Marisa McClellan's Blog, page 137

May 15, 2013

Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with Rose Flower Water

strawberry rhubarb jam


Every season, I find that I become infatuated with a new flavor enhancer for my batches of jam. I’ve previously gone through hot and heavy phases with cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, and star anise, and though we’re still early in the canning calendar, I predict that this is going to be the year of rose flower water.


macerating fruit


Right now, I’m seriously into this small batch of strawberry rhubarb jam with rose flower water. It’s essentially the same recipe as the one I contributed to Food 52 last week, but with a smidge less sugar and two glorious tablespoons of rose flower water. It is fragrant, sweet, and wonderful on a nutty slice of toast (it’s even more divine if you spread a layer of tangy fromage blanc between the toast and the jam).


cooking jam


Before I set you lose with the recipe, let’s talk for a moment about what I mean when I say rose flower water. This is not the rosewater that one daubs behind her ears, nor is it the tea rose perfume was so beloved by grandmothers the world over. It is a distillation of roses that is designed for culinary uses. And when used with economy, it is delightful. If you have any trouble tracking it down, try the Middle Eastern aisle of an international grocery store.


One final thing to know about rose flower water. It is somewhat fragile. As you’ll see in the recipe, you should add it at the very end of cooking, so that you don’t end up boiling way its fragrance.







Print

Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with Rose Flower Water





Ingredients

1 pound strawberries
1 pound rhubarb stalks
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rose flower water

Instructions

Wash the strawberries and rhubarb well. Hull the berries and dice them into small pieces. Chop the rhubarb into segments approximately 1/2 inch in size.
Place the chopped fruit in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with sugar. Stir to combine and cover. Let the fruit sit for at least an hour, until the juices are flowing. I often pop the bowl into the refrigerator at this point and cook the jam the following day.
When you're ready to cook the jam, prepare a small boiling water bath canner and three half pint jars and bring it to a boil. Place three new canning jar lids in a small pot and bring them to a bare simmer.
Pour the fruit and all the liquid into your jam pot and place it over high heat. For these small batches, I like to use a 12-inch, stainless steel skillet, but any low, wide, non-reactive pan will do.
Bring the fruit to a rapid boil and stir regularly. Over high heat, this jam should take 8 to 12 minutes to cook. It is done when it is quite thick. You can tell that it's ready when you draw your spoon or spatula through the jam, and it doesn't immediately rush in to fill that space. It will also make a vigorous sizzling noise when stirred when it is finished.
When the jam appears to be finished, stir in the rose flower water. Stir until it is incorporated and cook for an additional 30 seconds. The flower water is added at this point so you don't evaporate all the fragrance during cooking.
Remove the jam from the heat and funnel it into the prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (start your timer when the water returns to a boil, not the moment the jars go into the water bath).
When time is up, remove jars from canner and set them to cool on a folded kitchen towel. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the rings and test the seals by grasping the edges of the lid and lifting the jar an inch or so from the countertop. If the lid holds fast, the jars are sealed. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and eaten promptly.
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Related Posts:

Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam + Rhubarb Recipes from the Archives
A Thimbleful of Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with The Daily and More
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Published on May 15, 2013 20:49

May 14, 2013

Jars on Vacation: Lancaster County and the Lehigh Valley

Lancaster Farm Fresh goods


In recent years, I’ve developed something of a habit of planning vacations to jar-friendly destinations and them coming back here to share what I saw. Recently, Scott and I spent a week bopping around Lancaster County and the Lehigh Valley, and really, there’s no better place for jar spotting.


preserves from Rooster Street Provisions


For the first half of our trip, we stayed in a fabulous condo across the street from Lancaster’s Central Market. On Tuesday morning, we zigzagged our way through the market (it’s only open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday). Scott grazed on samples of baked goods while I snapped a few photos of jars.


smoked pepperoni sticks


I loved the preserves and charcuterie on offer at Rooster Street Provisions. I kicked myself that I didn’t get any of their cured meats.


yogurt in jars


I love that Linden Dale Farms is selling their yogurt in jars. They’re a type that is rated for home preserving, so not only can you get some delicious yogurt, but then you can turn around and can up some jam or pickles!


hot sauces


Hot sauces, jams, jellies, and pickles as far as the eye can see!


food in jars at Central Market


Amish-preserved foods. I used this photo as a header for a post recently, and a few folks thought it was my stuff. It’s not! So sorry for the confusion!


