Tag Archives: cooking

  • Our Honey And The “Little” Flowers

    August 21, 2012

    12 Comments

    Honey from the flowers at Putney Farm.

    The crew busy at work on the mint. Supposedly we may get a bit of mint flavor in this honey.

    This week we got the first large batch of our late spring / early summer honey. (We have sort of a co-op going on and will explain how this all works in a later post). Very exciting. Most of this honey comes from our early season flowers, so it combines the nectar of the fruit blossoms, herb blossoms, roses, wisteria and the ornamental plants. Later in the year the lavender dominates, but this is truly a blend from the garden and orchard. Surprisingly the honey is very light in color and flavor, with some delicate herbal notes. We served it with grilled figs and it was lovely. (And we just ate a bunch with the honeycomb…what a treat. Might include it in a few cocktails, too.)

    Arugula flower.

    Red leaf lettuce flower.

    Normally our local honey is a “mountain” or “forest” honey that runs darker with more bitter notes from the variety of flowers the bees work, and that is not a bad thing at all- these honeys are big, rich and complex. But we will admit to enjoying our more traditional golden honey. It seems the bees focused mostly on our garden this spring. And that got us thinking about all the “little” or “lesser” flowers that supplied such light, tasty honey.

    Rosemary flowers.

    Like many gardeners, we sometimes focus on our “big” flowers like roses, but we have many lovely flowering ornamental or ground-cover plants. The bees seem to like most of them, and we figured it would be fun to take a few photos of these “little” flowers. And after enjoying the honey from these flowers, maybe we shouldn’t call them “little” at all…besides, any excuse to walk in the garden with a Macro lens is a good one 😉 Continue reading →

  • Simple Garden Recipes: Mission Figs

    August 21, 2012

    36 Comments

    Grilled Black Mission figs. Just add honey and goat cheese for a classic dessert.

    While we try as much as we can to eat from our own garden and orchard, sometimes we get impatient and succumb to temptation. And that is the case with mission figs. Ours are coming in, but still a few weeks away. Meanwhile the farmers market is just brimming with ripe, beautiful, black mission figs. And we are huge fans of mission figs, so we gave in and bought some. Whatever feelings of guilt we had, if any, didn’t last long.

    And if you enjoy figs, you know why we had to give in. There are few fruits so pretty, sweet, juicy and easy to enjoy- figs are easy to love (good for you, too). And it has been that way for thousands of years. Figs are one of our oldest and most established foods, and were a treat in almost all the early mediterranean cultures. Greco-Roman mythology, the Bible and the Koran are filled with references to figs, and even the Buddha achieved enlightenment under a fig tree. It’s safe to say that figs have been enjoyed for quite some time.

    And our first fig dish may literally be thousands of years old. It simply combines grilled figs, honey and goat cheese (and some herbs if you like). As we ate the dish, and it was just great, we had to think about how long the ingredients have been around. Honey, goat cheese and figs were all delicacies in ancient Egypt. We don’t know if they grilled or caramelized the figs, and we hope they did, but we have no doubt they enjoyed a dish similar to this one. That struck us as kinda cool…

    Grilled Figs with Honey and Goat Cheese.

    To make the dish, you simply heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Then lightly brush the figs with vegetable oil and place them on the hot grill and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until the figs caramelize and soften. Then remove from the heat drizzle with honey and add some fresh goat cheese to each fig. You can also add a bit of rosemary and/or thyme to the honey, if you like. (We used our honey, a real treat). And the flavor is very, very good. This dish is openly sweet from the caramelized figs and the honey, but balanced by the slightly sour tang of the goat cheese. You could eat this dish as a starter, but it’s best as a dessert. And if you don’t like cheese in desserts, this recipe will change your mind.

    Figs with Blue Cheese, Hazelnuts and Serrano Ham

    Our other recipe for figs could be served as a dessert, but we think is best as a starter or light lunch. This dish simply combines sliced ripe figs, blue cheese, hazelnuts and cured ham like Serrano or prosciutto. This is so easy to make, it’s almost hard to call this a “recipe”, but the flavor combinations are truly special. Sweet figs, funky blue cheese, earthy hazelnuts and salty ham cover all the flavors- and multiple textures. A great dish offers an array of flavors and textures so each bite is exciting, and this dish delivers. And it is fun to experiment, just put out a plate and enjoy different combinations.

