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trailrunnerbiker

Kitchen at work...lots of pics...

trailrunner
15 years ago

We are having a bumper year with fresh produce. I have been canning and "waiting for lids to ping" , so I thought I would post the Caldera loaded up and working and the results of my labors. Hope you enjoy. If you would like recipes please let me know. I have made fig lemon preserves, fig lavender preserves, peach and candied ginger chutney, fig lavender ginger preserves,spicy fig chutney and brandied peaches so far. I am making tomato and tomato apple chutnies tomorrow and spicy applesauce. Caroline

Caldera loaded with canning pots:

Island and my Greatgrandmother's cutting board for cooling jars of the Peach and Candied Ginger Chutney:

Peaches purchased from local farmer's market:

Blanched:

Ready to cook:

Finished product:

Peach sweet bread w/ pecans:

Peach and Blueberry Tart:

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Figs/apples/tomatoes waiting to be used. I picked the figs and apples and bought the tomatoes at the local farmer's market:

Comments (39)

  • rhome410
    15 years ago

    A very busy woman! What gorgeous produce and end results. That's what a great kitchen is for! :-) Can't wait til things get ripe around here...If they do, since our spring came so late.

  • mindstorm
    15 years ago

    Of all the gorgeous things in your kitchen trailrunner, that which I envy you the most are the figs. Love 'em. Especially fresh picked! Fig-lavender, whoa! whattatreat. Two of my favorite smells. Would love any of your fig-preserve recipes - whatever is the least tedious to recite and would dearly love the peach and blueberry tart recipe.

    To return the favour, I have a fig dessert in a merlot-cassis sauce that I'll gladly share if you're interested. (Do have to go home to cross-check proportions).

  • iris16
    15 years ago

    Yummmmmmy. I would love your peach sweet bread recipe!

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    15 years ago

    Your apple pictures have me singing Joni Mitchell - "give me spots on apples, but leave me birds and the bees.....Please"

    What do you do with the figs? The little market next to work has black figs from California, and I am intrigued. Everything sounds so good. I only have radishes and green beans right now. Made strawberry jam last weekend at the cottage with friends. Is there anything better than fresh preserves from fresh produce?? I say NOT.

    Nancy, who can't wait to get some good peaches!!!

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    You guys are always so great ! The Kitchen Forum is so fun even after the Kitchen is DONE !!

    Rhome: I wish I had more folks like you do to cook for. You are so lucky. I long for the days that my little ones ran in from school and wanted to know " what did you make good today Momma ?! "... makes me cry a little. Now I do 4 pints here and 4 pints there and DS1 and his restaurant and employees benefit :)

    Oh mindstorm you had me on that one....please I want that recipe...my fig supply runneth over. The peach-blueberry cake/tart is an epicurious recipe...linked below. I did the cornstarch substitute and also baked it at 325 for 90 minutes, with the peach bread.

    Fig-Lavender Preserves

    4# figs - remove stems and 1/4 each
    1 heaping Tb dried lavender flowers - crush well
    1c sugar
    1c honey ( local is best)
    1c rich red wine ( I used a Chianti)
    2 lemons - zest and jiuce

    Simmer till thickened and process hot bath 10 min. = 4 pints

    Spicy Fig Chutney

    3# figs (same as above)
    1# light brown sugar
    2 yellow onions chopped
    1/2 c grated peeled fresh gingerroot
    3 t yellow mustard seeds
    zest from 1 lemon
    1 stick cinnamon
    3 1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp allspice ground
    1/2 tsp cloves ground

    Simmer all but figs till reduced and thickened. Add figs and simmer hard till thick, about 30 min. Preserve as above. 10 min water bath.

    Fig and Lemon Preserves

    1 gallon figs ( prepare as above)
    3# sugar

    let figs set in sugar for several hours to draw juices. Add 2 thinly sliced deseeded lemons and cook till thick , water bath 10 min. about 4 pints.

    Midnight: I have Turkey Browns and Celestes to cook. See above for recipes. Here is the Peach Bread. It is not too fat or sweet but very tasty.

    Peach Bread

    3c flour
    1T baking powder
    1T cinnamon
    1t salt
    3 eggs
    1 1/2 c sugar
    1/2 c oil
    1 T vanilla
    2c peaches chopped...add 1c chopped pecans at end.

    Mix together...don't worry it is wetter than it seems as you mix it. Greased 8x4 pans 60 min at 325 convection or til knife blade comes clean.

