Tag: preserving

Smoky Chipotle Cherries

26 June 2012 by local kitchen

Cherry season is upon us, coming and going fast & furious like nearly every other fruit in the short Northeast summer. And while cherries did not fare well in the Hudson Valley this year (again!), due to a warmer-than-seasonal March, followed by freezing temps and lots of rain in April, there are some out there to be found. Belltown Orchards in Glastonbury, CT is open for you-pick of both sweet & sour cherries (assuming they still have some left); I’ve […]

Categories: canning, cherries, hot chile peppers, preserves, preserving, summer, wine, beer & liquor • Tags: canning, cherries, cooking, food, local, preserving, recipes

Food in Jars: Winner!

23 June 2012 by local kitchen

Thanks so much to everyone who entered and who shared with us their one-and-only, most important preserve of the year. I was fascinated by your responses: by far the majority favored home-canned tomatoes, whether whole, crushed, sauced or fire-roasted, and I have to agree: I go into paranoia-overstock-mode with tomatoes these days, ever since the heartbreak of the 2009 tomato blight. But for all of the tomato love, there were many of you dedicated to berry jams, sour cherries & plums, […]

Categories: canning, community, preserving, tools & gear • Tags: canning, food in jars, giveaway, preserving

Orange Rhubarb Butter + A Giveaway!

17 June 2012 by local kitchen

Can you believe that rhubarb is still with us? Believe it: I got those lovely stalks above just yesterday at the farmer’s market. Strawberries may get all the glory of Spring, but they are here and gone in flash. Rhubarb, now: rhubarb pokes its head up in early May and just keeps on keeping on, well into July. Is it any wonder that I love it so? You know what else popped up in May? Marisa’s new cookbook, Food In […]

Categories: canning, citrus, preserving, rhubarb, spreads • Tags: canning, cooking, food, local, preserving, recipes, rhubarb

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Canning Tips & Tricks From Your Favorite Bloggers (+ Me!)

10 June 2012 by local kitchen

Do you remember way back in May (3 whole weeks ago) when I said that the time to prepare for preserving was now, because once the season hits, you’ll be overwhelmed? I was right. The fridge is full to overflowing with the first CSA of the season (greens, greens and more greens!), I still have Grandma’s rhubarb to work through, the European Championships and World Cup qualifying have started, and somehow, people still want me to work for a living. […]

Categories: canning, community, preserving, techniques, tools & gear • Tags: canning, cooking, preserving, techniques

Rhubarb Prosecco Jelly

30 May 2012 by local kitchen

Even before I brought home 25 lbs of rhubarb from Tai’s Grandma’s massive Maine rhubarb patch, I had begun the season’s rhubarbapalooza with about 8 lbs of gorgeous, fat and deeply magenta stalks courtesy of Madura Farm. Since the pale pinky-green stalks are far more common in New England, I pounced on these beauties, and knew that I would save them for preserves where color counts: rhubeena and jelly. Last year, when I was leafing through my new copy of Sherri Brooks […]

Categories: canning, jellies, preserving, rhubarb, spring, wine, beer & liquor • Tags: canning, cooking, food, local, preserving, recipes, rhubarb, spring

Preparing for Preserving Season

14 May 2012 by local kitchen

This weekend, in addition to enjoying the glorious weather, getting to the farmer’s market, and finally getting my hands on some rhubarb, I did something strange: I planned ahead. Planning: it’s not something I do a lot of in my everyday life. Oh, I do it all the time in my work life: plans, and contingency plans, worst-case sceanario and best-case scenario. Every conceivable outcome of a study or analysis has to be considered and planned for in order to […]

Categories: preserving, spring, tools & gear • Tags: canning, planning, preserving

Spicy Candied Kumquats

22 February 2012 by local kitchen

A simple little preserve, for that last pound or so of organic California kumquats: candied kumquats with a pequin chile kick! I had big plans for my little kumquats: some of them went into Tigress’ pickle-tastic salt and pepper ‘quats, some others became Cakewalk’s wonderful habañero marmalade, a handful here & there were eaten fresh, and a handful more remain for recipe inspiration (I’ve been finding all sorts of great kumquat ideas on Ye Olde Interwebs; if I have time […]

Categories: citrus, hot chile peppers, preserves • Tags: canning, citrus, cooking, food, preserving, recipes

Bubbly Meyer Marmalade

19 February 2012 by local kitchen

Tonight is the last episode of Season 2 of Downton Abbey. I know: I’m sad too. It went by so fast! Alas, the war, and the season, is over my friends, and we have nothing to do but contemplate the long, dreary, Downton-less months until Season 3 (with Shirley MacLaine! Shirley and Maggie, throwing down 1920’s style. I can hardly wait.) So what do I, a lowly food blogger with neither manor house, liveried servants, nor fabulous peacock-feathered hats, have to offer you as […]