    Our figs are still a few weeks out…

    So while we might feel a tiny twinge of guilt that we didn’t wait for our own figs, we feel pretty good about enjoying these figs now. And, by the way, these same dishes will work with other fig varieties like Brown Turkey or Calimyrna. And when you eat figs, take a moment to ponder that you are eating the food of pharaohs and prophets, but you might be getting it just a bit better…

    Grilled Figs with Honey and Goat Cheese:

    What You Get: A classic, and probably ancient, dessert with fresh figs.

    What You Need: No special equipment required.

    How Long? 5-10 minutes. Anytime dish when figs are in season.

    Continue reading →

  • Weekly Cocktail #25: Corn ‘n Oil

    August 18, 2012

    24 Comments

    Corn ‘n Oil cocktail.

    Let’s start by noting that this is not a drink that we expect many people to make at home. The Corn ‘n Oil is a very good cocktail, but perhaps a bit random “esoteric” for some. But since this week’s bonus cocktail was a Manhattan variant, we figured we could try something a bit different for our weekly post. And the Corn ‘n Oil certainly is “different”.

    Blackstrap rum and velvet falernum are not common ingredients, but are useful in plenty of cocktails.

    The Corn ‘n Oil combines blackstrap rum, velvet falernum, lime juice and Angostura bitters and is served on the rocks. And if you are unfamiliar with blackstrap rum and velvet falernum, you are not alone. To be honest, we only have them on hand because both are common accents in tiki drinks, and we do like our tiki drinks. Blackstrap rum is basically very dark rum. Cruzan is the blackstrap rum in tiki circles and in the Corn ‘n Oil. It has overt molasses and spice flavors with some clear bitter notes. On first sip, it seems unappealing, but somehow it grows on you. Many tiki drink aficionados use the Cruzan as the “float” instead of more common dark rums like Meyers. Cruzan Blackstrap rum is cheap ($15) and good stuff- so worth a try if you find it.

    As for velvet falernum, it is a sweet, spicy, lightly-alcoholic liqueur with lime notes. There are also non-alcoholic falernum syrups, Fee Brothers makes a version that’s widely available. You can also make your own. Falernum, along with Orgeat, is a popular sweetener in many tiki drinks. The only velvet falernum widely sold in the US is John D. Taylor’s from Barbados, the original home of falernum. It is inexpensive (under $20) and will last a long time, but it may be hard to find. In this recipe we suggest you use velvet falernum, but falernum syrup will work in a pinch.

    As for making the actual drink, like many cocktails, the recipes vary. Not surprisingly, the recipe on the back of the John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum bottle suggests a ratio of 3-1 falernum to rum. This is OK, but most current recipes suggest anywhere from a 50/50 split to 3-1 rum to falernum, particularly if using the Cruzan Blackstrap rum. Most recipes do agree that you need 1/4 to 1/3 of an ounce of fresh lime juice and some even suggest a splash of coke. We use a recipe from the cocktail book “Bitters” by Brad Parsons. We like the book and this recipe, but feel free to play around. We like just a bit more lime juice.

    Yes, it does look like old motor oil…but it tastes better.

    As for the flavor of the Corn ‘n Oil, it tastes like a much more flavorful version of a rum and coke. And this is a good thing. (C’mon, secretly most of us like a rum and coke every once in a while 😉 ) The blackstrap rum adds spice, bitterness and depth. The falernum adds clove and sweet lime notes that compliment the acidity of the fresh lime juice. The bitters add even more spice. Overall, there is a lot of good flavor in this drink. But there is one big caveat, the first sip is tough. The overt molasses flavor and bitterness from the blackstrap rum can be overwhelming. But then, suddenly with the next sip, it gets better. And as the ice melts into the drink, it gets good. Real good.

    As we noted earlier, we don’t expect that many people will have the ingredients to make this drink at home, but the next time you see this drink in a good bar, give it a try. If you get past the first sip and the odd name, you are in for a pleasant surprise.

    The Corn ‘n Oil:

    Ingredients:

    • 2 oz. blackstrap rum (preferably Cruzan)
    • 1/2 oz. John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum (or substitute falernum syrup)
    • 1/3 oz. fresh lime juice
    • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
    • Lime shell or wedge for garnish

    Assemble:

    1. Fill a lowball or old-fashioned glass with crushed ice. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well chilled. Add the lime garnish and serve.
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  • Gratitude, Awards And Apologies!

    August 17, 2012

    25 Comments

    Olives. Something to look forward to.

