

1 small can tomato paste

6 chicken stock cubes, dissolved in 6 cups of hot Rooibos Tea

Coarsely ground black pepper and salt to taste   

 ¼ cup Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Sauté garlic & onions in heated oil in a large saucepan until tender.  Add bacon & fry until done, but not brown.  Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry slightly. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender. Flavor with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Sprinkle with parsley & serve.  (Serves 8-10)

Hot Tea Enjoyment #4 - Storing your tea

Somehow the Tea Enjoyment series I started in January 2010 became derailed sometime in March 2010.  I apologize to those who were actually following it.  If you were not, what I started in January 2010 in celebration of Hot Tea Month was a series of  7 points about improving your enjoyment of tea.

To see the first few posts, check out:

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2011/02/hot-tea-enjoyment.html

It was the 7 points that got me thinking about how I sell my loose tea and I realized that I was not using the best storage method so I changed.  Discussing that lets me move to the next Step in the 7 points.

For reference here are the 7 points to enjoying hot tea:
1. Try a new type of tea.
2. Buy loose tea instead of bags

3. Learn how to brew the best tea.

4. Understand how to store tea.
5. Experiment with tea in other drinks,
6. Host a tea tasting with friends.
7. Put brewed tea leaves to good use.

4. Understand how to store tea.

When storing teas the key is avoiding exposure to light, heat, moisture, and air Use opaque food-safe containers with a sealed lid. Tins and plastic are best. Because tea has a certain amount of moisture in the leaf that can be trapped in glass it is generally not considered best, especially clear glass.  That being said I personally store much of my tea in amber glass jars. 

Store tea in dark, airtight containers such as tins or opaque plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.

Split large quantities into smaller packages, and vacuum-pack them for long-term storage. Keep them in a dark cupboard or opaque container to exclude light.

Keep herbal teas away from other spices and strong odors. Herbal teas can absorb odors and flavors from other foods and ruin the brew. Each herbal tea should have its own tin or container. Do not pack several different teas in the same container.

Store herbal teas for up to six months in an opaque airtight container. Vacuum-packed teas keep for up to two years. Place them in a cool, dark place but not in the refrigerator.  The air circulation in your refrigerator is actually very drying and can shorten the life of tea and other dried herbs by more than half.

At the Backyard Patch I sold all my loose teas in zip seal bags.  That is not bad, but I decided that since I pride myself on long shelf life, the tea needed to have a long life container, so in 2010 we switched to selling our loose tea in round metal tins.  They stack nicely, can be magnetized to the refrigerator for easy access, and are a perfect storage container.  If you would like tea in these wonderful new containers, check out our herbal teas on the website.

Apple Mint - Herb of the Week

In celebration of Hot Tea month, I decided to choose an herb that would be excellent in Tea, so the

 Herb of the Week is - Apple Mint  - Mentha suaveolens. 

With a slightly fruity flavor it is a particularly good choice for garnishing drinks and adding zest to fruit salad, cottage cheese and cream cheese. A lovely, aromatic plant that can rapidly become obnoxious if not contained. When kept confined, this is a beautiful herb with many fantastic culinary, medicinal and decorative properties. Use it to flavor fruit salad or add bruised apple mint leaves to a pitcher of ice water with lemon make the perfect “afternoon in the shade” summer treat. Dried apple mint leaves are a delicious warm tea that is perfect for cooler weather.

Like all mints, Apple mint had a square stem, but unlike many varieties, the leaves of Apple mint are round with a toothed edge and somewhat hairy.  They are a bright green color and can grow from 1 to 4 inches in size.  This plant gets its name from the slight apple scent and mildly fruity flavor these leaves possess.  Apple mint will flower in July and August with attractive mauve flowers.  The plant can grow 2 to 3 feet high and is a vigorous grower.

Historically mint is a strewing herb which was seen by the Greeks as the herb of hospitality.

To Grow

Hardy to Zone 5 Apple mint, sometimes known as the “fuzzy mint” or “woolly mint” needs rich soil that drains well.  It grows in full sun, to part shade.  If spreading is not an issue, you can plant directly into the ground. This mint likes full to part shade. Sometimes referred to as an invasive plant most people have more difficulty getting rid of mint, rather than getting it started.  So to protect your yard, or other garden areas be sure to install a barrier that is at least 10 inches deep to keep the roots from spreading.  Mint thrives in a partly shady spot with plenty of moisture.  Allow 1 to 1 ½ feet between plants.  Don’t dress the soil with fresh manure, or add too much organic matter as this will only encourage rust. Provide water for early plants and during times of drought. In the fall, cut back all apple mint to the ground and cover with a 2-inch layer of mulch where winters are harsh.

