my grandparents have been migrating to texas every winter since i can remember. upon her return, my grandmother always talked about how much she disliked texas. there was the sweltering heat. the dry, nutrient deficient soil which grew none of the plants she was accostomed to growing back in wisconsin. there was also the distance from her beloved family. there were only a few things that called my grandmother back to texas each year. one was my grandfather. the other was her citrus trees. varieties of oranges and grapefruits that surely could not grow in her wisconsin garden. every spring my grandmother returned to her northern homestead giving gifts of her citrus crop. i was always handed a reused grocery bag full of citrus. each fruit a token of my grandmothers nurturing hands.
my grams has since passed, but the citrus fruit remains, traveling along side my grandpa and his little dog on his long journeys back to wisconsin each spring. maybe it's the spring like weather that sparked my grapefruit memories. maybe it was the fruit box we recieved over the holidays, brimming with varieties of oranges and grapefruits. none the less, i felt inclined to utilize those grapefruits in a simple but fantastic grapefruit curd. grapefruit curd is a multi-purpose refridgerator staple. it can be used to fill tart shells, smeared between cake layers, or slathered on scones. it's great on a toasted english muffin and for flavoring yogurt. whatever purpose this grapefruit curd serves for you, i hope you enjoy the simplicity and refreshing flavors!
Grapefruit Curd
8 large egg yolks
the zest of one large grapefruit
1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 cup freshly sqeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
combine the yolks, zest, grapefruit and lemon juices, and sugar in a saucepan. whisk to combine. cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 8-10 minutes.
remove saucepan from heat and add the salt and butter- one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly into the surface of the curd. refridgerate until chilled and set.
belly up!!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
northern minnesota flavors
we had the opportunity to have a few out of town dinner guests last saturday. two of our guests had just recently moved to minnesota from france. i was overly excited to talk about food with them! we laughed the night away talking about their terrible food mishaps here in the states. it turns out that sometimes things can get lost in translation and the next thing you know, you're opening a can of creamed corn, in udder disgust, hoping it was maybe corn or soup or anything but creamed corn!
we talked about fromage as one of our guests was a cheese buyer in france, for the last six years. when we finally sorted out this conversation, and i found out that there was a cheese monger from france sitting around my kitchen table, i immediately started interigating. we started with brie. they had found a french brie which had the tell tale signs of a good french brie- it has spring in the center. this means that when you gently press down on the middle of the wheel of brie, it should gently spring back. this helps in identifying freshness and the age of your brie. they pointed out that our brie offered at the co-op was a very nice brie! they also referred to brie as a sweet cheese, one to be eaten after dinner, or with sweets.
we talked about life, arcitechture, and even about the bodies of water around france and minnesota. lake superior was really having an impact on our foreign guests, and they were just amazed at it's enormousy. the sound of the waves on the beach. the full moon's reflection in the water. it was providing a very memorable experience for them. i wanted or guests to embrace northern minnesota as much as i wanted to embrace france. so we did what all good minnesotans would do; we bought beer, smoked fish, and made wild rice soup. it was a hit. we noshed on the smoked fish and various cheeses, paired with regional brews, while we finished making the soup. the soup- a creamy rendition of wild rice soup with locally made turkey wild rice sausage, was quickly devoured with warm crusty bread. dessert was an assortment of christmas cookies purchased that morning at a local craft and bake sale. i worried that our offerings would be sub-par, these guests were from france after all. but all was splendid, and their northern minnesota experience was a success!
i wanted to include a few ideas for your nosh plates over the holiday season. i love to graze. it seems that most of my guests do too. i try to provide little bites and bits, such as smoked fish and a variety of cheeses. it's a great way to introduce out of towners to our local fish house, and their smoked fish which is darn tasty! i also like pairing cheeses with fresh fruits, dried fruits, and toasted nuts. there are an amazing variety of crackers and flatbread out there too. a few of my favorites are; mary's gone crackers, any variety of sesame rice cracers, and let's not forget the akmak crackers!
belly up!!
