Blueberry, lavender, lemon posset and a backpacking trip

Finding simple bits of happiness (despite it all)

I have a few simple but scrumptious words this week: blueberry, lavender, lemon. These words feel inspirational while I continue to dehydrate myself in the summer heat (unintentionally, of course). The inspiration for this recipe started with a big hike through the mountains and ended with a dinner party. In this week’s post you will most definitely hear about the big hike; perhaps stay tuned for the part about the dinner party! Without further ado, a lemon posset with blueberry lavender compote. If you don’t know what a posset is all you need to know is that it’s a custardy, creamy, citrusy dessert made with three ingredients and no oven.

Lemon Posset

• 4 c. heavy cream (aka whipping cream)

• 1 c. sugar

• zest of 2 lemons

• 1/2 c. lemon juice (squeezed from the two lemons)

Blueberry Lavender Compote

• 2 c. frozen or fresh blueberries

• 1/2 c. sugar or honey

• optional: 2 sprigs of lavender flowers (probably about 1/4 tsp, I’m sorry I didn’t measure!)

1. I start by making sure I have enough little dishes to portion the possets into. Depending on the size of the dish this recipe will make 6-8; it made 7 for me. I used my Grandma’s pudding cups, but you could use mason jars, small bowls, ramekins, etc.

2. Measure out the cream and sugar into a medium pot. Turn the heat onto medium-low and zest the lemons (making sure to wash them first!). I am not sure the exact amount of zest, but it should be about 2-3 tbsp. Add that to the cream and sugar mixture.

3. Slowly bring this mixture to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Don’t be tempted to turn the heat up too high, cream has a tendency to quickly boil over when it gets too hot!

4. Once the mixture is boiling, turn it down to lowish heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on the simmering.

5. Take off the heat and add the lemon juice. I started with 1/3 c. and tasted as I added for desired sourness. Let this sit for 15 minutes to cool down.

6. Strain the lemon zest out with a mesh strainer. I strained it into a big measuring cup that was easy to pour with.

7. Divide evenly into the dishes from step 1. Carefully transfer these to the fridge to solidify for 1 hour to overnight.

8. While the possets solidify/cool in the fridge, make your compote. Measure out your ingredients and place them in a small pot over medium-low heat. Gently heat until the mixture is simmering. Let it gently simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the mixture to start to thicken and some blueberries to start to break apart. Taste to check the strength of the lavender. Add some extra blueberries and let cook if it’s a little too strong of a lavender flavour!

For the story

I’ve written and rewritten the majority of this post this week in the aftermath of the Jasper wildfires; with thousands of people being displaced from their homes, my heart is weighed down with sadness. Regardless of how useless I feel writing these words from the comfort of my couch, I’m sending thoughts and love to the people of Jasper and to all those affected by the devastation of fire season. I want to offer tangible help - other than donations, how can I do so? A genuine question, if anyone has answers.

In truth, it feels so irrelevant to be writing about my life on the internet during times like these. I went on a backpacking trip with Joe, I made a lemon posset for friends, and now I’ve written about it. As insignificant as it felt to do so, I did my best to bring light to my words this week. I hope these words do their best to bring a little light to you. At the very least I think we could all use a lemon posset right now. Sending love and yummy desserts to all those feeling a bit sad lately.

A couple of weeks ago Joe (boyfriend) and I spent four long but wonderful days walking through the mountains of Banff National Park. We did a lot of walking, ninety kilometres of walking. We walked from Norquay to Skoki Lodge to Lake Louise, a trail known as the Sawback. We walked through kilometres of dark evergreen forests and meadows of dense willow, alongside rushing mountain rivers and through countless streams of snowmelt. We sat on the lichen covered rocks of high mountain passes and alongside alpine lakes nestled among the wildflowers. We saw old park signs and a seemingly abnormal amount of toads (or perhaps they were frogs). We stopped to take pictures of silent warden cabins and to marvel at the jagged, slanting mountains that define the nature of the Sawback Range. I could go on, but maybe you are starting to get the picture?

Sudden inspiration for this backpacking trip hit just over a month ago. Joe and I were lucky enough to quickly pull together a plan. With limited time and limited campsite options we committed ourselves to four fairly big days of hiking. While we knew it would be a difficult, off-the-couch endeavour, I don’t think either of us fully processed the reality of hiking an average of 25 kilometres a day, four days in a row. It challenged us. But it also refreshed us. When all you have to do is walk, eat and sleep, life is pretty good.

