Our First Meeting

We met 9/30 at Jeanne's house. It felt more like a retreat than a home! Marie opened the meeting by sharing Blackberry wine by Orchard Mountain Premium. Wonderful! I made an appetizer - onion thyme tart. Marie brought fig, olive and walnuts on goat cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar and placed on her homemade bread - yum-.........and that was how we started the meeting! We discussed how we wanted the meetings to run and what should or shouldn't go on the blog. We also discussed whether to rename the group. IF there is another group by this name PLEASE let me know. I couldn't locate it via goggle or yahoo. We discussed maybe one actually having more people from various areas get involved or subdividing into "chapters" - so the name is as big as our dream! (I voted Ohio herb club and naturally I was told "no".)
Jeanne made a great vegatable beef soup with bay leaves and served BAY LEAF chocolate pudding. Kathy made a delicious lemon tea bread- featuring lemon balm, lemon verbena and lemon thyme (Recipe to follow). We discussed 3 herbs: thyme, bay leaves and lemon balm. We also discussed upcoming events like 10/13-14 at Lewis Mtn. Herbs and the Black Walnut festival in Oct. up near Oxford.
I gave everyone a sample of Arbonne's herbal soak and enjoyed the spider crawling down my shoulder as I read off the ingredients. Really gave that "natural" feel to it all.......
Marie brought Benedictine (which is the "other B" in a B&B mixed drink). She explained that thyme is the principle ingredient and the history of the beverage. She also explained the medicinal benefits of drinking it.
Our next meeting is 11/11/07 at 2pm at Kathy's. Kathy will be presenting Comfry and Calendula- medicinal herbs and Marie is teaching us how to make cinnamon ornaments. Jeanne and I will supply cinnamon based appetizer and dessert.