january flavors: aka kitchen crafts 2 of 4

TO THE BOUNTY OF THE MAPLE!

*Maple sap vinegar.  Last month you got maple syrup, a popular use of concentrated maple sap.  There’s a lesser known product you can make from the sap that is a closet favorite of ours. The sap's boiled down around 2/3’s the amount that syrup is, and then the sugars are converted to a (sweet) vinegar.  No need to refrigerate.  Salad dressings! Marinades for meat! Health tonic! Will last indefinitely. Try replacing balsamic vinegar with this in recipes.

ingred: sap from sugar maple tree*.

*Beans with garlic and dill-the crunch and the tang!

ingred: green beans*, garlic*, dill seed*, hot pepper*, cider vinegar, salt.

*Salsa verde- Have you ever seen a tomatillo plant? These sprawling, branching nightshades hold on to their fruits throughout the summer months. We patiently wait for their paper wrappers to burst (think chinese lantern), which means the fruits are ripe for the picking. This salsa can easily replace a red salsa for dipping, or  a bit on eggs in the morning.

ingred: tomatillos*, onions*, garlic*, lime juice*, peppers*, cumin*, salt.

*Fresh cheese-This soft cheese is spreadable and dollop-able.  I have no trouble eating it by the spoonful! Other possibilities could include mixing a bit into homemade stew or combining it with something sweet.  The milk is from Windy Ridge Dairy in West Potsdam. Eat while it's fresh.

ingred: raw whole milk*, cider vinegar, salt.

*Sweet raspberry jam- The raspberry flavor still shines through in this honey sweetened jam. There were plentiful cane fruits this season, and we jammed and froze as much as we could.

ingred: boyne raspberries*, honey*, pectin.

*Applesauce- I love both chunky and smooth applesauce, depending on the situation. Let me present you with the smooth version.

 ingred: jonagold, crispin and brighton apples, maple syrup*, salt.

*Carrot ginger soup-  The carrots have been stored in our root cellar, and are brought out for many winter meals.  Toast up some bread and dig in!

ingred: carrots*, onions*, ginger*, homemade soup stock paste* (parsley*, cilantro*, fennel*, celeriac*, dried tomatoes*), olive oil, milk,* salt, pepper*. 

* marks organic ingredients.

future salsa ingredient