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Tigress’ Can Jam (March) | Pretty Pickled Pearls

ummm, another low acid veg.  i had to do more.  i just did.

Well, I did more.  And I did less.  I thought it was time to do a tinybatch of a recipe I kinda liked to see if I could tweak it a bit. (♥:a bit?) Fine, a lot.  I wanted a recipe where I could manipulate the flavors, but leave the math.

Georgeanne Brennan’s The Glass Pantry was the first book on preserving that I bought a year or so ago.  Sure, Amazon had it for the right price.  It was, also, the first book I was able to get my hands on from the library.  You know I need to live with cook/craft books before I buy them, right?

I’ve flipped through all of the preserving and canning books in the arsenal and found that there were a couple of different versions of these pickled pearls.  It was Georgeanne’s math that made it easier for me to convert.

I’ve been really into cornichon for a while.  It probably is my favorite type of pickle.  I, only recently, found out that it’s the tarragon that gets me all excited.  So, I just had to see what it would do to those pretty pearls.

Pickled Whole Onions
adapted from Georgeanne Brennan’s The Glass Pantry

1 c pearl onions
1/4 c water
3/4 c white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher/pickling salt
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig of fresh tarragon
2 dried red peppers
6 black peppercorns

The Nikki Bits: I kept the vinegar/water ratio, but I changed the entire flavor profile.

The Making: Simple enough.  Wash and sterilize 1 half pint/1 quarter liter Weck jar in the water bath.  Uggghhh, peel the onions.  (♥: Blanching them makes it easier.) Add onions and spices into the jar.  Bring vinegar, salt, and water to a boil.  Cover the onions with the liquid, leaving head space.  Wipe rim.  Place seal and top.  Screw closed or add clamps.  Using jar lifter, place jars into water bath.  Return the water to a boil.  Process for 10 minutes.

What’s Next: I’m getting good at waiting.  Kinda proud of myself.  And, HELLO, getting better at documenting the process.  And must order Ashley‘s book.  Wow, I’ve got to right everything down.

Okay, I’m off to make a bit of roasted leek & garlic confit.  Mmmmm.

Nikki♥

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Market.Watch | 12Mar10 & The Slam Reax

leeks, onions, meyer lemons, blood oranges


Ummm, I still don’t know what I want to do for Tigress’ Can Jam.  So, it looks like I’m just going to have to find some more allium options and hit the books.  I’ll be fine.

It’s been an odd week.  I read Slate’s ‘Canning is Trendy‘ article.  I read the The Atlantic’s ‘CSAs: A ripoff?’ article, too.  I don’t have a problem saying that I think some of the questions they ask are valid.  I think the tone in which both articles are framed is dismissive and patronizing, though.  I just think it fosters a discussion where everyone is defensive.

The thing is neither article annoyed me.  I just thought they both missed the point.  When it comes to CSAs, farmers’ market produce, or dairy products from small farms, I don’t expect the prices to compete with conventional grocery stores.  That’s not why I seek them out.  That’s not why I come back every week or still shop at the superchains.  Does an article bemoaning the price help me define why and where I choose to spend my money?  Yep.  Non-issue.

The Slate article got under my skin, primarily, because it hurt the feelings of people I’ve come to respect, who felt attacked for practicing the traditions they hold dear.  I had less of a problem because I kind of knew who she was talking to and about.  It didn’t bother me, personally, because I’ve come to really enjoy doing it.  Period. Whatever.

She can condescend, if she chooses.  That’s her.  I know how it felt to make that first jar of strawberry jam last spring.  I know what its been like to be a part of TCJ.  I ask myself about salt and sugar intake.  I pay attention to what’s local and abundant.  I don’t find it tedious.  I’m learning a little patience.  I’ll be standing with my basket ready when my gardening friends start to harvest the fruits of their labor.

I think what’s starting to rub me the wrong way is this push back on those of us not in rural areas or who haven’t been canning for time.  Yes, there are new fresh books with their take on tradition.  I’m not rushing out to buy them just because the cover rocks.  Yes, there’s more attention on the practice.  Yes, I like those cute jars.  So what.  If I’m canning for the next week or the rest of my life, it shouldn’t have any bearing on what anyone else is doing.

Let’s pass the knowledge amongst ourselves.  Share with whomever may be interested.  I’m here soaking up your advice and wisdom.  Please, share in my excitement.

