tigress in a jam

camels & masala chai

2012-01-22T11:30:00.000-05:00

this is romeo and he's the camel i rode in on.

not to nyc sillies! no, i went to the pushkar camel fair back in november, not because i was in the market for a camel mind you. i just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought i'd stop by and see the goings-ons of a camel fair.

there were, of course, lots of camel-y things going on. camels everywhere!

india's camels are dromedary camels, meaning they have one hump, not two. they are docile, hardworking creatures, and call me crazy, but i think they're cute.

this guy is particularly charming, no?

i know what you're thinking. no, camels do not spit at people. it's a myth. they do however have toes (you thought i was going to go here, didn't you? nope. that would just be wrong).

er, skilled as i am, i'm not exactly sure how to make this jump so... let's just move on to the recipe shall we? i'm roarin' about a little bit of india brought back home. making chai has become an easy ritual for me, it's the perfect warmer on a cold winter day, one sip and i'm right back on the sub-continent.

real chai is oceans away from that overly sweet boxed or chain-store bought 'chai'. there are many variations, in fact the words masala chai mean simply, spiced tea. this combo is my favorite.

masala chai

1 cup milk
5 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
6 green cardamon pods
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 star anise
2 heaping tablespoons loose black tea
2-3 tablespoons (or to taste) jaggery* (or sugar)

serves 4

1. place water, milk and all of the spices except for the star anise in a saucepan. bring to the boil, turn off the heat. cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

2. add the sweetener and star anise, and give it a quick stir. add the loose tea - i like to put it in a large tea strainer and simply lift it out when done. but you can add the tea directly to the pot if you don't have one. cover and let steep for 5 minutes more.

3. strain or lift out the tea and pour. enjoy.

if this does entice you to make a pot of your own on this chilly winter sunday (or any other day you're so inclined) you might want to take a peek at more photos from my india trip.

pawnote:
*the closest local taste i've found to jaggery is maple sugar. if you have that, or maple syrup even, give it a try.

mastering the art of 2012

2012-01-09T19:00:00.004-05:00

it's about time i came on here and professed my food and blog related aspirations for 2012, no? (particularly because i realized i never even got around to doing it in 2011 - for shame!)

i for one, love new starts. when the new year comes i have loads of things i plan to do in the 12 months sprawled out and beckoning in front of me. below are the ones i think you might like to know about:

1) i have one very big new start coming soon; after a good full year has passed (yikes!) since i first roared about it here and over there i am this close to redesigning and relaunching these two blogs on one brand new website! i am so excited about it that it's hard not to jump in and tell you all about it right now! but, alas, i'll wait, because in just a few more weeks i'll be able to show it to you!*

2) grow more beans! this was the first year i earnestly attempted to grow beans for drying. i did four varieties and cannot believe how easy they are to grow and shuck (is that the right word?). i love me my beans, and yes i know that rancho gordo has cornered the market in heirloom beans. but, it's really, really fun to grow your own! and then you really do know how fresh they are.

3) have fun with it! all of it; growing, preserving, eating. it's easy for me to be obsessive (have i mentioned that before?) about the things i get into. but gardening and preserving, and eating locally and seasonally doesn't have to be another stress causing endeavor. let's face it, for most of us in the modern world it's a choice, not a necessity. so...

in 2012 i'm having fun with my food! i will grow and preserve as much as i can. but you know what? if i can't do as much as i want to do (who me?) then that's OK.

4) eat more whole grains. give me my bread, my cheese, and my cultured butter and i am as happy as a tigress in...(um, a jungle?) oh, and olive oil, too. basically, i can literally live on bread and fat. which i don't think in and of themselves are bad things, mind you. but, i do love whole grains, and they are good for you. so this year i'm making an effort to eat more of them.

5) get back to baking bread. you peeps are going to think i'm crazy. i know you know an oxymoron when you see one. but - let me explain. about four years ago i decided that i was going to learn how to bake bread. that led me down a year and a half path of never buying bread (theme?). it was really fun, and i must admit, i turned some good bread out of my kitchen. then my oven broke and it took quite a few months to fix. nuff said. the bread baking flew out the window never to return.

until now - i'm bringin' it back for 2012! and to prove it, i revived my little pet (photo above). this is the same wild yeast AKA sourdough that i started four years ago. he was tucked in the back of my fridge, starved nearly to death. but i took him out and lo, after just one feeding he got all bubbly and excited.

i can't let this poor bugger down, i just have to make bread now! plus it's a good way to eat more whole grains (ahem).

*pawnote: it's been so hard to refrain from telling you about all of the updates coming your way on the new site; the new look, the recipe index, the new categories - and lotz more amazing stuff. but, shhh! mum's the word! for now.

HAPPY 2012! BRING IT ON!

perfect pie crust

2011-12-20T18:40:00.003-05:00

yes i did just say perfect pie crust.

look, i didn't get my stripes for nothing. if there was an iron pie crust master competition, i'd get the prize. a pie crust smack-down, my paws would launch the winning smack. a project pie crust winner; me.

because first, to make the perfect pie crust you have to be a big-time pie lover. you have to prefer almost anything, sweet or otherwise, nestled within a tender-to-the-bite, melt-in-your-mouth, golden-to-the-eye crust.

(moi, again)

and plus i'm not gonna lie; after being frustrated over and over, i went straight to the top. martha and i had a one on one, woman to cat sit down about her famous pâte brisée. (well, actually i sat down with her book, but who's counting?). the point is, i nailed it, again and again and again and again. i've made a perfect pie crust so many times i could probably do it with one paw tied behind my back.

in fact, two summers ago i did it at approximately 2:00am prompted by 2 good friends, 1 husband, a large bowl of cheering blueberries, and a few too many before and after dinner drinks. they dared me. i won.

perfect pie crust.

here's what you need for a 10 inch pie, top and bottom, or two 10 inch pies (or tarts if you must) bottoms only:

2 & 1/2 cups flour - you can use all-purpose for the entire lot, but my favorite is 1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose and 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour. the all-purpose can be white, or whole wheat made from soft winter white wheat.*
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) ice cold butter (just above frozen is best) chopped roughly into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.
1/4 cup very cold water, plus more if needed

you know i'm a pilgrim, but even for me a food processor is essential to a perfect pie crust. you also need a rolling pin, room in the freezer (a cold fridge comes in 2nd) and helpful but not essential; a baking stone.

1. pulse flours and salt in a food processor.

2. add cubes of butter and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until the butter breaks up and distributes. you definitely want pieces of butter as big as a pea remaining. don't pulse too much!

3. after the butter is broken up into pea size pieces, drizzle 1/4 cup of very cold water into the processor as you begin pulsing again. pulse just until the mixture is about to clump. add more cold water by the 1/2 tablespoonful if it is needed (with whole wheat flour i find i have to add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water). it's crucial that you don't over mix in this step. when it looks like this:

stop. pinch a bit between your thumb and fingers and if it sticks together, you're golden.

4. scoop it out in equal (approximately) measure onto those two 15-inch long pieces of plastic wrap i told you to put out before we started.

:)

don't worry if it's all crumbly-wumbly, that's what is going to give your crust a tender bite. if i teach you one thing and one thing only about how to make the perfect pie crust, this would be it, and this would be the time to tell you it:

don't fiddle wid'it!

5. just wrap those two crumbly-wumbly balls-o'-almost-dough up by gathering all the plastic wrap ends and bringing them together and giving it a little twist, dumpling style. here and only here is when you start to press the dough into a disk shape. don't be afraid to press and shape where you need to, but do it quickly, it doesn't have to be perfect. make a disk of dough by pressing and shaping through the plastic wrap.

until it looks like this:

6. wrap them up, like so.

and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes first, if you are going to make your pie right away. you can leave them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to a month before you make your pie. if you're taking them out of an extended stint in the fridge, leave it at room temperature for 20 minutes before you start to roll it out. if frozen, start rolling after an hour out of freezer. **

7. basically you want your dough pliable enough to roll, but still pretty cold. place just a bit of flour on your counter top or board, and across your rolling pin. sweep the rolling pin back and forth over the dough only once. give it a quarter turn and repeat, again, repeat. do this until you have a circle large enough to fit into your 10 inch pie dish with about an inch hanging over.

what i mean is; keep rolling until it's big enough. don't pull and stretch your dough, it should be big enough to sprawl all over your pie plate, be tucked gently into the bottom and fall peacefully over the sides. better to go a little bigger and cut off any excess with kitchen shears.***

8. i don't obsess about perfectly crimped pie crust edges (a bit out-of the-ordinary for me, i know) which would have me going over and over the edge with my paws (ok, yes i've done it, in my rookie pie-making days). this, because i'd rather have a delicate crunch-melt in your mouth pie crust edge than a perfect looking hard-as-rock pie crust edge. your pie eaters will agree if you do the same, i'm sure.

this is one of those places where 'rustic' comes in handy.

9. if you are topping your pie, roll your top out in the same manner explained above. place the top on a large plate or baking sheet and put both in the freezer for 30 minutes, or a cold refrigerator for 1 hour. assemble a top-and-bottom pie by placing the top on (make sure it does not have a lot of excess over the bottom crust) and simply crimping both together quickly with your fingers. once your pie is filled and assembled place back in the freezer or fridge for the same length of time before baking.

if i teach you one other thing, and only one other thing only besides the don't fiddle wid'it! ' thing that i taught you up there it's all this bizness about keeping things cold! because butter that melts away only during the baking, and not a moment before, will render a perfectly flaky crust. and a cold crust going into the oven prevents a soggy bottom crust. a baking stone helps prevent a soggy bottom too, so if you have one, use it. preheat it with your oven and place your pie plate directly on it to bake.

...and that dear peeps, is the way to make a perfect pie crust!

do it!

pawnotes:
*the photos above are of a crust made with 1 & 3/4 all-purpose soft white winter wheat flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour.
**if you are in a pie crust making mood, make two batches and freeze for later. but never put both batches in the food processor at once. do them one after the other.
***don't be alarmed by any excess. put in the freezer and make a mini pie or two when you have enough frozen up!

my favorite holiday cookies: butter n' spice

2011-12-13T22:15:00.000-05:00

when it comes to cookies, it's probably no surprise that my favorite kind includes loads of butter.

if you ask me, cookies were made for butter, and the holidays were made for cookies.

you with me?

the only other thing that sends an (almost) perfect butter cookie over the edge, is the addition of savory spice. i'm talking fennel, cumin and nigella seeds.

it's a little trick i picked up in india, another one of those genius anglo-indo melds i'm sure. it renders the butter cookie just a tad exotic, and will have your friends and family exclaiming (with glee) as they gather around your holiday hearth, "what have you put in these cookies? they're delicious, but i can't quite place the taste." unless of course they've been to india, or they have a spice obsession.

but no matter that they can't quite place the taste, 'cause they'll be busy placing another handful of said cookies in their mouths.

quite.

butter n' spice cookies

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 & 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 room temperature eggs
1 & 1/2 tablespoon milk or cream
4 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each of whole fennel, cumin and nigella seeds

yield: approximately 75 cookies

1. if you have a hand or stand mixer, mix the softened butter and sugar together at once and beat on medium high until creamy, about 3 minutes. you can cream the butter and sugar by hand, but add the sugar gradually until it is all incorporated and the mixture is light and creamy.

2. add the salt, eggs and milk and beat until well combined.

3. gradually add the flour, about a cup at time and mix until just combined.

4. divide the dough into 3 portions. sprinkle the first portion with cumin, the second with fennel, and the third with nigella. stir each until the seeds are evenly distributed.

5. take each dough portion and place on a lightly floured board or counter. roll each one into a log approximately 8 x 2 inches. you can make them completely round, oval or squarish. i try to do each one in a slightly different size for variety and also to tell which one is which spice.

6. wrap each in a plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours (you can also freeze these for up to two months, and even take them out and slice individual slices from the frozen log, baking as you go).

7. preheat oven to 350 degrees. slice chilled cookie logs into 1/4 inch slices. place 1 & 1/2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. bake for 12-15 minutes or until cookies turn golden.

these cookies last in an airtight container for up to two weeks or even more. but, you know what i'm going to say about that don't you?

gobble.

and, if you're a cookie lover, been making holiday cookies lately, have a great cookie recipe to share, want more cookies in your life, want to win one of my fave canning or d.i.y books of 2011, or just plain like to party, then hop on over to my facebook page this thursday december 15th at 7:30pm for my first ever cyber holiday give-away + cookie party!

hope to see you there!

jam on it: pumpkin corn muffins

2011-11-30T08:30:00.003-05:00

after galivanting halfway around the world i feel like i'm a tad late on the 2011 fall celebrations.

to me, pumpkins and winter squash are the best thing about cool weather eating. they're no small consolation for the end of summer blues. i love seeing their wacky shapes and gorgeous colors in my garden and at the markets! and i love baking with them even more.

for these I wanted a versatile muffin, equally at home served alongside a savory bean & greens dish or nestled under my favorite flavor-of-the-month fall spread.

pumpkins and winter squash always add a moistness and heft to baked goods. i've added full fat yogurt here to bring that quality to the next level. what i'm sayin' is,

they melt in your mouth.

coarse local cornmeal, a tad of smokey dried pepper and home-ground cinnamon celebrate new world flavors; these are my 'happy to be home' muffins.

make them. now.

(and please, invite me over, 'cause this dozen is going quick!)

pumpkin corn muffins

1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 - 1 teaspoon aleppo pepper (or chipotle powder, or smoked spanish paprika)*
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon**
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 packed cup pumpkin or winter squash puree ***
1/2 cup maple, light brown, or raw sugar
1/2 cup yogurt
2 large eggs

yield: 12 muffins

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees. grease muffin tins.

2. in a large bowl mix together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pepper.

3. in a separate bowl whisk together cooled butter, pumpkin, sugar, yogurt, and eggs. add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. be mindful not to over stir, this will contribute to a tender muffin.

4. place on middle rack. bake for 20 minutes or until nothing sticks to a toothpick or cake tester when inserted in the center. gently release muffins and cool on rack.

these muffins freeze well and disappear quick, so double-batching is a good idea.

pawnotes:
*3/4 teaspoon aleppo pepper provided a subtle smokey heat with just a tad of peppery tang. you could go to a full teaspoon if using a very mild pepper type, or if you want to up the heat anti.

**i cannot stress enough the difference between grinding your own cinnamon from a cinnamon stick and the flavor-lacking pre-powdered stuff. do it! it's worth it. plus, cinnamon sticks last so much longer in your larder.

***making your own pumpkin or winter squash puree is easy. to roast: cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds & strings, and brush a neutral oil all around the flesh. place cut side down on baking sheet in a 400 degree oven. bake for approximately 45 minutes depending on size. you'll know it's done when you can stick a fork easily through the center. let cool completely, then peel the skin off. to puree: place flesh in bowl and mash with fork or better yet, your hands. it freezes well - do it in cup sizes so they're at the ready when it's muffin makin' time!

jam on it: a once and again series celebrating toasty things fit to be slathered.
i mean, you gotz jams, don't ya? ...get in there and bake!

new england apple butter

2011-10-12T22:36:00.002-04:00

fall is the season of new england. there is no doubt about it in my book (blog?); it's the legend of sleepy hollow, pumpkins and jack-o's, mulled cider, outside fires, and a carpet of stars shining way, way up in the night. it's the harvest moon, lace-ups, and dozens of worn down gravestones, crooked like teeth.

its apples that my good neighbor brought me.

in new england it happens when summer barely ends. the nights get cooler, and the trees start to fade even as the grass gets greener still.

the mile mark for me is when the farmer down the road drives his tractor up into our field to cart off the hay he baled way back in summer's dawn. winter food for his lovely cows that i'm happy to provide. i know then the time is nigh to pack up and make our yearly move back to the city.

in fact, i'm already there. it came earlier this year. with a trip down south to my in-laws and travel across a few seas coming soon, we had to pack up and get down sooner than normal.

so i brought my beloved new england back with me.

new england apple butter

6 & 1/2 pounds apples, preferably a variety
juice of 3 lemons
1 & 1/2 cups maple sugar *
3 whole cloves, crushed (use a mortar & pestle)
2 large bay leaves **
1/2 teaspoon salt
immersion blender
pint or smaller mason jars

yield: approximately 4 pints

1. place juice of 3 lemons in a large bowl. peel, core and slice apples to 1/4 inch. toss apples in the bowl and coat with lemon juice as you go, this will prevent discoloring.

2. warm a non-reactive pot (stainless or enameled cast iron) on low. add apples, lemon juice, salt and maple sugar. stir gently until maple sugar melts and apples just start to break down.

3. add crushed cloves and whole bay leaves, turn up the heat to medium. cook, stirring occasionally as apples soften. you can add a small amount of water if needed - it depends on the apple varieties. but if you are attentive and stir more frequently as the apples break down you may not need to - i didn't

4. while apples are cooking down. prepare jars and lids for hot water bath processing. you do not need to sterilize the jars as they will be processed for 15 minutes.

5. when the apples have completely softened, about an hour or so in, remove bay leaves. use an immersion blender to 'butter' the apples.

6. fill hot jars; tap the full jar on a towel-covered counter to release air bubbles, and fill to 1/4 inch headspace. hot water bath process for 15 minutes.

although i used an immersion blender, i wanted my butter quite pilgrim-like, that is to say chunky not smooth. you could use a potato masher or even a wooden spoon and go authentic pilgrim.

the aroma of the cooking down maple sugar and apples is extravagant! like those caramel-apples-on-a-stick, only a kazillion times better. i didn't want to add any spice that would deter from that delicious smell. the bay and clove are pure old new england and give a solid base in which the maple sugar shines.

this is like new england gold, it is!

pawnote:
*i know maple sugar is expensive, but it really is the co-star in this recipe and so worth the splurge. i use justameretree farm maple sugar. the quality of their products are outstandng - and they're really nice too!

