Friday, November 16, 2007

Putting Food By

More snow this morning. Nothing's sticking, but I've got to suck it up and admit that the harvest is over. Now is the time when all good foodies should look to their freezers and figure out what to do with their bounty.

My refrigerator is overflowing with CSA apples and pears, so this morning I started a double batch of apple-chipotle chutney. It's a hot, smokey chutney, with honey and garlic, and it's wonderful with pork or chicken or rabbit or lamb. (I'm an omnivore.)














And since I can't bear to throw food away, I'll use the apple cores in a batch of wild black cherry jelly later today. This afternoon...apple slices in the dehydrator.

I'm less sure what to do with the pears. I've put aside enough for pear wine (one of my favorite homebrews), but which hot pepper would best combine with pear? Green chile/pear chutney perhaps? Green chile/pear jelly? I'm open to suggestions.

It's also time to jug the two batches of wine I started last weekend: carrot and winter squash. Both are actively fermenting in their primaries (plastic fermentation buckets) and moving them into glass jugs will allow me to start the next two batches: grapes from our swamp and what else? Apple!P.S. Here's a shameless plug for a garden calendar I just bought myself as an early Christmas present. (Actually I bought two: 1 for PA, and 1 for NYC.) Saxon Holt's photography is superb and I imagine these juicy images will keep me thinking about next year's harvest while the snow falls .

11 Comments:

At November 16, 2007 at 2:39 PM , Blogger Leda Meredith said...

I've discovered a second use for those apple scraps and cores besides jelly: easiest and best homemade vinegar ever, even quicker than wine vinegar. I'll post the recipe at Leda's Urban Homestead soon.

I vote for the pear-chile chutney!

 
At November 16, 2007 at 3:54 PM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

Please do post that recipe. I always have leftovers, no matter how many batches of jelly I make!

 
At November 16, 2007 at 8:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Apple chipotle chutney? I KNOW that's going to be good with a pork roast!

Should I send you apple cores?

 
At November 16, 2007 at 9:34 PM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

You got that right. Pork is THE best companion for this chutney.

As for the apple cores...thanks, but I've got more than enough!

 
At November 17, 2007 at 9:36 AM , Blogger SaraGardens said...

I've always wanted to make pear butter with lemon and a little ginger. (Our problem with saving fruit is - we keep eating it.)

Oh - and Robert eats my apple cores!

 
At November 17, 2007 at 10:19 AM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

Last year I made pear butter with cardamom. Really good. And I'd just like to add that the wild black cherry jelly (I made yesterday) rocks. I was WAY too timid picking those cherries in Central Park this year but now that I know how good they are I'm going to be much more bold!

 
At November 20, 2007 at 10:02 PM , Blogger molly said...

funny, i would think you would make your OWN calender from your OWN garden photos!

 
At November 21, 2007 at 2:29 AM , Blogger debra said...

hi ellen. i have finally discovered your blog - refreshing and inspiring . . . glad to know your urban forager theme is taking shape. I am so looking forward to reading you on a regular basis.
love xoxoxo Debra
PS, here in LA, I'm just trying to get the garden in shape. Thank goodness for my farmer's market. Maybe I'll grow more than Bright Lights chard in 08.

 
At November 21, 2007 at 1:17 PM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

Hey Mol, Saxon's photos are SO much better than mine will EVER be. Seriously. He's from your area and published a book on water-wise gardening for the Bay Area water conservation something-something (my book is in PA and I'm in NH). It's full of practical knowledge but as beautiful as a coffee table book. He's got mad skills.

 
At November 21, 2007 at 1:18 PM , Blogger Ellen Zachos said...

Deb, sometimes I envy your year-round gardening in L.A. ON the other hand, I'm looking forward to a little down time starting next month. I think time away from the garden helps me appreciate it more!

 
At December 28, 2021 at 2:29 PM , Blogger Happy pet said...

Just contact our sitePay Someone To Write My Essay, and you will approach the schoolwork task help of these extraordinary experts from the UK, the USA, and different nations. It doesn't make any difference whether you are in Singapore or Canada, you'll find the opportunity to have your task in on schedule.

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home