Let the refreshing flavors of midwinter feed both body and spirit with recipes for fragrant rosemary-fir muffins filled with tart rose hip and grapefruit curd! Make an extra batch of “Vitamin C Potion” for delicious breakfast drinks as well. Watch how food can heal you.

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How many mid-winter sunsets have you seen in your life? How often do you wake up in soft darkness to sit and watch the colors shift and the shadows shrink, white snow glowing with the reflection of a colorful sky? Can you picture apricot clouds and grapefruit sunbursts, the warm palette of sunrise contrasting with blue-tinted shadows below? In the summer, one must get up awfully early to catch such a spectacular show. But in the middle of winter, sunrises become more attainable and precious as we treasure every drop of sunlight we can get. I hope you take a moment, at least once this season, to sit with the sunrise in peace and soak it all in. Perhaps it will transport you to memories of winter morning magic. 

One minute I am staring out the window at the sunlight filtering through the frost-covered rosebush outside my window, bright red hips sparkling. The next, I’m ensconced in a memory from my childhood: 

It’s early in the morning a few days before Christmas, and my sister and I are carried out to the car in our pajamas, still bundled up in our blankets. In our groggy, half-asleep state, the world appears blurry and soon we are snuggled into the backseat of a pre-heated car, as cozy as can be. I slowly start to wake with the sun, blearily blinking through the pre-dawn glow to watch the sunrise over the changing landscape. Once my sister and I are both awake, out come the breakfast treats - homemade muffins, or a stop at a bakery on the way for a giant cinnamon roll. 

Roadtrips were a big part of our holidays as we often traveled to far-flung relatives to share in their celebrations. I vaguely remember the boredom of so many hours in the car or the grumpy afternoons when we’d all had a bit too much “family time.” But more than that, I remember those magical mornings and the steps my parents took to infuse the experience with magic, anticipation, and love. 

It’s those little rituals that seed themselves in our hearts and our memories. Little acts of care to make us feel special. Little wonders and pleasures like snuggling into a warm car and waking up to a “special occasion” breakfast treat. Simple acts of thoughtfulness and intention, easy to do if you just remember to. 

These delicious muffins are in honor of anticipation-filled early winter mornings. They are dusted with powdered sugar to match newly-fallen snow and decorated with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs like the frost-bedecked branches sparkling outside. The muffins themselves have the aromatic and savory fragrance of rosemary and fir needles, which perfectly compliment the tart surprise inside: grapefruit and rose-hip curd, the color of a winter sunrise. As a bonus, the extra juice leftover from the curd can be saved to make sunrise orange juice filled with a boost of vitamin C (and maybe some champagne for the grown-ups, too!) 

The inspiration for the grapefruit and rose hip curd came from my dear friend Devon’s new book, The Herbalist’s Healing Kitchen. I love the premise for this book, that the line between food and medicine is blurry, and that hearty meals and even sweet treats can provide more than just food on the table - they can bring healing as well. Devon is a knowledgeable herbalist as well as a close friend of mine. We often chat back-and-forth about baking projects, foraging adventures, and funny stories. She’s a down-to-earth homesteader who always leaves a bit of room for magic, and our friendship is rooted in our mutual love of plants, especially wild ones. I can’t tell you how many times Devon has comforted me in crisis or supported me in crazy ideas. She’s given me gentle advice and is a constant source of inspiration (and funny jokes.) Even though she has a literal homestead to run, she has put a tremendous amount of energy into writing books she can (and should) be proud of. 

I absolutely love reading her  books because it’s like having her in the kitchen with me. I can hear her voice through her writing, glib humor and all. I may be biased, but The Herbalist’s Healing Kitchen is one of my favorite books I have read in the last year or so. Knowing that each recipe is infused with healing ingredients infuses them with a sort of grounded magic and makes me want to try ALL of them. It would be a wonderful holiday gift or a treat for yourself as well, with recipes from stomach-soothing saffron candy to zesty and immune-boosting fermented cranberry salsa to cookies specifically for lactating mothers. Devon’s writing style is conversational; she explains how the ingredients affect your body in a way that is easy to understand AND easy to put into practice. Someday I hope I can share a plate of these muffins with her in person!

