Preserving with friends

Have you ever taken over someone else’s kitchen while they were having a delayed Christmas get together with 6 of their friends? Well I had this exact pleasure this past Saturday when friends of mine decided to buy a Private Preserving class as their Christmas gift to their friends. I am sure it was almost more fun for me than it was for the attendees.

Photo credit: Peter Visima

How does a private preserving class work?

- We work together beforehand to determine what would be the most interesting topic (jam, pickles, marmalades, etc) for the group and settled on a recipe.

-  You provide me with a guest count (highly suggest capping it at 8 to ensure everyone gets the most out of the class)

-  I arrive approximately 30-45 minutes before you are ready for the class to start and begin set up. I bring all of the tools required; from the pots, to the cutting boards, knives, measuring cups and spoons, right down to the ingredients used and the jars everything will go in. If required I can also bring an additional burner to accommodate the water bath pot, which is rather large. And while I set up, you and your friends can visit, drink wine, eat, etc.

Photo credit: Peter Visima

-  We walk through the basics:

o   Basic implements required for canning/preserving and where to get them

o   Jars and how they work

o   Sterilization best practices and a quick review of some out dated techniques to be aware of

o   Tips and tricks; everything from how to quickly peel certain fruit, the role of sugar in preserving, how pectin works, etc

o   Break down the recipe into steps and get everyone involved in the preparation of ingredients

Photo credit: Peter Visima

-  We make one or two batches (depending on group size) to ensure that everyone leaves with at least one – 250ml jar of the product and everyone takes home the recipe so they can make it again and again at home

Photo credit: Peter Visima

-  We clean up, I pack up and leave your kitchen looking like I was never there except for the jars of deliciousness sitting and cooling down on your counter

 Now doesn't that look like fun?

Huge thanks to Peter Visima who very kindly came and photographed this class and allowed me to use the photos. His blog is filled with amazing photography and great food finds.

 

The importance of a good knife

I have never been particularly good at buying myself the things that I really want if they feel even slightly extravagent. I always find some excuse as to why it doesn't make sense to spend the money. A perfect example of this strange phenomenon happened in the summer when I was out in Calgary visiting my family and stumbled upon a Japanese knife store called Knifewear. Without even realizing what was happening, I was opening the door and stepping through the threshold like a magnet was pulling me in.

I was like a kid in a candy store walking along the display case and seeing knife after beautiful knife staring up at me from under the display glass. With what must have been a huge smile plastered on my face I stepped up to the counter and asked the salesman if I could perhaps try one out. He brought me a gorgeous wooden cutting board, handed me a tomato and a knife and told me to try it out. I can only describe that first slice as exhilerating. The blade literally fell through the tomato like it was soft butter. Effortless. I did nothing but start the motion and the blade did the rest. A slight shiver went down my spine. I was in love. How could I go home and use my old knives, when I knew knives like this existed.

So, I asked the very nice man helping me how must it cost. When he told me $250 I think I may have gasped audibly. Now I am not saying that I did not think this knife was worth the asking price. It was. It was just that it felt extravagent and I knew what happened to me when something felt extravagent. I felt like I couldn't possibly buy it.

As I was walking away from the store, my husband told me that I should buy the knife. He reminded me that I would use it for business and that I loved to cook. He was right, and I knew it but still I just couldn't do it. So we left without the knife and for the first 100 metres I think I nearly turned back 3 times.

So on Christmas morning when I unwrapped this long slender box which was a gift from my husband and I saw a Japanese knife starting up at me it was like he had given me an Hermes bracelet. He had told me the night before that he hoped I would like it because he was worried it might be too practical. He bought it for me at a knife store in Toronto called Knife.

Now whenever I am in the kitchen and it comes time to chop something, I don't care what it is, it's a joy. Even if I am chopping onions and I know there is a pretty good chance they will make me cry, I still enjoy it. Because using this knife is a joy.

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

I remember the first time I saw Meyer Lemons, I had no idea what they were or how they differed from regular lemons...and then I tried one and now I patiently wait for this time of year when Meyer Lemons begin to appear in stores around Toronto. Their availability here is limited, so I am filled with envy when I hear people in California talking about the abundance of meyer lemons and how they don't know what to do with the meyer lemons that are practically dripping off their trees.

Meyer Lemons are a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin or regular orange. Their flavour is sweeter and less acidic than a regular lemon and they are great for baking. So if you are dying to make some marmalade and like me, you have yet to see Seville oranges in the grocery stores, consider making meyer lemon marmalade. It is great on toast, or even in small pie crusts with a little whipped cream ;)

Meyer Lemon Marmalade

Ingredients

25 Meyer Lemons

1 - 1/4 cup zested Meyer lemon peel

2 cups of water

1/2 cup strained Meyer lemon juice

1/8 tsp baking soda

5 cups sugar

1- 3oz package of liquid pectin

1/4 tsp unsalted butter (optional)

Begin by zesting enough lemons so that you have 1 cup of zest and then supreme and then chop the lemon so that you have roughly 2.5 - 3 cups of lemon segments (including the juice from the lemons).

