If you were looking for a summer dinner which incorporates wonderful seasonal fruits and perfectly paired flavors, this is the meal to try.
Start with a simple roasted chicken. I have a page of how-to information on roasting a chicken; there is nothing better or easier for a summer dinner because it is healthy, tasty, and the cold leftovers are wonderful for more meals, later.
Yes, Saffron rice takes a little more time to prepare, but the aromatic addition will add special flavor that takes this side dish to the next level.
What makes the entire meal stand out for June, or any point during the summer, is the inclusion of cherries. The salad has dried cherries, but you could substitute fresh sweet ones. The fruit flavors plus a kick of spice from smokey chipotle pepper makes the rest of the meal sing.
Finally, serve up a home made cherry dessert. Accompany with iced tea.
Sour Cherry Sauce for Poultry
A wine and chicken stock sauce with cherries and spices.
½cupsour cherries (can use dried)chopped if large1
½cup sour cream
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Method
Soak the cherries in hot water to soften, if using dried cherries
Sauté the sweet onion in 2 tablespoons butter until translucent.
Add the cinnamon and paprika and stir 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and reduce to 3/4 cup. Add the red wine and reduce to 1½ cups. Add cherries.
Turn off heat and stir in the sour cream (so it won’t curdle from the heat). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the finished sauce to plated meat.
Highlighted with Pie Cherries
This is an easy, yet spectacular summer season dinner. Fresh cherries are in season during late June, but you can use frozen or canned, just as well during other times of year. Put on your cute cherry apron and get started! The main dish for a perfect summer menu starts with a roasted chicken, to find out how to perfectly roast a chicken check out the Roasted Chicken recipe collection. Make a sour cherry sauce to serve with it.
It is the use of fresh cherries and the ease of preparation that makes this the ideal summer repast.
Summer Dinner Menu
Roasted Chicken
Sour Cherry Sauce
Saffron rice
Cherry Chipotle Spinach with Cashews Salad
Cherry Dessert...hmm which? Cobbler, Cherry Delight Cake, or Cherry Pie?
Saffron Rice
Try this recipe, from 'An Edible Mosaic', for the rice: .
Put rice in a mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water a couple minutes until water runs clear; set aside.
Add oil to a medium saucepan with a lid over high heat; once hot, add bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom pod and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Add rice and salt and cook (stirring occasionally) until fragrant (about 2 minutes).
Add 1 1/2 cup boiling water to rice and bring to a rolling boil. Give it a stir, cover the pot, turn heat down to low, and cook 10 minutes (don't open the pot while the rice cooks).
After the rice is cooked, let the pot sit with the lid on for 15 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer half the rice to a separate bowl.
In a small bowl, combine 1 pinch saffron threads (or turmeric, if you prefer) with 1 tablespoon boiling water; steep 1-2 minutes.
Stir the colored water into half the rice (the rice will turn yellow).
Serve with the chicken and cherry sauce.
Cherry Chipotle Spinach Salad with Cashews
When you want the salad to be something special, serve this.
Hammocks always say summer to me. In my part of the country the summers get so hot and humid, and whenever there is a day when the breezes are blowing, taking a nap under shady trees is such a pleasure.
That is how we traditionally use these leisure contraptions in Ohio, where I live.
When I was in Brazil, a hammock was rigged up on an upper outside porch to sleep in more comfortable outside breezes. I definitely spent some time taking advantage of that.
It is just so relaxing to look up into the sky and trees while cradled in a net of sturdy cotton.
If you have ever owned a hammock, you might have experienced how short-lived they can be, or less comfortable when made from flimsy materials.
I found a solution. For many years I’ve heard of “Pawleys Island” brand. Their great workmanship and fine materials result in much better satisfaction.
