I have begun to notice a teeny pattern emerging in my current adventure bent. One post is almost leading to another. Visiting Love Farms was no exception. Shortly before I left the farm, Bibiana Love mentioned a man in town, Scott Beattie, who had written “a wonderful book about drinks” called Artisanal Cocktails. Hmmm. Not really a drinker, I might have passed until she revealed this man had a passion for using only the freshest ingredients and included all sorts of spices and flowers in his recipes. With this additional information I recognized this to be the next step in my blogging journey. I returned home, contacted the publisher, Ten Speed Press in Berkeley, and was on my way. Days later I had the book and an appointment to meet Scott in person.

My daughter and I drove down the next afternoon to the charming town of Healdsburg and met Scott on the local square and followed him back up to his home close by the local river. How special and how fun!

Arriving in Scott’s back yard, he graciously answered all my naive questions about mixing drinks. I was thrilled when he jumped up and offered to show me the basic tools one needed to have on hand in the kitchen to make basic drinks. Here you go. Look at this. Do you have these? I do not.

Boston shaker, Hawthorne strainer, juicer, bar spoon, zester, three jiggers

I love the word jigger. I think I have to have one simply so I have a good excuse to say it. Jigger, jigger, jigger. I bet it’s a very old word.

What I love about Scott’s book is that whether one uses alcohol in one’s drinks or not, one can benefit from Artisanal Cocktails. Scott gave me this wonderful tip: for any drink that contains gin, rum or vodka, one might eliminate the alcohol by simply replacing every 1 1/2 oz. of alcohol with 1/2 oz. of simple syrup and 1 oz. of water or soda water. Now we’re talking. Something for everyone. Scott emphasized that regardless of anything else it is imperative that we measure perfectly and that we always use fresh juices and flowers and spices. Scott had some special little trees growing in pots out back and the most fascinating one he called “Buddha’s Hand.” You could tell he especially treasured that one.

Here are two tricks I’m really grateful to have learned from Artisanal Cocktails.

Simple Syrup

1. Combine equal parts boiling water and superfine granulated sugar. (Note: the final yield of simple syrup is the same as the starting measurement of the water.)

2. Stir well until the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. You may store in an airtight container in the frig for up to one month.

Simple syrups may be infused with toasted spices or essential oils.

The other trick I am grateful to have learned is this.

Salted and Sugared Rims

1. Pour a 1/4″ layer of salt or sugar onto a flat plate.

2. Cut a lemon or other citrus fruit in half and run one piece of citrus around the rim of the glass. Shake off any excess juice.

3. Turn the glass upside down and dip the wet rim into the salt or sugar. Lift the glass straight up and gently shake off any excess.

I love these simple procedures in the kitchen that lend charm and interest to our servings. Imagine that the sheer adding of salt or sugar on a rim of a glass leaves one’s guests feeling so much more appreciated. And drinks are so much more fun.

Last summer I had turned to my own garden and to the borage I had inherited when I moved here.

It is in abundance most of the year round. Researching I had learned that women used to freeze the small blue exquisite flowers inside ice cubes, enhancing drinks served to guests in summer. I tried it and it worked! This opened my curiosity to including more flowers in my recipes, so I was particularly delighted to find this photo in Scott’s book, taken by photographer Sara Remington.

Frondsong

Fortunately the index of Artisanal Cocktails allowed me to find a lengthy invaluable list of edible flowers Scott uses in his culinary wizardry, and I shall be exploring how I might incorporate in my kitchen as well. His list includes the tiny flowers of basil and rosemary, the petals of dianthus and marigold, cosmos, hollyhock, lavender, roses and black-eyed Susans, always considering colors, sizes, aroma and tastes. An entire world to explore in a new context! I love it!

Imagine serving these drinks to your family and guests this summer!

rhubarbarella

Gin Kimchi

Says Scott, “I’m constantly experimenting with new ingredients, and I encourage you to do the same. The cocktails in this book embrace my philosophy of using peak-of-the-season, locally produced ingredients.” I can’t wait to see what else Artisanal Cocktails reveals as I follow its inspirational directive in my kitchen!

Love and gardening blessings,
Kathryn

Posted on May 9th, 2009 by Kathryn
Filed under: Book Notes | 24 Comments »

Oh, my goodness. In the nick of time I happened to hear about the Russian River Rose Company, which is open to the public during April and May for perfume tours. Not wanting to interfere with a commercial venture I phoned owner Jan, who very kindly invited me to come out early this morning for a very special private peek at what they are about: making high quality rose oils and rose water for the public following a very old tradition with very high quality European roses! Stunning opportunity! Her husband Michael met me as I drove out to the vineyards in Healdsburg amongst which their treasured roses live–and they among them. What a lifeplan! I was struck by how rudimentary the process is, at once realizing how time intensive it must be to make this treasure, and simultaneously realizing why rose oil is a costly item. “It takes 120 roses to make one drop of rose oil, ” Michael affirmed. Wow. Meanwhile, one cannot help but think of an older profession in our country’s history as one views the apparatus. It is, afterall, a distillery!

Nearby the distillery sit buckets of petals waiting to go into the vat on the right.

Hi, kitty!

Water in the bottom of that vat reaches a temperature that causes steam to go up through the petals, carrying the oil with it. When it reaches the second container it reconstitutes, and eventually finds its way to that little glass jar underneath. There it sits until the oil rises to the top, and rose water remains below. Yes, I get it. Not easy to come by and quite an endeavor in our fast paced world. But oh the result! You can bet I left at morning’s end with more than one rose atomizer in a small bag. How could I not?

Then along came the lovely gracious Jan who ever so generously escorted me about the property personally introducing me to a myriad of roses and irises and various other companion flowering plants.

“Oh, my poor readers,” I lamented, knowing I could never ever remember the names of anything I was shooting, coupled with the self-knowledge that I live in a land of “That is so beautiful!” not, “What’s that?”

Oklahoma

“You easily lose yourself in [words], become hypnotized into implicitly believing that when you have attached a word to something, you know what it is. The fact is: You don’t know what it is. You have only covered up a mystery with a label.”
–Eckhart Tolle

Nevertheless, I do understand that it is nigh onto impossible to go into a nursery and ask for a large red undulating rose. And we are indeed fortunate that Jan is an extremely patient and understanding woman who was willing to look at specific images and identify my favorites that I longed to share with you. Perhaps you will be inspired to bring some of these into your life. Top of the list for me personally was one I could remember! The 4th of July! I purchased two as Mother’s Day gifts. (Yes, I’m one of the Mothers. How did you guess?) This is a climber and I found it to be the happiest of blossoms!

Here are more of my favorites. I’m seeing that I am particularly drawn to the luscious reds! But it is impossible to choose one best one, the variations are so great, the beauty so overwhelming.

Graham Thomas

“Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.”
Gertrude Stein

Oh, I am so happy to tell you that Jan was not sure which red beauty the above photo was. Even the expert can not be sure in a moment. I feel so much better. 🙂

Paulsen’s Pearl

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
–Abraham Lincoln

Kardinal

And over one more set of hills,
along the sea,
the last roses have opened their factories of sweetness
and are giving it back to the world.
–Mary Oliver

Dearest readers, wherever you find yourselves, avail yourselves of the beauty of the roses. Give thanks for every dear one of them for the joy they bring into our lives. Take not one for granted.

Tend your gardens. Tend your hearts.

Love and spring blessings,
Kathryn xoxo

Happy postscript: Blogger Cyndee Greene has honored me with a Friendship Award. I invite you to visit her blog The Journey.

Posted on April 24th, 2009 by Kathryn
Filed under: Field Trips | 32 Comments »