Cut Apple mint frequently to encourage a bushier habit, as it likes to grow tall.  The leaves of apple mint will be large, so if allowed to grow too tall the branches will get heavy and flop.  After the last harvest cut the mint to the ground, since it will spring from the root you do not need the plant to have a returning mint and this will eliminate Mint pest breeding grounds.

You can grow mints in a container, but you will have to repot each year because of the large root growth.

To propagate most mint species you should do so by cuttings or root division.  Since many are hybrids, the seed is rarely viable and you might not get a true example from seed.  Mint cuttings will root easily in a moist potting soil on just in water.  When dividing an existing plant do so in the fall.

Uses

When making tea with mint you can use fresh or dried leaves. An excellent aromatic it can actually improve in scent as the plant grows older.  In hot seasons mints can be hung around the house in freshen the air and lend that feeling of minty coolness.

A tea for insomnia can be made with Apple mint with orange bergamot.

Lay a crush apple mint leaf on a bee sting or other insect bite to relieve pain and bring cooling.

For a wonderfully refreshing drink, twist or bruise 1 cup of Apple mint.  Place in a clean half-gallon container.  Fill with fresh cool water.  Chill in the refrigerator.  Strain and serve on ice.

Apple mint sprigs in your iced tea will improve the sweetness.

An herb vinegar made with apple mint and orange peel is a great marinade for lamb and in salad dressing.

Recipes to Try

Zucchini with Mint and Lemon (serves 4)

1 lb. zucchini, sliced into thick coins

splash of olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ tsp. ground turmeric

5 thin lemon slices

2 tsp. minced fresh or 1 tsp dried apple mint

1 Tbls. minced fresh garlic chives or regular chives

Blanch the zucchini in boiling water until almost tender, about 1 ½ minutes.  Drain and pat dry.  The blanching helps tenderize the zucchini so it can be sautéed in very little oil.

Heat in a large sauté pan over high heat, then use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil around.  Add the zucchini, garlic, turmeric, and lemon and sate until the zucchini is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Toss with the mint and garlic chives and serve warm or very slightly chilled and be sure to eat the lemons too!

The best way to use apple mint, besides for its flavor in tea is with fruit.  The fruity scent and flavor of the leaves really melts well with any fruit.  You can just toss the leaves into your basic fruit salad or make an aromatic liquid to soak the fruit in.

Fruit Liquid

¼ cup lime juice

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup (not packed) fresh mint leaves

Blend the ingredients together, then pour over 2 cups of fruit.  Slices plums, mandarin orange section, cantaloupe, honeydew or sliced pears will all work well.  Garish with fresh mint sprigs.

Cooling Tea Blend

1 tsp dried rose hips, crushed

1 tsp apple mint leaves, crushed

1 tsp sage leaves, rubbed

Please all herbs in a tea pot and add one cup of boiling water.  Let steep 10 minutes.  Strain and sweeten with honey to taste.

This tea blend is cooling as well as high in vitamin C.  It is especially good for treating feverish colds.

Apple Mint and Fruit Pie

1 9-inch baked pie shell
1 cup strawberries, crushed
2 medium apples, chopped
2 Tbsp finely chopped apple mint
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
red coloring
additional whole strawberries

Wash and hull strawberries; crush enough to make 1 cup. Reserve 6 or 8 berries of equal size for garnish and small ones to cover pie bottom. Pare and chop apples. In water in a saucepan dissolve sugar and add fruits and mint. Bring to a boil then cook over low heat 5 minutes. Test for thickening, and when juice drops thickly off a spoon, remove from heat, stir in coloring and cool for a few minutes. Arrange a layer of reserved berries over bottom of a pie shell and pour warm mixture over them. Cool. As pie begins to set, place a berry on top for each serving, equidistant from each other and about halfway out from center. Whipped cream may be piped around berries or decorate the top as desired.

EDIT NOTE: updated with new recipe in January 2023

Hot Tea Celebration

It has been a crazy new year!  On January 1 my hubby went into the hospital for an infection (massive) and we have been dealing with the fallout from that ever since.

I have been trying to get my blog back on track and work on researching the herb of the week so they can be posted on Wednesday like they are supposed to be, check out the first one of the new year tomorrow!

