Posts Tagged: canning

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2
Sep 10

Oh, My | Where The Weck Lives

i can hear connie francis* right now…


I longed aloud today for a simple carafe.  Someone heard me.

Did you read the newsletter?  Did you see the announcement?  Have you been to the website?  What?  No?  Heath Ceramics has gone Uber-Weck.  I think I♥Heath Ceramics, even more hardcore.

The range Heath now carries online is, umm, just stoopid.  Seriously, they’ve got Weck sets.  Love.  Wait, did I say that again? Love.  Fine.  Umm, silly happy.  How about that?  Better?

See for yourself.

…Hold on.  I just looked at the prices.  Why does it feel like it’s cheaper than when I got my first taste of Weck goodness last year?  It just might be.  I won’t argue.

Nikki♥

*you know, she sung “Where The Boys Are,” the theme song to the 1960 Spring Break comedy.  No?  I guess that’s what I get for faking sick/ditching school and watching lots of old movies on the telly.

I like you. I really do. / I'm Hungry! / Stuff? / Uhhh — 4 Comments
22
Aug 10

Ummm, Yeah | Updated…

Just a wee bit of housekeeping for a late Sunday night.


I came across another spot to pick up Weck jars.  I’ve updated the Weck Resource Guide post with the Canoe link.  They carry the asparagus/tall jar!!!

I’ve also updated the Nigella Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake post from earlier this year.  I realized that I, umm, hadn’t included the recipe.  I, also, made the cake for an office shower/pot-luck thingy.  Added ginger and changed the world.  Okay.  Changed my world.  Heaven on, well, you know.  It was good.

Have a great week!

Nikki♥

I'm Hungry! / The Politics of Being Me — 2 Comments
25
Jun 10

Tigress’ Can Jam | Whole Churry Preserves (June)

ummm, that’s the way it’s supposed to be spelled.

Okay.  So I’ve been missing the Mid-Atlantic States a bit lately.  With Pressure Cooker out on dvd  and the new season of Top Chef in DC,  I was thinking about what makes the whole area from VA to PA feel like home.

In many ways, it’s just hearing people speak.  It amazes me how happy I get when I hear people with the super regional accents or the ones where the smallest thing will give them away.  I kind of even watch old episodes of Homicide and The Wire just to get a little taste of a place not far from where I grew up.

One of the mainstays of Go-Go, Little Benny, passed away recently.  Along with hip-hop, it was the music I heard in the halls and lunch rooms during school.  My eyes may have rolled a bit growing up, now it just makes me smile.

Watching old interviews and a Go-Go doc from the 80s made me cringe and wistful at the same time.  All these really super specific DC things come to the fore.  There is a way of saying words that end in -ry that is SOoooo home to me.  Really, it’s r and vowels, but whatever.   It’s like very becomes vuurry like in snow flurry, with a heavy emphasis on the urr.

So in honor of the DC Metro area (urrreeeuhhh), I made Whole Churry Preserves.

Whole Churry Preserves

Adapted  from Georgeanne Brennan’s The Glass Pantry

2 lbs of ripe sweet cherries

3/12 c of sugar

2 c water

Clean cherries.  Remove stems.  Pit by gently squeezing each cherry until the pit pops out.  {My fingers were stained such a lovely color last night.  Ahhh, but the red tint was all gone by morning.}  Add the sugar and water to a heavy bottomed non-reactive pot.   Stir occasionally for 5 or so minutes to allow sugar to dissolve.

Add cherries and bring to a boil.  Then, reduce to low heat and let simmer for 1 ¾ hours.  After 1 ½ hours, raise the temp to med-low.

Since cherries are low low low on the natural pectin totem pole, Georgeanne suggests a long slow cooking time to get them to the jell point.  She suggests starting to test after 45minutes.

Wash and sterilize jars.  When cherries are ready, remove from heat.  Skim and discard any foamy bits from the surface.  Ladle into jar.  Process for 10 minutes.

The NikkiBits: The recipe yields 4 pints.  I got ummm 2.  But that probably has more to do with my nibbling tendencies.  Mmmm, churries.  If I had any of that Amarretto from last month left, I’d have used a little of that, too.

What’sNext: You know I’ve been avoiding the pectin purchase.  That’s going to have to stop.  Hello.  What were my preserves like this morning?  Can you say loosey-goosey still sloshy?  Seriously, I’m heading to the store and we’ll tighten things up tonight.

