Good morning, dear ones! How was your weekend? I hope you were able to find time for at least one thing that made you smile really big. 🙂
(Oh! Before I forget, please remember to update your blog readers and email subscriptions to https://www.ramblingtart.com/since the old links no longer work. I’d also love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter. )
My weekend was quiet and peaceful, recovering after being dreadfully sick all week. I’m getting better each day and hope to be right as rain soon. 🙂
In the meantime, I’m focusing on happy little things, like a cozy dinner and movie night with some of my cooking group buddies, a great old book to read, and these beautiful apricots from my friends, Don and Jen.
I love these perky little chive blossoms from my Mum’s garden, and am so excited to see my own herb garden flourishing. I’ve been able to use thyme, basil and spearmint this week. 🙂
I’m ridiculously pleased with this creamy berry confection I made. My Russian friend Nat is a berry fanatic, and when she was here visiting from Thailand two summers ago, we simply had to go berry picking and came home with baskets piled high with plump raspberries and marionberries. I froze most of them, using them for various sauces and desserts, and was finally down to my last bag. I knew I had to make something special with it, something unique, and this weekend I finally made something up: Marionberry Crème Fraîche Gelatin. Isn’t the color splendid?! The flavor is lovely too, bright with strong berries mellowed by the rich Crème Fraîche. Accompanied by fresh spearmint tea, it was a splendid cool and creamy dessert for a sunny Sunday evening.
Marionberry Crème Fraîche Gelatin
Ingredients:
1 pounds marionberries fresh or frozen (thawed, if frozen)
2-3 Tbsp honey or maple syrup or agave syrup
1 tub Crème Fraîche
2 cups milk
2 packages unflavored gelatin
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Place berries and honey in saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn to low and simmer, stirring often until juices are reduced and mixture resembles applesauce. Cool.
- Place one cup of milk in glass bowl, sprinkle gelatin over top and let sit until permeated with milk. Stir slightly and let sit.
- Heat remaining cup of milk until just boiling, remove from heat and pour over gelatin mixture. Stir constantly until gelatin has dissolved.
- In separate bowl combine cooled berries, Crème Fraîche and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Add gelatin/milk and stir until well mixed.
- Pour into gelatin mold and chill for 2-3 hours until firm.
- To unmold, dip mold into bath of hot water for 2-5 seconds. Invert onto plate and keep chilled until ready to serve.
Oh, boy! That looks delicious. I can’t say that I’ve ever had marionberries… I love all berres, so I am sure they would be worth trying!
Well, m’dear Bekah, we’ll just have to go berry picking this summer!! 🙂 They’re lovely – and since they’re so big they’re heaps easier to pick. 🙂
Well, it happens to look lovely, (even though I don’t tend to like gelatinous in general.)
It is indeed an amazing colour. I have never heard of marionberries.
I think marion berries are a Washington, West Coast thing, Barbara. A hybrid of sorts. Whatever they are, I like them. 🙂
Aw, thanks Duchess. 🙂 I’m not overly fond of the usual gelatin things, but am becoming quite fond of the creamy ones. 🙂
That looks delightful for a summer’s evening. I’ve never heard of marionberries.
It really is, Sarah. 🙂 Marionberries are a cultivar, a hybrid berry like a large blackberry. 🙂
Your photographs today are breathtaking! We are big fans of Marionberries here, too. I am anxiously waiting for berry season to kick in. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Marionberries are new to me; I am crazy about all kinds of berries (mulberries being my favorites) and so I would love to find out more about these; this dessert sounds heavenly; I don’t think anything showcases berries better than cream.
Love it. The photos are really nice.
Hope youa re feeling better.
this looks amazing… and i am so happy to have found your blog.. i will be trying this yummie treat soon… xx pam
Ooo, that looks delicious! I must try it! We can get frozen berries here but not fresh ones! Wait, are you serious that you used THOSE very berries we picked?! You owe me a visit to Thailand, beauty. I want to see all the amazing things you would do with magoes, papayas and mangosteens! 🙂 Miss you!!
I’m so glad you like the pictures, Mary. 🙂 I do too. 🙂 I’m so excited for berry season! We West Coasters sure are lucky in the berry department. 🙂
Marionberries are new to you, Joumana, and mulberries are new to me! I’ve read about them, of course, but have never eaten them. 🙂 Oregon is a hot spot for marionberries, and they do ship so hopefully you can get your hands on some in July. 🙂
Thank you, Velva! I’m doing a bit better each day, thank you. 🙂
I’m so glad you came, Pam! 🙂 The fabric on your site is WONDERFUL!!! 🙂
I’m absolutely serious, Nat darling! 🙂 The last of our berries are used up. I guess that means you need to come to Seattle this summer so we can stock up again!! 🙂 I DO owe you a visit, I know. And one day soon I hope to be there and we can cook and laugh and talk like mad. 🙂 Love you!
I’ve never tried a marionberry but they sound gorgeous! Such a simple yet absolutely delightful recipe Krista! 🙂 x
Thanks, Lorraine! 🙂 I think you’d really like marionberries. They’re like longer, fatter blackberries, and really delicious. 🙂
wow, your photos are GORGEOUS!
Thank you, Wendy! 🙂 I’m so pleased you like them. 🙂