Saffron Bread for Advent

This post Saffron bread for Advent was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Saffron bread for Advent

Lussekatter - Saffron buns - Santa Lucia buns
Do have a go and make some wonderful Saffron bread for Advent, they are so delicious.

Read about the History of Saffron

Santa Lucia - Saint Lucy's Day

RECIPE for saffron buns/bread

Saffron Bread for Advent, my "glorious mix" for this weeks Mosaic Monday

What plant is called Snow-in-the-mountain?

This post Snow-in- the-mountain was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

First I would like to ask you for some help with two things.

1. Vasi from Romania has a problem to enter The greenhouse...I cannot find any problem from here, I can see it perfectly. Could you please check that from me. I can you get in?

2. The other thing is just a question. Do you know that a potager is? You do not have to explain it, just a simple yes/no is OK.

Update 2010-11- 28 I guess the greenhouse works just fine after all, but if you have a certain virus software (Avast) you get a alert note.

 ~ ~ ~

 Snow-in-the-mountain.

I think it is rarely used but...what a lovely and poetic name for this beautiful plant.


This plant has many other names:

Aegopodium podagraria, Bishop's weed, Ground elder, Herb gerard, Goutweed and it is commonly called Kirskål in my native tongue.


Love or Hate, what do you feel about it?


The Snow-in-the-mountain is one of the most loathed weed we have in our gardens. In some places regarded as an ecological threat.  Still I think it is very beautiful and often use it in summer bouquets and remember it is edible. The Ground elder can be added to salads or cooked like spinach.

Phytomedicine

For medical use: The leaves and the stems are used.

 

- Ground elder is an anti-inflammatory herb with mildly sedative properties, it has a long tradition as a treatment for gout, sciatica and rheumatism. It can be taken internally as an infusion, and is applied externally for sting and burns. allaboutherbs

This week’s theme in Blooming Friday is - A touch of White. Go to Katarina’s place Roses and stuff and find out what more "A  touch of White" stuff that is are out there.

TODAY'S FLOWER

Don't be a stranger my friend - Do write something!

I myself have a love-hate relation to this plant. How about you?

References: Aegopodium podagraria at wikipedia and allaboutherbs

Seed Savers Exchange

This post Seed Savers Exchange was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Since 1975, Seed Savers Exchange members have passed on approximately one million samples of rare garden seeds to other gardeners. Seed Savers Exchange are a non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds.

 Time to start to dream about the growing season 2011. Are you interested in Heirloom Seeds? Then read about  the Seed Savers Exchange. I find this subject about heirloom seeds fascination and most interesting so I've joined. I so wished that we had something similar in Europe/ EU but I have not found anything yet. If you happen to know anything in the matter please let me know.  

This is what Seed Savers Exchange has to say about the organization:

"Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations.

Our mission is to save North America's diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity.

At the heart of Seed Savers Exchange are the dedicated members who have distributed hundreds of thousands of heirloom and open pollinated garden seeds since our founding 35 years ago. Those seeds now are widely used by seed companies, small farmers supplying local and regional markets, chefs and home gardeners and cooks, alike.

Seed Savers Exchange was founded in 1975 by Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy to honor this tradition of preserving and sharing. Their collection started when Diane's terminally-ill grandfather gave them the seeds of two garden plants, Grandpa Ott's morning glory and German Pink tomato. Grandpa Ott's parents brought the seeds from Bavaria when they immigrated to St. Lucas, Iowa in the 1870s.



Today, the 890-acre Heritage Farm, near Decorah, Iowa, is our home. We maintain many thousands of heirloom garden varieties, most having been brought to North America by members' ancestors who emigrated from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other parts of the world.



Unlike Fort Knox, Heritage Farm is not surrounded by security fences and guards. Our perimeter is patrolled by bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, deer, raccoons and other wildlife. The farm is ringed by hiking trails that take visitors through majestic scenery, past our certified organic preservation gardens, historic orchard and ancient White Park Cattle." SSE

Here are two of my heirloom tomotoes I grew this season.

Azoychka from Russia and Goldman's Italian/American tomato. Goldman's heirloom tomato was one of the best this year. This high yield, delicious red tomato came all in slightly different forms and sizes, which I really liked. 