**you haven't really tasted bay unless you grow and dry your own. if you have a windowsill and a pot you can do it!

lemon basil nectarine preserves

2011-09-12T10:20:00.002-04:00

whoa! it's been a whirlwind of a month! i've been busier than i've ever been. i won't go into details but if a picture is worth a thousand words (or ahem, 85,000!) then here you go:

photo bennett sell-kline

i haven't been back to my beloved berkshires, and more importantly, my beloved garden since august 21st to be exact. (ugh!) it feels like those lazy summer days i dreamt about last winter remained just what they were - a dream.

some people in my life find it hard to believe i do what i do, and i garden, and i preserve the bounty, and i roar over here and here about it - and here and here too!

but you know what? i love it - all of it!

so i hope you'll stick around even during those times when my paws are busy with other thingz, and i can't be around here quite as often.

'cause you know, eventually i'mma give you something like this:

lemon basil nectarine preserves

as crazy as my august was, i couldn't bear to let nectarine season go by without getting some of these little sweeties in jars. one of my fave preserves from last year was nectarine preserves with summer savory and white pepper.

for this batch i used the following:
4 pounds nectarines
4 & 3/4 cups sugar
3 lemons
large bunch lemon basil

i followed exactly the same technique as last year's recipe, but because of my buzyness, i left the fruit macerating in the fridge for 2 full days and nights.

bury the lemon basil in your just simmered fruit on day one, keep it in there throughout the maceration process, then take it out just before you put it on the stove day 3.

the combo is brilliant - if i do say so myself.

back in the saddle again peeps, back in the saddle...

raspberry rose jam

2011-07-23T22:38:00.010-04:00

there's a general consensus between a group of my favorite jammers and i that if ever you come upon a stash of raspberries it's not the most opportune time to get creative.

in other words, put the fancy aside and just jam dem bitches.

that said, there is one small thing i've found that results in big flavor. with this addition the raspberryness is not compromised, oh no. it is, in fact, blown-up to exotic proportions.

raspberry rose jam

2 & 3/4 pounds raspberries (organic if you can)
3 & 3/4 cups sugar
juice of one medium lemon
1 & 1/2 ounces rose water
1/2 pint or smaller canning jars

yield: approximately 3 pints

1. prepare your jars for hot water bath canning. no need to sterilize them as processing time is 10 minutes. place 3 small plates in the freezer for testing the set.

2. it is really best not to wash the raspberries, if yours are organic put them directly into your jamming pot. add sugar and lemon juice and heat on medium until sugar dissolves.

3. once sugar has completely dissolved turn up the heat and bring to the boil. boil for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. at 10 minutes take off heat, skim off any foam that has surfaced, and stir the rosewater in. bring back to the boil for one minute.

4. check the set by placing a teaspoonful on a frozen plate. place plate back in the freezer for one minute. run your finger through the jam, if it wrinkles even slightly under your finger the jam is set. if your finger makes a clean break, boil for one minute more. you may need to do this a couple of times.

5. fill jars and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

gooseberry chutney with bengali spice

2011-07-14T23:00:00.001-04:00

i am going to start by saying this is not your typical english 'bottled' chutney. you'll find no onions or garlic here. standard english chutney fare, they.

no, this is a chutney you might be served in a welcoming home on the banks of the kerala backwaters, share with your lover while lounging beneath a sri lankan coconut palm, or even enjoy tipped from a tiny stainless tin while making the rounds of your lunchtime thali. this, just before hitting the streets of delhi on way to your favorite chai walla.

in india there are many forms of chutney. some 'fresh' that must be consumed within a day or two of the making. and then there's cooked. there are a myriad of cooked chutneys, the sweet fruity ones are often times similar in texture to a thick jam.

you'll find no added vinegar here, and in fact might be inclined to slather this on your morning toast with a bit of chevre or cream cheese. i would be inclined to join you, but, please place a dollop or two next to your spicy shrimp and rice dish, or roll it up in a flat bread with some yogurt and curried vegetables. then you will truly know what i'm roaring about.

there's a world of flavor out there my friends. and didn't someone once say,

eat locally, taste globally.

or did i just make that up?

gooseberry chutney with bengali spice

2 quarts gooseberries, rinsed first then topped and tailed
3/4 cup water
3 cups demerara sugar
2 whole dried chiles, ground (about 2 teaspoons, or to taste)
1 inch ginger, peeled
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1/8 teaspoon black mustard seeds, ground
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1/8 teaspoon nigella seeds, ground
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds, ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pint or smaller canning jars

yield: approximately 2 & 1/2 pints

1. place 2 to 3 small saucers in the freezer to test for set later. prepare jars for hot water bath canning. no need to sterilize jars as chutney will be processed for 10 minutes.

2. place water, sugar and whole gooseberries in a non-reactive pot (stainless or enameled iron). heat on low until sugar melts completely and gooseberry begin to pop. turn up heat and bring to the boil.

3. add piece of ginger, ground spices and salt. continue boiling for 20 minutes, or until desired set is reached. discard ginger before filling jars.

to test set, turn off heat and place a teaspoonful on a frozen plate, return plate to freezer. after one minute, run tip of finger through chutney, if it wrinkles under your finger the desired set is reached. if a clean line is left behind, boil chutney for one more minute and repeat. you may need to do this a couple of times. remember, gooseberries have a lot of pectin and the set will thicken dramatically upon cooling.

4. hot water bath process the filled jars for 10 minutes.

sour cherries: two classic preserves

2011-07-06T22:26:00.001-04:00

you need to run, run i tell you! get to your closest farm, stand, market or u-pick and get yourself some sour cherries. now! giddy up!

go!

ok, now that that's taken care of; stuff a few in your mouth, and a bunch more into a pie or two. now, get dem in de jars! 'cause when winter whitewashes over you and your town, you can take a woolen-socked jaunt into your larder and pull out one of these babies.

and when you pop one open and let the glory of summer do cartwheels in your mouth you can say, "thank you tigress".

or, you can forget you ever knew me and collapse in the deliciousness of it all.

take your pick.

simple sour cherries
adapted from urban pantry

for every 4 pounds of sour cherries you will need:
6 cups water
scant 1 cup sugar (i use raw)
1 pint mason jars

yield: each pound of fruit makes approximately 1 pint of simple sour cherries.

prepare jars and canning pot for hot water bath processing. you do not need to sterilize jars as you will be processing the filled jars for 25 minutes.

1. rinse, then pit cherries. i definitely recommend this or other some-such contraption. take care to keep cherries as intact as possible.

2. heat water and sugar on low in a small saucepan. once sugar has completely dissolved, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. once boiling, return heat to low and simmer until ready to use.

3. fill jars with raw cherries. tap the jars firmly on a towel covered counter top, and fill them again. continue to do this until you can get not one more cherry in the jar with a 1/2 inch headspace.

4. place 6 cherry pits in each jar, this lends a very slight bitter almond flavor. pour any remaining cherry juice at the bottom of the bowl evenly into jars. top with syrup, making sure to leave a solid 1/2 inch headspace. tap the jar again to release air bubbles and top with syrup if needed.

5. seal jars and hot water bath process for 25 minutes.

sour cherry preserves
adapted from put 'em up

for every 3 pounds of sour cherries you will need:
1 cup sugar (i use raw)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 pint or smaller mason jars

yield: each pound of cherries makes approximately 1 cup of sour cherry preserves.

prepare jars and pot for hot water bath processing. you do not need to sterilize jars as you will be processing the filled jars for 10 minutes. place 2 or 3 small saucers in the freezer.

1. rinse, then pit cherries. note: remember to wear old dark clothes or a huge apron (or even nothing at all! shhh!)

2. place cherries in a non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled iron) and crush about 1/2 of them in between fingers to release their juice.

3. add sugar and lemon juice, heat on low until the sugar has completely dissolved. turn up the heat and boil for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until desired set has been reached.

to test for set: take off the heat. place a teaspoon full on a frozen plate. place plate back in freezer for one minute. take out of freezer and push tip of finger through preserves. if it wrinkles under the finger even a little bit it is set. if you finger slides right through with absolutely no resistance, boil for one minute longer. repeat again as necessary.

4. seal jars and hot water bath process for 10 minutes. or jar and put directly into the fridge.

these sour cherries were so tasty, so perfectly cherry-like that i couldn't bear to add anything more to the mix. my main goal with both was to preserve that lusty cherry taste. the jam delivers, completely. it's mouth-puckering with just enough sweetness to woo a slice of toast and butter.

the simple sour cherries? i imagine eating their crimsoned summer flesh, incrusted, by the light of a wintery moon.

strawberry créme fraîche ice cream

2011-06-16T21:00:00.000-04:00

if you happened to be following what i've dubbed 'the butter chronicles' over here and here, then you know that there's a lotta bright and deep colored butter in my future. lovingly made by me (and M) from the milk of happy spring-grass munching jersey cows. if you've been hanging around here long enough then you may have picked up that I LOVE ICE CREAM!!!

sorry to shout - i just get so excited.

then how, says you, can i have all that luscious dairy dripping around my crib and not use a wee bit for my paws-down favorite dessert?

i can't. i couldn't. i didn't.

but first, if you don't have an ice cream maker and you love ice cream then i must tell you about this one. it practically lives on my kitchen counter all summer. it makes ice cream making way easier than pie. (and hell, if you really want to win friends and influence people make ice cream and pie for dessert). it's worth it's weight in gold for my summers, so the price didn't bother me. but i can tell you this; there is no doubt that it will be on deep sale at the end of the summer. so if you can't swing the coins be on the look-out in september and you'll be prepared next summer.

back to the berries:

as luck would have it, early-glow strawberries blushed into season at my local u-pick farm just as i was nearing the butter-making end. i kept one half gallon of cream on reserve in the fridge, and a quart of créme fraîche too. that, sugar and the mighty berries are pretty much all that's needed for this decadent frozen delight.

and you'll want a small shot of kirsch too, for the texture. you can use vodka if you don't have it. it works the same way.

...grab a lemon from the fridge on your way over. let's get this party started.

strawberry créme fraîche ice cream
adapted from the perfect scoop by david lebovitz

1 pound strawberries, rinsed quickly in cold water then hulled
3/4 cup sugar (i use organic evaporated cane)
1 tablespoon kirsch, or vodka
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup créme fraîche
1 cup heavy cream

1. add sugar and kirsch to strawberries and let set in a covered bowl for a good hour. toss every once in a while to help sugar dissolve.

2. place strawberries in a blender or food processor. add lemon juice, cream and créme fraîche and pulse a few times until everything is blended. don't over do the pulsing if you want some chunks of berries to remain. or pulse more for a smoother ice cream, maker's choice.

3. cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.

4. freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufactures instructions. for those of you that have not yet used an ice cream maker, don't let this line scare you. basically, you pour it in, turn it on, and let it run for 15-20 minutes at which point you will have the creamiest, most berry-packed ice cream you can imagine.

you're welcome.

you'll want to pull this one out again in another month or so, because that's when peaches roll in. and peaches & créme fraîche...duh! yah man!

rhubarb krack

2011-05-24T20:00:00.001-04:00

yes i did think twice about calling this monster, and hence this post, rhubarb krack. in fact, at first type i had the old-fashioned name up there; kuchen.

much as i love old-fashion desserts, both in their taste and the way their names feel jolly on the tongue, i could not allow myself to do it.

because that would fail to express just how evil this really is.

speaking of evil and subsequently evil doers i have to give a big tigress-sized shout out to rebecca of the lovely blog cakewalk because she was the one pushin' this on her blog last may. it's been passed down from her paternal grandmother and it is pass down worthy indeed!

that is of course if you're not afraid of a little butter, sugar and eggs (why would you be? don't believe the hype!) or if you happen to have gobs of rhubarb waking you up at night in this fine spring season - or chickens even, layin' around all egg happy on these long lit days. then i see no reason why you shouldn't run to your kitchen this very minute, eggs, rhubarb, butter in hand.

except, of course, for this one small caveat; this rich n' buttery, sweet n' tart, custard n' rhubarb filled krack is killer! i mean like, it be callin' your name at night from the fridge...(insert barry white's voice here) "tigress, tigress, yeah that's right baby, i'm right here, you know i got what you need. don't keep me waitin' for you baby."

hence, the name change. rebecca, i hope your grandma understands.

i didn't do a whole lotta changing from rebecca's original recipe - just a few minor fiddles. here's what i did:

rhubarb krack

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup cold unsalted* butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
7 eggs
8 to 9 cups rhubarb, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch slices
2 cups sugar

for topping:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar **
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

11 inch springform pan (you can use any comparable sized pan, but i love the unveiled rustic look and the easiness of cut a springform pan affords).

1. grease and flour the bottom and sides of pan. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. in a food processor pulse together the 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup butter and 1 egg until it forms a sand like texture and clumps together when pressed between finger and thumb.

3. press the mixture evenly into the bottom of your springform. place the rhubarb on top. your pan will be chock full o' rhubarb if you pack in a hefty 8 plus cups. this is not a dainty dessert.

4. whisk together the remaining 6 eggs and two cups sugar and pour over rhubarb.

5. pulse the topping ingredients together until crumbly. sprinkle evenly over the entire lot.

6. bake in oven for 70-80 minutes or until topping is browned.

let cool completely - preferably overnight - before removing sides of pan.

this is just as addicting at room temperature with or without ice cream. but my favorite way is straight-up, chilled from the fridge. the cool crumble-covered custard messes so perfectly with the sharpness of the rhubarb, all of it wobbling atop a thickly padded crust. when it disappears before your very mouth, there is no doubt that it will leave you wanting more.

i'm not kidding, i think i'm in trouble.

here, have a piece.

pawnotes:
* i used unsalted butter as i always use it for baking and had some in my freezer, but rebecca uses salted and even though i cannot imagine it being any better than it is, i am inclined to try it with salted butter next time.

** rebecca's recipe has 1 whole cup of sugar in the topping which was a bit too sweet for my taste. 1/2 cup takes it down to perfection IMO, but go to 3/4 cup if you know you like your krack sweet.

spring things

2011-05-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

it's springing around here! the coyotes are howling at night -

the garlic is popping, the rhubarb...forgettaboutit!
the blueberry frame's shoulder is broken. the wicked winter brought it down.
the onions are planted, the squash bed is ready.

the grass is a cow's green dream! "i love grass, i love grass, i love grass!" they exclaim, their tails swinging and mouths chewing in unison. if you listen closely anywhere around here, in between the birds' songs you can hear the constant rhythmic sound of the cows tearing and munching, tearing and munching.

and possibility is positively tangible!

but this, this is what i have been dreaming about.

the stone fruit orchard is here!

there's a history to this little wanna-be orchard that goes, in brief, like this:

the santa rosa (i think?) plums in the back were here when we got here. we didn't even know they were there that first year, or what a plum tree even looked like - yikes! until one day we looked up and there we see a sea of blushing beauties bobbing in the breeze - 1000 plums or more! then they were gone and they never came back.

three years ago we ordered eight little sticks promising all kinds of fruit, we planted them and they grew a little. the deer loved them all, completely. until those little budding sticks were no more, except the sour cherry front and left. (and to my surprise the little lovely front and right too, more on that in a minute).

...so after lamenting the loss of our lovelies last year, we decided to bring in the professionals.

they pruned the hell out of those old plums and told us there is a good chance they'll fruit again! they planted, moving forward from the plums; a regina cherry, a rynbrandt cherry, a goldcot apricot, a blenheim apricot, a reliance peach and a redhaven peach! and lo, they also saved one other of those sticks we planted three years ago that actually grew. they replanted it front and right (see it up there?) i am pretty sure it's a reliance peach.

i have a soaring hope that someday we'll be chillin' on this little stone bench over looking our stone fruit orchard, the sky heavy with fruit. the air intoxicating.

and hope is the essence of spring, no?

happy spring!

roast the toast: membrillo tea cake

2011-04-22T21:26:00.000-04:00

this post, dear readers, has been sitting in my draft file for 2 weeks. (sorry!) the reason being; i just came back from the desert, and before i left i made a dessert - to bring with me of course!

i made a dessert to bring to the desert.
i made a dessert to bring to the desert.
i made a dessert to bring to the desert.

i think i've wanted to say that - and mean it - since about, 2nd grade.

ah, life if good!

and so is this membrillo tea cake.

like many of you on the preserving-gardening-seasonal-eating tip, i get a bit frantic about this time of year. deep in high chatelaine mode, trying to lighten up my larder shelves in preparation for the coming season. my last bit of 2010 membrillo was a perfect fit for this tea cake, but plum paste or any fruit cheese will do just as nicely.

it's a lightly sweet desert-perfect dessert. good also in other places, like the afternoon, with tea.

membrillo tea cake
adapted from heidi's amazing new book super natural every day

2 & 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2/3 cups sugar * (i use raw)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup + 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (i used white)
zest of 2 lemons, grated
2 eggs (from cage-free chickens please!)
1 & 1/2 cups whole yogurt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
9 ounces membrillo (or other fruit paste) cubed
2 loaf pans approximately 9x5, buttered and lightly floured

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. melt butter, let cool to slightly warmer than room temperature.

3. in a large bowl stir flour, salt, sugar, 1/3 cup poppy seeds, baking powder, lemon zest.

4. in a separate bowl whisk together eggs and yogurt. whisk in melted butter.

5. add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stir until just combined. stir in 2/3rds of the membrillo cubes, distributing evenly.

6. divide evenly into loaf pans. smooth the tops with a spatula, distribute the remaining membrillo cubes over the top and give them a dusting with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of poppy seeds.

7. bake for 10 minutes. switch the positions of the loaves and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

be careful not too over bake, as with all yogurt cakes, this one tastes best moist.

eat warm or cooled. it's also great toasted after a couple of days. whenever i make tea cakes i always eat one now and freeze one for later. freeze no longer than one month for best quality.