Today was a bad day in my book.  I spilled my tea (a new blend with orange and white tea) before even getting one sip, then later I fell off my rolling desk chair. (Go ahead laugh, I did!)

January is Hot Tea month.  Last year I started a series of articles on Hot Tea (check out the first few parts here) that somehow got lost and never posted correctly.  I am going to find them all and get the missing ones posted this month (only a year late...)

Today however I want to put up something I actually wrote while in the waiting room at the emergency room during the first few days of the year when we had our first cold spell, I hear we might have another this coming weekend!

As the temps dipped into the teens for really the first time this winter, I deeply felt the cold, probably because I am out of practice with the cold due to our mild winter (so far!)  But as a result, to cope with the cold I turned to my comfort food -- Tea and Scones.

Scones are so simple to make that I just whip them up and place in an air tight container to enjoy for a week!

I've shared scone recipes before, but I crafted a few more recently when I had some unexpected free time so here they are:

CHEDDAR-BASIL MINI SCONES

Here is one of my favorite savory scone recipes. It smells so good while it's baking & they are very good reheated days later.  You can even add bacon to it for a more savory taste.  I added three strips of cooked crumbled bacon when the recipe says to add the cheese & basil.  This combo makes a great breakfast on the run.

Ingredients:

3  cups  all-purpose flour

2  Tbsp.  sugar

1  Tbsp.  baking powder

1/2  tsp.  salt

1-1/2  cups  shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

2/3  cup  snipped fresh basil (or 1/3 cup dry crumbled basil)

1-1/2  cups  whipping cream, half-and-half or light cream

1    egg, lightly beaten

Whipping cream, half-and-half or light cream

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add shredded cheddar and basil; stir to combine.

2.  In a small bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups cream and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring until moistened. Turn out onto a well- floured surface; knead gently for 10 to 12 strokes.

3.  Divide dough in half; shape into two balls. Pat or roll each into a 6-inch circle. Cut each into 8 wedges. Place onto ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with additional cream.

4.  Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from baking sheet; serve warm. Makes 16 scones.

Cherry Herb Scones
You can substitute dried cranberries or raisins for the cherries if you like.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped

2 tsp. dried lemon balm
1 egg, plus 1 teaspoon cream
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with the mixer on low. Add in the butter and mix until the mixture is crumbly and butter is the size of blueberries. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine cream, 2 beaten eggs, and lemon zest. With the mixture on low, pour the mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Add in cherries, and mix until just incorporated.

2.  Place dough onto a well-floured board and with well-floured hands, pat the dough down into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Use floured cookie cutters to cut the dough into shapes. Place shapes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. With a fork, beat together egg and the teaspoon of cream to make the egg wash. Brush tops of scones with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

3.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

4.  Whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, and lemon juice until smooth. Adjust consistency with more sugar or lemon juice as needed. Drizzle over warm scones.

Lemon Verbena Scones
I love this herb and in the winter I bring my plant in just so I can enjoy a recipe like this.  If you do not have fresh, substitute 2 Tbls. dried.

Ingredients:

2 c. unbleached flour

1 1/2 c. rolled oats

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves

1 egg, beaten

1/2 c. yogurt

1/4 c. milk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425º F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add pecans and lemon verbena leaves; mix until combined.

2.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add egg, yogurt, and milk; stirring well. Mix the center in with flour mixture to form a soft dough. Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet with a non-stick cooking spray. With floured hands, pat dough into skillet. Score the top into 8 pie shaped wedges.

3.  Bake at 425degrees F for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm and enjoy. Makes 8 servings.

If you want to see a step by step for making scones, check out this How To-sday:

http://backyardpatch.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-sday-making-cheddar-scones.html

Happy Birthday Sherlock Holmes - herb recipes

Today is Sherlock Holmes’ Birthday.  Everyone who has read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories has noticed that Holmes appreciated good food and drink. Holmes and Watson were often sitting down to a meal prepared by their excellent landlady Mrs. Hudson or dining in a country inn or joining Holmes' brother, the large and reclusive Mycroft, for a meal at the Diogenes Club.

I have been an avid reader of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation since I was about 12.  And I love adaptations that stick to the personalities of the characters, so I love both the Robert Downey Jr. version and the new PBS version.  As a result of reading these Victorian novels so early in life, there is really no tangled writing style I cannot translate - which came to good use in my museum career.  Now my focus is on herbs and tea and Holmes again seems an appropriate fit in my life.