we talked about fromage as one of our guests was a cheese buyer in france, for the last six years. when we finally sorted out this conversation, and i found out that there was a cheese monger from france sitting around my kitchen table, i immediately started interigating. we started with brie. they had found a french brie which had the tell tale signs of a good french brie- it has spring in the center. this means that when you gently press down on the middle of the wheel of brie, it should gently spring back. this helps in identifying freshness and the age of your brie. they pointed out that our brie offered at the co-op was a very nice brie! they also referred to brie as a sweet cheese, one to be eaten after dinner, or with sweets.
we talked about life, arcitechture, and even about the bodies of water around france and minnesota. lake superior was really having an impact on our foreign guests, and they were just amazed at it's enormousy. the sound of the waves on the beach. the full moon's reflection in the water. it was providing a very memorable experience for them. i wanted or guests to embrace northern minnesota as much as i wanted to embrace france. so we did what all good minnesotans would do; we bought beer, smoked fish, and made wild rice soup. it was a hit. we noshed on the smoked fish and various cheeses, paired with regional brews, while we finished making the soup. the soup- a creamy rendition of wild rice soup with locally made turkey wild rice sausage, was quickly devoured with warm crusty bread. dessert was an assortment of christmas cookies purchased that morning at a local craft and bake sale. i worried that our offerings would be sub-par, these guests were from france after all. but all was splendid, and their northern minnesota experience was a success!
i wanted to include a few ideas for your nosh plates over the holiday season. i love to graze. it seems that most of my guests do too. i try to provide little bites and bits, such as smoked fish and a variety of cheeses. it's a great way to introduce out of towners to our local fish house, and their smoked fish which is darn tasty! i also like pairing cheeses with fresh fruits, dried fruits, and toasted nuts. there are an amazing variety of crackers and flatbread out there too. a few of my favorites are; mary's gone crackers, any variety of sesame rice cracers, and let's not forget the akmak crackers!
belly up!!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
root vegetable and turkey stew
i, along with thousands of other folks, have an abundence of leftovers in my fridge. i love the thanksgiving holiday, leftovers, and all of the wonderful memories that come with both. here's a rundown on what we made for thanksgiving- it will help you envision our leftovers. for the turkey i made a paste with fresh herbs, chilis, lemon zest, and olive oil and slathered it, ever so carefully, between the skin and the meat of the turkey. as the bird roasts, the flavors meld into the flesh, and make for one fantastic bird. i made stuffing, or what i think of as more of a savory bread pudding. it was laced with pork belly and kale. jeremy made his favorite and fantastic green bean casserole (from scratch), and addie and i made an apple pie with honeycrisp apples from bayfield wisconsin. it was the best darn apple pie addie and i have made! it was topped with a cinnamon and sugar dusted pie dough cut out of a bison. bison are her new favorite wild beasts. otherwise there is no association, as far as i know, between apple pie and bison.
so imagine the possibilities, armed with all of those leftovers, as to what transpired in my kitchen. the pork belly and kale bread pudding ended up in scrambled eggs for an amazing breakfast. i made a quick turkey salad with some of the leftover turkey- tossed with toasted walnuts, diced apples, blue cheese, and a bit of buttermilk and mayo just to hold it together, it was great on grilled bread with greens. then there was this root vegetable and turkey stew. sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, baby potatoes, brussel sprouts, turkey, and a smokey-herby broth. this dish was the showstopper of all the dishes created with leftovers. here's how it went down....