    I have a Strawberry and Lavender preserve that I want to do too !!

    1qt strawberries
    1c honey
    7 lavender sprigs
    2 c sugar
    2T lemon juice

    Boil sugar and honey and lavender to boil, remove from heat and steep for 45 min. remove lavender. Add berries and lemon, boil hard 1 min add pectin, boil another minute and remove from heat. Place in jars and process 10 min boiling water bath.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Peach Blueberry Cake

  • malhgold
    15 years ago

    These pics are just as beautiful as the kitchens here on GW!!! My mouth is watering. Looks terrific!

  • cat_mom
    15 years ago

    Oh sure, what a show off--LOL!!!! ;-)

    My, my--you have been busy since you got back home, haven't you? Everything looks just scrumptious my friend. I didn't know you have fig trees--so do we! We have two--one we've had for about 6-9 years now (green figs), and the other we've had since last year (we think black figs). The older tree has given us figs the past few years, but the other one is too small/young yet. Ours won't ripen for at least another month or more, so you might need to bring some of yours up with you!

  • mindstorm
    15 years ago

    trailrunner, Yum those preserve recipes sound excellent. Don't know why but it's good to know that the blueberry-peach tart is an epicurious recipe. I haunt that site like a ghost and this is oddly reassuring to know that there is good reason to do so ;-)

    Ok for the poached fig in merlot-cassis ...

    - 1 cup merlot,
    - 0.5 cups cassis
    - 1 Tbsp sugar
    - 10 fresh black figs (destem)
    - 1/4tsp salt
    - 1/2 Tbsp ice wine vinegar (if you have it - I've never used this since I don't purchase specialty items so special that I'd never know how to use again and that you use half a spoon at a time)
    - 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
    - bunch of young mint leaves

    Combine merlot, cassis and sugar, boil until reduced to half.
    Add figs and continue to cook until figs have broken down. Help this along with a spoon. You want the figs to be quite thoroughly soaked in the decoction and dissolving into it. (Approx 20 minutes at a good hearty boil).
    Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt and the ice-wine vinegar if using.

    Cool to room temperature (you can serve this hot if you wish, but I've never done so, so no guarantees on taste). Spoon the figs into bowls, with a spoonful of mascarpone, garnished with the mint leave.

    You can also sprinkle a bit of sea salt or drizzle a bit of a fruity olive oil to temper the sweetness if you so desire.

  • igloochic
    15 years ago

    E gads I'm starving and I open this thread first!!! Dang DH bette have a lovely dinner planned LOL

    I'd kill for the peach and ginger chutney. It sounds like it would be a fun treat with duck.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you for such sweet complimnets. I am at the restuarant and the kids here have been sampling the preserves. They loved them. I will try that ice wine vinegar and cassis on the figs.

    Cat you are going to get some figs for sure...I will pack them.

    All of you need to come meet us on Aug 9 and have fun with us...we would love to see you. Gotta go DH is hollerin ..c

  • cat_mom
    15 years ago

    Oh boy, oh boy!!!!!!

  • loves2cook4six
    15 years ago

    fig lavender ginger preserves...ooohhhh sounds divine. I'd love the recipe and the peach and candied ginger chutney sounds yummmmmmm too. Oh please share...color="red">

    And are you on the Jam-in_condiments yah00 group. Some of my favorite recipes have come from there... (GW won't let you post a link to yah00 groups so just do a search by the name)

  • laxsupermom
    15 years ago

    Trailrunner, those recipes sound fantastic. I had to wipe the corner of my mouth a bit when I saw your pictures.I made some strawberry jam a few weeks ago while up at the cottage, but haven't been able to do more sans kitchen. I long for a working kitchen again. All the summer produce is passing me by.

    Catmom, I didn't know you could grow figs in NY. We have strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries and my parents have a pear tree, but I never thought figs could be a NY fruit. We're an extra cold zone 4 so maybe that's the difference, but I'm going to check on it now.

  • brutuses
    15 years ago

    Beautiful produce. Lucky you, fresh fruit!!

  • cat_mom
    15 years ago

    laxsupermom--We're about 40 min north of Manahattan.

    We got our first tree from an Italian gentleman that we know. He lives about 15 minutes south of us, and his trees seem to be ahead of ours schedule-wise each year. He has a at least a few fig trees, and grows new ones from cuttings. After he prunes his trees in the fall, he buries the cut branches underground, and when he digs them up in the spring, they've started to grow roots. He gave us a bunch of branches to bury ourselves, but they didn't root (our property is very close to the water table, so we suspect the ground was too wet, turned to ice, and the branches froze). So, our friend gave us a little fig plant (sapling) that he'd rooted himself.