*pawnote: my homemade membrillo has less sugar than is the norm. when using a very sweet membrillo or fruit paste you could take the sugar down to 1/2 cup.

roast the toast: a now and then series devoted to pumping up the jams,
and other sweet preserves. 'cause a tigress can't live on bread alone. duh!

roast the toast: rhubarb & apple butter pandowdy

2011-04-02T20:30:00.004-04:00

perhaps you've noticed by now that i have a thing for old-fashioned fruit desserts?

yeah, i kinda do.

here's how this one came about:

the other day i was roarin' about a really great book i have to give away over here and i asked what peeps were looking forward to preserving this spring. a lot of you said rhubarb. rhubarb is something i am never in need of - when may/june comes i can practically swing from mine.

then i realized that may is around the corner and i still had three quarts of rhubarb in the freezer - yikes! i'm not down with frozen fruit from the year before when it's time for a new year's bounty to explode. so i raced into my larder and deftly pulled my super chatelaine cape over my ears and head (you did know i had one didn't you? why yes, it's specially fitted, slips right over my fur) and i got my paws on that rhubarb.

first let me tell you that a pandowdy is just an old-fashioned name for a bottomless pie. perhaps those victorian gentlewoman rendered a bit pinkish (or peckish?) at the mere thought of a loose and bottomless pie, and so...pandowdy is ever much more, well, dowdy.

armed with this imagination, i figured if i'm making a wayward crust, she's gonna need some grit.

how's this for grit?

martha is my go to gal for crust. i made this cornmeal pate brisee. and to ensure my crust rough and ready for a good time, i went a little heavier on the meal - 3/4 of a cup, and lighter on the fine stuff - 1 & 3/4 cups.

(a note about my cornmeal; it's from a local berkshire farmer, and i can't get enough of it. yours can be yellow, and not as rough cut. but try to find stoneground, and better still, local!)

follow martha's recipe and in case she wasn't 100% clear, once you get the ice cold water in the processor and the dough just barely starts to cling to itself - no more then 30 seconds please - take it out and divide it in half. here's the clincher: do not play with the dough no matter how enticing she may be. get her into two discs as quickly as possible, they don't have to be perfectly shaped. wrap them in plastic wrap, put one in the freezer for another use, and one in the fridge to use now. if you happen to have one a little bigger than the other, use that one now.

you can even make the dough a day ahead of time. if you do, take the half you are using out of the fridge 30 minutes before you want to make the pandowdy.

last thing before we get on with it: i had frozen rhubarb, i had canned ancho apple butter. you may have frozen blueberries and canned peach butter, or frozen cranberries and canned pear butter. both would be lovely combos, the pairing is up to you.

rhubarb & apple butter pandowdy

1/2 recipe cornmeal pate brisee, augmented as above
6 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, sliced to 1 inch, thawed & drained if frozen
1/2 cup brown sugar (you can go up to 3/4 cup if you like sweet desserts, i like mine less so)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 pint apple butter (i used ancho apple butter)
pinch sea salt
deep dish 9 or 9 1/2 inch pie dish, buttered

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees. toss the cornstarch and brown sugar together, add to the rhubarb in a large bowl and stir. add apple butter and gently combine.

2. pour fruit mixture into buttered pie dish and sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly across the top.

3. roll out the chilled dough, you'll want to keep it thicker than your average pie crust, about a quarter inch. place over fruit mixture. do not worry too much about the sides, let them fall inside the dish. slice three lines across the crust 4-5 inches long and an inch or so apart. this to let off steam when she gets hot and bothered in the oven.

4. bake for 30 minutes. reduce temperature to 350 degrees, rotate and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up around the sides and possibly escaping through the steam vents.

5. let cool for 45 minutes before you sink your teeth in.

the fruit butter technique is a good one for a pandowdy because the cooked down fruit fiber helps to bind things together - important with a missing bottom. also good when frozen fruit is involved as they too can get a bit loosey-goosey if left to their own devices.

and like any good pie, bottomless or no, ice cream does a pandowdy good.

...after all, that little hussy needs a cool down.

roast the toast: a now and then series devoted to pumping up the jams,
and other sweet preserves. 'cause a tigress can't live on bread alone. duh!

roast the toast: jam pudding

2011-03-15T21:15:00.007-04:00

one of the things i love about having these two little blogs o' mine is that i get to share my secrets. i mean not all of my secrets of course.

but definitely the tasty ones.

this one is my little pilgrim trick. so easy and basic but not something we do much of in the US. big in england - at least at one time. and honestly i am not sure if it's a common cooking practice there anymore. but i love it. try it just once and you'll realize how simple it is.

plus, it's the perfect way to showcase your delicious homemade jams, and you know what i mean by that don't you?

praise! praise! i'm talking about praise...

and smiling bellies!

now tell me you don't want that.

jam pudding

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (plus more to butter basin and parchment)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
rounded 1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 & 1/4 cups jam

also needed:
1 quart pudding basin
parchment paper
kitchen twine
steaming pot
tea towel

serves 4 (or 2 big servings, plus another piece for breakfast)

first let's talk about the basin. actually you can use any quart size basin that can withstand 2 hours in a bit of boiling water and swirling hot steam. but a traditional pudding basin is reasonably priced, made just for this purpose, has a lip to affix the twine, and can be used day-to-day as a mixing bowl.

before you do anything, take the pot you will use to steam it in. this is my steamer. i basically use the pasta insert and it makes steaming as easy as pie - or pudding! (i feel like a commercial here, but i might as well let you know that it's a pretty awesome small-batch canner too!)

whatever pot you're using, you want to make sure the basin is not placed directly on the bottom of the pot, so you will need some kind of steaming rack.

1. place the basin on the steaming rack inside the pot and fill the pot with water halfway up the side of the basin. do this before you do anything else so that your water level is prepared. then remove the basin from the pot.

2. cut a round out of parchment paper that is slightly smaller that the diameter of the top of your basin. butter well the entire basin and one side of the parchment round.

3. stir the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside. in a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. mix the egg in. slowly add the dry ingredients until just mixed.

4. place the jam in the bottom of the buttered basin. spoon the batter over top. it will be a bit thick. smooth the top of the batter to even it out. place the parchment butter-side down on top.

5. begin to heat the water - medium high will do. wet your tea towel thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. there are two ways to fasten the tea towel. you can fold it in half, tie it tightly around the rim, twist the long sides and tie together on top. like this:

or you can leave the tea towel unfolded, place it over the top, fasten with twine. and then tie the opposite ends together. done this way you'll have four points tied together rather than two and it will be more stable to lift.

but i like to live dangerously.

6. carefully place the pudding basin in the steaming pot. use these or something like them.

7. steam for 2 hours at medium heat. check every 45 minutes or so to make sure the water level has not dropped too low. add hot water when needed.

8. after 2 hours take off heat. remove pudding basin from pot, and tea towel from basin. set on wire rack to cool for 10 or so minutes. run a sharp knife around basin rim to release pudding and turn out on a plate.

jam pudding is best served warm.

but you know, cold for breakfast has it's merits too.

this, my go-to steamed jam pudding recipe is the perfect base for just about any type of homemade jam - i used plum noir here but the possibilities are endless.

you can up the recipe accordingly depending on the size of your basin. generally count one hour of steaming time per 1/2 quart.

roast the toast: a now and then series devoted to pumping up the jams,
and other sweet preserves. 'cause a tigress can't live on bread alone. duh!

fall/winter 2010-11

2011-03-09T20:40:00.001-05:00

i know spring hasn't quite sprung yet (march 20th) but we're springing forward this weekend and i figure now is just as good a time as any to present to you the fruits and veggies of my labors this past fall and winter.

in compiling it i've found that i wasn't quite as industrious this year as in some years past.

but that's ok.

some seasons are like that. and anywayz, it's about the quality not the quantity.

tigress' fall/winter 2010-11 collection

each category is listed chronologically by date of preservation

canned
ancho apple butter
whole paste tomatoes
honeyed cayenne chiles
quince and cranberry holiday preserves
quince in rose syrup
apple marmalade with rosemary
chewy spicy dried fruit chutney
pumpkin marmalade with ancho (this year i added ancho, more orange and yes, i canned it!)
ruby red marmalade

fermented
sauerkraut with juniper and caraway
kimchi kraut
fermented chiles
chile pickled in oil
russian soured cabbage
kimuchi
my favorite preserved lemon s
gingery lime pickle
sweet preserved kumquats

quick/fridged
sri lankan mustard
carrot fire pickle #2
membrillo

frozen
shellfish stock
marjoram pesto

dairy
yogurt

dried
chiles

cellared
pumpkin/winter squash

what have your paws been preserving these past 6 months?

roar on tea

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

morning tea has a become ritual for me. i like a thick porcelain or stoneware mug, heavy in the hand and without handle - god no! i need to wrap four fingers and thumb right around, palm too. on a cold winter day i'll even use two, one overlapping the other.

a perfect brew is both soothing and exhilarating, like a shot of fresh air but deeper. my favorite is a proper english breakfast or a sultry assam. on ambitious mornings, i'll do an earl grey darleeling blend. when i get the proportions just right the darjeeling gathers enough strength to lift the fat scent of bergamot, landing it smoothly on the back of the throat. the tease is intoxicating.

i like mine with milk, room temperature is best. never heated if i can help it as the taste of cooked dairy adds nothing to the cup. of course, if i sip a little too slowly and the tea teeters on the edge of lukewarm, threatening to take the plunge, i'll give it a 15 second zap. because once hot tea going cold sucks. my sweetener like an afterthought, essential, but not sorely missed if skipped altogether. a drop of amber honey - about a half teaspoon, drizzled and stirred, will do me just fine.

earl grey darjeeling blend
for a pot of 4 eight ounce servings

1 & 1/2 teaspoons loose leaf earl grey
2 & 1/2 teaspoons loose leaf darjeeling

1. warm the tea pot up by running the hottest tap water you can through it.
2. place tea leaves in tea strainer or ball and place in tea pot.
3. in a kettle, saucepan or electric kettle bring water barely to the boil.
4. pour boiled water over tea and into tea pot.
5. let steep for 5 minutes - remove tea strainer or ball.
6. add room temperature milk and sweetener as desired.

enjoy.

tigress has a brand new facebook page! (plus bribes!)

2011-02-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

let me start this off by saying that this is rather embarrassing. some of you may remember about a year ago, when i changed my facebook page the first time.

but i figure we've known each other long enough,

i can be vulnerable.

look, i luv facebook as much as the next cat. (maybe even more, i've watched the social network 3 times!) but i've had a few issues with it - or it with me.

first, it seems that tigress is a 4 letter word - or was. whenever i tried to use it on its own facebook would say - NOT. which is why i had to come up with a couple of weird acronyms over the last year and a half.

that part is all better now - i don't know why, but i ain't asking any questions. but, unlike twitter, you can't just change the name of your page, you have to re-invite everyone to LIKE you.

ahem.

now you may ask yourself why, since my page is going strong - a nice little hang out for those of like mind and taste - would i go through all this trouble?

to that, i give you this:

as some of you may have noticed over the past few months i've changed my twitter handle to @hungry_tigress, along with my email to hungrytigress(at)me(dot)com. all of this in anticipation of a big move to WordPress and the redesigns of tigress in a jam and tigress in a pickle, both of which will be housed within the URL www.hungrytigress.com (coming soon).

so as you can imagine not having my facebook page in line with all that, well...

it's killing me.

(i promise, i'm working on it).

lo and behold, just when i thought i might have to give up and live with this thorn in my paw, the mighty facebook bestowed upon me a page with the name of hungry tigress (with caps, but i'll take it, son!)

wait, there's more!

to make up for the fact that i'm asking you to LIKE me here, and forgettabout the old one, i've got two amazing books i'm gonna give away:

the first, home dairy with ashley english is a gem of a book in a gem of a series. if you've ever thought about dabbling in dairy, do it with ashley. i love her entire homemade living series because they are perfect for beginner and seasoned preserver, alike.

the second, DIY delicious has been my go to book for weeks now. it's full of from-scratch recipes, that make you feel like a pilgrim without the pilgrim hours, get it? lots of good and delicious food in this book!

so here's the winning deal: as of this writing i have 550 'likes' on my old facebook page. once i get 550 likes on my new facebook page, hungry tigress. i will use that trusty random number generator to choose two lucky winners out of the 550 likes.

shameless, i know.

now giddy up over here and click LIKE for a chance to win!

:)

roast the toast: quince yogurt cake

2011-01-29T18:30:00.004-05:00

i know we don't talk cake much around here. there's good reason on my end:
my name is tigress and i am a cake monster. don't get me around cake! (or cake around me, as it were)

i'll turn into houdini right before your very eyes. and then, poof, i'll turn you into tweety bird 'cause before you even know it you'll be like, "huh? i tawt i taw a pwetty cake!?"

ahem - or something like that.

but you know, since we've been preserving together over the past year and a half, and i feel somewhat responsible for all those jars taking up real estate on your larder shelves. i look at this as my duty.

i did it for you.

quince yogurt cake
adapted from D.I.Y. delicious by vanessa barrington

1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar (i use raw)
scant 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon rosewater
2/3 cup plain full fat yogurt
3 cups preserved quince in rose syrup, lightly drained and chopped *
1 cup walnut halves
10 inch round springform pan, buttered and floured lightly

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. once hot, place walnut halves on baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes. just until you smell the most delicious aroma upon opening oven door. let cool on tray. keep oven heated for cake.

2. sift flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a bowl.

3. in another bowl beat together softened butter, all of the raw (or white if you're using) sugar, and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar until well blended.

4. mix in the dry ingredients until almost blended, add the yogurt and stir to combine. add the chopped quince and fold.

5. pour into the springform pan (batter will be somewhat thick) and smooth the top.

6. break the walnut halves into pieces, this is done easily now that they are toasted. mix with the remainder of the brown sugar and sprinkle evenly over top of the cake.

7. bake for approximately 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. let cool completely on a rack before removing from the springform.

this is the kind of cake i dream about, the kind that makes me do magic tricks.

however, when you make it, it may actually last. which means if you don't eat it all within two days you can put in the fridge for up to a week, or frozen for a month, wrapped well.

* pawnote - i've used my quince preserves here - and it's divine! but this cake can deftly adapt to any kind of preserved fruit in sryup. got peaches? go for it, and switch out the 3/4 rose water for 1 teaspoon vanilla. pears? do it! and if you don't have fruit in jars, use up those berries or plums that have been hanging out in your freezer since last summer!

roast the toast: a now and then series devoted to pumping up the jams,
and other sweet preserves. 'cause a tigress can't live on bread alone. duh!

tigress in a jam is nominated for a homie!

2011-01-27T08:51:00.002-05:00

wow! thanks to everyone who nominated this blog for the kitchn's homie awards!
the homies are a celebration of the year's best home oriented blogs. this year the
categories are: home design, home tech, kids @ home, green home, and home cooking.

and wow again, tigress in a jam is a final nominee in the home cooking category!

winners are chosen by you - so pop over to the kitchn, discover a lotta great new blogs,
and vote for me in the homies, homies!

(please note, you will have to sign in to vote, but no worries, it's as easy as pie!)

jam on it: shaker squash bread

2011-01-23T07:30:00.008-05:00

you may have a bunch of these hangers-on from your summer garden

that are just about ready to jump.

or you might have been caught in the eye at your local farmstore by a few too many of these gorgeous gourds.

or maybe, you just like the smell of damn good bread wafting through your kitchen on a cold winter morn.

shaker squash bread

adapted from country breads of the world by linda colister

1 cup milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
scant 1/2 cup sugar (i use raw)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 2 & 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast (that's 1 packet of the kind you find in the grocery store)
1 & 1 /2 heaping cups mashed winter squash, room temperature*
4 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups all purpose-white flour
2 large eggs, room temperature, whisked
melted butter for brushing the top after baking
2 loaf pans, approximately 9x5x3, greased

1. heat milk and 4 tablespoons butter just until butter melts. let cool, stir in salt & sugar.

2. combine yeast with half of the flour, add milk mixture and stir until completely combined. you can do this by hand with a wooden spoon, or in a stand mixture on medium low for about 2 minutes.

3. add squash mash and whisked eggs, stir until combined.

4. gradually work in remainder of flour until the dough is firm but not dry and is lifting from the sides of the bowl. you may not need all of the flour.

5. if you are using a stand mixer with dough hook, turn it up to medium and let it run for 7 minutes. if mixing by hand, turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead for 7-8 minutes.

6. place the dough in a lightly greased bowl - you can do this with a flavorless oil - and flip so that both sides of dough are greased. cover with a damp dish towel, and let sit for approximately 1 & 1/2 hours, until dough looks as if it has doubled in size.

7. once risen, press the dough down firmly in the center. divide the dough in half and shape into sandwich loaves. place in loaf pans and cover with a damp dish cloth.

8. let loaves rise for about 1 hour, until they look as if they have doubled in size. at 45 minutes, preheat oven to 400 degrees. if you have a baking stone, you should put it in the oven.

9. bake loves for 35-40 minutes. very important: for the best rise, do not open the oven for the first 10 minutes. switch the positions of the loaves halfway through to insure even baking. bake until the tops are a deep golden brown.

to determine if breads are fully baked you'll want to pop the breads out of the pans immediately after removal from the oven, silicone gloves or the like are best for this job. breads are done if you hear a hollow sound when tapping the bottom, if not put them back in the oven, unmolded, for 5 additional minutes.

10. brush the tops with melted butter and let cool completely on a wire rack.

this bread is best eaten within 4 days, toasted thereafter, or frozen for up to 1 month. when toasted it has a tender crunch that melds perfectly with your jam of choice. it's also just right for all manner of sandwich bread uses. it's a staple in my kitchen every winter around this time, when my winter squash are getting antsy. plus how cool, it's a real shaker recipe!

