Browsing Category

General Reference/Tutorial

General Reference/Tutorial

Seasoned Salts:
Summer Tomato, Meyer Lemon and Italian Herb

It’s about this time of year that I start making some foodie things that can also double as stocking stuffers. This year, I decided to make seasoned salts. The Herb one and the Lemon one were really quite simple; the tomato one took a little more effort, but is well worth it, as it has a surprising amount of tomato flavor.

The colors of these will fade within a few weeks, but the herby flavor and aroma will remain intact for much longer. There is no shelf-life limit, and this can be kept indefinitely. I use these as a finishing salts, meaning it’s used to season cooked food at the table; however, they can also be used in place of regular salt in any recipe preparation.
Continue Reading

Breads, Breakfast/Brunch, General Reference/Tutorial

Spiced Crispin Apple Jam

Here’s another apple recipe! This one to keep those apples “long term” (depends on how quickly you go through the jar of jam!) and still as delicious! Apple cider, warm mulling spices and chunks of Crispin apples all mixed together. This jam tastes sort of like a really intense apple pie filling. Delicious on toast or even mixed into yogurt. A spoonful of autumn!
Continue Reading

Appetizers/Starters, General Reference/Tutorial, Lunch, Sides

Baby Dill Refrigerator Gherkins (Cornichon)

I have a thing for pickles. I have told the story many times that my first word was actually “Gurke!” which is the German work for pickle. And I will eat them by the jar. OK, hopefully not by the jar because that is a little too much vinegar even for my iron stomach. So, I decided to make my own this year. I do this every few years, but when I saw the baby cornichons (these are literally just an inch or two in size), I just had to make them. They are a little salty (next time add a little more sugar to the brine), but otherwise, these are pretty fantastic. They should stay good in the fridge for a while, but I’ll likely eat them all by next week!
Continue Reading

General Reference/Tutorial

Sichuan Chili Oil

This week, in my ingredient challenge game, we’re doing things with peppers and chilis and I remembered that I had a whole lot of Thai Bird Chilis dried from last summer, so I decided to make some chili oil. It’s pretty hot, so definitely designed as a finishing oil. It’s got a bit of sesame seeds and sesame oil in it as well. Spicy, but not blow your head off spicy!
Continue Reading