• Mustard & Pale Yellow Eggs: Turmeric, boiling water, and vinegar.
• Robin’s Blue & Teal Eggs: Red cabbage, boiling water, and vinegar.
• Grass Green Eggs: A combination of leftover turmeric and red cabbage infusions.
• Pale Pink Eggs: Beets, boiling water, and vinegar. 

1. Prep: Hard-boil all eggs and let them cool.
2. Infusions:
   • Robins blue and Teal: Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups of boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove the cabbage with a slotted spoon.
   • Pale Yellow and Mustard Yellow: Stir 2 Tbsp. of turmeric into 1 cup of boiling water; add 2 tsp. of white vinegar.
   • Grass Green: Mix leftover turmeric infusion and red cabbage infusion together.
   • Pale Pink: Cut 2 fresh beets into cubes and 4 cups of boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. of vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove the beets.
3. Soak: Submerge eggs in the mixtures and leave them in the fridge overnight for deep, dreamy colours.
   
   

Nordic Whipped Apricot Semolina - Vispi Puuro

Whipped semolina is a traditional Finnish dessert that dates back centuries, when it was prepared as an inexpensive and nutritious way to use up berries, such as lingonberries. It was also a wholesome way to feed the children in the morning. The magic will happen after whipping the cooled concoction which will then reach a mousse-like consistency that is light and fluffy like a cloud.

The name of the porridge is derived from two Finnish words: Vispilä, meaning to whisk and puuro meaning porridge. that is vigorously beaten by hand especially before the widespread use of electric mixers.

In Sweden it is called Klappgröt, and comes from a word “Klappa” which sounds like clapping when you whisk it by hand.

Vispipuuro has been a staple in the Nordic food culture and was a tradition in my childhood home and later in life continuing the tradition and serving the semolina to my boys. A true loved dessert, breakfast or any time of the day yumminess.
The "Vispipuuro" has been passed down from generation to generation. Today you can find the whipped semolina ready made in many grocery stores in Finland.

INGREDIENTS FOR 3-4 SERVINGS

1.5 liter water

4  dl dried apricots

¼  dl sugar

1¼ dl semolina

Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

In a pot bring water, apricots and sugar to a boil and let them become syrupy.

Strain the apricots and reserve the liquid. You can also use an immersion blender to make a purée to utilize the whole goodness of the fruit.

Put the mixture back on the stove and bring it to a boil. Whisk in Semolina little by little and let it cook slowly, continuasly stirring for 5-10 min. Let the porridge cool completely.

Once cooled completely, whisk vigorously with electric beaters or by hand until fluffy and light.

Now comes the fun part….whipping the porridge constantly the magic happens ….the semolina reveals its beautiful pastel orange colour and a smooth cloud like texture.

Serve the whipped semolina chilled or room temperature with a sprinkle of sugar and with cold milk.The semolina looks especially beautiful served in a clear glass bowl.

Nutritious, healthy and divine.

Tip* You can substitute the apricots with cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries or apples in the same way.

The juiciness of the berries or fruit affects the consistency of the porridge, so adjust the amount of water according to the berries you use - for example, 7 dl water and 4 dl frozen lingonberries is a good starting point. Frozen berries soften quickly, and a short cooking time is enough.

Enjoy!

This natural soap company hopes to make green cleaning easier than ever.


Most people are familiar with the stringent, citrus sting of cleaning products. That scent means something has been scrubbed, wiped, and scoured within an inch of its existence, disinfected to the point that it’s finally clean — right?

I grew up in Finland, where detergents were plant-based simple and effective goods that made all mundane chores sparkly and clean. Hence the typical slogan "Soap And Water Cleans Everything Like New". In addition to the sustainable living style recycling was a common practise since the 1960s.

In North America, we’ve believed that effective household cleaning products require disposable, single-use packaging and harsh chemicals like bleach,”

Since 2011, the Brooklyn-based company has created natural soap and cleaning products that are all-natural, Eco-friendly, and cruelty-free — with chic packaging.

But instead of going the DIY route, the owners turned their passion for reducing waste and creating safe cleaning products into a business. “And Common Good was born: safe, green, plant-based soaps and cleaners combined with refill pouches where people could refill their bottles at home to eliminate single-use plastic bottles from the recycling stream for years to come.” These recyclable and refillable pouches use 86% less plastic than your regular grocery store plastic bottles.

Today the available new goods are refillable empty glass bottles, refill pouches, linen sprays and hand sanitizers.

Refilling needs to happen in every home, and it is important to make it accessible to more people, not just those that live near a neighbourhood refill station. Most importantly, refilling needs to be easy.

These suds are in a daily use in the barn store and at home. Truly tested by us and our family. We pledge these cleaners really work to make all your surroundings sparkle.

