Jenny Gomes

Wildflower Mixology

December 27, 2016 by Jenny Gomes Leave a Comment

This post will share with you the Wildflower Mixology course and a fun quiz to determine what kind of homemade cocktail you are!

I know I am in good company when I say I have been busy lately. 2016 has been a very busy year indeed for my little family and I have accomplished more than I ever thought I would on this little blog. It has helped me make many friends, all across the country, who I have never got to enjoy in person, but collaborate with all the time. Hallelujah for technology! I reached out to many of the experts I know in person to help me with many projects that resulted in resources for you all, and for that, I am very grateful.

One thing that I created in 2016 for you was done in a totally “me” fashion. I tend to be great on the big picture, grand scheme ideas, and not- so- great on the details. I like to say that I’m a Type B person masquerading as a Type A person. I had in mind a course to create for you all that would be really fun since my canning course is so…practical. I love practical, and I know lots of you do too, but this next course is meeting my desire, and I hope your desire, for something a little lighter. In my big picture idea for the year, I wanted to expand upon all the super successful shrub recipes that ya’ll be pinned ALL OVER Pinterest (great job, Wildflowers!) and create a cocktail mixer course where I demonstrated how to make the components of a farmer’s market fresh, unique, and fun cocktail- alcohol not required.

In August, my good friend Serena, the uber-talented videographer who created the videos for Start Canning, called me up to say she was moving out of the area, much to my dismay. She kindly offered to film something for me before she left. This was on a Monday, I think. Because this cocktail course had been in the back of my mind for months, with the big picture crystal clear, I said YES, let’s film something, without really having the details nailed down…at all. We filmed on THURSDAY, which is so “me.” I don’t care about “perfect”, I don’t let details slow me down, and I routinely let enthusiasm lead the way, even when thinking things through a little better would be the wiser choice. In the days between the proposal and filming day, I filled up half a dozen pieces of scratch paper with ideas, went to the grocery store and the farmer’s market and bought a ton of produce, picked fresh mint from near the leaky faucet at the family ranch, and gathered another half dozen pieces of ill-organized notepaper from this big idea’s brainstorm over the first half of the year. I showed up to Serena’s with my produce, gobs of note paper, my big idea and some lipgloss and she brought her lights, her cameras, and her prowess. Together we absolutely nailed it in about half a day. We drank all the drinks, laughed all the laughs, and she moved shortly thereafter. She is on to another adventure, and I’m on to mine here with you!

The resulting course SHOWS you how to create simple, fresh, delicious, easy cocktails yourself, at home, with wholesome ingredients so you can skip the lame, over processed mixers on the supermarket shelves. It allows you to relax and enjoy a refreshing, heartening drink without having to feel guilty that it is loaded with heavily processed ingredients that contain artificial everything including coloring that will dye your teeth if not give you cancer.

I used to really feel apprehensive and anxious when it was my turn to host company. I love people, I’m an extrovert, I love to get-togethers, but I never felt like a qualified hostess.

I know how to waitress, quickly and efficiently, I know how to vacuum the whole house in minutes, but to prepare and serve my guests in a way that makes them feel genuinely welcomed and special?

That’s where I wanted to be and as silly as it sounds, knowing what to serve to drink was a simple but critical piece of that puzzle. I want to help you feel inspired and excited to have guests, or to bring the drinks to your next girl’s night in.

How To Make Shrubs Course

December 19, 2016 by Jenny Gomes Leave a Comment

This post will share the new and improved shrubs email course that you all should sign up for in order to impress this season.

First of all, my devoted readers, I am sorry I haven’t posted a blog post in the last two weeks. I was sick, then my kids were sick, and really, I have been working like mad on some very fun and exciting projects that will be unveiled in the next couple of weeks. I truly didn’t have time to do much beyond the behind the scenes work I was tackling in between bouts of the flu. We are all healthy, happy, thinking about Santa, and back to normal. I am looking forward to revealing several awesome resources for you but the first of which is the new & improved, free, shrubs email course.

Enroll Now!

