Carissa Caranda Berries Relish
What you need
Organic Caranda Berries – 500 grams
Organic Brown Sugar – 100 grams
Organic Cinnamon – 4 sticks
Organic Clove – 10
Water – 100ml
Stainless steel pot
Preparation
First step to prepare jam with carissa caranda berries is slicing these small berries in half and removing a seed from the middle. Needless to say, it takes quite a while to clean them.
Once the berries are cut, sliced in half and clean, weight them to ensure the weight is 500g to ensure the proportions are right.
Add the berries into a stainless steel pot, add 100ml of water and let them simmer on slow heat for 15 minutes.
Now add 100g organic brown sugar, organic cinnamon and clove spices to the simmering mix.
Stir frequently, until the beautiful red berries soften.
Yummy comforting aromas of cinnamon and clove will make you fall in love with this recipe.
Once the berries become soft, let the gooey pulp cool off.
Quick whizz in the blender, and your beautiful jam is ready.
Full-bodied, perfectly balanced tart and sweet relish is lip-smackingly delicious on a hot buttered toast, parfait, smoothies, vegan cheese and for glazing meat.
How to render beeswax
What you need
Honeycomb
Metal pot (preferably an old one)
Cheese cloth
String
Preparation
Break the honey comb in small pieces, place in the center of the cheese cloth.
Tie up the cheese cloth in a bundle so the pieces do not fall out of the cloth and into the water.
Fill the pot with water (make sure your pan is large enough to fit this cheese cloth while completely soaked in water.
Now turn on the gas to medium heat (make sure it’s not boiling).
As the water heats (approximately 65°c) the beeswax will start to melt and seep out of the cheese cloth.
You will start to see the yellow liquid wax float up the water.
It can take anywhere from 30mins – 1hr (depending on your honeycomb size and wax content) for all the wax to melt out.
Once done, squeeze the cheese cloth with tongs so all excess wax comes off.
Switch off the gas and let the pot cool off for a few hours.
As the water cools, wax will form a solid layer on top of the water. (remember middle school chapters on density?)
Voila!
Beeswax is ready
Living roots bridges - Northeast, India
Natural architectural wonder, the living roots bridges of Meghalaya are a living evidence of the harmony in which human and nature can symbiotically co-exist.
Did you know these are handmade?
The local Khasis have harnessed the quality of the Indian rubber tree by channeling the direction in which their roots grow, thereby ‘growing’ the so-called living bridges to allow crossings throughout the year. Similar to the Banyan tree, the India rubber tree are tall forest trees buttressed by great spreading roots. These trees with powerful root system can withstand soil erosion in the swift-flowing waters and the local residents continue to twist, tie and weave these roots down to the river beds along which they grow to create these extraordinary bridges.
The Umshiang double-decker living roots bridge at Nongriat village, near Cherrapunjee, is a natural beauty born from such an instrumental interaction.
How enchanting was my hike?
My adventurous trek of 7000 steps to experience this spectacle was occasionally intercepted by wire bridges built over glistening cyan blue waters meandering across sizeable boulders.
Houses constructed on raised platforms amongst the wild green thicket contour the steps on either side. Smiling locals emerge from them, every now and then, as I progress closer to the bridge. Pit stops are strategically positioned and provide the much needed rest for my knobbly knees.
At last, I was greeted by a small cascading waterfall on one side whose gently gushing waters were framed by two levels of rubber roots on the other side.
Bird and insect calls built on the sounds of the stream.
The simplicity of this magnificence was overwhelming- one can easily lose themselves in it for hours!
What is also sadly lost is the serene charm due to the sudden influx of tourists to these wonders. We, us visitors, need to look beyond a selfie opportunity and take an interest in its sustainability and significance to the local community. The living roots bridges are in dire need of responsible tourism.
How can I be a responsible tourist?
Let’s begin with stuffing our pockets back with the candy wrappers after eating them, lugging back all our empty bottles to town where recycling facilities are better. The local communities have placed small bins by the trekking path for our convenience, but these bins have to be regularly emptied and this garbage has to be carried by the local people all the way back up to the town. Let’s be real, we’ve all witnessed trash being burned midway or thrown down the valleys, afterall who wants to walk 7000 steps everyday to clear our trash and earn pennies!
Just like charity, responsibility begins at home.
Trash is mostly generated by tourists so when you are travelling please be conscious about what you leave behind there. Tourism is an important source of income for these villagers but so is the existence of these bridges!
We connected with a local travel company, White Winged Journeys, which curates bespoke travel experiences in the North East of India.
Dhritiman Baroowa, the founder and promoter of responsible tourism enlists the services of local experts who enable him to create seasonal journeys that are authentic.
“As a travel company operating in an ecological and cultural hotspot we also understand our responsibilities towards the environment. Tourism has its consequences and our constant endeavour is to ensure that we try and limit them to the keep this beautiful region as pristine as possible. With a strong emphasis on protecting the environment, we as a company are committed to responsible tourism.”
It’s time we all connect and bridge the gap!
Trek experience: Sana Aejaz
Trek Images: Pawan More and Dhritiman Baroowa
Farmstead
Nestled in the heart of Napa Valley, the Farmstead restaurant at Long Meadow Ranch is a gastronomic delight that uses nearly every ingredient grown in their own farm, vineyards or raised at their own ranch.
Modern American farmhouse cuisine of fresh seasonal salads, organic wood-grilled artichoke, grass-fed beef burger are the best we’ve ever had.
Simple ingredients, beautiful flavours, artisanal cheeses and warm buratta paired with their award-winning wines are just delicious!.
A wholesome feast for your eyes and soul.
Each course is thoughtfully prepared using the best of what’s in season or made locally by their partner friends in Napa valley who too support sustainable farming practices.
Housed in a former nursery barn, the open kitchen, lively spacious indoors with high ceilings and gorgeous outdoors surrounded by apple trees celebrate organic and sustainably grown local produce as much as we do.
Top on our list for One-of-a-kind Farm to Table experience.
Images: Allison and Matt Edge, Shea Evans and Megan Reeves
Ann Woodlucker
There are many things I wish to learn. My creative heart jumps in excitement whenever I see beautifully made objects; then the desire to make it engulfs my curious mind. As the cloud of eagerness would wear off and my rational thinking would kick back in ( that I cannot make everything I love,) keeping a journal of all things beautiful often leaves me content.
When I came across Ann's botanical art it made my heart skip a beat ♥ rather many beats
Woodlucker's master craftsmanship to achieve realistic yet fanciful flowers and garden vegetables comes with years of detailed work with paper and wood. Branches, roots and subtle textures found in nature inspire Ann. From soft to crisp, she works from the real, not to duplicate but interpret nature’s splendor.
One day I wish to have Ann Woodlucker stay at our farm and teach us how she translates nature's fleeting beauty into breathtaking static form. Until then let’s peek inside her colourful world that celebrates nature’s ever changing magnificence.