Made in Brooklyn, New York

Fika - Kahvitauko

Anyone who has Scandinavian friends will most likely be familiar with the word fika( fee-ka) or kahvitauko.

This is because when struggling to find a word in english, they just use the word fika or kahvitauko.

Simply put, it means to sit down,have a chat, coffee and something baked. More than a coffee break, but less than something formal.

Scandinavians drink more coffee than anyone else in the world. Think strong filtered coffee that is served in cups with saucers. Traditionally, the coffee is always served black. In an effort to drink it faster the coffee is poured onto the plate to cool a little bit, hence the cup and saucer.

If you prefer the coffee sweet, you would put one sugar cube in your mouth and then slurp the coffee from the plate, simple!

These traditions still exist. however, modern world has found its ways to the North. The coffee is drank from a mug. At least at home. But, going for a fika/kahvitauko in any cafe, the coffee cup is always accompanied by a saucer and pastry.

To go with your super-strength cup of pep, you need something baked. The fika bröd or kahvileipä describes a whole range of options.The most famous which, is the cinnamon bun or PULLA. These are a labour of love. It's all about the goodness of home baking. If you prefer something else, a slice of soft bread with butter and cheese or a slice of cake will do just fine.

The fika or kahvitauko is deep-rooted in the Nordic culture. It’s in the bone marrow. Therefore, making it an essential part of the daily life is no effort at all.

The Coffee Table

It goes a long way back to the 1800's. There had been a period of prohibition for consuming coffee. Once again permitted to drink it, people started meeting frequently and bring along baked pastries to go with coffee. The individuals who could provide the best kind of baked goods were considered exceptional. Basically, it was a way for women to show off their skills for the most delectable baked cakes and pastries.

A traditional southern Scandinavian coffee table would consist of 7 different kinds of baked sweets. Actually, there is a book that was published in 1945 called “Sju Sortens Kakor” (Seven kinds of pastries). It is still in print and most likely every Swedish speaking household owns a copy of it.

One of my funniest memories of my father was when he was waiting for guests to arrive for kahvitauko at our house. Earlier that same day, he had gone to the local pastry shop to buy those 7 sorts of cakes and pastries. While sitting and waiting for his guests to turn up, my mother walked in to the living room and to her terror, he had taken a bite from all of the 7 sorts of cakes. My mother was crying out loud “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THE PASTRIES?”. My father looked at her surprised and calmly replied to her "Well, how can I tell our guests which ones are good if I haven't even tasted them first’!

Needless to say, the cake platter was modified by cutting each end of he pastries and served "as is" with my father pointing to each pastry. He reviewed each pastry, telling the guests which one he thought was the best!

After all these years I've been living in North America, I still practise the fika/kahvitauko thing either on my own or with family or friends. Rest assured, I don't taste pastries before serving, haha.

Nordic Style Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1 pkg (250 g) pitted dates

2 dl sugar

2 dl water

200 g butter

1 egg

3½ dl of unbleached wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

. butter and flour for greasing the cake pan

. icing sugar

1. Put chopped dates in a saucepan, check for any pits.

2. Add sugar and water.

3. Simmer as long as the dates separate and soften and allow to melt evenly.

4. Add the egg to the slightly cooled mixture.

5. Combine the dry ingredients and mix into the dough.

Heat the oven to 175 degrees celsius ( 350 F).

Grease and flour a bundt pan 20cm (8”) (1.5 l capacity).We used our borosilicate glass cake pan. Spoon the batter evenly into the pan.

Bake the cake on the lowest level of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes. Insert a cake tester or a tooth pick in the middle of the cake. If the stick comes out clean the cake is done.

Allow to cool in the pan before turning it over on a cake plate.

Finish with sifted icing sugar on top of the cake.

Enjoy with a cup of strong coffee!

Did you know?

Dried dates are very high in antioxidants and fiber and should be a part of a healthy diet daily.

Deep in the heart of February

As many of you know, we’ve been spending some quiet days here at home. We cherish every moment, however fleeting, of the wintery Village slumber. The stillness of a February evening juxtaposed by roaring yet cozy fires are the order of the day. Comforting dishes cooked low and slow along with freshly baked cakes and breads provide an intoxicating aroma.

We’ve also been busy thinking of you as well. As the spring approaches, we have been preparing to list new items for our online store.There are some exciting new ideas in the works. Be sure to visit our website soon for our seasonal recipes and online shop treasures.

In the meantime, please find our recipes below. We are serious about citrus. These flavours are pure and simple. We’ve been craving for basic fresh flavours after all those delectable Holiday indulgences. For more ideas like these, be sure to head to our recipe journal section on our online shop.

Blood Oranges

Blood oranges have one of the shortest seasons for fruit and vegetables, starting in December and ending in April.

