Rewarding curiosity and gifting magic all over the Pacific Northwest
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This blog is an exploration of daily magic, featuring wild plants, creative recipes, meaningful ceremonies, and writings about our shared humanity. 

Welcome to the Blog!

Welcome to the Wondersmith's Writings! Here you can find magical recipes featuring foraged ingredients, musings on food and ceremony, and meaningful rituals to explore your own everyday magic. Though I have been focused on other writing pursuits, I am keeping all of my blog content up as a resource for you. You can use the search bar below to find what you are looking for. (Please note that sometimes you need to refresh the page to see the search results.) Happy reading! If you'd like to support my goal to spread magic far and wide, consider contributing to my patreon program!

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Secret Recipe: Chuckleberry Bounce

New to foraging? Learn more about ethical and safe foraging (plus how to get started) here!

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Is there anything that sounds quite so delightful the title “Chuckleberry Bounce”? Perhaps, but I have to admit it fills me with total glee! It’s derived from a particular laugh-filled “jam session” with two close friends (which, in my circles, means making fruit preserves AND singing awkwardly in the kitchen.) The cherry-huckleberry flavor was our absolute favorite, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint here! Bounce is a relic of the past, a boozy cherry infusion that was reportedly Martha Washington’s favorite. It’s easy to see why - it tastes vibrantly of cherries and huckleberries, with just a hint of sweetness. It’s a mellow drink that would taste great straight on on the rocks. Plus, it’s a beautiful ruby red! I’m not sure why it’s called “bounce” but my assumption is because bounce-dancing to shake up the jar is an important part of the process ;)

To elevate a tasty liquor into a lovely cocktail, I also developed this recipe for cocktail cherries! Their maraschino cousins don’t hold a candle to these beauties. They have an intense (real) cherry flavor and slight tartness. They’re slightly chewy and still hold the crispness of a fresh cherry. They’d make a wonderful gift or treat to pull out for special gatherings. I’ve used pie cherries for both because I love the flavor, but you could substitute sweet cherries for a more mellow and sweet flavor in either recipe.

Find the rest of this post and the Secret Recipe over on Patreon.com/thewondersmith!

Huge thanks to my Patrons that make sharing all of these lovely posts with you possible (without all of the pop-ups and ads that make browsing other blogs so annoying). If you’re feeling generous, you too can support the wonder with a monthly contribution of your choice. Even $1 helps a lot! Your donation will help to fund this blog as well as my surprise free events and gifts for strangers. Learn more about this program at the link below:

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