California Gourmet: Mother Nature’s Magic Grape Cupcakes

'Roger's Red' Grape has great flavor!

Mother
Nature produces an array of interesting and unusual products.  Chemists, engineers, chefs and others continue
to be amazed and inspired by plants. 
Break-through inventions  are created every
year based on plant chemicals!

Some
plant products are nothing short of magical. 
Among these are the chemicals that give plants their colors.  Plant colors are a great way to introduce
children to the fascinating world of science; kids find the colors exciting and
utterly captivating.

Fortunately,
several color ‘experiments’ can be done using plants and equipment common
around the home.  Cheap, simple and safe
are always good, especially in working with children. And when there’s a bit of
magic involved?  Well, that’s the fun of
science!

Among
the most interesting plant colors are the reds and blues.  These are produced by a set of plant
chemicals known as the anthocyanins (pronounced AN-tho-sigh-ANN-ins or an-tho-SIGH-uh-nins).
These are the chemicals that make red cabbage red, grapes purple and the
flowers of old-fashioned snowball bushes (Hydrangeas) turn blue or pink.  

Anthocyanins
change color when exposed to mildly acidic conditions (vinegar; lemon juice) or
alkaline conditions (baking soda).   In fact, they can be used as pH indicators:
they are pink in acidic solutions (pH < 7), purple in neutral
solutions (pH ~ 7), greenish-yellow in alkaline solutions (pH > 7), and
colorless in very alkaline solutions. [1]    
Next time you buy a red cabbage, smash a bit of leaf and put a little
vinegar or baking soda dissolved in water on the juice.    See if your kids can guess whether the test
solution is an acid or a base (alkali).

Wild and Concord purple grapes are a
good source of anthocyanins.    We shared our tips for picking and preserving
wild (and other purple) grapes last month: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/08/california-gourmet-preserving-summer.html.

If you made grape juice - and still have
a little left – you may want to make some ‘Mother Nature’s Magic Grape
Cupcakes’.  They are delish – and nearly
as easy as making a ‘box cake’.   You may
want to make these cupcakes in other flavors as well; this is based on a really
nice, old-time recipe.

 

Mother Nature's Magic Grape Cupcakes

 

But these cupcakes are truly
magical.  Have the kids help make
them.  Watch closely when you add the
grape juice to the batter.  What happens
to the color?  What color are the
cupcakes after they are baked?  Are you
surprised?  How do you explain what happened?

 

Mother Nature’s Magic
Grape Cupcakes

Ingredients

 

½ cup (1
stick) butter or margarine*, at room temperature

1 cup
sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups
flour

1 tsp.
baking soda

1 tsp.
baking powder

2 Tbsp. dry
milk powder

¼ tsp.
vanilla extract

1 Tbsp.
homemade wild grape extract **

½ cup plus
1 Tbsp. homemade wild grape juice (unsweetened is best) **

Directions

Preheat
oven to 350° F.  Prepare cupcake tins
(either grease & flour or use paper liners).  This recipe makes 12 regular
cupcakes; about 24-28 mini-cupcakes.  
Cream butter until light and fluffy (an electric mixer makes this job
easy).  Add sugar and continue beating 5
more minutes.  Add eggs, one at a
time.  Mix well after each addition.   Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder
and dry milk powder.  Add the dry
ingredients and the juice, alternately, stirring to mix and ending with the dry
ingredients.  Watch for the magic as you
add the juice. Add the extracts and stir just to mix.   The batter
will be a bit thicker than batter from a standard ‘box cake’.

 

Spoon
or pour batter into prepared cupcake tins, filling about 2/3 full.  When you’re done, level the batter and remove
bubbles by dropping the tins on a countertop several times (just hold tins
about 4-5 inches above the counter, then drop the tins flat onto the countertop).   Bake in a 350° F oven until done (toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean); about 12-15 minutes for mini-cupcakes;
15-20 minutes for standard cupcakes.  Let
cool for 10 minutes; remove from tins and let cool completely.  Check out the color!    Frost with Magic Grape Frosting
(below).  Enjoy!