Now To Compare
If you see those which are imported from Brazil: The biggest difference between these two types of hammock is noticeable. One is a mesh of netting (The Pawley Island), and the other is solid fabric. Both are very comfortable. The PI type is hung on stretcher bars to provide a comfy surface, while the Brazilian is hung from hooks connected to the support ( walls of a porch). If situating a hammock in the yard, in our climate where quite a bit rain falls, an outside hammock needs the netting to avoid pooling water. I always have to dump remaining water from my canvas chairs, even though they are meant for outdoor use. Solid materials will tend to hold small pools of rainwater. The netted type of hammock will not collect any water. The Brazilian style is very compact when not in use, because there are no spreader bars. It can be unhooked from one side and hung on one single side for storage when not in use.
Which one for you? For me, a place under the trees will make my decision for me- I am very happy to rig up the Pawley Island Hammock into my backyard trees.
What about you? Any happy memories of napping out in the open in one of these? Do you use one when camping or on the porch? What materials and construction have you found most satisfactory- let me know in the comments.
“Cordials are a fruit or herbal flavored syrup that you add to cold or hot water for a drink (and are very popular in England, frequently called ‘fruit squash’).
I like cordials because they’re easy to make, keep for a long time, and you can be really creative. To use cordial, just add a finger or two of the cordial to a glass and top with hot or cold water. They are also brilliant for making cocktails in place of simple syrup.”
-so writes Amanda of vintagesavoirfaire.com, who is living presently in England.
That is the way many Europeans enjoy the drink they call a “cordial”, for most Americans, cordials have a little more “spirit” than that.
Cordials are also alcoholic distillations which later evolved into what we now know as “liqueurs”. Some very old recipes for well known liqueurs were what was referred to as a “cordial”. Alcohol fermentation was once a way to preserve fruits and juices, and was used medicinally. Less so, now.
Can you make cordials? The answer is “yes” to both types of drink, non-alcoholic and the more spirited type.
In this post the sundry facts and interesting trivia of cordials iw presented along with some flavorful and historical recipes to make your own summer refreshments.
In The UK
Cordials are non-alcoholic fruit or herb essence drinks. Pour over ice in a tall glass for summer refreshment
.
Elderflower cordial
Make yourself a refreshing European-style beverage.
Cordials are popular enough that you can find commercially bottled elderflower water, or a few other selections of popular flavors. Sold in a case of 6.
“I can just imagine myself sitting down at the head of the table and pouring out the tea,” said Anne, shutting her eyes ecstatically. “And asking Diana if she takes sugar! I know she doesn’t but of course I’ll ask her just as if I didn’t know. And then pressing her to take another piece of fruit cake and another helping of preserves. Oh, Marilla, it’s a wonderful sensation just to think of it. Can I take her into the spare room to lay off her hat when she comes? And then into the parlor to sit?”
“No. The sitting room will do for you and your company. But there’s a bottle half full of raspberry cordial that was left over from the church social the other night. It’s on the second shelf of the sitting-room closet and you and Diana can have it if you like, and a cooky to eat with it along in the afternoon …” –L.M. Montgomery
What happened afterward is all the result of Anne confusing the non alcoholic cordial and the “home remedy” that Marilla had on hand. Edwardian mishaps for Anne of Green Gables, yet again!
Favored by the English, this is also known in the USA as a mixer for flavoring mixed drinks. Grenadine is a red colored cordial whose name comes from the French word for pomegranate.
Rose’s Grenadine, 1 L bottles (Pack of 12) Made with real pomegranate and cherry juices, Rose’s Grenadine being one of the better and most popular of the Grenadine syrups, or cordials.
A: Yes. Raspberry and blackcurrant cordials can kill bacteria that cause some stomach bugs.
“Microbiologist Dr Heather Cavanagh, whose research found some raspberry juice and blackcurrant juice cordials can kill at least 12 different types of nasty bacteria responsible for stomach bugs, including E. Coli and several strains of salmonella.”
“Cordials that had the best antibacterial properties contained at least 35 per cent raspberry or blackcurrant juice, and worked when diluted down to one part cordial in 10 parts water.”
