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APPLE PINWHEELS

11/12/2023

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PictureLiberty Apple Tree in Grove
There are still so many apples in the Grove to make into goodies and to preserve. We had an incredible crop this year; from just our two trees. One is a Liberty and one is a Combination tree. We traded our surplus for herbs, tomatoes, beans and even a pumpkin with our neighbours. We made apple cider; apple, cucumber & havarti sandwiches; an apple pie for Thanksgiving and ate our requisite "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Gave away many more apples to friends, family & neighbours. But still ... there are apples.

Here's an incredibly simple and delicious recipe. A nice dessert and they are also small enough for snacks and lunchboxes. I love vintage cookbooks and as I liked the ingredients in two recipes; I decided to combine them together into one. The original recipes were for Apple Pinwheels and Apple Triangles; but they look more like pinwheels to me; so I'll go with that name. 

What you need:
1 package of butter puff pastry
2 medium sized apples
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
dash nutmeg
1 egg white
drop of lemon, butter, water
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This 1969 cook book was a "side of the road" find. Near by; we have a repurposing store. Sometimes they set out free items. Very well-loved, needed taping & lots of food stains; but I can see why! It's very comprehensive and was obviously someone's trusty go-to manual.
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This 1954 cook book is comprised of a series of smaller full colour magazine style cook books. Perhaps it was a collect-as-you-go? I found it at a hospital thrift store for $2!

​3. Roll the apples chunks into the moistened sugar & spice mix and heap into little piles on the pastry squares. Sprinkle with almost all of remaining sugar & spice mix. Add a tiny pat of butter on top of the apples and fold the pastry up over the apples, pinching and sealing. Then prick the tops a couple of times with a fork. Brush the tops lightly with a bit of egg white and sprinkle with last of the dry sugar & spice mix.
What you do:
1. Follow instructions for defrosting your package of butter puff pastry. When ready, gentle unroll onto cutting board and cut into squares approximately 4 inches square.

2. Peel, core & cut the apples into small chunks. Place in a little bowl of cool water, with a drop of lemon, and set aside. Separate the egg white into a separate bowl and set aside. Mix together the sugar and spices in a separate bowl; then divide into two bowls. Add a tablespoon of water to one bowl. ​
4. Place on a non-stick baking pan (or lined with parchment paper) and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes at 350​°. Let cool on a wire rack.
​References: Cooking Magic, Culinary Arts Institute, Desserts, Chicago, Illinois, USA 1954; Nellie Lyle Pattinson's Canadian Cook Book, Helen Wattie and Elinor Donaldson, Ryerson Press, Toronto, Canada 1969.   
                                                                                                                                                                     Meadow Sweet Grove © 2023
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Hallowe'en on the Brain

9/26/2018

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Market stall display on Portobello Road, London, 2018

Halloween, in its current form, is primarily a North American tradition.  Its roots,  however, spring from the old Celtic traditions of England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Wales.  But the English don't observe All Hallow's Eve with the same vigour as the North Americans, who revel in Trick-or-Treating and spooky decorations, or even really at all.  They have Guy Fawkes' Night and all those bonfires to see to!

Nonetheless, our recent trip to England was just at the very end of summer and so for me, I was already beginning to dream about the glorious colours of Fall leaves and ... Halloween.   I think some of the pictures I took show that I definitely had "Halloween on the Brain" and show my strong fascination with anything slightly macabre or gothic - things that are ever present in wonderful, magical England!

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Gargoyle on Albert Memorial, London
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A grave in St. Alban's, Hertfordshire
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Image from "The Leaky Cauldron" - Harry Potter World, London
Skull at Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Death, 1670, German, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Skull at Chester Cathedral, Chester
Skull display from Harry Potter World, London
Hover over images to magically discover their origin!
Crow Mural in Glastonbury
Bat forming part of metal church screen, Spain, 16th century, Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Gargoyle on building in Glastonbury
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018 / edited 2019
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Creepy Cinderella's Arrival at The Grove

8/4/2017

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Picture Creepy DollCreepy Cinderella
Chapter 1:  Creepy Cinderella's Arrival at The Grove

This dirty dolly entered the Grove recently.  Dirty, deteriorating, sticky, smelly -- she seemed perfect for our yearly Hallowe'en display.  I had not intended to alter her charms at all - except maybe, a bit of red splattering on her dress.  I mean, really, she has changed colour and is literally disintegrating; if she had been stored properly, the story would be different ... and you have to have some fun, right?  But as the littlest fairy in the Grove carried her 'round and 'round the thrift store, some magic must have happened.