*pawnote - to make squash mash: slice unpeeled squash in half and discard seeds. brush squash flesh lightly with a neutral oil and place cut side down on baking sheet. bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. let cool completely and peel skin away. mash roasted squash with a fork. squash mash freezes well.

jam on it: a once and again series celebrating toasty things fit to be slathered.
i mean, you gotz jams, don't ya? ...get in there and bake!

happy new year from india!

2011-01-08T20:00:00.003-05:00

yes i know it's not technically new year's anymore.

and i am not technically in india anymore.

i was able to upload these photos in kerala, south india.

but i just couldn't get the post to go through before breakfast...

(this is a crime, and if i could get local bananas and coconuts in new england i would probably be a roly-poly, but that's another story)

and lunch, of course there was lunch, the south indian lunch.
and before i knew it i was on a plane to delhi...

and at the spice market,

and in front of the president's crib (yes that's a monkey, nice shot right?)

and eating pickles (garlic & chile in oil my friends)

and cozying up to the chai walla (delhi was as cold as london).

it's good to be back and i've gotta lotta stuff i want to roar about for 2011.

so stay tuned please, and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

:)

can jam december round-up: dried fruit

2010-12-13T09:00:00.003-05:00

photo what julia ate

first i want to send a big wet furry tigress kiss (ewwww!) to everyone that participated in the great can jam of 2010! whether you participated in each & every month or just a very few, whether you've blogged along with me, or followed along quietly at home, whether you've put jar to boiling water for the very first time right here, or taught me a thing or two...

it just wouldn't have been a ball without you! :)

(well ok, let me just give one weee little extra shout-out for those of you that canned every month throughout the entire 2010!)

i'm touched by all the thanks and kind words about the can jam on many of your blogs this last month. thank you. i hope the intentions of celebrating and saving local produce, building a vibrant on-line canning community that's both inspiring and helpful, and having fun while doing it all were realized. mostly i hope that if you've been learning to can with us here, your enthusiasm and delicious creations will inspire others to can.

finally, if you haven't starting canning yet don't despair because now is the perfect time! there's a whole lotta info in the side bar essentials section to the right, and a whole lotta-lotta recipes from all of the can jammers listed by month in the side bar too!

now on to december's recipes - i know some of you thought i was crazy when i said dried fruit.

ahem, howya like me now?...

photo café del manolo

chutneys, conserves & compotes

apple cherry compote with hazelnuts - locally preserved
ooh, a compote! finally a compote. i have been thinking lately that we really need to start a compote renaissance, no? oh, and i am all about this spicy fig jam!

apple cranberry raisin conserve with port and thyme - prospect: the pantry
i really love your pairing suggestions! a little conserve brightens up wintry dishes it's so true!

bengal style chutney - flamingo musings
yes i agree, indian flavors can turn even the most mundane tofu steak into a magnificent meal! :)

chewy spicy chutney - tigress in a pickle
this chutney is hot! (and he knows it)

cranberry chutney - sugar crafter
did you say tangy chutney? you do know i'm a chutney-lover, don't you? and how great that you're going to keep on canning!

dried fruit conserve (minced-no-meat) - café del manolo
i don't think i have to say twice that this is my kind of conserve! and i love that you're going to make a pie with it for your father-in-law. 'updated' family favorites are where it's at! :)

figgy lemon chutney - grow & resist
first, i just like sayin' this; figgy lemon chutney, figgy lemon chutney, figgy lemon chutney...second, this looks like a wonderful adaptation of my beloved onionz limone (RIP).

mango chutney - leena eats this blog
i love me a good mango chutney, and this one sounds amazing with dates, raisins and curry powder! congratulations on your pregnancy too!

pear & dried apple chutney - notes from a country girl living in the city
i'm just wondering if you compared the ratios to an existing recipe from a good source. the acid level could be questionable here.

pear port compote - backyard farms
love the photos of you and your year of jarred bounty, love that you did a compote, and love the pelham variation!

persimmon & dried cherries with brandy conserve - showfood chef
i've never had a persimmon, fuyu or hachiya, but i'm damn sure going to try one now! pronto!

rhubarb conserve - bigger than a breadbox
i for one am always looking for ways to preserve rhubarb, since i happen to have a field of it. thanks for this one!

spicy cranberry chutney - just the right size
did you just say fan-friggin-fabulous? i think you did! well ok, then. i think that means you like it! (and i must say this looks like much more than a cranberry chutney!)

photo the kitchenette

jams, jellies, preserves & marmalade

apricot cranberry & amaretto jam - laundry, etc.
i love it! and thanks for the sugar % info on canned and non-canned fruit - very good to know!

CherryMeyerGingerAde - rufus & clementine
look, you made me use caps! this one looks all nikki - love the dried cherries in a marmalade!

christmas jam - what julia ate
kudos to you for making this! it has been on my list for a while - and yours looks mouthwatering! ...here kitty, kitty, kitty.

cranberry jam - all types of cooking and a whole lot of canning here!
i love the idea of cranberry and pecans! now, tell me, is it really true that this can cool you off when it's 100 degrees outside!?

cranberry marmalade with dried apricots - food in jars
you just keep taunting me with that book don't you? (i totally know what you mean about book recipe emergencies - i have 3 books i'm totin' now!) oh, and the cardamom sounds perfect in this!

cranberry orange marmalade - toronto tasting notes
candied ginger and cranberries are one of my favorite combos! and i agree, these would make wonderful holiday presents! festive indeed!

dried fig jam with lemon & port - cafe libby
i love figs so much i thought about making a dried fig jam for my entry this month too! glad you did! :)

habenaro hot pepper jelly - the kitchenette
you are going to have a lot of happy family members this christmas, aren't you? you rockstar-i-learned-so-much-in-the-can-jam you!

jalapeño sunshine - knit & nosh
i would eat this for the name alone, yes i would!

name that marmalade - hip girl's guide to homemaking
hurry peeps, get on over there and name kate's marm to win a jar! so great, kate, to be reminded of your enthusiasm at the start of the can jam...and look at you now - you preservin' fool you! :)

quincemeat preserves - the artisanry of acorn cottage
yay for you! this looks resourceful, original, and most of all - delicious!

red onion marmalade with dried cranberries - my caffeine diary
if it's quite tasty then of course you did it right! i don't hear your friends complaining, do you? (all i hear is those crackers crunching!)

savory triple-ginger pear preserves - married ...with dinner
i'm a ginger lover, so this one is calling my name...and i see you got yourself some weck jars. nice!

spiced cranberry preserves - bread making with the bread experience
this looks like the perfect condiment of the holiday table! and the color is beautiful too!

photo food in jars

misc

blueberry maple syrup - simply loving home
first of all; you make your own maple syrup - way cool! second of all; now you're making blueberry maple syrup - way cooler! :)

cranberry mustard - mother's kitchen
i must admit, i really love it when you get 'hell bent' ;) and i am so happy that it has been a great canning year for you! your mustard looks delish!

dehydrated apple apple sauce - well preserved
love this idea! sounds like it will make for incredible taste and texture, and honey instead of sugar - right on!

dried fruit relish - wine book girl
this looks very interesting. have you tried it yet? would love to hear your pairings?

grand marnier preserves - putting by
'tis the season to get boozy, tra-la-la-la-laa-la-la-la-laa! this looks very festive! ;)

raisin d'etre mustard - local kitchen
ok, you don't have to beat me over the head with it. I NEED TO MAKE MUSTARD!!! (and thanks for the lovely, lovely, post. how wonderful to see all you've canned for the jam in one place!)

stewed stuffed prunes - mock paper scissors
how great that you recreated your auntie's stewed prunes! i kinda love prunes myself, and i love that you used the term renaissance spices! :)

sundried tomato gazpacho - put a lid on it
yes my dear, of course the tomato is a fruit! and i love that you used sundried tomatoes for this month's challenge! are pepper's fruits? ah, it doesn't matter i'll take these too!

photo propect: the pantry

we did it can jammers - a whole year of preserving!

(omg, it feels weird not listing the next recipe posting dates)

ok, so here's the kazillion $ question that i have been receiving on twitter, facebook, in the comment sections and a flurry of emails:

will there be another can jam in 2011?

the answer is YES!

but there are some things i want to work out, like making it easier on me, and easier on peeps who want to can when they can, and come back in the jam even if they couldn't can for a month or two. i like a challenge as much as the next cat, but what is really important about the can jam is the community - canning together, learning together, having fun and roaring all about it!

so i am going to work on all this, and roll it out at some point next year. it's part of blog redesigns and move to WordPress that may take a while, bear with me and stay tuned for the new installment of tigress' can jam!

in other exciting news, i am leaving in 2 days (YIKES!) to sri lanka and india and i am so excited i am bursting at the stripes! i have another post i hope to get up here before i leave, a guest spot on the kitchn going up sometime while i'm away, and big tigress-sized plans to check-in with photos and roars from the road.

see ya soon - stay tuned, and stay warm!

comment people, comment!

:)

can jam november round-up: pomes

2010-11-21T15:15:00.003-05:00

photo the cosmic cowgirl

apples, and quince and pears, oh my! apples and quince and pears !

c'mon, i know i'm not the only one that thought that!

below is a cornucopia of autumn delights - all put up in jars for later. fall is my favorite preserving season, after all, apples and pears get pretty adamant about getting jarred. and quince, my new found favorite, seems to be all the rage this year around the canning blogosphere.

if you've been jamming the can, either at home or blogging about it...WOW! i can't believe we are in the 11th month!

if you've never canned before, i hope you've been inspired by this group of wonderfully industrious and creative people. and if you haven't quite mustered the gumption to start yet, i say; start here! because applesauce and apple butter practically can themselves! so giddy up and get some pomes in jars!

like this:

photo knit and nosh

butters & sauces

apple thyme butter - showfood chef
i don't think you really understand how much i love jam on biscuits do you? especially warm, flaky biscuits. i don't appreciate being tortured nearly every time i read your can jam post. ;)

applesauce - bigger than a breadbox
what could be more fun than making applesauce with a dear friend? (making applesauce with a dear friend while drinking a crisp wine and shootin' the shiz would be my guess...)

applesauce & oven apple butter - cafe libby
first of all, thank you so much for your thankful post. *touched* second of all, i love that you posted your tried & true recipes, third of all, i need a le creuset dutch oven already, don't i?

gingered seckel pair butter - the kitchenette
hollandaise, pear butter, apple butter...girl, what have you been eating all your life? ;) actually, i'm even more intrigued by what your going to be drinking soon!

lazybones spiced apple butter - rufus & clementine
this is quintessentially nikki. not that i'm sayin' you're lazy, just that you like to meander. i love that you got to a point to know when you can do this in canning. and then did it inexcusably!

maple apple butter - breadmaking with the bread experience
hmmm..this butter in a crockpot thing is really catching on. do i need one?

pear and buddha's hand butter - wine book girl
this looks amazing, i really love the idea of a zesty butter!

salted caramel pear butter - knit and nosh
gulp! just saying that makes my mouth water...

spiced apple butter - leena eats this blog
again with the crockpot! that's it - what kind should i buy?

vanilla applesauce - toronto tasting notes
i really do need to make me some straight-up applesauce, don't i? the 'great with hot porridge' got me!

vanilla pear butter - market life sf
your favorite thing you have ever canned? oh my! ...cognac? oh my! did you just step it up like, a gazillion notches? sounds like!

william tell sauce - well preserved
owwwooh. they got the ooompf, gotta have that ooompf! (sing it like ya mean it!)

photo local kitchen

jellies, jams & marmalade

apple cider jelly - simply loving home
cider jelly - nice! wonder what it would taste like with real cinnamon? i bet very good!

apple ginger jam - flamingo musings
sounds like a ginger lover's paradise in a jar. oh, and that's you isn't it? :)

apple quince jelly with vanilla bean - local kitchen
julia is the quincemeister isn't she? i like the vanilla in this pome pome!

linda lou's apple pie jam - just the right size
this is apple pie in a jar, isn't it? i'm surprised you need the boxed pectin tho, as apples are so darn full of it.

quince jam - putting by
hey it's the taste that counts! (i was going to say you didn't cook it long enough to change color, but 2 hours seems sufficient, hmmm...)

meyer lemon marmalade with apple, pear & candied ginger - mock paper scissors
another suggestion if you don't like the bitter is to use the zest only - use a zester, get the just the yellow, & avoid all of the white pith. then you can leave it in! :)

paradise jelly - what julia ate
this is the ultimate jewel in a jar i see. hey, you could also use it for a tart tarte, non?

pear and chestnut jam - prospect: the pantry
feeling very french aren't you? i mean in a very american (chestnut) sort of way? this looks heavenly!

pear-apple jam - sugarcrafter
i agree 100%, sometimes it's gotta be all about the fruit, & leave the spices at home!

pear jam with fresh sage & honey - the cosmic cowgirl
yes i do see this with a triple cream. RIGHT NOW! (ahem, excuse me).

spiced apple rum jelly - backyard farms
oh my - that does look finger-lickin' (or pot-lickin', ahem) good!

photo prospect: the pantry

chutneys, relish & pickles

apple, onion & ale relish - grow & resist
wow - i wish i coulda skipped school to travel! :) this looks mouthwatering! and meg made apple butter too!

english-style spicy green tomato & apple chutney - marrried...with dinner
wow! seems like you found a new staple, and using up all those greenies to boot! this makes me smile!

pear chutney - my caffeine diary
i think i agree - this would make for wonderful holiday gifts!

spiced apple rings - mother's kitchen
yay we have a pickled fruit! and thanks so much for the info on pickle crisp - good to know!

spiced apple rings - thinking out loud
good stuff woodman, and i'm gonna say it again: i bet some real cinnamon would be good in there too! and i love the apple picking tradition!

spiced seckel pears - the artisanry of acorn cottage
love the balsamic and the anise! i think i would eat those right out of the jar!

thai curry pickled pairs - put a lid on it
wow! you really are a chef aren't you? ;) and she made pom-apple sauce too!

photo hip girl's guide to homemaking

misc

apple pomegranate syrup - hip girl's guide to homemaking
omg, this on cheese pancakes! after all, maple syrup has so been done...

chai spiced apple rings - notes from a country girl living in the city
i think you are absolutely right about the soft apples. when canning, you want to use the most recently picked (or properly stored in some cases) produce for the best texture in the finished product.

dolce de marmelo (marmelada) - café del manolo
ah, now i get why you've been making all those sexy jams etc, - you're portuguese! (and how great to see the actual recipe from your mom!)

pears in light syrup - all types of cooking and a whole lot of canning here!
jane knows of where she speaks - don't leave the cinnamon stick or the vanilla bean in the jar if
you want to taste the pears!

poached quince in vanilla syrup - laundry etc.
on oatmeal porridge with greek yogurt! yes please! i could eat that bowl right outta the photo! and you really got your quince to turn a nice burnt-pink didn't you? mine only blushed.

quince in rose syrup - tigress in a jam
the problem with this is; it's so gorgeous on my larder shelf i don't want to eat it! (but it will, i will i tell ya!)

saffron pears - locally preserved
how did you know that i'm a riesling and gewürztraminer cat? and the saffron - inspired!

and now, i have so many things i need to say to you peeps! first up, karla baker was the winner of the last give-away! karla won a copy of:

that's right, shae's amazing tell-all ebook ! (now listen, don't fret if you didn't win because it's only a click and $9.95 away. and so worth it 'cause these jams are damn good!)

hold on to your jar lifters everybody because the holidayz are coming, i know we'll all be busy at the end of the month, plus i'm leaving on a jet plane on the 15th of december, on a 15 hour ride to curries and mango chutneys. given all that, i am taking the liberty to choose the last month's focus.

attention everybody! ¡atención!

the december's food in focus is: dried fruit

how dya like them apples? (or figs, or dates, or raisins, or cherries, or pears, or plums, or peaches, or apricots, or berries, or....)

you better do it! and you better post it between sunday december 5th and friday december 10th to be included in the last round-up.

oh, and think of this like herbs or chiles, you know, i don't want to see a whole jar full of dried fruit sealed shut, that would be silly. use it for flavor!

any questions?
:)

quince in rose syrup

2010-11-14T18:30:00.003-05:00

lest you think i'm a cool cat. i thought i'd share this with you, an email i sent to julia of what julia ate (the quince queen IMO) upon my initial discovery of local quince:

tigress

to Julia

show details Oct 20

i just scored 5 lbs of local quince!!!

what do i do!!!???

what should i do?

i don't think i've ever actually seen/held one before.

omg. the scent!

-tigress

...well of course i went for the membrillo first. (although, i gotta admit, it's back to the drawing board on that one) and then i did this - a winner. then i got my paws on another 5 pounds of local quince!

this time i wanted to preserve the wonderfully exotic nature of quince to enjoy throughout the year without a whole heck-of-a-lot of embellishment. i looked to quince's native home for inspiration; persia, turkey and their surrounds. in fact, i had a wonderful little bottle of gür that i brought home from last summer's trip to turkey that was just hanging out, waiting to meet it's match.

quince in rose syrup

4 pounds quince
juice of 2 lemons
2 & 1/2 cups sugar
approximately 20 black peppercorns
1/4 cup rose water
pint mason jars

yield: 4 pints

1. prepare the canner and jars for hot water bath processing. no need to sterilize as you will be processing for over 10 minutes. just make sure they are hot when you fill them.

2. prepare a large bowl with cold water. place 4 cups water in a large saucepan and add the quince whole. bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes. take quince out with slotted spoon and drop in cold water. reserve the 4 cups water in the saucepan.

3. remove quince from the bowl, and refill with fresh cold water, add juice of two lemons. one by one peel, core and cut quinces into eighths. drop directly into lemon-water to avoid discoloration.

4. add sugar to the reserved 4 cups of water in pan and heat on low until sugar is dissolved. add quince slices and bring to the boil. simmer gently for 12 minutes, partially covered. turn off heat.

