Saturday, March 05, 2011
Lake Country TV visits the vinegary
Last summer, Steve Henning and his camera crew of one visited the vinegary. His special project brings the arts and specialty items to viewers in central Minnesota via Lake Country TV. Steve was generous in also uploading his work to YouTube. This is our first appearance on YouTube. Thanks Steve! We hope you enjoy the vinegary tour.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Summer of the heart
By Laura Leasman
All the cold and snow we have had this winter is making me yearn for summer and the greening of the landscape. Growing up, having a large garden was always a part of summer. The whole family would take part in weeding, processing and eating the wonderful food the garden produced. I can honestly say that I did not appreciate it at the time. I actually hated going out and weeding, or sitting at the table shucking peas. I now realize what a valuable experience and amazing family I have, in part due to the time we all spent together as we grew up and the chores we were forced to do as a family.
Oh Summer, you are so close and yet so very far away!
All the cold and snow we have had this winter is making me yearn for summer and the greening of the landscape. Growing up, having a large garden was always a part of summer. The whole family would take part in weeding, processing and eating the wonderful food the garden produced. I can honestly say that I did not appreciate it at the time. I actually hated going out and weeding, or sitting at the table shucking peas. I now realize what a valuable experience and amazing family I have, in part due to the time we all spent together as we grew up and the chores we were forced to do as a family.I now find great joy in going home and visiting the gardens. I do not have space for my own garden, but I can get my garden fix at my parents' or at friends' homes. Vegetables fresh from the garden are a necessity of summer. Picking cherry tomatoes off the vine, warm from the sun, or pulling carrots, wiping off the dirt and eating them immediately are a joy that can only be experienced.
My mom’s herb garden was added after I left home for college. I can visit and see all the wonderful plants growing heartily due to the cool rains and bright sunlight: sage, rosemary, tarragon, dill, thyme, parsley, cilantro, oregano, echinacea, and basil are just a few of the herbs that comprise the herb garden. Dad has been able to utilize these amazing plants to flavor his vinegars. The vinegars, made from home-grown fruits such as grape, rhubarb and apple, are infused with the herbs. The flavors meld over time and create a complex and enjoyable culinary experience.
One of my favorite recipes, due to its simplicity, bright contrasting color combinations, and fresh taste is a dish made from fresh basil, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella cheese. Simply slice the tomatoes and cheese and arrange on a plate. Fresh basil leaves, either whole or sliced into thin strips, are then sprinkled on top of the tomatoes and cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar (perhaps Leatherwood Garlic), and top with cracked black pepper and a little salt. This salad is indicative of summer and always a crowd pleaser.
Oh Summer, you are so close and yet so very far away!
Friday, February 04, 2011
Leatherwood Vinegars add zing to Mediterranean cooking
By Laura Leasman
Within the last fifteen years, I was introduced to the fresh taste of Mediterranean cuisine. My first experience was with the family for whom I used to nanny. One night after work I was invited to join the family for dinner. They were making falafel and had hummus and pita bread on hand. We snacked on Kalamata olives and chatted as the falafel co
oked in extra virgin olive oil. The falafel was served on the pita bread with humus, tomato, and lettuce.
oked in extra virgin olive oil. The falafel was served on the pita bread with humus, tomato, and lettuce. I slowly became hooked to the light fresh flavors that can be found in Mediterranean cooking. I now love the large quantity and variety of vegetables, and the contrasting colors, they impart to the savory dishes. Eggplant is one vegetable, often used in Mediterranean cooking, that I am still working with. I find the eggplant to be very versatile, it absorbs the flavors of the food it is cooked with beautifully, but I have yet to perfect my cooking technique. Hummus, falafel and pita bread are still a favorite. These three ingredients, layered with tomato and lettuce, are a light and flavorful meal.
My favorite Mediterranean dish is the Greek, or Turkish, salad. The basic ingredients are: lettuce, tomato, red onion, Kalamata olives, Peperoncini peppers, and feta cheese. This salad is wonderful drizzled with olive oil, Leatherwood Vinegary vinegar and topped with freshly cracked black pepper.
I like to make my own dressings. It is easier to control the amount of the ingredients and I can tailor it to my taste craving of the day. I love to use the herbal vinegars. Ones I would recommend include basil, thyme, rosemary, and garlic, as well as any of the fruit vinegars. If home-made hummus is on the menu to accompany the salad, a dash of vinegar added to the hummus adds depth to its flavor.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Vinegar has a mother?
By Laura Leasman
I was thinking about vinegar today and kept returning to two aspects of vinegar: its smell and its mother. Why? Because I had time on my hands while plucking big yellow feathers at work (I make Big Bird for stage shows). How do these three things, vinegar, mother, and work all fit together?
Vinegar’s strong aroma seems to be an affront to the senses of someone who is not accustomed to it. I have acclimated to the smell and when entering Dad’s Vinegary I feel much the same sensation as when walking outside on a below-zero day in a Minnesota winter. Your breath is stolen for a moment and it almost hurts to breath; but the body acclimates. I have come to, almost, enjoy the smell. It reminds me of home and the enjoyment the process of making vinegar brings my Dad. It may not be a great idea to cook a generous quantity of vinegar in a microwave at work however. The aroma may be found off- putting to the less vinegar-educated individual.
I, as well as my siblings, have learned a bit about how vinegar is made from our Dad. Through this process we have learned that the gelatinous mass that forms in some vinegar is called “mother.” It may start as a wispy cloud and, if left to form in a large quantity, it can form a thick slimy layer. The mother is not harmful and is a product of the process of making vinegar.
I work at the same company as my sister (she makes Ernie’s shoes)and one day her boss came up to me with a vinegar question.
I am slowly trying to educate people around me on the benefits of using herbal vinegars and a variety of its uses. The easiest way to incorporate vinegar, other than a daily undiluted dose on a spoon, would be to pour a small amount on fresh fruit. Cut up fresh fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries and drizzle with a fruit vinegar such as cherry or rhubarb. If you are feeling more adventurous, drizzle with an herb vinegar such as ros
I was thinking about vinegar today and kept returning to two aspects of vinegar: its smell and its mother. Why? Because I had time on my hands while plucking big yellow feathers at work (I make Big Bird for stage shows). How do these three things, vinegar, mother, and work all fit together?