My sweetest memories of these oranges was when as a child growing up in Finland my father who was very fond of blood oranges. So much so, he had them shipped from Spain. They weren’t readily available in the grocery stores.I remember these wooden crates arriving at our doorstep by a courier. Taking extra care to open the wooden boxes... a crowbar was needed to remove those long steel staples.

Then carefully unpacking the beauties one by one as they were individually wrapped in tissue paper to keep them fresh and unbruised. My mother then cooking and preparing all sorts of culinary dishes and baked goods from this extraordinary fruit. My absolute favourite was her citrus cake that was finished with a sheer pink citrusy glaze.

You can see the recipes here on our website.

We hope to see you in the Village this spring!

We have really come to treasure family day. Before the boys were married we always made an effort to come together and break bread. It has always been a very special occasion for all of us. The holiday has taken on new meaning with addition of two daughter In laws and a charming granddaughter. She is the purest of heart and fashions a new level of joy to all of our family functions.

We have had many family day affairs to remember. This past week we had a celebration early. Some of the family had to be away on business, but we were determined to keep the tradition alive. We simply ordered pizzas from our favourite spot. It was a great change of pace only some plates and mugs to wash up that was a huge upside. It was another chapter filled with laughter and love to add to our family scrap book.

Aside for the hijinks and hilarity that ensured, the little girl had lot of fun playing with our Border collie in the backyard. She also enjoyed sipping on a mug of salted caramel hot chocolate. We used the Salted Caramel Sonoma Syrup to get just the right flavour. Its what put this particular hot chocolate recipe over the top. 

As you might imagine, the hot chocolate won the day. What a wonderful way to warm up on a cool February afternoon. The recipe will surly become a staple on holidays that fall on colder months. After the pizza was finished, we capped the evening off with an ice cream sundae bar. Everyone peering over each other's shoulders to see what creations were being imagined as well as Stealing spoonfuls of each others treats. These are the moments family day encourages in our home. We truly are blessed by this gang, and we wish you all an equally playful time with your family and friends.

Rita and Co

Hot Chocolate 

1 litre of milk

1 100 gr block of milk chocolate

1   50 gr block of dark chocolate

1   tbsp of real cocoa 

Topping:

Whipping cream + Salted Caramel Syrup

Method:

1. In a cooking pot heat milk until hot but not boiling.

2. Add chocolates, cocoa and stir well until melted.

3. Whisk the concoction until very smooth.

Pour the hot chocolate into mugs and top with whipped cream. Drizzle over with Salted Caramel Syrup.

Serve immediately.

Serves 8 people

Enjoy!

noun

1 cloth woven from flax.

līnen (as an adjective in the sense ‘made of flax’); related to Dutch linnen, German Leinen, also to obsolete line‘flax.’

I have been an advocate of linen my entire life. I always feel that it is the most misunderstood fabric we use in our daily routine. Many, I think feel that it is delicate or perhaps more single purposed in nature rather than durable and reliable. An everyday staple in my household. I have had many conversations over the years. Guests in my home might admire a pillow cover or dish towel and ask what the fabric is. More often than not it turns out to be linen. Quite a few of these friends have been surprised by my revelation. They usually say something along the lines of "Linen? Really? I had no idea you could use linen as a dish towel. How do you keep it clean?

Linen is much easier to care for and maintain than one would think. It's been elevated to a kind of sacred pedestal to be used only on special occasions because of its delicate hand. It is extremely strong, resilient and absorbent and only becomes more and more beautiful with use and with age. Linen is both hand and machine washable.Our Linen detergent is the ideal soap to launder your linens and other delicate textiles.

In my daily evening rituals I use my linen bath towel after a decompressing nightly poach in the tub and then climb into a warm bed made complete with linen sheets and pillows. These cold January nights scream for a warm comforting sleep and something with aromatherapy…..our lavender filled linen pillow engenders a soothing sleep and ultimate relaxation. I get the most restful and rewarding sleep with this pillow at my side.

Linen water is another wonderful tool that we use daily in our home a true multi purpose item, it is not only for ironing. We use it to straighten our sheets in the morning. It is an instant wrinkle remover.

We also use it as an air spritz to freshen up our rooms after windows and doors have been opened every day during the year (another Nordic practice) to get the air going in the home.

The linen waters we stock are a blend of essential oils and water. That is it, that is all. There are no hidden chemicals or synthetic fragrances.

Linen has been with me all my life. I love every aspect of it. It really is something to marvel.

It never ceases to amaze me how often life comes full circle. How frequently our memories inform our habits and traits. I can remember with great fondness and detail being a little girl and being surrounded by the intoxicating aromas and blissful joy of the weeks leading to and in between Christmas and New Year's Eve. My parents always had such elegant taste. All of our meals at that time of year were truly a culinary spectacle. We cheerfully embraced all of the festivities and always kept our tree glistening until the13th of January. A tradition that is still in practice at our home to this day. When we would take the tree down for the season we always had a hint of sadness that the pomp and circumstance was all over. I guess that why they call it the January blues.

