2010 greifen wir wieder an. Max und Sasha koennen mittlerweile laufen und sind somit fuer die ersten handwerklichen Herausforderungen geruestet.
Es folgt eine Auflistung aller anstehenden Renovierungen:
Im Haus
-Decke verfugen
-Waende verfugen
-Zedernkiste reparieren
-Fussboden verfugen
-Dachboden Bodenflaeche erweitern, Luecken schliessen
-Tritt- und Deckenleisten streichen
-Decke steichen
-Schiebetueren streichen
-Kuechenregale streichen
Am Haus
-Aussenwaende waschen, alte Farbe entfernen, Problemzonen abschleifen, verfugen, grundieren, Farbe aufstreichen
-Tueren nach hinten: Tuerstock ueberarbeiten, Windfangleisten neu setzen
-Dachblech vernieten, Kaminuebergang abschliessen
-Unterhausboden verfugen
-Abwasserkanaele schwarz streichen
-PorchSwing vorne montieren
-Porch zuschneiden, Schuerze montieren, streichen
Um das Haus
-Wassergraben vor dem Haus "ausbuegeln"
-Huehnerstall stutzen, Boden auswechseln gegen Maschenzaun, Huehnerleitern setzen, Anstrich, Stall umsetzen, 50m Zaun setzen
-Landschaftsplan erarbeiten
-Versogungseinheiten einzaeunen
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
what came first? Chicken or Egg = Chicken
in our case the case was clear = the chickens came first. now since yesterday one of the five is laying one small brown egg a day.
small maybe only to me because we had this massive basket of duck eggs in the house for Leila's farmers market pancake event. those look like solid eggs.
it is now 23 weeks since the chickens were born and the literature points to 20-24 weeks for the eggs to come in. tata! some things still function like they are supposed to.
small maybe only to me because we had this massive basket of duck eggs in the house for Leila's farmers market pancake event. those look like solid eggs.
it is now 23 weeks since the chickens were born and the literature points to 20-24 weeks for the eggs to come in. tata! some things still function like they are supposed to.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Panciuto Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: Leila Wolfrum, Market Manager, enoriverfarmersmarket@gmail.com
Panciutto Chef Aaron Vandermark Highlights Eno River Farmers Market Produce on His Menus
Hillsborough, NC (July 29, 2009) – Hillsborough’s premier chef, Aaron Vandermark of Panciutto, knows where to find the highest quality ingredients—the Eno River Farmers Market. Many of his popular menu items feature ERFM produce.
By sourcing his ingredients from the ERFM, Vandermark knows he can find superior quality, pesticide-free produce, picked fresh from local farms by farmers he knows and trusts.
Vandermark shops at the market every week to supply his ever-changing seasonal menu.
“It's a really interesting way for us to cook. For me the idea of creating dinners drawing on meats and produce raised within miles of the restaurant is inspiring. On some level I imagine it as a throwback to the way we cooked a few generations ago. It creates a tangible connection to the land, giving my job a little more meaning.” Vandermark said.
By coming to the market in person, Vandermark is able to speak directly to the farmers and inspect the produce before he buys it.
“I talk to the farmers about what they're most excited about. The great part about buying from the markets is that you can expect that the produce is picked closest to its quality peak, simplifying the buying and selecting process.” Vandermark explained.
Market vendors are also excited about the relationship, according to Rob Bowers of Whitted Bowers farm, an organic, bio-dynamic farm specializing in heirloom varieties of melons and tomatoes. Vandermark favors varieties with “distinctive flavor and beauty,” Bowers explained.
Bowers has supplied Panciuto with heirloom tomatoes, including an apricot-shaped French variety called Jaune Flamme, which has a strong, acidic bite and a deep orange color.
“We love selling to restaurants as they appreciate high quality produce in every respect,” said Bowers.
Dave Ramirez of Geodesic Gardens, a farm that specializes in heirloom tomatoes and peppers, has had experience on both sides. “As a former chef who did a lot of shopping at farmers markets, I learned that you can't beat the freshness and variety that local farmers offer. It's fun to be involved in the process from a different perspective as a grower.”
Ramirez supplies Panciuto with tomatoes, chile peppers, squash and salad greens.
Ramirez would like to see more relationships between the farmers market and local chefs. “I'd like to see the ERFM attract more and more chefs from the area, just as the Carrboro and Durham markets do,” Ramirez explained.
Bowers agreed, noting that selling to restaurants “tends to weave the market further into the fabric of the community. We would love to see more of it, and appreciate those restaurants committed to local food/market shopping already.”
Vandermark said that Panciuto is equally committed to the relationship and excited about the future.
“As the Eno market grows, so too will our relationship. I will continue to support the market as it's closest to the restaurant and is an asset to the town of Hillsborough.” Vandermark said.
The Eno River Farmers Market offers farm-fresh, organic produce, cheese, meat, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, and crafts from local growers and producers. It is open to vendors who reside and produce the items they sell within a 60-mile radius of Hillsborough, NC. Vendors must be the original producer of their items. The market is open Saturday from 8-12 and Tuesday afternoons from 4-6.
CONTACTS: Leila Wolfrum, Market Manager, enoriverfarmersmarket@gmail.com
Panciutto Chef Aaron Vandermark Highlights Eno River Farmers Market Produce on His Menus
Hillsborough, NC (July 29, 2009) – Hillsborough’s premier chef, Aaron Vandermark of Panciutto, knows where to find the highest quality ingredients—the Eno River Farmers Market. Many of his popular menu items feature ERFM produce.
By sourcing his ingredients from the ERFM, Vandermark knows he can find superior quality, pesticide-free produce, picked fresh from local farms by farmers he knows and trusts.
Vandermark shops at the market every week to supply his ever-changing seasonal menu.
“It's a really interesting way for us to cook. For me the idea of creating dinners drawing on meats and produce raised within miles of the restaurant is inspiring. On some level I imagine it as a throwback to the way we cooked a few generations ago. It creates a tangible connection to the land, giving my job a little more meaning.” Vandermark said.
By coming to the market in person, Vandermark is able to speak directly to the farmers and inspect the produce before he buys it.
“I talk to the farmers about what they're most excited about. The great part about buying from the markets is that you can expect that the produce is picked closest to its quality peak, simplifying the buying and selecting process.” Vandermark explained.
Market vendors are also excited about the relationship, according to Rob Bowers of Whitted Bowers farm, an organic, bio-dynamic farm specializing in heirloom varieties of melons and tomatoes. Vandermark favors varieties with “distinctive flavor and beauty,” Bowers explained.
Bowers has supplied Panciuto with heirloom tomatoes, including an apricot-shaped French variety called Jaune Flamme, which has a strong, acidic bite and a deep orange color.
“We love selling to restaurants as they appreciate high quality produce in every respect,” said Bowers.
Dave Ramirez of Geodesic Gardens, a farm that specializes in heirloom tomatoes and peppers, has had experience on both sides. “As a former chef who did a lot of shopping at farmers markets, I learned that you can't beat the freshness and variety that local farmers offer. It's fun to be involved in the process from a different perspective as a grower.”
