Ab Rab Blab

  During my years living in Manhattan, our neighborhood offered a Chinese Restaurant named Six Happiness. My New York partner mentioned that he thought the true meaning behind the name was Seeks Happiness. I am uncertain, yet to this day I've always found joy in the words 'six happiness'.  There is also an expression, 'money can't buy happiness'. Do we really know if that's true? Money can buy good health care, education, opportunites, even a reliable car.  Money can provide us with travel, healthy food, new clothes, and a beautiful home. Yet if money is the key to happiness, why are...

Hibiscus Flowers are a cooling choice for summer tea, a great infusion for skincare products, and can even be used as a natural dye as it turns waters into a vibrant shade of ruby red When choosing your hibiscus flowers, look for the whole flower, organic and deep in color. JANE offers a 1 oz sampler of organic Hibiscus flowers. Enough to experiment and infuse your skincare blends and make several cups of sun or moon tea.  Consider making using other spices and flowers in your Hibiscus Tea for added benefits. Cinnamon, Cardamom, Roses, Lavender, Mint and Cloves to create...

The soul of the rose lingers in these places. But how much longer will you be able to smell it? For more than 400 years, since the time of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, the Indian city of Kannauj has been distilling flowers to make perfume.But the industry is in decline. Synthetic perfumes are pushing the distilleries towards closure - and these exquisite scents may soon be lost forever. The Soul of the Rose proclaims Attars are based on nature, not chemicals. "Attars are not cost-effective products. They are expensive to make and few people understand this. Even fewer appreciate their value." -...

On a recent trip to Des Moines, Iowa I stopped into Plain Talk Bookstore in the East Village. I saw a sign that said LAVENDER LATTE and I knew I had to give it a taste. It was over the lavender moon delicious! Since I keep a generous supply of lavender flowers on hand I decided to make my own lavender syrup. I mixed and heated 1 cup water, 1 cup of lavender flowers, and 1 Tablespoon of water. Although it was delicious, I prefer maple syrup instead of white sugar in my coffee so I blended my lavender with maple...

ROSE SIMPLE SYRUP This post will show you how to make a delicious Rose Simple Syrup for a delicate, floral sweetener for your next latte, tea, coffee, lemonade or refreshing summer beverage.  Just three ingredients are needed to make this delightfully rosy simple syrup.  2/3 cup Organic Rose Petals - food grade 1 cup Granulated Sugar 1 cup filtered or spring water First, combine the dried roses, sugar and water in a medium saucepan/pot on the stove over medium heat. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Turn heat down to keep at a...