PIC_4413


This photo is from our visit to Good’s Store in East Earl, PA. It’s one of my favorite places to guy jars, because they devote an entire aisle to canning gear and they’re always fully stocked. I loved this tower of the blue heritage jars and couldn’t help but pick up a couple boxes.


Wall of preserves!


On the last day of our trip, we were headed to a friend’s annual barbecue in Allentown and so stopped at the Allentown Farmers’ Market to pick up something to bring. I couldn’t resist snapping an Instagram photo of this wall of preserves.

Related Posts:

Jars on Vacation: A Week in Lancaster County, PA
Photos from a Food in Jars Potluck
Black Raspberry Jam

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Published on May 14, 2013 20:30

May 13, 2013

Giveaway: Kootsac Reusable Bulk Bags

Kootsacs


There was a time when I regularly brought three or four jars with me every time I made a trip to Whole Foods, in order to buy various nuts, grains, and dried from the bulk section. However, I do most of my grocery shopping on foot and so lugging glass jars can start to get pretty darn heavy.


Several years back, I added a set of three light-weight, reusable bulk bin bags from Kootsac to my array of produce bags (if they sound familiar, it’s because I’ve mentioned them before) and have come to love them with a passion. They’re nearly weightless, so they don’t increase the amount you pay at check-out. They wash like a dream. And they appear to be nearly indestructible, as I’ve had mine for four years and they are showing no sign of wear at all.


Morgen, the creator of the Kootsac, is offering up a package of her reusable bags for a giveaway (scroll to the bottom of the post for details) and took the time to answer a few of my questions about her nifty product.


ripstop bags


Q: What inspired you to start making Kootsac?

A. I buy almost all my dry food from the bulk food section of my natural food stores. One of the top reasons why I do this was to save on packaging but I began to accumulate plastic bags. I would wash them and hang them to dry on my porch but, as most people who do this know, the bags become yucky after a few washes.


I searched online for reusable bulk food bags and could’nt find any – this was 6 years ago. I am a textile artist and designer so I have the skills to make them myself which is what I ended up doing. I feel like making Kootsac bags is one small thing that I can do to contribute to the movement towards living lighter on the planet.


Q: How many have you made since you started selling them?

A: I think I’ve sold about 8,000 bags since I started.


Q: How many plastic bags do you think your Kootsacs have kept from the landfills?

A: It’s hard to say how many bags have been kept from entering landfills but I can make an estimate based on my own usage. I use at least 5 bags a week, which in 6 years of use would have saved 1,500 bags from entering the landfill, so each bag would be worth 300 plastic bags in 6 years or 50 bags a year.


If I sold 8,000, then potentially Kootsac could have kept 400,000 bags from entering the landfill. Wow! I like those numbers! That’s provided that people who buy them use them, and of course some people may use them more or less times per week than I do.


reusable bulk bags


Q: What’s been the best comment from a Kootsac user about these bags?

A: I have had such amazing feedback from customers which makes this a hard question to answer, but here’s one I received very recently: ” I love Kootsacs! These are such fabulous bags I’ve been using for over a year now that I had to buy more!!! I save so much money buying my organics and whole grains in bulk and these bags work PERFECTLY for just about anything dry. They’re amazing!!! I save my bread tabs to use for closing up (more re-using!) which work perfectly, and I get so many complements on these. Thank you, again, for a truly beautiful product!!! :)


Thanks to Morgen, I have three ripstop nylon bags, three silk bags, and a cotton produce bag (it’s also good for bread and bagels). Here’s how to enter.



Leave a comment on this post and share your favorite thing to buy in bulk.
Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday.
Giveaway open to everyone.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.

Disclosure: Kootsac provided me with a sample set of bags, and is also providing an additional set for giveaway. However, no money changed hands and all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 
Related Posts:

Giveaway: Beautiful Earth Produce Bags
Love the Bulk for Earth Day
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Published on May 13, 2013 16:00

Upcoming Classes: Glenside! Greensgrow! Blooming Glen Farm!

lilacs in a green bottle


Happy Monday, friends! I’ll be back later with the weekly giveaway post, but I wanted to drop in this morning and share a couple of events I’ve got on the schedule for the next seven days. I’ll have cookbooks with me for sale at all three of these events!