Ramirez supplies Panciuto with tomatoes, chile peppers, squash and salad greens.
Ramirez would like to see more relationships between the farmers market and local chefs. “I'd like to see the ERFM attract more and more chefs from the area, just as the Carrboro and Durham markets do,” Ramirez explained.
Bowers agreed, noting that selling to restaurants “tends to weave the market further into the fabric of the community. We would love to see more of it, and appreciate those restaurants committed to local food/market shopping already.”
Vandermark said that Panciuto is equally committed to the relationship and excited about the future.
“As the Eno market grows, so too will our relationship. I will continue to support the market as it's closest to the restaurant and is an asset to the town of Hillsborough.” Vandermark said.
The Eno River Farmers Market offers farm-fresh, organic produce, cheese, meat, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, and crafts from local growers and producers. It is open to vendors who reside and produce the items they sell within a 60-mile radius of Hillsborough, NC. Vendors must be the original producer of their items. The market is open Saturday from 8-12 and Tuesday afternoons from 4-6.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
TomatoFest Poster
Here is the poster I made for TomatoFest. I also took photos of most of the recipes we will be providing at the market. I will try to post the recipe booklet when I get it done.
The press release I am sending out about TomatoFest reads like this:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: Leila Wolfrum, Market Manager, lwolfrum@gmail.com
Eno River Farmers Market Will Hold TomatoFest on Saturday, July 25
Hillsborough, NC (July 14, 2009) – The Eno River Farmers Market at the Public Market House in historic downtown Hillsborough will celebrate TomatoFest on Saturday, July 25 from 8 am – Noon.
The festival will feature more than 57 varieties of tomatoes in every size, shape and color imaginable, all harvested fresh by the market’s local farmers. Varieties include heirlooms such as Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, and Hillbilly Flame as well as hybrid favorites like Better Boy and Pink Lady.
An assortment of types will be available that are intended for canning and sauce, as well as both low and high acid tomato varieties.
The market will offer a tomato tasting, where customer can sample and compare many varieties. Each produce vendor will feature a favorite tomato and offer samples, as well as special information about its growing qualities and taste characteristics.
Prepared food vendors will feature tomato-based recipes, including Mary Joe’s Marinara made from San Marzano tomatoes, and the Hillsborough Cheese Company’s Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese.
The market will provide recipes, cooking, canning and storage tips for all kinds of tomatoes.
In addition, the market vendors will have their usual abundance of fresh, local vegetables. There will also be music and fun activities for kids.
The Eno River Farmers Market offers farm-fresh, organic produce, cheese, meat, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, and crafts from local growers and producers. It is open to vendors who reside and produce the items they sell within a 60-mile radius of Hillsborough, NC. Vendors must be the original producer of their items.
The press release I am sending out about TomatoFest reads like this:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: Leila Wolfrum, Market Manager, lwolfrum@gmail.com
Eno River Farmers Market Will Hold TomatoFest on Saturday, July 25
Hillsborough, NC (July 14, 2009) – The Eno River Farmers Market at the Public Market House in historic downtown Hillsborough will celebrate TomatoFest on Saturday, July 25 from 8 am – Noon.
The festival will feature more than 57 varieties of tomatoes in every size, shape and color imaginable, all harvested fresh by the market’s local farmers. Varieties include heirlooms such as Cherokee Purple, German Johnson, and Hillbilly Flame as well as hybrid favorites like Better Boy and Pink Lady.
An assortment of types will be available that are intended for canning and sauce, as well as both low and high acid tomato varieties.
The market will offer a tomato tasting, where customer can sample and compare many varieties. Each produce vendor will feature a favorite tomato and offer samples, as well as special information about its growing qualities and taste characteristics.
Prepared food vendors will feature tomato-based recipes, including Mary Joe’s Marinara made from San Marzano tomatoes, and the Hillsborough Cheese Company’s Sun-Dried Tomato Goat Cheese.
The market will provide recipes, cooking, canning and storage tips for all kinds of tomatoes.
In addition, the market vendors will have their usual abundance of fresh, local vegetables. There will also be music and fun activities for kids.
The Eno River Farmers Market offers farm-fresh, organic produce, cheese, meat, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, and crafts from local growers and producers. It is open to vendors who reside and produce the items they sell within a 60-mile radius of Hillsborough, NC. Vendors must be the original producer of their items.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Pico De Gallo
Mom and I made up this recipe while cooking at the Dairy on Tuesday. We served it on top of herb and goat cheese omlettes. It was an elegant and well-received lunch.
Pico De Gallo
A fabulous, fresh salsa for chips, omelettes, or anything that needs some spicing up.
* 4 large or 2 pints small tomatoes, diced
* 1 large or two small onions
* 1 green bell pepper
* 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2 tbsp fresh lime juice or cider vinegar
* 2 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least six hours.
Pico De Gallo
A fabulous, fresh salsa for chips, omelettes, or anything that needs some spicing up.
* 4 large or 2 pints small tomatoes, diced
* 1 large or two small onions
* 1 green bell pepper
* 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
* 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
* 2 tbsp fresh lime juice or cider vinegar
* 2 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate at least six hours.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Two Bits of Good News
1: We finally set me up with my own name, so now you can tell me apart from Sebastian.
2: I was just hired as the Market Manager for the Eno River Farmer's Market in Downtown Hillsborough. Adventures await. :)
2: I was just hired as the Market Manager for the Eno River Farmer's Market in Downtown Hillsborough. Adventures await. :)
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sunday of Homesteading
The weekend is upon us, and we are taking the opportunity to get cracking on a host of projects. Our neighbors just had a baby (Welcome, Cannon!), so we are making them some spaghetti sauce for those nights when they are too tired to cook. Happily, between the Goat Lady and our own backyard garden, we only had to purchase the garlic and few cans of tomatoes. Most people expect tomatoes to be on my ever-growing list of things I can myself, and it is true that there is no shortage of fresh ones available, but in fact I don't really believe in it. Canning tomatoes takes forever because tomatoes are annoying to peel; it is hot and steamy; and you always end up with less than you expected. On the other hand, store-bought canned tomatoes taste only marginally different, and cost very little (especially when you factor in the energy costs of canning them yourself). Costco sells 8-can boxes of organic diced tomatoes for $8. Anyway...
Ground Beef and Pork Sausage
Originally uploaded by leilanessonBobby gave me a bag full of their fresh packed meats: Hot and mild Italian sausage, ground beef, brats, breakfast sausage. I am using the extra hot sage sausage for the sauce, as well as a pound of his ground beef.
The onions and carrots also came from the Goat Lady. And we picked thyme, oregano, and basil from the garden. I should end up with more than enough sauce to serve for lunch tomorrow, and stock both our freezer and our neighbors'.