1 mediium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large-ish parsnip, peeled and diced
12 tiny fingerling potatoes, halved
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
a handful of brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 cupped of leftover turkey, diced
1 sprig of rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
1 Tbl dried sweet basil
1 tsp dried tyme
1 tsp dried sage
turkey or chicken stock
smoked sea salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste
in a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot saute the onion and celery in olive oil, butter, or a dollop of bacon fat which is what went into our stew. add the garlic, the root vegetables, brussel sprouts, and herbs and sute a few minutes more. add the turkey and the stock. season to taste with smoked sea salt and cracked pepper. reduce the heat to a low simmer.
in a seperate pan, make a roux. i used about 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tabelspoons of all- purpose flour. melt the butter in the pan, stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is golden in color. add this as a thickener to the stew. i added it gradually by the tablespoon full, until it was all nicely distributed throughout the stew.
allow the stew to simmer on low until the root vegetables are tender. serve with freshly baked buttermilk biscuits!! belly- up!!
so imagine the possibilities, armed with all of those leftovers, as to what transpired in my kitchen. the pork belly and kale bread pudding ended up in scrambled eggs for an amazing breakfast. i made a quick turkey salad with some of the leftover turkey- tossed with toasted walnuts, diced apples, blue cheese, and a bit of buttermilk and mayo just to hold it together, it was great on grilled bread with greens. then there was this root vegetable and turkey stew. sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, baby potatoes, brussel sprouts, turkey, and a smokey-herby broth. this dish was the showstopper of all the dishes created with leftovers. here's how it went down....
1 mediium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large-ish parsnip, peeled and diced
12 tiny fingerling potatoes, halved
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
a handful of brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 cupped of leftover turkey, diced
1 sprig of rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
1 Tbl dried sweet basil
1 tsp dried tyme
1 tsp dried sage
turkey or chicken stock
smoked sea salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste
in a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot saute the onion and celery in olive oil, butter, or a dollop of bacon fat which is what went into our stew. add the garlic, the root vegetables, brussel sprouts, and herbs and sute a few minutes more. add the turkey and the stock. season to taste with smoked sea salt and cracked pepper. reduce the heat to a low simmer.
in a seperate pan, make a roux. i used about 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tabelspoons of all- purpose flour. melt the butter in the pan, stir in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux is golden in color. add this as a thickener to the stew. i added it gradually by the tablespoon full, until it was all nicely distributed throughout the stew.
allow the stew to simmer on low until the root vegetables are tender. serve with freshly baked buttermilk biscuits!! belly- up!!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
pumpkin pie
there are the most peculiar looking birds gathering in large numbers outside of the house today. they have sort of a parakeet looking head, and the body of a dove. they are a greyish- brown color, and i think i spied some hints of red on the tops of some of their heads. anyway, these birds seem to be pilaging. scouting the terain for nibbles of sustanance to get them through their migration. these birds are reminders of the season at hand, and although i've seen snow accumulation on more than one occasion this week, it is autumn. i have an autumn bounty of pumpkins and squash, so it only seems fitting to include them into my cooking this week, and i've had pumpkin pie on the brain for quite some time. i want to share my favorite pumpkin pie recipe, so here's how it goes.
the recipe i use is from the pie and pastry bible, by rose levy beranbaum. i was introduced to this book about a decade ago, and still use it religiously to this day. it is a great reference book, and if you have trouble with pastry dough, this book will help you out! you can use any pie dough recipe you want. i used a basic pie dough recipe, substituting cornmeal for a portion of the flour. i started by roasting a small pumpkin and a small buttercup squash. you'll need 2 cups of pumpkin pulp for the pie, and this was just the right amount, with a few bites of roasted goodness to spare. roasting your own pumpkins or squash just makes your pie that much greater. obviously canned pumpkin puree is the fall back, and makes a fine substitue. the spices are simple- just ginger and cinnamon. i used a half of a vanilla bean for the vanilla extract, with great results.
the filling:
1 3/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup whole milk
2/3 cup cream
OR substitute 1 1/3 cups half and half for the milk and the cream
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, or half of a vanilla bean
in a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt. over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick and shiny.
scrape the mixture into a food processor and process for 1 minute. with the motor on, add the milk and cream, processing until incorporated. scrape the sides of the work bowl. add the eggs, one at a time, processing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each addition; add the vanilla along with the last egg.
pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake the pie for about 45-60 minutes or just until a knife inserted between the sides and the center comes out almost clean. the filling will have puffed and the surface dulled, except for the center. if the crust seems to be darkening too much, protect the edges with foil.