This Thursday, May 16, I’ll be at the Glenside Free Library in Glenside, PA at 6:30 pm to teach an introduction to pickling class. We’ll talk about hot pack, cold pack, and how to ensure a crisp pickle. This is a free event and there will be plenty of pickles to taste at the end of the evening.


On Saturday, May 18, I’m teaching a low-sugar strawberry mint jam class at Greensgrow (an urban farm in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood). The class is from 12 noon to 2 pm and costs just $35. Click here to sign up.


Finally, on Sunday, May 19, I’m teaching a strawberry vanilla jam class at Blooming Glen Farm in Perkasie, PA. This class is from 10 am – 12 noon and costs $50 per person. If you’ve never been, Blooming Glen is an impossibly beautiful farm and offers a lovely setting for a class. Click here to sign up.


Note: Registration for the classes this weekend is currently low, so in order to ensure that they goes forward, please sign up sooner rather than later.

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Upcoming Canning Classes and Les Dames Symposium
Photos from a Tomato Canning Workshop
Upcoming Classes and Events: Glen Mills! Syracuse! Perkasie! Troy, NY! Chicago!

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Published on May 13, 2013 06:00

May 12, 2013

Links: Strawberries, Rhubarb, and a Cooking With Flowers Winner

May salad kit


My favorite farmers market opened for the season last weekend. I missed the first day because I was sleeping off the effects of food poisoning (which led straight into a week-long cold. The last month has been a doozy for me in terms of health), but I got out of bed this morning in plenty of time to fill my shopping bag with arugula, russian kale, asparagus, sorrel, green garlic, and an entirely indulgence cluster of fragrant lilac. Spring is here and it feels amazing.


Here are some of the links that tickled my fancy this week:



Get yourself ready for grilling season with these pickled shallots with thyme
Capture spring with a jar of strawberry rhubarb shrub.
Speaking of rhubarb, how about curried rhubarb orange chutney? I’m kicking myself that it never occurred to me to add curry to rhubarb without prompting.
Mint and celery soda. You must click through to check out the color!
Strawberry rhubarb bars held together with coconut. Amazing.
I have an inexplicable number of canned whole tomatoes left from last fall’s canning session and so this recipe for stewed tomatoes is calling my name.
I’ll be freezing some rhubarb later this week so I’ll be able to make this honey-sweetened cherry rhubarb jam when cherries come into season around these parts.
Like umeboshi? Check out the work involved in making it.
Want to know more about pectin? Look no further!
My lovely intern Olivia ended her time with me a couple weeks back. She’s written up her thoughts about the internship.

Cooking with Flowers cover


cooking with flowers winnerReading all your comments over the course of the last week on the Cooking With Flowers giveaway, about the many ways in which you guys eat flowers, made me continually hungry! Thank goodness spring is here and flowers are everywhere (even here in the city).


The winner is commenter #165, which is Linda. She said, “I like to add my arugula flowers to my salad.” Sounds delicious!

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Links: Rhubarb, Fiddleheads, and Aladdin Tumbler Winners
Links: Biscuits, Jammy Sweet Rolls, and Homemade Sodas + Winners
Links: Waffles, Parfaits, and Pickle-brined Chicken + a Blue Jar Winner

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Published on May 12, 2013 20:14

May 10, 2013

Small Batch Strawberry Rhubarb Jam + Rhubarb Recipes from the Archives

rhubarb and strawberries


Last weekend, on the very tail end of our vacation, Scott and I spent an hour walking through the Allentown Farmers Market. While there weren’t any local strawberries to be found, there was plenty of ruby stalks of rhubarb from area farms and gardens. I bought a generous sackful and have been throwing a little one-woman rhubarb festival in my kitchen this week (between sneezes from a most irritating spring cold).


macerating strawberries and rhubarb


I cooked up a small batch of strawberry rhubarb jam that went live over on Food 52 earlier today. I liked that one so much that I made a second batch that I spiked with three tablespoons of rose flower water (influenced by Cooking With Flowers!). I also made another batch of this roasted rhubarb compote with vanilla (it’s insanely good). I’m currently out of rhubarb, but plan on getting more this weekend to cook into chutney and syrup.


roasted rhubarb pieces


When that’s all done, if there’s time, I’m going to make a batch of strawberry rhubarb butter, and another of rhubarb jelly with rosemary (I don’t mean to be a tease, but it’s a recipe from the new book! And it’s so, so good). It’s such a joy to have something fresh and good to work with.