I am doing the first round of limed watermelon rind pickles from a huge watermelon we bought last week. I still have half the melon in the fridge, so I will have to start a second round this afternoon. This melon has a perfect rind for pickling, with almost a full inch of white flesh between the red part and the outer skin. I cut the red flesh into cubes and served it fresh, and then trimmed and peeled the white part and cut it into little spears. I soaked the spears in a gallon of water with one cup of pickling lime overnight, and then rinsed them and soaked them in water twice for a few hours each time.
They are pickled just like a sweet cucumber--vinegar, sugar, pickling spices--but I like watermelon rind to be less sweet and more spicy than the cukes. I used 8 cups of cider vinegar, 7 cups of sugar, and about a tablespoon of mixed pickling spice. They cook in the syrup for about 40 mins, until they turn translucent, and then I packed them in pint jars.
We went to Walmart this morning to buy some baby stuff, and realized that all the melons were on super sale because yesterday was July 4. We never buy produce from Walmart, but it seemed like a good time to make and exception. We bought four cantaloupes, a seedless watermelon, and seven mangoes. I cut the cantaloupes into strips and stuck them in our food dehydrator. Commercial dried cantaloupe is always candied, which makes it delicious in very small quantities, and no good for kids. Home dried cantaloupe comes out leathery and perfumey. It is sweet, but not overpowering, and it is really good. I think the kids will love it, when their teeth are up to it. And I think it is great to serve to guests, because it is unexpected and reasonably healthy.
It will take a day or two to dry it out all the way, but once the melon is cut and the dryer is loaded, you only have to check on it once every few hours.
I may try to blend up some of it, maybe with some applesauce, and make it into a fruit leather. That way the kids would be able to eat it right away.
I finally have some good news about brined pickles. All of the cucumbers that I started two weeks ago were ready this weekend, and half of them came out very well. The Kick-Ass Barrel Cukes are the best, intense, spicy, and oniony. For me, they are too dilly, but many people seem to like them that way. I like the horseradish and hot pepper taste, and I think I may make a batch with no dill, just to see how they turn out.
The ones I made with just a few hot peppers and some mixed pickling spice are also very nice. I think I may spice up the brine even further to add to the effect, but they have a great texture, and a nice, clean taste.
The ones Hollie and I made from a recipe out of the Joy of Pickling are genuinely terrible. Nothing went wrong in the pickling process, they are totally edible, but they taste like Lemon Pledge. The combination of fennel and lemon with the sourness of the fermentation combines for a distinctively janitorial impression.
Finally, on Friday I put up this season's first batch of pickled green beans. The Goat Lady's bushes are producing like crazy, and we are having trouble keeping up with the harvesting. But these beans are great because they are raw packed. You only have to clean the beans and pack them into the jars with some garlic, red pepper, and mustard seed and then cover them with hot vinegar, water and salt. I didn't have any red pepper flakes available, so I used Texas Pete. I think that will work fine, because Texas Pete is pretty much just red pepper and vinegar.
Originally uploaded by leilanesson
The onions and carrots also came from the Goat Lady. And we picked thyme, oregano, and basil from the garden. I should end up with more than enough sauce to serve for lunch tomorrow, and stock both our freezer and our neighbors'.
I am doing the first round of limed watermelon rind pickles from a huge watermelon we bought last week. I still have half the melon in the fridge, so I will have to start a second round this afternoon. This melon has a perfect rind for pickling, with almost a full inch of white flesh between the red part and the outer skin. I cut the red flesh into cubes and served it fresh, and then trimmed and peeled the white part and cut it into little spears. I soaked the spears in a gallon of water with one cup of pickling lime overnight, and then rinsed them and soaked them in water twice for a few hours each time.
They are pickled just like a sweet cucumber--vinegar, sugar, pickling spices--but I like watermelon rind to be less sweet and more spicy than the cukes. I used 8 cups of cider vinegar, 7 cups of sugar, and about a tablespoon of mixed pickling spice. They cook in the syrup for about 40 mins, until they turn translucent, and then I packed them in pint jars.
We went to Walmart this morning to buy some baby stuff, and realized that all the melons were on super sale because yesterday was July 4. We never buy produce from Walmart, but it seemed like a good time to make and exception. We bought four cantaloupes, a seedless watermelon, and seven mangoes. I cut the cantaloupes into strips and stuck them in our food dehydrator. Commercial dried cantaloupe is always candied, which makes it delicious in very small quantities, and no good for kids. Home dried cantaloupe comes out leathery and perfumey. It is sweet, but not overpowering, and it is really good. I think the kids will love it, when their teeth are up to it. And I think it is great to serve to guests, because it is unexpected and reasonably healthy.
It will take a day or two to dry it out all the way, but once the melon is cut and the dryer is loaded, you only have to check on it once every few hours.
I may try to blend up some of it, maybe with some applesauce, and make it into a fruit leather. That way the kids would be able to eat it right away.
I finally have some good news about brined pickles. All of the cucumbers that I started two weeks ago were ready this weekend, and half of them came out very well. The Kick-Ass Barrel Cukes are the best, intense, spicy, and oniony. For me, they are too dilly, but many people seem to like them that way. I like the horseradish and hot pepper taste, and I think I may make a batch with no dill, just to see how they turn out.
The ones I made with just a few hot peppers and some mixed pickling spice are also very nice. I think I may spice up the brine even further to add to the effect, but they have a great texture, and a nice, clean taste.
The ones Hollie and I made from a recipe out of the Joy of Pickling are genuinely terrible. Nothing went wrong in the pickling process, they are totally edible, but they taste like Lemon Pledge. The combination of fennel and lemon with the sourness of the fermentation combines for a distinctively janitorial impression.
Finally, on Friday I put up this season's first batch of pickled green beans. The Goat Lady's bushes are producing like crazy, and we are having trouble keeping up with the harvesting. But these beans are great because they are raw packed. You only have to clean the beans and pack them into the jars with some garlic, red pepper, and mustard seed and then cover them with hot vinegar, water and salt. I didn't have any red pepper flakes available, so I used Texas Pete. I think that will work fine, because Texas Pete is pretty much just red pepper and vinegar.
Friday, June 26, 2009
The summer of cooking continues.
Since summer vegetable season has really hit its stride, summer pickling season is now in full swing. Though I have one more tiny batch of kohlrabi pickles to process, we are now mostly talking in quarts and gallons instead of pints.
My beet pickled turnips turned out like they are supposed to, I believe, which is beautiful but terrible. I went back and read some of the recipes and they seem often to use those key words that mean inedible. Many say things like, "I wasn't sure at first, but I can't stop eating them." In other words, "I thought they tasted terrible, but you can still manage to choke them down." That is about where mine are at. Dave, Sebastian and I sampled them on Sunday and agreed that this was a one-bite sort of pickle. They are a little spongy and very, very intense. I think I may finally agree to give up on purple top turnips. But did I mention those Hakurai pickles I made... Now I know what to plant next year.
This week, we started harvesting pickling cukes from the Goat Lady. My goal is to make a bunch of different kinds of fermented cucumber pickles and to take careful notes, so I can figure out what works and what doesn't. I took home a bucket full on Tuesday, and Hollie and I spent Wednesday morning packing them into two gallon jars. I used a recipe from The Joy of Pickling called "No Dill Crock Pickles" because I didn't have any dill on hand. We packed them in salt brine with some white vinegar, allspice, fennel seed, black pepper and lemon peel.