 

* can substitute vegetable
shortening for half (e.g. ¼ cup shortening + ¼ cup butter/margarine)

** for instructions on how
to make homemade extracts and juice see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/08/california-gourmet-preserving-summer.html   The juice is unsweetened.  It can be made from any wild or Concord type
(purple) grape.  You might be able to
substitute a natural, unsweetened, commercial purple grape juice (will be
tasty, but I can’t guarantee the magic).

 

Mother Nature’s Magic
Grape Frosting

We
are often pressed for time and just modify vanilla frosting out of the
can.  Pillsbury’s vanilla or any
vanilla/vanilla buttercream frosting will work just fine.   Add 2-3 Tbsp. wild grape extract (see above)
to the frosting. Stir well.   Then add
enough powdered sugar to make the frosting stiff enough to spread.   Frost the cupcakes with the pastel purple
frosting.  Enjoy!    

If
you make a favorite vanilla frosting from scratch, that will work fine
too.  Just add the grape extract and
extra powdered sugar to get the proper consistency. 

__________________________________

1.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthocyanin

 

____________________________________________________

We encourage you to
send us your questions, comments and recipes (either comment below or e-mail to
us at : mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

 

Read More

White Checkered Skipper Butterfly (Pyrgus albescens)

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens) - female on Red Buckwheat 

 

Butterflies are common visitors to native
plants.   Natives provide two types of butterfly
food: nectar for the adult butterflies and larval food (usually foliage) for
the caterpillars.  Larval foods can be quite
specific – sometimes limited to a handful of plant species from the butterfly’s
home range.  So it’s not surprising that natives
attract more butterflies than plants not native to a region.  For more tips on butterfly gardening see: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2012/06/butterfly-gardens.html

This year, we’re introducing a group
of smaller butterflies: the Skippers (Family Hesperiidae), common butterflies of local gardens.  One species sometimes seen in Western Los
Angeles County is the White Checkered Skipper – Pyrgus albescens   (pronounced PEER-gus  al-BESS-sens).  We’re spotting it more often this year,
perhaps due to the drought.  You may also
have noticed this butterfly, in your garden or in the wilds, and wondered what
it was.

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

perches with wings onpen

 

Like the Umber and Fiery Skippers discussed
in July and August (2016), the Checkered Whites belong to the family Hesperiidae (the
Skippers).  But Checkered Whites are
placed in the subfamily Pyrginae -
Skippers that perch with wings outspread, rather than half-open.  Pyrgus
species are further classified to the tribe Pyrgini,
which contains nearly 600 species in North and South America.

The genus Pyrgus, which contains about 50 species, can be found in Europe,
temperate Asia, and North, Central and South America.  All look somewhat similar: small gray
butterflies, with square white blotches, and black-and-white checkered wing
fringes. [1]   Pyrgus species can be difficult to tell apart,
particularly in areas where the ranges of several species overlap.

 

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

male on Yarrow (Achillea millefolia)

 

The White Checkered Skipper is
sometimes included in the more common and widespread Pyrgus communis (the Common Checkered Skipper).  In fact, there is still lively debate
regarding the taxonomy of this ‘species’. [2, 3]  We’ve chosen to treat it as a separate
species, due to its range limits and minor physical (morphological)
differences.  However, it’s still not
clear whether it is better regarded as a sub-species or variant of Pyrgus communis, an incipient species,
or a truly separate species.  To learn
more, we recommend references 2 & 3, below.

The White Checkered Skipper is
native to the Southern U.S. (primarily Texas, the Southwest and California) and
Mexico.  Its range appears to be
expanding, both eastward and north. [2]     In Southern
California, it’s found at lower elevations, in drier, sunny places including
native prairies, low deserts, roadsides, fields and gardens.  It is never common, but may be seen where ever
larval food plants (Malvaceae) are
available.  Its range appears to be
limited by the Sierra Nevada and Transverse mountain ranges. [3]

 

White Checkered Skippers are small
butterflies, with a wingspan of 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm). Their
coloration is similar to, but slightly paler than, the Common Checkered
Skipper.  The thorax (mid-body) of the
males appears blue, due to conspicuous blue hairs.  The female body, lacking the blue hairs,
appears dark gray to black.  The abdomen
(hind-segment) is dark gray with white stripes.  