How are you guys using rhubarb these days?

Related Posts:

A Thimbleful of Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam with The Daily and More
Small Batch Blood Orange Marmalade

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Published on May 10, 2013 20:52

May 7, 2013

Giveaway: Cooking With Flowers + Dandelion Jam Recipe

Cooking with Flowers cover


A few years back, I was a member of a CSA share that regularly included edible flowers in with the lettuces, tomatoes, and zucchini. While I was charmed by the presence of these flowers, I was always flummoxed when it came to actually using them. If only Miche Bacher’s new book, Cooking with Flowers had been around then. I would have done so much more with those tasty blooms.


Hibiscus Popsicles


Organized by variety of flower, each section begins with details about the particular blossom being featured. Then come the recipes, which manage to straddle the line between being appealing new and still familiar enough to get the old salivary glands working (for instances, how about a scoop of Lilac Sorbet).


Dandelions


As a preserver, I’m particularly interested in the ways that flowers can enhance my preserves. I often used dried lavender buds in jams and jellies to add a floral note, but now I’m contemplating the ways that lilac, nasturtium, and rose petals could improve or add interest to my basic sweet spreads. Makes the mind boggle a little, doesn’t it?


Pansy Tea Sandwiches


Thanks to the nice folks at Quirk Books, I have two treats to share from this book today. First is a giveaway of a copy. Here’s how to enter.



Leave a comment on this post and tell me about a time you ate a flower. Could be at as a garnish on sculpted white rice or the time when you were six and learned that guava flowers were delicious (true story).
Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Saturday, May 11, 2013. Winner will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday.
Giveaway open to U.S. resident only.
One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.

The second treat is a recipe for Dandelion Jam. It’s a recipe that was originally intended to go in the book, but because of space constraints, was cut from the volume. However, Eric from Quirk knows I happen to have a thing for jams and so asked if I’d like to feature the recipe here. I said yes and here we are.


I’ve not made this jam, but having read the recipe, I do believe it should work. For a preserve like this one, cooking it up to 220 degrees F will improve your chances of getting a good set from it. Also, do note that while it instructs you to put the finished jam in sterilized jars and seal them, it also requires that you store them in the fridge. This is because the jam doesn’t have the proper acidity for boiling water bath canning.



dandelion jam

This photo courtesy of Quirk Books






Print

Dandelion Jam





Ingredients

8 cups water
4 cups dandelion blossoms
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 (1 3/4-ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
5 1/2 cups sugar

Instructions

Pour the water into a large saucepan and add dandelion blossoms. Bring mixture to a boil and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, or until water turns yellow.
Pour the resulting tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the flowers to get as much of the color and flavor through the strainer as you can. Discard blossoms.
Place 3 cups of the tea in a medium saucepan and add lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar and boil for 10 minutes, or until sugar dissolves.
Pour mixture into sterilized half-pint jars and seal. Store refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Notes

Where to Find Dandelions: This extremely hardy perennial grows best in well-drained sunny spots, and foraging for it couldn’t be easier. When harvesting dandelions, make sure you choose a spot in an organic lawn that’s far from a road, parking lot, or other possible contaminants. If you really want dandelions next year, make a game of it: invite a child or a friend to pick a puffball and blow, blow, blow!

One of the best things about cooking with dandelions is that to do it, you have to spend some time gathering blossoms. You’ll know the time outdoors was well spent when the taste of spring bursts forth from your jam or muffins.

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Disclosure: Quirk Books provided me with a review copy of this book, as well as a giveaway copy. No money changed hands and my opinions are entirely my own.
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Tomato Mango Jam + Breakfast for Dinner Giveaway
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Published on May 07, 2013 20:55

May 6, 2013

Links: Rhubarb, Fiddleheads, and Aladdin Tumbler Winners

new friendship bowls


I’m back from vacation. It was a lovely respite from regular life and though we didn’t go anywhere particularly exotic, Scott and I really enjoyed bopping around Lancaster County and the Lehigh Valley. I had plenty of blog reading time while we were away and so here are some of the links I’ve collected to share.



