Little green wonders: Asparagus.

Last year I planted asparagus, and I know I’m not supposed to pick any until next summer, to give them strength to grow big enough to sustain harvest. But I just had to go and try one. Only ONE.

Huge mistake. OMG that was amazing, I’m never ever going to buy these from a shop again. Next summer I’ll live on them, and strawberries. In the meantime I’ll gaze at them longingly, as they poke their stems above ground to taunt me…

The greenhouse having collapsed I have no homegrown tomatoes or cucumbers this year, so I’ve sown some snack carrots just to have something.

How do you like to eat your asparagus?

Making…

Elderflower cordial.saft1

The shops were all out of organic lemons, so I also made a batch with oranges and one with mint! A bit of an experiment, but I’m happy to report that it tastes really great.

It’s been a couple of years since last, so I thought it was time, we have a lot of elders right now, they spread like weeds. I’ll wait for autumn and make a batch with the berries too, it’s really good in winter, hot with lemon, ginger and honey if you have a cold, don’t want one or just need heating up. And then I’ll cut some of them down, because, well, there’ll be more. If I don’t keep them in check we’ll be known as Elderberry Jungle Farm.

Link to “nettle energy drink”

I’ve been making other stuff too – stay tuned. I’ve finally had time and “presence” to start painting a bit again this week! But not much, still have that hedge to cut.

Hyldeblomstsaft

Det var et par år siden sidst, så jeg fik lige lyst til at lave lidt saft, siden vi har rigtig mange hyld for tiden, de breder sig som ukrudt.

Butikkerne var helt udgåede for usprøjtede citroner, så jeg lavede også en portion med appelsiner og en med mynte. Det blev virkelig godt! Til efteråret skal jeg lige have lavet lidt bærsaft også, det er rigtig godt varmt med citron, ingefær og honning. Og så ryger nogen af planterne altså, inden vi helt drukner i dem.

Battery fluid

A friend of mine taught me this recipe for a natural energy drink and I thought I’d share. (no, this still isn’t a cooking blog)

The base is:

  • Nettles and/or ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), pick the tips with the youngest leaves, fill your blender.
  • Add 1 diced organic lemon, peel and all, green tea, apple juice. Perhaps a dash of honey or vanilla sugar if you don’t like it bitter.
  • Blend, strain, serve. Keeps for two days in the fridge (if you added sour things like lemon and juice, they keep the good stuff from getting ruined by oxygen)

You can vary it by adding whatever herbs need trimming in your garden. Mint, lemon balm, black currant leaves. Or a basil/oregano/tomato juice variety?

Both nettles and ground elder contain lots of minerals and vitamins. Marigold petals are good for connective tissue. I’ve also used fresh ginger, chopped up and made tea which I then strained and added to the rest.

Linseed oil is also good for you.

IMPORTANT: Do not use actual elder leaves, as in from the tree. They are poisonous.

danishEnergidrik

Flere i vennekredsen er gået amok i denne naturdrik og jeg synes den er så god at jeg ville dele den med flere.

Basen består af brændenældeblade og skvalderkål, 50/50 eller hvad man nu har. Tilsæt en hel usprøjtet citron, skal og det hele, samt lige dele grøn te og æblejuice. Evt. lidt honning eller vanillesukker hvis det bliver for bittert. Kan holde sig i køleskab 2 dage.

Og ellers kan man tilføje hvad der lige trænger til at studses i krydderbedet, mynte, citronmelisse, solbærblade, morgenfrue. Et skvæt hørfrøolie er heller ikke af vejen! Jeg har også brugt ingefær, det er godt.

Lad mig høre hvis I finder på flere varianter!