I own several Holmes theme cookbooks, although the detective himself probably never cooked a meal himself, he did eat, and the books and stories are liberally peppered with descriptions of dishes and situations.  If you enjoy the idea of British Victorian cooking then any of the cookbooks will introduce you.  Here is a list of the ones I know about (I found it interesting that the first batch came out around the Bicentennial and the second batch or reprinting came out when Jeremy Brett became extremely popular as the Great Detective.)

 The Sherlock Holmes Cookbook or, Mrs. Hudson's Stoveside Companion formed upon principles of economy and adapted to the use of private families by Sean Wright and John Farrell - Published in 1976, the book features a sensible approach to preparing British food from the Victorian era, while connecting actual menus to specific stories. The title tells you they are adhering to those descriptive titles cookbooks seemed to have at the turn of the last century and the recipes included are just as authentic.

Dining with Sherlock Holmes: A Baker Street Cookbook by Julia Carlson Rosenblatt and Frederic H. Sonnenschmidt  - First printed in 1976 and reprinted again in 1990.  Recipes are divided into different eating occasions in Holmes life, such as “Breakfast at Baker Street,” “On the Chase,” and “The Horrors of a Country Inn," which breaks out meals by the name of the Inns where Watson and Sherlock dined.

 The Sherlock Holmes Victorian Cookbook: The Favorite Recipes of the Great Detective and Dr. Watson by William Bonnell - Published in 1977, this book is laid out by type of dish – soups, salads, meats, etc, Story quotes appear at the top of each recipe. Rather than support a notion that Holmes was interested in food, the quotes reinforce how focused he was on the case at hand.

The Sherlock Holmes Cookbook by Charles A. Mills – printed in 1990 pulls together recipes mentioned in the various stories.

Cooking for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: British Recipes for Two Persons by William S. Dorn – this self published book from 2004, was nicely researched and contained typical hearty fare and is divided by type of food like Bread, desserts, soups, etc.

For the purists, here is a very good Victorian Recipe that can be found in The Sherlock Holmes Victorian Cookbook, which for authenticity is my favorite.  The credited source for the dish is “Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management” (1861), which I think I have mentioned in posts before.  This one appealed to me because WGN was at ½ Acre Brewery in Lincoln Park yesterday and got me thinking about food and beer!

 Asparagus Soup with Pale Ale
Serves 4-6

2lb lean beef, diced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
5 cups beef stock
1 cup pale ale or beer
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried mint
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 bunches asparagus stalks
1 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Dust the beef with the flour. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the meat until it browns on all sides. Add the stock, ale, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Add the marjoram, mint, and spinach. Bring to a boil again, then reduce the heat. Cut the top 3 inches from the asparagus stalks, and chop them into bite-sized pieces (the remainder of the stalks can be saved for vegetable stock). Add the asparagus tops to the soup and simmer until they are tender (4-5 minutes). Stir in the sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

For those who want an herb or tea related recipe to celebrate Sherlock’s Birthday, might I suggest these two:

From Cooking for Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson  here is Mrs. Hudson’s SODA BREAD.  This is great for a quick ham sandwich or with jam and a cup of tea for breakfast.  Originally suggested to the author by a reference in The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, it makes two loaves of soda bread.

Mrs. Hudson’s Soda Bread

(makes 2 loaves)

4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 tsp. Rosemary, broken

1 tsp. Thyme

2 1/2 cups of low fat buttermilk

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium-size

Bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in the bowl. Gradually add the buttermilk while gently and quickly mixing the dough.  Shape the dough into two circular loaves; if the dough is too moist to shape, add a little more flour.  Place each loaf on a greased, 8 inch pie plate.  With a knife cut a deep cross on the top of each loaf. Bake the loaves for 15 minutes at 450F. Reduce the oven temperature to 400F.  Bake for another 25 minutes (If the crust appears to become too brown, cover each loaf with some aluminum foil.) If the bread is not lightly brown or does not sound hollow when tapped, bake longer.  Cool the bread loaves on a wire rack.

My second recipe is adapted from Dining with Sherlock Holmes.  It is a sweet English biscuit recipe I dressed up with a few lemon herbs to accent its gentle lemon flavor. This is perfect with a nice cup of Earl Grey.