Peanut butter and jam turnovers. Could be a fun addition to a Mother’s Day brunch. 
Homemade cream cheese. Brilliant.
Looks for a new way to fancy up sparkling water? How about this rhubarb raspberry fizz!
Speaking of rhubarb, this melted red onion and rhubarb fondue sounds gorgeous.
Still more rhubarb! This time, baked into scones with strawberries.
I had some banana jam at a food swap last summer that blew me away. This one sounds equally delightful.
DIY beeswax food wrap.
Save those strawberry scraps and make your own strawberry vinegar.
A tour of a small batch jam factory. Love those giant jam pans.
And finally, because it’s spring and we’re all going crazy for whatever seasonal produce is available, pickled fiddlehead ferns.

Aladdin Original Insulated Mason Tumbler


aladdin winnersTime for winners in the Aladdin Mason Tumbler. Thanks to all of you who took the time to enter and share your favorite vacations! Our winners are commenter numbers #75 (Paula), #166 (Athena), and #422 (Anotai Udomwittyakrai). I’ll be in touch with all the winners shortly.

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Links: Biscuits, Jammy Sweet Rolls, and Homemade Sodas + Winners
Links: Waffles, Parfaits, and Pickle-brined Chicken + a Blue Jar Winner
Links: Bread, Cake and Marmalade + the Bee’s Wrap Winner

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Published on May 06, 2013 20:35

May 3, 2013

“The Return of Spring” at Art in the Age

food in jars at Central Market


In the past, my work as a writer, teacher, and food preserver has taken me to libraries, barns, farmers markets, and private homes. Tonight, for the first time, it’s taking me (or at least, my books and jars) to an art gallery. A collection of my jams, pickles, and preserves, along with copies of my book, will be part of the new show at the Art in the Age shop/gallery in Old City, Philadelphia.


Called The Return of Spring, this group exhibition features an eclectic mix of work from environmentally inspired artists and craftspeople from the Philadelphia region. It opens tonight at part of First Friday and runs through the end of the month. There’s a reception tonight from 6-8 pm and you can get more details about that here. I hope some of you can make it!

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The Food in Jars Cookbook + Giveaway
Cookbooks: Fine Preserving, Salt Sugar Smoke, and Whole Larder Love
Cookbooks: Put ‘em Up Fruit + Giveaway

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Published on May 03, 2013 07:28

May 2, 2013

Guest Post: Pickled Beets with Honey from Camille Storch

DSC_1048


Oh friends, do I have a treat in store for you today! It’s a guest post from writer, woodworker, avid canner, and mom of two, Camille Storch. She writes about ecology, agriculture, community, and the reality of her family’s joyful, off-the-grid life in rural Western Oregon on her blog,  Wayward Spark.


She also designs and crafts natural edge cutting and serving boards and sells them in her Etsy shop, Red Onion Woodworks. I recently added one of her boards to my kitchen and it’s quickly become one of my most loved and used tools. Enjoy!


beets


My mom canned a lot when I was a kid, but like most activities my parents enjoyed, I had no interest in participating in her steamy kitchen exploits. My parents were big gardeners/small farmers who sold their vegetables and baked goods at the local farmers’ market starting the year I was born (and continuing to this day). I enjoyed hanging around the action of the market, and I always loved to eat pretty much any kind of fruit or vegetable, but I never once sowed a seed or pulled a weed unless I was coerced or bribed into doing it.


In a strange and unexplainable turn of events, I got my first real job when I was still in high school working on an organic vegetable farm, and even more surprisingly, I really liked it. I tackled thistles, harvested sweet cherries, and cleaned fresh garlic for days on end. I got a couple of gnarly sunburns, I learned to speak Spanish, and for the first time in my life, I developed real working muscles. And my love for fruits and vegetables reached a whole new level.


DSC_0818


When I moved out of my parents’ house at 18, I would regularly eat giant piles of kale (before kale was the phenom that it is today) over brown rice for dinner, and in the summer, I’d feast on unmarketable-but-still-delicious cracked heirloom tomatoes out in the fields with sprigs of basil as chasers. Farms and food became a way of life for me during my college years, and I’d show up to class in dirty Carhartt’s, like they were some sort of badge of honor.


