• 15 minute posts,  domesticity,  Lemon Week,  photography

    Get Better Tea

    get-better-tea-1

    I’ve caught some kind of weird viral bronchitis that’s going around (don’t worry in the scheme of illnesses, totally not a big deal) and Payam sent me this recipe. It instantly inspired me and I had to make some STAT. I can’t take any credit for this recipe at all. I just spend a lot of time on pinterest for my job and I’ve been more and more inspired by food photographers lately so when I see beautiful raw ingredients in the sunlight from my kitchen bay window, I can’t help but want to pull out my 50mm lens and try some test shots. Even if it means getting my camera all sticky.

    get-better-tea-2

    I didn’t have any lemons but we have a lime tree in our front yard that has been making the biggest, juiciest limes ever. It’s kind of a shame that it’s winter and margaritas are not my go to drink anymore. Good thing limes stay fresh on the tree for a very long time.

    I sliced up all my citrus with my fancy new knife from that cooking class I took. I chopped up a big piece of raw ginger (because I love it spicy) and pounded it to a rough paste with a mortar and pestle. Then I dumped everything in a bowl with honey and a heaping tablespoon of turmeric. The recipe says to go light on the turmeric because it can be a lot to handle but I didn’t. More spice = better in my eyes. Big chunks of ginger, lime seeds, tons of turmeric…bring it.get-better-tea-3

    Then I slopped my magical concoction in the only jar I have on hand right now, a pickle jar. Good thing it had been through the dishwasher a few times already and didn’t smell like pickles anymore.

    get-better-tea-4

    Before I put my jar of super tea juice in the refrigerator, I spooned a sloppy spoonful into my favorite clear glass tea mug and poured hot water over it. Mmmmmm…. it smelled good. And tasted pretty good too! I refilled it twice and drank it all down to even munching on the lime and orange rinds at the end. Good stuff!

    I don’t know if it will make me feel better in the long term but the aroma therapy and fun of photographing it certainly made me feel better in the short term!

  • Lemon Week

    Salted Lemons

    ready, set, slice!

    I finally got around to making those salted lemons. I didn’t follow any directions so I probably did it wrong but I don’t think there is a wrong way. I’ve googled lots of recipes and there are all sorts of ways to make them. I made them this way (sans the pressure cooking) last year and they worked out great.

    salted lemon preserves

    They are so yummy. Everyone always asks me how you eat them. I personally put them on salad. They add a super lemony kick to whatever salad dressing you use. But then I love high acidity in food so if you don’t you might not like these.

    making salted lemons adding salt layer by layer

    Bug helped with the salt, Kosher salt. We didn’t really have enough so this might affect their outcome. We’ll see.

    piling them in

    I also sliced them this time. Usually directions tell you to just cut deep cuts into the whole lemon but I always slice them up when I eat them so I figured why not start out that way. It’s an experiment.

    salted lemon slices

    No matter how you slice it, they sure are pretty. I hope they turn out tasty too!