Celebrate the Holidays with Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup!

The Wild Hibiscus Flower Company is a small family owned & operated firm run by a passionate team in Sydney, Australia. Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup are the original creation of Lee Etherington who invented the product 11 years ago in 1997.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers are unique in all the world and are now sold in 30 countries across the globe through retailers as prestigious as Harvey Nichols in London, Citarella in New York, Galerie Lafayette in Paris, and Passiflora in Hillsdale, NY.

Happy Holidays 

from 

Passiflora Home!

Here are a few of our Favorite recipes for you to play with during your Holiday Festivities.  If you are inspired and have your own recipes, please share them with us and we will post them here. 

Hibiscus, Warm Brie and Almond Crostini

24 servings

 

1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

(reserve the syrup)

8 oz. Brie

1 baguette, sliced diagonally

3/4 cup sliced almonds, with skin

Garnish: snipped chives or fresh thyme

 

 

Preheat oven to 450° F. Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in half.  Cut brie into 1/4-inch-thick slices sized to cover about three quarters of a baguette slice. Spread the almonds in a flat dish. Press brie firmly onto the bread slices then, face down, into the almonds.  Place crostini right side up on baking sheet and bake until brie is soft, bread is crispy, and nuts are lightly toasted, about 4 to 6 minutes.  Right before serving, top each one with a hibiscus flower, drizzle lightly with reserved syrup and garnish with a touch of herbs.

 

Tip:  To thicken hibiscus syrup, bring to a boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until syrup is reduced by 1/3 or coats the back of a spoon. Syrup will thicken more as it cools.

 

 

Hibiscus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

4 to 6 starter servings

1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

1 tsp. poppy seeds

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper

6 cups mixed salad greens (about one 5-oz bag)

1 large orange, peeled and diced

Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in quarters, set aside.

Combine the poppy seeds, mustard and cider vinegar in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved syrup.  Whisk in the olive oil and season to taste.  Add the greens to the dressing and gently toss. Divide among plates and scatter with orange pieces and hibiscus flowers. Serve immediately.

Save remaining syrup to add to cocktails or lemonade.

Grilled Chicken & Hibiscus Skewers with Sassy Ginger Dipping Sauce

4 skewers

 

1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

1 Tbsp. finely minced or grated fresh ginger

1/2 to 1 tsp. hot sauce

3 green onions (scallions)

1 to1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 32 pieces

Vegetable oil as needed

Salt and pepper

4 metal skewers or 10" heavy wood skewers soaked in water

Drain hibiscus flowers, reserving syrup in a small bowl.

To make the dipping sauce: Mix ginger and hot sauce into the reserved syrup.

Trim and cut each green onion into 4 pieces. Thread each skewer as follows: 2 pieces of

chicken, 1 piece of green onion, then 1 hibiscus flower*; repeat twice; then finish with 2

pieces of chicken. Lightly brush skewers with oil and season to taste with salt and

pepper.

Preheat grill to medium-high. Cook skewers until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5

minutes per side. Drizzle skewers with dipping sauce and serve extra on the side.

*Cut one flower in half if needed; jars contain approximately 11–12 flowers.

Hibiscus Berry Sundae

4 servings

This sundae is also excellent built on a slice of angle food or pound cake.

1 jar Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

1 pint vanilla ice cream

1 cup fresh raspberries or quartered strawberries

Whipped cream

Chopped pistachio nuts (optional)

Drain hibiscus flowers and reserve syrup. Cut each flower in half.

Scoop ice cream into 4 bowls. Scatter with berries and then drizzle with the hibiscus

syrup. Top with a pouf of whipped cream and scatter with hibiscus flowers and nuts.

