blockhead's Blog

More practical musings – hints and tips on making strawberry jam. Sunshine for the rest of the year...

So I’m preparing strawberries for jam, the third evening this week. It is the most productive week of the year as far as our strawberries are concerned. The best are already sold, fresh in punnets and the seconds, some with scarcely a blemish, others hideously deformed but still flavoursome, are piled in heaps waiting to be hulled, halved, weighed and jammed.

Just taking part in this process, I feel a bond back through the centuries with all the women, who preserved, jammed, pickled, prolonging the goodness and abundance of the seasonal produce to last the whole year through. In the days before fridges, freezers, supermarkets, intercontinental fast transport, each household would have relied on itself to survive the winter without diseases caused by vitamin deficiency and lack of sunshine. Making jam wasn’t just a luxury sweet, it was a way of preserving the summer sunshine a little longer, of giving your children some vitamins to keep them strong, when the only things growing in the garden were cabbage or Brussels sprouts! I wonder if those children ate them without fuss? Your preserves would have been eked out to last until spring brought new fresh growth with it.

Our jam supplies usually just last through until the next strawberry season. I’m generous to start with, giving it away as presents to friends, selling it at the market for our school, then, strawberry season over, I count the jars and begin to get more parsimonious. After all bought jam is now unheard of in the family, I’m the only one who eats marmalade, which fills the winter jam gap, so the strawberry and apricot jam has got to last, come what may.

My strawberry jam recipe for success? ( and please note that this is just how I make it… I’m not an expert and don’t even have a jam thermometer, but I guess they didn’t in the old days either. These are just hints and tips gathered from making my own mistakes and from the advice of my sister-in-law.)

Extremely simple ingredients, but results vary wildly from the runny (running right off your toast runny) to the thick (spoon stands up in it) for no apparent reason – well the length of time cooking together with the amount of pectin are the reasons but you can’t always tell about the pectin in advance. Strawberries are very low in pectin, which is what makes jam set and the riper they are the less there is. If they are wet that also dilutes the pectin (let them dry on kitchen towel or a dishcloth before preparing). So something needs to be added. I usually add lemon juice, which doesn’t affect the flavour, you can also buy pectin in packets. The more lemon juice you use , the more likely it is to set firm – I like mine a bit runny, so tend to juggle the lemon juice a bit.

1 kg prepared strawberries 750g sugar 25ml-50ml lemon juice or more if it doesn’t set!

Use a large thick based pan. The strawberries should only come to about half way up or they will boil merrily over, coating your stove with sticky foam. Let the strawberries soak with the sugar overnight. This brings out the juice and keeps the fruit firmer so it doesn’t dissolve into a mush when cooked. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the sugar dissolves before it boils. Then add the lemon juice. Boil at a moderate pace, without stirring, for at least half an hour before testing.

The main thing is to keep your jam under observation after the first half hour of boiling and sniff( to make sure it’s not burning on the bottom of the pan), test every 5 minutes with a drop on a cold plate. Let it cool for a couple of minutes. If it starts feeling syrupy and makes a string to your finger when you dip it, then that’s a good runny, syrupy jam. If a skin forms and wrinkles when you push your finger through the drop of jam then it’s a firmer set. If after an hour it still doesn’t get to either of those stages you might have to add more lemon juice and boil it up again for another twenty minutes or so then start testing all over again. You can tell if it is getting there as the bubbles start looking more syrupy, a slower rolling boil.

Have your jars ready. 1kg of fruit makes about three medium sized jars. I usually sterilise mine by pouring boiling water into clean, dry jars up to the top (they must be dry though, if there are drops of cold water in they can crack). Then when the jam is ready, pour out the hot water and ladle in the jam, right to the top, put on a circle of either waxed or baking paper and then the lid. Tighten the lid now while it’s hot for a good seal. The spills of jam are easier to wipe off while it’s still hot too, hold with a cloth though, hot is really HOT!

If all this is sounding a bit laborious, you can always try waiting for the apricot season. Apricots are far less temperamental, have plenty of pectin and set more easily…. But hey.. strawberries are worth the effort and it’s mainly patience you need, not technique. There is a huge satisfaction from seeing the jars lined up on the shelf, to see you through the winter. Good luck!