I also took home about 10 pounds of yellow squash, which Hollie and I processed with some onions and salted so it could drain overnight.
Yesterday, I went out to the Goat Lady (kids in tow) to harvest more cucumbers and finish and can the squash. I picked another bucket full of cukes, and packed two more gallons of fermented pickles. The first was based on Chris Schlesinger's Westport Barrel Cukes recipe. I used small whole cukes, packed them in salt brine with some white vinegar, lots of fresh dill, sliced onions, a few cloves of garlic, some jalapenos, mustard seed, and about 1/2 a cup of horseradish.
For the second gallon, I used the larger cukes, cut into spears, and added a little cider vinegar to the brine along with a few green chiles and a handful of pickling spice, which included allspice, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper, and black pepper, and maybe a few other things.
We cooked the squash according to a bread and butter zucchini recipe out of The Joy of Pickling. We rinsed the squash and onion well; cooked them in vinegar and sugar with mustard seed, caraway, and turmeric; packed them in quarts; and processed them in a water bath. They turned out really beautiful. The yellow squash with the yellow turmeric combines for a great, golden effect.
We'll see how they taste.
Today, while the kids are asleep, I plan to process the remaining cucumbers and get them soaking in lime. Lime has really gone out of style in the past few years because it is a total pain, but I think it is worth it. It gives the veggies a dense, crunchiness that is often (I think falsely) described as crispness. Pickles made with lime don't snap in your mouth, they just have a really good bite to them. I think it is essential to making authentic Carolina-style sweet pickles, my personal favorite.
My beet pickled turnips turned out like they are supposed to, I believe, which is beautiful but terrible. I went back and read some of the recipes and they seem often to use those key words that mean inedible. Many say things like, "I wasn't sure at first, but I can't stop eating them." In other words, "I thought they tasted terrible, but you can still manage to choke them down." That is about where mine are at. Dave, Sebastian and I sampled them on Sunday and agreed that this was a one-bite sort of pickle. They are a little spongy and very, very intense. I think I may finally agree to give up on purple top turnips. But did I mention those Hakurai pickles I made... Now I know what to plant next year.
This week, we started harvesting pickling cukes from the Goat Lady. My goal is to make a bunch of different kinds of fermented cucumber pickles and to take careful notes, so I can figure out what works and what doesn't. I took home a bucket full on Tuesday, and Hollie and I spent Wednesday morning packing them into two gallon jars. I used a recipe from The Joy of Pickling called "No Dill Crock Pickles" because I didn't have any dill on hand. We packed them in salt brine with some white vinegar, allspice, fennel seed, black pepper and lemon peel.
I also took home about 10 pounds of yellow squash, which Hollie and I processed with some onions and salted so it could drain overnight.
Yesterday, I went out to the Goat Lady (kids in tow) to harvest more cucumbers and finish and can the squash. I picked another bucket full of cukes, and packed two more gallons of fermented pickles. The first was based on Chris Schlesinger's Westport Barrel Cukes recipe. I used small whole cukes, packed them in salt brine with some white vinegar, lots of fresh dill, sliced onions, a few cloves of garlic, some jalapenos, mustard seed, and about 1/2 a cup of horseradish.
For the second gallon, I used the larger cukes, cut into spears, and added a little cider vinegar to the brine along with a few green chiles and a handful of pickling spice, which included allspice, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper, and black pepper, and maybe a few other things.
We cooked the squash according to a bread and butter zucchini recipe out of The Joy of Pickling. We rinsed the squash and onion well; cooked them in vinegar and sugar with mustard seed, caraway, and turmeric; packed them in quarts; and processed them in a water bath. They turned out really beautiful. The yellow squash with the yellow turmeric combines for a great, golden effect.
We'll see how they taste.
Today, while the kids are asleep, I plan to process the remaining cucumbers and get them soaking in lime. Lime has really gone out of style in the past few years because it is a total pain, but I think it is worth it. It gives the veggies a dense, crunchiness that is often (I think falsely) described as crispness. Pickles made with lime don't snap in your mouth, they just have a really good bite to them. I think it is essential to making authentic Carolina-style sweet pickles, my personal favorite.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Cooking at the Dairy
On Monday I officially became the staff chef at the Goat Lady Dairy (a title I hope to grow into.) My official duties are to cook the farm staff lunch Monday-Wednesday, to bake bread for the week, and to preserve and can the produce that cannot be eaten or served at their public dinners. It is kind of a lovely challenge because I am essentially cooking right out of the fields. I harvest whatever is ready and then figure out what to do with it.
This week we were heavy on onions and chard. There are also ripe beets, leeks, and lettuce, but Steve wanted me to save those in case Chris needed them for this weekend's dinners and brunch. (I won't bother introducing everyone, you--my imaginary reader--will figure it out.) But I imagine that I will be able to use all that stuff next week, because there was too much there to serve in one weekend.
Since Monday was my first day, I wanted to start out with something I knew would turn out well (can't get myself fired on day one,) so I made a chard frittata with onions. The eggs came from the farm's chickens, the milk came from the goats, and I harvested the onions and chard from the garden. To go with it I sauteed some broccoli and quick pickled some cabbage (from the garden) in cider vinegar with sorghum molasses, crushed red pepper, garlic, fresh Thai basil (from the garden) and lots of ginger. I made an orange-ade by boiling mint (from the garden) with some sugar and mixing it with a little orange juice (left over from brunch) and some lemon juice. Finally, we ate some shortcakes left over from the dinners with goat yogurt and some mulberies that I picked and macerated in sugar.
Generally, I think it went over pretty well. The pickle turned out pretty spicy, but really good. And I didn't burn the fritatta, top or bottom--amazing.
On Tuesday, I got a little more adventurous. I was instructed to use up some of the pulled pork that is left over from the open house. Chris over estimated his barbeque-sandwich needs, and so left us with TONs of unseasoned pulled smoked pork. Since we have already had a bunch of barbeque days since then, I figured I should go a little farther afield. I ended up usuing a recipe for Malaysian-style coconut curry. It was intended to go with chicken, but I figured it would convert well, and it did.
I have never been a big curry fan myself, and I had never cooked anything like it before, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy, although it had a lot of ingredients. Since the pork was already cooked, I was able to make the curry first thing in the morning and then just reheat it with the meat right before lunch.
First I fried up a pile of onions (from the garden) with some garlic, then I added curry powder, cumin, and bay leaves. I omitted the chili powder that the recipe called for, because I worried about making something too spicy, but in the end I regretted that move. I also replaced the paprika the recipe called for with a cup of chopped roasted red peppers. Next I diced some potatoes and sliced some carrots and added those to the pan. Then I added the coconut milk and water and let the potatoes cook until they were soft.
