Herbs
enhance the foods we eat, capturing the lure of uplifting fragrances
and the hint of romance. They give us an appreciation of subtle foliage,
flowers, and flavors. Although the vitamins and minerals herbs provide
may be minute in quantity, it is the taste, mood-enhancement and health
benefits they give foods that make them so valuable.
Bay Rum Custard
A delicious, easy to make recipe!
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 large bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup light honey
large pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum
Scald milk and cream in saucepan with the bay leaves. When the mixture has cooled about 10 minutes, remove the bay leaves and slowly whisk in egg yolks, honey and salt. Stir in the rum. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Pour custard into 6 lightly buttered custard cups or a 1 quart soufflé dish. Place the dishes into a shallow pan of very hot water and bake. The individual custards take about 25 - 30 minutes; the soufflé dish takes about 45 - 50 minutes. Test custard by shaking the dish slightly to see if the custard is set.
Remove dishes from hot water and cool to room temperature. Chill custard 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
Serves 6.
Focaccia Bread
"A pure soul starts with a pure body," advises our tearoom chef. She adds romance to meals with her aromatic version of foccaccia bread, a soft,
thick, crusted pizza like bread that teases the appetite.
2 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
5-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary (or herb of preference)
1 teaspoon chopped chives
2 tablespoons olive oil
Dissolve yeast and sugar in water in large bowl. Combine flour and salt.
Add yeast to mixture, stirring well with wooden spoon. Add herbs and oil.
Knead dough on lightly floured board until smooth, about five minutes.
Place dough in oiled bowl and brush top of bowl with oil. Let rest and rise until twice its original size, about 30 to 45 minutes. Punch dough down and shape into 10, 4 x 1 inch, oblong loaves. Make diagonal slashes with sharp knife across tops of loaves and place on ungreased baking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Let loaves rise for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove wire rack to cool, enjoy while warm.
from: Herbs: Growing and Using the Plants of Romance
Fredericksburg Spiked Cranberry Punch
8 teaspoons (heaping) Fredericksburg Harvest herb Tea
3 cups freshly boiled water
1/2 cup sugar
4 quarts chilled cranberry juice
1 (16-ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
2 cups vodka
1 (28-ounce) bottle tonic water
2 lemons, sliced
Place tea in warmed teapot. Pour in water. Cover and let steep for 12 minutes. Strain tea, pressing with back of spoon to extract all possible liquid. Stir in sugar. Add cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, vodka and tonic water; mix well. Add lemon slices and ice cubes. Ladle into cups.
Our
concern for health is inseparable from our pursuit of beauty.
What is it that makes us want to squeeze or slather or pat
on our outsides the things that cause us to feel good on our
insides? This impulse isn't all that illogical. The oldest
cosmetic formulas offer advice on the virtues of fruits, vegetables
and herbs in enhancing and preserving our appearance.
"You
may consider yourself happy whsen that which is your food
is also your medicine," wrote Thoreau.
Along
the Garden Path
He
was far from being the first to claim health from the
garden. For thousands of years, physicians of the body
and spirit--today's doctors and priests--were gardeners
and botanists first, healers of aches and pains second.