place the baked pie on a rack to cool.
we enjoyed our pie while still warm, with a dollop of honey greek yogurt on top! belly up!
the recipe i use is from the pie and pastry bible, by rose levy beranbaum. i was introduced to this book about a decade ago, and still use it religiously to this day. it is a great reference book, and if you have trouble with pastry dough, this book will help you out! you can use any pie dough recipe you want. i used a basic pie dough recipe, substituting cornmeal for a portion of the flour. i started by roasting a small pumpkin and a small buttercup squash. you'll need 2 cups of pumpkin pulp for the pie, and this was just the right amount, with a few bites of roasted goodness to spare. roasting your own pumpkins or squash just makes your pie that much greater. obviously canned pumpkin puree is the fall back, and makes a fine substitue. the spices are simple- just ginger and cinnamon. i used a half of a vanilla bean for the vanilla extract, with great results.
the filling:
1 3/4 cups unsweetened pumpkin puree
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup whole milk
2/3 cup cream
OR substitute 1 1/3 cups half and half for the milk and the cream
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, or half of a vanilla bean
in a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt. over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until thick and shiny.
scrape the mixture into a food processor and process for 1 minute. with the motor on, add the milk and cream, processing until incorporated. scrape the sides of the work bowl. add the eggs, one at a time, processing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each addition; add the vanilla along with the last egg.
pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake the pie for about 45-60 minutes or just until a knife inserted between the sides and the center comes out almost clean. the filling will have puffed and the surface dulled, except for the center. if the crust seems to be darkening too much, protect the edges with foil.
place the baked pie on a rack to cool.
we enjoyed our pie while still warm, with a dollop of honey greek yogurt on top! belly up!
Monday, October 31, 2011
moose t-bone au poivre
while reading a book called 'cleaving', my interest in butchering has increased. i was wondering just the other day about how difficult it would be to break down a carcass into quarters, and then break it down from there. i've done basic butchering in culinary school and in restaurants, but i want to experience the whole deal from start to finish, which i'm sure i'll have the opportunity to partake in during the future hunting of deer season.
on a smaller scale, i had a fantastic moose t-bone steak last night. the t-bone and porterhouse are steaks of beef (or moose in my case), cut from the short loin and including a t-shaped bone with meat on each side; the larger is a strip steak and the smaller a tenderloin steak. porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the short loin and include more tenderloin, while t-bone steaks are cut from farther forward and contain less. if you think about it on the human body, which may sound grim, but let's face it- a carcass is a carcass right?..anyway, it would be the lower back area surrounding the vertebrae. obviously it's a bit different on a large beast, but just to give you an idea....so, this was one great steak! it was almost fork tender and the flavors were more like an 'earthy'- meaty flavor rather than a 'gamey' flavor associated with game meat. i was immediately thankful, for these steaks were a gift, and a gift of meat is just really fun!
my only task in the preparation of these steaks was to make an accommodating sauce or compound butter. we decided that mushrooms should play a role too, so i made a twist on a traditional french preparation called steak au poivre. traditionally this preparation would have you loosely coating your steak with cracked peppercorns, and searing it in a hot pan at a high temperature to create a sort of peppercorn crust. a pan sauce made with cognac, heavy cream, and pan-scrapings would be served with the steak. dijon mustard and butter are common ingredients in the sauce as well. here's how my version went down. since we were grilling the steaks, i'd have no pan-scrapings to help flavor the sauce, so i used the mushrooms. i halved the mushrooms, left them whole if they were on the small side, so they'd be substantial. i gave them a saute in a little butter and olive oil. i then added a few glugs of brandy, 1 hefty tablespoon of stone ground mustard and allowed the brandy and mushroom liquids to cook down and to also burn off the alcohol. i then added a few dollops of butter and several grinds of cracked pepper, and allowed it to melt and meld with the pan reduction. what i was left with was a tangy, earthy, creamy sauce which pooled around the mushrooms and was heavenly with the grilled steaks!
