Preserving the Seasons

I have very recently discovered the joys of canning and preserving. As I shared with you previously, I began making refrigerator jams, in order to test my jam-making skills. The resultant jams seem very popular in my household, and therefore, I decided to try my hand at canning. Thus far, I have only made 2 jams: a peach jam and a raspberry jam. I used two different recipes and books to try out different styles.

Since there are very serious health concerns involved with canning, I am only going to refer you to the sources I have used, but not give a recipe or instructions. I am only an amateur myself, after all. The first book I read and used is The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home by Janet Chadwick (2009), and the second is Canning For A New Generation by Liana Krissoff (2010). The Beginner's Guide gives very specific instructions for preserving foods by canning, freezing, and dehydrating, as well as traditional-style recipes. Canning For A New Generation is a younger, hipper take on canning, with a modern feel to the recipes. The recipes are also more health-conscious, including ways to reduce the amount of sugar by using other ingredients.

I have to say that the first time I went through the process it was frustrating, but by the second round I had become more comfortable with the steps. The entire process (from sterilizing the jars, to making the jam, to finally "processing" the filled jars) does take some time, but if you can make big batches, I believe it will be worth your while. I started by making small batches of each jam, since I had never tried the recipes or the process before, but now I see that I could save a lot of time and money by making a much larger batch of jam in order to fill multiple jars at a time.

The options for what foods can be preserved are endless and this has opened up a whole new world for me. What a great way to eat and buy seasonally, but still be able to enjoy summer produce, such as raspberries, during the rest of the year. Next up for me: dehydrating tomatoes.

End of Summer "Caprese" Salad

As the end of summer approaches, we decided to feature tomatoes in a side salad with leftover soup the other night. I was able to get some amazing organic junior beefsteak tomatoes at the farmer's market, along with fresh basil. Instead of mozzarella, we decided to make a twist on the traditional Caprese salad and use cottage cheese, for the lighter taste and high protein content.

Since we were having spiced vegetable soup (with some fava beans), we wanted to make a salad that would be healthy, but at the same time contribute some extra protein to the meal. To make this salad, simply slice ripened tomatoes and line them up on a serving plate. Spoon small amounts of low-fat cottage cheese between the tomato slices. Top with chopped fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, and finally sprinkle the whole salad with olive oil.

This is a great, inexpensive way to enjoy seasonal ingredients. Cottage cheese is cheap, high in protein and other nutrients, and can be obtained at any grocery store. As for the tomatoes and basil, I recommend trying to get the freshest and highest quality produce you can (if you have a farmer's market or produce stand in your area, this would be ideal).

The Freezer Is My Friend

During the summer, Adam and I tend to use fresh ingredients and make our food from scratch each day. For lighter meals, we have salads or soups, but do not generally utilize leftovers as much as we normally would. This is mainly due to the abundance of fresh produce we want to take advantage of, as well as the higher temperatures which tend to curb our appetites for warm foods.

With fall approaching, it is time to re-discover the most useful appliance in our kitchen: the freezer. Nine months out of the year, our freezer plays a prominent role in our daily food lives. We make large batches of soups, stews, chilis and various bean dishes, amongst other things, only to freeze the leftovers for another day. This is a great way to save time and money, since making a large batch of any type of food is generally less costly than making multiple smaller batches.

Freezing is also useful for those of us who eat meat and fish. We usually buy meats in larger quantities and freeze portions. This way, we can take advantage of specials and family-packs offered at the grocery store. Buying meat in this way, as opposed to just enough for one meal at a time, is another great money saver.

Lastly, I like to buy summer produce to freeze for later use at times when it's not possible to buy locally. For instance, this is a great idea for berries of all kinds. Buy a large flat of berries from your local farmer's market, wash, dry, and spread out on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours, allowing the berries to begin freezing individually. Once the berries are slightly frozen, you can store them in a freezer-proof plastic bag, and enjoy fresh, local produce for the rest of the winter. To defrost, put the berries in the refrigerator to thaw and then use in baking, or to make compotes. Defrosted berries will even do well plain in yogurt, with a slightly mushier consistency.

Freezing foods provides a fast, easy way to have homemade meals when you are short on time and energy. Making larger batches with the intention of freezing leftovers can set you up for great fare later when you have evening activities, are tired from work, or just don't feel like cooking. The benefits are enormous since you will save money on take-out dinners, and probably be eating healthier homemade foods.

Edible Explorations Book Club: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

In trying to decide what to write about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (with Steven Hopp and Camille Kingsolver), I was conflicted. On the one hand, the book is full of useful and interesting information, both about eating locally and about raising animals and vegetables on your own. However, while I was reading the book, the tone of Kingsolver's writing failed to resonate with me as a reader.

The idea of living locally for a year is not unique, but it is interesting to read about how the changes in the land and the climate affect one's ability to live off the land. I found the family's ability to avoid processed and large-scale produced food to be most interesting and relevant for me personally, as opposed to the accounts of living mainly off of their own land. Since I do not own a farm in Appalachia (as she does), I cannot sustain myself by growing my own vegetables and raising my own poultry. However, this book did inspire me to try harder to live locally, and mainly to continue my quest to eat seasonally.