Vinegar’s strong aroma seems to be an affront to the senses of someone who is not accustomed to it. I have acclimated to the smell and when entering Dad’s Vinegary I feel much the same sensation as when walking outside on a below-zero day in a Minnesota winter. Your breath is stolen for a moment and it almost hurts to breath; but the body acclimates. I have come to, almost, enjoy the smell. It reminds me of home and the enjoyment the process of making vinegar brings my Dad. It may not be a great idea to cook a generous quantity of vinegar in a microwave at work however. The aroma may be found off- putting to the less vinegar-educated individual.
I, as well as my siblings, have learned a bit about how vinegar is made from our Dad. Through this process we have learned that the gelatinous mass that forms in some vinegar is called “mother.” It may start as a wispy cloud and, if left to form in a large quantity, it can form a thick slimy layer. The mother is not harmful and is a product of the process of making vinegar.
I work at the same company as my sister (she makes Ernie’s shoes)and one day her boss came up to me with a vinegar question.
“Laura, I have a bottle of vinegar that has a cloudy substance in it. Do you think it is still okay to use?”
I was able to respond with the knowledge I had learned about vinegar mother. It is fine to use vinegar that has mother in it. It does not negatively affect the quality of vinegar. Most people probably don’t eat the mother, but some believe it has health benefits and even look for vinegar that has mother in it.
I am slowly trying to educate people around me on the benefits of using herbal vinegars and a variety of its uses. The easiest way to incorporate vinegar, other than a daily undiluted dose on a spoon, would be to pour a small amount on fresh fruit. Cut up fresh fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries and drizzle with a fruit vinegar such as cherry or rhubarb. If you are feeling more adventurous, drizzle with an herb vinegar such as ros
emary or basil. The vinegar brings out the flavor of the berries and is surprisingly refreshing. It is also much healthier than dosing the fruit with sugar or cream.
Enjoy, and ALWAYS use as much vinegar as you like!!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Growing up with vinegar
by Laura Leasman
I think I was like many children growing up in that I never really thought much about vinegar. The extent of my vinegar knowledge extended to two things: my mom soaking the dish rag in white vinegar to clean it and Grandma’s canned dill pickles.
Mom would often soak the dish rag in white vinegar to clean it as well as eliminate any accumulated odors. She would mix a little vinegar with water in the kitchen sink and let the rag soak for a while. I remember running by the sink and catching that tell-tale whiff of the soaking rag and kept running. The vinegar smell was very distinctive and strong to my young nose. The vinegar did the job though, and eliminated the odors. As my dad says, cleaning is about all white vinegar is good for.
My Grandmother’s canned dill pickles are one of my favorite childhood memories. The whole family would pile into the van and go visit my grandparents on a Sunday afternoon. The kitchen table was set with Grandma’s rose dishes and a glass dish of pickles was always at the table’s center. The pickles were to accompany the meal of course, but the kids could never wait. We would all sneak a few pickles before the meal began. I know Grandma knew, but often she would let us get away with the minor thievery. Grandma’s pickles were just that good.
Now that I have grown up a little, I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. The fond memories of my childhood sometimes influence my recipe choices, and I do still love pickles. This is my grandma’s pickle recipe, slightly updated to utilize my dad’s amazing vinegars. Some of the vinegars that I think would best compliment the recipe would include: Garlic, Cilantro, Jalapeno pepper, Serrano pepper or Habanero pepper. Enjoy!
Pasteurized Dill Pickles
1 cup salt 6 cups vinegar
13 cups water sugar
dill and cucumbers
Combine salt, water, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes. Put a head of dill in the bottom of quart jar. Pack in washed cucumbers. Add a tablespoon of sugar to each jar and another head of dill. Pour the boiling brine over the cucumbers to within ½ inch of the top of the jar. Adjust covers and seal. Set the jars in a deep kettle. Cover with boiling water and allow to stand until cold. This recipe yields approximately 9 quarts. Allow at
least 2 months for curing.
Mom would often soak the dish rag in white vinegar to clean it as well as eliminate any accumulated odors. She would mix a little vinegar with water in the kitchen sink and let the rag soak for a while. I remember running by the sink and catching that tell-tale whiff of the soaking rag and kept running. The vinegar smell was very distinctive and strong to my young nose. The vinegar did the job though, and eliminated the odors. As my dad says, cleaning is about all white vinegar is good for.
My Grandmother’s canned dill pickles are one of my favorite childhood memories. The whole family would pile into the van and go visit my grandparents on a Sunday afternoon. The kitchen table was set with Grandma’s rose dishes and a glass dish of pickles was always at the table’s center. The pickles were to accompany the meal of course, but the kids could never wait. We would all sneak a few pickles before the meal began. I know Grandma knew, but often she would let us get away with the minor thievery. Grandma’s pickles were just that good.
Now that I have grown up a little, I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. The fond memories of my childhood sometimes influence my recipe choices, and I do still love pickles. This is my grandma’s pickle recipe, slightly updated to utilize my dad’s amazing vinegars. Some of the vinegars that I think would best compliment the recipe would include: Garlic, Cilantro, Jalapeno pepper, Serrano pepper or Habanero pepper. Enjoy!
Pasteurized Dill Pickles
1 cup salt 6 cups vinegar
13 cups water sugar
dill and cucumbers
Combine salt, water, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil 15 minutes. Put a head of dill in the bottom of quart jar. Pack in washed cucumbers. Add a tablespoon of sugar to each jar and another head of dill. Pour the boiling brine over the cucumbers to within ½ inch of the top of the jar. Adjust covers and seal. Set the jars in a deep kettle. Cover with boiling water and allow to stand until cold. This recipe yields approximately 9 quarts. Allow at
least 2 months for curing.
