Tag Archives: sweetgrass

Strawberries and Sweetgrass

 “Tables and benches had been raised outside the pavilions, piled high with sweetgrass and strawberries and fresh-baked bread.” -A Game of Thrones

Strawberries and Sweetgrass | Inn at the Crossroads

 Strawberries & Sweetgrass

Thoughts:

The first taste of summer, for me, has always been strawberries. If there were a way to further improve upon their juicy goodness, this incredibly simple recipe is it. Each flavor enhances that of the strawberries without treading too heavily. Both lemongrass and ginger are distinct, but work together to compliment the basic goodness of fresh fruit, making strawberries and sweetgrass a winning dessert in my book.

Served alongside a glass of iced mead or cider, this is an instant favorite for warm summer evenings on the porch, or for a winning contribution to a picnic.

Strawberries & Sweetgrass Recipe

Total Prep Time: 10 minutes            Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup mead or hard cider
  • 1 tsp. grated ginger
  • 1 Tbs. minced lemongrass
  • 1 lb. strawberries

Combine all ingredients except the strawberries in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for just long enough for the honey and mead to meld together, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Prepare the strawberries by removing the leafy tops, and slice into a large bowl in an assortment of shapes and sizes. Pour the sauce over the sliced fruit and toss to coat. Serve either at room temperature, or chilled. It is especially good with a glass of the same mead or cider with which you made the sauce.

Goat with Sweetgrass, Firepods, and Honey

Medieval Goat

“She brought back a haunch of goat and a basket of fruits and vegetables.  Jhiqui roasted the meat with sweetgrass and firepods, basting it with honey as it cooked…”  -A Storm of Swords

Modern Goat

Thoughts:

The argument was fierce over which of these dishes was better.   Although different, both were very good.  The metal skewers allowed the meat to cook perfectly so it was very tender, leaving all judgment hanging on the marinade.

The medieval goat dish was succulent and flavorful.    The garlic, salt, and pepper are a tried and true combination, and one that in this case really complimented the slight gaminess of the goat.  While it was tasty, it struck several of us as generically medieval (if such a thing is even possible).  This dish seemed more appropriate to the clansmen in the Mountains of the Moon than the nomadic Dothraki.

In contrast, the modern dish made me feel like a princess on the plains of Vaes Dothrak.  I could practically smell the sweat of horses and feel the wind blowing through grass tents.  This dish had an exotic feel that was lacking in the medieval version, and that, for me, made the difference.  The complexity of the ingredients, and the interplay of sweet, tart, savory and spicy is lovely, and I found myself tempted to lick the plate at the end of the meal.

Bottom line?  Medieval if you want medieval, Modern if you want Dothraki.

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