Magnolias!
Art making and eating my way through magnolia season
Hello Friend,
Magnolia trees are in full bloom in the Bay Area and I had the good fortune to see them in both San Francisco and Alameda this week.
My first stop was the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park which boasts over 200 Magnolia Trees currently in “peak bloom.” It was a lovely walk through the garden with so many delightful shades of pink! If you’re in the area, I highly recommend it.
Walking around looking at flowers is a hungry business, so naturally, I followed this with a quick visit to the Japanese Tea Garden to enjoy a delicious lunch of udon and edamame.
The next day I headed to Alameda where an impressive number of magnolias can be found on the island, including many that hang over public sidewalks (which, as you may know, means they’re available for urban foraging).
I gathered enough magnolia petals to make magnolia sugar syrup, a key ingredient in Alexis Nikole’s (aka Black Forager) Magnolia Snap Cookies. The petals taste like a cross between ginger and cardamom, and the syrup is delicious. I haven’t made the cookies yet, but am already experimenting with drink concoctions.
And of course, the adventures wouldn’t be complete without some magnolia related art projects:
All in all, it was a Pretty in Pink and Ink kind of week. 😊
xo
Tanya
Magnolias are one of my faves!
They look so lovely! 😍