Midsummer is when a great variety of flowers are at the height of bloom. It is traditionally thought that many medicinal herbs reach their peak during this time, infused by the powers of the sun. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) is one such plant. Though the berries are arguably the more popular product, the flowers themselves have numerous health benefits. And we don't have to wait until fall to pick them! Below are three recipes that feature this beautiful and healthful blossom.
Read MoreI love, love, love pickles! But my biggest pickle pet peeve is when they are mushy. I want a pickle that has a crisp texture. That's why I tend toward making refrigerator pickles. They are quick, easy, and since they require no boiling, they come out crisp every time!
Read MorePineappleweed (Matricaria discoidea) is a humble wildflower of roadsides, lawns, and trail edges that can be found across nearly all of North America. (In the US, it is only not reported in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.) A relative of German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), pineappleweed flowers have a sweet, fruity, pineapple-like smell when crushed. Like chamomile, it is used medicinally as a sedative, an antispasmodic, and an anti-inflamatory.
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