Do visit their homepage, it is a heaven for an Heirloom Enthusiast, trust me!

Quince - Cydonia oblonga

This post Quince - Cydonia oblonga was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Quince

Photos by Kenneth, and the illustrated  Cydonia oblonga wikipedia 

Original book source: Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885.

Quince Marmalade

500 gram of quince-pulp

500 gram of sugar

1 lemon, squeezed

Remove the core of the quinces and cook in boiling water till tender to the fork. Drain and cool. Sift the pulp. Add sugar and lemon. Boil this mixture for 10 minutes, stir well, you don’t want it to burn in the bottom of the saucepan. I use a sugar this pectin added and then I just have to bring it to boil and simmer it for 1 minute.

This Quince marmalade in great together with cheeses like a Pecorino, Mature Cheddar or why not perhaps the greatest of then all the Queso Manchego  (Viejo).

Cotognata

I similar recipe with quince is the Cotognata. Quince paste, Salento style

This typically Sicilian dessert Cotognata  is customary to make it in a small mold, in the shape of a fish or leaf. But you can make it in a pan and then cut it in to pieces and roll/dust them with fine sugar. Let you Cotognata dry in a cool and airy place.

This is what wikipedia says about this sweet.

- Dulce de membrillo or Carne de membrillo in Spanish, marmelada in Portuguese, codonyat in Catalan, Cotognata in Italian, is a sweet spread or a dessert,  (quince paste, quince jelly, quince candy or quince meat).Traditionally and predominantly from Portugal, Italy (exported when the South of Italy was Catalan) and Spain, dulce de membrillo is a firm, sticky, sweet reddish hard paste made of the quince (Cydonia oblonga) fruit.

Did you know that the word marmalade comes from the Portuguese word marmelada, meaning "quince preparation"


I found this Persian recipe I just have to try later...it has lime and cardamom in it.
MORABAA-YEH BEH 2 kg of small quinces, 1,5 kg sugar, lime and cardamom

Äkta Kvitten - Cydonia oblonga

Bilderna till mitt kollage har "Kenneth på Söder tagit"

Kenneth berättar i Allt om Trädgårds forum att han har äkta kvitten i sin trädgård.

- Jodå, jag har den äkta kvitten Cydonia oblonga, och årets skörd ligger hemma i köket nu.

Läs mer om Kvitten och Kenneth här  i Allt om trädgårds forum Mycket inspirerande, jag vet vad jag skall plantera i vår i min lilla potager. Jag tror att ett litet Kvittenträd skulla trivas bra där. Där är det ju nästan som ett litet mikroklimat, väl skyddat från hårda vindar och soligt är det ju också.

It is Mosaic Monday at The Little Red House

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

This post The Hanging Gardens of Babylon was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

I have a dream…

The photo in the center of my fantasy collage is a 16th century engraving by Dutch artist Martin Heemskerck

"Hanging Gardens of Babylon" and all the others are from Kew Garden U.K. 

... and that is to visit the Hanging Gardens of Babylon

I know I can't...but

Since the very first time I heard of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon I have had a desire to go there. I know of course that it is utterly ridiculous and totally impossible but I can always travel in my fantasy.

“The gardens were supposedly built by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 BC. He is reported to have constructed the gardens to please his homesick wife, Amytis of Media, who longed for the trees and fragrant plants of her homeland Persia. The gardens were destroyed by several earthquakes after the second century BC” wikipedia

During a visit at Kew Gardens I took some photographs that I’m using for this post's fantasy collage.

This week’s theme in Blooming Friday is Dreams. Go to Katarina’s place Roses and stuff and find out what more dreams are out there.

But first…Don’t be a stranger my friend, write something.

Ps. If you like my work - do add yourself to the followers and readers list!/ TYRA

November's Mood board - Glorious mix

This post November's Mood board - Glorious mix was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Now I have saved what can be saved from the kitchen garden. I brought some plants into the greenhouse, some into the garage and some to the verandah. The growing season of 2010 is coming to an end...not yet but soon.

WINTERIZING The Kitchen Garden - November is a good time to give some thought about providing winter protection to all of the tender plants in your kitchen garden. Mulching with whatever you can get your hands on leaves, bark, or straw will help create a cozy blanket of protection over your precious plants and soil.