I looked back to see her holding the doll close to her chest.  "Mom!  She's Made in England!"  Well, that's gold.  "Really?"  I said.  I flipped up her sticky hair and there it was on the back of dolly's neck.  A bit more looking around and I kept reiterating - she can't live in the house, she is just too far gone - she must live with the Hallowe'en decorations and only come out once a year.  But eventually I glanced down to see a loving gaze at the doll and heard the words, "I love her Momma". 

So the challenge is on to restore Cinderella, so named for her brand of shoes, "No. 3 Medium Cinderella".  This and the following information, is all I have on her so far:


  • Made in England - on the back of the neck
  • 15 on her torso
  • No. 3 Medium Cinderella on her shoes
  • She has a rubber head, arms and legs.  Body is solid plastic.
  • It does seem to me that she is wearing her original clothes & shoes.

If anyone knows of good sites to research this dolly - I would love to hear from you.  The amount of information on vintage/antique dolls is absolutely overwhelming!  Next week we will start to clean Cinderella - a change for this fairy tale character, who usually has to do all the cleaning herself!

GIF Doll Knife Halloween

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017                                                                                          (gif courtesty of animated images.org) ​
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Making Green Tomato Relish After Samhain (Hallowe'en)

11/1/2016

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Samhain
(Oct 31/Nov 1)


​
the old Celtic end of
summertime and harvest

Long ago, the ancient Celtic people divided the year into two seasons.  May 1st was the beginning of summer, with October 31st the beginning of winter.  It certainly is the end of summer here at Meadow Sweet Grove!
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Fairy celebration on All Hallow's Eve (Artist Unknown)

After a very successful All Hallow's Eve celebration last night, the fairies are now diligently searching the Grove for the very last bit of goods from the garden to preserve. It's been a very rainy October, which made it difficult to see all the lovely reds, yellows and oranges of the changing leaves, but harder still to see all your lovely tomato vines wither and droop in the wet and cold - especially if you had visions of ripe, red tomatoes!  But here is a wonderful recipe to salvage and savour those green tomatoes - Green Tomato ​Relish - yum! yum!  Good on sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and a nice treat as a chutney with crackers and sharp cheese.

After being unable to find a recipe that I liked, I decided to mix together about 3 different recipes for green tomato pickles / green tomato relish, removing some items I didn't like and adding others.  I'm very pleased with the result and hope you will be too.  Also, if you are low on green tomatoes, you can add more apple or pepper to make up the difference.  Enjoy!
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1st place in the chutneys & relishes category of "WVCCS 8th Annual PumpkinFest, Home & Harvest Competition, 2018 & 2019".
Chop tomatoes very fine and sprinkle with salt.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Hang in cheesecloth overnight to drain.  Next day add onion, pepper, apple, celery - all very finely chopped.  Add vinegar, sugars and water.  Put most of the pickling spice mix in spice bag, tie and add to mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining (or additional) mustard and dill seeds.  Stir over low heat for approx 3 hrs (until water is reduced).  Seal in sterilized canning jars.  ​Makes 3 to 4 mid-size jars.
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Green Tomato Relish  
© Meadow Sweet Grove / V. Buchanan, 2016
​​
4 lb green tomatoes  
    (approx
 one large mixing bowl)
1 granny smith apple
1 large white onion
1/2 large red pepper
1 1/2 celery stalks with
    leaves

1 1/4 c white vinegar
2/3 c brown sugar  
2/3 c white sugar    
1/3 c water                      

also need:
1
/3 cup canning/rock
salt (for salting tomatoes) 
cheesecloth (for draining tomatoes)
spice bag
pickling spice mix:
1 crumbled bay leaf                            
1 tsp mustard seeds    
1 tsp dill seeds                    

1 tsp whole cloves   
© Meadow Sweet Grove / V. Buchanan,  2016 edited 2021
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October - A Time for Ghosts

10/25/2016

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Halloween Postcard Witch CatThe big white cat
​Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan, 2016 / edited 2019
This is a poem I wrote as an assignment for a writing class I took a few years back.  It uses a lot of rhyming and is meant to be in "Shel Silverstein" style.  I hope you like it.

​
The Right Stuff

The big white cat looked
Up from the fence,
At the old oak tree
Leaving leaves less dense.