I heated the pork in a separate pan and pulled off some of the fat, because between the coconut and the pork, I worried things might get too heavy. Then I mixed everything together, let it heat, and garnished it with cilantro and Thai basil. Oh, wait. Obviously there was quite a bit of salt and some pepper involved somewhere.
I served it over rice (learning to cook rice in a pot again after so long with a rice cooker is a minor adventure.) It was delicious but very mild. I thought a good kick would have done it some good.
I also stewed some tomatoes (hothouse, from the farmer's market) with some chard (duh, from the garden) and garlic. And I braised some chard ribs. The latter was kind of an adventure based on a braised celery recipe from the joy of cooking. Basically I combined some cleaned, sliced chard ribs with butter, a little water, and some indian spices (garam masala, some curry, cinnamon) and some salt. I covered them closely with tinfoil and then simmered them for about 25 mins. They turned out better than I expected. The bright colors faded, but did not disappear completely, so I ended up with these lovely little jewels of vegetables. And they didn't taste like celery, so that's a plus.
Again, it went over reasonably well, although I think the spice was missed.
I brought them a loaf of multigrain bread that I baked at home, but it turns out that Carrie can't eat sesame seeds. Everyone else seemed to like the bread, but I will switch multi-grain mixes to accommodate Carrie. On Wednesday, Jenn and I went to Lindley Mills and picked up some flour. They have a 7 grain mix that I will try instead. I really like the one I have been using, but now we have 50 lbs of the new one, so...
This week we were heavy on onions and chard. There are also ripe beets, leeks, and lettuce, but Steve wanted me to save those in case Chris needed them for this weekend's dinners and brunch. (I won't bother introducing everyone, you--my imaginary reader--will figure it out.) But I imagine that I will be able to use all that stuff next week, because there was too much there to serve in one weekend.
Since Monday was my first day, I wanted to start out with something I knew would turn out well (can't get myself fired on day one,) so I made a chard frittata with onions. The eggs came from the farm's chickens, the milk came from the goats, and I harvested the onions and chard from the garden. To go with it I sauteed some broccoli and quick pickled some cabbage (from the garden) in cider vinegar with sorghum molasses, crushed red pepper, garlic, fresh Thai basil (from the garden) and lots of ginger. I made an orange-ade by boiling mint (from the garden) with some sugar and mixing it with a little orange juice (left over from brunch) and some lemon juice. Finally, we ate some shortcakes left over from the dinners with goat yogurt and some mulberies that I picked and macerated in sugar.
Generally, I think it went over pretty well. The pickle turned out pretty spicy, but really good. And I didn't burn the fritatta, top or bottom--amazing.
On Tuesday, I got a little more adventurous. I was instructed to use up some of the pulled pork that is left over from the open house. Chris over estimated his barbeque-sandwich needs, and so left us with TONs of unseasoned pulled smoked pork. Since we have already had a bunch of barbeque days since then, I figured I should go a little farther afield. I ended up usuing a recipe for Malaysian-style coconut curry. It was intended to go with chicken, but I figured it would convert well, and it did.
I have never been a big curry fan myself, and I had never cooked anything like it before, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy, although it had a lot of ingredients. Since the pork was already cooked, I was able to make the curry first thing in the morning and then just reheat it with the meat right before lunch.
First I fried up a pile of onions (from the garden) with some garlic, then I added curry powder, cumin, and bay leaves. I omitted the chili powder that the recipe called for, because I worried about making something too spicy, but in the end I regretted that move. I also replaced the paprika the recipe called for with a cup of chopped roasted red peppers. Next I diced some potatoes and sliced some carrots and added those to the pan. Then I added the coconut milk and water and let the potatoes cook until they were soft.
I heated the pork in a separate pan and pulled off some of the fat, because between the coconut and the pork, I worried things might get too heavy. Then I mixed everything together, let it heat, and garnished it with cilantro and Thai basil. Oh, wait. Obviously there was quite a bit of salt and some pepper involved somewhere.
I served it over rice (learning to cook rice in a pot again after so long with a rice cooker is a minor adventure.) It was delicious but very mild. I thought a good kick would have done it some good.
I also stewed some tomatoes (hothouse, from the farmer's market) with some chard (duh, from the garden) and garlic. And I braised some chard ribs. The latter was kind of an adventure based on a braised celery recipe from the joy of cooking. Basically I combined some cleaned, sliced chard ribs with butter, a little water, and some indian spices (garam masala, some curry, cinnamon) and some salt. I covered them closely with tinfoil and then simmered them for about 25 mins. They turned out better than I expected. The bright colors faded, but did not disappear completely, so I ended up with these lovely little jewels of vegetables. And they didn't taste like celery, so that's a plus.
Again, it went over reasonably well, although I think the spice was missed.
I brought them a loaf of multigrain bread that I baked at home, but it turns out that Carrie can't eat sesame seeds. Everyone else seemed to like the bread, but I will switch multi-grain mixes to accommodate Carrie. On Wednesday, Jenn and I went to Lindley Mills and picked up some flour. They have a 7 grain mix that I will try instead. I really like the one I have been using, but now we have 50 lbs of the new one, so...
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Summer pickling, part 2
OK, sauerruben, attempt #1: total failure.
The frustrating thing about salt brine pickling is that it is so straight forward, and yet, I screwed it up. There are really only two things that need to happen to get successful salt-brined pickles: The brine needs to be strong enough; and the solids need to be kept below the surface of the brine during fermentation. Various recipes provide various techniques for submerging the vegetables--place a plate on top and weight it down with a rock; place a brine-filled plastic bag on top; wedge the vegetables down by packing them tightly in the jar, etc. So far I have only had success with the plate and the weight. This time I tried the plastic bag and failed. The advantage of the palstic bag, when done correctly, is that it fills the entire space of the crock and prevents any scum from forming (basically unwanted mold growth.) With the weighted-plate technique you have to skim the scum every day to keep it from contaminating your pickles. However, I think I overfilled the jar, so the bags did not create a complete air barrier, so scum grew, and I didn't skim it. Also, most of my grated turnips stayed down, but a few strands floated up, creating a pathway between the air and the veggies below. This allowed some nastiness to contaminate the entire batch. Anyway the end result is that they taste like hell.
The nice thing about pickling is that you really wouldn't want to eat anything that you shouldn't eat. When they go bad, you **always** know it.
So I am going to try again and use the good old plate technique with the new turnips I bought at the farmer's market today. Turnips are a great vegetable to start with because they are cheap.
In other news, my vinegar pickling is going very well. In the past two weeks, I have made kohlrabi pickles and baby turnip pickles with the same basic quick pickling recipe. They both came out really well. The recipe goes like this:
Slice the veggies however you like (I did matchsticks for the kohlrabi and thin discs with the turnips.)
Sprinkle them with salt (maybe a tablespoon per pound.) Leave them to drain for at least an hour.
Rinse them well in a few rounds of cold water.
In a bowl mix some vinegar (Rice vinegar, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, whatever you like...) with a couple crushed cloves of garlic, a few slices of fresh ginger, a few strips of lemon peel, some black pepper corns and a little sugar. Make sure you have enough liquid to cover the vegetables once you put them together.