History of Shrubs

Shrubs were invented in the Colonial era as a way of saving the bounty of the harvest; fresh fruit was preserved (aka saved for later, when it wasn’t growing on the tree, plant or vine) in vinegar and then used as an astringent add-in to water that may or may not has been all that clean to drink, given the absence of sanitation measures. I spent a year teaching Social Studies a couple years ago, (I normally teach English) and enjoyed (note: sarcasm) explaining to my junior highers about how many colonies darn near died out from dysentery, which is basically terrible diarrhea from drinking dirty water. Yucky, but true. Historically, waterborne illness encouraged the creation and consumption of a great many beverages that were safer to drink than plain water, like beer, shrubs, and other liquids that were inhospitable to bugs that are likely to make us sick.

They were revived during the Prohibition era in the US. Alcohol was banned in a variety of states and manners, off and on, during the 1800s as it became clear that the overindulgence of alcohol caused a lot of problems for families. The 18th amendment was ratified in 1919, by which time about 33 states had independently banned alcohol as well. Of course, enforcing the prohibition of alcohol effectively in more rural areas (as poorer folks were less like to be able to afford expensive bootlegged spirits) and less so in urban ones. Overall, those who wanted to drink found ever more inventive ways of drinking; moonshine, speakeasies, and bootlegging all were means to a tipsy, and criminal end. Al Capone, a famous Chicago gangster, supposedly earned $60 million a year from bootlegging, or illegally brewing and distributing, illegal alcohol. In short, Prohibition failed to reduce drinking, crime, or drunkenness, and Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the repeal of the 18th amendment on his election platform and easily won the election. In February of 1933, the 21st amendment repealed the 18th, and alcohol was legal once more.

During Prohibition, the housewife and homemaker were faced with the great question of what to serve guests who came calling. The book, “What To Drink” by Bertha E. L. Stockbridge, 1920, is one that is filled with creative, frugal, and sensible ideas of how to quench the thirst without alcohol. Remember, the Great Depression began in 1929, so Prohibition straddled the end of the Roaring Twenties and the beginning of the depression. The lack of legal alcohol coupled with the lack of disposable income resulted in a revival of shrubs, also known as drinking vinegar, and a great many other drinks.

What is a shrub?

Shrubs are a syrup made with fruit (which spoils rather quickly without refrigeration), sugar or honey, and vinegar. Vinegar is very high in acid, and acid is one way we can make food and drink a place where germs that make us sick cannot thrive. Sugar is a powerful preservative, which is one of the reasons a gummy worm doesn’t rot away when lost under a car seat the way a slice of bread will. The combination of sugar and vinegar means that fresh fruit flavor is preserved in a concoction that will last much longer than fruit left whole. It also made an astringent addition to water, which by Prohibition was a lot cleaner in general, but still was a concern in some areas, or times, as the end of summer when wells were lower, etc.

Nowadays, we know a lot about the health benefits of drinking vinegar. The darling of the vinegar world currently is apple cider vinegar, the same way the gem of the wine industry is red wine. Generally speaking, vinegar is vinegar, they way darkly colored alcoholic beverages are all darkly colored alcoholic beverages. Dark beer has many of the same health benefits of red wine, just better marketing has been done on red wine’s behalf. The same goes for apple cider vinegar.

At any rate, there’s oodles of information out there on reputable sites about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar specifically, and generally, incorporating vinegar of all kinds into the diet. Vinegar lowers the appetite, speeds up metabolism, reduces inflammation, among other desirable actions. Indeed; consider the diets of many places known for maintaining great health. The Mediterranean diet enjoys balsamic, the Asian diet enjoys rice vinegar, and so on. I’m not saying vinegar is a silver bullet cure-all, I’m just saying it is probably a good thing to incorporate into our diet.

The main opposition I have found to making or drinking shrubs is that people say they don’t like vinegar and they assume that drinking shrub means you are just guzzling plain old white vinegar. Not so, Wildflowers. White vinegar is good for descaling the dishwasher, whitening white laundry, and cleaning windows in my home, NOT for use in shrubs. For one of my very first shrubs I used plain, cheap white vinegar, the very same stuff I use to clean with, and blueberries and there’s no amount of sugar or fruit in the world that will make that taste better.

