Author: Loralea

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Serviceberry Flower Infusion


I love ingredients so this idea of playing with Serviceberry flowers is my idea of fun.

Serviceberries are one of the tastier wild fruits at Quillisascut and the easiest for us to savor fresh from the bush (think about elderberries, rosehips, Oregon grape, and chokecherries which all need additional sweetener and you will understand the context of tasty) Serviceberries are slightly sweet with a hint of bitter almond. Last year I was eager to make bitters so I tried macerating the ripe berries in vodka and it did give a slight almond flavor to the infusion. Today while the trees are still flowering I steeped some of the flowers in vodka and others were infused in simple syrup. The flavor is wonderfully bitter almond! Continue reading “Serviceberry Flower Infusion”

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Wildflowers

Spring with all it’s forceful energy can be overwhelming so I decided to take a little break and pick you a bouquet of wildflowers.

These flowers, Arrowleaf Balsam Root, Serviceberries, and Wooly Britches, all grow along the driveway here at Quillisascut. It is a favored time of year for a walk through natures beautiful garden. With every shade of green you can imagine, soft textures and the toughness to endure. I think it is the perfect garden all it requires is to open your eyes, see the transformation and enjoy. Take a walk with me down the driveway. That is easy work!

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Guest Blogger

We have a guest blogger here this week for the Introduction to Farming workshop. Heather from farmgirlgourmet.com will be blogging about what we are doing each day here at Quillisascut  as well as stories about the farms we visit. Let’s read what Heather has to say.

Several weeks ago I received an email from Lora Lea of Quillisascut Farm asking me if I’d be interested in coming to her Intro to Farming workshop and being a guest blogger. I had been to Lora Lea & Rick’s farm back in February during their Chef Retreat, an annual gathering of local Chefs that happens the weekend after Valentine’s Day, and did not hesitate to send back my response that I’d love to attend. read more

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Dirty Love

Dirt a Love story

Yesterday while going for a walk I caught a whiff of something floral and sweet, a smell different then the damp rot of decay that lingers when the snow melts. This was an illusive scent, not lingering long enough to identify. Could it have been a soil bacterium called Mycobacterium Vaccae? A bacterium that releases serotonin in our brains. Maybe gardening is addicting.
I know that momentary whiff gave me a little lift. It was a promise that spring is here. Here is a wiki link where you can read about Mycobacterium Vaccae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycobacterium_vaccae

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More Love

A new episode of love from Lisa Simpson

How often do you know the exact moment your life changes? There’s obvious milestones like getting a driver’s license or getting married, but often the less noticeable pivot points aren’t seen until you look back at them.

On my first night at Quillasascut, I fed the chickens. The next morning I went with Rick to pick out the three slowest and most trusting. We ate them for dinner.

Quillasascut isn’t a monument that my life circles around, it is instead a sort of rumble strip that reminds me to pay attention to the road ahead. It’s where I learned a lot of hippie talk. GMO, food chain, local, seasonal, sustainable.

I learned the real trick of a great chef- recipes really aren’t necessary, technique and ingredients trump all. Thanks Kären! (I’ve given up trying to get the umlauts to appear, but she deserves them). Wood burning ovens kick ass. Continue reading “More Love”