Friday, January 07, 2011
New year update, January 2011
I’m still breathing heavy from my trek out to the chicken coop. Ron said the trail would be open. He neglected to consider what the wind has been up to since he blew the snow out yesterday. He blows the snow out, and secretly enjoys either the process or the neatness of a cleared expanse, and the wind blows it back in. Oof da. My socks are wet. And my cheeks are red. And I’m enjoying that exhilarated feeling of braving 3.7 degree weather.
The hens are wintering over in the snuggest coop this side of the Mississippi. Ron spent some quality time last fall pouring concrete, pounding nails into stud walls, insulating and cladding the structure in steel siding. Lovely coop.
Ron’s also spending considerable quality time in the vinegary. He’s just recently bottled more mugwort. The last bottling sold out so quickly all we could do in the latter part of the year was to tell visitors about it. The ginger vinegar went nearly as fast. He started infusing a new batch yesterday.
Other vinegars that are back in stock include: anise hyssop, basil, dill, mint, and cilantro. Brand new on the shelf: lemon balm and Cuban oregano. We’ve been anticipating a lemon vinegar for some time. The lemon balm grew lush and thick this last summer. I harvested it at peak and froze it for later infusion. So, later is here and the lemon balm infused in rhubarb vinegar is ready.
Ron’s wine making classes have been well attended. “Students” make their wine here (some use their own fruit while others use canned fruit or kits), come back to rack off (drain the liquid from the mash) and later to bottle their finished product. It’s been a popular fall activity; some bestowed their new wine as Christmas gifts. Speaking of Christmas, we went to a holiday wine-tasting party with friends back in December. We had just over a dozen wines to sample and more than half of them were “domestic” wines, made by our friends. A home-grown raspberry was ranked number one. Just a reminder: if you are a wine maker in mid-Minnesota, consider getting your wine supplies here. We carry everything a hobby wine or beer maker could want.
See you soon.
Nancy
The hens are wintering over in the snuggest coop this side of the Mississippi. Ron spent some quality time last fall pouring concrete, pounding nails into stud walls, insulating and cladding the structure in steel siding. Lovely coop.
Ron’s also spending considerable quality time in the vinegary. He’s just recently bottled more mugwort. The last bottling sold out so quickly all we could do in the latter part of the year was to tell visitors about it. The ginger vinegar went nearly as fast. He started infusing a new batch yesterday.
Other vinegars that are back in stock include: anise hyssop, basil, dill, mint, and cilantro. Brand new on the shelf: lemon balm and Cuban oregano. We’ve been anticipating a lemon vinegar for some time. The lemon balm grew lush and thick this last summer. I harvested it at peak and froze it for later infusion. So, later is here and the lemon balm infused in rhubarb vinegar is ready.
Ron’s wine making classes have been well attended. “Students” make their wine here (some use their own fruit while others use canned fruit or kits), come back to rack off (drain the liquid from the mash) and later to bottle their finished product. It’s been a popular fall activity; some bestowed their new wine as Christmas gifts. Speaking of Christmas, we went to a holiday wine-tasting party with friends back in December. We had just over a dozen wines to sample and more than half of them were “domestic” wines, made by our friends. A home-grown raspberry was ranked number one. Just a reminder: if you are a wine maker in mid-Minnesota, consider getting your wine supplies here. We carry everything a hobby wine or beer maker could want.
See you soon.
Nancy
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Jason Davis visits Leatherwood Vinegary
Last week, Steve Henning and his cameraman stopped in for a tour and filming of the vinegary. Today, Jason Davis and his cameraman Dave spent three hours filming for an upcoming news segment. I’ve tiptoed through the tarragon with a lot of people, but Jason has to be the heart-throbbingest of them all. There was that Australian opera singer….
But seriously, Ron and I have been tripping through life together for 37 years, as of tomorrow, and we’re going out tonight to celebrate. It’s been quite a ride and it isn’t over yet.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Leatherwood Vinegary, A Winery Gone Sour
I drove up to Dorset to join a gaggle of authors signing books at Sister Wolf Book's Authors and Artists' Festival on Friday. What a delightful small town. The winter population is 22. The summer population probably doesn't change since it fills with day visitors who eat at the Mexican or Italian restaurants, brouse the cozy book store or shop for antiques and then wander back to the area's resorts, inns and B&Bs. It was a buzzing place on Friday.
It feels pretty good to have the book on shelves though it's just a little too soon to find it in your local book store. Early reactions are good.
If you'd like a copy, just e-mail me for details. leatherwood@wisper-wireless.com.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
National Vinegar Day
According to one source, today is National Vinegar Day. We neglected to celebrate it in a meaningful way other than scheduling vinegary tours and spiffing up for the one on the agenda for tomorrow.
Ron's rattling around in the vinegary right now. The rhubarb is in season and he's making wine. There's usually wine to rack off, vinegar to test or bottle, and new batches to get started.
My publisher says the Vinegary book went to the press on Monday. The first book signing is scheduled for a week from Friday at Sister Wolf Books in Dorset. I'll see you there!
Ron's rattling around in the vinegary right now. The rhubarb is in season and he's making wine. There's usually wine to rack off, vinegar to test or bottle, and new batches to get started.
My publisher says the Vinegary book went to the press on Monday. The first book signing is scheduled for a week from Friday at Sister Wolf Books in Dorset. I'll see you there!
Monday, June 07, 2010
Conquering the wildness
Who will win? The tall grass and the jungle thicket, or me?
I wield one form of vorpal blade or another. Hacking back the already gone to seed grass with the weed whacker, spewing bull thistle juice, a salad of miscellaneous broadleaf weeds and poison ivy, I move around the yard.
Little rewards emerge: a small flash of red amongst the hostas and I find wild strawberries. The chipmunks usually get them, or at least I blame them when I can’t find any. Wild roses appear as I scythe the grassland threatening to hide the mailbox, and the Leatherwood sign hanging beneath it. I notice the willow sticks marking the ends of rows in the garden. Ron and Jim, whose thumbs must be greener than mine, have even made these garden markers sprout leaves.
Dead branches in the hedge row beg pruning. Grass in the grape vines needs to be pulled. I’ve run out of gas in the trimmer. I’ve assigned Savannah to pick up the rocks that the garden planters have tossed into the grass and to mow more of the lawn.
