22. Why are we obsessed with Cherry Blossoms
Gossip Amongst Fronds is a free Sunday newsletter. If you love it, consider supporting it financially. For €5/month, you’ll gain access to my sporadic plant advice column, simple seasonal recipe, and occasional podcast where I interview like-minded creatives. Thank you for being here!
Perhaps it is because it is the first sign of spring after the dead of winter. Or the light scent they exude that trickles through spring winds in the parks. Or the beauty of their pinched petals against the sky. Due to the radiant past weeks of sunshine here in Amsterdam, cherry blossoms in all the parks are lined with dainty flowers, providing photo-ops and generally good vibes within the chaos of the world right now. Deep inside Amsterdam Bos (forest), there is a specific area dedicated to Cherry Blossom trees that ignites with life around this time of year. Yesterday Nico and I visited it to enjoy the sun and stick the petals in Lulu’s face, much to her annoyance since we would not let her eat them afterwards.
These 400 trees were planted in 2000 as a gift from the Japanese Women’s Club. Each tree has their own name, either Dutch or Japanese, and all female. Apparently there is an official Hanami Matsuri (which means ‘watching the blossoms’) festival most years but it has been cancelled on and off for the past few, we were unable to find out if there will be one this year. But people were celebrating with their friends and family, enjoying elaborate picnics under the sunlight filtering through the flowering branches.
I would have loved to stay and explore more but it was so packed with people picnicing, children running around and general Saturday evening chaos that Lulu was getting agitated. Especially since we had snuck her in (no pups allowed unfortunately), we felt it best to keep it short and sweet, perhaps we’ll return on a weekday and sans doggo to further explore the 400 trees and have our own picnic.
In Japan, the sakura - cherry blossoms, represent renewal and some Japanese people believe it is linked to human mortality, since life is fleeting, just like the brief flowering period of these beautiful trees. Celebrating the blossoming is a way of celebrating life with your loved ones and relishing in the rebirth energy of springtime.
A couple months ago, when I was reading Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa/Tetsuya Akikawa (great heartwarming tearjerker) one character spoke about the making of cherry blossom tea from the petals every spring. Maybe I live under a rock and everyone is well-versed in cherry blossom tea, or perhaps you are like me and this is the first time you are hearing of it. So I decided to do some stealthy harvesting and try to make this tea at home.
Traditionally, you make the tea with salt-pickled cherry blossoms. Since the blooms only last a week or two, preserving the blossoms in salt and/or ume (plum) brine is a way to extend the season for culinary exploits. Since I wanted to try out the tea sooner rather than later, I just made some tea directly with the fresh blooms and a bit of salt and sugar for the taste. If you have a cherry blossom tree growing in your neighbourhood you can gather a few fallen ones and try this easy recipe at home if you like, or harvest as many as you can and pickle them for future use.
Makes 1 cup of Sakura Tea
2-3 cherry blossoms
1 cup hot water
tiniest pinch of salt
tiniest pinch of sugar
Place the cherry blossoms into a mug and add your pinches, pour hot water on top. steep to taste. enjoy <3
It smells like amaretti cookies and it has a unique almond apricot taste for those wondering, the pinches of salt and sugar really enhance the flavour. I steeped mine for about 8 minutes so I could really taste the magic.
Some things nourishing me this week:
Receiving this nice snail mail <3
The neighbour’s magnolia tree in full bloom
Springtime bouquets featuring a not so keen Elvis
This article entitled “The Joy of Terrible Gardening”
Finger Lime Update
The days are getting longer, it’s easier to wake up earlier, the plants are happier, spring is here and it’s been nice to just walk around exploring the neighbourhood buds, forgetting about the state of the world for a bit. Feeling very lucky to be able to do so. Wishing you all the best and see you next week :) <3
How to help Ukraine <3 <3
Know someone else who loves cherry blossom season?
Still not subscribed?