preserves

capturing seasonal bounty, one jar at a time.

Tomato Jam

10/14/2011 | 7 Comments | Topics: preserves

OF COURSE I made tomato jam. How could I call my blog “talk of tomatoes” and not always be experimenting with my namesake food? And since small-batch preserves are increasingly a part of my kitchen experience: tomatoes were on the short list of ‘things to can.’ I adore it. I took/cut/pasted and slightly adopted… [more]

DaVinci Wine Cookbook: page 10 [of 10] Chianti Wine Jelly

10/10/2011 | Leave a comment! | Topics: DaVinci Wine, preserves

THANK YOU. I adored absorbing this holiday in Tuscany, courtesy of DaVinci Wines. Each of the Storytellers experienced the food, wine, people and tours through a different lens. My lens is ‘Culinary Arts’; I am a Seattle-based cooking instructor, urban farmer and food blogger (Talk of Tomatoes). Piles of recipes with photos are how I hope to extend this experience—and the spirit of DaVinci Wines—with each of you.… [more]

rum, plum, cardamom jam.

09/29/2011 | 2 Comments | Topics: preserves

I am loving playing around with stone fruits, liquor and jam. What to add with what? What fruit goes with what liquor? I always get raves about my brandied fig jam, so when the Washington State Fruit Commission made me a ‘CANbassador’ and shipped me boxes of prunes and nectarines: I looked in my cupboards for inspiration. Plums are divine in and of themselves but to pump up… [more]

Blackberry Plum Cardamom Jam

09/27/2011 | 5 Comments | Topics: preserves

New favorite. Might be ‘best of’ Burke Avenue Farm preserves (oh: I HOPE you love that name—Burke Avenue Farm—it’s what I am calling my humble little Seattle urban farm). Did I mention it is under construction? It is still largely dirt, but we have sprinklers etched into the ground and this [first] year’s garden boxes and plots have given me piles of lettuce, herbs and enough tomatoes to… [more]

green tea nectarine jam.

09/24/2011 | 7 Comments | Topics: preserves

Oh yes I did. This yummy little jam is the culmination of two different, recent classes: 1. a preserving class at The Pantry in Seattle, (there is always more to learn! Plus: recon work since I plan to teach canning/preserving next summer). And 2. a class/overview on tea-making from Steve Smith Teamaker in Portland, OR. Tea + Jam. Makes sense now, right? I loved… [more]

Yellow Tomato Jam… because I can!

09/07/2011 | 15 Comments | Topics: farm., food., preserves

Ha all puns aside. Though Seattle’s summer has felt a bit wintry, my Sungolds have remained a cheerful beam in my garden. Hoards of tiny orange globes dangle in my tomato jungle, and I just picked a ‘bushel-full’. I am admittedly giddy (since they cost $4 a pint at neighborhood farmer markets); these homegrown little gems—all jammed up—will be a welcome addition to my pantry shelves. Because I am in the midst of… [more]

Peach, Plum & Ginger Compote

09/04/2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: farm., preserves

Last summer I was playing around in my kitchen, learning about small-batch canning and attempting to fill my shelves with jars. BUT some preserves quickly moved beyond ‘playing around’, and jumped to the category of ‘must make every year.’ We got used to tucking into a particular preserve and found ourselves reaching for it time and again. This summer, I started with a list of ‘must-make’ preserves: 1. [more]

Jarring: Spicy Red Pepper Jelly

10/11/2010 | 12 Comments | Topics: preserves

Oh man this is good stuff. A few years ago, my top appetizer-to-toss-together was goat cheese, red pepper jelly and quickly sauteed Greek pita (the slightly thicker variety—not the pita pockets). I would give the pitas a quick visit in the skillet with some olive oil and Italian herbs, then cut them into wedges. It was always, always a hit and the jar of red pepper jelly would… [more]

Jarring: Apple Thyme Jelly

10/08/2010 | 3 Comments | Topics: preserves

Sigh happy. I am loving canning, jarring, preserving. Not only do I love all the yummy flavors, and so many recipe options (pickling, chutneys, relishes, jams, jellies, salsas… yikes!), but I love knowing how to CAN. You don’t have to know about acid/ph levels and pectins and ratios to be a home canner—but I like learning. So. Canning beckons me to become acutely aware of ‘seasonal’ foods. It used… [more]

Jarring: Brandied Fig Jam

09/28/2010 | 14 Comments | Topics: dip, sauce & syrup, food spotlight, preserves

Oh baby. (I had always wanted to become adept at canning, but had never taken the time). It all started when… five flats of figs landed on my doorstep. You see, the California Fig Commission contacted me and asked if I would like some figs. Yes please! I never turn down food. I fig-ured they would send me a nice little pint or two. We arranged a time,… [more]