JSP May Newsletter

Posted on by Peony

We have started this newsletter so that you can keep up to date with what is happening here on the flower farm, and so we can provide you with some information about what happens behind the scenes. There will be special offers, exclusive member-promotions, and most importantly, first dibs on products when they come available! 

 

 

What have we been up to this month? 

We had a wonderful time at Moutere Artisan Day last month, and we are pleased with how our new products have been received. We are happy to announce that they are now available for everyone! If you’d like to get your hands on some, we even have a 30% off sale to celebrate their launch. There are 3 products that we launched: Peony Hand and Body Soap, Peony Hydrosol Body Mist, and our Saffron spice.

To learn more about these products, click here.

Our Saffron harvest has come to an end. We had a bit of a funny season, timing wise. We have 2 plots of saffron planted on our property, and there was a 10 day difference between their seasons. I will be doing some research as to why this was - any ideas? Send us an email.

Interesting note: we have discovered a few of our saffron plants are putting up white flowers. How cute are they? The contrast between the white petals and the bright red stigma is stunning.

If you want to try cooking with Saffron, click here to buy some. See the recipe below for ideas!

Recipe: Cream Cheese + Saffron Brownies

If you came to see us on Moutere Artisan day, you would have tried these brownies. By popular demand, we have decided to give you the recipe so you can make these at home.

I love making (and eating!) brownies, and these are some of the best. Saffron has a sweet and earthy flavour profile, and it is complimented well by the richness in the chocolate. The addition of the saffron and cream cheese lifts the brownie from something very sweet, to something pushing the edge of savoury. This is perfect if your sweet tooth is not the biggest, or if you’re just feeling something a bit on the savoury side.

***If you have a preferred brownie recipe, you can use it instead of the base brownie recipe here - however, if you are planning on doing this it is important that your brownie is not overly sweet as this can overpower the saffron. 

Ingredients - Brownie
400g dark chocolate, baking
200g butter
½  cup white sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions - Brownie Mix: 

  1. Melt the chocolate and 200g butter together until completely combined. 
  2. Set aside and let cool. (make the cream cheese mix while you wait).
  3. Beat 4 eggs in a large bowl at medium speed.
  4. Gradually add sugar, beating well.
  5. Add in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat the mixture until well blended. 
  6. Fold in pecans (if desired).
  7. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold into the chocolate batter until combined.
Construction: 
  1. Reserve 3 cups chocolate batter; spread remaining batter evenly in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. 
  2. Pour saffron cream cheese mixture over batter and spread evenly. 
  3. Top with reserved 3 cups chocolate batter; swirl mixture with a knife.
  4. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
  5. Let cool completely, then cut brownies into squares. Dig in and enjoy!

Ingredients - Saffron Cream Cheese
50g butter
250g cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Saffron threads 
(this is about 0.25g: you can buy some here)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Directions - Cream Cheese Mix

  1. Beat the cream cheese and 50g (melted) butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. 
  2. Gradually add sugar, beating well until combined. 
  3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended. 
  4. Stir in vanilla and saffron. 
  5. Fold in flour and set aside.

If you make these, let us know how they turned out! You can tell us what you think on social media here or send us an email to paeonies@viewfield.co.nz 

 

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Currently Available for Purchase: 
           30% off all soaps and hydrosol products! Discount valid until 5th of June

  • Peony Soap -  available in Sarah Bernhardt, Festiva Maxima, Inspecteur Lavergne, and Gardeners (mixed, with coffee grounds for some extra exfoliation). Click here to buy!
  • Peony Body Spray - available in Sarah Bernhardt, Festiva Maxima, Inspecteur Lavergne, and Mixed. Click here to buy!
  • Saffron. This is available in 1 gram and 5 gram amounts. We recommend 1 gram packs for personal use, and 5 gram for commercial use. You can buy yours here!