Copyright 2005 Kit Heathcock

Sometime flower photographer, keen observer of the resonances of life and fulltime mother. Born in the UK but now living on a farm in the southern hemisphere. Contributor to the creation and maintenance of A FLower Gallery one of the homes of chakra flower art.

As a lean bread, foccacia basically consists of flour, water, yeast, and salt. What is so great about this Italian flatbread is that you determine and control the extra amount of calories and fat to include as toppings.

Ingredients for a 17' x 12' foccacia are:

5 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
Olive oil, as needed
Sautee onions, mushrooms, red or green peppers, as much as desired
Cooked ground meat, as much as desired
Grated parmesan, or Romano, or mozzarella, or even cheddar cheese, as much as desired

• Coat a 17' x 12' baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle with cornmeal.

• Using an electric mixer, mix flour, instant yeast, water, and salt with a dough hook. Do this at medium speed for about 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and sticky. It should clear sides of bowl, but still stick to the bottom.

• Coat another bowl with olive oil and transfer dough there. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise until doubled, about an hour.

• Gently turn dough out onto prepared baking pan. Using your knuckles, stretch and press it to evenly cover baking pan. Dimple dough with your fingertips.

• Top with sautee onions, mushrooms, red or green peppers. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow it to rise again until nearly doubled, about 30 - 40 minutes.

• Fifteen minutes before dough is ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Place a generous topping of cooked ground meat and bake for 20 minutes or until foccacia is lightly golden brown, especially around the edges.

• At this point, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese, Romano, mozzarella, or even Cheddar and continue baking for another 5 minutes.

• Remove foccacia from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting and serving.

• Your finished foccacia should be golden brown, very light and springy. It pairs perfectly well with spaghetti sauce.

As with most lean breads, foccacia is best the day it is made. Do not refrigerate leftover because the bread will dry out. Freeze foccacia for longer keeping.

The author of this article enjoys baking, especially breads and cookies. She creates a Web site, Baking Perfect Homemade Cookies With Five Essential Rules, to share her cookie baking experience.

Copyright 2006 by Trinh Lieu

There are so many things that you can do at an ice cream parlor to have fun. You can enjoy great ice cream and at the same time, you can do many activities that will make your life more fun. Having ice cream and doing fun summer activities is a great way to spend quality time alone or with your friends and family.

Ice cream parlors have great ice cream. There are so many different flavors to be tried. You can get the same old things like chocolate and vanilla and also some bold new treats that you will love. You will not be disappointed with anything that you find one of these places. You will want to come back often so that you can get a taste of each great flavor.

Finding these great ice cream parlors is easy. There is usually one in each community. There are so many different ice cream parlors to choose from. You will get to go to a different one with each place you visit. Some of them have fun activities inside and out to enjoy. You can go outside and play miniature golf and you can also find some that have beautiful gardens to relax in while enjoying a great ice cream cone. You may also want to sit in a swing and glide in the summer air while eating a cool treat.

Taking the kids to an ice cream parlor in the summer months is a great pastime. You can go after dinner or in the middle of the afternoon. No matter what time of day you decide to go, it is always a good time for ice cream. You will enjoy the tastes as well as the atmosphere of the kids playing and the summer breeze blowing. This is time that you can take out for yourself and relieve stress from the long workweek.

The treats at the ice cream parlor cannot be beat. Some have soft serve while others have the hand dipped ice cream treats. You can find awesome flavors that will get you ready for summer. You may also want to get a new dessert that will entice your cravings for cool summer treats. There are gooey ones and there are simple and homemade treats that you absolutely love.

No matter what you do at an ice cream parlor, you will find it to be one of the best times that you can have. You will love the time that you spend with your family and eating cold ice cream. This could be a family tradition that you will do repeatedly together as a family. These could be times that you enjoy making great memories that will last a lifetime.

http://www.besticecreamparlor.com

Two traditional Spanish Christmas recipes

Starter

ALMOND SOUP

Normally served as a dessert in Castille all through the year. At Christmas, however, it is served as a first course for Christmas dinner with saffron. This spice has found it's perfect growing conditions in Spain,

especially in La Mancha, where each autumn the saffron flowers are picked and in a traditional, process completely carried out by hand, the stigmas are toasted to produce the finest saffron in the world, known as Calidad Mancha.