5. remove all 4 pint jars from canning pot. add 5 whole black peppercorns to each. remove quince from syrup with a slotted spoon and fill each jar with quince to 1/2 inch headspace. tap the jars on a towel covered counter to create more space and release air.

6. add 1/4 cup rose water and return syrup to the boil. once boiled turn off heat and pour over fruit into jars. leaving 1/2 inch headspace. use a plastic chopstick or plastic knife to gently remove air bubbles.

7. hot water bath process for 20 minutes.

tigress can jam november: pomes - success!
though i know that rose water is heavily used in persian and turkish sweets, there was a moment when i thought it may be too sweetly perfumed for the quince's heady scent. alas, the rose and the quince do not compete, rather they marry together to form an harmonious bouquet of exotica. on ice cream this is a no-brainer, but i have something else in mind: a rose n' quince tarte tatin or custard tart will most definitely find its way out of a couple of these jars sometime in the cold winter months.

learning: not so much a learning as a, yes! with this recipe i came away with about 3/4 of a pint of syrup left. the scent is incredible alone, and i cannot wait to use this rose n' quince syrup in a holiday cocktail. it has got me thinking back to that summer ripple-craze through the can jam, that had many of us bottling up fruit syrups for luscious warm weather cocktails. i may have to start a new fall tradition...

apple marmalade with rosemary

2010-11-09T09:00:00.001-05:00

at some point i opened my fridge last week and precisely 4 apples, 1 orange and 2 lemons sky-dove directly toward my toes and proceeded to spread themselves over the kitchen floor, like insurgents deftly finding their marks.

there were many more behind them waiting for their signal.

i really can't tell you exactly how i ended up with a bottom shelf loaded with citrus and myriad of kinds of apples (not to mention the quince & cranberries) except for the fact that when i made the move back down to LIC for the winter i grabbed as many apples from local farmers as i could, and the citrus - well whenever i know i'm going to be preserving sweet i need to have them on hand. and there must have been a couple of trips to the co-op or farmstore where i forgot just how many i already had.

ever had that happen?

so this past saturday morning i knew my mission; i sweet-talked a bunch of them and brought them over to the other side.

apple marmalade with rosemary

2 & 1/4 pounds apples - use a mixture if you can*
2 small organic oranges
3 small organic lemons
3 1/2 cups sugar (i use raw)
5 sprigs rosemary
1/2 pint and pint mason jars

yield: approximately 2 & 1/2 pints

1. prepare jars for hot water bath processing. no need to sterilize beforehand, just make sure they are hot.

2. wash and dry lemons and oranges. cut in quarters and slice as thinly as you can, removing the seeds. place citrus slices in a non-reactive (stainless or enameled iron) preserving pot and pour 3 cups cold water over. peel apples, core and chop coarsely, add to pan as you go, making sure to submerge apples. this will keep them from discoloring.

3. bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, just until the citrus slices are soft.

4. turn off heat, add sugar and stir to dissolve. once dissolved add rosemary sprigs, bring to the boil once again, then cook on medium high for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. similar to cooking a fruit butter, you will know it is done when you can run your wooden spoon through the center and you see the bottom of the pot for a split second before the mixture folds back over itself. i do mean just a split second, if you overcook you are in danger of making the marmalade too thick.

6.fish out the rosemary sprigs, most likely they will just be the bare center stems, that's good! it's nice to leave the rosemary leaves in the finished marmalade. fill hot jars to 1/4 inch headspace, run a chopstick or plastic knife around the inside of the jar rim to release air bubbles and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

i am in love with this buttery marmalade. it's tart like a traditional marmalade should be, but the creaminess of the apple is a game-changer. for me there is really no better place for a marmalade to sit than on top of toast and a generous amount of butter. though i can't help but think for the meat-eaters (organic & humanely raised please) in the bunch this flavor combo would glaze quite deliciously over a more meaty meal.

*pawnote: if you use a mixture of apples some will cook down completely to create the butter-like texture and some will remain pretty much intact to provide a burst of apple chunkiness smack dab in the center of this tart marmalade. i wish i could tell you exactly what kind i used, but most likely it was a mixture of gala, green pippin, braeburn and jonagold or some-such thereof.

another amazing give-away!

2010-11-06T17:28:00.001-04:00

first things first: the winner of my birthday give-away was pat from two by the sea. her book of choice from the food preserving pages of my larder on amazon was mes confitures by christine ferber. good choice pat - enjoy!

if you didn't win, don't despair because i have something i am so excited about i can hardly contain myself!

my fellow preservationist, and lovely blogger, shae from hitchhiking to heaven has created a tell-all ebook!

tell all what you ask?

well, she tells you all about making her prizewinning jams of course!

like this fine specimen

...and this one too!

both of which i was lucky enough to get my paws on when i met shae at a strawberry picking hoe-down back in june.

trust me when i tell you, these aren't you're grandmother's jams!

(unless of course your grandmother was a prizewinning jam maker and her jams were decades ahead of her time.)

know what i'm sayin'?

there's seven recipes in all and each and every one had shae walking away with a ribbon from the marin county fair in 2010! her exacting and warm style takes the intimidation out of master jam-making, making this little ebook a gem for those just starting to jam and for the seasoned jammer.

and guess what peeps?

i have one copy to give away!

jump on in the comment section below by midnight saturday november 13th and let me know why you just need to win this ebook!

:)

but wait, there's more!

you can double your chances by hopping over to what julia ate and signing up there too. 'cause julia knows what's up when it comes to jammin' - and she's got one copy to give away!

oh lucky day!

quince & cranberry holiday preserves

2010-10-31T14:40:00.002-04:00

remember that red stuff in a can that used to add just the right sour-sweetness to the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes?

of course you do.

this could most certainly be enjoyed with all of the above mentioned pairings. and though it has the traditional tart-sweet flavor, the quince and candied ginger add a toothsome chutney-esque zing. plus i can't stop eating it on top of chevre each morning ever since it's inception. and i can only imagine it slathered across one of those warmed holiday brie wheels, or nestled comfortably inside the indent of a nut-and-buttery thumbprint cookie.

to top all of this off, it's about the simplest preserve i've ever made. so if you've been thinking about learning how to jam, then i say this one is for you.

now just imagine arriving, on thanksgiving day, or another some-such winter holiday feast, with a jar or two of this delight up your sleeve.

if word gets out you might just find yourself invited to a tad more of those little shindigs come next holiday season, and you certainly want that don't you?

of course you do.

;)

quince & cranberry holiday preserves

2 & 1/2 pounds fresh cranberries
1 & 3/4 pounds quince, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
6 ounces candied ginger, sliced very thin
5 cups sugar
5 cups water
pint and half pint mason jars

yield: approximately 6 pints

1. place 2 or 3 small plates in freezer to test set later on, prepare jars for hot water bath processing. no need to sterilize as processing time is 10 minutes.

2. place sugar and water in a non-reactive (stainless steel, or enameled cast iron) pan and heat on low until sugar is dissolved, turn up heat and bring to the boil.

3. once boiled, add quince and bring to the boil again. lower heat and simmer for a good hour until quince turn red and syrup begins to thicken.

4. add candied ginger slices and whole cranberries, bring to the boil, continue boiling on medium-high until the cranberries pop and soften. cook until set, approximately 20 minutes. test set by placing a teaspoon full on a frozen plate. put plate back in freezer for 30 seconds, run finger through, if it wrinkles even slightly under your finger it is set. make sure to turn the stove off as you are testing as you don't want to over set it as you are testing. if on the first try you find the it is not set, turn up the heat and try again in another minute or two.

5. fill jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

you can easily cut this recipe in half, forgo the canning part, and slide it right into the fridge for use during the holiday season if you don't feel like getting your hands wet just yet!

ancho apple butter

2010-10-20T09:00:00.005-04:00

i couldn't help myself. it's fall and the apples are fallin' everywhere around here.

this tree was here long before i even knew what a berkshire hill was. since i've been here it's had good years and bad. some years nary an apple she grows, and others like this one, they swing like baubles sassy in the breeze, wooing me from the window at which i work each day.

on good years i eat them all summer; the first tiny pucker worthy emeralds, the blushing end of summer cherubs. and finally in october when there is nothing left but those jovial fatties sunning themselves way up high, i wait.

eventually, flushed and sugar drunk, they fall to the ground. at last unable to bear their own weight. when they finally drop and roll they let out a boisterous sound of glee. most times a solitary cry, and sometimes a few small apple voices in unison shouting; weeeeeeeee! inaudible, but i know they do it.

gathering them up before the deer, rabbits, chipmunk, squirrels, wild turkeys, a myriad of more graceful and colorful feathered friends, neighbor's dogs, fox, and this summer, a bobcat even (!) get to them is the challenge. let alone the smaller critters, fiercer than tasmanian devils when it comes to eating apples it would seem. basically...

i gotta be quick.

my eagle ears and mad dashes from behind the work window paid off this october because i was able to gather enough butter inducing fruit to make this:

ancho apple butter

5 pounds apples - stemmed & quartered, skin & seeds intact
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 & 2/3 to 2 cups raw cane sugar
9 allspice berries
1 to 2 teaspoons ground ancho chiles
1/2 pint or pint mason jars
food mill

yield: approximately 4 & 1/2 pints

1. place apple quarters and 2 cups cold water in a non-reactive (stainless or enameled iron) stock pot and bring to the boil. reduce to a simmer and cook until apples are soft - about 20 minutes.

2. as apples are cooking prepare canning pot and jars for hot water bath processing. jars should be warmed but no need to sterilize.

3. when apples are soft all the way through take off the heat and pass them through a food mill. discard the skins & seeds and return the apple flesh to pot. add sugar, ground ancho, wine vinegar, and whole allspice. place the allspice in a cloth tea bag, metal tea ball, or cheesecloth so that it is easy to fish out later.

4. cook on medium, stirring regularly until butter thick - about 30 minutes. as it thickens you will have to stir more often to prevent sticking. you'll know it's done when you can place a dollop on a plate and the sides don't leak.

5. fill jars to 1/4 inch head space, tap the jars gently on the towel covered counter to get rid of air bubbles. run a plastic knife or chopstick around the inside rim if air bubbles are persistent.

6. hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

tigress' can jam october: chile pepper success!
i couldn't help myself. i had to do two this month. i mean, i'm a chile cat after all. i love apple butter and i love dried chiles so i thought, why not? as in this pear butter i kept the sugar low. i like a butter that is barely on the sweeter side of sauce - as in an applesauce. you could take it up to 2 whole cups and it still wouldn't be overly sweet. i added the vinegar because these fallen apples are way past their earlier puckery punch. it was a good choice. the ancho and allspice together add a nice depth. in an odd spoonful here and there i can taste the clean, almost herbal ancho note. i think to catch it in every spoonful, i would up the ancho to 2 whole teaspoons next time.

learning: note to self - next october make 15 pounds of apples' worth because these 4 & 1/2 pints are going to fly off the larder shelves! quickly!

spring/summer 2010

2010-10-14T10:00:00.010-04:00

some of you may or may not know this, but i used to be involved with a lot of seasonal collections...

for alexander mcqueen

ok, i admit it. i still look at style.com from time to time, and of course, my garden never complains about my choice of attire when i'm tending it.

but, my interest in the seasons has certainly took a more nourishing turn over the past few years. as you may have gathered, my passion for seasonal produce has pretty much surpassed my passion for seasonal fashion.

so i thought i'd collide the two worlds and showcase each season the fruits - or vegetables - as it were, of my labor. you know, what i've preserved; the collection from which i will serve in the coming months.

yeah i know it's backwards, we're done with the spring/summer 2010 season and in the world of fashion it's 6 months ahead. but my hope is that over time, these collections will act as an organizing tool and resource for all kinds of seasonal preserving.

and i'm not worried about them going outta style, 'cause you know what they say...

fierceness is always in fashion. ;)

tigress' spring/summer 2010 collection

each category is listed chronologically by date of preservation

canned
rhubeena
rhubarb ketchup
rhubarb lavender jam
golden jelly (gooseberry)
tellecheri strawberry preserves
smokin' strawberry preserves
apple pectin
lemon squash jam
nectarine preserves with summer savory & white pepper
whole heirloom tomatoes
curried green zebras (tomatoes)
plum noir jam
sweet tomato ketchup
whole paste tomatoes

fermented
spring turnip pickle (left)
turkish fermented cabbage
cool cucumbers
beets with bronze fennel
red dynasty kraut with caraway & juniper
super red hot sauerkraut
juniper sauerkraut with bay
chiles

quick/fridged
onions pickled pink
carrot fire pickle

frozen
rhubarb
oven-candied tomatoes
smooth tomato sauce
broccoli
asian-style stock
hearty vegetable stock
walnut sage pesto
bronze fennel pesto
marjoram pesto

drunken
confiture de vieux garçon

dairy
yogurt
feta cheese
yogurt cheese in oil

dried
oregano
mint

cellared
red & yellow onions
garlic

i always have grand(iose) preservation plans. but without fail, there's a thing or two that prevents me from doing all - or even most (this summer) of what i originally planned. or posting about it all, so if you see something of interest without a corresponding post, please, ask about it!

...and if you like my style stay tuned, 'cause the fall/winter 2010-11 collection is underway and previews are about to begin!

how about yours?

can jam september round up: stone fruit

2010-09-22T06:00:00.003-04:00

photo rufus & clementine

i really just have to do this...just so you know.

as i've been sitting at my computer reading and rounding-up throughout the week i have been singing this pretty much non-stop.

i mean all these sweet and juicy peaches and nectarines!

can you blame me?

and it's not like i'd kick any plump little plums out of my kitchen either.

photo café del manolo

know what i'm sayin'?

(apparently a lot of you do)

ahem.

photo cafe libby

jams, jellies & conserves

imperial stone fruit preserves - put a lid on it
and if that wasn't exotic enough for you there's this too and scones! i love a good scone recipe, you know i do!

local peach loco jam - backyard farms
i love that it's all local! maple syrup, peaches, chiles...wow! (ever think about growing your own citrus?) :)

nectarine jam - what julia ate
a straight up nectarine jam with a spot of pectin for good measure. i do agree, nectarines have there own special charm.

nectarine pear & chile jam - local kitchen
this is torture. (meaning i need some, now!)

peach blackberry jam - wine book girl
i find mixed fruit jam very intriguing. do the individual fruit tastes remain as they do in a mixed fruit pie?

peach & blueberry ginger jam - show food chef
show me the food! i am not kidding. my mouth just watered at your first photo. that jam, that biscuit!

peach-plum ginger jam - food in jars
the ginger juice addition sounds lovely. and i hear you on the summer canning urgency. it's suppose to be s-l-o-w food! ;)

peach or apricot jam - family & food
i think there is nothing smarter than jamming something you know you & your family like. a basic fruit jam recipe that's tried and true i say!

peach preserves - market life sf
another sound recipe for simple and beautiful peach preserves (you don't really need to do much to them, do you?) ...and she did this too, which looks to me like it really was worth the work!

peach preserves with brown sugar and spiced rum - cafe libby
if this sounds good to you - hurry on over to libby's blog - 'cause she's giving away a jar! but you better do it by oct 1st!

photo backyard farms

peach vanilla marmalade - flamingo musings
i don't know...are mangoes stone fruits? (well in the end, it looks like you didn't miss them!)

perfectly simple peach preserves - married with dinner
never even thought of leaving the skins on. good to know! june tayler's jams are amazing, and i trust that this one is too!

plum conserve - toronto tasting notes
a true conserve! this looks awesome sarah. and as fine a christmas present as i could ever imagine!

plum jam with almond - mock paper scissors
this jam does sound lovely. and so is that story about madame, and her plum cake must be delicious!

plum jam with bay and vanilla - café del manolo
plum & bay, a nice combo if i do say so myself. but homemade vanilla! you just knocked it outta the park in my book! (and i LOVE the the flavor bible)

plum jam with tonka bean - prospect: the pantry
i am completely intrigued. i have never heard of tonka beans, but the way you describe their flavor makes me want to find a source, pronto! and peeps, you gotta check out this too!

plum noir jam - tigress in a jam
...it was a dark and windy jam. and oh, so good! it's the fennel peeps! (ok, and the bay, and the black pepper, and the cardamom...don't forget the cardamom!)

spiced peach jam - notes from a country girl living in the city
peaches and spice and everything nice, that's what this jam is made of.

strawberry mango jam - simply loving home
this looks so beautiful in those jars. a winner indeed...your family knows what's up!

sugar plum crumble preserves & honey pie conserve - hip girl's guide to homemaking
i would eat plums here, i would eat plum there, i would eat plums anywhere. and i would most definitely eat them in these two lovely preserves!

photo local kitchen

chutney

peach chutney - doris and jilly cook
goat, i am so happy you revealed the dark side of canning. we really need to consider humanely treating are jarred fruit! ...particularly when they look this delicious!

peach chutney - sugarcrafter
and peach pie filling, plums in syrup and plum butter. you people are not only putting up, you are putting me to shame!

plum chutney - my caffiene diary
yes those look like romas to me. (i have a roma tree but it doesn't produce anymore). ok, so about those hard skins, cook the plums until the skins soften (10 min. or so) and then add the sugar. it helps immensely.

photo prospect: the pantry

sauces & salsas

garlic plum sauce - locally preserved
this looks very versatile indeed. and trust me i feel for you northwesterners and your lack of summer. that was us here in the northeast last year. sunny times will come again!

peach barbecue sauce - the kitchenette
...and to think, we all knew you before you heard your first lid pop. and now you're giving us this!

roasted hatch peach salsa - stetted
you had me at the roasted peach...of course the balsamic, cilantro and hatch peppers didn't hurt. bring on the chips!

spicy peach salsa - grow & resist
i love when can jammers are inspiring other can jammers! (and great tip about the freezing whole peaches - thanks!)

zesty peach barbecue sauce - just the right size
do you think it would be good on tofu?