Serve immediately

HIBISCUS VODKA

1 quart vodka

Rind of 1/2 lemon 

1/4 - 1/3 cup Hibiscus Syrup

Rose water (available at Indian and specialty grocers)

First, pour yourself a nice stiff shot of the vodka and enjoy it while you prepare the lemon peel. Remove as much of the white as possible. Add it, the Hibiscus Syrup, lemon rind and a few drops of rose water (if desired) to the bottle of vodka. Close bottle tightly, shake gently and allow to stand at room temperature for one week or more. Shake the bottle form time to time when the mood strikes you. When ready to serve, strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter and serve chilled or over ice. Makes 1 quart.

Variations: Use the rind of 1/2 orange in place of the lemon. Or go nuts and add a few allspice berries or red peppercorns to the bottle. A tablespoon or so of good wild honey (clover, orange flower or acacia) is also delicious.

Strawberry-Hibiscus Granita

+ingredients

• 1 sprig basil leaves for garnish
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled, quartered, plus 1 1/2 cups diced strawberries for garnish
• 6 Wild Hibiscus Flowers and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (or more) syrup (nectar)
• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

• Ingredient info:
  Agave syrup is available at natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

preparation

Blend quartered strawberries in a blender until finely puréed. Transfer to a large bowl; add Hibiscus Floers and syrup, and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season to taste, adding more lime juice and syrup, if desired.

Pour strawberry and Hibiscus mixture into a 13x9x2" metal pan and freeze until top layer begins to harden, about 2 hours. Using a fork, scrape mixture to break frozen portions into tiny pieces. Freeze for 30 minutes; scrape again. Repeat until granita resembles fluffy shaved ice, about 4 hours.

Divide among bowls. Garnish with basil leaves and diced strawberries.

A Floral Appetizer

Strain 1 jar of Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup.  Save the Syrup for some of these other fantastic recipes.  Add a dried apricot in the bottom of the hibiscus flower.

Chop some candied ginger

Add some on top.

Not leaving well enough alone, mix equal parts of cream cheese and goat cheese together and toss in some of the sweet and peppery chopped ginger.

A green Pepita on top adds the perfect touch.

Yum...a visual and tasty delight.

As they reach toward the sun, these floral buds can enliven a cheese board, salad or stand on their own as an appetizer as they transition us into the glory of summer. Bon appetit!

Wild Hibiscus Flowers got their start when founder Lee Etherington  “playfully” (read: drunkenly) dunked a wildflower into his flute of champagne and was smitten with the results.  We used prosecco, rather than champagne, but the results were similar.  As the flower rests at the bottom of the glass, the bubbles run across the surface, causing the petals to slowly unfurl.  Although it looked great, we found that using the flowers in this way didn’t really contribute any flavor to the drink, with the exception of eating the prosecco soaked flower itself.  It’s texture was similar to fruit leather; it had a flavor somewhere between raspberry and cranberry, not bad at all.  

With that in mind, we tried a second version, this time adding a splash of the syrup to our drink.  This sweetened up the dry prosecco, and turned it into a proper cocktail, with a sweet yet tart flavor that evoked thoughts of vitamin c.

Wild Hibiscus flowers certainly make for an impressive looking garnish!

ADAM & EVE MARTINI

Our Wild pink version of the apple-tini - playful & super smooth! Whilst lee would like to take credit for this one it was first mixed by his wife Jocelyn using some left over apple puree commissioned from 6 month old daughter Lily... Subsequent testing with normal apple puree proved that baby food gives a much smoother result on the palate for this cocktail.

2 oz vodka

3 oz apple puree (baby food is smoothest!)

1 oz wild hibiscus flower syrup

Wild Hibiscus Flower, cherry & chopstick for garnish

Stuff Wild Hibiscus Flower with cherry, skewer from side with chopstick for garnish

Shake together ingredients on ice

Strain into glass

Lay chopstick over the glass

The Forbidden fruit... the Wild Flower...

(& the skewered cherry! LOL) from the Garden of Eden - Enjoy.

Umbrellas at Passiflora!

