Frogs and roses

A walk in the rosarium is always an uplifting experience. It is also always a hive of activity with bees collecting pollen. On Saturday morning, my walk delivered more than the usual bees and insects. I discovered an Arum Lily frog on one of the yellow rose buds.

I had to smile. It had decided to choose the brightest yellow rose to look for pollenating insects on which to feast.  These frogs can change their colour to camouflage themselves. It may work on an Arum Lily, but I think the intense yellow of the rose was a bit too ambitious for this little frog.

I have regularly encountered Arum Lily frogs in the garden. I am always happy to see them. I always feel good if I find an endemic bird, lizard, insect or frog in the garden. Mentally, I tick them off on my list of interesting inhabitants of our Towerwater cosmos.

When I read that frogs are important bio-indicators, I was even more pleased to find them. I am happy to have them, but I am also concerned that it might be an indication that their natural habitat is being impacted on or threatened by the ongoing drought.

In the absence of our Arum Lilies, which are only just starting to appear in their corner of the garden, this little guy must have decided that the roses will do just fine in the meantime. He must be a very experienced climber to have negotiated the thorny stems of the roses to get to the rose bud.

I suppose, I might have done the same if I was an Arum Lily frog in a haven of roses and not an Arum Lily in sight. I left him on his rose petal and continued my walk through the rosarium. It was filled with beautiful blooms of different hues and exotic fragrances.

The Aviation cocktail

In my exploration of classic cocktails, I came across an image of an Aviation cocktail. This cocktail had the most amazing blue colour.

In true fashion, I had to find the origin of the cocktail and the original recipe, if possible. My search revealed that the Aviation was created by Hugo Ensslin. Hugo Ensslin was the head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, in the early twentieth century. The recipe was first published in 1916 in Hugo Ensslin’s book, Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_(cocktail)

Hugo’s recipe called for 45ml El Bart gin, 22ml lemon juice, 2 dashes maraschino liqueur, and 2 dashes crème de violette. The crème de violette gives the cocktail a pale blue colour.

Aviation cocktail - Hugo  Ensslin's recipe

I further discovered that El Bart gin is no longer distilled. It was however in its day, referred to as a dry gin. I decided that a good London dry gin would be an acceptable substitute. The Marachino liqueur ingredient required for this cocktail, we received as a gift from our friends Susan and Michael. The Towerwater garden could supply the best organic lemons for the juice.

That brought me to the Crème de Violette. Crème de Violette is a French liqueur made with the flowers of the violet plant. I discovered that it was at one stage unobtainable outside France. In further research, I discovered that the most highly regarded brand of this liqueur is that of Benoit Serres Liqueur a la Violette.Well clearly, that was the liqueur that I had to find to make the classic Aviation cocktail. Nothing less would do. The liqueur is made in Villefrance-de-Lauragais, southeast of Toulouse in the south of France. It is made with Armagnac brandy.

I asked our friend Philip from Paris, to bring us a bottle of the liqueur when he came to visit over Easter. I assumed that finding a highly-regarded French liqueur in Paris would be quite easy.  Apparently not. After searching for two weekends and going to more than 11 liquor stores, he had to order it. I felt guilty that my request had turned into a major expedition for our friends. Being the dear friends that they are, that did not stop them finding us a bottle of this rare liqueur. This, even after being informed at one liquor store, “Monsieur it is very rare. I have not seen it in many years”.

Well, perhaps their search will cause all these liquor stores in Paris to consider re-stocking this rare liqueur. Perhaps it would even revive the Violet liqueur industry. Would that not be interesting, if an innocent request from a village in South Africa, led to the rejuvenation of the Violet liqueur industry in France, I thought!

Receiving a bottle of Benoit Serres Liqueur a la Violette was akin to celebrating Christmas over Easter. With great excitement, I prepared and served true vintage Aviation cocktails at lunch on Easter Sunday. Although nice, I found it a bit too sour and the colour was a rather pale purple instead of the bright blue I had expected. The flavour of the liqueur reminded me of the sweet candy violets I ate while on an extended visit to Spain years ago.

Because the liqueur is not readily available, many bartenders and mixologists omit the Violet liqueur. In the Savoy Cocktail book of Harry Craddock dated 1930, on page 25, he offers the following recipe:

Aviation Cocktail

1/3 Lemon juice
2/3 Dry Gin
2 dashes Maraschino
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

I suppose omitting the violet liqueur altogether would give one something close to a gin sour cocktail.

In pursuit of a stronger blue colour in the cocktail, I decided to use Six Dogs Blue gin for my next attempt at the Aviation cocktail. The mix I used was:

Aviation
60ml Six Dogs Blue gin
15 ml Maraschino
10 ml Liqueur a la Violette
15 ml Lemon juice

And garnished with a blue maraschino cherry for good measure.

Aviation cocktail made with Six Dogs Blue gin

The cocktail had a soft purple tinge, reminding me of some of the violets in the Towerwater garden. The hint of rose-scented geranium in the Six Dogs Blue gin mingling with the violets in the liqueur, was like drinking-in part of the Towerwater herb garden. Where the rose-scented geranium grows in harmony with  a patch of violets, alongside the quince hedge.

I still don’t know how the blue colour of the Aviation cocktail that inspired me on this quest was achieved. From my experience with the authentic ingredients, it could only be achieved with artificial colourants.

