I love summer rains here in Queensland, especially the soft, gentle ones that last all day, hushing the world into quietness, making me feel like I’m on an island instead of a hilltop.
I love going outside in these rains, strolling through my gardens, breathing in the smells of damp earth and rain-washed herbs.
My garden is a late bloomer this year and for awhile there I wondered if anything would grow. I’m happy to report that lots of things are growing at last: tomatoes are ripening and chilies darkening, herb seedlings leafing out after looking decidedly straggly for a long time.
The pumpkins are flourishing, sending forth bright orange blossoms. I’ve never grown pumpkins before and I’m very excited for Autumn when they’ll be ready. Aussies have introduced me to a whole new cuisine with pumpkins. I grew up eating them in sweet things: pies, jelly rolls, and sweet breads. Now I love them in savory dishes: roasted with herbs until they taste like candy, tossed into pasta with creamy chunks of chevre, scattered over pizza with crispy prosciutto. Mmm.
I’m especially excited to see my calendula blooming. It is such a wonderfully healing plant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, antifungal, antiviral, and immunostimulant. I can’t wait to harvest the petals to infuse in oil for a healing skin ointment and stir them into luscious creams and soaps.
I suppose I could be using the fennel blossoms for something, but they look so pretty and delicate that I can’t bear to cut them just yet.
After my garden meanderings, I like to sit down with a good book and a nibble. This week I’ve been making homemade gummies.
I adore gummies. They’ve been my favorite candy since I was a little girl. Unfortunately most store-bought ones are full of sugar and chemicals, so I started making my own. They are ridiculously easy, take five minutes to make, 15 minutes to set, and that’s it!
I started with Apricot ones, which were delicious, and yesterday I made an adult version with homemade Sour Plum Juice and Port Wine. Oh my. Glistening little jewels with rich flavors and a hint of sweetness, they are my new favorite.
They are scrumptious accompaniments to my wood-burning, keeping me going as I etch designs into spoons, paintbrushes, and Christmas ornaments.
What is your favorite treat while you’re working on projects?
Sour Plum Port Wine Gummies
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plum juice (to make your own simply simmer 4-5 halved plums in 3/4 cup water until plums are soft, strain, bring juice to boil and simmer until 1/2 cup juice is achieved)
3 Tbsp grass-fed gelatin
13 Tbsp Port Wine
1 tsp real maple syrup
Directions:
- Pour juice into small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle gelatin over juice, stirring and heating just until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in Port Wine and maple syrup.
- Pour into container with spout.
- Use container to fill chocolate molds or ice cube trays 1/2 way.
- Place in freezer for 15 minutes then remove.
- Gummies will remove easily from molds.
- Store in fridge until ready to eat.
Oh those are so cute! And I had no idea how simple they would be to make. I must make two batches straight away. =)
You simply MUST, @breannemosher:disqus !! 🙂 Methinks you will absolutely love them. 🙂 xo
Your blue designed plate with port wine jelly photo takes me back to Jellied Delights sitting on Turkish plates. 🙂
Oh that’s lovely, @budgetjan:disqus 🙂 I would really like to see and experience that one day. 🙂
oh my! sugar free – thank you so much for posting this 🙂
You are so welcome, @tandysinclair:disqus 🙂 I love a treat that is healthy AND delicious. 🙂
These jellies look wonderful, I bet they taste fab too. I love your blue and white plate. Great photo. GG
Thank you, Glamorous Glutton! 🙂 I love that plate too. It is one of my very favorites and I’m SO glad it survived the move from America to Oz. 🙂
I’ve never made gummies and they came along after I’d passed the gummy stage. I think these would be wonderful to have on hand when kids come to visit. 🙂
They would be brilliant for kids, @OrgasmicChef:disqus 🙂 And they won’t be climbing the walls after eating them either! 🙂
You blow me away with the beauty of your posts, Krista. It is a joy to see notice of a new post from you!
You are so lovely, @disqus_WseMqaTPwi:disqus 🙂 Thank you XO
isn’t it funny about how simple the jellies are – and don’t know about you, but i grew up with jell-o it never occurred to make any from scratch! but they are so pretty – especially in those sweet molds and on your gorgeous plate. i do prefer the grown flavor of a port wine and plum. anyway, yes a nice pairing with your woodcutting that has both ornateness and aussie folkloric spareness.
http://mlleparadis.blogspot.com
It is so funny how easy it is, paradis. 🙂 I had no idea how easy Jell-O was until I got older either. And it is SO fun to make “grown-up” versions. I want to make one for Christmas with Port Wine layers interspersed with creamy ones. 🙂
I love your gummies Krista, and that photo is just gorgeous… going out to look for a lovely blue plate like yours, perfect! Have a great weekend my dear 🙂
Thank you, dear @TuulaR:disqus 🙂 I hope you find one that you adore too. XO
I love these gummies. what a sweet little mold. And your wooden spoons are beautiful as well.
Isn’t the mold adorable, @disqus_32w6rqKPWP:disqus ? It delights me no end. 🙂
Oh how absolutely divine!
Thank you so much, dear @lizposmyk:disqus xo
So not only are you an artist in your garden and in decorating your kitchen utensils, but you also make your own gummy sweets! 🙂 A lady of many talents.
Julia
It’s so fun to learn and practice all these things, @turkeysforlife:disqus 🙂 They bring me a lot of happiness. 🙂
Your garden is really starting to flourish!! Someone has a green thumb 😛
I think I have a lucky thumb more than a green one, @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus 🙂 I’m totally winging it in this gardening thing. 🙂
With about two feet of snow outside my window, your photos are most welcome! Your wood. ruined spoons are beautiful!
It makes me smile to think of snow, @tracyaltieri:disqus 🙂 You brought a little Christmasy image to my life today. 🙂
I must say that I had intended to write “burned”, not “ruined”! I am so sorry! – So much for not “previewing”!
No worries! You made me laugh and I knew what you intended to write. 🙂
Krista you are beautifully artistic. How wonderful; to be able to wander around your garden. each day I get up and rush to work and think there must be something better!. The photo of the gummies is beautiful
I feel so thankful to live here, @taniamykitchenstoriescomau:disqus It is very hard work sometimes, but I think it’s worth it to get to work from home and be surrounded by nature. 🙂
Beautiful jelly!!!!!! I love the mold and the flavours. And I love how beautiful everything around you is.
Beauty has a way of bringing hope and calm.
Stay well dear friend. Really love your wood-burnt products!
Thank you, dear Ozoz. XO Beauty is so restorative, you are right. 🙂 I’m so glad you like my wood-burning! It makes me happy. 🙂
Oh wow! Such beautiful etchings! And those sweets look so pretty too
Thanks so much, @inspiringtravellers:disqus 🙂 I really loved making all of them. 🙂
Oh these are too gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat… I love chocolate digestives and good coffee as a treat when working 🙂