Then add the veggies.
Put them in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
The result is sort of a cousin to a slaw. They come out with a great, vibrant taste. I especially like the lemoniness. You could easily do this recipe with carrots, radishes, broccoli stems, cucumbers, just about any vegetable that starts out crunchy. I am tempted to try it with apples or hard pears too.
You can also mess with the spicing. Obviously a little hot pepper would do well with carrots. And some mint would enliven cucumbers. Delightful.
I also cleared out the remainder of my pickles from last season to get ready for the new ones. I found a few jars of Southern-style limed cucumber pickles and 3 jars of limed watermelon rind pickles. The cucumber pickles I made last year were a little disappointing, too vinegary, not spicy enough--room for improvement. But the watermelon pickles are great. Because they were limed, they are crunchy, and because they are awesome, they are awesome! Spicy, a little bit sweet (not crazy, candy-like) totally refreshing--just a great pickle. Got to do more of those; glad I planted so many watermelons.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Summer Pickling
As the time comes for my garden to start producing, the pickling begins. As I may have mentioned, I focused my planting on vegetables that I could pickle, because we had already signed up for a CSA that will satisfy most of our summer vegetable needs. And now I am getting the benefit of overflow vegetables from the Goat Lady, too. Anyway, lucky thing for the extras because my garden seems to be a champion at radish production and is so far failing at beets and turnips.
So today, with five pounds of turnips bought at the farmer's market, I started with sauerruben. We'll see.
So today, with five pounds of turnips bought at the farmer's market, I started with sauerruben. We'll see.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
glencoe egg company start-up
Noah Read and Sebastian Wolfrum arrived at this out of no where but are even more committed to make it work out.
Currently we are working on our Chicken Coop: http://www.organicgardening.com/pdf/coop_plans.pdf
So far we have purchased some more chicken fence, five day old chicks at $2.75 with Farm Services Inc in Graham, Purina Mills Starter & Grower 25 lbs feed bag at $9.95, feeder and water bases for Mason jars at a total of $7.
Currently the chicks live in a cardboard box with paper towel flooring, water, feed and two Ikea halogen lights that keep one of the corners at a comfortable 95F.
Currently we are working on our Chicken Coop: http://www.organicgardening.com/pdf/coop_plans.pdf
So far we have purchased some more chicken fence, five day old chicks at $2.75 with Farm Services Inc in Graham, Purina Mills Starter & Grower 25 lbs feed bag at $9.95, feeder and water bases for Mason jars at a total of $7.
Currently the chicks live in a cardboard box with paper towel flooring, water, feed and two Ikea halogen lights that keep one of the corners at a comfortable 95F.
Chocolate Chip Cookies (second attempt)
Still working with the Toll House recipe.
three things have changed:
a) less butter by one stick = -50%
b) used a spoon of warm water to dissolve the backing soda
c) baked at 325F which extended the time to 18min
the cookies are more compact and thicker.
at the same time dryer and firmer as you bite into one.
three things have changed:
a) less butter by one stick = -50%
b) used a spoon of warm water to dissolve the backing soda
c) baked at 325F which extended the time to 18min
the cookies are more compact and thicker.
at the same time dryer and firmer as you bite into one.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Chocolate Chip Cookies (first attempt)
Oven: 375F
Dough: Original Nestle Toll House CCC
2 1/4 flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup=2 sticks of butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 large eggs, 12 oz chocolate morsels.
mixing dry and wet separate before slowly combining.
this recipe produces cookies on the buttery side. the cookie eats soft but get crisp over the next few days which comes with a tendency to break/rip apart.
Dough: Original Nestle Toll House CCC
2 1/4 flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup=2 sticks of butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 large eggs, 12 oz chocolate morsels.
mixing dry and wet separate before slowly combining.
this recipe produces cookies on the buttery side. the cookie eats soft but get crisp over the next few days which comes with a tendency to break/rip apart.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Yard
We have spent short spurts of the past two weeks preparing our yard. We have owned this house for four years, lived in it for two, but we have not yet gotten the yard really figured out. It has been kind of great, actually, to have it unfinished, because you can do a lot of things with junked up space that are almost impossible in a finished landscape.
When we first bought the house, we spent a day with a chainsaw and a bobcat pushing over and cutting up most of the trees we didn't think we wanted. In the process, we apparently cut down a few muscadine vines--a fact that broke my heart when I found out. It was one of many naive moves we made in early construction. This process left us with a back yard full of stumps and logs, to which we quickly started adding scrap piles.
The next spring I happened upon a sale on fruit trees at Big Lots ($13.95 each), and I just couldn't resist. I ended up with two peach trees, two pear, an apricot, two cherries, and a five-in-one apple. I sort of scattered them around the yard and hoped they would live until I could figure out where to put them more permanently.
That summer I also took advantage of our empty space and built three very ugly raised beds in which I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, and a host of other vegetables that never really came up. I filled the beds with "top soil" from the sand and gravel store. This turned out to be a heavy mix of red clay and little rocks. Whenever I watered it, it crusted over so badly that the water would run off and form pools in between the beds. I grew more weeds on the ground in between than I did vegetables in the beds.
I have never had much interest in gardening, but I love the idea of getting more vegetables than you can eat without having to pay for them. I realize that I probably spent more on supplies for the garden than the value of the vegetables I was able to pull back out, but that kind of "pay it forward" money never registers in the equation come harvest time. Regardless, I did end up with a summerful of tomatoes. I guess it just goes to show what hot wet summers will get you, even with little care and bad soil. And this year, I didn't need to build the beds, and I am starting the plants from seed, so I am barely spending any money at all. (Please ignore the $18 I spent on seed-starting trays and peat pellets and the $20 I spent on seeds.) But I am getting ahead of myself.
Of course I way jumped the gun and planted the seeds at the beginning of February (hoping for and early spring.) I did it partly as a temporary solution the misery of winter, but I still think it was a gamble worth taking. So far I have a few trays of very leggy sprouts, but maybe some will survive, and then I will have beets and brussel sprouts a few weeks before anyone else. Of course I also planted WAY too many of everything, but I stand by this dubious decision too. Chances are many will die, so it won't end up being too many. Besides which I have never subscribed to the conservative gardening metric that you should only grow what you think you can eat.
We are already signed up for a CSA this summer, so I only planted vegetables that I hope to can. I am imagining cases and cases of pickled beets. I don't think I have space in my beds for everything, but that is one of the joys of my unfinished backyard.
This weekend Hollie and I transplanted as many of the seedlings as we could find containers for. The leeks got the star treatment because their seedlings look the healthiest. Sebastian brought home a bucket of cow manure from the farmer who picks up the spent grain at the brewery. I think it is a charming circle.
We also finally figured out the permanent spots for most of those fruit trees. Our transplantation method is decidedly low tech, but it seems to be working. We'll see if they make it through the summer. I just keep reminding myself that they were $13 at Big Lots so I don't get too attached.