    There's a whole procedure for wrapping and protecting the fig tree for the winter, which includes wrapping rope around the branches and tying them in nice and close, wrapping the tree in layers of tar paper, then insulation, and then plastic and then suspending an upended bucket over the wrapped tree to block the opening you've left at at the top from rain and snow to some degree. It takes my DH a few days just to get the tree(s) ready for winter, but it's truly a labor of love and well worth it in our opinion!

  • rmkitchen
    15 years ago

    Caroline -- every time I see pictures of your kitchen (or your home or your garden) I get a warm fuzzy feeling. You can just tell kind, fun and easy-going people live there!

    I love seeing your adventures in the kitchen. I really love it. (I am also still thinking of your rhododendrons ....)

    -Brooke

  • beachcomber3
    15 years ago

    NOT FAIR! Now I am hungry! Very ambitious and impressive use of your kitchen. Thanks for the recipes!
    Tina

  • marthavila
    15 years ago

    These photos and recipes are splendid. Just love how you share yourself with us. And. . . as a matter of fact,on the subject of sharing. . . I'm willing to bet that you can turn out these culinary delights 10x better than I can (even if I follow the recipe to the tee). Sooo . . about August 9th, can you also bring me some of that peach bread or peach blueberry cake that has me drooling right now? LOL! Gee, Trailrunner, there's certainly no denying that you're a REAL chef in a REAL kitchen!!!

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    WOW...I am so completely thrown by the sweet responses from everyone. It is such a joy to share with folks that "get it".

    Robin: I want to get the vinegar at zabars and the figs either from you or at the Union Sq maeket and then we will make the Black fig recipe together and post pics...OK ?

    Loves to cook: here is the recipe for the Peach Ginger Chutney. If you make your own candied ginger then you will have the clear syrup left over after the process. If you save it then you can use it to flavor things. I just added it to the recipe above for the Fig Lavender Preserves to change the flavor a little.

    Peach Candied Ginger Chutney

    4# peaches (scald and peel)
    1 1/2# light br sugar
    1/2c chopped onion
    1c finely chopped candied ginger
    2 t white mustard seeds
    1 t. salt
    2 t chili powder
    3 c cider vinegar
    cook till thick and process for 10 min boiling water bath...4 pints

    lax: I was tasting and drooling too...these are all new recipes for me too ! Thank you.

    brutuses...yes it has been quite year. I posted pics of the green market in NYC and it is the BEST I have ever seen . Great market.

    Brooke...you are very very kind to say so. Thank you very much. I really appreciate the kindness you show.

    Tina...I am glad you like...please come share too .

    Ah Celeste...you are too kind. I wish I was as grand as DS1 ..I try. I am so looking forward to seeing you in NYC !

    Caroline

  • cooperbailey
    15 years ago

    Caroline what beautiful mouthwatering treats you turned out from your gorgeous kitchen. I ventured back into canning this summer myself and made cherry jam both freezer and traditional. bought the sour cherries at the farmers market.
    and no I still havent made a patio with all of the bricks I scored. life got in the way. maybe one day I will meet up with you at one of the get togethers. Sue

  • mustbnuts zone 9 sunset 9
    15 years ago

    What is your address? I am on my way! Everything looks scrumptous! For a second I thought you were in California and attending the fig festival on August 9th! I would have made a date to say, "hi."

    Not to hyjack the thread, but if you check the edible landscape website, they do have fig trees that work in colder climates. I grew fig trees in containers for many years until I finally owned a house so they are now happily in the ground.

    I love to see a working kitchen! Yours is so great. As I said, I just want to come on over and bring some Chai tea for us to sit, drink, chat and EAT! DB (dear boyfriend) is on his way home from San Francisco (business trip) today and I have a ton of nectarines from my tree in the backyard. Figs won't ripen for another couple of weeks. Am thinking of making the peach blueberry tart (with nectarines) and putting my new stove through its paces before he gets home. Bet your house smells great all the time. YUM!

    As I said, I am packed, ready to go. Just need the address! Thanks for posting the recipes. I will give them a try!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Edible Landscaping

  • loves2cook4six
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the recipe. I am off to the farmers market shortly and will see what they have.

  • rgillman
    15 years ago

    Oh, Caroline - would that you could bring some tasters with you in 2 wks... No wonder your son is a chef - it's clearly in the genes.