Already it’s lunch time. And a vinegar customer is on his way.
I’ll get back to my feeble attempts to control nature this afternoon.
I wield one form of vorpal blade or another. Hacking back the already gone to seed grass with the weed whacker, spewing bull thistle juice, a salad of miscellaneous broadleaf weeds and poison ivy, I move around the yard.
Little rewards emerge: a small flash of red amongst the hostas and I find wild strawberries. The chipmunks usually get them, or at least I blame them when I can’t find any. Wild roses appear as I scythe the grassland threatening to hide the mailbox, and the Leatherwood sign hanging beneath it. I notice the willow sticks marking the ends of rows in the garden. Ron and Jim, whose thumbs must be greener than mine, have even made these garden markers sprout leaves.
Dead branches in the hedge row beg pruning. Grass in the grape vines needs to be pulled. I’ve run out of gas in the trimmer. I’ve assigned Savannah to pick up the rocks that the garden planters have tossed into the grass and to mow more of the lawn.
Already it’s lunch time. And a vinegar customer is on his way.
I’ll get back to my feeble attempts to control nature this afternoon.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Spring is on its way
Ron's headed for the Twin Cities today to spear head some marketing efforts with the Whole Farm Co-op. It's wintery and cold but it won't be long and we'll have more icicle dripping days and water running in rivulets. With all this snow, it's going to be a wet spring.
As spring heads this way, I want to send out a reminder that Leatherwood Vinegary will be featured on Pioneer Public Television's "Prairie Yard and Garden" on March 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Jason Davis has called and plans to stop in to tape a segment for his "On the Road" show. We'll let you know when to watch for that.
Spring means horticultural events. Ron and I will be displaying our vinegar and offering sessions at:
The Todd County Horticultural Event, March 13 in Long Prairie at the Baptist Church.
The East Ottertail Horticulture Day, March 20 in Perham at the high school.
The West Ottertail Horticulture Day, March 27 in Underwood at the school.
My book about the vinegary should be coming out in March, too. More on that as we get closer to the publishing date.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Prairie Yard and Garden tapes show at Leatherwood
We had a great time yesterday when the host and taping crew of Prairie Yard and Garden came to do a segment here at Leatherwood.
Host, Larry Zilliox, is the well informed host of the show. He even told me how to deal with my tomato wilt while we were waiting for the cameras to get repositioned. Camermen Roger and Mike knew their stuff, too. Roger's been with the show since its inception 23 years ago. Mike and Roger both offer their technical expertise at the University of Minnesota Morris. Larry is a retired extension agent, Master Gardener and owner of a B & B near Alexandria.
Nature provided a sunny afternoon as we had hoped for. The cameramen liked the bright sunlight and positioned us facing the sun for the best lighting. It was a little tricky for Roger and Mike to stand the cameras in amongst the herbs. I wish I had had my camera, then, to photograph the cameras standing in the mugwort and anise hyssop.
Larry and I talked about herbs, their traditional and modern uses, and how we use them to flavor the vinegars. Ron showed Larry details of the wine and vinegar process and demonstrated acid titration, his method for determining the acid content of finished vinegars.
By late afternoon we were ready for a little break. I brought out some hummus and salsa verde, both made with lovage / chive in grape Leatherwood wine-vinegar and Ron opened a bottle of Leatherwood wild grape wine. The crew enjoyed the break (we did, too) and then Mike and Roger did some close-up shots of the herbs while Larry and I got better acquainted. Ron had to head back to work since he's helping a friend with his potato harvest.
By late afternoon we were ready for a little break. I brought out some hummus and salsa verde, both made with lovage / chive in grape Leatherwood wine-vinegar and Ron opened a bottle of Leatherwood wild grape wine. The crew enjoyed the break (we did, too) and then Mike and Roger did some close-up shots of the herbs while Larry and I got better acquainted. Ron had to head back to work since he's helping a friend with his potato harvest.
The Leatherwood Vinegary segment of Prairie Yard and Garden will be aired sometime between January and August of 2010. I'll try to let everyone know when the exact date of broadcast is determined and how to find it.
Monday, July 27, 2009
The sour cherries are ripe in Central Minnesota. We have the best crop ever and will continue to pick for a few days.
Traditionally, cherries have been used as an effective treatment for gout so they have medicinal properties as well as the delightful flavor we enjoy in a variety of recipes. Most people appreciate cherries for the flavors they impart to pies, jams and for us here at Leatherwood Vinegary, wine and vinegar.
My son-in-law, Jim, was here for a few days last week and when I mentioned something about the cherries being nearly ripe he said that our friend Laszlo, of Hungarian Goulash recipe fame (visit Examiner.com's Minneapolis Herbal Kitchen Examiner-June 8), makes a seasonal treat called simply Sour Cherry Soup. Jim was busy doing professorly things on his laptop in the gazebo when I went to see just how soon the cherries needed to be picked. I selected a lovely ruby trio and dropped them off in the gazebo on my way to pick raspberries.
Sometime later, after the raspberries were harvested, I went back in the house and checked my e-mail. There was a message from Jim. The subject title was, “Wow.” The message said, “They were great.” He’d added a link to a sour cherry soup recipe. I e-mailed him back, though by leaning to the left I could see him outside my office window, and proposed that we would have Sour Cherry Soup before dusk fell on the land.Jim was an accomplice to the plot and picked the pound of cherries the recipe required. I made it early in the evening and it was still a little warm when Dawn and Hilary arrived for the weekend. We ate it anyway and put the leftovers in the refrigerator and ate it again, properly chilled, the next day.
Sour Cherry Soup is a refreshing cold soup served as a first course or a dessert. It doesn’t have any herbs in it but I suppose you could try sweetening it with stevia instead of the sugar. We talked about artificial cherry flavoring in the July 7 entry. Be assured Sour Cherry Soup has plenty of natural flavor, and a beautiful pink color. Your difficulty might be in finding sour cherries. Don’t use sweet cherries; you’ll want the tang of the sour ones.