What you may not have known about these old fashioned drinks
by Darren Larson
History of cordials
“Most cordials were of European origin, first produced in Italian apothecaries during the Renaissance where the art of distilling was refined during the fifteenth and 16th centuries.” (Wikipedia)
A cordial set of crystal bottles and goblets
ODD FACTS
“Rosa Solis or Rosolio, probably originating in Renaissance Turin was derived from the carnivorous sundew plant.”
“Royal Usquebaugh (an Irish cordial) was a spicy concoction containing flecks of gold leaf thought to capture the sun’s golden radiance. It was usually flavoured with aniseed, liquorice and saffron and sweetened with fruit sugar extracted from figs and raisins”
“Many cordials were also considered aphrodisiacs”
Cordials were often sold in apothecary bottles by chemists.
Cobalt Blue Swirl/Stained Glass Pattern. Beautiful Romanian glass. St.Germain- an elderflower cordial
Alcoholic Drink Flavors?
Grand Marnier -orange flavored liqueur
Amaretto Di Sarrono -almond-flavored cordial
Chambord -black raspberry liqueur
Frangelico -hazelnut flavored liqueur
Cointreau -orange flavored liqueur
Benedictine -secret blend of 27 herbs and spices
Drambuie -heather honey and flavored with herbs
Jagermeister -a German bitter liqueur that is a complex blend of 56 herbs, fruits and spices.
Cordial Dictionary Facts
Today, little differentiation is made between a cordial and a liqueur. Hardly more than a semantic distinction and the terms are now pretty much interchangeable.
Generics are liqueurs of a particular type that can be made by any producer.
i.e. Créme de Cacao or Curaçao
Proprietaries are liqueurs with trademarked names, made according to a specific formula.
i.e. Kahlua, Grand Marnier
Bitters are the modern-day descendants of medieval medical potions and are marketed as having at least some vaguely therapeutic value as stomach settlers or hangover cures. They tend to be flavored with herbs, roots, and botanicals, contain lower quantities of fruit and sugar than liqueurs, and have astringent notes in the palate. ~from tastings.com
Elderberries and Their Flowers
They come from the same plant, Sambucus nigra, but render different flavor and color to a cordial made with them.
Amanda’s Elderberry Cordial
by Becka York
Demerara sugar is an unrefined sugar with a large grain and a pale to golden yellow color; you can buy it at many health food and grocery stores.
Ingredients
1.5 lbs elderberries
Demarara sugar
Cinnamon Sticks
Lemon
Instructions
1.In a saucepan, cover the elderberries in water (just enough to cover them). Bring to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes. The berries will become very soft and the liquid will be dark red.Strain out the berries, reserving the juice.
2.Measure the amount of juice. Pour juice back into empty saucepan. For each 2 cups of juice, add 2 cups of demarara sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, and the juice from 1/2 lemon.
3.Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 15 minutes, stirring regularly (to ensure all the sugar is dissolved). Remove cinnamon sticks. Let cool while you prepare the bottles.
4. Fill prepared clean bottles with cordial, cap, and store in the fridge. Will keep for at least 6 months.
5.Serve a few fingers of cordial with hot water (and a splash of brandy)
A cordial water of Sir Walter Raleigh – Circa 1655
From Carol Hanson comes this rendition of a cordial recipe from berries for SCA events.
Ingredients
12 oz. frozen blackberries
12 oz. frozen raspberries
16 oz. frozen strawberries
1 quart 80-proof brandy
simple syrup: 2 c. white granulated sugar to 1 c. water
Instructions
The frozen fruits are put in a glass jar and covered with brandy, then left for 5 days and stirred each day. The solid material should be strained out and squeezed through cheesecloth and the liquid then poured through a fine nylon coffee filter.
A simple sugar syrup is added to the proportions of 1 cup of syrup to 2 cups of liquor (there was about 4-1/2 c. and added 2-1/4 c. of syrup).
The result tastes the same as similar berry cordials made over a longer time: very smooth and very good.
Sour Cherry Cordial – European Refreshment
After you make the cherry syrup:
1 teaspoon of sour cherry syrup
5 ounces of ice water
ice cubes
Prepare your cordial by adding the syrup to the water and stir. Add ice.
