It was a while since I made this one but I'm finally catching up on some posts that I didn't get time to add previously. This one is for Hopped Pear Cider - I really liked the way the slightly bitter hoppy flavour balanced out the sweetness of the pears to give a very refreshing summer drink. If you have followed my blog previously you will know that I love making things and trying different flavours and combinations particularly where plants from my garden and other botanicals are involved. … [Read more...]
Homemade Campari Recipe
I have become quite partial to drinking Campari and soda since being introduced to it by my godmother when I visited her in the UK. During lockdown it became very difficult to obtain in New Zealand so I decided that I'd have to have a go at making it myself - this is my homemade Campari recipe. Campari is a dark red Italian alcoholic liqueur, used as an apéritif or as a bitters (digestif). It was invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari. The recipe contains more than 60 natural ingredients … [Read more...]
Homemade Kombucha Recipe
Fermented foods and beverages are becoming increasingly popular, adding variety, new flavours and interesting textures to our diets. However for many people it is the potential health benefits that are the main reason for consuming them. My sister-in-law Bronnie gave me a kombucha scoby so that I could try making homemade kombucha. Kombucha is full of living organisms to help feed and develop healthy gut bacteria, helping to improve digestion and immunity, and eases the symptoms of … [Read more...]
Home-made Blackberry Gin Recipe
This year my thornless blackberry has provided me with more blackberries than I can every remember having so I've definitely been seeking new recipes to try. This blackberry gin recipe isn't exactly new as I've made the same recipe with raspberries and blueberries previously but I had never made a blackberry gin. I made a double recipe that makes about 1500ml of blackberry gin (and didn't waste the berries at the end as I used them to make blackberry jam). You can use any gin for the … [Read more...]
Homemade Lemon Gin Recipe
Easy to make home-made lemon gin using a gin botanicals kit and homegrown lemons. I had bought some Gin Kit Botanicals from Mad Millie following my last efforts making Home-made Gin. These come with 3 different flavours: Traditional London Dry Gin botanical blend Bay Leaf botanical blend Mint botanical blend I made up the Traditional London Dry Blend for this recipe: juniper berries, coriander seeds, citrus peels (lemon, orange), liquorice root Put 1l vodka in a jar, add … [Read more...]
Rhubarb Gin Recipe
I am really enjoying having rhubarb in my garden again. I always used to grow rhubarb for stewing but when space in the garden became a premium, I took it out and went many years without rhubarb. Now I am rediscovering what a versatile plant it really is, with so many different uses (see below for other rhubarb recipes). I have been making my own homemade gin and experimenting with different flavours such as blueberry gin, raspberry gin and yellow cherry guava gin so I thought I'd try a rhubarb … [Read more...]
Making Lavender-Infused Vodka (or Gin)
Lavender is a versatile edible flower that can be used in so many different ways and not just for oil or those quaint lavender bags that grandmothers use to scent their clothing drawers (and not just grandmothers I have to say - I've always loved using lavender sachets). I have used it to make lavender shortbread, lavender syrup and lavender sugar. I saw an advert for a lavender gin and thought how hard can it be to make lavender-infused vodka or gin myself? There are all manner of recipes … [Read more...]
Lambswool Wassail Recipe
I was inspired to try making Lambswool Wassail by a recipe in the NZ Gardener magazine this autumn. The drink is made with a sweet-spiced hot cider (or ale) and apples that are cooked until frothy. I had just harvested lots of windfall apples and had made a batch of homemade cider, so I had all the ingredients to hand. I was also totally intrigued by the name Lambswool Wassail and where it came from. The lambswool part is believed to have come from being served at the ancient Celtic pagan … [Read more...]
Raspberry Gin Recipe
Raspberry Gin! A very simple recipe to make and looks amazing - perfect for gift giving. Wonderful for a deliciously different Christmas cocktail. I enjoyed drinking it with soda water over the summer. You can use frozen raspberries (good if you are clearing out your freezer as I was) and, once made, the raspberry gin keeps indefinitely (if you don't drink it that is). You can use any gin for the recipe; I used some of my homemade gin. 700 ml gin 250g raspberries 125g caster sugar Put … [Read more...]
Lemon Barley Water Cordial Recipe
According to Ayurveda, barley water is an excellent diuretic, which cures urinary tract infections (UTI) and also helps the body to keep cool during the summers. It is good for invalids as provides some nutrition and hydration to those who have lost their appetites. There are all sorts of claims associated with barley water from reducing wrinkles to soothing an inflamed stomach. Or you can just drink it because you like it!! This healthy beverage has made a mark in various cultures - Greek, … [Read more...]