Wash and pit a pound of sour cherries. This is about four cups. To pit the cherries, use a knife and cut the pit out, use the dull end of a skewer to push the pit through the stem end, or use a cherry pitter. No matter how you do it you’ll lose some of the cherry juice as it’s inclined to drip down to your elbows as you work. We’ve found that placing an old bath towel on your lap is a good way to catch the drips. Cherry juice stains so it’s a good idea to wear an old shirt when you pit the cherries.
Put the cherries in a four-quart saucepan along with six cups of water and ¾ of a cup of sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for about ten minutes or until the cherries are cooked through.
Stir 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt
into 1 cup of sour cream. Add some of the cooked juice to this and whisk together. Then add it to the cherries in the saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Cool by immersing the pan half way in a container of water and ice cubes. Then transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Serve as a first course or add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and serve as a dessert.
Stir 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt
into 1 cup of sour cream. Add some of the cooked juice to this and whisk together. Then add it to the cherries in the saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Cool by immersing the pan half way in a container of water and ice cubes. Then transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Serve as a first course or add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and serve as a dessert.Two days later we picked about 50 pounds of cherries. There are many more still on the trees since they don’t all reach the perfect stage of ripeness at the same time. Hilary took enough back with her to make a couple of cherry pies. We’ll freeze some for similar uses but most will go into the wine and vinegar process.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Edible Flowers
Walking a tour group through the garden yesterday, I noticed the yellow water iris are blooming. I probably wouldn’t have noticed them if I hadn’t been pointing out the useful plants in the landscape. Sometimes we’re just too busy to stop and smell the flowers. When we do, we might consider that they’re also edible. Not all of them, of course, so it’s important to know which ones are and which ones aren’t.
A friend once mistakenly served her family tulip bulbs. Her mother-in-law had given her a bag of bulbs and onions. She didn’t know the difference and saved the onions to plant in the fall and served the tulips in the Swiss steak. They suffered no ill effects other than missing out on the blooms the next spring.
The flowers of many herbs are edible and that fact should be fairly obvious since many of them are made into teas. Think chamomile, hyssop, bee balm and mints, just to name a few.
Marigolds, carnations, Johnny Jump-ups, violets, bachelor’s buttons, nasturtiums and clover are common flowers that are edible.
Marigolds add their golden color when sprinkled on soups, pasta and rice dishes. They taste spicy to peppery depending on the variety and can be used to jazz up herb butters, salads and scrambled eggs.
Johnny Jump-ups have a mild wintergreen flavor and look lovely sprinkled in salads, adorning frosted cakes or accompanying soft cheeses in appetizers.
Violet flowers and leaves are both edible as are nasturtium’s. Violets can be compared to spinach and nasturtiums sport a peppery flavor. We had a limited supply of nasturtium vinegar a couple of years ago. Blossoms added to those bottles made them extra special.
Carnations, clover and bachelor’s buttons all have sweet petals and can be used accordingly. The bases or bud ends of these flowers are often bitter so separate the petals from the base before using.
Be sure to use flowers that are free of pesticides or other contaminants. Wash as you would any other food.
Eating flowers is a trend that comes and goes. It’s back, now, so don’t be surprised if your entré in a favorite restaurant is garnished with flowers. Brighten up your home cooking, too, and surprise your family.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Fresh rhubarb pie
Move over Pie Princess Savannah; Lady Vinegar just made a fresh rhubarb pie!
I may have robbed the rhubarb cradle with the stalks only four to eight inches high. But, rhubarb isn't fussy that way since it's useable if it's above the ground. No need to wait for it to ripen, turn color or the seeds (what seeds?) to turn brown. I gathered a small amount for a small pie. I cut the leaves and left them in the rhubarb patch but left the root end on to trim carefully once they were washed. I cut the 3/8" to 1/2" diameter stalks into 1/2 inch pieces and then made the crust.
With 3 1/2 cups of rhubarb, I made an 8 inch pie. Below is the recipe for the filling, and yes, I did put vinegar in it:
3 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon grape wine vinegar.
The phone rang while I was in the middle of mixing the filling. Hilary had news of her last day of classes at MCAD and her request for us to come get her stuff the next day. The summer job issue is still up in the air so she may, or may not, be home for the summer.
While I was talking with her, Ron stopped home from his trip to Alexandria to get building materials for the potato farm and some for the new wooden stairs to the loft above his wood shop. He poked his head in the door to tell me what he was up to, but Mr. Pie Lover didn't notice what I was maki
ng.
The pie is in the oven and the aroma is beginning to waft through the house. Ron will notice when he stops home for lunch. But no sampling until dinner.
I may have robbed the rhubarb cradle with the stalks only four to eight inches high. But, rhubarb isn't fussy that way since it's useable if it's above the ground. No need to wait for it to ripen, turn color or the seeds (what seeds?) to turn brown. I gathered a small amount for a small pie. I cut the leaves and left them in the rhubarb patch but left the root end on to trim carefully once they were washed. I cut the 3/8" to 1/2" diameter stalks into 1/2 inch pieces and then made the crust.
With 3 1/2 cups of rhubarb, I made an 8 inch pie. Below is the recipe for the filling, and yes, I did put vinegar in it:
3 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon grape wine vinegar.
The phone rang while I was in the middle of mixing the filling. Hilary had news of her last day of classes at MCAD and her request for us to come get her stuff the next day. The summer job issue is still up in the air so she may, or may not, be home for the summer.
While I was talking with her, Ron stopped home from his trip to Alexandria to get building materials for the potato farm and some for the new wooden stairs to the loft above his wood shop. He poked his head in the door to tell me what he was up to, but Mr. Pie Lover didn't notice what I was maki
ng.The pie is in the oven and the aroma is beginning to waft through the house. Ron will notice when he stops home for lunch. But no sampling until dinner.