happy hunting and a toast to the animals in which we eat! belly up!
on a smaller scale, i had a fantastic moose t-bone steak last night. the t-bone and porterhouse are steaks of beef (or moose in my case), cut from the short loin and including a t-shaped bone with meat on each side; the larger is a strip steak and the smaller a tenderloin steak. porterhouse steaks are cut from the rear end of the short loin and include more tenderloin, while t-bone steaks are cut from farther forward and contain less. if you think about it on the human body, which may sound grim, but let's face it- a carcass is a carcass right?..anyway, it would be the lower back area surrounding the vertebrae. obviously it's a bit different on a large beast, but just to give you an idea....so, this was one great steak! it was almost fork tender and the flavors were more like an 'earthy'- meaty flavor rather than a 'gamey' flavor associated with game meat. i was immediately thankful, for these steaks were a gift, and a gift of meat is just really fun!
my only task in the preparation of these steaks was to make an accommodating sauce or compound butter. we decided that mushrooms should play a role too, so i made a twist on a traditional french preparation called steak au poivre. traditionally this preparation would have you loosely coating your steak with cracked peppercorns, and searing it in a hot pan at a high temperature to create a sort of peppercorn crust. a pan sauce made with cognac, heavy cream, and pan-scrapings would be served with the steak. dijon mustard and butter are common ingredients in the sauce as well. here's how my version went down. since we were grilling the steaks, i'd have no pan-scrapings to help flavor the sauce, so i used the mushrooms. i halved the mushrooms, left them whole if they were on the small side, so they'd be substantial. i gave them a saute in a little butter and olive oil. i then added a few glugs of brandy, 1 hefty tablespoon of stone ground mustard and allowed the brandy and mushroom liquids to cook down and to also burn off the alcohol. i then added a few dollops of butter and several grinds of cracked pepper, and allowed it to melt and meld with the pan reduction. what i was left with was a tangy, earthy, creamy sauce which pooled around the mushrooms and was heavenly with the grilled steaks!
happy hunting and a toast to the animals in which we eat! belly up!
Monday, October 17, 2011
montana & coffee
vacation. oh how they do such wonders! our exotic destination for this trip was montana. and oh how montana delivers! most of our time was spent in and around yellowstone national park. as our nations first national park, there is a lot of history embedded in the culture and landscape. there were geysers, snow- capped mountains, frosty rivers, and herds of bison meandering throughout everyday. i spent a lot of time just staring out across the vast and diverse landscape. golden wheat fields expanding to the horizon where they were met by magnificent mountains. trout fishermen casting their flys in those ripples that lay near the overhanging marsh grasses. purple asters peeking through inches of snow. roaming steers lazily grazing. bull elks standing firm around their herds. prairie dogs foolishly parading the prairie.
it has been almost a decade since i last ventured around montana. it seemed very peaceful this time of year, as though local residents were preparing to settle in for the long and unforgiving winter that is soon to follow this prolonged fall, much like us here in grand marais. i really like traveling during the off-seasons, or when peak tourist season is coming to a close. shop keepers tend to be a bit more relaxed, and don't mind telling you where the trout are biting, or their funniest stories. i shared micro-brews, laughs, and of coarse...food. oddly enough, my favorite culinary memory has to do with the morning mocha that was brought to us by mike freed. mike is 70, and has been backpacking across the nation for about 15 years. he stops then and again to catch up with his family and friends at his home in hawaii, hastings, or hovland, and to to do a little fishing here and there. these morning mocha's were such a treat. such a warm, welcoming way to start the day. mike also likes maps, and so as we sipped our mocha's we were usually swooning over maps, deciphering which mountain passes were passable and which were not due to snow and road closings. we planned relentlessly, going over trails, trying to locate desolate logging roads and sections of the continental divide trail. my focus was typically diverted by chocolate laced espresso.