Naturally, I wanted to elaborate a little more on the eating part of the trip. I think it might be disappointing to hear that Chef Jen’s fanciest meal in the backcountry consisted of Annie’s mac and pre-cooked sausages (although Annie’s feels pretty fancy after hiking 28 kilometres in 30 degree heat). While we didn’t go crazy with the expert level of each meal, we did go all out on the mass amount of food consumed throughout the trip. Our mornings started with the rising sun, as we packed our campsite and chugged water we were motivated by the promise of hot instant coffee and apple cinnamon oatmeal in a bag. With fresh faces and sore feet we would start walking through the dew-covered bushes, dreaming of second breakfast. This was of course a dynamic protein combo of salty landjaeger meat sticks and chocolaty peanut butter bites. It was typically around 10 kilometres when the sun would start to peek over the mountains and we would increase water and gummy ingestion - call it meltdown prevention. Elevensies (LOTR fans?) were inevitable when the sun turned on full blast and our end destination still felt a long ways away. We sat ourselves in the shade among the mosquitos, refilling our waters and eating a first lunch. I would make Gatorade and Joe would slice summer sausage and aged cheddar to stuff into a wrap with honey mustard pretzels (don’t question this combo). We trudged on. It was at about 21 kilometres into our day when we would knowingly look at each other in shared exhaustion. Sitting in shaded silence we chugged water and passed snacks between us: peanuts, beef jerky, or perhaps a second round of meat and cheese wraps. It was often the final five kilometres of our day that mentally tested us more than we’d like to admit, propelled forward only by the promise of a salty dinner and a lie-down. Arriving at camp each evening brightened my spirit with a renewed sense of joy, a beautiful and temporary home where we could refuel for the night. A dehydrated meal filled our bellies and made our eyelids droop with fatigue. Our evenings weren’t complete without a heavy portion of chocolate and a ice cold creek dip. We would cozy into our sleeping bags with aching legs and wet hair, ready for another coffee and oatmeal breakfast among the solitude of the mountains.

I feel so unbelievably grateful to be able to have filled my days with this sort of simplicity. Eating, walking, eating, walking, eating, sleeping. This trip allowed me to slow down and simplify my surroundings, perhaps similar to my days spent among the plants of the farm. With time, I am becoming more aware of how stimuli in my environment affects my general happiness. There is a lot of significance in the quieting and simplifying of my surroundings. I am back in Vancouver now and I long to be back among the trees and the mountains. The forest quietly exchanges carbon dioxide to oxygen, clearing my brain with each breath. The mountains hum with a powerful energy, calming my anxiety. The wind touches my face, keeping me present. The sound of my bear calls humble me, reminding me of my place as a visitor in this landscape. These surroundings are a stark contrast to the arresting sound of a car horn in traffic or the sullen faces of headphone-clad bus-goers. Rushed and disconnected versus slow and present? I choose the latter. As Joe and I walked away from Skoki Lodge on our fourth and final day of our trip I felt the weight of sadness on my heart. We were leaving the peaceful, comfort of the Skoki Valley for the unrelenting bustle of life just beyond those mountains. I wish I was still meandering through the trees and among the mountains with my best friend by my side. Regardless of my temporary melancholia, I feel so lucky to have been able to do this backpacking trip at all. With the increase in wildfires, the privilege of this hike has not been lost on me. This past month has served as I reminder to practice gratuity for the simple things that make me happy.

As I go back to my everyday task lists and life barrels forward with tragedies and celebrations, I find comfort in knowing where I can find my simple happiness; that source of happiness will always be among the slowness of the Earth. I am no longer in the mountains but I am still able to find a glimmer of this feeling at the UBC Farm. As I spent an evening picking from the abundance of farm blueberries, I was brought back to that simple happiness. I decided to host a dinner party for friends where I could showcase this. Dessert with my freshly picked blueberries and farm-grown lavender was the first thing that crossed my mind. I wanted to give the blueberries credit for their hard work in creating such a simple delicacy, I wanted to practice gratuity for the literal fruits of their labour. Blueberries, lavender, sugar, heavy cream and lemon; simplicity at it’s finest. It feels as though life is rushing past with a lot of sadness, but if this post does anything for you this week I hope it inspires you to slow down and reconnect with the simple things that make you happy. Maybe spend some time with the Earth and then maybe make yourself a little treat that reminds you of the sweetness of life. Perhaps a lemon posset with blueberries?