JUST NOW, my front yard appears dressed for a royal wedding, because the enchanting Spirea vanhouttei is in bloom. You might know this deciduous shrub as the âBridal Wreathâ spirea, and the pliable, pendulous branches can indeed be fashioned into head-gear.
Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice with fresh orange slices. In Brazil, this dish is often served on special occasions, but preparing it in a slow cooker makes it possible to serve this rich dish on the busiest weeknights.
The feijoa is native to extreme southern Brazil, northern Argentina, western Paraguay and Uruguay where it is common wild in the mountains. It is believed that the plant was first grown in Europe by M. de Wette in Switzerland and, a little later, about 1887, it was known to be in the Botanic Garden at Basle.