photo sustainable pantry

fruit in syrup

blackberries in syrup - bigger than a breadbox
blackberries are stonefruits? v-e-r-y interesting. look, the real point is; you got your can in the kitchen and canned! bravo! :)

canned peaches - putting by
she's right when she tells you: get those air bubbles out and get some more syrup in there!

canned peaches - knit and knosh
another basic canned peach recipe - but you have to look up the recipe yourself in the good 'ole ball blue.

canned peaches in light syrup - oh, briggsy...
first off let me say that i happen to get really excited about winter squash, but anywayz...a solid canned peach recipe here and some apricot jam too!

gently gingered peaches - rufus & clementine
not that i'm scolding. but it's a really good idea to read the whole recipe before you get started...or eat the whole peach, and just forettaboutit! ;)

honey peaches with mint - mother's kitchen
ha! very funny story (of course after knowing you didn't get stung). love the idea of mint - must add just the right note to those sweet peaches.

l'shana tova vanilla peaches - sutainable pantry
how sweet it is! ...these look divine. (and i am so happy you made it through the tornado unscathed!)

poached peaches - all types of cooking and a whole lot of canning here!
i am absolutely sure this is a crowd pleaser (especially this crowd) peaches poached with booze. ahem.

plum & blueberry compote in calvados syrup - laundry, etc.
sounds like you live in plum heaven! this compote looks glorious! and those jars, gloria oh, those jars!

preserved peach slices with maderia - well preserved
ok. it's not really syrup. but still, i think it belongs here [in this cataegory]. and i think that i need to make these next season. for shizzle!

photo the cosmic cowgirl

pickles

georgia pickled ginger peaches - bread making with the bread experience
you day georgia, she says texas. it's all just peachy to me! especially pickled!
(i think you and yours are going to love these!)

pickled peaches - thinking out loud
wow! it was a preservin' hoe-down at your house this month! and cinnamon & cloves sound like a lovely pairing with peaches - only maybe just a little lighter on the cloves, no?

texas peach pickles - the cosmic cowgirl
i promised myself i wouldn't start saying this, but: yum! yum and yum, yummers! (ok, no more, i promise). and a very BIG congrats on confituras - i knew it would be a grand success!

spicy bourbon white peach pickles - leena eats this blog
no one can say this girl doesn't know how to treat a peach!

can you believe it's almost october? i can't. we've been canning together for almost a full year! all of us on all these blogs and a lot of people at home!

there's a bunch of great photos up on tigress' can jam group on flickr which you should definitely check out and please note this exciting update: i've just opened up this flickr group to everyone. that means you! so please, calling all canners, show us what ya got!

kaela from local kitchen is our chooser for october and she has until this friday at midnight to tell you all about it. (i am very excited about this one!) can jammers, you must post your recipes between sunday october 17th and friday october 22nd for inclusion in the round-up.

now go out and rake some leaves or something! (and put 'em in your garden while you're at it, they're good for it!)

bye!

plum noir (jam)

2010-09-15T22:11:00.002-04:00

it was a dark and windy night, soon after the horizon overtakes the sun and the sky becomes gloomy with defeat. a lone fox sat underneath the apple tree. teeth shining from behind curled canine lips, head bobbing, bits of apple flesh released, falling to the ground.

a glass of wine in hand, a basket of plums on the counter. a can jam deadline looming. she lifted the glass to her lips, the movement of his jaw was hypnotizing and her eyes grew heavy.

the sky deepened until the only thing left was the glint of moving teeth. in seconds that too faded. her cue. she swirled the last sip of wine and stood up, chair scraping, to the sound of wood on wood.

plum noir jam

4 pounds dark plums
3 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
4 green cardamon pods
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup water
juice of one lemon
5 cups sugar
pint, 1/2 pint, or smaller mason jars

yield: approximately 4 pints

1. prepare jars and lids for hot water bath canning. let the unfilled jars boil for 10 minutes to sterilize. put 2 or 3 small plates in the freezer for testing set later.

2. pit and chop plums, place them in a non-reactive pot with 1/2 cup of water and lemon juice. heat on low, covered, until the skins soften all the way through - about 15 minutes. heating plums before the sugar is added will ensure soft skins and will aid against fruit floating in the finished jars.

3. as the plums are softening in the pot prepare the spices. break open the cardamom pods and take out the black seeds, discard the green shells. powder the cardamom seeds, peppercorns and fennel seeds in mortar & pestle. i cannot stress enough how important it is to buy whole spices and powder only when needed, they last so much longer and taste so much stronger.

4. when the plums have softened keep the heat on low and add the ground spices, bay leaves (please make sure they are not old and you can actually smell the sweet spice of bay - otherwise you might as well add a couple of post-it sheets) and the sugar. keep the heat on low until the sugar dissolves and then turn up the heat and bring to the boil.

5. boil until sufficient set is reached - about 15 minutes. to test the set add one teaspoon to a frozen plate and place plate in freezer for 30 seconds. slide your finger through the jam and if it wrinkles underneath even slightly the jam is set.

6. fill hot jars and hot water bath process for 5 minutes.

tigress' can jam september: stone fruit - success!
i love a good plum jam, even straight up it's always full of flavor. it's the perfect beginning jammer's fruit - you can hardly go wrong with the set. the warming spice adds a definite serious note. and even though i'll never say no to jam for breakfast, i imagine this as the perfect accompaniment to a soft cheese plate just after dinner.

learning: making jam is the perfect thing to do on a dark and windy night.

what happened to summer? (& 2 winners!)

2010-09-11T09:00:00.003-04:00

hi!

i never thought i would be gone this long!

sorry!

i had a few people over for labor day weekend and...

i couldn't get anywhere near the kitchen or the garden

or the blogging.

and even though tigresses are nocturnal i had to

sleep eventually. but here i am and i hope you

missed me as much as i missed you.

after a mere two weeks away i arrived back to the berkshires and this is what i found:

my garden has become a tangled web of food and brittle leaves. bruised sungolds are lolling around the ground dazed and confused in the aftermath of suicidal bounds. overripe autumn-hued heirlooms are smiling toothless jack-o-lantern grins, and the melons are shivering in their peels.

summer it seems, spread it's wings and flew south, while i was doing other things.

please check back soon, 'cause i'll be scurrying away this summer's bounty, madly putting things in jars, freezers, et. al. in the coming weeks. and i'll be on here and here roaring about it.

but first some unfinished business: the two lucky winners of the wonderful new book put 'em up! a comprehensive home preserving guide for the creative cook by sherri brooks vinton are julie from booga j blog and kate from hip girl's guide to homemaking. congratulations girls! the books will be going right out to you.

now i gotta lotta work to do!

see ya very soon!

*all photos by bennett sell-kline

nectarine preserves with summer savory & white pepper

2010-08-18T08:10:00.008-04:00

i've got a confession to make.

i'm a butt girl.

that's right. the juicier the better.

...peachy little butts that is.

i'm not picky about picking these lusciously sweet, seductively shaped

naughty little freestones or clingstones. they're all just peachy to me.

i put these beauties in a jar quick - before they got away.

the taste is unadulterated nectarine, lusty and sweet, with just a touch of heat & savory.

yowsa!

nectarine preserves
with summer savory & white pepper

3 & 3/4 pounds nectarines
4 & 3/4 cups sugar (i use raw)
2 large lemons
6 sprigs summer savory
20 white peppercorns, freshly ground (use i mortar & pestle if you have)
candy thermometer
1/2 pint or smaller mason jars

yields 2 & 1/2 pints

day 1
1. prepare an icy water bowl or very clean sink with the juice of 1 lemon. blanch whole nectarines in boiling water for one minute, just until the skins start to split. dunk quickly in the icy water bath.

2. peel, bit and slice peaches. place in a non-reactive preserving pan with sugar & juice of one lemon. heat on low until sugar is melted. turn up heat to medium-high and bring just to a simmer.

3. place mixture in a large bowl, bury savory sprigs within. let cool, then place in fridge or another cool place overnight.

day 2
1. prepare your canning pot, lids, & jars. boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. full details here.
put 2 small plates in the freezer for testing the set.

2. separate fruit from syrup by either draining in a colander or using a slotted spoon (or both). place syrup in preserving pan and bring to 221 degrees. skim foam off top if needed. add nectarine slices, remove the sprigs of savory as you are doing so. add the ground white pepper to the pan, bring to the boil again on high heat. boil for 5 minutes.

3. test the set by first turning the heat off. place a teaspoon of the preserve on a frozen plate. place plate back in freezer for 30 seconds or so. run your finger across the plate and through the mixture. if it wrinkles, even slightly, it is sufficiently set. if your finger makes a clean break, place the pan back on high heat and boil for another minute. try again.

4. hot water bath process for 5 minutes.

and trust me i know it's hard, but please, once you get a taste...

control yourself.

if you're like me, and you cannot get enough of these perfect fruits, check out the following blogs. 'cause there's a whole lotta good recipes & tips about stone fruits in celebration of summerfest 2010! while you're at it, don't forget to let us all know in the comment sections how these cuties like to be had in your neck o' the woods.

a way to garden
devour the blog
eating from the ground up
food 2
fn dish
gilded fork
gluten-free girl & the chef
healthy eats
just a taste
san diego foodstuff
simmer till done
sweetnicks
tea and cookies
the sister project
the wright recipes
tuscan diva
white on rice couple

next wednesday is the last week of summerfest 2010 - we're celebrating tomatoes! and guess, what? the can jammers are jammin' on tomatoes this month too. which means, next week over here, tomatoes will be hella all over the place!!

give-away: put 'em up!

2010-08-11T00:30:00.002-04:00

...so it's been a busy week for me and i haven't had time to put much of anything up for later.

but, i have something i think you're gonna like just the same: two copies - straight from the publisher - of put 'em up! a comprehensive home preserving guide for the creative cook by sherri brooks vinton it's quite possibly my favorite preserving book to come out this season! great recipes and clear instructions on everything from canning, freezing, drying, fermenting and more.

since sherri offers quite a few ways to preserve herbs, beans & greens, including two i can't wait to try: savory blueberry & basil jam, and herbed grape jam, i can't think of a better way to celebrate this week's summer fest 2010 than winning a copy.

can you?

roar about your favorite way to celebrate herbs, beans & greens below, especially how you put 'em up for later, for a chance to win! please comment by midnight on friday august 20th. winners will be chosen by that trusty random number generator directly thereafter.

happy summer fest 2010!

click on the links below to see what my friends are doing with herbs, beans & greens this week.

a way to garden
devour the blog
eating from the ground up
food 2
food philosophy
fn dish
gilded fork
gluten-free girl & the chef
healthy eats
just a taste
pinch my salt
san diego foodstuff
sweetnicks
tea and cookies
the sister project
the wright recipes
tuscan diva
white on rice couple

just two more weeks to go for summer fest 2010 - don't miss them!

8/18 stone fruit
8/25 tomatoes

jam on it: cream corn scones

2010-08-04T09:00:00.010-04:00

i'm not sure how many of you know that scones & biscuits are my secret obsession.

basically,

i love me a good scone.

throughout this summer, i've been lucky enough to get quart upon quart of fresh raw cream from my neighboring farmer's brown swiss and jersey girls (wait that sounds like a reality tv show, no?) and have been working the cream scone weekly, experimenting with varying types of flours etc.

my favorite by far is with the addition of a good quality medium stone ground cornmeal. it adds just the right texture - a bit of toothsome grit - a heartiness if you will, that melts into the lightness of the cream perfectly.

but the clincher came last week week when the morning after a robust veggie grilling session, i was left with 2 ears of sweet summer corn - salt & pepper corn to be exact.

off the cob those little kernels came and into my scone dough they went.

heaven...

srsly.

cream corn scones

1 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup medium stone ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into approximately 1/4 inch chunks
1 cup corn kernels (approximately)
1 cup heavy cream

yield: 8 scones

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees - if you have a baking stone put it in the oven now.

2. place flour, corn meal, baking powder, sugar & salt in the bowl of a food processor with steel blade, and pulse 5 times to mix. if mixing by hand, place in a bowl and whisk.

3. add butter chunks to food processor bowl and pulse 10-12 times until mixture resembles a course meal - some of the butter pieces can even be small pea size. the trick is not to over pulse. if mixing by hand use the two knife method or a pastry cutter to achieve the same.

4. transfer to a large bowl and quickly stir in corn. add cream. i like to do this with my hand - pour the cream in the bowl, place hand in the center of the bowl with finger tips together. start with small circles and then gradually go wider. (this is a traditional indian way of mixing flat bread dough and works wonders for all kinds of dough mixing). the absolute moment all or most of the dry ingredients are mixed in - stop stirring. doing this will ensure you get scones not bones! ;)

5. turn onto a floured surface and as quickly as possible knead into a ball - gathering any loose dough. like 2 or 3 kneads only. then flatten into a round 1/4 inch thick.

6. i like my scones rustic looking - simply take a knife or dough scraper and pie-cut into 8 triangles.

7. if your baking stone is in the oven place individual scones directly on stone. if you're not using a baking stone, place on an ungreased baking sheet and put in oven. bake for 12-15 minutes. you'll know they are done when the tops brown ever so slightly.

8. place on wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. if you can.

this is the perfect way to utilize that extra cob or two left over from a meal, try them once and i think you'll make certain you have some leftover. these scones do not need a thing on them - they are a sheer celebration of summer corn. but blueberry & corn are an unmatched match imo, so if you wanna jam on it, you could top with blueberry jam or even this luscious curd.

happy summer!

...don't stop there. cause there's a whole lot of us celebrating summer corn this week.

please do check out my fellow summer festers links below & let us all know how you like to celebrate summer corn in the comment sections! and tweet about it too! #summerfood

away to garden
devour the blog
eating from the ground up
food 2
fn dish
gilded fork
gluten-free girl & the chef
healthy eats
just a taste
pinch my salt
san diego foodstuff
sweetnicks
tea and cookies
the sister project
the wright recipes
tuscan diva
white on rice couple

join us each week as we celebrate more of the wonderful bounty of summer!

8/11 - herbs, green & beans
8/18 stone fruit
8/25 tomatoes

lemon squash jam

2010-07-18T21:10:00.005-04:00

i have a confession to make.

even tho i grow a lotta cucurbits, i don't grow these.

i used to grow them. but to be perfectly frank, they stress me out.

i don't love them to begin with. but enough is enough when each & every day i finely comb through all the big green leaves and bright yellow-orange flowers in the garden - usually only one or two plants mind you - and lug the 5 dailies back in to my kitchen wondering where in my fridge they'll fit. considering, of course, that there are ten already snuggled up in there claiming valuable real estate. only to come back out to the garden the next morning to trip head first over a fruit the size of my leg that i missed, apparently.

so this year, i stopped the madness: no more zucchini!

why then, am i coming to you with this recipe? well for one, my cukes and melons are not quite here yet and i will be dealing with a lot of those when the time is right. since i had to head down to one of my favorite farmer's stand at my local farmer's market i figured i could safely buy a few of them to put to jar. (secretly hoping of course that they wouldn't multiply in my fridge).

they don't, do they?

secondly, i thought if i can come up with a really great canned goodie that deliciously utilizes these babies, i may actually be doing a PSP (public service post ) for those of you still brave enough to grow them. i mean...

i like zucchini bread as well as the next gardener.

but, there's gotta be a better way!

lemon squash jam

adapted from gourmet preserves by madelaine bullwinkel

1 pound green zucchini - they shouldn't be more than 6 or 7 inches in length

3 lemons - approximately 3/4 pound (organic if you can)
6 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon basil (or lemon verbena or lemon balm)
pint or smaller mason jars

yield - approximately 4 pints

day 1

1. trim ends from zucchini & grate coarsely. quarter the lemons, remove the pits & slice as thin as you can. measure this - it will be approximately 1 & 1/2 quarts, place in a non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled iron only). add an equal amount of water. bring to the boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

2. let cool. cover & let sit over night at room temperature.

day 2

1. place 2 or 3 small plates in the freezer for testing the set

2. bring the squash/lemon mixture to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

3. as the mixture is boiling, fill your canner with water & clean jars and turn the heat on medium low. you will not need to sterilize the jars as this jam is hot water bath processed for 10 minutes.

4. after 5 minutes of boiling begin to add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time. letting the mixture come back to the boil each time before adding the next 1/2 cup.

5. once all the sugar is in the pot boil until sufficiently set. this took approximately 10 minutes for me.

6. while the jam is boiling, chiffonade the lemon basil.

(i would explain it, but you might as well just go here)

7. when you think it is set (or around 10 minutes) take the pot off the heat, place a spoonful on a frozen plate and put back in freezer for about 30 seconds. run your finger through, if it wrinkles under your finger then it has reached the jelling point. if it doesn't, put the pot back on and try again in another minute, and so on.

8. once it has reached the jell point, boil for 1 full minute.

9. take off heat, add the lemon basil and stir. let stand for 5 minutes. stir gently a couple of times during this 5 minutes.

10. fill hot jars and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

tigress' can jam july: cucurbits: omg i love this jam!

you know, i definitely had my doubts. while i was making it i thought, this is another one of those hide the zucchini recipes, i know the deal... but it's crazy! it's actually quite a lovely color, golden with deep green flecks of zucchini throughout. the flavor has that bittersweetness that i love in a good marmalade, but it's brighter somehow. the lemon basil adds a deeper layer that - get this - was enough to make M exclaim that it was my best jam yet! (i know). here's what i really love about it: the texture. because it's marmalade-esque, but the squash adds a fruit-like fiber that makes it a true jam.

learning: its kinda really great how this can jam is making me try things i wouldn't normally. i am so making this jam again. i may even have to go back to growing these little monsters next summer, that - and an entire patch of chamomile.

if you know what i mean.

apple pectin (& confiture de vieux garçon)

2010-07-14T09:00:00.009-04:00

johnny appleseed is my homey.

well, at least he would have been if i had lived in the 1700's. he was born in massachusetts - and traveled all around these parts.

and yes, he was the stuff legends are made of, but he was a real live person.

he planted apple trees everywhere around the northeast and on through to the midwest.

it's true!

trees like this:

i love this tree.

even though it's a bit old, was here long before i got here (maybe j. apple really did plant it!)
and of course n'er a spray would i have touch the leaves or fruit.

this 'ole tree bares a lot of apples! way more than we could eat out of hand
or even out of jelly or jam.

way more fruit than the three little gooseberries-that-try bushes i have.

so what the hell am i doing using up all my gooseberries for a pectin boost?

it's july peeps! it's apple pectin making month! ...and green apples are everywhere!

thanks to johnny!

green apple pectin

as many pounds of green (unripe) apples as you like
double the amount of cups of water

yeild: approximately one cup pectin stock per pound of apples

1. stem & coarsely chop apples, blemishes are fine to leave in but discard any parts gone bad, bruises or worm bits. :) make sure to leave cores and seeds in.

