february flavors- aka kitchen crafts 3 of 4

dill pickles- A snack straight from the jar.  

Ingred: Boothby’s Blonde cucumbers*, National Pickling cucumbers*, apple cider vinegar*, garlic*, dill*, mustard seed*, salt.

relish this chutney- Know what? I didn’t understand chutney until 2010. In recipes it’s often explained as an accompaniment with meat, which didn’t interest me much. NEWS FLASH! Chutney is simply a base (in this case tomato), reduced on high heat with aromatics.  A compact burst of flavor.  It no longer languishes in the fridge, as I can add it to any number of grains, veg or meat to provide a boost. 

Ingred:tomatoes*, rice vinegar, garlic*, ginger*, raisins*, raw sugar*, lemon*, hot pepper*, fennel seeds*, cumin seeds*, fenugreek seeds*, salt.  

pickled garlic scapes-  A neat pickle that utilizes the flowering part of the garlic plant.  Fun to eat whole, with their awkward curliness.  The original recipe claimed they were a lovely flourish for cocktails, or cut into an omelet.

Ingred: garlic scapes*, apple cider vinegar, shallot*, mustard seed*, bay leaf*, peppercorns*, salt.

blueberry spread- Last month’s rasp jam was ripe with sugar.  This offering is for moments when you want full the full flavor of fruit, nothing in the way. Different moods call for different sweetnesses.

Ingred: blueberries*, honey*, pectin.

peach sauce- Made using the same techniques as applesauce.  Separation is normal, stir upon opening.

Ingred: peaches, honey*.

just apples! cider- This is the 1 repeat of this Kitchen Crafts season. We canned 40 quarts just for ourselves!

Ingred: apples*. 

fresh tempeh- Have you tried fresh tempeh before?  It’s cooked soybeans that have been inoculated with a specific organism, that helps it morph into something incredible, mushroomy and delicious.  The whiteness on it is normal, and disappears when cooked. We slice it thin and pan fry it on high heat, then whip up a spicy sauce to drizzle over it. Some folks like to chunk it into dishes, adding protein and flavor.  The internet is ripe with recipes, but we also have, ‘The Book of Tempeh,’ which anyone is welcome to borrow.  It’ll last 5-7 days in the fridge. Freezes well.

Ingred: soybeans*, rice flour* and rhizopus oligosporus.  

* marks organic ingredients. 

Do remember to return the jars and bands.

chutney makin'