My rose scented geranium in bloom
Photo: Chronica Domus
The days of popping around to one's neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar are long gone, thanks in part to the recent demonization of sugar. However, if you were to consider dropping by my house, you'd be welcome to borrow more than a cup or two, or even a lump or three, come to think of it.
If I offer a hot beverage to my guests, I always fill the sugar bowl with those irregularly shaped brown sugar cubes. I love the way they smell, and my guests tell me they appreciate their taste (I do not personally require the addition of sugar in my tea or coffee).
Cooking with sugar, however, is quite another matter. A well-stocked pantry of sugar travels far within the realms of my kitchen. Alongside the expected granulated and powdered varieties, I find myself reaching for brown sugar, and the deliciously caramel-like demarara. One other sugar that I use frequently is vanilla sugar.
I've been flavoring sugar with vanilla beans for as long as I've been baking, which is to say a very long time. Vanilla sugar is a lovely alternative to plain old granulated sugar when called for in pies and tarts, or when macerating berries and fruit. I even use it when making pastry cream and custard. A vanilla bean cut in half and buried in a jar of granulated sugar for several weeks is all that is required to make vanilla sugar. Culinary tasks don't get much simpler than this little exercise in sweetness. I encourage you to try it for yourself.
Homemade vanilla sugar in the making
Photo: Chronica Domus
Earlier this year while visiting a favorite plant nursery, I happened to brush past a grouping of rose geranium plants, or Pelargonium graveolens to use their botanical name. If you've ever smelled the leaves of these aromatic wonders, you shall not soon forget them. The rosy perfume released upon gently rubbing one's fingers along the plant's hairy leaves is quite arresting. My mother kept a rose geranium potted up for years in my childhood garden, which she moved indoors for the winter. As you might have already guessed, I could not leave the nursery without buying a rose geranium for myself. I did this not only for sentimental reasons - the smell alone evoked so many fond memories - but also for the fact that these attractive plants are rather a useful thing to have around the kitchen.
The pretty little pink flowers are edible and look marvelous when scattered atop lashings of whipped cream and served with berries, or atop homemade vanilla ice cream. Best of all, of course, is that the fragrant leaves can be used to flavor sugar.
Pick, wash, and pat dry several of the fragrant leaves then place them between layers of white granulated sugar. For my small jar, I used about fifteen leaves. Replace the lid of the jar and leave intact for several weeks. Use to your heart's content thereafter.
Arrange rose geranium leaves between layers of granulated sugar
Photo: Chronica Domus
Almost to the brim now
Photo: Chronica Domus
Tell me, do you use sugar in your kitchen and if so have you tried flavored sugars? How about tea and coffee, one lump or two?
Tell me, do you use sugar in your kitchen and if so have you tried flavored sugars? How about tea and coffee, one lump or two?
Hello CD, Your aromatic plants and sugars conjure up the olfactory essence of nature and domesticity. On nature walks there are so many aromatic leaves and plants. Some of my favorites (in Ohio) are wintergreen, black birch bark (also wintergreen flavored), herb Robert (I don't object to its fragrance--perhaps we have a milder variety around Cleveland), yarrow, sassafras (leaves and roots), spicebush, etc. I also love the sweet smell of ripening fruit outdoors--apples, pears, haws, may-apples, and earlier in the season, that rarest and most fragrant of treats, wild strawberries.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim,
DeleteYou've just transported me to a very fragrant walk through Ohio, thank you. It all sounds so delightful. Aside form the apples and pears, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of smelling the aromatics you speak of.
Even though even my builders don't take sugar anymore I do!!! I've cut down to one in the past several years. I do put vanilla bean too along with a stick of cinnamon as that lends a nice tweak for me and I like it in savoury dishes. Never tried the geranium but am curious to try. Ps our street does still knock on the door for staples! In the past month I doled out sugar and butter as I'm known to love and stock both at all times!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of people are cutting back on sugar in their tea or coffee nowadays. I can't figure out just why. Is it because there is so much hidden sugar elsewhere in foodstuffs?
DeleteI love that your neighbors pop around for sugar and butter. Actually, to be fair, mine pop over for lemons from our tree. How funny is that!
Now I'm plotting to find a rose geranium! Love the idea of using the flowers on top of cream. I don't take sugar in my tea either, but I do keep those irregularly shaped lumps for the guests. I've recently been using coconut sugar in my baking. Supposedly it's 'healthier' than normal white sugar. It does give a darker colour, but aside from that seems similar in taste to caster sugar.
ReplyDeleteHello Heidi,
DeleteYes, do yourself a favor and find that rose geranium pronto! There are many scented geraniums actually, so if rose isn't your cup of tea, try chocolate peppermint, apricot ...well, you get the picture.
I am lacking the requisite sweet tooth so seldom bake but do have the regular sugars in my pantry -love these ideas for flavoring them. I too keep the irregular cubes (I love how rustic they appear) for guests...not so sure as to the flavor as I've never used them myself (I abhor sweet drinks other than champagne) but I do like how they look in the bowl.
ReplyDeleteHello AD,
DeleteHow funny that you too have discovered how lovely those irregular brown sugar cubes look. As to their taste, my guests love them, but like you I'm not much for sweet drinks so pass.
Now, what was that about champagne? Divine!
CD,
ReplyDeleteI've never made vanilla sugar but always wanted to. No excuse, really. I love scented geraniums. There are so many wonderful fragrances. I'll have to search out the rose geranium and maybe a peppermint variety. I used to have one that was given to me by a wonderful gardener friend as a start. When we re-landscaped it didn't survive.
