Putting up Food

canning tomatoes

I finally got around to canning these gorgeous San Marzano tomatoes that I got at Zweck's Organic Family Farm. I did it on a rainy Saturday with some great advice from here and here.

It took the better part of the afternoon, but I felt like a rich woman with all the jars on the kitchen counter. I don't actually think one saves any money canning this way, but there is something very pleasurable about the process and knowing that the marinara you will have in the middle of a snowstorm this winter will come from the summer harvest at a local farm.

If you are in the Bay area check out these canning hipsters.

poached nectarines

Lucien and I often play this age old game: "If you could be any animal, what would you be?" or "If you could be any fruit, what would you be?" Yesterday's answer was "a nectarine!" Those smooth, juicy stone fruits that ooze of some paradisaical Persian garden or a sun bleached terrace in the Greek isles. There I was, a sun ripened, round, sunset colored nectarine in Mykonos.. okay, you get the idea.
This is a super simple dessert and a great way to use very ripe fruit.
Adapted from a recipe by Sara Quessenberry.

Poached Nectarines

I bottle sparkling wine ( I used Segura Viudas Cava)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 C sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
6 halved nectarines

In a large, non-reactive saucepan, bring the wine, sugar, honey and cinnamon stick to a boil. Split open the vanilla bean and scoop out the inside. Add seeds and pod to the pan.

Add nectarines and simmer gently until the fruit is tender, approx. 15 minutes, then remove from pan.

Continue to simmer the liquid until reduced to 1 cup. Discard vanilla pod and cinnamon stick and pour the syrup over the nectarines. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled.

Before/After

We went over to Curtis and Laura's last night for a last huzzah of summer. Curtis, who comes from Trinidad by way of Brooklyn, was cooking his signature haute comfort food: barbecued chicken. He caterer parties, so if you are local you can find him:
Curtis Marshall
Zabbuca
303.921.2220
cfmarshall7@yahoo.com

Last picnic of the summer

and this is his famous Trini style bbq sauce. I am not a huge barby person, but this stuff is wonderful. It has the tang of the tropics, a touch of decandent Americana and the kids love it!

1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp diced fresh hot pepper (like habanero)
1/4 cup beer
1 tsp molasses
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar

In a heavy saucepan over medium to low heat, combine ketchup, tomato paste, water, onions, fresh herbs, garlic, ginger salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes so herbs, garlic and ginger melt into the sauce. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 5 minutes until well blended and smooth. Use to coat chicken or other meat and keep some extra for dipping at the table. You're ready to go!

I started this blog yesterday and felt like I had opened Pandora's box. All of a sudden there was so much to do, so many links, books, projects... but today is Saturday and we are spending a quiet family day. The boys are sleeping and I am taking this moment to visit this new venue and tinker a bit.

Blast off!

It is fine Friday in September and the apples are ripe on the trees. I am in a root cellaring mood: gathering foods to can and dry, holding the last bits of summer in my hands and preparing for the next season. School started last week and we can all feel autumn lacing the air.