Summer Solstice

Enjoying the start to summer and strawberry season.  When going to the strawberry stand on the edge of town I can't help buying three baskets at a time.  Field grown and so soft and ripe, they have to be eaten that day.  Danes love to ask everyone who isn't Danish to say "rød grød med fløde" because its the hardest thing to say.  It also happens to be a delicious dessert and a nice way to eat fruit at peak season.

The recipe below is my interpretation of the way my own Danish mother makes it.  So delicious and a welcome to summer.

rødgrød med fløde (red fruit pudding with cream)

2 baskets berries (I used strawberries & raspberries) traditionally its red currants, raspberries, strawberries, cherries or plums (any combination)

3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

2 tablespoons potato starch flour (or arrowroot powder or cornstarch)

1/4 cup cold water

splash of vanilla extract

lightly whipped cream (its nice barely whipped for this or soft peaks)

Rinse fruit and slice (you can also blend in blender). Place sliced or puréed fruit into stainless steel pan and stir in sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Dissolve potato starch flour (or other) in 1/4 cup cold water and mix in, stirring constantly.  Once off burner, stir in a splash of vanilla extract.  Pour into large bowl or parfait glasses.  Chill thoroughly (3-4 hours).  Serve with cream.

Chamomile Hair Rinse

As a natural blonde, my hair has gotten darker over the years.    I decided to make a couple of chamomile hair rinses to give it extra shine and lighten it up a bit naturally.  Chamomile (or camomile) has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties which can strengthen hair, help fight dandruff, and promote hair growth.  Adding it to your bath or placing cooled teabags onto your skin can help anything from burns to cuts to dark circles under your eyes. 

In the summer you can use wild chamomile or flowers from your garden but, its the middle of winter, so I used loose dried flowers and store-bought tea bags.

Here, I used four tea bags and filled the jar with boiling water.

For the loose dried flowers I poured boiling water over them in a pyrex bowl.  I just used what was already in my cupboard, about 1/4 cup flowers to about 3 cups water.

I let them steep about two hours.  You could do it longer or shorter and still benefit.

Strain the loose flowers into another bowl (don't pour the liquid out).

I poured the loose flowers through a fine-mesh sieve so there where still particles floating around.  I'm going to use it quickly so I didn't mind.  You could also use cheese cloth if you didn't want any bits floating about.

I let it cool completely then labeled it for the fridge.  After washing and rinsing your hair, pour the cool chamomile rinse over your hair, leaving it in as your hair dries.  It will continue to lighten as it is left on and you will see results with regular rinses.

Chamomile is one of my favorite flowers, it self seeds very easily and is a nice addition to any herb or floral garden.  It also attracts honey bees and smells wonderful.  In Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers, chamomile means "energy in adversity".