It’s interesting to see my appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables develop even more as our canning challenge continues.   It also makes me think more about growing up on the east coast and the obvious nature of eating seasonally.  I’ve got a fridge full of berries that I want to enjoy fresh and that I want to enjoy in different ways come fall.

Nikki♥

I'm Hungry! — 4 Comments
21
May 10

Tigress’ Can Jam | Ashley’s Outstanding Rhubarb Chutney (May)

april & may tcj are fighting for my heart

What can I say, but thank you.  Ashley, thank you.  Loving this recipe.  Loving my Rhubarb & Amaretto Chutney.  I didn’t even do anything to it. (♥:Do I know you????)

I get all giddy when I learn a thing or five.  This month in canning has been really cool.  Hello, this is so not a late Friday night post.  Again.  Yay!  I planned, experimented and didn’t rush.  I might have to apply that to the rest of my…

Okay.  So, I still haven’t found a locally grown source for the barb.  I kinda stopped looking for it after I found it at the downtown Ralphs.  *Bad Nikki Shrug*  I’m keeping an eye out, though.

I wanted to try something different from last week’s tasty jam.  Since most of the other canning titles on the shelf went sweet, I was excitedly hoping that Canning & Preserving with Ashley English would surprise me with something I couldn’t pass up.  HELLOOOOOO, Rhubarb and Amaretto Chutney.  I mean, really.  HELLOOOO.

As I looked over the ingredients, I saw a long overdue trip in the making.  Coriander and cumin were already on my list to get from the South Asian grocery in the neighborhood.  I’d scouted out the place before, but hadn’t put the card on the counter to pay.

It’s like spice nirvana in there.  Freakish price and quantity difference from conventional stores.  I picked up a few other things that just might find their way into a new take on Market.Watch.

Can we talk about the big bottle of amaretto I’ve got in the cabinet now?  See, that’s what I get for not reading the entire recipe.  I was way too excited to grab the straw shopping basket Mom got me and go all euro with my multiple stops that I didn’t see that I could have just replaced the alcohol with orange juice.

It’s not that I don’t drink.  A bottle of wine usually won’t make it ’til morning.  I just don’t know what to do with the makings of a little bar.  Cute, I guess.  But it means I’ll need to get some friends to hang out with the soju and amaretto.  Right?

Rhubarb and Amaretto Chutney
barely, yet adoringly adapted from Canning & Preserving with Ashley English

cheesecloth or a muslin tea bag
3 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 1/2 c rhubarb, chopped
2 c brown sugar
1 1/4 c sweet onions, chopped
1/2 c seedless raisins
2 cloves garlic, mince
1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, minced
1 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c amaretto
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
3/4 teaspoon pickling or kosher salt

Make a spice pouch from a small the cheesecloth or muslin square.  Add the cardamom pods, whole cumin, coriander, cloves, mustard seeds, black peppercorns and cinnamon to the cheesecloth.  Secure the bundle with kitchen twine.

Add the spices, brown sugar, rhubarb, onions, raisins, garlic, ginger, and vinegar to sauce pan.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Cook over medium heat, uncovered for 30 min.  Add amaretto, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, mustard seeds and salt.  Simmer for 30 more minutes.  Stir, stir, stir.  Ashley suggests adding a bit more water to the chutney if it begins to stick to the pot.  1/8 cup to start.

Prep and sterilize jars and lids.  Fill jars and water bath process for 10 minutes.

NikkiBits: While this is pretty much halved, where it isn’t I chose over in the over/under debate in my head.  This yields 2 .25L or 1/2 pint jars with some extra for the fridge.   I had a bit with some fish and cous cous I threw together with a bit of curry, broccoli, coconut milk and Matouk’s.  OMFrigginG.

What’s Next: Awww, man.  I can’t wait to get more/better priced rhubarb.  This really kicks.  I so want to make it to give to friends and my fave librarian. (♥:Save LAPL!)

I think I might be glad that I didn’t really like the rhubarb pie I had that summer in Canada forever ago.  I wonder if I’d appreciate the journey to the savory and sweet.
Nikki♥

I'm Hungry! — 7 Comments
23
Apr 10

Tigress’ Can Jam | Mighty BerryMinty Jelly (April)

yummm… i think i’ve fallen in love again.