Ta da! The first pie of the season!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Getting green
It's a rainy day, washing off more of the winter dirt and making the grass grow. The herbs are poking up through the leaves that still cover their winter bed. Tarragon, oregano and the first dark purple leaves of the anise hyssop have made their appearnace. The lovage sprouts, too, one of the first herbs to offer up its fresh celery flavor, are four to six inches high. The rhubarb is nearly tall enough for a first harvest. It's wonderful to once again go outside to find food and flavors to spice up the everyday menu.
It might be premature to declare the garlic experiment a success but after raking off the layer of leaf insulation from the garlic bed last week, I can see that the green spears are poking up. The shallots are coming up, too.
I've spread many of last year's leaves on the garden with the intent of mowing them into leaf mulch before tilling them in. Ron tried mowing them but that was on a windy day, as many of them have been lately, and the wind threatened to spread them back across the lawn. He mowed some of the sage, and the thyme, a little closer to ground level than I would have liked, but we'll see in just a few more days if that was wise or foolish. The last time I did that to the sage I was afraid I had killed it; but it came up and flourished.
I planted seeds in flats three weeks ago. The necked pumpkins are already of a size to plant out in the garden but it's too soon. They have amazing root systems. The peppers and tomatoes seems to be off to a slow start but are getting their true leaves. The brussel sprouts and cabbage are looking good as are the two melon varieties. The family salsa pepper that we've saved for several years are growing again as are little hot peppers that Laura received from a neighbor at her apartment in St. Paul. I had hoped to have proper greenhouse shelves and a lighting system set up this year. It didn't happen but have rigged an extra light to give the plants a boost on these gray days.
Recent tours have gone well in spite of relatively little to see in the yard and garden. We hope they'll come back and visit again as the growing season progresses.
It might be premature to declare the garlic experiment a success but after raking off the layer of leaf insulation from the garlic bed last week, I can see that the green spears are poking up. The shallots are coming up, too.
I've spread many of last year's leaves on the garden with the intent of mowing them into leaf mulch before tilling them in. Ron tried mowing them but that was on a windy day, as many of them have been lately, and the wind threatened to spread them back across the lawn. He mowed some of the sage, and the thyme, a little closer to ground level than I would have liked, but we'll see in just a few more days if that was wise or foolish. The last time I did that to the sage I was afraid I had killed it; but it came up and flourished.
I planted seeds in flats three weeks ago. The necked pumpkins are already of a size to plant out in the garden but it's too soon. They have amazing root systems. The peppers and tomatoes seems to be off to a slow start but are getting their true leaves. The brussel sprouts and cabbage are looking good as are the two melon varieties. The family salsa pepper that we've saved for several years are growing again as are little hot peppers that Laura received from a neighbor at her apartment in St. Paul. I had hoped to have proper greenhouse shelves and a lighting system set up this year. It didn't happen but have rigged an extra light to give the plants a boost on these gray days.
Recent tours have gone well in spite of relatively little to see in the yard and garden. We hope they'll come back and visit again as the growing season progresses.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thawing out and greening up
The ice is finally gone from the koi ponds and though Ron found frost only four inches down in the garden, some of the herbs are sending up shoots. Tender shoots of tarragon and oregano are up as well as rosy rhubarb whorls. We're watching for the lovage and when it's up, things will move quickly.
We had a great time talking about vinegar at the Women's Wellness event at Arrowwood, the West Ottertail Horticultural Day and the K.C.'s monthly dinner. Savannah used her computer skills to make a powerpoint presentation and it debuted at the Arrowwood event.
The first tour bus of the season ( a Girltime Getaway group) zipped right on by on Saturday. Mapquest gives some odd directions for finding us. The tour coordinator called to clarify directions and I guess the four miles from Long Prairie went quickly with all the girl chatter going on. The bus turned around and came back and we had a nice visit with 40 ladies on a mystery tour. It was a chilly day so Ron and I hopped on the bus and chatted about our enterprise so we could abbreviate the outdoor portion of the tour. In another two weeks the gardens and orchard will be a different place than the brown leaf-covered area that it is now. The vinegary is always cozy and inviting and Ron made a fire in the wood stove in the retail shop so no one was cold for very long.
We have two more tours scheduled in the next two weeks so we can officially say the tourist season is up and running.
We had a great time talking about vinegar at the Women's Wellness event at Arrowwood, the West Ottertail Horticultural Day and the K.C.'s monthly dinner. Savannah used her computer skills to make a powerpoint presentation and it debuted at the Arrowwood event.
The first tour bus of the season ( a Girltime Getaway group) zipped right on by on Saturday. Mapquest gives some odd directions for finding us. The tour coordinator called to clarify directions and I guess the four miles from Long Prairie went quickly with all the girl chatter going on. The bus turned around and came back and we had a nice visit with 40 ladies on a mystery tour. It was a chilly day so Ron and I hopped on the bus and chatted about our enterprise so we could abbreviate the outdoor portion of the tour. In another two weeks the gardens and orchard will be a different place than the brown leaf-covered area that it is now. The vinegary is always cozy and inviting and Ron made a fire in the wood stove in the retail shop so no one was cold for very long.
We have two more tours scheduled in the next two weeks so we can officially say the tourist season is up and running.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Beginning a new season
We participated in the first speaking engagement of the season, today, with a vinegar presentation at the Women's Health event at Arrowwood, north of Alexandria. We showcased our new power point presentation created by Savannah and our new taller bottles. It was a beautiful setting and we made new friends among the class attendees. We hope they'll all come to visit.
Through exposure for this event we have been invited to appear on Patti Wicken's radio show on KXRA 1490 AM. Listen for us on Apr. 23 at 9:05 a.m.
Next Saturday, Apr. 4, we'll be talking about vinegar and selling it at the West Ottertail County Horticultural Event in Underwood.
We continue to use vinegar in new ways. Last week I made vinegar bread using my triple wheat recipe and substituting 1/2 cup of vinegar for a portion of the water. The bread was heavy since the acid of th
e vinegar may have inhibited some of the yeast action. It had a tangy flavor reminiscent of sour dough bread. Definitely a recipe to try again, perhaps with a little less vinegar.
e vinegar may have inhibited some of the yeast action. It had a tangy flavor reminiscent of sour dough bread. Definitely a recipe to try again, perhaps with a little less vinegar.Another development: my foodie watercolors can now be found in a shop on Etsy. Search for the "leatherwood" shop or look under art and watercolors.
