Happy New Year!!! I hope you’ve all had a happy and healthy Christmas, and a joyous night last night. My New Year this year was lovely. Our celebration was quiet and special, and for me the moment led mto some very cathartic reflection. For the past few years I’ve been increasingly veering away from New […]
Squash and rye gingerbread
Well, I’ve saved the best for last. This will be my last post before Christmas, and the piece de resistance of my Christmas recipes? Squash and rye gingerbread. Gingerbread is glorious and has traditionally been associated with Christmas in one form or another in many cultures, particularly in Europe and Scandinavia. Some historians think it […]
Spiced cocoa
Happy winter solstice! We’ve made it. This morning at 4:49 GMT the sun reached it’s most southerly declination. It’s the shortest day of the year and it’s only going to get lighter from here! I love the winter solstice. Having watched the nights drawing in, and the days getting shorter and shorter, all of a […]
Honey sweetened cranberry sauce
Happy Monday! This is it, the week of Christmas. The house is full of food, the baking is piling up and the advent calendars are almost finished. Time for some final preparations. And this is one of the easiest and most worthwhile. Honey sweetened cranberry sauce! Here in Shetland cranberry sauce is not really a […]
Festive chestnut soup
Seven days until Christmas!! One week until we can sit around the tree with our loved ones, sip some mulled wine, light a cozy fire in the hearth, and spend the day enjoying the people that we love, all interspersed with delicious food! I like this part of the season. With seven days left, we’re […]
Sugar-free mincemeat
Well, I think it’s safe to say that the Christmas countdown has officially begun. The time for mincemeat making is upon us. Truth be told, this year I’ve kind of let the Christmas preparations slide a bit. Normally by this time I would have the Christmas pudding made and maturing, chocolate croissants made and frozen […]
Roasted Brussels sprouts and persimmon
When my little sister, Jane, was in Kindergarten the teacher got them to make model angels as a Christmas project. Jane’s became an instant sensation. The white clay angel, wings outstretched, hands clasped in front of its conical body, and sparkling with gold glitter, bore an expression on its little clay face nearly identical to […]
How to make coconut yogurt
I think it would not be inaccurate to say that I am a full-on, unabashed yogurt fiend. I happily gobble up yogurt at least once a day. For me it is heaven. And luckily for me and all fellow yogurt fiends, it’s incredibly good for you too! Yogurt, or fermented milk of one type or […]
Whole wheat raisin bread
Hello!! At long last I’ve got the blog up and running once again under its shiny new name Roots and Wren! I am very excited to be getting back to it. The whole moving to a new name thing has been a bit more of an adventure than I had anticipated to say the very […]
Wheat berry mushroom burgers
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with a brilliant local food producer, Jill, from Shetlandeli. I tried out a jar of their award winning Muckle Flugga Piccalilli (excellent name, Shetland’s Muckle Flugga is one of the most northerly points in Britain and home to its most northerly lighthouse)and it was delicious! Notice that I […]