Both sexes have large, square white
spots on the upperside of both sets of wings, forming irregular, blotchy stripes.  The wing background color is gray or
gray-brown mixed with red-brown, the brown being more obvious near the wing
margins.  The wing-fringes are checkered
black and white.  This is particularly
obvious in the males, where the checkered squares reach to the edge of the wing
fringes. 

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens) - underside

 

The underside of the wings is
overall a light gray, giving individuals a pale gray or gray-blue appearance in
flight.  On closer inspection, the
underside has a series of irregular bands, composed of squares that are pale
gray, tan and dark brown-black.   You
rarely see the underside, but it’s quite pretty.  As always, photographs are a great help in
identifying butterflies and appreciating their intricate beauty.

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

 has pale under-body

 

The face, sides and underbody are
hairy and pale gray in color, as are the upper segments of the legs.  The antennae are black and white striped, and
have the characteristic tip of the Skippers. 
The proboscis (tongue) is dark (see above). For more good photos
(including those of the larvae), see:

• http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/hesper/checker.htm
  




• http://socalbutterflies.com/hesperiidae_html/white_checkered.htm
  




• http://www.kimandmikeontheroad.com/pyrgus_albescens.htm
  




• http://butterfliesofamerica.com/t/Pyrgus_albescens_a.htm
  

 

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens) - male on

 Yarrow  (Achillea millefolia), Sunflower family

In our gardens, we see White
Checkered Skippers flying near host plants or feeding on a number of nectar
plants.  The peak flight period is from
about February until October.  Like most
skippers, Pyrgus albescens favors plants with
many small flowers.  We see them most
commonly on plants in the Sunflower (Asteraceae) and Mint (Lamiaceae)
families, as well as the local native Buckwheats.  These butterflies are easy to identify when nectaring.

Skippers like the White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

 will  go to  great lengths to get their favorite nectar

 

We also see Pyrgus albescens perched on leaves and sometimes on
the ground.  Males perch and cruise in places
with nectar and host plants, looking for food and receptive females. Males have
scent scales on the upperside of the forewing that release pheromones that
attract females. [4]   The males are
quite territorial; we see them vigorously chase White Checkered and other
Skippers, particularly the Fiery Skipper.

White Checkered Skippers likely have
several broods a year in our area.  The
eggs are pale green and are laid singly on leaves of host plants. [5] The
larvae (caterpillars) are pale blue-green with stripes.  They construct simple ‘tents’ by folding over
a leaf and fastening it with strands of silk. 

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

Female on Cheeseweed

 

While the scope is not well-defined,
several genera of plants in the Mallow Family (Malvaceae) are known to serve as larval host plants.  These include the true Mallows (Sida or Malvella species), the Globemallows
(Sphaeralcea), Velvet-leaf or Indian
Mallows (Abutilon), Poppy mallows (Callirhoe) and likely others.  In our area, the common native host is most
likely Alkali Mallow (Malvella leprosa). We have seen individuals visiting the non-native Cheeseweed (Malva parviflora); we’ll
try to see if this species also serves as a host plant.

We are always glad to see this
pretty butterfly in our gardens.  Look
for them in your own garden, particularly if you grow the host plants.  We think you’ll enjoy watching these and
other Skippers.  Their behavior is more
interesting than you might think!

