Crafting Wild Rose Extract
The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings

Crafting Wild Rose Extract

This process of creating rose extract from our garden's bounty is a delightful way to bring a piece of spring into our home year-round. Whether used in refreshing beverages or as a natural flavor enhancer in sweets, the extract remains a testament to the beauty and aroma of roses.

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Honoring an Old Friend: The Tanning of a Badger's Hide
Home Learning Veranda Vikings Home Learning Veranda Vikings

Honoring an Old Friend: The Tanning of a Badger's Hide

We recently embarked on a poignant project to honor a familiar woodland companion, an old badger known to us from our garden. After finding it deceased, we carefully preserved its pelt through a meticulous tanning process involving skinning, cleaning, salt curing, a formic acid treatment, and finally, finishing with tanning oil.

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The wonderful Dandelion
Floral delights Veranda Vikings Floral delights Veranda Vikings

The wonderful Dandelion

In the lush landscapes of Scandinavia, the dandelion is a ubiquitous presence, often seen as a stubborn invader in well-manicured lawns but revered by nature lovers for its wild beauty and ecological importance. Far from being merely a common weed, dandelions are celebrated in our family as symbols of resilience and the heralds of spring.

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A Wreath of May Flowers
Floral delights Veranda Vikings Floral delights Veranda Vikings

A Wreath of May Flowers

In May, our family embraces the vibrant bloom of spring by crafting a wreath made from an assortment of wildflowers like dandelions, bellis, and bellflowers. Gathered and woven by our youngest, Bear, the wreath starts as a playful crown, symbolizing the joy and exuberance of spring. Later, it adorns our front door, welcoming visitors with its natural beauty.

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Crafting Magnolia Spice: A Floral Delight for our Kitchen
Farmhouse Fare, The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings Farmhouse Fare, The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings

Crafting Magnolia Spice: A Floral Delight for our Kitchen

In our exploration of natural ingredients, we've transformed magnolia blossoms into a unique spice powder, perfect for enhancing dishes typically seasoned with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, or ginger. Using two methods—oven roasting for deeper, cardamom-like notes, and air drying for a lighter, citrusy essence—we convert the fragrant petals into culinary delights.

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Creating hazel Wands for a Harry Potter fan
Veranda Vikings Veranda Vikings

Creating hazel Wands for a Harry Potter fan

The invitation to a confirmation party for a young Harry Potter enthusiast set us on a delightful quest—to craft a gift that would resonate with the magic of the wizarding world. We turned our creative attention to fashioning wands - Settling on the sturdy and trusty hazel wood, we crafted a wand with a core suitable for embedding 'magical' components.

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Crafting 5 riddles for a Harry Potter-Themed Puzzle Box
Childhood Moments, Home Learning Veranda Vikings Childhood Moments, Home Learning Veranda Vikings

Crafting 5 riddles for a Harry Potter-Themed Puzzle Box

Attending a classic Scandinavian confirmation party for a guest of honor who was a major Potterhead.. inspired us to create a Harry Potter-themed puzzle box. This magical gift adventure combined the enchantment of J.K. Rowling's universe with the joy of problem-solving, leading the recipient through a series of riddles and tasks that engaged their love for the wizarding world.

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Gyromitra Esculenta: The Forager's Pufferfish
The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings The Edible Garden Veranda Vikings

Gyromitra Esculenta: The Forager's Pufferfish

Gyromitra esculenta, known as the "edible rock morel," is a forager's delicacy fraught with danger. Hailed as one of the tastiest mushrooms, it requires multiple water cookings to reduce its toxicity. While some savor its reputedly exquisite flavor, we approach this mushroom with caution, opting to forage and dry it for now, leaving the taste test for our later years.

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Wild Garlic Porkchops & wild garlic ‘half-baked’ potatoes
Farmhouse Fare Veranda Vikings Farmhouse Fare Veranda Vikings

Wild Garlic Porkchops & wild garlic ‘half-baked’ potatoes

Embracing the vibrant flavors of spring, our kitchen became a haven for wild garlic enthusiasts, turning a bounty of foraged greens into a feast. We crafted a meal that spotlighted the robust taste of wild garlic, seasoning pork chops generously with homemade wild garlic salt and pairing them with oven-baked potatoes topped with a dollop of wild garlic-infused butter.

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