November 1st – All Saints’ or All Hallows’ day. No matter how we call it, in most of Catholic Europe it’s the day when we remember the deceased. The most common way of paying tribute to those who are no longer with us is by lighting the candle at their grave. Our family is no different. Ever since I can remember the 1st of November consists of lunch with an extended family and obligatory pilgrimage to cemeteries and lighting of the candles. For a while now I’ve been thinking about the enormous quantity of grave candles in a plastic housing that the Slovenes leave at the graveyards every year around the 1st of November. This year I’ve had an early start and made my version of a grave candle that is better for the environment – glass grave candle.Continue Reading
DIY
Heart-shaped Pavlova Cake with Currant
In my last post, I wrote about currant, so today I thought it would be a good idea to share a recipe that utilizes currants in a different way than just in a jam or marmalade. 🙂 This cute heart-shaped pavlova cake with currant is light and refreshing and perfect for hot summer days. I’ve decided to go with heart-shaped pavlova cakes but you can just as easily make a classical bigger round one or any other shape because whipped egg whites are super easy to play around with. 🙂
If you decide to omit the corn starch in the recipe below, the dessert will also be gluten-free and therefore suitable for anyone with celiac disease or hypersensitivity to gluten.Continue Reading
Dandelion Iced Tea
It seems that this week will end as it began – in the name of homemade drinks. My last post of the week is dedicated to my newest invention – it’s dandelion iced tea. This likable combination is the result of my current obsession with the healing roots of wild plants. In the last week I foraged roots of dandelion, chicory and comfrey. I must admit that I have come across the healing properties of these plants just this past summer and ever since I have read about them I have patiently waited for the autumn as it’s the best time to harvest them. Because when the plants are preparing for wintering they’re storing the medicinal substances in the roots. The common saying goes that all the wild roots should be picked in months that have the letter “R” in their name. So SeptembeR couldn’t come fast enough this year.Continue Reading
Homemade Walnut Milk
Who doesn’t know almond milk? Popular milk alternative, which is very popular among vegans and all of us who would like to lead a healthier life by eat cleaner food. I’m making my own amlond milk (the same as coconut milk) from scratch at home. Then one evening when I was soaking my almonds in order to make a fresh batch of almond milk in the morning I asked myself why am I buying almonds when I have access to homegrown walnuts. You see I as mentioned before my parents own a small mountain farm that has quite a fey walnut trees and they bear walnuts anually so we have some in stock all year round. And not to mnetion that homegrown walnuts are completely free from pesticide and other chemicals and are as local as they can get! So I decided to give it a go and make walnut milk instead of almond milk.Continue Reading
Homemade cucumber water
I remember when I first discovered coconut water on the shelves of our supermarket. I loved its taste and low calorie value and it quickly became my favorite drink of that summer. Even when exploring its properties on the internet, all I could come accross were all these amazing health benefits that it had. And I drank it. Because it was delicious and refreshing. I knew that coconut water was not the most local, but these were were times when I was yet to be informed about the carbon footprint. About a year later I decided to change my way of life and devote less money to foods that are not basic. Together with my decision that I will enjoy more local and seasonal foods, coconut water did not make the list and was scratched off my menu. This (not particularly difficult) decision was also empowered by the fact that my love for coconut water costed me a couple of euros per week.Continue Reading
Buckwheat tarragon swiss roll
I first tasted the buckwheat swiss roll at Aljaž’s grandparents. It was Aljaž’s grandmother who introduced me to this dessert and I was blown away by it’s fluffyness and tastiness. When I decided to recreate this excellent dessert, I was thinking about possible changes and supplements, and I remembered the tarragon – a great aromatic herb that is wildly growing in the corner of the garden.Continue Reading
Elderberry and Pear Jam
Over 10 years ago my parents have taken over an abandoned homestead where my grandmother was born. With exception of a small plateau where used to be three little fields and now serves as goat pasture, the whole homestead is located on the hillside. No matter where you want to go, there will be a steep road leading you there. On the hillside above the old house is an old orchard with heritage apple, pear and cherry fruit trees that were grafted to seedlings and therefore have a very tall growth.Continue Reading
Homemade tomato sauce
This year I was finally able to produce bigger quantities of tomatoes (I wrote a little bit about me growing tomatoes in containers right here). Because I seemed that we won’t be able to eat it all fresh I decided to make some homemade tomato sauce. Because I didn’t really have a tried and true recipe I decided to experiment a bit and I’m very happy with the result so I decided to share the recipe here in case someone else might find it useful. 🙂Continue Reading
How to make homemade coconut milk
Today I’m sharing a simple homemade coconut milk recipe. Because a lot of times I use yogurt in my smoothie recipes I want to provide an affordable alternative for all of you who may be lactose intolerant or vegan. The following homemade coconut milk is not only tasty but also affordable. Continue Reading
How to make homemade rose water
Homemade rose water – water made from roses. It’s valued in cosmetics, where they call it a magical beauty potion. French pastry chefs use it to prepare desserts. Some people around the world also believe in its healing powers – it’s supposed to help with a sore throat, but there is no evidence to support that claim.Continue Reading