You know that excitement when you walk into your garden and spot a tiny little pumpkin or squash starting to grow? You immediately start imagining what you're going to harvest, and then, a few days later, you check again and that beautiful little fruit has turned...
Now, tulsi isn't your ordinary sweet basil. It has a wonderfully aromatic flavour, slightly spicy with hints of cloves and pepper. And while we often think of basil as something to add to savoury dishes, tulsi can be absolutely delicious paired with summer fruit. So today, we're making something a little different: a homemade strawberry and tulsi granita!
If you've never made granita before, think of it as a cross between a sorbet and a grown-up slushie. It's icy, fruity and wonderfully refreshing, with a slightly coarse, crystalline texture that makes it so lovely on a hot day.
And the best part? You don't need an ice cream machine.
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There is something about summer fruit that makes me ridiculously happy! After months of watching our fruit trees wake up, flower and slowly develop their fruit, we finally get to enjoy the harvest. And what better way to celebrate summer than with something homemade, refreshing and absolutely delicious?
Today we're taking one of my favourite fragrant herbs, lemon verbena, and pairing it with juicy summer peaches to make a beautiful homemade sorbet. If you've never used lemon verbena in a dessert before, you're in for a treat. Its lovely citrus fragrance works beautifully with the sweetness of stone fruit, and you don't need an ice cream machine to make this recipe.
Lemon balm is one of those herbs that deserves a little more attention. It has the most beautiful, gentle lemon fragrance, and if you've ever rubbed a leaf between your fingers, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
Unlike lemons, which have that sharp, acidic flavour, lemon balm is softer, slightly sweet and wonderfully aromatic. And if your lemon balm is growing happily, you'll soon have more leaves than you know what to do with! So, instead of letting all that lovely growth go to waste, let's make a simple homemade lemon balm syrup. The beauty of this recipe is that you can use the same syrup for a refreshing summer cordial or turn it into delicious homemade ice lollies.
There is nothing more frustrating than walking into your veggie garden, admiring your beautiful Swiss chard and spinach, and then noticing something isn't quite right. One leaf looks as though someone has sprinkled flour over it, another has strange brown spots, and...
I must admit, asparagus is one of those vegetables that really teaches you patience in the garden. And if you know me, you will know that I love being able to walk outside and harvest something for dinner! But asparagus doesn't quite work like that, especially in the...
