Wednesday, July 14, 2010

My love of Cassis started young...The champagne came later


My childhood smelled like black currants.  My parents immigrated so everything here was new and unfamiliar.  They had no idea what kool-aid is and anything familiar was embraced and carted home to the small apartment we lived in.


Ribena was familiar as black currant products were and are very popular in Scotland.  While my little Canadian  friends had strawberry kool-aid and Tang, I had black currant juice in my lunch box.  You know the little jelly babies candies?  In Scotland the black ones are actually black currant flavour!  YUM!  Guess which little blondie was digging through the bag looking for the black ones?  Guess which little blondie got quite the shock when she bit into a North American black jelly bean?

My in-laws used to have a huge house on a huge property and the gardens included several black currant bushes....my pantry always had a couple of jars of black currant jam waiting for scones and clotted cream to make their appearance.

When my in-laws were moving we took the opportunity to dig up some of the black currant bushes and transfer them to our house - we planted them here and hoped for the best!


2 years later and this is what I found the other day when I checked on them!  We have 3 bushes and they were all full of beautiful, ripe currants!

I found a Siamese conjoined currant!

Relaxing in their bath!

Drying before going into the freezer!



To be made into my own homemade Cassis.
(Which we all know is best when champagne is poured over it!)


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Have a fabulous day!

18 comments:

Llama said...

Awwww! That is so amazing that you too will be able to share your childhood memory with your family. It is a memory that will be passed down...i love that!
p.s. the "Siamese" current is adorable!! :)

Trish said...

How neat! I would love to taste it.
And I bet you got a HUGE shock when you put that black jelly bean in your mouth....NASTY taste!

Same Sweet Girl: Memoir of a Southern Belle said...

Yum!! That sounds so good! I've never had it before. I'll have to try it now!!!! :D

Silver Strands said...

This totally reminded me of Anne of Green Gables ... wasn't it Black Currant Wine that Anne's friend, Diana got drunk with?!

Those currants look amazing ... how about a pie too?
oxoxo
Denalee

Leslie @ A Blonde Ambition said...

You know, I've never tried Cassis, but I bet it is delish!

Suburban Princess said...

I have no idea how I forgot to mention the champagne! It might have something to do with blogging while watching the 4th hour, chasing the Little Prince, baking cookies and twittering. Hmmmm

Anonymous said...

Mmm I love black currants! Good luck with your "Cassis"! xx

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

And now, you've introduced me to something else I have to taste! (You're getting expensive, you know!)

Southern Champagne Wishes said...

Ewww! Black jelly beans - how horrible for you to get that surprise.

I have never had black currants, but they look delicious! I'm going to have to find some and try them.

Wendy said...

Yum! Having grown up in England, black currants are my favourite things in the world. Someone told me recently that you can buy blackcurrant bushes here for the garden, so I'm looking into it!
Enjoy!!

MommyLisa said...

I LOVE currant anything too. Now I need those jelly babies!

highheeledlife said...

I don't believe I have tried Cassis before - or maybe I have and just did not know what it was. I'll supply the champagne if you bring your homemade Cassis... HHL

MCW said...

I cannot beleive you are going to make your own drink! Very impressive!

Ms. Bake-it said...

Hey! Where are our cookies??? Eewww! I can just imagine your shock when you bit into a black jelly bean! I have not had Cassis in quite a while. I think I shall remedy that this weekend!

~ Tracy

Jaime said...

My nana and papa that live in Canada actually have black current bushes and my nana makes black current jam! I love it!!

Town and Country House said...

How fun to have your own supply of currants, which always make me think of Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail! I hope you make some jam, too!

living well said...

I love Ribena! I had a childhood friend who was from England and I used to love having it at her house!

Mommy Mayhem said...

Wow! Would love to taste it!! I bet you were shocking on that horrible tasting jelly bean!! They are just gross!!
How wonderful it is for you to have dug out something out of your husbands parents house before they sold it. Now you will have two wonderful memories from that tree!