Best Vinegars for Shrub Making

What IS good, however, is apple cider, balsamic, champagne, rice, and other milder vinegar. THOSE are the hot ticket. The second piece of growing to love shrubs is to understand you usually don’t drink them straight. The recipes in the Prohibition era cookbooks call for just a spoonful of shrub in a glass of cold water. I drink mine with about a shot of shrub, which is just 1-2 ounces, in a 16-ounce wide mouth pint glass, filled with water and a shot of alcohol if the day called for it (a junior high field trip day calls for 2). So, you really aren’t drinking plain vinegar at all, unless of course that you want to. The flavor that I have read enjoyed straight the most is apple shrub, which is a freshly grated apple submerged in apple cider vinegar.

Shrubs are not a fermented concoction. They delicious without the addition of alcohol and all my recipes make it clear that you don’t have to add a shot of booze at all to enjoy them. Most days, I skip the alcohol just to keep my pesky migraines at bay.

All of my shrub making instructions are no-cook. That means there’s no saucepan to heat up, no dishes to scrub clean..NO cooking. Many recipes of yesteryear gave instructions for boiling fruit and sugar together but what is lost is that delicious fresh fruit flavor. I prefer to let the fruit and vinegar sit together to marry, and then add the vinegar. I suppose what I’d be gaining is time if I chose to sacrifice the taste of a perfectly fresh, ripe apple for the 10 minutes of cook time.

I’m sharing this post now so you can learn how to make these in case you are like me a few years ago in regards to being an underprepared and uninspired hostess.
I love my family and friends but I wasn’t raised in a home that enthusiastically welcomed the idea of having gobs of company over. My mom, who taught me how to be a hard worker and where I get my hustle and height, was a waitress for many years. She was a good, fast, efficient, tip-making machine but that’s not quite the same thing you want to be when having your new in-laws over for supper, right? I wanted to be like the gal on the cover of a magazine, pouring pretty drinks in a white kitchen where something was peacefully baking out of sight and there were never any dishes to be washed. Learning how to make simple, economical, and unique drinks like shrubs can take you one step closer to the cover of that metaphorical magazine. You don’t have to rely on some tired old choice from the grocery store shelf. Your best friend’s brother’s new girlfriend who will be over for drinks has already had that margarita mix a dozen times. That mixer would be okay and no more.

Sign up for my free shrubs making email course and you will be on your way to serving fresh, fun, and unique shrubs this season!

Enroll Now!

Maybe shrubs are a mixer you’ve mastered, and maybe you want to try something fresh and new. I am in that boat, and when I found this amazing graphic, I was in cocktail love. I hope it helps inspire you to fill your mason jar with something farmer’s market fresh, on the double, Wildflowers!

Source: Fix.com Blog

Spiced Pear Butter

December 11, 2016 by Jenny Gomes 1 Comment

Spiced pear butter is easy, grown up in taste, and flavored with maple syrup, whiskey if you please, and spices. It’s delicious in your lunch box, in between the layers of a cake (instead of frosting!), and more. Read on for this simple spiced pear butter recipe!

This post contains affiliate links.

First, if you clicked on to this recipe and are worried about the canning part, don’t worry. I’m a pro at teaching beginners (that’s actually a important part of my blog) and if you want to see if you have the gear to start canning (which I bet you do!) download the Free Equipment Checklist here!

Second, you are going to want to eat this the same way you eat applesauce, except is is more grown-up tasting, and you’ll be getting a serving of fruit in these little shelf-stable jars. It’s fantastic.

How to Make Spiced Pear Butter: Canning Recipe

You Will Need:

6 cups pear juice/pulp which comes from 10 cups chopped ripe pears + 10 cups water simmered together until soft and then pureed together using a food mill (read this post to learn more about these kitchen work horses!)

Then:

Return puree to the preserving pan and

add 1 cup sugar

1 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup whiskey (optional)

1/4 cup good homemade vanilla extract OR good quality store bought vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Simmer together on medium high heat, stirring often for 10-20 minutes depending on the desired consistency.

Ladle carefully into hot half pint jars, maintaining 1/2 inch head space. Add lids and rings and return to water bath or steam canner (What’s a steam canner you ask? Only the fastest way to can. Read more here).

Process 20 minutes in half pint jars at sea level, remembering to at 5 minutes for every 1000 feet you live above sea level (more about that important step here). Yields about 8 cups spiced pear sauce.

