Sambucus nigra

There is a plant called Sambucus nigra or, as I understand it Black Lace Elder.


This is what one website says about it:


'Looking to add some wow to your garden? Black Lace Elder is unlike any other plant you can put in your garden.'

It is, without a doubt, a beautiful plant. Here is a picture of one which we saw when we visited the Secret Garden in Sandwich (see previous blog):

As we like plants with dark foliage we bought one. That was three years ago.

We have tended it and loved it and watched it develop over the years.

So here it is:

Doesn't quite look as it should, does it?

Maybe the Cornish weather will be kind to it and next year it may look more like the one above.

Talking about things that don't look as the should, I now have a different story.

I don't know whether you have ever been in to Costa (or one of those other coffee shops) and been tempted to have a Biscotti with your Latte.

Biscotti simply means: baked twice.

It is a hard biscuit usually with almonds in it. But it transforms into something gorgeous when you dunk it in your cappuccino. 

Well, since I now have all this spare time, I promised Davina I would make her some. So this week I gave it a try. Its simpler than I thought it would be (there are plenty of recipes on line).

So what happened? well this is what they should look like:

and this is how mine turned out:

Not bad eh?