2. place in non-reactive pan (stainless or enameled iron only) and add water. bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. stir a few times throughout to make sure all apples get saturated.

3. line a colander with cheesecloth or butter muslin and place over a bowl. pour in cooked apple mixture. let drain for 2 hours.

4. return strained liquid to pan and boil down by half.

place in fridge to use in 2 weeks, freeze for up to 2 months, or hot water bath can for larder storage up to a year. if you choose to hot water bath, leave 1/4 inch headspace and process for 10 minutes.

2/3 cup of good apple pectin stock will be sufficient to set 4 1/2 pounds of medium or low pectin fruit to jam.

to make jelly use equal cups of stock & sugar, and some added lemon juice. generally 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to 3 cups stock/3 cups sugar will do it.

it's july!

get out & get some pectin-making apples - and thank johnny appleseed while you're at it!

:)

update: confiture de tigresse

i've managed to find organic stawberries and raspberries so far. sadly i missed the cherry season, it was impossible to find unsprayed cherries in the berkshires! :(

the strawberries went in the third week of june, they are a very strange color and i was a bit worried. but i don't detect any odd smell so i'm staying with it. the raspberries were put in a few days ago.

i've learned a few more things so far:

1. it's best to weight the fruit down, you can use a plate if you have one that fits. i used the weights that came with the crock and i think they are a bit heavy for soft fruit like berries.

2. it's pretty hard to wing it & try to cover the fruit with sugar by sprinkling it over as i had originally planned. and the shape of this crock makes that action particularly hard to do. so i am going to add sugar at 1/2 the weight of the fruit. i've also read that to avoid sugar granules in your final product it is best to let the fruit sit for one hour in sugar and macerate. i'll add sugar to fruit in a bowl, let it sit for an hour and then add to crock moving forward.

3. i went with kirsch, which is traditional for summer fruits. but any spirit will do as long as it is 80 proof, or 40% by volume.

if you've started your own this summer, i wanna hear about it! roar below!

can jam june round-up: berries

2010-06-30T08:30:00.011-04:00

berry, berry quite contrary, oh how we jam you so
and jelly, and syrup and butter and pickle even....

these little flavor-bombs are clearly the jewels of the jar.

a lot of great recipes here, basics that a just starting jammer can barely go wrong with, and studies on pectin content, cooking time, and flavor-combos. what a great month!

if you haven't jammed yet but you're following along, i encourage you to source some berries close to home and give it a go with one of the great recipes below. you'll thank me (us) in december or february when you bust out a jar of your homemade jam and remember what summer tastes like.

delicious!

please do be on the lookout below for our guest can jammer (and master pickler & jammer) linda ziedrich's berry recipe! and if you haven't been over here lately - make sure to check out the wonderful interview & words of wisdom that linda shared with us recently.

photo sustainable pantry

strawberries

easy-as-pie-jam - the artisanry of acorn cottage
ok, easy as pie is a nice thing for strawberry rhubarb (and currant!) jam. but, you did just say jam cakes, did you not? ahem, address please...

fresh strawberry jam - the kitchenette
ok, you just said you've never even tasted home-canned fruit jam before? well, there you go! see how nice it can be?...and you can sugar or not, sugar.

herbed strawberry balsamic jam - notes from a country girl living in the city
rosemary & black pepper is quite the lovely pair. ...and look ma, no added pectin.

quick strawberry lemon marmalade - breadmaking with the bread experience
we like the marm with the berry! - and it sounds like your father was a happy camper on father's day. who wouldn't be?

oven-roasted strawberry jam with rosemary - seasonal menus
this looks great, and the lazy one too! but i absolutely need to give a shout out to the fact that in the middle of a 3 hour strawberry hulling session your crew broke out the pasta maker and made homemade pasta. (i'm bowing right now).

peppery strawberry vinegar - grow and resist
berry-salad-vinegar love. go for it meg! 'cause the jam isn't really about the 'jam' it's about jammin' the can! :)

strawberries in light simple syrup - oh...briggsy!
your picking adventure looks like a blast! and oh, what a bounty! please don't worry 'cause hope floats - and so do berries, but they taste just as good! the taste gets the last ooh & ahh. always!

strawberries in syrup - sustainable pantry
a great and simple way to preserve strawberries, particularly if you are short on freezer real estate.

strawberry balsamic jam - post-industrial eating
well you know, i for one luv buttermilk pancakes with strawberry syrup. next to peanut - or almond butter & chocolate, i can't think of two tastes that taste better together.

strawberry balsamic black pepper jam - wine book girl
a two-batch variation...which one did you like better? inquiring jammers want to know.

strawberry chipotle jam - kitchen jam
hey, not a bad idea if i do say so myself!

strawberry jam with balsamic vinegar & black pepper - toronto tasting notes
i tried this jam by way of shae on our berry picking adventure. all i can say is...mmm, mmm good!

strawberry jam - bigger than a breadbox
she said it turned out 'absolutely wonderful'! and you know what? i believe her!

strawberry jam - thinking out loud
that shining little face, those big smiling eyes, the multi-color fingernails gripping the jar...i'd say it was a HUGE success!

strawberry jam - knit and knosh
it didn't work she said, so no recipe, but she did do this straight up raspberry jam so it's all good.

strawberry jam with pinot noir - mock paper scissors
well at least you got one jar! and no fatal mishaps - thank heavens. i love that you're discovering the delights of ms. ferber. and i really, really love your bonus tracks.

strawberry lemonade concentrate - my caffeine diaries
this looks rather delicious to me. and more booze! of course! now peeps, while you're over checking out this recipe, please do take the time to sign the petition. enough is enough already.

strawberry pepper jam - all types of cooking and a whole lot of canning here
strawberries & jalepenos? it kinda, sorta, sounds like a perfect combo imo! and she did a blueberry and cherry too! industrious litte jammer, she is!

strawberry preserves - cafe libby
a good basic recipe - and a nice weigh in on the added pectin debate.

strawberry rhubarb concentrate - dawnabelles
to pulp or not to pulp, that is the question. but the answer is that drink...compari, tingly blood orange? sounds like a splash of the italian riviera. salute!

strawberry rhubarb jam with cardamom - prospect: the pantry
i never met a cardamom i didn't like. and so it seems is true for strawberries & rhubarb. what a lovely combo! have you tasted it yet? and this, i like this!!

strawberry syrup - well preserved
the dynamic duo does it again. and look, they are straight to the point: syrup! so useful. and so not bothered about fretting about the setting.

sure-jel low sugar pectin strawberry jam - robbing peter
free is nice! and this recipe ain't, 'cause basically, ya gotta get the box. ;)

photo rufus & clementine

cherries

black cherry, rhubarb & red wine preserves - local kitchen
you in a jamming rut? never my dearz! and did i read correctly - you have a cherry tree! ...man, i'd like to be a spoon in your larder.

cerejas com aguardente - cafe del manolo
is it just me, or does this sound like the sexiest thing ever put in a jar?

cherries in green tea rose jelly - locally preserved
very beautiful. reminds me of those gorgeous japanese sweets with fruit suspended in a jell. does it taste as beauty as it looks?

cherry pie filling - putting by
make filling now, make pies all year. makes a lotta sense to me - i'll take sour cherries over sour grapes any day!

chinese five spiced pickled cherries - leena eats this blog
girl, can you sell me any more on these? i mean really! i'm convinced! i need cherries...

drunken cherries - backyard farms
omg, i love, love, love the picking story!!! ...and i love that you let these cherries be as naughty as they wanna be!

sweet cherry basil preserves- hip girl's guide to homemaking
it's all about the micro batch, i agree! 'cause you can do basil & cherries and strawberries & cherries too! and it ain't nothin' but a thang!

sweet cherry jam - sugarcrafter
oh, sweet jam o' mine! isn't it amazing how certain spices just bring the berriness right out! ooh, and the rum darling, the rum!

whole churry preserves - rufus & clementine
hmm. all this time i thought young g. washington chopped down a cherry tree, but no ma'am, now i see it was actually a churry tree. oh, and loosey-goosey isn't so bad, sometimes even, it can be more fun! ;)

photo food in jars

blueberries

blackberry blueberry port wine jam - showfood chef
oh that photo! scones ain't got nothin' on a biscuit if you ask me! black & blue never looked so tasty!

blueberry pucker conserve - doris and jilly cook
this goat thinks this time she's 'got it'! ...and you can get it to if you pop on over and comment by july 4!

grand marnier blueberry peach sauce - flamingo musings
well, this is as saucy a sauce as i ever saw! (please pronounce saw as sauwa and say it 3 times fast - good!) of course she did this too!

rhubarb blueberry & lime jam - family & food
and strawberry rhubarb jam, and sea-buckthorn jam!!! 'nuff said, really.

slow cooker blueberry butter - food in jars
even though hands are the best gadgets, sometimes other gadgets can be handy too. looks like better blueberry butter. nice!

misc berries

agarita jelly - the cosmic cowgirl
yes i believe you! - sipping mei ties and posting your can jam post! lucky you! and kudos to you for choosing the ultimate local berry in your neck o' the country!

blackberry basil jam - stetted
this combo sounds divine! i say, make jam, make jam, make jam, make jam, and make jam some more! :)

bruised ego jam - just the right size
oh my, fairy princess! ...never fear, for those magical berries will be there again next year.

golden jelly - tigress in jam
if i didn't want to eat it, i'd wear it! and these are berry, berry good too!

gooseberry & elderflower jam - laundry etc
the quintessential english jelly imo. coming to us straight from the other side of the pond. gorgeous!

mulberry rhubarb lemon jam - what julia ate
the prettiest jam i ever did see. and she's bringin' it back with the ole' mulberry bush! so pilgrim!

raspberry mango jam - put a lid on it
elle wanted florida in a jam - and that's just what she did! she's gonna make another big 'ole batch! christmas 'shopping' early!

tayberry paychard preserves - married with dinner
the nose, knows...wow, what a profile. flavor that is. and the rosy hue...she's a looker too!

tayberry syrup - market life sf
rebecca wanted jelly but syrup she got. no worries, happens to the best of us. there's ice cream, alcohol & yogurt just waiting to be doused!

photo the cosmic cowgirl

mixed berries

berry jam without boxed pectin - mother's kitchen
mk breaks it down for us on the no boxed-pectin route. and gives a nice technique to give it a go!

berry medley - simply loving home
that's a lotta berries in that there medley! ...so when they are in season in your area, you can do more! ;)

mixed berry jam from the freezer - linda ziedrich's blog
what can i say? linda's part of the jam this month!!!! :)

...that's a lotta berries!

please folks don't forget to check out the tigress' can jam flickr group, for photos from the non-blogging participants and more!

and i know you you can't wait to find out with the july food in focus is. gloria over at laundry etc is gonna holler about it sometime in the next two days. and i'm betting that a lot of you are about to learn something new - i did!

all recipes must be posted between friday july 16 and friday july 23rd, with friday july 23rd at midnight being the deadline. you might notice that there are two extra days at the beginning this month. if you are so inclined, & you can get your post up on the earlier days, please do! as it would help me out again this month to get a head start on the round-up.

i can't wait for you to hear about july's focus!!!

but wait!

there's still time to get some more berries in some jars, so giddy-up!

happy canning!
:)

strawberry preserves: tellecheri & smokin'

2010-06-27T22:30:00.013-04:00

a-picking we will go, a-picking we will go, high-ho the berry-oh, a-picking we will go.

actually we already went, julia, kate, shae and i. we had fun.

and of course we ate.

and took photos of what we ate of course.

...so then i got home with 15 pounds of strawberries. i escorted about a pound of the cutest, easiest looking ones here (more on that shenanigan in the coming days).

6 lbs were rinsed, hulled, tossed with the juice of two lemons & 7 cups of sugar, and put in the fridge to relax.

...and it's really quite amazing how fast the remaining 7 or so pounds just disappeared. i didn't make anything else with them. they just kinda

vanished into chomping teeth.

if you know what i mean.

anywayz, back to the 6 lbs in the fridge:

first, you must know that strawberries are not the easiest thing to set up for a year's worth of boxed-pectin free preserves.

i mean, in theory they are. but if you're really aiming for a true preserve, not a syrup, and you want the fresh taste of the berry to shine, with not a trace of that over-cookedness that can happen so easily in the thick of things - or the attempt there of. then it takes a little know-how

or a little luck.

or some of these:

here let me explain-

first, i split those 6 lbs into 3 & 3. put the first of such in my preserving pot and brought it to the boil. let it cool and put it back in the fridge for another night of rest. and did the same with the other half.

next day, i also did the trick (still in two batches) of separating the now-condensed berries from the syrup, boiling the syrup quickly to 221 degrees before adding back the berries. and bringing the whole thing back to the boil and cooking until the setting point.

these things peeps, i have done quite a few times in summers past. and in summers past once those berries were added i had to cook, and cook to get that syrup to set. and if i didn't want to cook, and cook, because i wanted the bright berryness to remain, then i had a bright tasting strawberry syrup.

but this year is different, this year i managed to pluck (just barely) enough final hangers-on off of my three wee gooseberry bushes to garner 1 & 1/2 cups of gooseberry pectin*

and tho i haven't mentioned this one to you before - there's a staple strawberry preserve in my repertoire, whose flavor-combo we adore, but who each year is riddled with the above.

but this year is different:

tellecheri strawberry

3 lbs strawberries, quickly rinsed in cold water, then hulled
juice of 1 lemon
3 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup gooseberry pectin*
15-20 fresh mint leaves
15-20 black peppercorns (preferably tellecheri) freshly ground - use a mortar & pestle if you can
candy thermometer
1/2 pint, or pint mason jars

yeild: approximately 2 pints

day 1
macerate strawberries, lemon juice and sugar in fridge overnight.

day 2
bring strawberries with syrup to the boil. pour back into bowl, let cool and macerate in fridge overnight.

day 3
1. put 3 small plates in the freezer for use in testing the set later. prepare your jars and canning pot. sterilize the jars in a boiling water bath and leave them in the canner until you are ready to use them.

2. separate the strawberries from the syrup. add the syrup & the gooseberry pectin to the preserving pot and bring to the boil. using a candy thermometer, boil until 221 degrees. add berries, mint and ground pepper. boil for 5 minutes. turn the heat off and test the set by placing a teaspoonful on a frozen plate and placing plate back in freezer for about 30 seconds. run your finger through and if you see a wrinkle underneath it is properly set.

3. fill jars and process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.

please do not cook and cook to get a thick set. if it wrinkles even slightly, and feels a bit jelly-like, it's done! this is the 5th year that i've made this combo and the difference in flavor upon truly cooking the berries for only 5 minutes is astonishing. the added gooseberry pectin is just what is needed to help the set along - and dare i say it sets the stage for the strawberry-ness to positively explode! the tellecheri & fresh mint add just the right amount of warmth and a bright herbal note.

this is a true preserve; it is not jammy. the jel is soft but full-bodied, not sticky. whole condensed & luscious fruits are perfectly preserved and suspended in mid-jel.

it is lovely.

...the other 3 lbs of berries, & sugar & lemon had a destiny that i wasn't 100% sure on. i had an idea tho, an inkling, a feeling, a stroke of genius

apparently.

...and a bag of the freshest tasting ground chipotle powder i ever did taste (bought on my recent trip to cali at the san fransisco farmers market).

smokin' strawberry

follow the ingredients & directions as above, just switch out the tellecheri black pepper and the mint for 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of chipotle powder (i used 1 full teaspoon).

ever have a hunch that turns into a revelation?

this was it for me.

the smoked chile slyly creeps up & lures the berries out of all their niceties. i swear they blush an even darker shade of crimson.

... and then it's like the strawberries huff & puff and blow your house down.

srsly.

it's all about this:
*gooseberry pectin
2 lbs gooseberries, topped & tailed (or chopped unripe apples, stemmed only)
place in sauce pan with 1 & 1/2 cups water and simmer for 45 minutes. mash the berries a bit with a slotted spoon.
strain for 6 hours in a jelly bag and strainer or fine-weaved cheese cloth in colander.

this should give you approximately 1 & 1/2 cups of pectin rich juice.

ok, i think that's enough roarin' in one fell fruit.

golden jelly

2010-06-25T07:20:00.002-04:00

some of you may remember this from last year.

you may also remember that we here in the northeast had such a rainy growing season that the growing hardly grew. my three little gooseberry bushes up and shed their leaves 'round about mid august - after first turning brown and shriveling unto themselves in soggy little masses.

:(

i wasn't sure if they would make it.

but much to my delight, this spring the branches beheld tiny specks of neon-green that soon spread into riotous flames of leaves. the berries tho, are a bit sparse. such that even reserva is much too abundant a term for this year's yield.

golden seemed a fitting term - and so i took the literal approach:

i picked 'em green -

and rounded out the color & flavor with a few mighty english lavender flowers.

generally speaking, i'm more of a platinum girl myself. but this jelly?