Categories: canning, citrus, preserves, preserving, wine, beer & liquor, winter • Tags: canning, champagne, citrus, cooking, food, Meyer lemon, preserving, recipes

Meyer Mandarin Marmalade

6 February 2012 by local kitchen

Ah, New England: I’m so sorry. That one was a heartbreaker. In those last, crucial seconds, being one of those who remember it well, I kept saying, “Flutie did it!,” while Tai looked on pityingly, saying, “game over.” Ah, well. Until next year. New York: congratulations. It was a brilliant win. Time to do what you do best: celebrate! Whether you are mourning or celebrating today, or just trying to get on with your Monday after last night’s commercial viewing, it’s […]

Categories: canning, citrus, preserves, preserving, winter • Tags: canning, citrus, cooking, food, local, preserving, recipes, winter

Cranberry Meyer Lemon Chutney

1 February 2012 by local kitchen

As promised, more citrus action: a take on my favorite cranberry chutney, this time with Meyer lemons. This recipe started out as a Meyer lemon marmalade; hence the marmalade-esque process of slicing, measuring, adding water, and simmering of the lemons. The next day I decided that I wanted to try a chutney instead, so I drained the lemons and adapted a cranberry chutney recipe. There may be no need for preparing the citrus pectin as described below, but I do […]

Categories: canning, chutneys, citrus, cranberries, hot chile peppers, preserving, winter • Tags: canning, chutney, citrus, cooking, food, local, Meyer lemon, preserving, recipes

Honeyed Grapefruit Jamalade

30 January 2012 by local kitchen

Jamalade, you say? Yes. Jamalade. Not quite a jam: toothsome slivers of citrus zest and a touch of pithy bitterness from the addition of citrus pectin make this flavorful preserve reminiscent of marmalade. Yet not quite a marmalade either: the majority of the white pith is left out of this recipe, and the fruit is strained from the syrup and added only at the end of the cooking process, yielding visible chunks of ruby red grapefruit in the final product, […]

Categories: canning, citrus, jams, preserves, preserving, winter • Tags: canning, citrus, cooking, food, local, preserving, recipes

What To Do With Citrus Peel

23 January 2012 by local kitchen

As I mentioned last week, I’ve been building up quite a supply of grapefruit peels of late. Though I will buy lemons and limes throughout the year, for use in jams & preserves, savory dishes and cocktails, I wait for citrus season to roll around each winter to buy citrus for eating and preserving: grapefruits, oranges, exotic varieties. Typically, if I am using a lemon or a lime in a recipe, I’ll use both the zest and flesh or juice; […]

Categories: canning, citrus, drying, freezing, preserving, winter • Tags: canning, citrus, cooking, food, preserving, recipes, winter

Vin de Pamplemousse

20 January 2012 by local kitchen

Pamplemousse: on my list of the top 10 best words in any language (along with codswallop, yoboseyo and schnell!). Pamplemousse is “grapefruit” in French; sounds so much more exotic doesn’t it? (And incidentally, how did we ever end up with “grapefruit” in English? I mean, it is pomelo in Spanish, pompelmo in Italian, citrus paradisi in Latin. It doesn’t look or taste anything like a grape. But I guess it is better than “shattuck.”) But, enough etymology for today: let’s […]

Categories: citrus, wine, beer & liquor, winter • Tags: citrus, cooking, food, preserving, recipes, wine

Grapefruit Guajillo Marmalade

17 January 2012 by local kitchen

Once again, citrus season is upon us, and once again, I ordered a box of delicious Rio Red grapefruit from G & S Groves in McAllen, Texas. While I’ve been happily munching through some of my 12 pounds of pink-yellow-and-red glory, I had to save some for a batch (or two) of marmalade, lest my marm-lovin’ hubs revolt. Although the flavor of last year’s vanilla bean version was lovely, the set left much to be desired, and this year, I just […]

Categories: canning, citrus, hot chile peppers, preserving, winter • Tags: canning, cooking, food, grapefruit, local, marmalade, preserving, recipes

Use It or Lose It! Cranberry Marmalade Sauce

24 November 2011 by local kitchen

For a truly last-minute cranberry sauce: bag o’ cranberries + jar o’ marmalade + 20-minute simmer = Thanksgiving cranberry perfection! If you have a jar of marmalade that set like a rock (like mine of last year), check out my recipe below. If yours came out a bit loose, check out Shae’s version, a cranberry-marm-apple relish. Either way, you can’t go wrong; cranberries are always good. Enjoy the day, everyone! ———————————————————– Cranberry Marmalade Sauce INGREDIENTS 2 cups cranberries, fresh or […]

Categories: cranberries, fall, holiday, preserving, sauces, Use it or Lose it!, winter • Tags: berries, condiments, cooking, cranberries, fall, food, holiday, local, preserving, quick & easy, recipes, thanksgiving