Although the book presented an interesting narrative, it did read more like a novel than a non-fiction account of a family's experiences on their farm. At times, I would have liked to learn more specifically about how they accomplished their feats. Kingsolver does present her story as educational for the general public, but omits the details of how we, the masses, can really try to accomplish some of what her family has done.

Returning to my conflicted feelings for a minute, I have been trying to decide what to write about the tone of the book. I found it difficult to connect with Kingsolver's writing, as it was at times preachy and overly-saccharine. She seemed to be trying to tell the reader what he/she should be doing to live more sustainably, but without backing that up with real ideas or facts.

If you are interested in a light read about food culture, this is a good book for you. However, if you are reading it expecting to educate yourself on how to implement these ideas on your own, you may want to look elsewhere for your information. I would recommend Anna Lappe's books as a more informative, less self-righteous body of work.

Fig and Lime Jam

I have been wanting to try my hand at making more jams, chutneys and preserves, but I have not yet advanced to the full canning and preserving stage. Therefore, I decided to make a seasonal refrigerator fig jam, just to try a recipe and decide whether or not this is a cooking arena I would like to pursue further.

With a refrigerator jam, you do not go through the canning process, but instead keep the jam in the refrigerator for a few weeks (hopefully you will have eaten it by the time it would go bad, but it will go bad eventually).

Figs are in high season right now, and I bought a pound from my local farmer's market earlier this week. I love to eat fig-infused foods, but I have, in the past, had trouble finding ways to prepare figs. A jam seemed like a viable option. I found the recipe in my Cooking Light reserves (June 2010). In my version, I did cut out some sugar, because even Cooking Light's sugar levels seemed excessive.

1/2 cup sugar
1/8 cup lime juice
1 pound fresh Black Mission Figs, cut into small pieces

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and mash with a potato masher until thoroughly mixed. Let stand for 2 hours, allowing the flavors to intermingle.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Stir occasionally. Spoon into a clean jar, let cool slightly and refrigerate.

If you are using a type of fig that is not as sweet as the Black Mission Figs, you may want to increase the amount of sugar slightly.

Summer Vegetable Tortilla

At the end of last week, Adam and I roasted a very large batch of summer vegetables: zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, peppers, and celery. We ate these for dinner on Thursday with a meat sauce, added some of the leftovers to our Greek salad on Friday, and finally used the remains for a Roasted Vegetable Tortilla (or a cross between a tortilla and an omelette) on Monday. This turned out to be a tasty, and very budget-friendly way to enjoy the vegetables of the season. These are all dishes that everyone can make - it's that easy!

To roast the vegetables, simply chop them into large pieces, throw them into a roasting pan, coat with oil, season with salt and pepper, and place in a 400 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. Stir the vegetables once or twice and test periodically with a cake tester. If you are using small tomatoes, add them whole after about 30 minutes, to avoid over-cooking them.

We sometimes add some chopped herbs as well, depending on how we are serving this. Roasted vegetables are great with fish and meat dishes, or with a yogurt-chutney sauce and a salad as a lighter meal.

For the tortilla, chop the leftover veggies into smaller pieces, and add them to a mixture of:

4 eggs, whisked
~ 1/4 cup Plain Yogurt
~ 2 tbs. Oat Flour
A Small Handful of Herbs (Sage and Parsley in our case)
1/8 tsp. Salt (since the roasted veggies are already salted)
Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. When the pan is hot, add the mixture and stir for a few moments, until the eggs just begin to cook. At that point, spread the batter out evenly in the pan and let cook, covered. If the tortilla is browning too quickly on the bottom, turn the heat down for the rest of the cooking time. The tortilla is done when the top has set.

Roasting veggies are a cheap and flexible way to use vegetables you have around the house, augmenting with in-season veggies from the store or farmer's market. If you are able to make a big batch, you really can produce food for several meals at once, saving time, energy, and your budget.

Feeding Your Pet (Cat) Update

When I last wrote about my cat food troubles, I promised to post an update when my research had progressed further. I have continued to read and research the pros and cons of various brands and types of food. After reading Ann Martin's book Foods Pets Die For, I felt I needed to try some of the "natural", "healthier" brands. However, Kia did not take well to several brands that I tried. In fact, she had trouble keeping her meals down.

I then heard about a book that had just come out by Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim, entitled Feed Your Pet Right: The Authoritative Guide to Feeding Your Dog and Cat (2010). Marion Nestle is very well-known for her work on human nutrition and the food industry, so I knew that she would have done her research. According to these authors, unless you make your own pet food, there is not a significant difference in the quality of the food in the major brands, even the ones labeled "natural".

However, I did read in both sources that feeding your cat a diet of too much fish can be detrimental because, historically, this is not a source of food in the wild. Therefore, cats may not get all the nutrients they need from fish. In addition, the mercury content in certain fish can be harmful, as it is to humans. I was giving Kia mainly canned food with fish flavors, and therefore, I have switched to beef and poultry. I have stayed with Fancy Feast wet food and Science Diet dry food, though, because she seems to react well to those brands.

I still maintain hope to one day switch Kia to homemade food, but additional research is still needed to make that transition.