The white cat said, to the Oak King,
"Halloween's here, hear me sing.
I can hiss and spit,
And flash my eyes,
Arch my back against a full moon sky.
I be as scary as a black cat be,
Now what do you think,
You old oak tree?"

Halloween Postcard Black CatA cat of coal
Not a sound rolled around
From that ancient soul,
But between its leaves,
Stretched a cat of coal.

His eyes they glowed

Like yellow flames and
He bared sharp teeth,
With an aim to maim.

"Best leave to me,"
He said with a boast,
"And wait this out
Behind that post.​
The children are coming up the path

And I've got the stuff to make them dash.
If they see you, "puss, puss" they'll say
And laugh and carry on their way.

Halloween Postcards Trick or TreatersThe trick or treaters
Shamed, the white cat,
Slunk and hid
Behind the post
As he was bid.

But when those posers came quite near,
He thought around the post he'd peer,
Just to see the garb that night,
Of witches, skeletons and the like.

But those kids they screamed!
And fled in fright.

Trick or treat bags
Thrown left and right.

For rounding 'round that post they'd seen
A BIG WHITE GHOST !!
(or so it seemed.)

Halloween Postcard Black Cat
The taunting black cat,
Added a caterwaul,
Laughed to the white cat,
"You're the scariest of us all !!"

So that's the story of the two old cats 
Who learned that night (and it's a fact)
That there's more than one way to skin a cat!

                  (if you'll pardon the expression)

© Vicki Buchanan, 2014, 2016, 2019

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October -  Remembering our Ancestors & Loved Ones

10/18/2016

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Vintage Halloween Postcard Skeleton
Vintage Postcard
Picture of Skull London StorefrontLondon Storefront
Grave-digging
​
​Hallowe'en is just too cool a holiday to confine it to one day...or even one week.  So Meadow Sweet Grove is starting now - the fairies who reside in the Grove are busy making their costumes and getting ready for the big All Night All Hallow's Eve Dance-a-Thon!
​
For us mortals, October can be a month to fondly remember our ancestors and those loved ones who may no longer be with us.  Some people know a lot about their ancestors through direct knowledge, family stories or documents and heirlooms ... while most of us have a little of that, we also need to do a bit of 'grave-digging'!  I absolutely LOVE grave-digging.  And by that I mean genealogical research.  I started this process many years ago, before the internet took hold with all its various genealogy sites and came across many amazing facts about my family.

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Genealogy find
​
For example, my paternal grandfather was born in 1907 but wasn't issued a birth certificate until 1945!  Obviously, no one checked for birth certificates in those days as he had by that time:  attended school (although only for a few years), worked many jobs, got married, had children and was rated 4-F for military service during WWII due to a broken back in childhood, and a metal plate in his wrist from a construction accident.  I'm not sure what prompted his need to apply for a birth certificate in 1945 but it 
is certainly interesting how he was able to function until the age of 38 without one!  Just shows how different the times are now.  He was born at home, and had to get statutory declarations from his mom, aunt and a former neighbour, together with a copy of his dad's handwritten entry of the birth in the family bible, in order to have his birth registered.

Wishing you a lot of cool stories to uncover with your grave-digging too!

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​Picture Frames & Photo Albums

That favourite picture of your loved one deserves a good frame.  Most you will find these days are made of MDF - which is just not good enough!  Real wood, metal or ceramic is much more long-lasting and kinder to the environment.  Also, don't forget to print out your special photos and get them into albums.  While I know it is space efficient to store photos on the computer, it is easy to forget that crashes, viruses and obsolete technology can render those photos irretrievable.  I have heard horror stories at our local camera shop from people who have lost their photos - always print the special ones!  One of my goals this winter is to sift through our family's virtual mountain of photos and compile a physical record of the precious ones.  

Meadow Sweet Grove © Vicki Buchanan, 2016 / edited 2021

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Disclaimer: Many of the items sold are vintage or pre-loved. Quality of vintage items vary with the manufacturing methods available at the time of production. They are not made to current standards of manufacturing ... and in my opinion, that is usually a good thing! They tend to be higher quality, last longer and include more attention to detail than today's products. However, safety standards do change over time, items do deteriorate with age, and it is up to the customer to decide how they will use each product.
All rights reserved. No part of this website, including but not limited to written articles, photographs, graphics, videos or animations, may be reproduced, in any form, written or digital, without the express and prior written permission of the author: V. Buchanan of Meadow Sweet Grove. Requests for said permission may be directed to: [email protected]. (GIFs graciously provided by: animatedimages.org & R. Buchanan)
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