Ingredients
2 3/4 pounds of fresh sour cherries
7 1/2 cups of granulated sugar 7/8 cup of water
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Instructions
Wash the cherries well. Remove stems and pits carefully, keeping cherries intact. In a wide pot, lay the cherries in layers, covering each layer with sugar, until all the cherries and all the sugar have been used. Set aside for 3 hours.
Add the water to the pot and bring the cherries and sugar to a boil over high heat. Skim off foam as it rises to the top with a slotted spoon. When the syrup thickens, add the lemon juice and allow to boil for another few seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
When thoroughly cooled, place in airtight glass jars to store.
Buttermilk Party Cake: Backyard Foraging: Dandelion Cordial In the UK, cordial is usually associated with elderflower. It is not alcoholic, but is more like a concentrated syrup which you can add to soda water or cocktails. I’ve replaced the classic flowers with dandelion, which is delicate, fragrant, and tas
IDEAS IN FOOD: Lime-Jalapeno Cordial The great article on raw lime cordial inspired Aki to make a version. Per my request and fetish she added jalapeno instead of ginger. The cordial is an amazing syrup which made our 5th of May celebration all the tastier….
Liqueur or Cordial?
Only liqueurs have alcohol by definition. Cordials are sometimes alcohol-free and may enjoyed alone or used as a mixer.
Make Your Own Alcoholic Liqueurs
How To Make Blackcurrant Cordial Blackcurrant cordial is a wonderfully full-bodied cordial. Blackcurrant cordial is simple to make and, if bottled properly, will last indefinitely.
How To Make Blackcurrant Cordial
by Ginny MorrisBlackcurrant cordial is a wonderfully full-bodied cordial that can be added to any number of drinks for flavor. It is often enjoyed with sparkling water and ice in the summer, or added to warm water with a splash of alcohol in the winter. It can also be added to tea, and lemonade. It is a great source of vitamin C, and is commonly used to fight colds. Blackcurrant cordial is simple to make and, if bottled properly, will last indefinitely.Step 1: Pick the Blackcurrants Blackcurrants are not generally available in common supermarkets and are best picked fresh. Frozen berries can be used in this blackcurrant cordial recipe; however, fresh are better. Berries should be picked when their color has deepened from red to deep purple or black. Pluck berries from their stems carefully, as not to smash them.Step 2: Rinse Rinse the berries in a colander with cool water to remove any dirt or dust. Be careful not to smash them.Step 3: Layer in a Pot or Steamer Blackcurrant cordial can be made in either a regular sauce pan or a steam juicer. Place 2 cups of berries, 1 cup of sugar (or less, depending on desired sweetness), and one cup of water in a sauce pan. If you’re using a steam juicer, layer the fruit and sugar alternately in the fruit basket. Add any flavorings (see step 4) and steam the berries for half an hour. Pour the released juice back into the basket and steam again. Repeat the process until the berries are collapsed. Go to step 7.
Step 4: Dissolve the Sugar Heat the blackcurrant cordial mixture until sugar is dissolved. At this point any additional fruits or spices, such as a whole sliced lemon; scented geranium leaves; a stick of cinnamon; or two whole cloves, can be added.
Step 5: Boil and Reduce Simmer the cordial mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the desired concentration. The more reduced the syrup, the stronger its flavor will be.
Step 6: Strain Strain the blackcurrant cordial through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass bowl. Blackcurrants stain, so don’t use a plastic bowl. Press fruit gently against sieve until fully juiced. Discard berry skins, seeds, and any amendments.
Step 7: Bottle Sterilize a screw top bottle by steaming it in a pot of boiling water. Pour the cooled cordial into the bottle by using a funnel. Cap the bottle. A properly sealed bottle of blackcurrant cordial will last indefinitely. An open bottle should be refrigerated, and will last one to two weeks.
Bright idea for a midsummer display: surround with a bed of seashells and beach pebbles, still dusted with a bit of white sand. A wide glass dish or bowl holds it all together.
