Lapin a la Moutarde (e.g. I know where my meat comes from)

As I sit down to write this post, the first of hopefully many Helix Homestead rabbits is simmering in the pot, covered in delicious mustard sauce, destined to nourish my family. (Recipe from SimplyRecipes.com)

The journey to the point where this city girl could actually raise, name, dispatch, butcher and cook an animal has been a long one… but I think a good one.

I’ve realized over this whole process that the meat I purchase at the grocery store is so far removed from the animal it came from, that my attitude became cavalier about it… if I forgot about the hamburger I bought, and it happened to go bad – I’d feel bad about the money I had spent, but not really on the fact that an animal died so that I could eat.

As I journeyed farther into homesteading, I realized it was even harsher than that… the poor cow that hamburger came from, most likely never experienced even a portion of human kindness. Most likely, that cow experienced horrible living conditions, crammed into too small corrals with others destined for the same fate, wallowing in manure and offal until it met it’s end.

With our Helix Homestead rabbits, it is my intent to treat every we raise animal with kindness - from our dogs to our chickens, turkeys, and rabbits. To ensure they are never hungry, abused, or viewed only as a commodity. When I and my family are hungry - these animals will be treated with respect and a quick, as painless as possible end, followed by an appreciative use of every bit of them as I can muster (I can't bring myself to make blood sausage or head cheese - yet). Their life will go towards the nourishment and health of my family - and I promise to treat them with the thankfulness that fills me, and the food that fills my family's stomachs.

More and more, I want to avoid paying into animal Auschwitz represented by meat on those clean black or red styrofoam trays.  That’s why we started raising rabbits – and rabbit is what’s for dinner tonight. Thank you Hank Shaw (how to cut up a rabbit) and Elise Bauer (Rabbit in Mustard Sauce) for the recipes and virtual handholding through this new process!

When Life Gives You Lavender, Make Limeade

Living in Southern California does have its perks, and the lovely, long growing season for many flowers and the number and variety of citrus that flourishes here is one of them.

When we needed to re-landscape our front yard (which is actually more like a big circular area under a large, old pine), we planted drought tolerant plants - and that included about 40 or so Lavender plants, both English and Spanish. Our bees LOVE the Lavender plants (as much as they love all the citrus), and their love affair with this plant infuses their honey with a faint, incredibly yummy, herbal flavor.

This month, the Lavender plants are covered in beautiful purple flowers - and if I go out and wander among the plants during this time, I can imagine myself in Provence (even though I've never been there) simply by inhaling the distinctive aroma of the blooms. So I decided to bring some of that loveliness inside and make Lavender simple syrup to infuse homemade lemon/limeade.

Of all of our citrus trees, my favorite is the large Palestinian Lime tree that a previous owner ingeniously planted right above our leach field. I NEVER have to water this tree, and the limes it produces are incredibly sweet - better than any Meyer Lemon in the world. Fully ripe when they are yellow, these limes are so sweet and juicy we've used them for Key Lime Pie to great results! But I think one of my favorite uses of this wonderful juice, is to make icy cold limeade on hot summer days.

... and Lavender infused limeade is even better!

LAVENDER INFUSED SIMPLE SYRUP

Cut about a dozen blooms from the English Lavender plant.

Place a cup and a half of water and the Lavender buds in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Add 3 cups of sugar, and dissolve. Continue to simmer, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes to cool and infuse.

Strain the mixture through cheesecloth into whatever container you wish to store the syrup in, and refrigerate for up to a week.

EASY, SINGLE SERVING LAVENDER LIMEADE (OR LEMONADE)

Choose a lovely, ripe Palestinian Lime or sweet lemon. Cut in half through the middle, set aside.

Fill your glass with ice, and juice 1/2 of the lime or lemon into the glass. If you like more tart limeade, add more juice to taste. Add about 3-4 tablespoons of the syrup, or to your personal sweet tooth. Fill with cold water to the top of the glass. Stir well (the syrup likes to stay at the bottom of the glass until stirred), garnish if you wish, and serve!

Close your eyes, and you'll instantly be transported to Provence...

So, so, good.