On an autumn day, we could sit back under the oak sipping Aviation cocktails while scanning the clear blue Karoo sky.

No time for 'quincing'

The cooler autumn mornings provide a welcome relief at Towerwater. Balmy afternoons are coaching the quinces into a soft yellow ripeness. Lunches on the lawn are veiled in the fragrance of the ripe fruit which in turn are weighing down the branches of the trees with their delicious abundance.

It would be marvellous to spend all our days surrounded by their sweet exotic fragrance. But, it is also a sign that the fruit needs to be picked.

What to do with basketsful of fruit that speak of ancient civilisations? A fruit that has been prized for its medicinal properties; cultivated in ancient Babylon; while in Greek mythology, deemed sacred to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and fertility. It is rumoured that Greek brides chewed on the ripe fruit to foster a sweet-smelling breath in preparation for the bridal chamber.

Quince preserve

The medicinal properties of quinces include, the prevention of cancer. They contain high levels of antioxidants. Including, phenolic and phytonutrient compounds that are very effective in fighting free radicals within the body. It is also good for weight loss, the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, skin care, boosting the immune system and much more. Source: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/quince.html

Quince seeds contain small traces of cyanide, so I will keep their consumption to a minimum. Following some research, I found that the quince hedge in the Towerwater garden represents a small apothecary or pharmacy. Even Nostradamus published a quince jelly recipe “fit for a king” in his book ‘Traité des fardemens et confitures’, published in 1555. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/apr/01/featuresreviews.guardianreview1

Cooking curried quince chutney 

Nostradamus instructed that quince should not be peeled when cooked as the peel enhances the fragrance. Something I can confirm from experience. The colour of the jelly has been described as “diaphanous as an oriental ruby”. What a beautiful description.

Curried quince chutney

We did not make a new batch of quince jelly this year as we still have enough stock from last season.  We decided to make quince preserve, quince cordial and curried quince chutney instead. The fresh quinces are being used in stews, roasted as side dishes, and even being made into fresh quince juice.

Fresh quince juice has the most amazing yellow colour. However, undiluted I find it a bit too astringent. When the quince ripens on the tree to a bright golden colour, it becomes sweet and pleasant to eat. Cooking also brings out the best of the fruit.

Roasted quinces

It is not the easiest of fruits to peel and cut up, but Keith bravely soldiered on through several kilograms of the unyielding fruit. The kitchen became a fragrant space of spices and filled with the sweet intoxicating aromas of the fruit and their juice, peels and pips. A fragrance that lingered for days.

Quince cordial

And yet, the trees looked as though hardly any fruit had been picked. Well, that means back to the cookbooks to find more ways of preparing and enjoying this fruit. It is definitely a fruit that deserves more recognition in kitchens all over the world.

The quince is a versatile fruit and we enjoy it in all its many forms. This is confirmed by the jars and bottles of quince jelly, preserves and chutneys on the shelves of the Towerwater cellar. The sensuous yellow fruit in a bowl in the house does not only exude a pleasing fragrance but looks gorgeous too.

One thing is for certain, when the quinces ripen in the Towerwater garden there is no time for 'quincing'. 

Note:
Quincing: Inspired by a quince tree who's quinces were just hanging there not getting ripe. Hence, the term quincing became common terminology. Hanging around, doing nothing. Source: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Quincing

Marzipan apostles and pomegranates

Autumn has arrived at Towerwater, with cooler evenings and damp mornings. Holy Week was a time for reflection and renewal in the garden. We took some leave over the Easter period to get ahead with home and gardening tasks. The preparations ensured that we could relax over the Easter weekend with friends visiting from Paris, Cape Town and Klaasvoogds.

Simnel cake and pomegranates

Easter is a time for spicing up our meals with hot cross buns, pickled fish and Simnel cake. The aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, reflected the changing colours of the leaves in the garden that speckled the trees with yellows, oranges and browns.

Sharing Easter with special friends at Towerwater is such a privilege. Conversations around the dining room table can flow dreamlike from breakfast to lunch. Time and distance do not impact on special friendships. It was as though we were visiting in Paris the week before.

The most important day over the Easter weekend is Easter Sunday. The main features of which are Easter egg hunts for the children and leisurely lunches for adults. I decided on the Easter colours of white, red and gold for the table decorations. This was further inspired by the big red pomegranates that hang like giant Easter eggs in the orchard. They made beautiful table centre pieces complemented with a touch of autumn coloured hydrangeas.

With golden bunnies and gold and red Easter eggs, the backdrop setting was perfect for friendships and conversations. Susan and Michael arrived elegantly dressed and were accompanied by Susan’s breath-taking specimen of a Simnel cake and an array of her freshly baked breads.

Roasted quinces

The menu featured a curried Hereboontjie and carrot soup, a leg of lamb roasted over an open fire, roasted quinces, roasted potatoes and butternut with spinach rice. A cheese platter followed with nettle, cumin, coriander, and smoked, cheese. The dessert was the delicious Simnel cake with the lightly roasted eleven apostles resting on the top layer of marzipan. The centre layer of marzipan was baked with the fruit and spice rich cake.

Susan outdid herself with the handmade marzipan and beautifully dressed cake. Simnel cake will always remind me of Easter at Towerwater. Enjoyed with the warmth of loved ones and familiar conversations under the autumn coloured oak trees on a leaf scattered lawn.