Refreshing, Light Fragrance, Soft Colors Give Scented Candles A Summer Glow
I like different kinds of scents for different seasons, don’t you? In spring I am ready for something fresher and sweeter, in fall something that smells like baked desserts or spices, in winter the Christmas scents of fresh fir and balsam, baked apple or cinnamon, and in summer? Well the scents of summer candles are what this is all about.
Maybe you will love the scents that I think are just right for summer evenings.
Some favorite smelling candles will become perennial, but Candle companies change their formulations every season and year. Identify notes that you prefer and look for their inclusion in the newest fragrances that are being offered.
I have more than one company that I regularly buy candles from, but look for a number of them when out shopping: Woodwick, Yankee, Chesapeake, and will give others a try after a sniff test! Look for the ingredients as well… soy and beeswax are both premium quality and burn nicely.
Browse through some of the samplings here and pick up some summer decor ideas from the following examples.
Imagine Your Summer Retreat – With fresh scented candles and a tall, cool drink
A Summer retreat any time, any day.
That sounds heavenly to me.
They say summer is relaxing and time for vacations, but there is a lot of summer that is busy and demanding. That is when I want a place to regroup and unwind. If you have the same idea, here are elements of what makes such a retreat for me:
A comfortable chair that stays cool to the touch. It can be an Adirondack on the screened porch, or a leather chair inside, or just a cool cotton slipcover on just about any chair that feels comfy to sit in.
A small table to set the tall, cool drink on, and of course a tall glass of something refreshing with lots of ice. This year a fruit smoothie that my son makes will do nicely.
Two elements to complete the atmosphere of quiet and relaxation…
A book of choice: In the morning, a bible for a devotional start to the day. Later on, a garden book for when I like to think about pretty garden, but want to take a break from actually tending one. Light reading for whenever!
A scented candle: The ideal aroma for me would be the grapefruit scents or a soft, ocean-inspired scent as first choice, but I do like to vary home fragrance candles.
Can you picture such a space for yourself? Is it in a special garden shed retreat? Or perhaps on the patio, maybe a corner of your bedroom, but have you a place that is just yours?
How Does That Smell?
Descriptions of Summertime Fragrance:
Light, Clean, Pure.
Sweet, but not overwhelming or cloying.
Verdant, Crisp.
Fruits and Dessert, but not heavy. Fresh.
Choices Just For The Summer Season
Leafy, and green
My Favorite Brands In Summer Fresh Scents
Woodwick Candles
The sound of a crackling bonfire lighting up the summer night, that is what you envision when burning Woodwick candles. The highly fragranced candles give the room a pleasant aroma for a perfectly relaxed atmosphere.
I love these fresh scents, and for summer you want something light, yet pervasive. Excellent review of this one in the video.
Green Garden Ivy infused with the scent of ripe tomatoes, thick ivy, and hints of orange rind; there’s nothing more summery.
NEST Moss and Mint
A premium candle with superior wax, a 50 hour burn time, and fresh summer scent.
Moss and Mint scented candle by one of my favorite companies
Moss and Mint are Fresh
The aromas of garden mint, apple blossom and muguet des bois, with a touch of oakmoss and vetiver create a complex, delightful perfume that makes you think of garden parties, evening breezes, and romance.
Fragrant Candle Recommendations
Summer in Tuscany
It’s a feeling, not just a place.
Fruits, Sunny Yellow, combine to make this scented candle something that will be one of your summer fragrance favorites.
Fresh fruits like grapefruit, pomegranate, and berries, notes of wildflowers will transport you to one of the most romantic, delicious places possible: Tuscany.
Banana Split Candle
Sweet, fun, or fresh… candles come in not just the scents, but cute sculptural effects. I have to confess that I can’t bring myself to burn some of the candles I buy and keep them as decorative accents. The scented ones still give off some of their aroma, whether or not I burn them.