24K all the way baby.

golden jelly

2 lbs green gooseberries
sugar (organic if you can) see below for amount
10 lavender stems with flowers (organic is a must)
jelly bag and strainer or fine meshed cheese cloth & colander
1/2 pint or smaller mason jars

yield: approximately 1 t0 1 & 1/2 pint

day 1
1. top & tail the gooseberries - a scissor is the easiest way. place in a non-reactive pan with 2 & 1/3 cup water & add the lavender flowers. bring to the boil & simmer for 10 minutes on low. at which point they should be quite soft. if they still look intact, mash them a bit with a spoon or fork.

2. while gooseberries & lavender are simmering, boil the jelly bag or cheese cloth for 10 minutes, squeeze out excess water and place on stand or in colander.

3. once gooseberries & lavender flowers have simmered for 10 minutes place them in the jelly bag with stand positioned over a bowl or in the cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl. let drip overnight or 8 hours. note: no matter how tempting, do not press the bag or force through the colander or your golden jelly will be cloudy jelly.

day 2
1. prepare your canning pot and mason jars for hot water bath canning. boil jars for 10 minutes to sterilize. place 2 0r 3 small plates in the freezer for use to test set later.

2. measure out the gooseberry juice that has accumulated overnight. for every cupful of juice add 3/4 cup of sugar. place sugar & juice in preserving pan and heat on medium low until all the sugar melts. then turn up the heat and bring to the boil. boil for 5-10 minutes until set is reached.

3. when you think it is sufficiently set, take the pan off the heat and drop a small spoonful on a frozen plate, put plate back in freezer and wait about 30 seconds. run your finger through the jelly, when it is sufficiently set it will wrinkle underneath your finger. mine took 5 minutes to reach the setting point as the gooseberries were truly green and full of pectin.

4. fill jars and hot water bath process for 5 minutes.

tigress can jam june: berries success!
there is really something about gooseberries that are perfect for jamming; one can't ask for a berry with a better pectin content, and the sourness is the perfect counterpart for all the sweetness added in jams & jellies. i plan to explore jelly-making much more this summer. i'm a jammer & always feel that jellies are somehow 'harder' to make. the truth is they really aren't! ...i think i'm on a jelly roll!

wait!!

jelly roll?

omg! ...that would be delicious!

learning: basically, i need to plant more gooseberry bushes. i mean reservas, golden jellies, they're all kinda swanky & cool. but really, i just wanna get my eat-onz!

:)

fermentation crock & preserving supplies

2010-06-16T09:30:00.003-04:00

now that's a crock of...

well, not fruit yet.

i am very excited to start my confiture de tigresse
but alas, my gooseberries are not quite ready for prime time

and the strawberries at thompson finch are indeed ready for picking.

but i wont be there until next tuesday when i'll be meeting-up with kate from hip girl's guide to homemaking, julia from what julia ate, and shae from hitchhiking to heaven - for a berry pickin' good time!

but my crock is in and she's a beaut!

this is the 5L which is a bit more than a gallon.

it is a slightly different shape than the one i showed here which i now understand to be the 10L crock.

i purchased mine here. since then i've found a great source for a lot of things canning & preserving. one of my favorite on-line shops, kitchen krafts, just opened a new division called canning supply. it focuses solely on all things needed for preserving and you can find these crocks and a lot of other great and useful things there.

if you are planning to start your very own confiture de vieux garçon this season but don't want to invest in the above fermentation crock, they offer a 1.3 gallon wire bail jar at a very good price. it would be perfect for this project, or an other type of fermenting.

stay tuned, 'cause there will be some fruit dunking going on here soon!

:)

confiture de vieux garçon

2010-06-01T07:00:00.007-04:00

ok, i was going to wait until i actually started this project to tell you about it
but then i realized booze was involved,

and i better speak with you about it first.

:)

confiture de vieux garçon (jam of old boy, or bachelor) is a traditional french method of preserving a season's worth of fruit in alcohol. in certain circles north and east of the siene, it's also known as rumtopf (rum pot).

it's usually made with a mixture of either summer or fall fruits, and sometimes both. along with sugar and either kirsch (summer fruit) cognac (fall fruit) or brandy (both or either). for the austrian & german traditions, rum is the traditional liquor of choice.

traditionally, the making of it starts with the first fresh fruit of the season.
for me that would be:

i'm starting my very first confiture de tigresse (jam of tigress-cat) this month and i'm so excited! (yes i know i changed the name, and you can to...)

if you would like to make your very first confiture de __________.

then let's do it!

'cause really, can you ever have enough fruit in alcohol layin' around?

to start you need either a fermenting crock with a lid to keep air out like the one i just ordered

from here. (which as far as i can tell is the best price around the web) or you can use a european glass canning jar with gasket & lid. you can even use a regular ole' ball jar with flat lid & screw cap.

you want a vessel that is pretty much airtight but that will also allow for the venting of fermentation gases. size matters too; if you really want to get through the summer adding as many different types of fruit as you can, then try to get at least 1/2 gallon, or even a gallon or more. finally, you should keep the fruit in the dark

i mean if they ask, you can tell them what's going on.

but if you're using a glass vessel keep it in a larder or pantry during the making of. if you are using a ball jar with screw cap, do not screw the cap on too tight because you need to allow gas to escape.

to make confiture de vieux garçon start with a layer of fruit, then cover with a layer of sugar. the traditional recipe requires an equal sugar to fruit ratio, and i've seen recipes that require half the weight of sugar to fruit. i've also read that it works with less as long as each layer of fruit is covered with sugar when added. i'm going to go with covering the fruit and not bothering with weighing. the sugar should be a fine-grained sugar so the grains are sure to dissolve.

then cover well with your chosen kirsch, cognac or brandy (you could also use rum) put the lid on and store in a cool place. repeat this process with each newly in-season fruit throughout the summer (or fall). when the final fruit is added, fill the container with alcohol to 3/4 inch from the top and let sit in a cool place for at least 3 or even 6 months before eating.

to avoid spoilage or mold it is important to use top-quality fruit free of bruises or sore spots, and dried completely before adding to container. place each new layer on top and never stir, making sure sugar & alcohol cover the fruit completely.

traditional fruits used are

berries of all kinds; strawberries, raspberries, cherries, gooseberries, currents and grapes too.

if you know where your fruit's been, do not wash raspberries, currents or gooseberries. remove stems, stalks, and tails respectively of strawberries, currents, grapes & gooseberries, but leave the cherries be with their stems and pits intact.

if you can find very small plums & gages you can leave them whole and add them with their stones and all. otherwise quarter them and remove the stone. quarter also apricots and always remove their pits.

skin, stone and quarter peaches & nectarines. pears should be skinned, pitted and thickly sliced.

any combination of fruit will work, but citrus is a no-no. i've read not to over-do the strawberries or they will dominate and i've also read not to add 'exotic' fruit. which i'm assuming means things like papayas, mangos and the like.

after stewing for at least 3-6 months the fruit is traditionally enjoyed over ice cream, topped with cream or yogurt, eaten with cheese, over waffles, and even over toast (!). i can imagine it spilling over a simple almond or yogurt cake, or cream scones. and the strained liquid can be enjoyed sipped on its own as what i imagine must be the ultimate cordial.

i'm still waiting for my crock to come in & the strawberries to come out to play. i cannot wait to start my very first confiture de tigresse!

i'll report back when i do & throughout the making of.

but today i'm here to say: if you're the type that enjoys a little fruit on your liquor then whadya waiting for?

let's get this party started!

pawnote: click on the dates below for updates on this preserving project
6/16/10
7/14/10

berries!

2010-05-31T15:00:00.003-04:00

the berries are coming, the berries are coming!

there are so many types of berries, and so many preserving opportunities!

for those of you in the can jam, i know you're excited about june's fruit in focus!

and for those of you not officially canning in the jam, this is an open invitation to jam along with us! 'cause there's no better time like summer and there's no better fruit than berries to get your first-time jam onz.

...so if you have any questions about berry-jammin', please do ask them in the comment section below.

and on june 30th there will be one hell of a round-up right here, lots 'o berry fine recipes to choose from!

oh, happy summer!

:)

can jam may round-up: rhubarb

2010-05-26T09:00:00.004-04:00

photo local kitchen

it's here peeps! the canning season is officially on! it's a party!

i for one am overjoyed at the hella lotta rhubarb recipes below. (ok before anyone gets alarmed the asparagus is over here)

so much inspiration, so many excuses not to pull out half my field of rhubarb to plant something else. (i go through it every year, but don't worry, it's stayin')

one thing i noticed this month is that a lot of can jammers are inspiring a lot of other can jammers, and in turn are inspiring a lot of canners who are jamming, but are not blogging can jammers, and so on, and so on...

could it be?

...is it?

it is!

it's a canvolution!

photo the cosmic cowgirl

hey, you out there!

...are ya havin' a ball yet?

'cause if you aren't, ya better...

ketchup!

:)

jams, butters, compotes, chutneys & syrups

apple rhubarb chutney - my caffeine diary
i'm 100% sold on that apple peeler. oh, and about that pie filling; i do agree, needed more rhubarb! :)

ashley's outstanding rhubarb chutney - rufus & clementine
wow! & double wow! ...looks amazing, & your comment mention about amaretto sours? girl, bringin' me right back to my father's knee.

basic tart rhubarb jam - oh briggsy!
...ok, do i need to go out a get me a box of that pamona's?

bluebarb jam - sugarcrafter
considering that my next huge glut will be blueberries, i like this combo!

gang of 4 jam - the atisanry of acorn cottage
sounds delicious! ...can they sing? ;)

green slime rhubarb butter - thinking out loud
now daisy. i believe you that it's delicious, but it's all in the marketability hon.
let's call it...hmm...golden butter?

orange rhubarb butter - food in jars
your butter looks amazing. but i have a question for you...can i have that jar?
pleeze!

photo food in jars
(omg, i have jar lust, down!)

ahem...
pineapple rhubarb coconut conserve - showfood chef
...quite the exotic combo this is!

preserved rhubarb - all types of cooking and a whole lot of canning here!
ok, i know that you have to cook the rhubarb. but you need to say it, not everyone knows what we know that's why they're reading.

reluctant rhubarb chutney - robbing peter
not a vegetable fan? gulp! oh, wait a minute. let me sit down. there. ok, i'm fine... you mean, you're not even gonna try it? 'cause it looks good!

rhubarb apricot conserve - toronto tasting notes
this just sounds lovely! and thanks so much for the preserved ginger recipe - need to try that!

rhubarb & cinnamon jam - seasonal menus
remember those red hots? so very cinnamon-y, so very good! bet this is too!

rhubarb & ginger chutney - innbrooklyn
this looks delicious! that is one of my favorite canning books also. (& gosh, speaking of books, & childhood fantasylands & mango love, seems like we have a lot in common!)

rhubarb compote - doris & jilly cook
a mighty fine way to use up the end of those frozen strawberries from last year! because for sure i'll be going overboard again at my local u-pick, with 40 lbs of strawberries. i never learn....

rhubarb cordial - backyard farms
...a little birdy told me these were the hit of the party!

rhubarb ginger syrup - married...with dinner
ginger, what a nice addition. and that paloma rosada, i'll take dos por favor!

rhubarb jam, cordial & bbq sauce - family & food
a mean, green, canning machine! ..check it out!

rhubarb jam - what julia ate
20 lbs of rhubarb? ...phssst, kids stuff! ;)
...& why oh why are you callin' all round hudson valley for rhubarb? i told you, come over! oh, and your jam looks delicious my dearz.

rhubarb jelly with lime and flor de jamaica - the cosmic cowgirl
aw, rhubarb ain't nuttin' to be a'scared of cowgirl! and your jelly looks divine.
...i really do need to run out and get me some of that pamona's don't i? ...but pilgrims didn't have it! (heels dug in ground).

rhubarb lavender cordial - mock paper scissors
love the coridal, love the labels, and love laundry etc for inspiring a whole lot of us! :)

rhubarb mango jam - kitchen jam
i am very curious...how does it taste? more like mango, or rhubarb?

rhubarb orange jam - breadmaking with the bread experience
you can never go wrong with this classic pairing. very good choice!

photo sugarcrafter

rhubarb preserves with orange and ginger - prospect: the pantry
and another classic combo! this time with ginger, nice!

rhubarb with blackberry honey & rosemary - grow and resist
oh no! slashing my home-girl! ...everything you said is true tho. and particularly that the jam is delicious. see? ;)

spiced rhubarb jam - leena eats this blog
served on french toast, and the chinese 5-spice powder? girl, you gots your thinking cap on, i like it!

stewed rhubarb - mother's kitchen
straight-up rhubarb, now that's what i'm talkin' about!

strawberry rhubarb amaretto sauce - local kitchen
i know what you are going through. been there myself actually. & it's true, other than the fact that it was hard to find local stuff, canning in the winter was nice! ...but now, we gotta do it!

strawberry rhubarb compote - putting by
she said this was puckerlicious!! mary poppins would approve, or biance, or both! i know i sure do, and it's a star with that anise for shizzle!

stawberry & rhubarb compote with vanilla - the reclusive housewife
vanilla, ...and cognac? i like it!

strawberry rhubarb jam - market life sf
a match made in heaven for sure! but three is defintely not a crowd, 'cause i like the creme de cassis.

strawberry rhubarb pie filling - simply loving home
man, she really loves this veggie! 'cause she made strawberry rhubarb jam and rhubarb ketchup too!

strawberry rhubarb pie filling - bigger than a breadbox
don'cha love it when you get a request? and, yes next year grow some rhubarb! ...eventually it'll outgrow you! :)

photo what julia ate

misc savory preserves

cavalier ginger & rhubarb ketchup - laundry etc.
you can be as cavalier as ya wanna be..with ginger & anything else. ...and that woman about your wonderful book (which i absolutely love btw)...well, she betta ketchup!

pickled rhubarb two ways - wine book girl
you did it! you did it! you pickled the mighty rhubarb. i'm so proud! ok, tell us all! how does it taste?

rhubarb barbecue sauce - knit & knosh
finger lickin' good...i'm talkin' about that too!

rhubarb ketchup - tigress in a pickle
M is eating this all up, quickly! ...and drinking all of this
rhubeena too! who knew he was such a rhubarb fan? (he better save me some for my rhubaritas!)

spicy rhubarb salsa - dust bath
savory rhubarb is where it's at! ...and spicy too! can never have enough spice imo.

sweet & spicy pickled rhubarb - the kitchenette
another one! brave soul you are. and with a little sweet on the sour...i see a jar full of swizzle sticks! ;)

victorian bbq sauce - plot 22
i like that random act of rhubarb, i need some around these parts! and your sauce on roasted potatoes?...think i need to try that with my ketchup!

ok, now hurry on over to the pickle party. ...cause there's a lotta stuff in jars you're gonna get green about.

oh, and joel and dana over at well preserved will be shouting about june's focus - they have until this friday at midnight to let you know.

please note that june's entry must be posted sunday june 20th to friday june 25th, with friday at midnight being the deadline.

and as always if you do not see your link rounded-up above go here for the reason why.

happy, happy canning!

:)

rhubeena

2010-05-19T16:30:00.003-04:00

yes, i'm still workin' on preserving all that rhubarb...

this is a new one for me and i'm quite excited about it. i was inspired by these ladies over here, and this one here too!

the very cool thing is that 'beenas can be made all summer with each new fruit as it bursts into season. that means by the end of the summer you can have a tidy little 'beena selection tucked away in your larder. and throughout the year, whenever the spirit moves you, you can enjoy the tastes of summer! simply dilute to taste with spring or sparkling water.

...that's assuming of course that you have any left after all of the insane-in-the-membrane cocktail parties you'll be throwing all summer once you are moved to put a little spirit in the mix. simply dilute spirits to taste with rhubeena.

know what i'm sayin?

rhubeena
adapted from preserves: river cottage handbook #2 by pam corbin

4 1/2 pounds rhubarb, chopped into 1 inch pieces
3-4 cups sugar (approximately)
jelly bag and strainer, or tight-weaved cheesecloth or butter muslin & strainer
canning bottles or jars

yield: approximately 1 & 1/2 quarts

1. add chopped rhubarb & 1/2 pint water to a non-reactive pan. heat on medium, partially covered, and bring to a simmer. let simmer until all the rhubarb has softened - about 45 minutes.

2. while rhubarb is cooking place jelly bag or cheescloth in a small pan of water and bring to the boil, let boil for 10 minutes to sterilize.

3. once sterilized squeeze excess water from jelly bag and place on stand over a large bowl. if using cheese cloth place over a strainer propped over a bowl. place cooked rhubarb in cloth and let drip overnight.

4. next morning prepare your jars & canner. while jars are heating, measure the rhubarb liquid. for every quart of juice add a scant 3 cups of sugar.

5. warm the juice & sugar mixture on low heat until the sugar has melted, turn the heat to medium-high and bring the the boil. boil for one minute.

6. fill jars and hot water bath process for 10 minutes.

to skip the hot water bath preserving, rhubeena can be placed directly in fridge upon cooling. however for longer shelf life in the fridge, i recommend sterilizing the jars by boiling them for 10 minutes before filling.

pawnote: when hot water bath preserving rhubeena the headspace should be 1/2 inch. as you can see in my photo above, my headspace is more like an inch. don't be fooled by the little bubbles that are on top when you place the hot liquid into jars, as apparently i was.

they appear to have sealed just fine, but sometimes with too much headspace the keeping time is cut short because not all the air has been expelled.

you know what that means?

...to be on the safe side i better cocktail it up!

pronto!

:)

summer 2011 update: i cut it down to 2 cups of sugar per quart and found the sweet/sour balance more to my taste.

damn it's been a year!

2010-05-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

well actually it's been a year and a month.

but who's counting?

i never thought these little blogs o' mine would bloom!

but i'm so happy they did! and are! ...and that you're all here reading!

thanks peeps!

...oh, and finally (finally) i have a proper about page.

check it out!

byes!