Nikki♥

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Market.Watch | 26feb10 + March TCJ Selection

a little late and lacking in market posts. sorry about that.

I have a confession.  I think I’ve got a tangelo problem.  I mean, really.  I’m having a hard time going a day without one.  You wouldn’t even know that I bought, umm, 3 from the photo, but I did.  And I ate them.  Not slowly.

They’ve kinda bumped the blood oranges out of the sweet spot in my citrus loving heart.  They’ve been making me forget about the Meyer lemons I buy every week.  I’ve even let a few go bad.  (♥: Wasteful much?)

Thankfully, I decided to experiment with a new marm, instead of letting everything else rot.  It was filled with aging limes, meyer lemons, blood oranges and a tangelo that I wouldn’t allow myself to eat.  I spiked it with a bit of Korean Black Raspberry wine.

It was one of those ‘let’s just do it’ kind of things.  No pen, paper or keyboard in sight.  I think I was trying to trust my memory.  It was spec-freakin-tacular.  And I still can’t remember what I did.  Great.

So, I’m trying again.  This time I’ve written everything down.  Okay, I just wrote everything down.  Time for the overnight soak.

Small Measure‘s Ashley English announced the March produce selection for Tigress’ Can Jam.  It’s the Allium family.  There’s lots to choose from.  I can play with garlic, scallions, shallots, onions, leeks and more.  Low acid, again.  That’s cool.  Much less anxiety than last month’s carrots.

I love that the green onions from the Farmers’ Market were super dirty.  I’ve already used some in a bit of soup.  I was hungry and they were good.  Mild.  Liked them.  The others are about to join some carrots in a good sweet peppery brine.

Not sure what I’m doing for TCJ, yet.  So, I guess it’s off to the books, again.

Nikki♥

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tigress’ can jam | sweet pickled baby carrots

i heed warnings. i really do.

I’m cutting it close I know, but I’ve been feeling my special brand of melancholy that comes with following the rules.  I want to not, but alas, I must.  I’ve got to live to see another month of canning.  Blasted low acid carrots!  They are the Feb Produce star of the Tigress’ Can Jam.

I just had to bring home lots of carrots.  What’s a girl to do without options?  I couldn’t decide.  For a minute there, it was so going to be a 3 way.  Carrots, 3 ways.  I was going to get fancy.  I guess I’ll have to leave that to Tigress.

This month in particular,  I wanted to use my inexperience as a tool to really learn.  I went looking for recipes.  The ones in books.  They felt a little more vetted and I wanted to be safe.  I’m may not be sure if I’m going to want to inject botulism in my face, but I am sure I don’t want to ingest it.

Because I need to stick as close to the letter as possible,  I went back to what is becoming my favorite little book, The New Preserves.  I decided the Sweet Pickled Baby Carrots below were the easiest for me to do without having to take too many risks.

Sweet Pickled Baby Carrots
adapted from Anne V. Nelson’s The New Preserves: Pickles, Jams and Jellies

1 – 1 1/4 pound baby carrots
3/4 c water
3/4 c cider vinegar
1/2 c sugar
1 tablespoon kosher/pickling salt
3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 dried red peppers
1 sm knob of ginger

The Nikki Bits: I had to do something.  I brought the heat.  I added a little spicy with the red pepper and a little depth with the ginger.

The Making: Super simple.  Wash and sterilize 3 half pint/3 quarter liter Weck jars in the water bath.  Divide the carrots and spices between the jars, breaking the cinnamon lengthwise.  Bring vinegar, salt, sugar and water to a boil.  Cover the carrots with the liquid, leaving 1/2 in head space.  Wipe rim.  Place seal and top.  Screw closed or add clamps.  Using jar lifter, place jars into water bath.  Return the water to a boil.  Process for 30minutes.

What’s Next: While I happily will wait the two weeks needed for time to bring the sweet pickled heat, I’m going to get to those other carrots.  Sans water bath processing, this could get interesting.

Savoring India did just come in from the library.  I could make a pickle to go with the Aloo Gobhi that’s been on my mind since the cauliflower called my name at the Farmers’ Market today.  And I’ve got to do something fresh tarragon in the fridge.  Options, gotta love ’em.

This is fun.

Nikki♥