it's not an exaggeration to say that our trip was fueled by coffee. there was a lot of traveling and adventuring happening in a weeks worth of time, so it's only natural that coffee would come into play. coffee is my one addiction. i drink it everyday, throughout the day. i'm okay with that. i'm usually just a coffee with cream kind of gal. enough cream so as the color of my coffee resembles the color of a jersey cow. to feed my increasing coffee addiction, i found myself huddled over an msr pocket rocket, eagerly watching water come to a boil. i then had my one cup reusable coffee filter full of fragrant, ground coffee. i did this through wind, snow, and sunshine. the little camp stove proved itself again and again. we also visited a serious number of espresso joints. mike has a way with finding these great quaint coffee shops and eateries. he would wake just before dawn and wander off to the nearest source of coffee, long before anyone else awoke. he always returned bearing gifts of mocha and lattes.
i seek out co-ops when i'm traveling. i spent some time in billings montana, where they have a great co-op with a great coffee selection. comparative to other co-ops, our very own co-op pulls it's weight with it's coffee selection. what i am looking for in a coffee selection is variations of roasts and if there is regional coffee offered. cook county whole foods co-op offers both. our regional coffee offerings are supplied by peace coffee which is roasted in minneapolis. peace coffee does a great job with their roasting, and their mission statement is heartwarming. you can check out their website, and get all of the details. here's a favorites list of coffee beans from the co-op:
dark roasts: Peace Coffee- Guatemalan Dark.
this is a dark roast coffee with low acidity. some flavor notes; dark chocolate, caramelized cherry, anise, smoke, bittersweet chocolate
Equal Exchange- Love Buzz.
this is a french and full city roast coffee. some flavor notes; sweet velvety layers of chocolate brownie, caramel corn, malt, and toffee
medium roasts: Peace coffee- Sumatran.
this is a darker roast coffee with low acidity. some flavor notes; tobacco, dark chocolate, black pepper, fresh figs
Equal Exchange- Mind, Body, and Soul
this is a medium and Vienna roast coffee. some flavor notes include; smooth, and creamy balanced blend that has hints of almond, malt, and dark chocolate
it has been almost a decade since i last ventured around montana. it seemed very peaceful this time of year, as though local residents were preparing to settle in for the long and unforgiving winter that is soon to follow this prolonged fall, much like us here in grand marais. i really like traveling during the off-seasons, or when peak tourist season is coming to a close. shop keepers tend to be a bit more relaxed, and don't mind telling you where the trout are biting, or their funniest stories. i shared micro-brews, laughs, and of coarse...food. oddly enough, my favorite culinary memory has to do with the morning mocha that was brought to us by mike freed. mike is 70, and has been backpacking across the nation for about 15 years. he stops then and again to catch up with his family and friends at his home in hawaii, hastings, or hovland, and to to do a little fishing here and there. these morning mocha's were such a treat. such a warm, welcoming way to start the day. mike also likes maps, and so as we sipped our mocha's we were usually swooning over maps, deciphering which mountain passes were passable and which were not due to snow and road closings. we planned relentlessly, going over trails, trying to locate desolate logging roads and sections of the continental divide trail. my focus was typically diverted by chocolate laced espresso.
it's not an exaggeration to say that our trip was fueled by coffee. there was a lot of traveling and adventuring happening in a weeks worth of time, so it's only natural that coffee would come into play. coffee is my one addiction. i drink it everyday, throughout the day. i'm okay with that. i'm usually just a coffee with cream kind of gal. enough cream so as the color of my coffee resembles the color of a jersey cow. to feed my increasing coffee addiction, i found myself huddled over an msr pocket rocket, eagerly watching water come to a boil. i then had my one cup reusable coffee filter full of fragrant, ground coffee. i did this through wind, snow, and sunshine. the little camp stove proved itself again and again. we also visited a serious number of espresso joints. mike has a way with finding these great quaint coffee shops and eateries. he would wake just before dawn and wander off to the nearest source of coffee, long before anyone else awoke. he always returned bearing gifts of mocha and lattes.
