Nevermore Jam & Bleak November

Salutations & Greetings! It has been awhile tho' this does not mean Pink Slip Jam has been hibernating. In keeping with the month of November & our appreciation for Norman, our resident corvid friend, we have a limited supply of Nevermore Jam available ~ this is an intense combination of blackberries, blueberries, & Doug fir tips syrup...it is deep, dark, and perfect for morning scones, muffins, and toast during these dark days leading up to the Solstice. It may not be the first flavor concoction that comes to mind this time of year, yet I am convinced it will get your day off to an unusual start! This jam is made at the peak of blackberry season (which is quite a ways off!), so lay in a supply now for the Winter is nigh!

The best place to pick up your jams currently is the incredible Bernadette Breu on 6th & Hawthorne here in Portland, OR, home of some magnificent crows & ravens.

Chatting & Having Tea

The always smashing Leela Cyd Ross invited me to chat about our most favorite beverage, tea. on her beautiful blog, Tea Cup Tea. This is a site where you will get some great recipes sometimes, beautiful photographs all the time, and inspiration as you sip. Meanwhile, Pink Slip Jam has been busy with apple & plum windfalls...chutney for your Autumnal roast dinners are being made nearly every day. Start thinking ahead for those chilly, blustery days when the smell of roast pork or roast chicken with Sir Isaac's Folly or Cranberry Bog will fill the house with deliciousness.

For other jammy business, we have been delighted with a recipe for 'healthy' Pop Tarts found on Pinterest. We used a combination of AP, WW, & coconut flour so things weren't too heavy, then filled them with Naked Fraises & In the Pink jam flavors. There are no leftovers. If you'd like the recipe, please send me a message & i will send you the link!

Eve Was Set Up

Here in the Pacific Northwest it's beginning to look a whole lot like Autumn. This past weekend I attended my high school reunion where it was decidedly still Summer at 90 degrees! Just goes to show that despite both cities being on the West Coast, climates can be very different. Our apples are ripe & many varieties are already available in stores. Currently our apple tree is giving us plenty of fruit & I have been busy making Sir Isaac's Folly, a spiced apple chutney. Perfect for Autumn roasts, cheese platters, charcuterie plates, as a special hostess gift, or just to spice up a great grilled cheese sandwich. Loaded with golden raisins, ginger, allspice, mustard seeds, and curry, this is one to savor all season. Not to rush things, but if you store some of this away, I can pretty much guarantee that your turkey sandwiches will not become boring...

As for Eve, well, I seriously doubt an apple led to anyone's downfall, let alone poor Adam. There's nothing sinful about Sir Isaac's Folly unless you eat the entire jar in one sitting. That would be considered Gluttony, and a topic for a post in November. Until then, here's a recipe for Appled Brandy if you feel like REALLY indulging:

Appled Brandy

1 750 ml. bottle of not-your-best brandy
3 apples, cored & cut into 1-inch dice
1/4 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick

INFUSE: Pour the brandy into a glass jar large enough to hold the brandy & the fruit. Add the apples, sugar, & cinnamon stick, & cover. Stir daily for 2 weeks. Strain out the fruit & cinnamon & return the liquid to the bottle. The flavored brandy can be kept stored at room temperature for up to a year.

Stay tuned! I'll post about a pan saute using this brandy with steaks, pork or chicken next! It'll be good!

Happy Labor Day!

In addition to incredible berries, did you know that Oregon was the first state to recognize Labor Day? If you have tomorrow off, take pause when you're firing up that grill & thank the unions. Have a lovely weekend & enjoy these last precious days of Summer.

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Perfectly Pink!

Bread & Butter Pickles, carrot & daikon pickles, cornichons, pickled onions with jalapenos, pickled Japanese plums, asparagus, beets, and the list goes on! There is no end to pickling & with the Summer in full swing, it is so easy to make these to enjoy with cool dinners (salads, sandwiches, pate plates). I have been making pickled radishes for a few years & can attest that there are NEVER ANY LEFTOVERS! Really! I use Eugenia Bone's recipe which is super simple. This one is, too & I highly recommend it! Your sandwiches, cheese plates & charcuterie will be so pleased with you!

Pickled Radishes

Ingredients

1. 2 cups sliced radishes ( 8 oz.)
2. 1 small onions, cut into thin wedges and separated
3. 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
4. 1/2 cup sugar
5. 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Slice radishes by hand or use the slicing blade of a food processor. Place radish slices and onions in a large bowl or crock. In another bowl stir together vinegar, sugar, and salt until sugar is dissolved. Pour over radish mixture.
2. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight before serving. (Radish mixture will have a very pungent aroma.) Makes 2 cups.

More Beet Business

My good friends Joe & Lisa are moving to Boston for a year & my neighborhood in SE Portland already feels a little less bright. Joe is a master gardner who continuously works to improve his garden at home & his community garden plot. I might also add that his crop yields are spectacular & I benefit greatly! Since it was a year for bumper crop beets, I was fortunate enough to be gifted with several pounds. I have made grated beet salad, borscht, juice, and salad of roasted beets with chevre. Today I return to my beloved canning jars to make this chutney. It will be beautiful on rice, on lentils, and in all sorts of roasts. I like the combination of coconut, mustard seed, and gorgeous red roots! So, Joe?? Lisa?? Every time I open a jar of this, I will smile. Thanks for all the garden goodies! See you in Boston this Fall! I'll bring some Pink Slip!

Beetroot Chutney

1/2 cup grated beetroot
1/4 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
3 whole red chillies
4 to 5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

For the tempering1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp oil

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the urad dal, red chillies and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
2. Add the beetroot and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the coconut and salt and sauté for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Allow to cool completely.
5. Purée to a fine paste in a blender with 2 tablespoons of water.
6. For the tempering, heat the oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when the seeds crackle, pour the tempering over the beetroot chutney.
7. Serve at room temperature.

RECIPE SOURCE : Achaar Aur Parathe