My first forays into canning on my own involved farm excesses including ugly tomatoes, windfall apples, and a whole box of scarred nectarines that couldn’t be sold. I spent a fair bit of time on the phone with my mom or tracking down USDA hot water bath guidelines, but it wasn’t long before the rhythm of washing, sterilizing, peeling, stuffing, lidding, and boiling was familiar and comforting.


cipollinis


I moved into a rental house with a new roommate in May at the end of my junior year in college, and I saw my roommate’s eyes grow wide as I schlepped box after box of empty canning jars up the steps and into the kitchen. A month later, I bought my first chest freezer and moved that into the house, too. I’m fairly certain my roommate thought I was completely off my rocker, but by the end of the summer, I had canned, frozen, or dried enough produce to feed a small army.


Over the years, I’ve pared down my canning experiments to include more or less just what my family can and wants to eat in the off season: a few jars of jam, some applesauce, a lot of cold-packed whole tomatoes, and a few extras just for fun or for gifts (plus a freezer full of blueberries and other staples). The fact that canning and preserving is really “in” right now is kind of funny to me because it’s been a part of my own life for so long now that it doesn’t feel too special anymore. That said, I’m all in favor of any activity that brings folks closer to their food and the farms that produce that food.


DSC_0780


When I stumbled across this new fangled group called the Portland Preservation Society on Instagram, I was intrigued. When I went to my first meeting, I was hooked. The PPS is a loose collective of Portland area food enthusiasts that meets monthly to swap (mostly canned) food items. (Be sure to check out PPS founder Brooke Weeber’s crazy cool vegetable illustrations in her Etsy shop, Little Canoe.) Every meeting is a showcase of the possibilities in food preservation from jellies to pickles to spreads to infused alcohols, sweet and savory alike.


The April PPS meeting was the perfect excuse for me to dust off my trusty pickled beet recipe. I first ordered a big bag of beets from my vegetable alma mater, Gathering Together Farm, and then I stole a few onions from my parents’ root cellar. I used honey instead of sugar in this recipe because my husband is a beekeeper, so we almost always have honey on hand, and I’m all about keepin’ it local. I spent a pleasant afternoon stuffing jars and perfuming my kitchen with steam from the sweet and tangy brine. In the end, I discovered that my fellow PPS members are just as enthusiastic about pickled beets as I am, but luckily I held back a couple jars to enjoy at home.


pickled-beets-fij


There are beet lovers and beet haters in the world, and well, I love ‘em. Pretty much any style of beets suits me just fine, especially if the earthy roots are paired with a bit of creamy chévre or salty feta. These pickled beets are honey sweetened but not overly so and seasoned with onion (cipollini if you can find them) and a bit of pickling spice. The preservative power comes from the all-important ratio of 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water, so if you want to halve or double this recipe, be sure to retain that balance.







Print

Pickled Beets with Honey


Yield: 7 quarts




Ingredients

~10 pounds beets, any size or shape
4 small or 2 medium onions
8 cups apple cider vinegar
4 cups water
2 cups honey
1 tablespoon salt
7 tablespoons pickling spice (your own blend or a premixed medley from the store)

Instructions

Sterilize 7 quart jars or 14 pint jars and lids.
Peel and slice the onions. Add a handful of onion slices to each jar. Wash the beets, and trim off the beet greens and long roots. Steam the whole beets until fork tender (about 40 minutes). Allow them to cool. Cut the beets into wedges, slices, or bite-sized chunks, and pack them into jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Add 1 tablespoon of pickling spice to each quart jar (1 1/2 teaspoon per pint jar).
In a medium pot, bring the vinegar, water, honey, and salt to a rolling boil. Pour the brine into the jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a paper towel, and screw on canning lids until finger tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes (as per OSU Extension Service's guidelines).Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin2.2http://www.foodinjars.com/2013/05/guest-post-pickled-beets-with-honey-from-camille-storch/


Related Posts:

Preserves in Action: Baby Arugula with Pickled Beets
Blog Update and Meet the Intern
Guest Post: A First Time Canner Makes Blueberry Jam
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Published on May 02, 2013 05:00