We're looking forward to getting our local retail space spruced up and then getting the yard and garden in shape. I've ordered seeds from Pinetree Seeds and hope they come soon so I can get the tomatoes, peppers and a few other early vegetables started indoors.
Happy spring!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tours
Very soon after the vinegary was established, visitors came, wanting to know what in the world a vinegary was. That was a legitimate question since we had actually coined a logical word. What intrigued me was that so many people had no idea how vinegar was made. It apparently mystified them and they wanted to know.
The first tours we gave were of the vinegary only. Ron explained the process and showed the primary fermenters and carboys for making the wine. He usually had a piece of mother to show as he explained the steps in converting wine to vinegar. He often had a gallon or two of herbs infusing in fresh vinegar. He always gave tastes of the vinegars at hand.
When we started giving sample tastes, we used little glasses but Ron found it difficult to pour from the bottles into little glasses without spilling. Also, a tablespoon of vinegar was far more than the average palate could handle. People weren’t accustomed to tasting straight vinegar and it was overpowering. When we located a source for small bottles with dropper tops, we switched to using spoons and mere drops of vinegar which was enough for all but the true vinegar lovers.
When we found that people were intrigued by what we were doing, we connected with the local tourism committee, a group with which I had worked for several years. Local tourism was interested in promoting sites of interest for bus tours. That brought the first buses to our door.
Buses carry far more people than the average car or SUV and we needed a way to deal with larger groups with the vinegary only a small 10’ x 18’ room filled with stainless steel tables, a triple sink, and supply racks. It could hold, at elbow to elbow capacity, 12 average sized people. Buses often brought 25 to 50 visitors.
We found an effective solution, at least during the warmer days of spring, summer and fall, by dividing groups in two. Ron took half directly to the vinegary and I led the other half through the herb garden and orchard, usually passing by the koi ponds and the vegetable garden which also has herbs.
We provided chairs scattered throughout the tour path for anyone less able to handle the terrain. Some sought shelter in the flower enhanced gazebo, listening to the waterfall and the various songbirds with hummingbirds flitting in and out to feed from the feeder hanging nearby. Occasionally I’d bring the herbs to the group with the pond and the fish lending ambiance to the herb talk. We’ve been generally lucky with the weather and only twice did I bring herbs into a bus to fill the time while the visitors waited their turn in the vinegary.
We always share what we’ve learned about growing grapes, apples, cherries, plums and rhubarb. I’ve grown many many varieties of herbs over the last 30 years. I usually highlight those that we use in the vinegars as well as some medicinals that I’ve grown for years and find particularly interesting. When garden clubs visit, many of the members grow herbs and are familiar with them. On the other hand, when a military reunion group, as an example, comes to see the garden, they may be less familiar with herbs. I always give nibbles of French tarragon, anise hyssop, lovage, mint, oregano, basil, sage, cilantro, thyme; whatever is fresh an abundant. Many people have never tasted fresh herbs and are amazed and delighted by the variety of natural flavors.
When we have master gardeners and those who have gardened for many years, we learn from them, too. I love this exchange of information. If a spring or summer rain has resulted in mushrooms springing up in the lawn, we talk about them. If visitors are interested in medicinals, I point out the uses of mullein, plantain, yarrow and others. Many ask if we make dandelion wine and the answer is still, no, not yet.
We talk about the black walnut trees, the overgrown bittersweet vines on the back porch, and of course the leatherwood growing in the yard, from which our business was named. Leatherwood is a flexible twigged shrub that at its tallest is only six feet. It has small yellow flowers in the spring before it leafs out. It doesn’t seem to bear fruit from them but may need a companion shrub in order to reproduce. The leaves are oval and usually among the first to fall in the fall. Leatherwood grows on rich soil and is considered to be found in a widespread area of North America and yet is relatively uncommon. It’s native to this area and we’re pleased that for us it represents this quality of being uncommon but springing up in a healthy place, a metaphor for the creativity we bring to our business.
After giving tours for a couple of years and handling vinegar sales in the small display corner of the vinegary, we decided that we needed a bigger retail space. We added the vinegar and wine and beer making supplies and equipment to my art gallery in Long Prairie. That worked fine for a few months but when that summer arrived and with it the numerous tour buses and groups, we felt it would be far better to have everything in one location. We had built a pine paneled shop space on our property in 1985. It had become a storage area but with a little scrubbing and added shelves it became an ideal display area for the vinegar with adequate space for the other supplies, as well as paintings, pottery, note cards, and consignment space for Amish baskets and locally woven rugs.
We decided to just have it open for tours, groups and by appointment. That allowed us to keep abreast of the vinegary, garden and orchard work while still having a retail space.
Heated by a small wood stove, the shop could only be open in the warm months. We move everything that is in danger of freezing into other heated spaces during the winter. We still maintain the small display of vinegar in the vinegary.
As things are arranged now, we can accommodate most any visitors. When we had a group of fifty people we had to do some creative group dividing and do the tasting outside the vinegary. We’ve found that guests are quite willing to take us as we are and we’re all richer for it.
We'll soon be planning our tour schedule for the upcoming season. Call 320-732-2879 for tour information.
The first tours we gave were of the vinegary only. Ron explained the process and showed the primary fermenters and carboys for making the wine. He usually had a piece of mother to show as he explained the steps in converting wine to vinegar. He often had a gallon or two of herbs infusing in fresh vinegar. He always gave tastes of the vinegars at hand.
When we started giving sample tastes, we used little glasses but Ron found it difficult to pour from the bottles into little glasses without spilling. Also, a tablespoon of vinegar was far more than the average palate could handle. People weren’t accustomed to tasting straight vinegar and it was overpowering. When we located a source for small bottles with dropper tops, we switched to using spoons and mere drops of vinegar which was enough for all but the true vinegar lovers.
When we found that people were intrigued by what we were doing, we connected with the local tourism committee, a group with which I had worked for several years. Local tourism was interested in promoting sites of interest for bus tours. That brought the first buses to our door.