    A few years ago, our kids sang a song at a school event called “An Attitude of Gratitude”. It was the kind of semi-campy and non-offensive song you often get at school performances, and the basic chorus was “an attitude of gratitude will get you through the day”. And while it is tempting to roll one’s eyes a bit, the message does hold true. Every day we wake up, there is something we are grateful for. And we are very grateful for so many things, we look forward to every day.

    We are very grateful that so many of you visit us and read about our garden and kitchen (and bar). Your blogs, comments and insights have already made us much better gardeners, cooks and photographers. And these are lifetime interests- so we are happy (and grateful) to learn and improve. And the garden and kitchen can often be humbling places, so it is always good being part of a larger community.

    We are also lucky enough to be nominated for a few blogging awards. Thanks! And this is where the apology comes in. We both have what we call the “promptness gene”. We don’t like being slow to respond or simply be late with anything. But we are late in responding and apologize for being so slow. But better late, than never. As we have a few awards, we will bend the rules and mention the awards, tell you a few more things about ourselves and share some blogs we enjoy. And share some photos, just because we can.

    Here are the awards (Thanks again!):

    Beautiful Blogger by Fine Frugality: Good food and writing- recipes you will actually make.

    http://finefrugality.wordpress.com

    Inspiring Blog Award by Glitz Glamour Girl Guide: Fun, positive recipe and lifestyle blog.

    http://glitzgirlzglamourguide.com

    Versatile Blogger Award by Dockfam: This blog just supplies smiles…and smiles are good.

    http://dockfam.wordpress.com/

    Very Inspiring Blog by Sarah The Gardener: A great, honest gardening site- we wish we were this good.

    http://gardeningkiwi.wordpress.com/

    Stuff about us:

    • We do actually suffer from garden envy, even when ours is looking good. I guess we are greedy that way.
    • Same with kitchens.
    • We browse grocery stores, farmers markets and wine/liquor stores the way some folks shop at the mall. This drives our kids (somewhat rightfully) crazy.
    • We tried sausage making several times and have yet to crack it. Local suppliers and butchers do better than us- by a lot.
    • We still do OK with home-cured bacon, however. Some consolation.
    • We are starting to geek up on tea. This may go the way of cocktails and get a bit obsessive. Hmm.
    • We are really bummed and disappointed by Melky Cabrera. Ugh, this one hurts. Continue reading →

  • Caprese Salad

    August 17, 2012

    27 Comments

    Caprese Salad. Sometimes simple is best.

    We feel a bit sheepish even posting this recipe, as the Caprese is as simple as it gets (and there are hundreds of recipes online). But we have our own tomatoes and basil, and a good source of local mozzarella, so this is what we are eating. Tomatoes/mozzarella/basil might be our favorite flavor combination, perhaps only matched by potatoes/fat/salt and butter/sugar/flour 😉 . We will eat this dish almost daily until the tomatoes run out…so might as well take some photos and write a post

    Just a few ingredients. But a variety of tomatoes and vinegars adds extra pop.

    And while the Caprese salad is a very common recipe, there are a few ways to make the most of the dish. Firstly, you need fresh ingredients. Ripe tomatoes and fresh basil are key, as is good quality mozzarella. If you have a good local producer of mozzarella, try their cheese. If not, ask a good cheesemonger for a recommendation, as there are good nationally distributed mozzarella. Secondly, adding salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar will add flavor and depth to the dish- without distracting from the core ingredients. Using two vinegars also brightens the flavor, we like sherry and balsamic vinegars, just not too much. Third, using a variety of tasty, ripe tomatoes provides more flavors and textures- and it looks good too (although most Caprese salads look good). UPDATE: And finally, as Stefan from Stefan’s Gourmet Blog (one of our faves) points out in the comments below, letting the cheese come to room temperature is a big help- it improves both the flavor and texture.

    We like the extra color on the plate.

    Arrange the tomatoes and season.

    We also suggest a few techniques to make the most of the salad. We season each layer as we build the salad, this sounds fussy, but you want salt and pepper on each tomato slice. And a chiffonade of basil combined with whole leaves provides the most basil aroma, which is hard to beat. A chiffonade is simply thin strips of herbs or leafy vegetables. To make a chiffonade, roll some basil leaves into a cylinder and then thinly slice crosswise into thin strips. The slicing will release more of that awesome basil perfume, but also discolors the basil somewhat, so it is best to make the chiffonade just before assembling and serving the dish.

    Add the basil.

    Add the cheese, oil and vinegar. Season and arrange the whole basil leaves. Serve.

    Served with seared skirt steak, a very nice dinner.

