The Bounty Hunter

The Bounty Hunter is a website about cooking and eating delicious, seasonal and local foods.

Melissa

Rose Rhubarb Cordial for the Full Flower Moon

Happy full Flower Moon. I love the flower association with this full moon. It is such a beautiful and abundant time of year where everything is bursting into flower. I could certainly feel the energy of the full moon today as I was down by the ocean this morning. Wind and waves were stirring things up and creating a strong energy that could be heard and felt from blocks away.

I have always loved the energy and new beginnings of spring but this year, spring has felt extra transformative, joyous and alive. I am sure it has something to do with the fact that I am growing new life in my own body and as a result feeling extra tuned into the natural world around me, even in the busy city. I have been walking almost everyday in Stanley Park, spending time in our little garden tending to the plants and flowers and brewing up cordial, chive blossom vinegar and a variety of different teas.

I have also been super inspired this season by an amazing circle of women I joined in an online community with Natalie Rousseau called Thirteen Moons. It is a community of women who share a love of self-care, learning, kitchen witching, plants, the moon and who want to engage on a deeper level with themselves, the cycles of nature and the moon. Learning more about the moon, its cycles and the specific nature of each moon cycle has been so interesting and nurturing. Also, we are due to welcome our baby into our family around the full moon in late July and he was also conceived around the full moon in November. So there seems to be a strong calling to pay closer attention and connect more deeply with the power of the moon and her cycles.

To celebrate this full flower moon, I thought I would share a simple recipe for a rose rhubarb cordial inspired by a dandelion cordial recipe that Natalie shared. I used a combination of wild rose petals and rose petals that my mom harvested from one of the first blooming roses in their garden. You can use whatever type of fresh rose petals you like, just ensure they aren’t sprayed.

Wishing you much beauty, joy and inspiration around this full moon time. Be sure to take some time in stillness to soak up the magic unfolding in this abundant season and don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.


Save Print
Rose Rhubarb Cordial
Author: 
Recipe type: Beverage
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 750 ml
 
A beautiful late spring cordial made with rhubarb and rose petals. Delicious served over ice with some sparkling water and a few rose petals scattered on top. I made double this recipe and used 7 cups of water, but it is pretty flexible.
Ingredients
  • 3-4 cups water
  • 2 medium-large stalks red rhubarb, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups fresh rose petals (unsprayed)
  • ½ cup cup mild honey (I used wildflower)
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a simmer. Add the rhubarb and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the rhubarb is broken down and has released its beautiful pink colour.
  2. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool slightly. Add the honey and stir to dissolve.
  3. Place the rose petals, lemon zest and juice in a 1L jar. Pour the warm liquid over the rose petals, lemon zest and juice.
  4. Let stand for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain out the solids through cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.
  5. Pour the cordial into a clean glass bottle. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube trays for longer storage.
  6. To serve: Add 1 - 2 tbsp to a glass with ice, top with bubbly water and garnish with fresh rose petals, or other flowers/herbs.

Carrot Spice Muffins

This muffin recipe is one I have been baking for a while and felt it was time to share as it reminds me of my parents (I just shared a story about them and Serenity Farm) and the cool and crisp days of fall. Baking was the first thing I learned to do in the kitchen when I was little and I fell in love with the process and the results. While I love cooking, I still find the greatest comfort in baking. There is something about homemade baked goods that just can’t be beat.

The amount I bake and the ingredients I use has changed a lot over the years but I love the process just as much as when I first learned. Muffins were a fairly common happening around our house growing up and we would often have them Sunday morning for breakfast with fruit and cheese. Nothing like waking up to the smell of fresh muffins. These muffins are gluten and dairy free and sweetened with maple syrup. The smell of the cinnamon and ginger will be sure to fill the house with the ultimate smell of fall baking.

Enjoy!


…

Read More

Finding Peace and Belonging With Ardelle and Ernie Quantz at Serenity Farm

This story is even closer to my heart than others I have shared as it involves my sweet parents and the story of a community farming project. This story is about them, the project they have helped initiate but also indirectly tells so much about me and the path I am on with my work and my passions. These two are responsible for fostering for my love of plants, gardening, food, cooking and of course eating and sharing food with others. Family dinners were foundational in our house. I especially looked forward to Sunday dinners. They were the types of meals you would smell cooking a good part of the day and often involved some of our family’s favourite recipes and there was always dessert. My grandpa would join us every Sunday and sometimes our elderly Austrian neighbour, Joe or other family friends.

We always had a garden growing up and both sides of the family were well rooted in farming communities. I feel so grateful to have grown up in such a loving and caring environment and exposed to good food and taught to cook from a very early age. I was raised to have a deep appreciation for nature and eating with the seasons and from as close to home as possible. I am keenly aware, however, that so many do not have such a supportive and nourishing start to their lives and do not receive the love and support they need to thrive. It is my intention with the telling of these stories around food and healing to not only look at how we can use food to heal our physical bodies but how the act of growing food and caring for plants can be deeply healing on an mental and emotional level.

…

Read More