Author Archives: Carrie Cahill Mulligan

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About Carrie Cahill Mulligan

Park ranger turned fiber artist, out to change the world, one felt hat at a time.

Jennifer’s Rhubarb Tea

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Just when I was nearly out of rhubarb recipes, my friend and fellow League of New Hampshire Craftsman, Jennifer Allen came to the rescue!

Jennifer is the organic gardener and creative force behind Botanical Lampshades.

Jennifer Allen of Botanical Lampshades

Visit Jennifer's studio in Sandwich, NH, & you can design a custom lampshade of your own.

Besides Botanical Lampshades, Jennifer also makes custom MapShades, and is an avid rhubarb enthusiast (did you know there is a Rhubarb Triangle in England?).

Jennifer left this tantalizing recipe on my Facebook hats page:

Jennifer’s Rhubarb Tea

8 cups cut up rhubarb
8 cups water
juice and rind of one lemon or orange
3/4 cup sugar
1 pint mashed strawberries

Cook rhubarb in water til soft. Shut off heat. Add mashed berries, citrus, and sugar, and stir til dissolved. Strain through a fine sieve, and chill. Serve on ice with a stem of fresh mint.

YUM!

Fresh, Juicy Strawberries

Sun-ripened strawberries are a natural pairing with rhubarb.

“Yum” is right! I can hardly wait to try this out myself. Thank you, Jennifer! Full-fledged rhubarb season is nearly upon us, and you can never have too many rhubarb recipes.

Anyone else out there with a yummy rhubarb recipe you’d care to share? I’d love to hear from you…

A Tale of Two Hats – Beth’s Story

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One of the joys of making my felt hats is meeting the wonderful folks who wear them.

Through the years, I have been blessed by return customers who purchase additional hats, either for themselves or as gifts.

Today, I’d like you to meet Beth, who has been particularly supportive of my work.

Beth in the Snow in her 1st CCM felt hat

Beth in her 1st CCM felt hat, cozy despite the snow.

“I was (am) drawn to Carrie’s hats by the yummy colors and gorgeous embroidery.
It was so hard to pick from all the beautiful choices.

I love that each one is handmade from start to finish, and the craftsmanship is exquisite.

When I wear my hat(s), I have no worries about wind, rain, snow or cold. My ears and head are warm, dry and comfy.

Be prepared to receive lots of compliments when you wear these works of art. I agree with Louisa: wearing a CCM felt hat is like putting on an infusion of happiness.”

Beth's Iris Mandala Felt Hat

Beth, cozy in her 2nd felt hat, with French-knot Mandala embroidery.

Thank you, Beth!

Your head is sacred. I’m delighted you choose to wear a CCM felt hat (or two)!

Rhubarb Juice

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Rhubarb can survive on very little care. However, eventually, the plant’s stalks get scrawny, thin and numerous, indicating it’s time to divide the crowns.

I suppose that’s how the previous residents of our house ended up with so much rhubarb. It’s like a botanical Ponzi scheme.

Quinn-dog and old-growth rhubarb patch

Quinn-dog and our super-productive, old-growth rhubarb patch.

If you’re lucky enough to have more rhubarb than you can give away, freeze, or turn into jam and pies, you’ll need another recipe. I have just the thing:

Rhubarb Juice

Add 2 cups water to 4 quarts cut up rhubarb.
Simmer 5 minutes or until rhubarb is soft.
Strain through a cheesecloth.
Add 1 cup sugar to juice and simmer until dissolved.

Yields approximately 1 quart.

(Recipe courtesy the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service.)

I love this sweet & tangy juice. I often mix it with seltzer for a refreshing homemade “soda”, or else add equal parts rhubarb juice and iced tea, to get a New England variety of the beloved Arnold Palmer.

One more tip: when cleaning your rhubarb, be sure not to cut too much off the base of the stalks, since that’s the sweetest part.

Abundant Rhubarb Harvest

This abundant harvest hardly makes a dent in our never-ending rhubarb supply.