A sluff at blogging lately I may be, but I have had one spectacular month! I have been warmed by friends and family, celebrating LOVE with my husband, and cooking a lot of really good eats. I'll do my best to share as much as I can, without overwhelming you. Okay, I'm going to overwhelm you, but it's totally worth it! My husband and I threw a farm party to celebrate our union of love. This was the best farm party I have ever attended. We roasted/ smoked one of our heritage breed 'Red Wattle' pigs that we have been raising. We used apple wood from our apple trees for smoking. We made 12 pies. We sourced as much local fair as we could get our hands on. We had friends and family galore, who showered us in love and wonderful gifts. There were children climbing apple trees, a warming fire, PBR, and a bit of brain eating. It was a good time had by all, and it couldn't have been accomplished if it wasn't for our fantastic families, friends, and neighbors. My daughter also started kindergarten! Kindergarten! She also learned how to drive a tractor and grow tomatoes. Life is grand!
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| Addie's tractor stroll |
The roasting/ smoking of the pig was a very education and fulfilling experience. We have nurtured these beasts, and have given them the best food, water, and shelter that any pig could desire. When it came time to harvest the biggest of our mud wallowers for our farm feast, there were no tears or fears. It was simply harvesting pork. I feel slightly heartless not feeling any gentle tugging of my heartstrings, but we've been watching these pigs grow into wonderful cuts of meat for months. I see ham growing right before my eyes every day. Plus, it's not like a pig is a cuddly companion that will sit by your side, or fetch a stick. No, these pigs will do anything to get into that bucket of compost we bring out everyday. They will throw their mud-caked rumps in your direction, hoping to throw you off kilter, spilling bruised peaches and melon rinds in their direction. We love our pigs, and treat them kindly, knowing their lives are a sacrifice to fill the bellies of our family and friends. It is important to me to know where my food comes from, and how it was raised. I know the whole story with our pigs, and it's a good one. I know that nothing was wasted with our pig roast. We had a taste of every part of that pig, including the brains, which were surprisingly creamy with a slightly livery undertone. They would've been fantastic with some grilled bread, and maybe some homemade pickles.
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Happy folks eating good eats!
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| This is our nephew, Levi. He liked the farm party, and he's just cute! |
By now you have probably gathered that I really dig growing my own food. I feel contentment and accomplishment going into our long winters with several cords of wood split and stacked, and a root cellar and freezer full of homemade goodies. Besides pork, we have a lot of things tucked away for the winter months. If you would've asked me 10 years ago if I'd be stock piling canned goods, I would've laughed at you while on my way to Trader Joe's. I now have more vested interest in food. I want to grow it, preserve it, and savor it all year long. Today I thought I'd share a few ways that I've preserved homegrown tomatoes that our families brought up to us by the armloads. I've been dealing in tomatoes all week, and have finally finished my last batch. Whew!
Juicing. Simply put, I juiced about 2 dozen ripe and ready tomatoes in my juicer. The juice is fresh and sweet, and will be wonderful in future bloody marys or will lend flavor to soups or stews. You can't beat the freshness and nutrition that fresh juice delivers. I packaged the juice in 1 cup increments, and froze them. This is my favorite tomato product I have on hand. If you've ever juiced before, you realize that you are stuck with a bunch of less juicy pulp of the fruit or veggie you are juicing. I used this, in my case it was tomatoes, to make creamy tomato basil soup. Score!
Next, I started roasting tomatoes. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their sweetness as well, and leaves you with a slightly concentrated, cooked down, chunky tomato sauce. I roasted my tomatoes in bacon fat and rosemary. You could go with olive oil and whatever herbs you have on hand. I like the smokiness that the bacon fat lends to the roasted tomatoes. I'll use these tomatoes to toss with pastas, or maybe as a base for soup. Are you nervous about my obsession with preserving the harvest yet? I am! But when I think about the quality of a tomato that I will have a tough time buying in the middle of winter in northern Minnesota, it all makes sense. The recipe; 5 pounds of ripe tomatoes, chunked and divided between two large roasting pans. Dollop with bacon fat- about 2 Tablespoons per pan. Throw in a sprig of rosemary per pan, and roast at 425 degrees until the tomatoes turn golden and the liquid in the pans start to cook down, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the freezer. This works well with cherry tomatoes too! Belly up!!
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tomatoes before roasting
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| tomatoes after roasting |
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| and they lived happily ever after....with pigs and tomatoes..... |
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