i seek out co-ops when i'm traveling. i spent some time in billings montana, where they have a great co-op with a great coffee selection. comparative to other co-ops, our very own co-op pulls it's weight with it's coffee selection. what i am looking for in a coffee selection is variations of roasts and if there is regional coffee offered. cook county whole foods co-op offers both. our regional coffee offerings are supplied by peace coffee which is roasted in minneapolis. peace coffee does a great job with their roasting, and their mission statement is heartwarming. you can check out their website, and get all of the details. here's a favorites list of coffee beans from the co-op:
dark roasts: Peace Coffee- Guatemalan Dark.
this is a dark roast coffee with low acidity. some flavor notes; dark chocolate, caramelized cherry, anise, smoke, bittersweet chocolate
Equal Exchange- Love Buzz.
this is a french and full city roast coffee. some flavor notes; sweet velvety layers of chocolate brownie, caramel corn, malt, and toffee
medium roasts: Peace coffee- Sumatran.
this is a darker roast coffee with low acidity. some flavor notes; tobacco, dark chocolate, black pepper, fresh figs
Equal Exchange- Mind, Body, and Soul
this is a medium and Vienna roast coffee. some flavor notes include; smooth, and creamy balanced blend that has hints of almond, malt, and dark chocolate
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Apple-Plum Butter
i am scurrying around a bit now as i plan for a trip to Montana. am overnight travel on a train will be our means of transportation. i've never traveled that distance on a train before so i'm very excited. a friend is currently traveling by train now to meet us in Minneapolis, to travel with us on our journey. he attended a wine and cheese tasting last night on the train! my daughter has already decided to name the train 'Thomas', and is sure that our final destination is strawberry shortcake's house, with a dinosaur museum or two thrown in for fun. so it's pack, re-pack, shuffle things, and then pack again. amidst the chaos of our household, i've also been planning for a class i'll be teaching on thursday. the class is 'canning up the fall harvest'. after several conversations with folks in and out of the co-op, i've learned that not everyone knows what to do with their garden bounties. this class will offer up ideas and we'll go through the process of canning. unfortunately, the class is full, so maybe we'll offer this class again in november. i'm posting a simple recipe for apple-plum butter from the preserving the harvest cookbook that we have here at the co-op. it seems that both apples and plums are plentiful now, and their flavors pair nicely together. belly up!!
Apple-Plum Butter
2 1/2 pounds (about 15 medium) plums, washed and pitted
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1. in a covered 3- quart saucepan, combine the plums, 1/2 cup of the water, and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. cook over medium-high heat until the plums are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. meanwhile, in another 3- quart saucepan, combine the apples, the remaining water, and the remaining lemon juice. cook over medium- high heat until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.
3. let both mixtures cool slightly; combine in a blender of food processor and puree.
4. pour mixture into a heavy 8-quart flameproof roasting pan along with the sugar, spices, and salt.
5. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
6. cook on top of the stove over medium heat until all of the sugar dissolves.
7. transfer the roasting pan to the oven.
8. bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. this will take 1-3 hours.
9. test for doneness by spooning some onto a plate. if no liquid appears on the edges, it is ready.
10. ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. cap and seal.
11. process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.
Apple-Plum Butter
2 1/2 pounds (about 15 medium) plums, washed and pitted
1 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1. in a covered 3- quart saucepan, combine the plums, 1/2 cup of the water, and 1/4 cup of the lemon juice. cook over medium-high heat until the plums are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. meanwhile, in another 3- quart saucepan, combine the apples, the remaining water, and the remaining lemon juice. cook over medium- high heat until the apples are soft, about 10 minutes.
3. let both mixtures cool slightly; combine in a blender of food processor and puree.
4. pour mixture into a heavy 8-quart flameproof roasting pan along with the sugar, spices, and salt.
5. preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
6. cook on top of the stove over medium heat until all of the sugar dissolves.
7. transfer the roasting pan to the oven.
8. bake uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens. this will take 1-3 hours.
9. test for doneness by spooning some onto a plate. if no liquid appears on the edges, it is ready.
10. ladle into sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. cap and seal.
11. process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.
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