Whether you like the masters or prefer a more contemporary style of art, 
Galleria Umbrellas has a large collection of designs to fit your needs, 
while never sacrificing quality.

Available in the Auto-Stick Umbrella with wooden one-piece shaft/handle & unbreakable fiberglass ribs and the Auto Open/Close Super Mini Umbrella with unbreakable fiberglass ribs and packaged in a gift box.

There are many styles to choose from.  Make your dreary days cheery with these delightful umbrellas.  They will lift your spirits!

Here are a few of the Umbrellas that we have arriving this week.

 

Stay Dry!

Check Out Sol Flower Farm!

This is something we definitely think you should check out!
We are participating and
are very excited about this Summer!

Sol Flower Farm is a diverse market garden and CSA that specializes in growing high quality and sustainable produce and cut flowers. Located 2 hours north of NYC in Ancramdale, NY, the farm serves the greater Hudson Valley and Berkshires. Sol Flower has found its loving home on land leased from Jerry and Iva Peele of Herondale Farm. The farm setting is one of pure beauty with the river and hills surrounding our fields. With the meats of Herondale and amazing produce from Sol Flower, they have created a healthy, beautiful and sustainable farm for our families and community.

Meet the Farmer!

Sol Flower Farm is managed by Andy Szymanowicz, who has been farming organically for 10 years. After spending time farming in Northern California Andy is happy to be back in his native state of NY. The farm land, culture and rain are a few of his favorite things about growing on the East Coast. Andy’s love of working with the land and celebrating beauty is a driving force in the creation of his sustainable farm.



Growing Practices

Sol Flower Farm is deeply dedicated to sustainable agriculture. It is most important for us grow safe, healthy, nutritious food and flowers for your families and ours. The health of our soil, plants and water are equally beneficial for building our systems.

Our soil is amended each year with Biodynamic compost made on the farm from Herondale's animals. With the compost we are building organic matter and adding fertility. We covercrop our fields with legumes and grains to protect against winter erosion, add nitrogen and organic matter. With crop rotation we are preventing unwanted pest, breaking up weed cycles and fostering nutrients.

It takes a team of strong, motivated and passionate people to grow our food and flowers. At Sol Flower we are tending to our crops and community in cooperation with nature.



Are we Organic?

Some history……

Organic farming is a holistic, ecologically-balanced approach to agriculture. The word Organic was coined by Lord Northbourne in 1940 when the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and mechanical advances where changing the way food was grown. Chemicals were introduced to farming as early as the late 1800s and their use escalated drastically in the post WWll era. Chemicals that had once been used for warfare were reissued for agricultural purposes. When people became aware of the harmful effects of industrialized agriculture they turned to indigenous cultures for their knowledge of natural farming. Emphasis was placed on the famer’s role to guide and balance the interaction of animals, plants and soil. The rise of Organic farming was driven by small, independent producers and supported by educated consumers. In the 1970s the organic movement encouraged consumption of locally grown food using the slogan “know your farmer, know your food” and gained momentum in the market place. In recent years the explosive growth of the organic market has seen the participation of large, wealthy agricultural businesses that have greatly lowered its standards. As the volume of “Organic” products increases, the viability of the small farm is at risk and the meaning of organic farming as an agricultural method is diluted.

Sol Flower Farm has decided not to participate in the organic certification program. We believe our methods of farming go beyond USDA standards. We are proud to call our products “beyond organic” or “sustainably grown”. We take the farmers pledge offered by NOFA www.nofany.org (Northeast Organic Farming Association) to ensure our customers of our commitment to growing safe, delicious, healthy food.

We believe a direct connection with our customers is the road to a long and bountiful relationship.