Like you, I don't use sugar in my tea or coffee but I love to bake.
xo,
Karen
Hello Karen,
DeleteI do hope I've inspired you to get a few vanilla beans to make vanilla sugar - so simple and delicious - and your idea of scented peppermint geranium is a hit! Must try that myself soon. Thank you for the idea.
I have three of these plants in containers which I managed to save through the winter so now they are huge bushes. One smells of orange, another of rose and the third of cola - I cannot resist rubbing their leaves every time I walk past.
ReplyDeleteHello Elaine,
DeleteI would like to get my hands on an orange scented geranium one of these days. I've never had the pleasure of smelling one but just know it would be a slice of heaven. Not sure about the cola one though.
What a lovely display of those sweet treasures, in that vintage green glass. I'm also a black-coffee-or-tea person, but there are five square glass containers of white-to-dark sugars---plain old Domino, Turbinado, dried molasses, Demerara, and soft, toffee-dark brown---marching across my new white counter-tops.
ReplyDeleteI think just the HAVING of them, just the LOOKING AT, is just cause for their being, and all save one have a couple of vanilla beans stuck down inside. A cause, itself, once, for a moment of merriment when Sweetpea had JUST attained height to see up over the counter. She took one look, gasped ,"BUG!" and ran, having seen the little black tip of the drying bean up-periscope in the white sugar. I explained, let her taste, and since have made sure the vanilla is a little curvy spiral down DEEP.
And I must confess, despite my admiration for all your tastes and sensibilities: I cannot stand the scent of geranium leaves---any kind. But I'm glad to know they bring you such joy.
r
.
Hello racheld,
DeleteWhat an assortment of sugar you enjoy at home upon your new counter top; there's something there for everyone and every occasion.
I enjoyed reading your vanilla bean bug story as seen through the eyes of Sweatpea - charming indeed!
Now, I just want you to know that the scent of rose geranium is entirely different to that of regular geraniums, which I'll admit, do have a rather "odd" scent to them. I am at a loss and cannot find the right words to describe it. No, rose geraniums are truly something special. If you were to close your eyes and smell them, you'd be fooled into believing you've just sniffed a true rose, really. In the perfume industry the oil from rose geraniums is often used as a substitute for the more expensive Attar of rose oil.
I take your estimable word---off to the Garden Store this weekend for a pot of the lovely scented beauties. I hope they come in pink.
Deleter
Do let me know if you are successful in your hunting expedition. You are more likely to track one down at a local independent nursery than a big box garden center. The rose geraniums will always have a little pink flower, by the way, but it is their leaf that will tip you off to the fact that is has been named a "rose" geranium for good reason.
DeleteI do use sugar, although mostly in savory cooking, oddly enough. The few times I've baked, I've absolutely had to go and buy obscure sugars;). Your tricks sound wonderful - and I love your little glass jars with the lids.
ReplyDeleteYes, baking ain't what it used to be, that's for sure. I can only recall white sugar in mum's kitchen, and occasionally demerara.
DeleteI'd be curious to know which savory dishes you cook that use sugar, so please spill the beans if you find your way back here. Naomi of
Coulda shoulda woulda (comment above) said the same thing. I suppose if I think about it, I have used sugar the few times I've made tomato sauce from scratch.
I use it in Asian cooking - Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese dishes often call for a teaspoon of sugar, either in the marinade or the sauce. The authentic recipes call for rock candy sugar, in crystals, but I make do with demerara;).
DeleteOh, of course, I never thought about Asian cooking and all the sweet and sour combos, thank you. You sound like quite the proficient (Asian) cook! And, how interesting to learn that rock candy sugar is the sugar of choice for authentic dishes. I imagine using demerara is a good substitute as it is quite "gritty" in texture.
DeleteThanks for coming back and spilling the beans.
Hello CD,
ReplyDeleteWhite, brown and Demerara sugars are all staples in my baking arsenal. I also love maple sugar for its lovely maple flavor. Thanks for the tip on rose geranium.
Have you ever tried placing mint or lemon verbena leaves in sugar? Both flavored sugars are delicious in iced tea or mixed with seltzer water. Some years back in Seattle I was served a refreshing iced tea that was a blend of mint tea and apple juice.
Cheers,
KD Gaylin
Oh, I've never thought of trying to place lemon verbena leaves or mint in sugar, thank you. I'm sure they'd both impart a pleasant aroma and would be ideal for iced tea, for those that drink it. To this day, I cannot bring myself to drink iced tea, having grown up in England were the only tea drinking is hot! My husband and daughter both enjoy it though, so I'll try your mint/lemon verbena sugars.
DeleteI always have a jar of vanilla sugar in my kitchen, but never thought of using any sort of fragrant leaves before - and love this idea very much! And yes, adore the sugar cubes, too. We have both the white and the brown, though mainly for guests (or whenever my husband feels like adding a little sugar to his drinks). Apart from that it's strictly for baking, but I do have a few varieties to play with! :) I love the molasses sugar, really dark and caramel-like, and also, being a nutritionist, appreciate the goodness of rapadura - it tastes wonderful, also caramel-like, but has a lower GI and traces of minerals. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Natalia,
DeleteI've never tasted molasses sugar but will now you've mentioned it, thank you. I believe my husband uses an unrefined cane sugar when he makes his annual batch of marmalade but not sure if it is rapadura. Shall have to look into that a little further knowing now that it tastes that good.
I like honey in tea and tried it after hearing of singers imbibing to keep their pipes in order.
ReplyDeleteI always add honey to tea (and lemon) to sooth a sore throat - works wonders!
Delete