You know I’ve been kind of freakish for months over tangelos.  That really hasn’t changed, but blackberries have come a little tardy to the party and taken over. (♥: Did you just say tardy for the party? *sigh*) I love that they’re tart and dark and just IT!

Ummm, hello.  This is about TCJ.  Okay, right.  Sorry.  So this month is all about Herbs for Tigress’ Can Jam.  My herbs of choice seem to be cilantro, mint and tarragon.  Mint was the first thing to pop into my head.  Well, after tarragon, but I used tarragon last month in my, now gone, Pretty Pickled Pearls.  (♥:They were GOOD!)

Initially, I was going to do something with mint, ginger and lemon.  That whole herbs = no pectin thing kinda shut that down.  I’m wary of using commercial pectin right now because I want to learn as much as I can about natural occurring pectin.  Like which fruits are high and which are low.  This wasn’t the week to experiment with a recipe and making my own apple pectin.  Especially, since I seem to be stuck in last day post mode.

I happened upon some lonely blackberries that had just been saving themselves for yesterday in the back of the freezer.  Lightbulbs and stars started flickering in my head.  Hello, Mighty BerryMinty Jelly.

I didn’t really adapt the recipe from anywhere, but Anne V. Nelson’s The New Preserves and the 2006 edition of Irma Rombauer’s Joy of Cooking get “chock full of info” honorable mentions.

Mighty BerryMinty Jelly

2 c blackberries
1 c mint
1 c water
1 1/2 c – 2 c of sugar
1 tablespoon commercial lemon juice

Wash/clean blackberries and mint.  Steep mint in one cup of boiling water overnight.  Strain mint and discard solids.  Add blackberries and minty water to saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cook for 5-10 minutes smashing berries to get all that juice.  Strain berryminty juice using jelly bag/lined colander.  For clearer jelly, don’t force the straining.  Just give it time.  Lots of time.

When done, measure liquid.  Add lemon juice.  For every cup of liquid add 3/4 cups of sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Stir.  Stir.  Stir.  When it reaches the jell point, add to 2 sterilized .25L or 1/2 pint jars.  Process for 5 minutes.

The NikkiBits: This is minty.  Not overly so, for me, but minty nonetheless.  It’s the most beautiful purple.  I’m in love.  Seriously.  Marmalade, see you next year.  Strawberry Jam, eh.  It’s BerryMinty Jelly For Ever.  If I had an ice cream maker, all would be lost.

What’s Next: I’m making this again.  Like tonight.  I picked up more berries at the farmers’ market and I’m off to the get mint.  The batch above was a little loose, I’m going to steep with less water.  The Joy adds no water at all.  Anne adds less water for many more berries.  We’ll see.  I love that Carter made a simple syrup with her mint.  I might try that, too.

I just realized my TCJ selections seem to be color coordinated with my apt.  January, Blood Orange Marm.  Feb, Baby Carrots.  March, Pearl Onions.  April, Blackberry Mint.  Really, the colors in my apt are red, orange, purple, green, and white.  Add blue, pink and yellow/gold and it’s officially matchy-matchy.

Gotta go.  Must buy mint.

Nikki

I'm Hungry! — 3 Comments
12
Mar 10

Market.Watch | 12Mar10 & The Slam Reax

leeks, onions, meyer lemons, blood oranges


Ummm, I still don’t know what I want to do for Tigress’ Can Jam.  So, it looks like I’m just going to have to find some more allium options and hit the books.  I’ll be fine.

It’s been an odd week.  I read Slate’s ‘Canning is Trendy‘ article.  I read the The Atlantic’s ‘CSAs: A ripoff?’ article, too.  I don’t have a problem saying that I think some of the questions they ask are valid.  I think the tone in which both articles are framed is dismissive and patronizing, though.  I just think it fosters a discussion where everyone is defensive.

The thing is neither article annoyed me.  I just thought they both missed the point.  When it comes to CSAs, farmers’ market produce, or dairy products from small farms, I don’t expect the prices to compete with conventional grocery stores.  That’s not why I seek them out.  That’s not why I come back every week or still shop at the superchains.  Does an article bemoaning the price help me define why and where I choose to spend my money?  Yep.  Non-issue.