    My grandfather had a scrawny little fig tree behind the house in Newark, NJ and I remember that he had to wrap it each winter to keep it warm. I don't remember any figs, though.

    Seeing these pix reminds me of when I made bramble jam (till they leveled the empty lot and built ugly houses) and pickled watermelon rind. I was in my 30's.

  • boysrus2
    15 years ago

    YUM!!!! Thanks for the recipes. I'd love to try the fig chutney. You're so kind to post the details for us. Thanks.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Sue, thank you I sure wish we could get together. I know how life can get in the way. You bet those bricks will be there waiting when the time is right. I wish we could get sour cherries here but they don't have them.

    mustbe: I wish I had a tree of fruit in my yard...you are so lucky. If you do the tart make sure you follow their updated directions: bake long and slow...it makes the fruit look so much better...use a light pan or if not then make sure and use the 325 degree setting for sure. I used a dark springform at 325 for 90 min and it is perfect. The cornstarch works great instead of the tapioca. Thank you for the complimnets. I use that web site and love it too. My son uses my pansies and my nasturtiums in his restaurant meals. You can wrap fish in the fig leaves and bake them and the fish will taste like coconut and be very moist...it is great. I am in Alabama...come on down !!

    lovestocook: please post pics !!

    rayna I will bring samples...I promise ! c

  • eandhl
    15 years ago

    I have looked at the peach pecan bread and blueberry & peach tart so long I think I gained weight!!!! Beautiful bounty and end results. I do like your island too.

  • loves2cook4six
    15 years ago

    :( Back from the farmers market and no figs. Anyone want to send me some? I'll pay for Express shipping. I'm serious!!! The grocery store had them for $1 per fig!!

    Hey trailrunner, I'll trade you for sour cherries which were everywhere a few weeks ago, and nearing hte end of the season here now.

    I did get peaches and along with my blueberry haul from a few weeks ago I am going to try that peach blueberry pie.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I would send the figs but they are SO perishable. They would need to be packed in freezer thingys....OH WAIT...my son has those from the fish they get fedexed from Hawaii every week !! OK I will work on it and I bet I can get you figs !! YEAH !!

    eandhl; you are a PEACH ! I love that island too...it was CHEAP...it is a commercial work table. c

  • lascatx
    15 years ago

    Ah, the real reason we love our gas cooktops! We were making jams recently and it really made us appreciate our new kitchen -- gas cooktop, prep sink, work spaces -- all of it.

    My grandmother had a fig tree in her backyard. I wonder if it is still there. She hated that the birds made such a mess in the yard with it, but I remember her and my mom making strawberry fig lam when I was young. I dare say those are the only figs I've knowingly eaten and I couldn't tell you what they taste like since they were hidden in the strawberry. They must have other redeeming qualities. ;-)

    I have sorted and boxed up 6 cases of jams DH and I made, but most of ours are peach -- yellow peach, white peach, yellow and white peach, cranberry peach - with some raspberry and a blueberry-pineapple. We were dropping our son off for a band camp this summer and found a truck from a local peach farm. They were the best peaches I've had in years so we went a little crazy with them -- even went back and bought some more. I'm glad to have some in the freezer too. We usually do more of a variety, but at least we know what we'll be giving at the holidays. Hope no one's allergic to peaches! LOL

    I'd really like to make some picante sauce this year. We didn't plant our garden this year, so I'll have to see if I can get good tomatoes and peppers in between salmonella scares.

    Am I going too OT to ask what's the most unusual recipe you've put up? I made a watermelon, apple and pink grapefruit jam that was pretty (tinged pink and paper thin slices of apple in it) that would probably be mine.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    lascatz: it sounds like you are really busy too ! WOW 6 cases ! Are you in the South too? Sounds like you get a lot of great produce in your area. I don't think anything but the lavender was different. I think your combo sounds wonderful. It would be great if you posted pics too...?? Can you ??

    I hope my jam that I posted on the other thread sets up. I don't usually do jams. If you have any tips I would love them.

    Actually the raw figs have different flavors but it is a mild peachy watermelon sweet taste. Very fresh I think.

    Would love to see some of your recipes. c

  • mindstorm
    15 years ago

    Peach Bread

    3c flour
    1T baking powder
    1T cinnamon
    1t salt
    3 eggs
    1 1/2 c sugar
    1/2 c oil
    1 T vanilla
    2c peaches chopped...add 1c chopped pecans at end.

