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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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Offer extended to Nov. 22nd, 2018!
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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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~ Folklore Fun ~ "The Rest of the Traveller" Curious Adventure of Mr. Bond |
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I love Alfred Hitchcock! One story he collected, "Curious Adventure of Mr. Bond" by Nugent Barker, portrays Mr. Bond, a lone traveller, who after a wearying journey up the slopes of a valley happens upon a vast tableland and an inn, far in the distance and on the edge of a forest. He is delighted when he is heartily greeted by the landlord, a Mr. Crispin Sasserach and his wife Myrtle, who is preparing "a lovely broth to-night".
After a wonderfully warm and cozy evening of delicious broth and good company, Mr. Bond departs the next morning with Mr. Sasserach who drives him over land bordered by forest on the left and rowan trees leading down to the valley on the right. Mr. Bond is duly deposited at the inn of Sasserach's brother (Martin),"The Headless Man", where he enjoys a meal of many succulent meat dishes and a game of chess with his host (with curious hand-carved chess pieces). Mr. Bond does start to feel a little "obliged" and frustrated by their "over-hospitality" when it is insisted that he visit the third brother's inn, "The Traveller's Head".
He learns on this journey that the three brothers own the entire land above the valley, divided into three equal portions. When prompted by Mr. Bond to discuss the names of the inns, which are seemingly quite common, but nonetheless "turned around"; the manservant, Stennet, who is driving the carriage, enlightens him thusly: the name "The Traveller's Rest" is self-explanatory and so is made poetical by changing it to "The Rest of the Traveller" focusing on the "rest" to be found at the inn. "The Headless Man" is simply grim for the sake of grimness and "The Traveller's Head" pays homage to the traveller himself, in the same manner that many inns are called "The King's Head". By now, however, you must have had some suspicions as to the eventual fate of our poor Mr. Bond.
After a wonderfully warm and cozy evening of delicious broth and good company, Mr. Bond departs the next morning with Mr. Sasserach who drives him over land bordered by forest on the left and rowan trees leading down to the valley on the right. Mr. Bond is duly deposited at the inn of Sasserach's brother (Martin),"The Headless Man", where he enjoys a meal of many succulent meat dishes and a game of chess with his host (with curious hand-carved chess pieces). Mr. Bond does start to feel a little "obliged" and frustrated by their "over-hospitality" when it is insisted that he visit the third brother's inn, "The Traveller's Head".
He learns on this journey that the three brothers own the entire land above the valley, divided into three equal portions. When prompted by Mr. Bond to discuss the names of the inns, which are seemingly quite common, but nonetheless "turned around"; the manservant, Stennet, who is driving the carriage, enlightens him thusly: the name "The Traveller's Rest" is self-explanatory and so is made poetical by changing it to "The Rest of the Traveller" focusing on the "rest" to be found at the inn. "The Headless Man" is simply grim for the sake of grimness and "The Traveller's Head" pays homage to the traveller himself, in the same manner that many inns are called "The King's Head". By now, however, you must have had some suspicions as to the eventual fate of our poor Mr. Bond.
"Mr. P.R. Barnes, licensed to sell Beers, Wines & Spirits"
I took these photos last month when we found ourselves, without benefit of a map, and on the dubious advice of modern GPS, lost and travelling down many of those narrow, winding roads so common in England. We finally pulled up short in front of this inn while my husband consulted his own sources to get us back on the right track. I sat in the car looking up at the sign above the doorway of this seemingly deserted (although correctly named!) inn and was relieved to read that a "Mr. P.R. Barnes" was the proprietor ... and not Mr. Crispin Sasserach himself!!
Cannibalism is common in folklore and fairytales. As the hour of All Hallow's Eve approaches and leads us into the dark of winter, I humbly felt it might be an appropriate time to include one of my favourite tales of this delightfully taboo subject!
Cannibalism is common in folklore and fairytales. As the hour of All Hallow's Eve approaches and leads us into the dark of winter, I humbly felt it might be an appropriate time to include one of my favourite tales of this delightfully taboo subject!
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018
Did you know that Folklore Fun articles from past weeks are archived in my Blog? Check it out here! the-apple-trees-of-avalon.html