The Slate article got under my skin, primarily, because it hurt the feelings of people I’ve come to respect, who felt attacked for practicing the traditions they hold dear.  I had less of a problem because I kind of knew who she was talking to and about.  It didn’t bother me, personally, because I’ve come to really enjoy doing it.  Period. Whatever.

She can condescend, if she chooses.  That’s her.  I know how it felt to make that first jar of strawberry jam last spring.  I know what its been like to be a part of TCJ.  I ask myself about salt and sugar intake.  I pay attention to what’s local and abundant.  I don’t find it tedious.  I’m learning a little patience.  I’ll be standing with my basket ready when my gardening friends start to harvest the fruits of their labor.

I think what’s starting to rub me the wrong way is this push back on those of us not in rural areas or who haven’t been canning for time.  Yes, there are new fresh books with their take on tradition.  I’m not rushing out to buy them just because the cover rocks.  Yes, there’s more attention on the practice.  Yes, I like those cute jars.  So what.  If I’m canning for the next week or the rest of my life, it shouldn’t have any bearing on what anyone else is doing.

Let’s pass the knowledge amongst ourselves.  Share with whomever may be interested.  I’m here soaking up your advice and wisdom.  Please, share in my excitement.

Nikki♥

I'm Hungry! / LosAngeles — No Comments
1
Mar 10

Market.Watch | 26feb10 + March TCJ Selection

a little late and lacking in market posts. sorry about that.

I have a confession.  I think I’ve got a tangelo problem.  I mean, really.  I’m having a hard time going a day without one.  You wouldn’t even know that I bought, umm, 3 from the photo, but I did.  And I ate them.  Not slowly.

They’ve kinda bumped the blood oranges out of the sweet spot in my citrus loving heart.  They’ve been making me forget about the Meyer lemons I buy every week.  I’ve even let a few go bad.  (♥: Wasteful much?)

Thankfully, I decided to experiment with a new marm, instead of letting everything else rot.  It was filled with aging limes, meyer lemons, blood oranges and a tangelo that I wouldn’t allow myself to eat.  I spiked it with a bit of Korean Black Raspberry wine.

It was one of those ‘let’s just do it’ kind of things.  No pen, paper or keyboard in sight.  I think I was trying to trust my memory.  It was spec-freakin-tacular.  And I still can’t remember what I did.  Great.

So, I’m trying again.  This time I’ve written everything down.  Okay, I just wrote everything down.  Time for the overnight soak.

Small Measure‘s Ashley English announced the March produce selection for Tigress’ Can Jam.  It’s the Allium family.  There’s lots to choose from.  I can play with garlic, scallions, shallots, onions, leeks and more.  Low acid, again.  That’s cool.  Much less anxiety than last month’s carrots.

I love that the green onions from the Farmers’ Market were super dirty.  I’ve already used some in a bit of soup.  I was hungry and they were good.  Mild.  Liked them.  The others are about to join some carrots in a good sweet peppery brine.

Not sure what I’m doing for TCJ, yet.  So, I guess it’s off to the books, again.

Nikki♥

I like you. I really do. / I'm Hungry! — 4 Comments
23
Feb 10

In Pursuit of | A Weck Resource Guide

i like them. i REALLY like them.

Whether you decide to use the amazing Weck jars for canning or storage, finding them seems to be a question that keeps popping up.  These are the few sites and shops I’ve found, heard of or used to purchase Weck.

Weck Canning – The online home with Weck specific canning info.  In the point/click/buy online shopping sphere, the process seems a little complicated, but this is where you can get it all.

Heath Ceramics – I♥Heath Ceramics, hardcore.  I bought my Weck from Heath.  Selection is limited, but they tend to have good shipping deals.

Lehman’s – Carries “European Glass Canning Jars” made in Germany.  They aren’t called Weck on the site, but it looks like them in the product images.  Has anyone gotten them from Lehman’s recently?  Are they Weck? Update: Kaela confirms Weck on her recent Lehman’s order.  Comment below.

terrain – As well as the  individual jars, they even carry bath salts, bath teas and candles poured into Weck.

New* Canoe – The Portland, Oregon home of wonderfully curated objects carries .25L, .2L, .5L (tall) and the .75L jars individually.

Where did you buy your Weck?  Is there a site or store that you go back to to covet the loveliness that is Weck? Let me know where to find more and I’ll update.

