Shrubs, or drinking vinegars (they taste better than they sound!), are acidulated fruit syrups. Back in the day, there were no refrigerators to help preserve fresh fruit for longer than a day or two. Adding the sugar draws out the juices of the fruit via osmosis, and traditionally, the mixture would be left to ferment […]
raspberry
Summertime is…Visiting a Pick-Your-Own Farm!
When we were kids and still living in Canada, our mom would take us to pick-your-own farms. I loved gorging on fresh berries still warm from the sun. Then during summers in Germany, we would pick cherries from our uncle’s tree, wild boysenberries in the hedgerows, and wild yellow plums in the fields. On a […]
How to Freeze Berries
Now it’s the height of summer when beautiful fruit is in copious supply and available for just a few dollars. Of course I want to take full advantage of the seasonal fruit, so I freeze them. Once frozen, you can store them for up to 6 months. I like to use them in baking, in […]
White Chocolate Raspberry Birthday Cake
Tomiko’s birthday is in early July, and since the whole family was working and busy on the actual day, we put off having the cake until the following weekend. I have made my own birthday cakes since I was 13, and I love making my family’s birthday cakes as well! They don’t seem to […]