Santa Ynez Valley

Sara wanted to go wine tasting, I biked around the town of Santa Ynez. The bicycling backroads of central California book I had (from 1982) highlighted some roads that have a little more traffic on them now than they did back then, but it was fun none-the-less.

Mis-labeled Seafood

There's the normal BS of giving a nice name to an ugly fish -- the chilean sea bass / patagonian toothfish chintz, for example. The captain posted a link to this article on facebook, about fish being intentionally mislabeled as a more expensive fish in restaurants around Boston. I'm sure it happens everywhere. Interesting. Update: NPR interviewed the reporters.

Bittman on Friendly's

Apparently Friendly's is going out of business. I have fond memories of going to Friendly's to get sherbet, usually lime, after soccer games on Long Island. Good times. Mark Bittman at NYT has some memories, too. He also threw in some thoughts on fast food in America that were nice:

I remember the food as being real. And it probably was, because 50 (! I’m writing that?) years ago the industrialization of food had not been perfected. Now, “good” fast food is best defined by places like In-and-Out Burger, which is undeniably a teeny tiny level better than utter junk. But that doesn’t make it good.

Bombay Chile Pickle

so good. The recipe is apparently from My Bombay Kitchen by Niloufer Ichaporia King... the book is in the mail. Tigress put the recipe on her blog. I did a 2/3 version of the recipe (had 2lbs of peppers, and 1/2c ginger) and it filled 2 pint jars and most of a 1 c jar. Used a mix of sweet and not very hot chiles, and thus added chile powder. Used palm sugar.

3 pounds chiles – any kind, stemmed & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 & 1/3 cups light sesame oil (not toasted, or another vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
3/4 cup garlic, chopped fine*
3/4 cup ginger, chopped fine*
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 & 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 & 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (i use turbinado)
2 & 1/4 tablespoons sea salt - See more at: http://hungrytigress.com/2011/09/hot-damn-chile-pickle/#sthash.uNN37mJK.dpuf

 3 lbs chilies, stemmed, chopped
1 1/3 c olive oil
1T brown mustard seeds
1/2T fenugreek
1/2T cumin
1/2T fennel

3 pounds chiles – any kind, stemmed & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 & 1/3 cups light sesame oil (not toasted, or another vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
3/4 cup garlic, chopped fine*
3/4 cup ginger, chopped fine*
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 & 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 & 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (i use turbinado)
2 & 1/4 tablespoons sea salt - See more at: http://hungrytigress.com/2011/09/hot-damn-chile-pickle/#sthash.uNN37mJK.dpuf

3 pounds chiles – any kind, stemmed & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 & 1/3 cups light sesame oil (not toasted, or another vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
3/4 cup garlic, chopped fine*
3/4 cup ginger, chopped fine*
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 & 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 & 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (i use turbinado)
2 & 1/4 tablespoons sea salt - See more at: http://hungrytigress.com/2011/09/hot-damn-chile-pickle/#sthash.3sZ61NoK.dpuf

3/4c garlic
3/4c ginger

3 pounds chiles – any kind, stemmed & chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 & 1/3 cups light sesame oil (not toasted, or another vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon whole brown mustard seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons fenugreek seed
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 & 1/2 teaspoons whole fennel seeds
3/4 cup garlic, chopped fine*
3/4 cup ginger, chopped fine*
1 teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)
1 & 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 & 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar (i use turbinado)
2 & 1/4 tablespoons sea salt - See more at: http://hungrytigress.com/2011/09/hot-damn-chile-pickle/#sthash.3sZ61NoK.dpuf

1/2T turmeric
1 3/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4c palm sugar
2 1/4T sea salt

hot oil, mustard 20 sec; then rest of the spices, 20 sec; then garlic ginger turmeric few secs; then chilies and vinegar, salt, sugar, simmer 1 hour.


update:
the 2012 version, more pics

random Tomato Sauce making pics

tomatoes, 5 gallon pot, smaller pot for reduction (though usually I go wider/shorter than this one)

10 lbs tomatoes --> 1Q sauce....

what I've been calling tomato molasses, the juice reduced down all the way till it's sticky

more fun with Tomatoes, Ricotta

cute

with envy

cilantro pesto, fried ricotta

basil, fried ricotta

different cilantro pesto

Chiles en Escabeche

I made up an alternate escabeche recipe from the first one I tried. From that first batch I really really liked the carrots, and this one upped the carrot ratio quite a bit. The recipe looks pretty different from that first one, but the ratio of veggies by weight to vinegar is the same, so you can tell they are based in food safety.

Chiles en Escabeche
from the Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy

1lb chilies (I used a mix of alot of types)
1.5 lbs carrots
1 lb onion
3T salt
1/3 c water
5 cloves garlic
10 peppercorns
1t cumin seed
4 cloves
16 bay leaves
thyme
1.5 t oregano
1/2 c oil
4c white wine vinegar
10 cloves garlic
1/2 t sugar

I didn't follow this exactly right. I was supposed to make a paste from the 5 garlic cloves and some of the bay leaves and spices. Didn't.