Even though the temperatures are registering high, the comfort of candlelight is no less welcoming. I like to take the summer candles out on the screened-in porch. If purchased in their own glass jars, there are many things, like large glass bowls or lanterns, that will keep the candle flames protected from breezy summer nights .
Keep the scents light, fruit, and fresh, or allow for sweeter aromas than you might be comfortable with in cooler seasons. Do go ahead and burn some candles during the summer months. It might even come in handy when those thunderstorms knock out electricity on occasion.
Decorate with the same concerns for safety that you would use in winter.
Flameproof containers and no flammable decorations too close to the candles
Keep them away from curtains and don’t burn candles when you are absent
Just common sense rules like that will keep your candle burning in a safe and happy way.
More mouth watering aromas that just say summer vacation and good times. These are like your favorite sweet treats.
Peaches and Berries, since we are speaking of seasonally delicious aromas. Try some! They are one of Yankee Candles new scents. Delish.
Lafco Candles
A highly recommended brand that is contained in a beautiful jar, has the highest quality materials and scents on the market.
People who know, buy this brand and ask for it in shops. If you try one, you will not regret it, and though costing a bit more it yields longer burn times and much greater satisfaction.
Campfire Treat is an open campfire with yummy marshmallows.
Nothing more pleasing to the nose than the June treat of Fresh Cut Roses, but this time in a perfumed candle by Yankee Candle Co. in their jar candle container. Boasting cotton wicks and safe for burning inside and outside.
Mom Gives The Best Candles
My kids say that because I like to get good smelling, high quality candles to give as gifts.
Brands help me choose well when foraging through discounters like ‘Tuesday Morning’ or online.
Up On The Boardwalk – Summertime Memories Caught In A Fragrance
Orange is one of those scents that take on a different personality with additions of spice. It always brings its citrus notes, but mixed with vanilla or other blends brings out its different sides, whether becoming more sensual, brighter and more playful, or with a sweet, cozy feeling. Adding spices is a way to make simple orange more exotic.
A pomander is an age-old way to bring sweet aromas into a room, but it is genius to make it into a candle.
Fresh orange scent is refreshing and sweet at the same time.
Do you have a favorite summer scent or favorite way to relax on a summer’s eve?
Spa still life
Create an Atmosphere
Soak up the peaceful feelings of a restful summer vacation with spa scents, candlelight, and some relaxing music. If you have a hammock or a screened in back porch, what could be better to enjoy an evening at home?
Tarocco orange is so refreshing and Goji fruit adds an exotic touch. This is another variation on fresh citrus scent of orange, giving it more complexity.
I hope you liked this collection of representative Summertime scents.
IN summer, when the days were long, We walk’d, two friends, in field and wood; Our heart was light, our step was strong, And life lay round us, fair as good, In summer, when the days were long.
We stray’d from morn till evening came, We gather’d flowers, and wove us crowns; We walk’d mid poppies red as flame, Or sat upon the yellow downs, And always wish’d our life the same.
In summer, when the days were long, We leap’d the hedgerow, cross’d the brook; And still her voice flow’d forth in song, Or else she read some graceful book, In summer, when the days were long.
And then we sat beneath the trees, With shadows lessening in the noon; And in the sunlight and the breeze We revell’d, many a glorious June, While larks were singing o’er the leas.
In summer, when the days were long, We pluck’d wild strawberries, ripe and red, Or feasted, with no grace but song, On golden nectar, snow-white bread, In summer, when the days were long.
We lov’d, and yet we knew it not, For loving seem’d like breathing then; We found a heaven in every spot; Saw angels, too, in all good men, And dream’d of gods in grove and grot.
In summer, when the days are long, Alone I wander, muse alone; I see her not, but that old song Under the fragrant wind is blown, In summer, when the days are long.
Alone I wander in the wood, But one fair spirit hears my sighs; And half I see the crimson hood, The radiant hair, the calm glad eyes, That charm’d me in life’s summer mood.
In summer, when the days are long, I love her as I lov’d of old; My heart is light, my step is strong, For love brings back those hours of gold, In summer, when the days are long.
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