Tea & Comfort (Madrona Island Series Book 2), page 24
Bouquet de Provence
Fines Herbes Culinaire
Cameron Chandler
2 Tbsp. Tarragon
1½ Tbsp. Savory
1Tbsp. Sage
1 Tbsp. Thyme
1 Tbsp. Marjoram
1 Tbsp. Rosemary
1 Tbsp. Chervil
1 Tbsp. Borage
2 Tbsp. Rose buds and Petals
1 Tbsp. Lavender buds
1 Tbsp. Calendula (marigold)
1 Tbsp. Rose Mallow (hibiscus)
All ingredients should be dried organic or culinary grade herbs and spices. If necessary, remove any twigs, stems, flower pods, etc. If necessary, gently crush any larger pieces to coarse texture similar to the other spices. Combine all ingredients. Mix gently, bottle and label. For longer shelf life, store away from sunlight and heat.
A mixture of cooking herbs from France is commonly called Herbes de Provence, and it contains savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano. More recently, when packaged for the American market, the blend would sometimes contain lavender leaves as well.
This recipe differs in several ways from traditional blends. First, tarragon replaces oregano because most people are more likely to associate oregano with Italian or Mexican food, whereas tarragon is a more elegant aromatic and is decidedly French. Building on the layers of flavor and complexity, chervil and borage are added. Both are commonly found in a French kitchen garden. To add the floral notes, lavender buds replace the lavender leaf; and rose petals, calendula (marigold) and rose mallow (hibiscus) are added. The result is a beautifully fragrant, colorful, and elegant blend that works well with roasted meats, fowl, fishes, soups and salads.
Bouquet de Provence can easily be made at home, although some of the ingredients are best bought in bulk from a spice supplier. Since this spice blend is so fragrant and colorful, it would make a lovely favor for a shower or wedding, or a home-crafted holiday gift, or a fundraiser item for sale.
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
It was a pleasure returning to Madrona Island while writing the second book in the series. I’d like to thank the many people that supported me on this writing journey and all the readers who kept encouraging to finish Tea & Comfort.
Special thanks to: Rebecca Berus for her expertise with plotting and for sharing brainstorming walks on the cliffs of Fort Casey while I worked out the storyline. Siri Bardarson for sharing her poetic visions and exquisite use of language and listening patiently as I read the chapters to her aloud. To Sean Fletcher for his encouragement during the dark moments of writer’s block. To Jean Galiana, Barbara Scharf, Kelly Zupich, Arial Pakizer and to all the friends and interns who encouraged me along the way including Billee Escot for offering her island home for a writing retreat.
To Geneva Agnos for her encouragement and for helping with the new cover design. To Justin Hurst for cheering me on. And to my constant canine companions, Basil and Ferdie, thanks for all their love.
And last but not least, I want to thank myself for showing up and making my passion for writing a reality.
Beta readers:
Echo Yupan Lu, Natalie Carlisle, True Henderson, Tracy Munter,
Joyce Lalacona,
A very special thanks to Karen and Jack Krug of Spoiled Dog Winery on Whidbey Island, for assisting with the book’s research and generously providing a tour of their amazing winery. http://www.spoileddogwinery.com/index.html
AUTHOR BIO
When not visiting local farmers markets or indulging her love for chocolate, ANDREA HURST is an author, editor, and literary agent. Her passion for books drives her write stories that take readers on a journey to another place and leave them with an unforgettable impression. She is a developmental editor for publishers and authors, an instructor in creative writing at the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts, and a webinar presenter for Writers Digest. She lives with her dachshund in the Pacific Northwest, on an island much like the fictional Madrona, with all of its natural beauty and small town charm.
Her published books include The Guestbook, Always with You, The Lazy Dog’s Guide to Enlightenment and Everybody’s Natural Food Cookbook, and she co-authored A Book of Miracles. To learn more about Andrea and her books, visit
http://www.AndreaHurst-Author.com or http://www.andreahurst.com
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
RECIPES
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AUTHOR BIO
Andrea Hurst, Tea & Comfort (Madrona Island Series Book 2)