Grapefruit and Rose Hip Curd

I love this fresh new take on traditional citrus curds. I love sour flavors, and both grapefruit and rose hips provide a great dose of vitamin C in the middle of winter! This resulting curd is delicious in desserts, pastries, or spread onto an English Muffin. 

I based my recipe on Devon’s, but made a bigger batch of “Vitamin C Potion” to mix into winter drinks! You can make this recipe several days ahead and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use it. (Be careful, though, as jars of such deliciousness tend to disappear quickly…) 

Ingredients: 

1 c.  fresh ruby grapefruit juice

3 Tbs. dried rose hips

1 Tbs. dried spruce tips 

½ c. pure cranberry juice

1 ½ c. sugar

2 Tbs. grapefruit zest

6 egg yolks

½ c. butter

Directions: 

1. Combine the grapefruit juice, rose hips, spruce tips, and pomegranate juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then allow to sit for at least 20 minutes to infuse. Strain. Add the sugar and heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool, then measure out ¾ c. of this liquid for the curd and reserve the rest for a drink (below.) 

2. Add the syrup to a small saucepan along with the egg yolks, zest, and butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. (This should take about half an hour; you want to notice a trace in the mixture from your spoon or whisk.) 

3. Strain the hot curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin forming and refrigerate. Once the curd has cooled completely, it is ready to be eaten! 

Candied Cranberries and Rosemary

This optional garnish really dresses up both the Winter Sunrise Tonics and the Muffins. Make them ahead of time so they have time to dry! To make, add ¼ c. sugar and ¼ c. water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has thickened and started to bubble. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then add raw cranberries and sprigs of rosemary, gently stirring to make sure they are all covered. Strain everything through a sieve to remove excess syrup, then place the cranberries and rosemary on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet  to drip off any leftover syrup. Let sit for about 10 minutes (until the syrup on the surface is tacky), then roll the berries in granulated or sparkling sugar. Spread out on a cooling rack or piece of parchment paper to dry further. Repeat the process with the rosemary, being careful not to let it clump together. After about an hour of drying, you can store the sugared treats in the fridge until you’re ready to use them (though I would recommend using them right away, if possible!) 

Winter Sunrise Tonic: 

(This will make about 4 glasses)

Ingredients: 

Remaining syrup from recipe above 

4 c. fresh orange juice, chilled

Optional: champagne 

Grapefruit slices and sugared cranberries or rosemary, to garnish

Directions: 

1. Pour the chilled orange juice into 4 glasses. Add 2 oz of champagne to each, if you’re making mimosas. 

2. Gently pour the grapefruit syrup over the back of a spoon to get it to move down the side of the glass and settle at the bottom to create the layers. Serve, garnished with a grapefruit slice and some candied rosemary. 

Winter Morning Muffins: 

Is there anything better on a winter morning than a warm, aromatic muffin with a surprise in the middle? The sweetness of these muffins is slightly tempered with the addition of fresh rosemary and fir needles. They’re as refreshing as a new winter morning! Top each muffin with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and some frosted cranberries and rosemary for a lovely presentation. 

Ingredients: 

Grapefruit rosehip curd, above

1 Tbs. Minced rosemary

2 tsp. Minced fir needles

2 tsp. citrus zest

1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour

⅔ c. sugar

½ tsp. Baking soda

¼ tsp. Salt

½ c. melted butter

1/3 c. milk

2/3 c. yogurt

2 eggs? (recipe says 1)

1 tsp. Vanilla extract 

Powdered sugar, for serving

Candied cranberries and rosemary, for serving

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together the herbs, zest, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cooled melted butter, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla until smooth. 

3. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and mix just until combined (lumps are fine!) 

4. Fill each muffin tin ½ full, then carefully add ½ Tbs. curd to the middle of each muffin, keeping the scoop centered. Top with more batter to fill each muffin ¾ full. 

5. Bake for 15-20 (or 25?)  minutes, or until the tops are slightly browned and bounce back if you press them. Allow to cool in their pan for at least 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and top with sugared cranberries and rosemary. 

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