kitchen adventures
These traditional refrigerator pickles – Do Chua – are a typical condiment that accompanies many classic Vietnamese dishes. You might be most familiar with them on banh mi sandwiches, but you’ll also find them beside rise plates, noodle bowls, and salads. They’re easy to make, and you need not make […]
I used to make jam in big, big batches. I’d start with 4 quarts of fruit, and end up with 8-10 jars of jam. You know what? I’m not cooking for a business or a passel of farm hands, so I have moved entirely to small batches. Not only are […]
It’s Tomato Time! Like many others, I put up tomatoes in late September. I’m republishing an article originally from 2014 on how to host your own tomato crush. Why not share the work and turn a chore into a social occasion? This year, I’m working with a friend, and we’ll […]
You may think I’ve gone completely crazy with my Anova Precision Cooker (ie my sous-vide immersion circulator). Sous-vide pickles? Really? I assure you, I haven’t gone nuts, and sous-vide pickles are really a thing. A good thing! They’re crisper. I learned why my pickles weren’t quite as crispy as I […]
Sometimes I’m asked: why do I store my jars with the lids sealed on, but the bands removed? As part of my normal canning process, I take the jars out of the canner, and let them cool for several hours or overnight. Then I remove the bands, and check the seal: […]
We’re a pickle family – every one of us likes pickles on sandwiches and burgers. I do make traditional pickles, both dill and bread & butter type. It can be a whole big production. Start by finding the right little (Kirby) cucumbers, then cleaning and slice them. Stuff them into […]
Why make homemade tomato paste when it’s always available at the grocery store? I use tomato paste all the time. Sometimes I need up to half a cup, and sometimes just a little bit. When I make my own, I can store it in the sizes I tend to need most, so I have […]
Tomato paste is, in principle, an easy thing: squish the tomatoes, separate the skins and the seeds, and reduce the resulting pulp until it’s very thick. I have already posted a Roasted Tomato Paste recipe – here’s a version using a slow cooker or two, for when you can’t stand […]
I use tomato paste all the time. Sometimes I need up to half a cup, sometimes just a little bit. When I make my own, I can store it in the sizes I tend to need most, so I have no more partly used cans in the fridge. Sometimes I have a huge batch […]
This small-batch peach-oolong jam with subtle notes of a good oolong tea is excellent with toast or scones. I wanted to capture the taste of with a thicker texture. This one’s a winner! I use sugar to draw juice from the peaches, add tea, cook the resulting mixture, and then puree it all with an immersion […]
Cherries DO have enough pectin to set a jam, if you’re willing to chop the fruit finely. This smooth cherry jam starts with unpitted cherries to make the process even easier. Start by putting the cherries in a heavy pot, and crush them with a potato masher. Use a tall […]
Do you grow chives? If you have a bit of garden, chives are one of the easiest herbs to grow, and one of the first to come up in the spring. In my garden plot, I’ll see them first appear in early May, Just about the time I’m longing for something fresh and green, I […]