Slice peppers lengthwise, lose seeds if you want. Slice carrots. Toss with salt, let sit for a few hours.
Heat oil, add spices, bay leaves, onion, fry for 10 min
Add strained peppers, carrots, cook 10 more min
Add salty liquid, vinegar, rest of ingredients, bring to boil, cook 8 min
cool before putting in jars

I am loving the first batch, haven't tapped this one yet.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Fig-Lemon Jam/Marmalade

On the heels of fig-orange a week or so ago. I actually think I like this one more. Made in the same way, kind of marmalade with figs rather than fig jam that happens to have lemons. I don't remember where I got the proportions from.

Fig Lemon Marmalade

28 oz figs
16 oz sugar
juice, rind from 2 lemons
water

cut up figs, soak with a little water, lemon juice, cut up lemon peels overnight
add sugar, stir, overnight again
cook up. I didn't can any, we are eating it right away...

On yogurt. The other marmalades I eat with oatmeal, this one I can use on yogurt in place of my beloved apricot preserves which I don't have this year cause it was an off year for apricots...

Tipsy Tangerines

Bizarre. The recipe really stood out for me last winter/spring. Used the peels in marmalade, fruit here. I don't understand the logic of it now, though. Putting up fruit so you can eat it later, i.e. the summer/fall, when everything else is in season?? Whatever. If you have a ton of fruit maybe it's worth a try.

Tipsy Tangerines
from Clearly Delicious by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz

1.5 lbs peeled satsumas
1 2/3 c sugar
1c booze
1c rum

pack fruit in jar, layering with sugar
pour over boozes
shake often to dissolve sugar.
keep in a cool dark place for 2 months before you eat it.

On orange creme fraiche sherbet

Brinjal Kasaundi - Eggplant Pickle

Another great one from Claudia Roden. Though this borders on too sweet. Heck, it probably crosses the border. But you just have a little bit to accent an indian meal.

Brinjal Kasaundi
from the Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden

2lbs eggplant cut into 1/2" slices
salt
2" ginger
8 cloves garlic
1T ground cumin
1c white wine vinegar
1c sesame oil (though I used extra virgin olive oil)
1T mustard seeds
1T fenugreek seeds
6 curry leaves
1t turmeric
1/2 c sugar

soak eggplant in salted water for an hour. i'd probably just do the standard salt in a bowl (no water) next time.
chili/garlic/ginger/cumin in food processor. moisten with vinegar if need be
heat oil, add seeds, cover till they are done popping
add curry and chili paste
fry "till oil separates out" -- till it looks happy
add turmeric, vinegar, sugar, eggplant
bring to boil, simmer 30 min
cool before putting in jar, top with oil

Cilantro Chutney

Yum. Smells so good, too. AND the recipe is delightfully imprecise...

Green Corriander Chutney
from the Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden

1 bunch cilantro ~4oz
3-4 sprigs mint (I didn't do)
1-5 fresh hot green chilies, to taste
1" of fresh ginger
2-6 cloves garlic
3T unsweetened dried coconut
4-6T white wine vinegar (the larger amount if the blender won't spin)
1/2 t salt
1t sugar

chilies/ginger/garlic/coconut in food processor
add greens, vinegar, salt, sugar
keeps 1 month fridge, months in freezer

Marinated Raw Eggplant, Da Gemma Style

Made this a while ago, but it slipped through the cracks. The recipe is from Verdura by Viana La Place. It's a nice book, and has a couple of other antipasti recipes. There's a charming story about the origin of the recipe in the book, something about 'Gemma' being an old italian grandma. The whole bottom shelf of the fridge is pretty much given over to various pickled veggies by now. It's pretty fun.

Marinated Raw Eggplant
from Verdura by Viana La Place

6-8 Japanese eggplants (30 - 40 oz) (I used 2 globe eggplants)
salt
4T red wine vinegar
8 leaves basil
3 cloves garlic
1t crushed red pepper
extra virgin olive oil

cut eggplant into 1/4" slices. you are supposed to peel but I didn't. cut slices into 1" strips.
toss with salt in a bowl and let drain for 24 hours. press out moisture.
add vinegar, toss, let rest 1 hour
layer in a Mason jar with basil, garlic, pepper
press down as you go
pour in olive oil to cover generously, check in a few hours, it may need more
refrigerate
let rest for a couple of days before eating. "keeps for months"

the raw ingredients, so to speak

Joel Salatin / On Point

Really good listen. Salatin figures prominently in Omnivore's Dilemma; it's pretty clear that he both is the real deal, and old-fashioned traditional animal rearing practices make so much more sense than feedlots. Hearing him speak in his own voice was wonderful.

Susanna Hoffs / Bangles / OnionAV

Seriously, this is an awesome interview. For some reason I associate their song 'Eternal Flame' with surfing Outer Kom in Kommetjie, South Africa. I listened to top-40 radio when we lived there, but I don't know why Outer Kom is the mental image....

Baker Creek Seeds / NPR

good story, might have to get the book