Nikki♥

I'm Hungry! — 12 Comments
19
Jan 10

Tigress’ Can Jam | The Ballad of The Blood Orange Marmalade

consider me your cautionary tale.

It all started with massive performance anxiety.  I was feeling a bit intimidated.  Before I’d even begun, I was feeling like whatever I was going to do wouldn’t to be good enough or interesting enough.  Uggghhhhh!!!!! Where did the giddy go?  These self-inflicted wounds are BOOOORRiNnnnggg.

Wallflowers at the Organic Blood Orange Dance

Someone else's trash is my What? Really? Thx!

I took the Just Go approach.  Every single cookbook owned and borrowed was perused for tips, tricks and ideas.  Why not just go trad with my ’53 edition of The Joy of Cooking?  From there it was pretty easy to decide to do plain ol’ Blood Orange Marmalade.  Simple.  Simple.  Wait.  Irma and I are going to make this crazy complicated, aren’t we?

I adapted the recipe, scroll all the way down...

Follow directions?  I pretty much followed Irma S. Rombaur’s recipe for Orange, Lemon And Grapefruit Marmalade up until the point it said cook the fruit mix in batches.  Really, I did the whole soaking fruit thing.  Overnight.  For Real.

Remember up there I said up til the point… Well, I cooked it.  And kept cooking it because there was so much of it and it wouldn’t spoon or saucer test well.  At some point, I know it was hours later, I said to heck with it and thought it might set up if I went ahead and processed it.

I’m a bit of a Weck person.  I’m a Weck person and this was my first time with the water bath.  Oh, bubbles, how you scared me.  I did lose a jar midway through.  I was kinda wild to see pulp just appear in the water.

Instead of getting weepy,  I took out the offending jar and stuck in a spoon and almost cried.  It was good.  Loose and syrupy, but good.

I finished processing the other jars.  Let them cool.  I just waited to see what the next day would bring.  The next day brought just as much movement in the jar.

I looked around for ways to save my marmalade.  There it was on p.85 of Anne V. Nelson’s The New Preserves.  For every 2 cups of fruit goo add 1 tablespoon of commercial lemon juice.

I pulled the seal on all the jars. Measured and dumped back in the pot.  Added the lemon juice.  Cooked until the spoon test looked right.  Processed and waited.

Oh, what a good morning can bring.  Blood Orange Marmalade and plain yogurt.  Bliss. That simple.

It was sweet and tart.  Smooth, with hints of texture.  The bits of rind really were a candied surprise.  I enjoyed the Blood Orange Marmalade with yogurt a bit more than the pita.  The fresh, cool tang of the yogurt lifted the marmalade and tempered the sweetness.  Twas quite good.

ahhh, exclamation point eating!

So where’s the adapted recipe?  I could just say since I didn’t do it right, why would you want it?  Well, the truth is… I forgot to write it down.  Next month, I promise?

♥

I'm Hungry! / Inspired By... / The Politics of Being Me — 4 Comments
8
Jan 10

giggly and screechy | the can jam

this is going to be fun!

I’m about to head out to the farmers’ market in my neighborhood for the first time in over a month.  I’m so excited to see what they’ve got. I can’t wait to pile all that goodness on the table.

I’m a bit giggly because I’m participating in Tigress’ Can Jam.  Each month this year, we’re going to focus on preserving.  We’re turning our attention to good food and to traditions that are truly local and global.

In P & K's Yard

I feel lucky to not only making connections to long gone relatives and ancestors, but to the family members that are here and getting older.  I get to make new memories, too.  And share them with you.

So, here’s the jumpy part.  I’m eight days in and I haven’t the slightest idea what I’m going to do.  This month the spotlight is on citrus.  This should be easy, right.  I live in California.  Well, I want blood oranges.  I need blood oranges.  Don’t you see I’m blinded by my blood orange lust.

I haven’t come across any yet.  That could change today.  Or I could just get on with it.  Which is what I’m going to do.  I’ve got today and Hollywood on Sunday.  This weekend will be the start of the citrus days.  Or the continuation of the citrus days.  Tigress must have been reading my mind.  I’ve been super citrused for the last couple of weeks.

Time to get the tote bag and camera.  I’m coming back with something fun.  I promise.

Nikki♥

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