Sunday, July 10, 2011

From berry to ring (and tummy)

The smultron. Or wild strawberry. I had found these occasionally in the Netherlands, where I'm from, but somehow they didn't have that smultron flavor. Only when I came to Sweden, and was prepared not to like them (as opposed to every body else here; saying you don't care for smultron is like blasphemy), I found out what they Could taste like. It's hard to describe the flavor if you haven't tasted it. It has hints of strawberry but is much more aromatic.
There is nothing like picking smultron on a warm summer's day. You stand there in the sun leaning forward and the warm sweet scent washes over you. They are tiny but even so I managed to fill an entire bowl the other day. Doesn't this look great:
John and I divided the harvest and had them with vanilla ice cream. Yummy.

For my jewelry I use a different part of the plant. When a strawberry plant sends out runners, the first leaves that come are these tiny tiny strawberry leaves. Here is a close-up:
I take these and paint several layers f metal clay paste on them, and after drying and firing they are silver leaves. I use them as details on for instance rings, like on this strawberry ring below:

7 comments:

  1. I have those here too esme! yummy!

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  2. So sweet!
    I should play with my metal clay again... so many things to do and learn!

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  3. Esme, I am wondering if these are the same as out Thimbleberries, or our wild strawberries....

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  4. The berries in the top photo look so different than the ones we have here in Massachusetts but the photo of a bowl full made me say "Ah, I know these!" Yum, and your ring is perfect!

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  5. beautiful- both the berries and the ring.

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  6. It's even more gorgeous knowing the story behind the design!
    Kathy

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  7. All the hard work is justified when the finished product is so very beautiful.I love the touch of hue to the silver that sometimes catch monotony.Anniversary gift ideas

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