“Know the hand that feeds you.”, Michael Pollan

www.Truefoodnow.org

CSA Program

Download the 2010 CSA Agreement Form

What is CSA? Community supported agriculture.
Community Supported Agriculture is a partnership between a farmer and his community. The CSA concept was brought to the US in the mid 80’s and started on a farm right here in the Berkshires. From there the idea has spread and is now connecting communities to over 1,800 farms in the country. The idea of becoming a member and sharing in the realities and rewards that come with farming is a new vision for agriculture. The concept is easy – supporters of the farm buy a share of the harvest by becoming a member. Then each week of the growing season the members come to the farm or to a drop of site and pick up their share of the harvest. The money members pay up front gives us the needed cash to get the farm up and running. The farmer is then dedicated to growing the highest quality vegetables and flowers for the members. It is a great way to become connected to the farm and eat the freshest produce available.

Optional Flower Share: We offer shares of our gorgeous flower harvest. From the end of June to the beginning of October a bouquet will be ready for you to take home with your vegetables. We grow over 50 varieties of flowers and the bouquets are beautifully designed with a generous number of stems.

PYO pick your own vegetables We plant crops for you to pick too! Beans, Peas, Herbs and Cherry tomatoes are available in our fields close to the farm shop. A great way for the whole family to get involved!

Where and when do I pickup my share? Pick up is at the Herondale Farm shop at 90 Wiltsie Bridge Road in Ancramdale, NY on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1p.m.

How much does it cost? The cost for a 22 week share is $550. (Delivered share is $590.) The 14 week flower share is $140. Payment in full is preferred, but we will accept payment in two installments; the first half at the time of sign up and the balance by May 1st. We offer a 5% discount to those who sign up for both produce and flower shares and who pay in full in advance.

How do I sign up? Click here to complete the CSA Agreement Form. Mail your completed form, and payment made to Sol Flower Farm, to 90 Wiltsie Bridge Road, Ancramdale, NY 12503.

How about Volunteering? Tuesday is volunteer day. We encourage all of our members to come to the farm and dig in with us! Jobs we might need help with are weeding, harvesting, washing and packing. Just give us a call to let us know you'll be coming.

What else is in the Farm shop? Herondale farm shop is stocked with fresh meats, eggs, cheese and other local products. It’s a one stop shop for your local needs.

Visit www.herondalefarm.com for more information.


What's in a Share?

Each week we harvest a mix of vegetables fresh from our fields. We think the share feeds 2-4 people depending upon diet. The share contains 5 to 18 pounds of food (14 lbs. on average).

Optional: Flower share We offer shares of our gorgeous flower harvest. From the end of June to the beginning of October a bouquet will be ready for you to take home with your vegetables. We grow over 50 varieties of flowers and the bouquets are beautifully designed with a generous number of stems.

PYO pick your own vegetables We plant crops for you to pick too! Beans, Peas, Herbs and Cherry tomatoes are available in our fields close to the farm shop. A great way for the whole family to get involved!

Crops you might find in your share:

Cut Flowers

Sol Flower Farm cultivates over 50 varieties of sustainably grown flowers. We offer everything from Alliums, Larkspur and Delphinium in the spring to Sunflowers, Salvias, Dahlias, Zinnias, Snapdragons, and Ornamental Grasses in the summer. To celebrate autumn we harvest the most amazing decorative squashes, pumpkins, and gourds. We are available for private events and weddings using our sustainably grown flowers. We offer exquisite designs featuring the seasons most beautiful cuts. Our attention to detail, from seed to bloom, allows us to create unforgettable arrangements.

Check out our wedding and events photos, which will be added soon.

Contact Us

Farmers markets You can find us at the Millbrook farmers markets on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our booth is piled high with our bountiful harvest.

Farm Store Come on by the Herondale Farm store at 90 Wiltsie Bridge Road in Ancramdale, NY. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10a.m. to 5p.m. You will find our products along with Herondale's meats and poultry. Local products such as cheese, honey, and fruit are also available.

eMail: Solflowerfarm@gmail.com
phone: Andy (518) 567-1951

90 Wiltsie Bridge Road
Ancramdale, NY 12503

Let's Grow!!!