Want more details about how canning works? You’ll love my Free Canning Basics Course. Sign up to get a handful of super clear email lessons right in your inbox to get STEP BY STEP instruction and address the most common pitfalls beginners experience. Canning is way more fun and way easier than you think, I promise!

Hungry for more maple-y goodness? You might love this post about 8 Unexpected Uses for Maple Syrup– it’s so much more than a pancake topping, Wildflowers.

Want to make that homemade vanilla extract that I mentioned above? Get the recipe here– it’s so easy and amazingly better than store-bought.

Now that you’ve made this spiced pear sauce, you could use it in these tender, delicious muffins– just swap out the applesauce for the pear sauce 🙂 Get the applesauce muffins recipe here!

Tips for Buying Vintage Silver Jewelry

December 5, 2016 by Jenny Gomes 4 Comments

Tips for Buying Vintage Silver Jewelry

This post will share expert tips for buying high-quality vintage silver jewelry that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

As luck would have it, I’m allergic to nickel which is the metal that most inexpensive jewelry is made from. That means that my whole life, I’ve ‘had’ to wear jewelry that is real silver or gold (of course, I could have gone without adornment, but what fun is that?). As luck would also have it, my husband has been and continues to be a pretty darn good shopper when it comes to gift giving and has given me a wide range of baubles, both new and vintage, over the years. If I have to while away some time scrolling the internet while waiting at the DMV, it won’t be on Facebook; it will be pouring over the gorgeous Instagram boutique accounts featuring vintage silver jewelry, rad vintage cowboy boots, and other treasures from yesteryear that are both beautiful and functional.

I decided to interview my favorite boutique owners, since they buy silver all day, every day, what a girl should look for when scoring their own silver heirlooms. Both Goodbuy Girls and Three Wolves Trading have delivered high quality, as-described vintage goods, had great customer service, fast shipping, and have a wide range of items I think you Wildflowers would love.

Here’s what the experts say to look for when buying your own vintage silver:

If possible, talk to the seller. Ask about the origin of the item and how they came to own it in the first place. Ask about the age of the piece and if it has been repaired or cleaned.

Check for a stamp that says “sterling” or “.925” or a maker’s stamp. These stamps can be very valuable in dating and assigning a value to an item. It is important to remember that for Native American pieces, many weren’t signed until the ’60s or 70’s so if it is lacking a signature, that probably just means it is older, which would likely increase its value. Furthermore, if an item is “coin silver” or lower grade sterling, that is still a high-quality metal that will stand the test of time. Don’t shy away from a piece just because it doesn’t have a stamp. Stamps are helpful, but not definitive. You can use white cloth, like a piece of white flannel, for example, to rub the piece. If a black smudge appears, the item at hand is real silver because silver oxidizes, or turns black (like your apple slice that turns brown) when exposed to oxygen.

Tips for Buying Vintage Silver Jewelry | The Domestic Wildflower click through to get the terms, tips, and inside expert advice on buying vintage silver, how to know the age and where they come from, so you can buy with confidence! Click through to swoon over gorgeous images of silver! — Notice the different hallmarks or stamps on the back of these vintage silver pieces. All are genuine.

The Navaho and Zuni tribes are known for a jewelry style called “needlepoint and cluster work” (no embroidery hoops here). Navaho designs tend to have bigger stones and heavier than Zuni pieces which tend to be the most intricate. Very fine Native American silver jewelry was made between the late 1800 and the late 1970s. This site has a ton more information on tribe specific hallmarks and styles.

Look for signs of wear and tear. Vintage silver should look worn, not super shiny. If it is really shiny, ask the seller if it has been cleaned. If it hasn’t, it may be newer.

Terms to look out for and avoid at all costs include “resin turquoise” (a faux, made in China plastic stone), and “nickel silver” which indicates it has zero real silver. If the item is very lightweight, especially a large item like a cuff, or if it is very shiny, it is most likely a knockoff. More information can be found here.

Compare prices. Check the price of the item against similar pieces of the same size and style. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is, and if it is way more expensive than comparable pieces, you might be being swindled.

