RECIPE OF THE WEEK - ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE

Merry Meet to All of You!

Summer is nearly here, and with the beginning of June start to look out for the white splendour of Elderflower.

Common in country lanes and even around abandoned dwellings, Elderflower are often overlooked as the delicious ingredient for cooking and especially drinking they are!

There are many ways to use Elderflower to create drinks and cordials, I just picked one example, Elderflower Champagne (sorry to everyone getting excited, it's non-alcoholic, the name is in the sparkle).

You'll need:

7 Elderflower heads

5 ltr of water

600g sugar

2 sliced lemons

2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Bring the water to the boil and add the sugar; stir until dissolved.

Allow to cool, then add the flower heads, sliced lemons and vinegar.

Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours.

Syphon it off and fill into sterilised bottles to let the natural fizz develop.

Recipe taken from: Marian Green 'A Calendar of Festivals' (1991)

It couldn't be easier really, could it?!

For a nice Elderflower sorbet go to: http://www.pshm.org/recipe_elderflower_sorbet.shtml

So, get out there enjoying the glorious weather and get foraging!

Sunny Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE WEEK - A MAGICK BREW

Merry Meet to All of You!

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine as we are closing in on Misummer?!

I know, the lovely wheather makes you crave cold drinks more tham anything, but I found this tea recipe I want to share with you regardless.

It's called 'Magical Working Tea' and helps you with your preparation and mindset before undertaking, well, magickal work.

It is dead simple, just make an infusion out of:

2 teaspoons rosemary

1 teaspoon lavender

grated peel of 1 orange

let it infuse for 10 minutes and drink about an hour before your magickal workings.

Rosemary stimulates the brain while lavender relaxes you and orange is linked with solar energies, thus this tea can help putting yourself in the required mindset for your purposes.

(Recipe taken from: 'The Real Witches Kitchen' by Kate West, page 141; see:

http://theherbalchalice.blogspot.com/2009/05/tip-of-week-kitchen-magic.html)

So, even in this warm weather, the right cup of tea can still work wonders (my next tip will probably be a cold alcoholic bewerage, sunshine permitting)!

Enjoy this lovely summer weather and make the most of it outdoors,

Sunny Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE WEEK - KITCHEN MAGIC

Merry Meet to All!

You might have noticed that the main theme of our next chalice meeting is "Kitchen Cupboard Magick", e.g. using everyday kitchen ingredients for magic and/or healing purposes, so if you would like to find out more, pop along!

If you haven't got the time here is a good book for you to read, which shows you how to utilise your kitchen for magick purposes.
It's called:

The Real Witches' Kitchen: Spells, Recipes, Oils, Lotions and Potions from the Witches' Hearth">http://The Real Witches' Kitchen: Spells, Recipes, Oils, Lotions and Potions from the Witches' Hearth

So, if you have chance, take five, make a cuppa and bury your noses in some kitchen Magick!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

RECIEPE OF THE WEEK - DAISY MUFFINS

Merry Meet to All!

As I have mentioned in the blog about Daisies, the make lovely decorations for cakes, so here is an easy recipe for Daisy Muffins.

You need:

115g soft, unsalted butter

115g sugar

2 eggs

115g flour

1 TS baking powder (TS = teaspoon)

10ml lemon juice

To decorate:

115g icing sugar

1 Tbs water (Tbs = Tablespoon)

2-3 Daisy Flowers

1. pre-heat the oven to 180C; prepare the muffin form with paper cups.

2. put the butter sugar and eggs into a mixing bowl, topped by the sieved flower and backing powder. Add the lemon juice and mix, until the dough is light and creamy.

3.fill the paper cups with the dough and bake for ca 15 minutes, until golden brown. Set to cool.

4. mix the icing sugar with the water and decorate the cakes with the icing. Top with flower petals of the Daisies anyway you like (you can do a circle, to imitate the form of the flower).

These muffins are easy to make and a treat to eat, so get baking!!!

Spring Blessings,

Ilona

FLOWER OF THE MONTH - DAISY

Merry Meet to All of You!

May is in full bloom and don't the meadows look just lovely with all the different wild flowers, like Dandelion and Bluebells?

In all this splendour, have you ever spared a thought for the humble Daisy?

As we are astrologically in Taurus at the moment, I would like to write about the Daisy, as it is linked to this star sign.

The Daisy is also a flower linked to the planet of Venus and therefore Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In magick, Daisies are a good-luck charm and are used with spells or in potions to bring purity, innocence and loyal love. You may prepare a balm from Daisies, to anoint the person for which you wish these things.

To prepare a balm of Daisy flowers, simply put fresh, slightly crushed (or dried and powdered) Daisies in a pan, together with Vaseline (or lard/unsalted butter, if you like). Bring to the boil slowly, so the Vaseline has time to melt evenly. Once boiling, stir and take of the heat, sifting out the residue via a tea towel or muslin cloth, giving the leftover residue a good squeeze. Finally leave to cool and bottle the balm.

(Information of planetary and zodiacal correlations taken from:

'Herbs in Magic and Alchemy'; C.L. Zalwski; 1990 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1853270466?ie=UTF8&tag=therichchal-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=1634&creativeASIN=1853270466 )

As well as for magickal uses, the Daisy can also be a colourful ingredient in your kitchen, as young leaves and flowers can be used in salads (country folk in old Italy and Spain used to eat the roots as well) and the flower petals make lovely decorations for puddings, biscuits and cakes.

So, next time you want to bake for your other half, why not make some muffins decorated with one of the flowers of Venus?

As you take your next walk, why not spare a little thought for the lovely little Daisy, and the innocence, love and good luck it stands for?

Spring Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE WEEK - DOWN TO EARTH

Merry Meet to all of you!

I recently read Marian Green's book 'The Gentle Art of Aquarian Magic' and really enjoyed it.
Here is a little quote from the chapter about Earth Magic, which stood out for me, as it sums up my feelings perfectly.

"...you don't need artificial, modern written sources to lead you to the Goddess of Earth, Mother Nature [...] Any walk among trees, over wild countryside or along a wintry, deserted beach will bring you far closer to the roots of the oldest religion of all than muttered rites in a man-made house, or words read from a page by guttering candle light."

(Marion Green; The Gentle Art of Aquarian Magic; The Aquarian Press; London; 1987)

I feel this is so true, how can you be closer to the magick of the Earth than when you are surrounded by it?!

Next time you want to connect to Earth Magick, why not take a long walk, and open your eyes and soul to what is around you.

You could collect a stone, which you find while out, one which spoke to you through it's patterns or shape, and take it home with you. There you can take some quiet time, just holding the stone, reaching out to it, feeling it's energy. In time you will develop a relationship with your special stone, and in time of need, just holding it can give you a sense of comfort and peace. This is one very simple way of letting the magick of the Earth into your life.

So, next time you take a walk, open yourself to the beauty and spirit of Mother Nature around you!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona

WELCOME TO THE HERBAL CHALICE

Merry Meet to All of You!

Welcome to The Herbal Chalice, I hope you will enjoy my blog and find useful information and inspiration here.

As mentioned in the description above I am a member of the Richmond Chalice, for which we have our own blog (see links) and have decided to launch this branch off blog to concentrate mainly on all things natural: herbs, natural remedies, cycle of the seasons, natural and Fairy magick, as these are of special interest to me.

So, come with me and delve into the mysteries of Mother Earth, to share, learn, listen and, most of all, to have fun!

Warm Blessings,

Ilona