To learn more about Umber Skippers: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/07/umber-skipper-butterfly-poanes-melane.html

To learn more about Fiery Skippers: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/08/fiery-skipper-butterfly-hylephila.html

Like this
posting?  See our other insect posts at: http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/07/insect-postings-mother-natures-backyard.html

 

White Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus albescens)

 

________________

1. http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/North%20America%20-%20Pyrgus%20albescens.htm
   


2. http://images.peabody.yale.edu/lepsoc/jls/2000s/2000/2000-54(2)52-Burns.pdf
   


3. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1603/0013-8746%282008%29101%5B794%3APOGVBT%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=esaa


4. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pyrgus-albescens
   


5. http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/North%20America%20-%20Pyrgus%20albescens.htm
   

 

 

 

We encourage your comments below.  
If you have questions about Skipper butterflies or other gardening
topics you can e-mail us at :  mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

 

 

Read More

Plant of the Month (September) : Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena – Verbena lilacena

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) - in container on porch

Mother Nature's Backyard

In
September, the orange-brown seed heads of the Buckwheats provide a colorful
backdrop for other late summer bloomers. 
One of the prettiest of ‘the others’ – which is blooming right now on
our back porch – is the Lilac verbena, Verbena
lilacena (pronounced ver-BEE-nuh
 lie-luh-SEE-nuh)

Plants
know no political borders.  In fact, the
‘California Floristic Province’ (the area west of the Sierra Nevada Range in
California) includes parts of Baja California, Mexico.  We’ve spoken before about the interesting
connections between our Channel islands and those off Baja California (http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2014/07/plant-of-month-july-guadalupe-island.html).

Because
plants of the Baja Peninsula share not only climate, but also a geologic and
botanic history, many Southern California native plant nurseries sell Northern
Baja plants.  These species often grow
well in western Los Angeles County and add accents not available in locally
native species.  One such plant is the
Lilac or Cedros Island verbena.

Lilac
verbena hails from Cedros Island, off the coast of Baja. The island, which is
well known to sport fishermen, is located about 62 miles (100 kilometers)
west of Ensenada, Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean.  Cedros
Island, or Isla
de Cedros ("island of cedars"), is home to a number of unique plant
and animal species, some of which are endemic (like Verbena lilacena).  To learn
more about Cedros Island see references 1-3, below.

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) - in glazed

 pot. Greenhouse, CSU Dominguez Hills

 

Lilac
verbena naturally grows in sandy washes, canyons, slopes, cliffs and hillsides.
It’s a mounded, evergreen sub-shrub that’s 2-3 ft. (about ½ to one meter) tall
and 3-4 feet wide at maturity.  In most
gardens (with occasional water) the plant is evergreen; in a very dry garden,
some leaves may be lost in the dry season (summer/fall).

 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) in sunny location

Native Plant Garden, Madrona Marsh Nature Center, Torrance CA

 

The
plant appears delicate, with numerous thin stems which are surprisingly
stiff.  The branch tips are herbaceous;
the lower parts of branches become woody with age. Plants grown in part-shade
are more rangy; those grown in full sun are naturally more compact (see above).   

Foliage plays an important role in California
native gardens.  Foliage colors, shapes
and scents provide the contrasts that define mediterranean climate gardens.   Veteran Southern California gardeners know
the trick of pairing lush, green plants with the soft gray- and blue-green
foliage common in the Coastal Sage Scrub plants. The contrast is nothing short
of magical!   The problem is finding
smaller shrubs that are both drought tolerant and vivid green.  Lilac verbena is one such plant.

 

 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) - lacy foliage



In fact, foliage is one of Verbena lilacena’s strong points. 
The color ranges from medium green to almost blue-green, depending on
site characteristics.  The leaves are
highly incised, giving a lacy appearance to the foliage.  In fact, Lilac verbena looks like a
traditional garden plant; that’s probably one reason it’s become so popular
with water-wise gardeners.

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena),

Flowering plant

 

As if the foliage isn’t enough, Verbena lilacena has pretty flowers and
a growing season that spans much of the year in our area.  In hot, inland areas, plants seems to flower
less in the hottest months.  But plants
can be covered in blooms from spring well into fall.   The secret to a long blooming season is
simple: deadhead (remove) the spent flowering stalks. 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena).

