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Meadow Sweet Grove
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2016-2018
Merry Meet! The fairies invite you to enter the Grove and delight in a magical dose of seasonal articles & images, tidbits of folklore and comfy home-cooking recipes. Scroll down to see this week's articles now! Then stay and peruse an enchanting selection of new, vintage & always eclectic treasures available to you in the fairies' own store!
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~ Go shopping here ~
The Fairy Shop
Offer extended to Nov. 22nd, 2018!
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Let this blue fairy magically transport you to the Store!
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~ Last time at Meadow Sweet Grove ~
Hallowe'en on the Brain Halloween, in its current form, is primarily a North American tradition. Its roots, however, spring from the old Celtic traditions of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. But the English don't really observe Halloween with the same vigour as North Americans, who revel in Trick-or-Treating and spooky decorations. I mean, after all, they have Guy Fawkes' Night and bonfires to see to! Nonetheless, our recent trip to England ... Read more here: halloween-on-the-brain.html 
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~ Apple Chutney or Red Pepper Jelly? ~ 
So many apples! We've made Apple Pies, Apple Cider, Apple Sauce, Apple Muffins, given apples away, each eaten the recommended "apple a day" and ... here is the latest batch of goodies - Apple Chutney!
Last year, our apple trees didn't produce too much, so I didn't put up any chutney. This year I was delighted to be able to make a large batch. I thought I followed the recipe I used two years ago, but I guess I looked at a different version ... in a different cookbook! (Meadow Sweet Grove has quite a few cookbooks ... some inherited, some rescued). This time, a happy mistake was made! I thought the chutney looked a very deep red, I thought it smelled a little different; but I couldn't figure out the difference. |
I gave a sample to the"top taster" here at the Grove, and was told it had a "delicious heat" and tasted just like Red Pepper Jelly! So I consulted my recipe from last year:
Apple Chutney Recipe: its-apple-harvest-time.html
... and have ascertained the difference!
I had doubled up on the red peppers, practically eliminated the yellow pepper (I'm a big fan of using what you have on hand ... and I only had a small portion of a yellow pepper available). I used regular old white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. And the last "mistake" is a little habit of mine (sometimes not always appreciated) - I upped the spice - in this case, cayenne pepper ... just a smidge you understand.
The result is fantastic!
Enjoy with crackers and a sharp white cheddar.
Apple Chutney Recipe: its-apple-harvest-time.html
... and have ascertained the difference!
I had doubled up on the red peppers, practically eliminated the yellow pepper (I'm a big fan of using what you have on hand ... and I only had a small portion of a yellow pepper available). I used regular old white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. And the last "mistake" is a little habit of mine (sometimes not always appreciated) - I upped the spice - in this case, cayenne pepper ... just a smidge you understand.
The result is fantastic!
Enjoy with crackers and a sharp white cheddar.
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018
Did you know that articles from past weeks are archived in my Blog? Check it out here! halloween-on-the-brain.html
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Let this blue fairy magically transport you to the Store!
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Receive a FREE Vial of Fairy Dust with any purchase! But hurry, this offer ends on Nov. 22nd, 2018! |
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~ Fairies' Favourite Finds ~
~ An Old-fashioned Christmas ~
~ An Old-fashioned Christmas ~
~ Folklore Fun ~
It's Time to Soak the Christmas Fruit Cake
If you are making fruit cake this season for your Christmas or Yuletide celebration ... it is time to get them soaking!
With 5 weeks to go, this is the optimum time to wrap your cake in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, wrap it in tin foil and seal in an airtight container. Refresh the brandy once a week, and re-wrap ... up to 5 or 6 times before Christmas! The longer your Christmas fruit cake soaks ... the more incredibly dark and delicious it becomes.
For my complete Christmas Fruitcake recipe, click here: christmas-cake.html
Last year, I went pagan and decorated the Christmas Cake with a fresh sprig of holly from our tree here in the Grove. But this year, I think I will go "kitschy vintage" and adorn it with the many bits of pieces of vintage plastic cake decorations I have acquired over the years. I have trees, greeting signs, holly, elves, reindeer ... and even Santa and his sleigh! Maybe I'll even include some coins in the cake to reward the lucky few!
With 5 weeks to go, this is the optimum time to wrap your cake in brandy-soaked cheesecloth, wrap it in tin foil and seal in an airtight container. Refresh the brandy once a week, and re-wrap ... up to 5 or 6 times before Christmas! The longer your Christmas fruit cake soaks ... the more incredibly dark and delicious it becomes.
For my complete Christmas Fruitcake recipe, click here: christmas-cake.html
Last year, I went pagan and decorated the Christmas Cake with a fresh sprig of holly from our tree here in the Grove. But this year, I think I will go "kitschy vintage" and adorn it with the many bits of pieces of vintage plastic cake decorations I have acquired over the years. I have trees, greeting signs, holly, elves, reindeer ... and even Santa and his sleigh! Maybe I'll even include some coins in the cake to reward the lucky few!
The Snowman, Raymond Briggs, 1982
One of the most beautiful stories of Christmastime is "The Snowman" by Raymond Briggs. Pictured here, the little boy's Mom has magically (and simultaneously) decorated the Christmas Cake with an exact duplicate of the snowman her son created in their garden. The Snowman comes to life, at the stroke of midnight, and he and the boy share a memorable, yet ultimately heart-wrenching adventure.
Decorating a Christmas Cake can give you a chance to express, in diorama, the symbols of Christmas that you hold dear.
Decorating a Christmas Cake can give you a chance to express, in diorama, the symbols of Christmas that you hold dear.
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018
Did you know that articles from past weeks are archived in my Blog? Check it out here! the-rest-of-the-traveller-curious-adventure-of-mr-bond.html
