I recently set out for another walk to bring in some holly blossom primarily, and to just smell the roses.
First, I went to the bank;-). Same place, same tin cans, 2,00 € for free.
I spare you the details, for it was the same old trail I have unnerved you with so many times;-). Brought in this bag of holly blossom (Sambucus Nigra, Holunder in German). I really love to make syrup from them. This year I have the notion they are even more aromatic than the years before.
Take the holly blossom, remove the leaves and clean them thoroughly. Put them in a wide glass, and cover with white refined sugar. Add slices of one lemon with the peel on (must be non-toxic;-)). Add another layer of holly, cover with sugar, cover with orange slices, cover with sugar, add holly blossom and so on. The last layer should be sugar, and thicker as usual for as to keep the oxygene off.
Let it rest for three days. Strain the mass and warm to 75 degrees Celsius.
Thoroughly desinfect a vacuum glass and warm it by pouring boiling water in. (Remove the water;-)). Put the syrup in while it´s still hot, put the lid on and fill it up to the brim. Put the glass upside down to cool.
You can also add one layer of sweet woodruff, tastes even more delicious. Drink it with soda and ice in summer, it makes for a great delicious drink!
If you use pectinous sugar, you can make a gelée from it, which is absolutely great on white bread with butter.
You can add one handful of raisins to the strained syrup, heat it to 75 degrees, let it cool ´til 37 degrees, and add brewery yarm to it. Put it in bottles with a fermentation valve on (you can use a childrens balloon or even a condom, too, fix it with a zip - tie around the bottle´s neck). Let it rest for three weeks in a dark place, put the bottles in sand while the mead ferments. Then fill the mead in clean bottles, and put a cork in, which you can seal with beeswax. The dried blossoms are good against the cold and bronchitis, when drank in a tea mixture, too.
And, good against witches, I am afraid...;-)
Came across this plant, too. It´s achillea millefolium, common yarrow (Schafgarbe in German). It´s good against digestive problems and colics, and menstrual problems too.
Oh yes, and I have heard it tell, it might be good against witches. Did not help against me, somehow...;-). Got some for tea and a Theriak herbal tonicum.
The sun was sinking, as I went home, and it was quite the otherworldly experience.... It was all misty, for it had rained beforehand.
Those are the adventures of Mr. Fimbulmyrk, in bushcraft and blacksmithing, mountainbiking and hiking, reenactment, writing, singing, dancing, stargazing and having a piece of cake and a coffee. Pray have a seat and look around you, but be warned - the forest´s twilight is ferocious at times.
Beliebte Posts
-
Last week I went on an after work foraging bimble. Above is St. John´s wort (Hypericum, in German: Johanniskraut). Good against depres...
-
On Solingen knife expo I had the privilege to meet with Lukas Mästle - Goer, a tutor in Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), workin...
-
Last week I had my first forging tutorial on schedule. Mr. Rothenberg came around to forge his first custom knife. We agreed on file steel,...
-
This is a hatchet I am currently working on. It´s made from an old hammer, C 60 steel. The eye is left a bit stronger to provide more streng...
-
Just wanted to show you the state my local woods are in. Good for me, of course, but BAAAD, if you get my meaning, for the trees. Ev...
-
On Monday we lit the forge at the smithy, for it was "Kindergeburtstag", a children´s birthday party scheduled at the Bethaus, ...
-
At my recent visit to Solingen I also dropped by the Otter knives booth. Now they were very persuasive;-) and I got this beautiful tradit...
-
It´s been a while coming, but now I have my resolve on how to do it. I already stitched the backside of the bag.The rings are from the m...
-
So, some two weeks ago, I went to the smithy again, for there was work to be done;-). Daniel dropped by, too, and helped out, too. I really...
-
I am deeply grateful. Yes, people tend to complain a lot these days. It´s the weather, of course. When the sun is shining, they complain ...