1.25 litres (2 1/4pt) milk
75 g (3 oz) sugar
150 g (6 oz) powdered almonds or almond paste
2 tbsp fine fresh bread crumbs
2 cloves of garlic
Coarse salt
A few threads of saffron
A few sprigs of parsley
White peppercorns
200 ml (7 floz) olive oil

Garnish

12 small, very thin slices of bread, fried in olive oil
50 g (2 oz) toasted chopped almonds

Bring the milk to a boil.

In a mortar, mix together the coarse salt, saffron, pepper, garlic and parsley.

Mix the powdered almonds, sugar and the mixture from the mortar into the boiling milk.

Lower the heat and let cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve garnished with the slices of fried bread and the toasted chopped almonds.

Dessert

TOURON ICE CREAM

(ice cream made with two nougats) with chocolate sauce

Touron is a nougat of Arabic origin made with almonds and honey or sugar, without which it would just not be Christmas in Spain. There are innumerable variations - chocolate, coconut, praline, etc. - but the oldest and most authentic recipes are those for soft (Jijona) touron, made with ground almonds, or hard (Alicante) touron, made with whole almonds, or served as an ice cream, accompanied by chocolate sauce. The sauce is made not with butter but with olive oil, as it used to be made when cocoa was first brought to Spain from the Americas.

150 g (6 oz sugar)
4 tbsp water
6 egg yolks
150 g (6 oz) soft Jijona nougat
2 tbsp Malaga wine
200 ml (7 floz) liquid cr?me fra?che
3 egg whites
75 g (3 oz) hard Alicante nougat

Sauce

200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp water

Roughly break up the Alicante nougat.

Butter a 500 ml (1 pt) souffl? dish.

Place a paper collar around the edge of the souffl? dish, letting it extend 5 cm (2') above the rim. Place in the freezer.

Prepare a light syrup with the water and sugar.

Beat the egg yolks and the warm syrup together in a blender.

Break up the Jijona nougat into the two tablespoons of wine. Beat the cr?me fra?che. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Carefully fold together, in the same order, all of the mixtures.

Sprinkle the souffl? mould with some of the Alicante nougat.

Pour in the prepared cream mixture.

Leave in the freezer for several hours, or overnight for best results.

After removing the mixture from the freezer, remove the paper, sprinkle with the remaining Alicante nougat and serve with the warm chocolate sauce.

To make the warm chocolate sauce

Place the chocolate and water in a bowl or double boiler and melt over a pan of simmering water.

Gradually mix in the oil, whisking constantly.

Enjoy!

For more Spanish recipes, click the link:

The reward of gardening is enjoying the fruits and vegetables of your labor. You may be overlooking a delicious and nutritious crop that right under your hoe - roast pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkins have been a popular part of vegetable gardens for centuries. The word comes from the Greek word 'pompon,' which means large melon. Native Americans ate roasted pumpkin and wove dried strips into mats. Today, we include pumpkins in our vegetable gardening mainly for their decorating and pie value. We often throw the seeds away.

Next time you carve a jack-'o-lantern or cook a pumpkin for pie filling, save those seeds. They make nutty-flavored snacks that are a good source of protein, fiber, iron and phosphorous.

Below is an easy, fun recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds. The whole family will enjoy making and eating this new treat from the garden. Some people like to wash the seeds before roasting. Others leave any pumpkin particles for added flavor and nutrition.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds
1 Quart Water
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter or Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
2. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 8 to 10 minutes
3. Drain the seeds in a colander and spread them on a paper towel to dry.
4. Melt the butter. Put the dry seeds and butter in a large bowl and toss until the seeds are evenly coated.
5. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until they reach a light, golden brown color. Stir seeds every 10 minutes during cooking.
7. Cool the seeds completely before eating.

You can remove the hulls from the seeds after roasting or eat the seeds hull and all. Keep roasted seeds in airtight containers.

Gardening Tip: Set a few seeds aside before roasting. These free seeds will start next year’s pumpkin patch.

John Lenaghan writes about vegetable gardening for http://www.vegetable-gardening-4u.com where he provides valuable tips and advice about seed companies, garden accessories, container gardening and other vegetable gardening topics.