We moved a peach, a cherry and an apricot to the southern border of the yard. They are in full sun for now, but we'll see what happens when they build on the lot next door. Another two, a peach and a pear, landed at the perimeter of the driveway (or what will become the driveway when we get that big pile of dirt out of the way.)
So the plan for the next few weeks goes like this: Next weekend we offer a six-pack of beer to anyone willing to load up a wheelbarrow full of dirt from the pile if the driveway and move it to the backyard. We hope that three or four cases of underfills should get the pile taken care of. Then we spend Sunday using our scrap wood piles to build a chicken coop trailer.
Once the coop is finished, we load the remainder of the scrap onto a truck and take it to the dump. Then we borrow a rototiller and turn the whole yard under. Then we plant the whole yard with watermelons and sweet potatoes. Hundreds of melons and potatoes. Melons for everyone. Yay.
The final step is planting blueberry and artichoke bushes on the southside of the house. I am not sure that artichokes grow well in North Carolina, but they say they grow in Zone 7. Also I am not sure they are good looking, but come on! Artichokes!
When we first bought the house, we spent a day with a chainsaw and a bobcat pushing over and cutting up most of the trees we didn't think we wanted. In the process, we apparently cut down a few muscadine vines--a fact that broke my heart when I found out. It was one of many naive moves we made in early construction. This process left us with a back yard full of stumps and logs, to which we quickly started adding scrap piles.
The next spring I happened upon a sale on fruit trees at Big Lots ($13.95 each), and I just couldn't resist. I ended up with two peach trees, two pear, an apricot, two cherries, and a five-in-one apple. I sort of scattered them around the yard and hoped they would live until I could figure out where to put them more permanently.
That summer I also took advantage of our empty space and built three very ugly raised beds in which I planted tomatoes, cucumbers, and a host of other vegetables that never really came up. I filled the beds with "top soil" from the sand and gravel store. This turned out to be a heavy mix of red clay and little rocks. Whenever I watered it, it crusted over so badly that the water would run off and form pools in between the beds. I grew more weeds on the ground in between than I did vegetables in the beds.
I have never had much interest in gardening, but I love the idea of getting more vegetables than you can eat without having to pay for them. I realize that I probably spent more on supplies for the garden than the value of the vegetables I was able to pull back out, but that kind of "pay it forward" money never registers in the equation come harvest time. Regardless, I did end up with a summerful of tomatoes. I guess it just goes to show what hot wet summers will get you, even with little care and bad soil. And this year, I didn't need to build the beds, and I am starting the plants from seed, so I am barely spending any money at all. (Please ignore the $18 I spent on seed-starting trays and peat pellets and the $20 I spent on seeds.) But I am getting ahead of myself.
Of course I way jumped the gun and planted the seeds at the beginning of February (hoping for and early spring.) I did it partly as a temporary solution the misery of winter, but I still think it was a gamble worth taking. So far I have a few trays of very leggy sprouts, but maybe some will survive, and then I will have beets and brussel sprouts a few weeks before anyone else. Of course I also planted WAY too many of everything, but I stand by this dubious decision too. Chances are many will die, so it won't end up being too many. Besides which I have never subscribed to the conservative gardening metric that you should only grow what you think you can eat.
We are already signed up for a CSA this summer, so I only planted vegetables that I hope to can. I am imagining cases and cases of pickled beets. I don't think I have space in my beds for everything, but that is one of the joys of my unfinished backyard.
This weekend Hollie and I transplanted as many of the seedlings as we could find containers for. The leeks got the star treatment because their seedlings look the healthiest. Sebastian brought home a bucket of cow manure from the farmer who picks up the spent grain at the brewery. I think it is a charming circle.
We also finally figured out the permanent spots for most of those fruit trees. Our transplantation method is decidedly low tech, but it seems to be working. We'll see if they make it through the summer. I just keep reminding myself that they were $13 at Big Lots so I don't get too attached.
We moved a peach, a cherry and an apricot to the southern border of the yard. They are in full sun for now, but we'll see what happens when they build on the lot next door. Another two, a peach and a pear, landed at the perimeter of the driveway (or what will become the driveway when we get that big pile of dirt out of the way.)
So the plan for the next few weeks goes like this: Next weekend we offer a six-pack of beer to anyone willing to load up a wheelbarrow full of dirt from the pile if the driveway and move it to the backyard. We hope that three or four cases of underfills should get the pile taken care of. Then we spend Sunday using our scrap wood piles to build a chicken coop trailer.
Once the coop is finished, we load the remainder of the scrap onto a truck and take it to the dump. Then we borrow a rototiller and turn the whole yard under. Then we plant the whole yard with watermelons and sweet potatoes. Hundreds of melons and potatoes. Melons for everyone. Yay.
The final step is planting blueberry and artichoke bushes on the southside of the house. I am not sure that artichokes grow well in North Carolina, but they say they grow in Zone 7. Also I am not sure they are good looking, but come on! Artichokes!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Cruise
Our across the street neighbors live in Pennsylvania most of the time. When they come to Burlington, usually about one weekend a month, the whole turns out to socialize. We say it is like being on a cruise--there is a constant, roving party. Brunch is in the starboard lounge; dinner is on the B-deck; there will be group walk on shore after lunch, etc. Tonight the group activity is at our house.
For the occasion we are trying out a few new recipes on the smoker. We are smoking two chickens a pork shoulder (the traditional cut for pulled pork barbecue.) I rubbed the chickens with a mixture of salt, thyme, cardamom, red pepper, garlic and fennel moistened with some Natty's Old Town brown ale and mustard. The should smoke for about 4 hours to come up to 165 internal temp in the breast. I coated the pork with red pepper, mustard seed, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. It should take about 6 hours and reach about 140 degrees internal. So far they look fantastic.
Sebastian set up the smoker with some charcoal briquettes and hickory chips. It is running at about 100 degrees Celsius give or take a little. The smoker we bought (a few years ago to smoke a turkey on Thanksgiving) is really a beauty. It has an external firebox, so it is really easy to maintain a reasonably steady temperature, and it has a big smoker box, so it is easy to fit a bunch of meat in there at the same time. We are still exploring its uses. We smoked some fish in it a few weeks ago and came out with rubber. But hey, we keep trying.
I am also doing some quick Vietnamese-style pickled carrots for dinner. These are really delicious, crunchy and a bit spicy, but super easy to make. They are right on the border between a pickle and a simple slaw. But since they are salted and drained, I guess you can rightfully call them a pickle.
We'll see how it all turns out. Hopefully there is enough food for the cruise crowd.
The Morning After:
Amazing. I guess I understand why everyone doesn't have a smoker. I mean, it took us 6 hours to cook dinner. But it was no trouble, we just checked on the coals about twice an hour, and man did it turn out well.
I think my temp on the chicken was a touch low. The breast was perfect, but we put the legs and thighs under the broiler for a minute after I carved the birds because they still looked a little pink. I know that the smoke turns the meat pink, so it is possible that they were cooked through, but with all our guests we were not willing to risk it. Nevertheless, I was delighted with the product. The meat just stays so soft. And this time i put my dry rub under the skin, so the meat had this fabulous fennel, cardamom, garlic, smoke thing--so good. I made the rub from very strong flavors in order to balance out the smoke, and that worked out very well. The only problem I have with smoked chicken is that the skin gets very, very smoky.