Potage from my Potager - Soupe Parmentier

This post about Soupe Parmentier - Potato and leek soup was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog

Tyra's Garden.

Swedish? Vill du läsa på svenska finns ett liknande inlägg i KÖKSTRÄDGÅRDEN

A soup with a tale…

This Potato and leek soup is a is a hot variation of the famous Vichyssoise and then it is called
"Soupe Parmentier"

This delicious hot winter soup got its name from the Frenchman called Antoine Auguste Parmentier, who had been fed the so-called poisonous potato root in a German prison-of-war camp, returned to France to find his countrymen starving. He set up potato soup kitchens throughout Paris to help the poor. Finally, Louis XVI recognized his work by saying, "France will thank you some day for having found bread for the poor." Seven Year War (1756-1763) tale source

On this picture above, there is an other story, the tale of the soup Vichyssoise. A cold potato and leek soup just perfect on a hot summers day.

November harvest from the potager. Small but lovely.

Potage Parmentier

2-3 tablespoon of butter for sautéing the leeks in
3 cups leeks, white and tender green parts
4 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 cups of a nice stock of choice
1 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons of cream
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish with.

Simmer the potatoes, leeks, and salt in the stock until all are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the mixture until smooth add cream and seasoning.

Recette Française - Potage Parmentier

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HARVEST MONDAY

It is Harvest Monday at Daphne´s place

The harvest is getting smaller and smaller indeed but today I did harvest some chilies (3 sorts) some herbs and the leeks for the soup.

Let's go under-cover...

I just want to show you what's cookin' under the the fabric cover, I got a few cloches to protect my mixed lettuce leaves and under the cover I still have some Arugula , parsley, thyme, onions etc.

Don't be a stranger my friend.

Do write something, I would just love to hear from you./ Tyra

Calamondin and Cerula vinula

This post Calamondin and Cerula vinula was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius-Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden.

Beauty and The Beast

The Beauty, my Calamondin tree had a visit this summer of a beast or at least shall we say a beastly looking thing. The visitor was a larvae of the Puss moth. An odd looking little fellow don’t you think?

 The Puss Moth

Scientific name: Cerula  or Cerura vinula, (I have seen both spellings) wingspan from 65 to 80mm, caterpillars feed on willows and poplars. its natural habitat is woods, parks and gardens. The puss moth is a creamy-white or greyish-white moth with lovely grey marbled markings. The abdomen features black and white stripes. The name comes from the cat-like fur all over the body. Puss in Swedish = kiss in English :-) 

Calamodin

"The juice of the calamondin can be used like lemon or lime to make refreshing beverages, to flavor fish, to make cakes, marmalades, pies, preserves, sauces and to use in soups and teas." read more Calamondin - The Most Versatile Citrus

Well what do you know…it is Friday again and it is Blooming Friday here in Tyra’s Garden.

This weeks theme: VISITORS

A great thank you to our host, dear Katarina, do visit Roses and stuff, there you find more participant from all over the world.

 

Dear reader, don't be a stranger - Do write something.

Tyra

November Harvest - Glorious mix

This post November Harvest - Mulch, Funghi and Apples was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius Lindhe in the blog Tyra's Garden

Glorious mix

First day of November and I'm up in my summerhouse for a few days. Here we have had several frost nights and there is not much to harvest from my kitchen garden. The weather today was wonderful, hardly any wind and fairly warm for the season. The sun embraced me gently with its mild and low November rays. I had a few wonderful hours out in the forest today, harvested some funghi for tonight’s pasta and plenty of moss cushions of Common Sundew Sphagnum and some other mosses that I will use for decorations. Harvested plenty of apples to feed the birds with later during the long cold winter, well they got some now as well.

So, my Harvest Monday adds up to one basket full of a ‘glorious mix’ from the forest and a few buckets of apples for the birds.

...I forgot I harvested loads of leaves to mulch the kitchen garden with!

It is Harvest Monday at Daphne´s place do pop over to Daphne and meet the rest of the guys,

but first...

Don't be a stranger my friend

Do write something, I would just love to hear from you./ Tyra