Phaedra's Adventure

[SPedigrees]

almost, I hope.
The person in charge (to issue the permit, from a private house to somewhere you can run business) is still on leave....

(and there is no one else can do the job, something always amazed me from such 'German efficiency')

Well, complaints won't speed things up, so I decided to keep my intensive self-training on.

Good luck. I hope the permitting process goes smoothly and quickly when the official is back on the job.

 

[Phaedra]

The very cold week passed, and the snow starts to melt down. I removed the plants again to the greenhouse , gave them water, and trimmed the damaged parts. It will be still a while before spring, so they'd better stay tidy and neat.

The three Eucalyptus (Silver dollar) plants I grew from seeds last year - so far, they overwintered well. There is almost no growth, but the plants are healthy. I pruned them a bit today, and they smell so great! I put several longer stems in the vase and hanged the rest to dry.

The Monstera I put on a shelf - because it is very close to the heater and enjoys always the warm air, a new leave just about the open up. When you put a light in front of it, the shadow on the wall is just charming.

The seeds are waiting, and my sowing this year will start this week from Lisianthus. The next will be all kinds of leafy greens, peas, and fava beans from the 3rd week of Feb. Before that, my major work will be cleaning the greenhouse and all tools.

I did buy new seeds, but only three - an F1 napa cabbage, a summer Aster, and a sunflower. I will use what I have at hand, including the 24 seeds from the advent calendar that DD gave me. Meanwhile, I will make a patch later to 'dump' whatever seeds that I don't want to grow them seriously - just see how that patch will turn into.

Besides, I invested in below plants this year:
Fruit: kiwi, honeyberry, and grape
Perennial: 4 different daylilies, and 2 tree peonies
Mushroom: oyster mushroom and king trumpet mushroom, which can develop on the soil directly

We have three garden projects for 2024:
1. Extend the compost area from a 3-Bay to 5-Bays and build a roof
2. Remove the rose and lavender patch between two ponds and make it into a sitting area where we can enjoy the ponds
3. Build the 3rd chicken coop with roof and add more chicken!

Can't wait!

 

[Phaedra]

My dear gardening friends, thank you for all the kind words and wishes. Here is like a bigger family I have, and I do love and cherish all of you.

Another terrible cold period passed - this time, we had -15C one night. However, the large brassicas are hanging there still. The weather will be milder in the coming two weeks, and then the sowing season will be about to start.

I kept my baking hands-on going, and thankfully, we invited several family and some friends to be the testers. It's totally no way for us to consume all my 'practices.'

Here are some of them:

Maple and Rye Baguette

Coffee and Fig Loaf

Orange and Japanese Matcha Madeleines - they are so delicious, the best version that I have ever made.

Lemon and earl grey tea cake, with orange chocolate ganache

Pound cake with 90% bitter chocolate, roasted pecans, and raisins processed with honey whiskey

And that's what our testers received yesterday and today

Chocolate financier, matcha madeleine, pound cake, and a lemon/earl grey tea cake

Another group would try bacon and scallion scones, potato and ham salad, Caesar dressing, and some fried chicken.

Food is such a media to share love and passion.

 

[ducks4you]

We, 2 love YOU!!!
What are "Japanese Matcha Madeleines"?

 

[baymule]

You are a marvel. The creations you make are out of this world. When your shop opens, you will be so busy!

 

[Phaedra]

Snow is gone today, and chives are emerging.

The new growth from sedum that I divided last year also there.

The temperature might maintain at 8-10C in the coming two weeks, so I might start sowing leafy greens this weekend.

Baking hands-on today:

Japanese Matcha (finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves) chiffon roll with orange cream and orange - oh my, it's really heaven.

An optimized toast loaf - I can enjoy it without butter, jam, or anything else. It's a pure delight - moist, delicate, so simple, so good.

I used the same dough with raisins processed with honey whisky (a new skill I learned recently). However, Wild Turkey didn't outperform Jack Daniel's, not very impressive. The next candidate is THE GLENLIVET 12 Year old single malt whisky.

Anyway, it's sufficient to make a charming mini loaf.

I am also trying dark Rum for processing dried cranberries, can't wait!

 

[flowerbug]

Snow is gone today, and chives are emerging.
View attachment 63447
The new growth from sedum that I divided last year also there.
View attachment 63448

The temperature might maintain at 8-10C in the coming two weeks, so I might start sowing leafy greens this weekend.

Baking hands-on today:

Japanese Matcha (finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves) chiffon roll with orange cream and orange - oh my, it's really heaven.
View attachment 63450
An optimized toast loaf - I can enjoy it without butter, jam, or anything else. It's a pure delight - moist, delicate, so simple, so good.
View attachment 63451

I used the same dough with raisins processed with honey whisky (a new skill I learned recently). However, Wild Turkey didn't outperform Jack Daniel's, not very impressive. The next candidate is THE GLENLIVET 12 Year old single malt whisky.
View attachment 63452
Anyway, it's sufficient to make a charming mini loaf.
View attachment 63453
I am also trying dark Rum for processing dried cranberries, can't wait!
View attachment 63454

you are doing so many things that bring back a lot of memories for me. not exact recipes but the general ideas of making good things with interesting ingredients with the goal of supplying a small shop. the small shop still exists all these years later...

 

[Phaedra]

We, 2 love YOU!!!
What are "Japanese Matcha Madeleines"?

dear duck,
Madeleines are small cakes with a distinctive shell-like shape - the texture is somewhere between sponge cake and pound cake. Usually, there are several types of baking pan for making them, shallow or deep or mini shell forms. What I did earlier is with the shallow shell forms, and I just received the deep one as well.

Matcha is finely ground powder of specially grown and processed green tea leaves, mostly produced in Japan today. Japanese use to drink it as hot tea, or flavor and dye all kinds of foods, from noodle to baking goods.

So, with powder ingredients with distinguished colors like cacao, matcha, berries, purple sweet potatoes and etc, colorful and tasty small cakes like that can be made.

 

[Phaedra]

you are doing so many things that bring back a lot of memories for me. not exact recipes but the general ideas of making good things with interesting ingredients with the goal of supplying a small shop. the small shop still exists all these years later...

You are a marvel. The creations you make are out of this world. When your shop opens, you will be so busy!

I keep considering what I can offer as a community-based small shop. 'Warm sparkle' could be a direction. We don't have too much financial pressure, general or the overall costs from the shop. I also prefer playing in the garden at least hours a day (besides winter), so the shop will only open from 1200-1800.

But during the six hours, people who visit will have something nice and delicious. For example, they will get a small portion of jam like the one I made from the orange flesh yesterday for free, when they buy a bread or toast. If they bring their own containers, they get 50cent discount from all drink and food items, besides, they can get a free plant when they collect 10 stamps 'bring your own containers.' During sowing season, maybe I can offer additional seedlings as gifts. From May to August, the shop can also offer some veggies and bouquets.

I am not the type for giant and great business, but a tiny-scale wonderland is worthy for a fight.

 

[baymule]

Your shop will be a blessing on the area, you will be able to share your food creations.