Combine the peel and 1 cup of water and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain the peel and discard the water. You will then combine the peel with the lemon juice, 1 cup of water and the baking soda in a 6 quart pan. Over medium heat, bring the combination to a full boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the supremed lemons and cover once again and simmer for another 10 minutes.

While the liquid is simmering, place the 5 cups of sugar in an oven proof container at 250F for 10 minutes. Stir the warm sugar and butter into the 6 quart pan and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and stirring constantly, bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in the 3 oz of pectin and return the mix to a full rolling boil and let it boil for a full minute. Remove the pan from the stove and ladle off any foam.

Allow the marmalade to cool for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then ladle into hot jars allowing 1/4" head space. Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp cloth and apply lids. Process 250ml jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool on your counter overnight before moving.

Pickled Celery fit for a Caesar

I have been told that the worst time to go grocery shopping is when you are hungry because you always leave with more impulse purchases and more food than you actually need. For me, that also applies to when is the worst time to go out for a drink. So to combat the 3 gin n’ tonics in 30 minutes just because you are hungry and are looking for an oral fix, I have always turned to the spicy Caesar when hungry and going to meet someone for an adult beverage.

I consider the Caesar as more of an appetizer and less as a drink. The combination of the thick clamato juice, the horseradish (when available) and the celery stalk turn this delicious beverage into a first course. So you can imagine my shock and dismay when the celery stalk started to disappear from my beloved appetizer and get replaced with a pickled green bean. This might surprise you considering I rave about how great pickled green beans are in a Caeser. They are delicious, but they are just so small and really should NEVER be served in a quantity of one. I am thrilled to try other people’s version of the pickled green bean and crunch away on them happily but also finish wishing there was a second.

This whole conundrum got me thinking of how I could help out the sad little celery and give them back their prized position in the spicy Caesar. I was going to pickle it. I tried a couple of variations before I ended up with this tasty little treat that I now just eat right out of the jar so often that it rarely even makes it into a Caesar ;).

Ninja Cooking System versus the Slowcooker

I have always loved the idea of running. In my mind it is the perfect exercise. You don't need a gym membership, in fact you can even do it while on holiday. Just pack your runners and you are set - you hit the roads and can be alone with your thoughts. I always romanticized that as you ran you could sort out all your life problems. Well, I have tried running on numerous occasions and I HATE it! It is torture. I find it boring and to be honest, I would rather get my exercise any other way possible.

The same can be said about the slow cooker. It always sounded like such a convenient way to get dinner prepared. Prepare it the night before, turn it on in the morning and all of the cooking and magic happens while you are at the office. You can come home after a long day, take off your coat and quite literally eat as soon as your shoes are off.

I inherited a slow cooker when my husband and I got together and I thought "Aha, now is my chance". In fact, we even bought a slow cooker recipe book. But I HATED it. It was a nuisance. There was always something that needed to be fried in a separate pan, or microwaved before it was placed in the slow cooker and even though the recipes I tried claimed to be 100% tested and true, nearly everthing I made ended up tasting almost exactly the same.

Now, I already own the Ninja Blender and I have told almost anyone who mentions the word blender that they need to buy this piece of kitchen equipment. It is amazing! Has huge capacity, blends up ice like it was butter and blends the perfect protein shake or margharita, depending on your need at the time of day ;). So when Ninja sent me their brand new Ninja Cooking System, I was thrilled and couldn't wait to try it.

Somehow months passed and the cooking system remained in the box. Ninja sent me fabulous recipes and inquiries on my thoughts on the system and still I did not get around to cracking open that box. I was SO busy with my full time job and then things exploded with Manning Canning and I could barely keep up with demand and my husband stepped in and quite literally took over the job of making most meals, bless him!

Well this week, I could take it no longer. I needed to know what was so special about this kitchen appliance.

 

First off - forget about ever having to microwave another ingredient you use in a traditional slow cooker recipe or pull out a frying pan, because this bad boy has a stovetop setting so you can brown your onions and garlic, etc right inside the cooking system. Score 1 for the ninja.

Then there is the fact this this is NOT just a slow cooker. You can steam roast, steam bake and there is even an oven function. As I made my first meal in the ninja, I could quite literally feel myself falling in love.

The final functionality really scored some points with me; the buffet function. It allows you to keep the meal you prepared warm should someone in the family need to eat at a different time or if you are having an open house or even a superbowl party.

Now I look forward to perfecting some of the slow cooker recipes I have made in the past and trying some of the fabulous recipes that Ninja has shared with me.