Knit & Nosh

cbrm-Preservation Kitchen

Preservation Kitchen, The Craft of Making and Cooking with Pickles, Preserves, and Aigre-doux by Paul Virant.

 

I bought this book as soon as it was released, and even though it is an expensive book, that sits on a shelf heavy with canning books, I do not regret the purchase. I spent the first few days reading, drooling, and reading more. What separates this book from other canning books? It is not all about the canning. It is also full of recipes that use the food you have lovingly sealing into jars, AND it includes a few amazing cocktails.

If you happen to be an experienced canner who thinks you do not need another canning book, you may be wrong. If you only buy one canning book this year, Preservation Kitchen is the one to buy. If you are a new canner, start with Food In Jars (full review coming soon), and work your way towards Preservation Kitchen. I have pulled this book out again and again over the past few months, and as the big canning time of year approaches it is working its way into the kitchen.

The first recipe I tried sounds odd, Beer Jam. The name does not reflect the finished product. It is not jam at all, but a thick syrup that is perfect along side a cheese plate. If you have ever had the pleasure of eating a cheese plate that includes a little dish of honey or agave, then Beer Jam is that little dish served in heaven. Deep, dark beer, that is sweet and full of spices, with a hint of citrus and vanilla. I am not a beer drinker, but the smell is amazing. It makes you want to lick the spoon.

I made my Beer Jam using Dragonstooth Stout, a local beer that is a favorite of Husband. I used wee, tiny Weck jars because cheese and fruit will be dipped into the syrup and I did not want a large container getting all mucked up. You could of course spoon single servings from a larger jar.

One word of caution before you begin. While heating up the mixture you may think it is a good time to run downstairs and grab a quart jar for steeping. It is not. The 45 seconds that it takes to make that trip will result in beer and sugar bubbling all over your stove. Learn from my mistakes.

The author recommends using Beer Jam in a Beer Jam Manhattan, or as a glaze for beef and roasted beets, both recipes are included. I will definitely be making Beer Jam again, I will leave out the pectin in future batches to keep things soft and and syrup like.

The next thing I will be trying is Smoked and Pickled Spring Onions to use in a relish. Not only is the recipe for the relish included, but Mr. Virant also shows you how to make a stovetop smoker.

And you thought you did not need another canning book.

Posted with Blogsy

garden grows

Let us take a peak at the garden.

I thought I was going to make some compost tea last weekend, then I read the instructions and learned that hoses and pumps are involved. That is not what I had in mind. So instead I spread compost around the plants and watered it like crazy. Seems to have done the trick.

Most plants are doing well.

My only real worry are the peppers. I planted four varieties, but I think they went in too soon. They are not growing and the leaves do not look good. I am thinking it has just been too cold for them. I will leave them in and think good thoughts, but I am prepared to begin again once the weather warms up. How cold has it been? The heater was on twice the past week. :-(

 

I have been harvesting the lettuces regularly and there has been enough to keep up with the family eating. SO tasty. I have been plopping new starts into the spaces where the mature lettuce comes out. I hope to be able to continue with pattern that all summer.

We have also been harvesting radishes. I do not remember planting the French Breakfast variety, but that is what is growing. The flavor is classic radish with a little heat in the back of your throat. So good.

 

A neighbor brought over some garlic that his sister had given him. He had planted all he could and then started walking around offering it to neighbors. I took two cloves of Elephant Garlic and an entire head of an unknown variety. They started sprouting the day after I planted them.

The corn is doing remarkably well considering the cold. It looks there is a patch that is not going to sprout (remember the raking incident?), but I am sure I can find something to fill the spot,

 

The brussel sprouts are beautiful even though they have Cabbage Worms. I have begun treating them with Neem Oil. This morning I see the little buggers have moved over to the kale. I will be treating the kale with neem oil as well. Not sure how long it will take to eradicate the voracious beasts, but I will be spraying once a week for the foreseeable future.

 

The peas will be ready to harvest within a couple weeks but are not even close to the height they should be. Yes, some of it is the cold spring, but it is more likely the soil. The soil in the ground is just awful and even after three years of amending this little patch, it is still not healthy. So I have decided not to bother with the beans and cucumbers I had planned to plant after the peas. I will add another raised bed next year to handle the pole crops.

All and all I am really happy with the garden and have begun thinking about what can planted to harvest during the winter months.

 

 

Lemon Syrup

Is there anything prettier than a bowl of lemons on the counter? Eventually those beauties need to be used, and Lemon Syrup is an easy and tasty way to preserve their special charms.

 

Lemon Syrup

4 cups lemon juice, you will need to juice 15-20 lemons

4 cups water

6 1/2 cups sugar

Zest from 5 lemons

 

Remove the zest from five lemons using a vegetable peeler. To a medium, non-reactive pan add zest, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Then add lemon juice and return too a boil.

Remove from heat and strain mixture through a fine sieve. Pour syrup into jars, leaving 1/2 headspace and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

 

Lemon Syrup can be used to make a fine lemonade, using one part syrup to four parts water. Make a large pitcher or add a splash to a glass of bubble water. Or (I bet you saw this coming), shake up a sweet Lemon Drop cocktail to drink with your next outdoor meal.

 

Lemon Drop Spritzer

 

2 ounces Lemon Syrup

2 ounces vodka

Bubble water

 

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add vodka and lemon syrup. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels nice and cold. Strain liquid into an ice filled old-fashioned glass and top with a splash of bubble water.

 

salad?

When someone says, "salad", what imagine pops in your mind?

cbrm-Herbivoracious

A few months back I discovered the Herbivoracious blog while searching for dinner ideas. Clicking through the pages I was so inspired, and could not believe this was the first I was seeing of this great resource. Before long it was announced that a book would be released. I knew right away I wanted that book.

Calling it a book of vegetarian food is too limiting. This is a book full of great food, period. After spending a couple of weeks with the recipes I know that it is going to become one of my most favorite go-to cookbooks.

I have made Swiss Chard And Tomatillo Enchiladas, Mexican Breakfast Torta, Persian Rice, and Caramel-Cooked Tofu with great success. The recipes are straight forward, the photography is mouth-watering, and the food is delicious.

My mom asked for a recommendation to bring to a potluck. It needed to be gluten free, travel well, and be just a little impressive. I immediately thought of Stuffed And Baked Polenta. A dish with mushrooms, kale, and a tarragon béchamel sauce. Just thinking about it requires a napkin.

The recipes are all over the map, literally. Michael Natkin brings in flavors from all over the world and turns them into food you love to eat. Plenty of gluten-free and vegan options are included, as well as an entire chapter of sauces and condiments. I envision my copy of Herbivoracious becoming one of those well loved cookbooks, with pages that are crinkled and sauced stained. There are so many recipes I want to try that this book is not going to leave the kitchen for a good long time.