Mrs. Hudson’s Biscuits

About 70 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

½ cup butter
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp. vanilla sugar

     or 2 tsp sugar with 2-3 drops of vanilla extract
1 egg
1 pinch of salt
juice and grated peel of 1/2 lemon

2 tsp. lemon balm, dried

1 cup flour
7 Tbls. corn starch
1 tsp. baking powder
butter to grease pan

Glaze
¾ cup icing sugar

2 Tbls. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

Whip the butter until it is fluffy, then slowly add the powdered sugar; Add the vanilla sugar, egg, salt, lemon juice and peel and lemon balm; Add the flour, baking powder and corn starch slowly and mix well; Grease a baking tray with butter; Fill a pastry bag with the dough and press small biscuits onto the baking tray; Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 10-15 minutes. Make the glaze by mixing the icing sugar and lemon juice. Brush biscuits with it, and let it dry.

Do not forget Winter is the best time to have soup and our soup mixes are on sale for 25% off in the Etsy Store until the end of the month.  Just use the code JANSALE25 when you check out!

Winter Skin Remedies

Recently I was researching a few new recipes to try out for a program called Winter Skin Recovery, that  I will be presenting at the Wauconda Area Public Library in February.   They wanted a Bath and Beauty program with an emphasis on dry skin formulas since it will be happening in the middle of dry skin season.  I wanted to include a few new recipes so I have been experimenting and researching and now that the heat is on and my skin is drying out it is a useful experiment. 

One of the recipes I am testing is a cleanser using Lavender and Rose.  Rose if very softening and Lavender is a gentle antiseptic so as a skin cleanser they are a good combination.  Since this is not made with soap, it eliminates the drying effect soap can have.  You actually make the blend and leave it dry, adding liquid just before you use it.  That gives you a 3 to 6 month shelf life and the ability to keep from wasting it.

Here is the recipe for you to try too!  Let me know if you enjoy it.

Lavender and Rose Cleanser

½ cup white clay, finely ground

1/3 cup ground oatmeal or oat flour

1 Tbls. Powdered lavender flowers

1 Tbls. Powdered rose petals

5 drops lavender essential oil

2 drop rose geranium essential oil

Mix dry ingredients, add essential oils and mix carefully and completely.  Store in a zip seal bag or tightly lidded jar.

Directions for use: Place 2 teaspoons of powdered cleanser into a small bowl or the palm of your hand and add 2 tsp. of water, milk or cream.  Stir to blend until a spreadable paste forms.  Allow this paste to thicken for 1 minute.  Using a soft cloth, cleansing pad or your fingers, apply entire mixture to cover face, throat and upper chest (avoiding eye areas) and massage in a circular motion for 1 minute.  Rinse.

You can also use this as a face mask by spreading it on cleansed skin and letting it dry for 20 minutes before removing.

Although this is a bath theme post, I just wanted to remind everyone that there is a SOUP MIX sale going on in our Etsy Store.  Use the code JANSALE25 to get 25% off all out Soup Mixes.

Herb Calendar for 2012

I am not an artist.  The only drawings I ever did with any skill were the recreations of stone tools for my catalog sheets and site reports back 30 years ago when I was an archaeologist.  I was never able to transfer that skill in drawing to anything else.

Herbal calendars with pictures and herb info are always popular with me and I have kept every one I have received, hoping someday to transfer my own information into somthing similar with all my herb photos.  I actually took steps to accomplish that toward fall of 2011 and found it was a bit more work than my limited computer and art skill can produce at this time, but now I have the information and steps and 12 months to do one for next year...  It's doable, I think.  Just as soon as I learn to use Print Shop.

However, I was just steered by an online friend to this lovely FREE herb calendar for 2012 created by Alice Cantrell and her daughter Anna.  The blog it is on is also a good read too!  Here is the link:
http://www.alicecantrell.com/blog/2011/11/2012-calendar.html

You can download this free PDF and print it and Alice has even given permission for you to use it as a gift for others and shows how you can dress it up to be one.

The calendar items were drawn by her 14 year old daughter who then digitally colored them.  And at the end is some nice straight forward information on each herb.  The best thing (in my opinion) is she included - and I think those were hand drawn - the moon phases on each month.  Since I am now tuned into the patterns of nature in herb gardening, like moon phases and day length as it effects my plants, this was a small but very useful addition to a calendar.  I plan to keep a copy out in the herb shed.

This would be the perfect gift for that January Birthday in your life or for yourself just to enjoy these great drawings.  I am putting mine up in the cubical at work to bring in a bit of greenery!  With wonderful people like Alice out there, maybe I don't need to make a calendar after all!

Please enjoy this little gift from Alice for your new year!

If you like soups in winter, please take advantage of our SOUP SALE.  We are taking 25% off soup purchases in our Etsy store.  Just use the coupon code: JANSALE25 when you check out to get the discount on all our soup mixes.