Even so, the pork trumped the chicken. I am not the first to discover the joys of smoked pork shoulder. It is more or less the staple food of the Carolinas. Still I was particularly pleased with this version--smoky, tender, a little bit sweet, and just spicy enough to cut the fat. Sebastian put barbecue sauce on the table, but in the end it was better without.
The pickled carrots are quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes. People are always surprised by them, they brighten up the plate with their color and their tangy spice. They are just awesome. Every time I serve them people ask for the recipe. (Julienne carrots--salted for an hour and then rinsed and drained--plus some white vinegar, brown sugar, and hot sauce. Let them sit for an hour at least before serving.)
By 8:00 pm we had 13 people there, and we had plenty left over. We rounded out the menu with some sour cream and scallion mashed potatoes and some baked beans. Sebastian served a Sierra Nevada, fresh hop beer that they are making from hops grown right around the brewery. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
For the occasion we are trying out a few new recipes on the smoker. We are smoking two chickens a pork shoulder (the traditional cut for pulled pork barbecue.) I rubbed the chickens with a mixture of salt, thyme, cardamom, red pepper, garlic and fennel moistened with some Natty's Old Town brown ale and mustard. The should smoke for about 4 hours to come up to 165 internal temp in the breast. I coated the pork with red pepper, mustard seed, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. It should take about 6 hours and reach about 140 degrees internal. So far they look fantastic.
Sebastian set up the smoker with some charcoal briquettes and hickory chips. It is running at about 100 degrees Celsius give or take a little. The smoker we bought (a few years ago to smoke a turkey on Thanksgiving) is really a beauty. It has an external firebox, so it is really easy to maintain a reasonably steady temperature, and it has a big smoker box, so it is easy to fit a bunch of meat in there at the same time. We are still exploring its uses. We smoked some fish in it a few weeks ago and came out with rubber. But hey, we keep trying.
I am also doing some quick Vietnamese-style pickled carrots for dinner. These are really delicious, crunchy and a bit spicy, but super easy to make. They are right on the border between a pickle and a simple slaw. But since they are salted and drained, I guess you can rightfully call them a pickle.
We'll see how it all turns out. Hopefully there is enough food for the cruise crowd.
The Morning After:
Amazing. I guess I understand why everyone doesn't have a smoker. I mean, it took us 6 hours to cook dinner. But it was no trouble, we just checked on the coals about twice an hour, and man did it turn out well.
I think my temp on the chicken was a touch low. The breast was perfect, but we put the legs and thighs under the broiler for a minute after I carved the birds because they still looked a little pink. I know that the smoke turns the meat pink, so it is possible that they were cooked through, but with all our guests we were not willing to risk it. Nevertheless, I was delighted with the product. The meat just stays so soft. And this time i put my dry rub under the skin, so the meat had this fabulous fennel, cardamom, garlic, smoke thing--so good. I made the rub from very strong flavors in order to balance out the smoke, and that worked out very well. The only problem I have with smoked chicken is that the skin gets very, very smoky.
Even so, the pork trumped the chicken. I am not the first to discover the joys of smoked pork shoulder. It is more or less the staple food of the Carolinas. Still I was particularly pleased with this version--smoky, tender, a little bit sweet, and just spicy enough to cut the fat. Sebastian put barbecue sauce on the table, but in the end it was better without.
The pickled carrots are quickly becoming one of my favorite recipes. People are always surprised by them, they brighten up the plate with their color and their tangy spice. They are just awesome. Every time I serve them people ask for the recipe. (Julienne carrots--salted for an hour and then rinsed and drained--plus some white vinegar, brown sugar, and hot sauce. Let them sit for an hour at least before serving.)
By 8:00 pm we had 13 people there, and we had plenty left over. We rounded out the menu with some sour cream and scallion mashed potatoes and some baked beans. Sebastian served a Sierra Nevada, fresh hop beer that they are making from hops grown right around the brewery. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Beer Dinner Jan 24th 2009
The dinner needed to be moderated,
Amuse bouche =
First course = Saison
Thai inspired hand made pork sausage
Main course = Double IPA
Jamaican Jerk spiced chicken and fish prepared in barrel smoker:
Thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet peppers, and garlic are key ingredients in this recipe. Use this authentic spicy jerk rub on chicken, pork, fish, or vegetables.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup ground allspice berries
1/2+ cup packed brown sugar
6 to 8 garlic cloves
4 to 6 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 tablespoon ground thyme or 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 bunches escallions (green onions)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce to moisten
Preparation:Place allspice, brown sugar, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, scallions, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and soy sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may use allspice berries, if available, but use enough to give the equivalent of 1/2 cup ground. (Allspice berries and scotch bonnets are key ingredients.) Keep this sauce refrigerated and it will keep forever. Feel free to increase the hot peppers and garlic. Rub the meat (chicken, pork or beef) with the seasoning. If using a pork shoulder, score the fat and rub in. With chicken, be sure to rub under skin and in cavities. Can also be used with fish, but use a firm-fleshed fish like grouper. Marinate overnight. Grill over a low fire until done. Charcoal is best, but not essential. Meat will be smoked "pinkish" when done, and the skin will be nice and dark. Chop meat into pieces, and serve traditionally with hard-dough bread and Jamaican Red Stripe Beer.
Cheese course =
Dessert = Imperial Stout
Banana chocolate on the rocks
Amuse bouche =
First course = Saison
Thai inspired hand made pork sausage
Main course = Double IPA
Jamaican Jerk spiced chicken and fish prepared in barrel smoker:
Thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet peppers, and garlic are key ingredients in this recipe. Use this authentic spicy jerk rub on chicken, pork, fish, or vegetables.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 cup ground allspice berries
1/2+ cup packed brown sugar
6 to 8 garlic cloves
4 to 6 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 tablespoon ground thyme or 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 bunches escallions (green onions)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce to moisten
Preparation:Place allspice, brown sugar, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, scallions, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and soy sauce in a food processor and blend until smooth. You may use allspice berries, if available, but use enough to give the equivalent of 1/2 cup ground. (Allspice berries and scotch bonnets are key ingredients.) Keep this sauce refrigerated and it will keep forever. Feel free to increase the hot peppers and garlic. Rub the meat (chicken, pork or beef) with the seasoning. If using a pork shoulder, score the fat and rub in. With chicken, be sure to rub under skin and in cavities. Can also be used with fish, but use a firm-fleshed fish like grouper. Marinate overnight. Grill over a low fire until done. Charcoal is best, but not essential. Meat will be smoked "pinkish" when done, and the skin will be nice and dark. Chop meat into pieces, and serve traditionally with hard-dough bread and Jamaican Red Stripe Beer.
Cheese course =
Dessert = Imperial Stout
Banana chocolate on the rocks
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