Ask for the weight. The more silver in a piece, the heavier it will be. A lighter piece doesn’t necessarily mean it is lower quality, it just might be a lighter style, and the silver therein can still be of high quality. If you can hold the item in your hand, do, and notice how it feels and compare it to other items.

Check for cracks, loose stones, or warping. Cracks need to be repaired in order for the item to be worn safely. If the stones are loose, check to see if the bezel is covering (holding) the stone completely. Sometimes, especially with Native American pieces, the backing behind the stone can expand or contract, depending on the conditions the item was stored in, so just be sure the stone will stay put. It may need to have work done in order for it to be wearable.

And finally, to directly quote sweet Shea of Three Wolves,

“Go big or go home! Have fun! Vintage silver jewelry is some of the most beautiful artwork there is out there. Find a piece or several that speak to you. And lastly, by God, WEAR THEM! Jewelry was made to be worn and shown off. You spent the money, so you might as well get your money’s worth! There’s nothing more depressing than a gorgeous vintage squash blossom sitting in a box somewhere in someone’s attic or the back of their closet! Rock your vintage pieces everyday!”

Now that’s some advice I can get behind!

Follow these Instagram boutiques: Three Wolves Trading and Goodbuy Girls and buy with confidence. That’s where all my allowance money goes and when my daughter asks if she can wear my pieces someday, I can say honestly, yes <3

Handmade Gift Guide

November 28, 2016 by Jenny Gomes Leave a Comment

This post will share the best tools, resources, and courses for the person on your list that desire a handmade and homemade life, both inside and outside the home.

This post may contain affiliate links. I’d never recommended something to you that I wouldn’t suggest to my best friend.

Small batch canning is a canning recipe book that is devoted to smaller sized recipes which are perfect for smaller sized families, kitchens, appetites, and jars. Canning has a reputation for being a task suited for preserving pounds upon pounds of produce, for some unnamed disaster, in preparation for a time when the access to fresh foods is limited. While canning can be useful in a prepper’s home, that is NOT the only application. Canning is just right for preserving just a few cups of berries, or a few pounds of veggies, in small jars that are quick to process, easy to store, and lovely to gift. I intend to tackle this notion of canning being an activity only for those preparing for the zombie apocalypse in another post, but for now, give the preserver (aspiring or acting) in your life this book.

In order to apply these recipes, the novice preserver on your gift list needs the Start Canning ECourse. It is 14 videos that SHOW in a way a cookbook cannot the process of canning. It also addresses safety and equipment concerns and your happy recipient will be part of a supportive, private Facebook group where they can meet other canners and get their questions answered.

Weck jars are fancy canning jars. They, like regular mason jars, can be used for general food storage but can be canned using the removable rubber flange and separate lid. The general consensus among experienced preservers is that these jars aren’t harder to use than mason jars; they are just different. The lend a European air to your preserves are indeed beautiful, and I especially like their small size options.

If you have a budding gardener on your list, this ebook promises to build beautiful gardens and healthy soil. What gardener wouldn’t want that?

Want to give the gift of backyard chickens and farm fresh eggs? This course, Feed Your Hens Right, looks amazing to say the least and would be an ideal accompaniment. This is a video course ALL about what to feed your chickens at every stage of life, created by a chicken expert. There are 6 modules plus 4 bonus modules that will teach a newbie how to care for their birds like an expert. The reviews of this course are glowing, and I can see why.

If your homestead aspirations include getting goats, this ebook will give you all the background info you need on Nigerian Dwarf goats, which are every bit as cute as they sound. It is written by an expert and gives important considerations for potential goat owners to think through before acquiring these sweet animals.

I love everything about this dinner rolls course; Kalisha (the bread making expert) removes everything I hate about making bread from the equation. There’s no kneading, no waiting, and she teaches you how to make delicious dinner rolls quickly. This course is perfect for any level of home cook, even a novice.

If the person on your list is just plain sick of not knowing what to cook for supper and could use a structured, expert guide, give the gift of stress-free dinner time. Get this meal planning course and give sanity to your loved one.

If you want a gift that will incorporate your littles, this ebook by Garden and Grace Homestead shares recipes that are perfect for kids and your homegrown lifestyle.