Buses carry far more people than the average car or SUV and we needed a way to deal with larger groups with the vinegary only a small 10’ x 18’ room filled with stainless steel tables, a triple sink, and supply racks. It could hold, at elbow to elbow capacity, 12 average sized people. Buses often brought 25 to 50 visitors.
We found an effective solution, at least during the warmer days of spring, summer and fall, by dividing groups in two. Ron took half directly to the vinegary and I led the other half through the herb garden and orchard, usually passing by the koi ponds and the vegetable garden which also has herbs.
We provided chairs scattered throughout the tour path for anyone less able to handle the terrain. Some sought shelter in the flower enhanced gazebo, listening to the waterfall and the various songbirds with hummingbirds flitting in and out to feed from the feeder hanging nearby. Occasionally I’d bring the herbs to the group with the pond and the fish lending ambiance to the herb talk. We’ve been generally lucky with the weather and only twice did I bring herbs into a bus to fill the time while the visitors waited their turn in the vinegary.
We always share what we’ve learned about growing grapes, apples, cherries, plums and rhubarb. I’ve grown many many varieties of herbs over the last 30 years. I usually highlight those that we use in the vinegars as well as some medicinals that I’ve grown for years and find particularly interesting. When garden clubs visit, many of the members grow herbs and are familiar with them. On the other hand, when a military reunion group, as an example, comes to see the garden, they may be less familiar with herbs. I always give nibbles of French tarragon, anise hyssop, lovage, mint, oregano, basil, sage, cilantro, thyme; whatever is fresh an abundant. Many people have never tasted fresh herbs and are amazed and delighted by the variety of natural flavors.
When we have master gardeners and those who have gardened for many years, we learn from them, too. I love this exchange of information. If a spring or summer rain has resulted in mushrooms springing up in the lawn, we talk about them. If visitors are interested in medicinals, I point out the uses of mullein, plantain, yarrow and others. Many ask if we make dandelion wine and the answer is still, no, not yet.
We talk about the black walnut trees, the overgrown bittersweet vines on the back porch, and of course the leatherwood growing in the yard, from which our business was named. Leatherwood is a flexible twigged shrub that at its tallest is only six feet. It has small yellow flowers in the spring before it leafs out. It doesn’t seem to bear fruit from them but may need a companion shrub in order to reproduce. The leaves are oval and usually among the first to fall in the fall. Leatherwood grows on rich soil and is considered to be found in a widespread area of North America and yet is relatively uncommon. It’s native to this area and we’re pleased that for us it represents this quality of being uncommon but springing up in a healthy place, a metaphor for the creativity we bring to our business.
After giving tours for a couple of years and handling vinegar sales in the small display corner of the vinegary, we decided that we needed a bigger retail space. We added the vinegar and wine and beer making supplies and equipment to my art gallery in Long Prairie. That worked fine for a few months but when that summer arrived and with it the numerous tour buses and groups, we felt it would be far better to have everything in one location. We had built a pine paneled shop space on our property in 1985. It had become a storage area but with a little scrubbing and added shelves it became an ideal display area for the vinegar with adequate space for the other supplies, as well as paintings, pottery, note cards, and consignment space for Amish baskets and locally woven rugs.
We decided to just have it open for tours, groups and by appointment. That allowed us to keep abreast of the vinegary, garden and orchard work while still having a retail space.
Heated by a small wood stove, the shop could only be open in the warm months. We move everything that is in danger of freezing into other heated spaces during the winter. We still maintain the small display of vinegar in the vinegary.
As things are arranged now, we can accommodate most any visitors. When we had a group of fifty people we had to do some creative group dividing and do the tasting outside the vinegary. We’ve found that guests are quite willing to take us as we are and we’re all richer for it.
We'll soon be planning our tour schedule for the upcoming season. Call 320-732-2879 for tour information.
Monday, December 15, 2008
It's nearly Christmas and snow is covering the orchard and gardens. In fact a generous snowfall over the weekend guarantees insulation for the vines and herbs through the winter.
Ron's been busy in the vinegary. He's bottled new flavors: horseradish, habernaro and catnip. They're amazing to which visitors on Saturday will attest. We only tasted drops of the habernaro but in any quantity it's apt to knock your socks off. The horseradish is as horseradishy as can be. It would be the perfect accompaniment to sushi. Most people have never tried catnip in any form; thinking it's only for cats. Well, cats are stimulated by it while it's said to have a calming effect on humans. We don't know for sure about that but we think it will make vinegar lovers purr!
We've had some delightful press coverage recently. Country Home magazine had a little promo in the November issue which has generated orders from all over the country. We really appreciate that. Last week the Minneapolis Star Tribune called and will have an interview with Ron in their food section one day this week.
We had lots of visitors this summer with buses and cars spilling enthusiastic visitors onto the lawn, orchard, garden and vinegary. The tours of the outside have concluded for the season but we'll still welcome vinegary guests. We're planning for lots of visitors next year. My winter project will be to finish my book about this little enterprise, Leatherwood Vinegary.
Ron's been busy in the vinegary. He's bottled new flavors: horseradish, habernaro and catnip. They're amazing to which visitors on Saturday will attest. We only tasted drops of the habernaro but in any quantity it's apt to knock your socks off. The horseradish is as horseradishy as can be. It would be the perfect accompaniment to sushi. Most people have never tried catnip in any form; thinking it's only for cats. Well, cats are stimulated by it while it's said to have a calming effect on humans. We don't know for sure about that but we think it will make vinegar lovers purr!
We've had some delightful press coverage recently. Country Home magazine had a little promo in the November issue which has generated orders from all over the country. We really appreciate that. Last week the Minneapolis Star Tribune called and will have an interview with Ron in their food section one day this week.
We had lots of visitors this summer with buses and cars spilling enthusiastic visitors onto the lawn, orchard, garden and vinegary. The tours of the outside have concluded for the season but we'll still welcome vinegary guests. We're planning for lots of visitors next year. My winter project will be to finish my book about this little enterprise, Leatherwood Vinegary.
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