Close-up of flowers

 

The flowers themselves are small – perhaps 1/3 of
an inch (less than 1 cm) across.  They
have five notched petals and are relatively simple.  The flowers grow along flowering stalks
densely packed with flowers (see above). 
The flowers open serially, from bottom to top, providing a long bloom
season.

In the most common cultivar, Verbena lilacena ‘De La Mina’, the flowers are medium purple (the
straight species has paler purple flowers). 
In the cultivar ‘Paseo Rancho’, the flowers are pastel pink.  All are strikingly pretty and attract a wide
range of pollinators, from butterflies to pollinator flies.   The flowers have a very sweet aroma;
particularly noticeable on days with higher humidity. 

 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) 'De La Mina'

 

The cultivar Verbena
lilacena ‘De La Mina’, which is readily available at native plant  and other nurseries offering water-wise
plants, was collected by Carol Bornstein on Cedros Island.  It was introduced into the horticultural
trade by the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden [4].  
‘Paseo Rancho’, which is less readily available currently, is slightly
larger and was introduced by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden [5].

Lilac verbena does well in many local gardens.  It prefers a well-drained, sandy soil, but
can be grown in clays.  If your soil has
questionable drainage, try planting it on a slope or on a small berm. 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) - El Rincon

 Native Plant Garden, South Coast Botanic Garden

 

While often grown in full sun, Verbena lilacena may do better with some afternoon shade in hot,
inland gardens.  But this is not a plant
for shady places – it really does need some sun to bloom well. 

Lilac verbena is quite tolerant of a wide range of
garden water regimes.  It prefers a
monthly deep watering in summer; that’s similar to conditions in the wild.  But it can take even more frequent summer
water, provided soils are well-drained. 
Be careful not to over-do with overhead watering during warm weather, as
powdery mildew can be a problem.   Watch
for snails and slugs, which can eat young foliage.

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena)

Well-pruned specimen, Native Plant Garden,

Madrona Marsh Nature Center, Torrance CA

 

Lilac verbena does require a little pruning to look
good.  Deadhead the flowering stalks
regularly for best bloom.  And cut back
branches by 1/3 each fall to create a full, mounded shape.  Wait until the weather cools down before
pruning.  The pruning doesn’t hurt the
plant.  In fact, it simulates ‘natural pruning’
by animals.

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) provides

 color and  contrast.  Madrona Marsh Nature Center,

 Torrance CA

 

Lilac
verbena can be a welcome addition to many local gardens.  It’s water-wise and of a size that can be
accommodated by even a small garden.  If
needed, it can even do well in a container or large hanging basket.   The green foliage creates a green oasis in
the summer-fall garden.  It is a great
plant for providing contrasts.

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) contrasts

 nicely with salmon-colored wall

 

This
is one of our favorites for floral scent. 
Plant it where you can enjoy the sweetness as you walk past.  While not a super-star like the Buckwheats, Verbena lilacena attracts enough insects to
warrant a place in the habitat garden. 
And if you love those rare, unusual native plants, this is one of those. 

In short, Verbena
lilacena is an attractive, useful plant. 
It does well in local gardens with very little care and it is water-wise
(ever so important these days).   So
consider purchasing a Lilac verbena at the up-coming native plant sales.

 

Lilac (Cedros Island) Verbena (Verbena lilacena) (l)

 

 

For a
gardening information sheet see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/verbena-lilacina

For more
pictures of this plant see: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/verbena-lilacina-web-show

For plant
information sheets on other native plants see: http://nativeplantscsudh.blogspot.com/p/gallery-of-native-plants_17.html

 

______________________

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedros_Island


2. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/baja-4-u/2012/mar/26/isla-cedros-an-exotic-island-adventure-in-your-own/#


3. http://baja.com/bahia-asuncion/the-cedros-island-experience/


4. http://www.sbbg.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=livingcollections.pip


5. http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=
   3755

 

 

We
welcome your comments (below).  You can
also send your questions to: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com

 

Read More