If you want to learn all the things about a homestead kitchen, the Homestead Honey has you covered in this super- thorough ecourse with modules like fermenting, foraging, seasonal produce + meal planning, and more.

The Homestead Honey also has an ebook that is perfectly gift-able- the Backyard Pizza Oven EBook will give the gift of everyone’s favorite dish, but homemade and with a crispy chewy crust.

The Made From Scratch book by Melissa K. Norris encourages the reader to return to a simpler way of life in our homes, hearts, and minds. Who doesn’t need a little more simplification in their lives?

Ferment Your Veggies is a gorgeous compendium of counter fermentation knowledge written by a lifelong fermenter that I had the pleasure of meeting in person. I attending her workshop and can say without reservation that this lady can ferment like nobody’s business. She’s very well versed on all matters of safety in regards to fermentation, and the book covers that, equipment options, and recipes galore. It’s sauerkraut squared, Wildflowers. Ask Santa and you won’t be sorry.

If the person on your gift list desires some in-depth counter culture fermentation instruction, this course looks amazing. Learn how to make sauerkraut, kombucha, sourdough bread, and more in beautiful video lessons.

This natural soap making course teaches you how to make soap that is full of ingredients you can say, that won’t irritate sensitive skin (goodbye eczema!) or trigger chemical sensitivities. You can also learn how to make shampoo bars and milk soaps in this course.

If you have a comfortable crocheter on your gift list, this Etsy shop has many patterns for sale. If someone I knew gave me a couple new patterns and offered to watch my kids for a Saturday morning, I’d be one cup of coffee away from Heaven. I love this particular shop’s patterns because they are fashionable and easy to follow.

This Etsy shop features both knitting and crochet patterns and is my absolute favorite for a little girl and boy designs. Think hoods that mimic foxes, dinosaurs, bears, unicorns, and more. I made a red cape using one of these patterns for my daughter…and she wouldn’t wear it. Give a selection of these patterns for this holiday season for a mom yarn lover in your life.

My favorite footwear, for probably 9 months of the year, is these boots. They are well made, are insulated, and good for anything muddy. Anything.

What other tools, courses, books, or other things should be on this list? Let me know in the comment section below, Wildflowers!

Jenny Gomes

Wildflower Mixology

I used to really feel apprehensive and anxious when it was my turn to host company. I love people, I’m an extrovert, I love to get-togethers, but I never felt like a qualified hostess.

I know how to waitress, quickly and efficiently, I know how to vacuum the whole house in minutes, but to prepare and serve my guests in a way that makes them feel genuinely welcomed and special?

That’s where I wanted to be and as silly as it sounds, knowing what to serve to drink was a simple but critical piece of that puzzle. I want to help you feel inspired and excited to have guests, or to bring the drinks to your next girl’s night in.

How To Make Shrubs Course

History of Shrubs

What is a shrub?

Best Vinegars for Shrub Making

Sign up for my free shrubs making email course and you will be on your way to serving fresh, fun, and unique shrubs this season!

Spiced Pear Butter

How to Make Spiced Pear Butter: Canning Recipe

Tips for Buying Vintage Silver Jewelry

Here’s what the experts say to look for when buying your own vintage silver:

Handmade Gift Guide

Get Started Pressure Canning

Shrubology Ebook

Copyright

Jenny Gomes

I used to really feel apprehensive and anxious when it was my turn to host company. I love people, I’m an extrovert, I love to get-togethers, but I never felt like a qualified hostess.

I know how to waitress, quickly and efficiently, I know how to vacuum the whole house in minutes, but to prepare and serve my guests in a way that makes them feel genuinely welcomed and special?

That’s where I wanted to be and as silly as it sounds, knowing what to serve to drink was a simple but critical piece of that puzzle. I want to help you feel inspired and excited to have guests, or to bring the drinks to your next girl’s night in.

History of Shrubs

What is a shrub?

Best Vinegars for Shrub Making

Sign up for my free shrubs making email course and you will be on your way to serving fresh, fun, and unique shrubs this season!

How to Make Spiced Pear Butter: Canning Recipe

Here’s what the experts say to look for when buying your own vintage silver:

Footer

Get Started Pressure Canning

Shrubology Ebook

Copyright