    Mix together...don't worry it is wetter than it seems as you mix it. Greased 8x4 pans 60 min at 325 convection or til knife blade comes clean.


    Trailrunner,
    On this peach bread recipe - does the batter go into ONE pan like you say above or into TWO pans?

    I've just made this and put this in one 7" round dish and it did seem like an awful lot of batter for one "bread" but I thought I'd trust your recipe. It took a bit more than 60 minutes (72mins to be precise in my oven) but it has risen like the dickens - soared clear out of the bowl. So I'm back to wondering if it ought to have been in two. Pl. clarify coz this does look like something I will be so wanting to remake! It is absolutely delicious.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Oh cr&* I am sorry I typed "pans" and didn't say "2"..I am SORRY. It is 2 pans and I posted pics of two loaves but still I should have and meant to be more precise. It is very good....not as moist as the loaves that have huge amounts of butter but I like it and usually put some jam on it too. SORRY !!

  • cat_mom
    15 years ago

    loves2cook4six, my DH actually sent a box of figs to my parents and one to his parents the year before last. He sent them out overnight (or something like that) and it cost ~$20 to ship each pkg! It was the first year we'd had such a large "crop" and we were so excited that they were so very sweet and awesome tasting, we just had to share them with our parents.

    It's nerve-wracking those last weeks waiting for them to ripen. Ours tend to ripen somewhat late in the season, and we often get some drenching autumn rainstorms that destroy the figs just as they're about ready to be picked. They swell up with all that water and end up splitting (and the bugs get into them) or just becoming watery, and tasteless. Fingers are crossed that that won't happen this year!

  • mindimoo
    15 years ago

    You are my hero-ine! Everything is so beautiful, your kitchen, the produce, the results!! You must be really happy!

    Wow have you brought back happy memories of my mom and grandma canning when I was a kid! We'd pick veggies and fruits from our own gardens by the boxful and my mom and grandma would can and bake and work for days on end! Thanks for the walk down memory lane! I sure wish I had the time and energy!!!

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    mindimoo : you are so sweet ! And I bet that pie is too !!

    My Mom and grandmothers used to can all the time when I was a kid. My grandmothers made crocks of sauerkraut and pickles and they canned meat , chicken and beef, for use in the winter. They had big pressure cookers. Noone ever got sick from the canning that was done back then. my Dad's Mom used to make icecream everyday , during the Depression , to get rid of all the eggs. She used the yolks for the icecream and the whites to make angelfood cakes to go with it....every day ...she did this...what the women were like back then. c

  • loves2cook4six
    15 years ago

    Hi Caroline

    Came back to check this thread as I'm making the Chutney as I write this. Quick ?

    I see you have cinnamon in the chutney and are those black things peppercorns, cloves or something else. They're not in the recipe but I bet they would add to the flavor.

    I'm going to cross post this to make sure you see this.

    The figs didn't show up today but I did talk to the postmaster and gave him a heads up that I was expecting highly perishable fruit and not to leave it out on the mail truck. If I can't be the first delivery tomorrow he's going to refrigerate them for me till I can pick them up at lunch time. Can't wait - thank you again

  • pbrisjar
    15 years ago

    Any chance of hiring you out to come teach us west coasters how to make preserves? I've always wanted to learn and your recipes sound DELICIOUS!

    I love your paint color, too.

  • trailrunner
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I threw in the rest of the raisins that were out...just seeing this. Not sleeping...I sure hope the "blastedtwice d&*() " figs are even usable ! Don't worry about raisins in it. Not in recipe, c

    Westcoasters.....there are lots of great cooks out there....but f you get us a plane ticket we will come !!

  • patricianat
    15 years ago

    Caroline, not only are you an amazing kitchen designer but an amazing cook. This really does evoke memories of my mother and grandmother in the kitchen, all summer long, making preserves, jams, jellies, canning tomatoes for winter soups, sauces, picking berries, peaches, and in fall shelling pecans for all the cakes, pies and candies.

    I am so wowed by all the "fruits" of your labors and how beautiful they are indeed.

    I LOVE figs (do you make them with strawberry flavor also? My grandmother did). I am sooooo allergic to raw figs that we cannot even have a tree nearby and so are 2 of our children, but we can eat them cooked and my brother always made figs for us each year even until the last summer of his life. For so many reasons, I miss him and the figs are just one of the many, many thousands of reasons.

    I am sitting here with tears running down my face, from sadness,nostalgia but most of all joy to see someone carrying on this tradition.