    And how do you serve a Caprese salad? Just about any way you want. This dish works as a starter, side salad, or even a main course. Put it between a few slices of bread and you have a great sandwich. We like to serve the Caprese as a large side salad along with a small serving of meat or fish- we are particularly fond of seared skirt steak with the Caprese. And while we love our cocktails, a good bright red or white wine will certainly go well with this dish. A sunny day doesn’t hurt either…

    Caprese Salad:

    Notes Before You Start:

    • Fresh, ripe tomatoes are key. If you don’t have them, don’t bother.
    • Fleur de sel or quality sea salt, with its crunch, is a good salt to use on this dish.

    What You Get: One of the best dishes in the world. Seriously.

    What You Need: No special equipment required. Just good ingredients.

    How Long? Five minutes or less. Slice, arrange, season and serve. Anytime dish when tomatoes are in season.

    Ingredients:

    (Serves 2 as a large salad, 4 as a side dish or starter)

    • 1 and 1/2 pounds of ripe tomatoes (3 large or 5-6 medium tomatoes)
    • 3/4 pound of fresh mozzarella cheese
    • 12 basil leaves
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • Kosher salt or fleur de sel
    • Fresh black pepper

    Assemble:

    1. Wash, core and slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch disks. Slice the cheese into 1/4 inch disks or break the cheese into small pieces. Layer tomato slices on a serving plate and season with the salt and pepper. Add half of the oil and vinegars.
    2. Chiffonade half of the basil leaves and scatter over the tomatoes. Evenly distribute the cheese over the tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on the rest of the oil and the vinegars. Arrange the whole basil leaves on top of the cheese and serve.
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  • Cherry Crumble Pie

    August 16, 2012

    27 Comments

    Cherry Crumble Pie with ice cream.

    Our cherry season never seems to end this year, but we are certainly not complaining. Not only did we get cherries here at the farm, but we enjoyed more on the east coast. And just when we thought it was over, a local farm had one last batch of tasty Bing cherries. We made plenty of cherry cocktails (a Cherry Fling, a Caipirinha and a Manhattan) and desserts like clafoutis, so now it’s time for cherry pie. Many recipes use sour cherries in pies, but they are very hard to find and we like the Bing cherries. It was just a matter of time before the Bing cherries ended up in a pie.

    Hard to wait for this to cool.

    For this pie, Carolyn combines elements from a number of recipes, so it is very much her creation. And it is a very, very good pie. The key, at least to our tastes, is the use of a crumbly, crunchy streusel topping instead of a full dough or lattice top. Not only is it easy, but the streusel adds extra crunch and flavor that, combined with smooth vanilla ice cream and bright, sweet Bing cherries, makes for an excellent dish. This pie was a hit with the kids and adults, and there was nothing left over.

    A food processor makes it easier to make good pie dough.

    Vodka, along with water, makes for a tender crust. It activates less gluten.

    Making the pie is, admittedly, a multi-step process. You must make the pie dough and the streusel and prepare the cherry filling. All of these steps are easy enough (particularly with a food processor), but they do require time. Most of the techniques are also familiar, but we will note the use of vodka along with water in the pie crust. While adding no flavor, the vodka moistens like water but does not activate the gluten in the flour. You get a more tender crust in the final pie- and the booze cooks out. While you do not have to use vodka, we use this recipe for almost all of our sweet pie dough and the texture is noticeably better. Certainly worth a try, and you can make this dough ahead of time.

    Form the dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill.

    Quickly combine dry ingredients and butter to make a streusel for the “crumble” topping.

    Meanwhile, start making the cherry pie filling.

    Otherwise, making the pie is a straightforward process. Use the food processor to create the dough. Then chill it to make it easier to roll-out. Meanwhile assemble the streusel in a medium bowl, it requires no cooking and it’s quick. It does, however, take some time to make the filling. Pit the cherries and then combine a cup of the fruit with the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the cherries and sugar to form a light syrup and thicken with a cornstarch mixture. Then add in the uncooked cherries along with nutmeg and melted butter. This may seem like extra effort, but it is worth the work. The filling ends up with deep flavor and a mix of textures. And since the cornstarch is cooked twice, there are no raw or starchy flavors in the filling. Good stuff.

    Combine cherries and sugar.

    Bring to a boil and thicken with cornstarch.

    Place the dough in the pie pan, add the filling and top with the streusel.

    Bake until well colored and the filling bubbles. Cool and serve.

    Continue reading →