My mother always resolved to getting right to work. She enlisted my brothers, sister and I to a chore and had us pitch in. It was a post Christmas cleaning party of sorts. Although, as children at the time we weren't all that enthusiastic about it as you can imagine. We'd had several visitors. From well wishers to dinner guests our home was an epicentre of hustle and bustle. Holiday cheer abounded. So naturally, it was very difficult to keep clean over those few weeks. My mother told us that there was no better way to seize the new year that to have a clean fresh start. So, off we went. Using gentle and natural products to wash, wipe, and scrub anything and everything. By the time we finished, we felt like we had a new home. A feeling of renewal swept over the house. It really was a wonderful tradition to get us re-engaged and focus on the new year ahead.

This tradition has been with me ever since. I did this very same cleaning party with my boys, who, were even less enthusiastic than I was as a little girl. We got them going with the promise of pizza and ice cream afterwards.

Now my boys are all grown up, and have family's of their own. I'm not sure if the tradition will continue, something tells me it just might. Every year, on the 13th, I take down my tree and have that very same cleaning extravaganza.

Since the day when we found Sapadilla we've been using this wonderful product. The line consists of a laundry detergent, counter top spray, all purpose cleaner, hand soap, and dish soap. This time I chose to use the Rosemary + Peppermint paring. It is planet friendly cleaning using only the highest of ingredients and a blend of essential oils to create a captivating scent with a hint of sweet rosemary to soften the blend.

We have had wonderful success keeping our home fresh and clean with these products. With the full line, we are able to keep the fragrance all through out wether it’s the floor, bathrooms, or even washing our hands. We also offer the Grapefruit + Bergamot and Sweet Lavender + Lime. All of which we have enjoyed in our space. Every Christmas I think of my mother. Every 13th of January I cant help but smile and remember all of the beauty in simplicity. 

This week all Sapadilla products are on sale to introduce these lovely suds to your home.

Happy New Year,

Rita

Shades of White    

One of the most frequent question I'm asked about is the white paint colours I'm using!

My customers and other people always like to know which are my whites....I collect all the white paint swatches from Ralph Lauren, Benjamin Moore and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

I obsess over all the subtle shades that will transform a space. Inside the120 year old Barn which we converted to our store I chose pure whites as a canvas for the unique merchandise we sell to stand out on the tables and shelves.

Over the years I have found that I rely on certain essentials for our home in all shades of white, particularly paints and fabrics for a simple transformation. A coat of the right shade of white paint can change the room, a table, a chair or a fence.

In our home I chose soft and pure whites. Simple white slip covers on sofas and chairs are a signature detail for me: they create a sense of serenity, comfort and cleanliness all blended with antique Scandinavian armoires, mirrors, desks and tables painted in various whites.

THE WHITE PAINT CHECK LIST

Ralph Lauren:

Picket Fence White

Design Studio White

Riviera Terrace White

Journal White

Polo Mallet White

Plaster White

Chalk White

Brilliant White

Polo Mallet White

Edwardian Linen White

Plaster White

Journal White

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Pure White

Old White

Benjamin Moore

Simply White

Snow White

• I wanted to repost this fun Easter egg dying experiment which we did three years ago.

  The eggs turned out so pretty, we are going do it again this week.

  

  ....this year we are planning an Easter Egg Hunt in the garden where our granddaughter Ava and our two year old Border collie Mo will be in the competition who finds more eggs......

  We ended up loving the colours of the eggs and decided that we will be dying our eggs this way from now on....It was a lot more fun and exciting than using store bought dye because you really didn't know what colour the eggs turned out to be.

  

  A few of the foods we used to create some of our favourite colours.

  Turmeric, boiling water and vinegar – was hoping for Mustard Yellow Eggs but only got a few of that colour and the rest turned out very pale yellow.

  Red cabbage, boiling water and vinegar - Robin's Blue eggs.

  Spinach, boiling water and vinegar – very, very pale green eggs.

  Method:

  Leave eggs soaking overnight in the vegetable infusions.

  Robins Blue Eggs : Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove cabbage with a slotted spoon.

  Pale Yellow Eggs: Stir 2 Tbsp. turmeric into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove the eggs with a slotted spoon.

  Pale Green Eggs: Simmer 3 cups of fresh spinach in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove with slotted spoon. For darker green colour leave eggs soaking in the solution overnight in the fridge.

  The eggs looked pretty amazing in our white egg crates https://tuliptreesaga.com/white-porcelain-egg-crate-large/?ctk=45ffb91f-92ad-4ba7-bebb-d2e73adbb307&showHidden=truedisplayed on our Easter table.

  Happy Easter!