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Archive for July, 2012

Jul 30

Mint Julep with mint cocktail ice cubes
4 Comments

Mint Julep ~ Swedish Grandma’s Best & the Derby Drink

A fresh and cool summer cocktail delight, the Mint Julep has a lovely history.

It’s also the official beverage of the Kentucky Derby!  In graduate school, I was bored with the beverage flavors common to East Coast soirees (i.e. the standard gin martini or local brew), so I started researching cocktail recipes.  Specifically, I was interested in liqueres and more esoteric drinks with a history.

Alcohol based beverages have been an art-form at various times in culinary history, often being prized for their flavors in small samples.

The Mint Julep was a curious one I heard of from a friend.  Calling on the best gourmet chef I knew, my Swedish Grandmother Irene Nelson, I was given her old-school, delicious recipe.

Garden pickings for cocktail ice cubes ~ mint, columbine, strawberries and camomile

Grandma Rene was famous for throwing fantastic dinner parties, quietly, gracefully presenting only the best.  She was meticulous in the art of homemaking ~ sewed her own cloths and her children’s, grew her vegetables and cooked everything from scratch.  By age 40, Rene was also reaping the benefits of her husband’s financial success, and was fortunate to spend the money and time to make each meal an exquisite, artistic creation.  Her artistic palate and sensitivity to beauty made each beverage and meal something her guests would look forward to.

Like our grandmothers, at Caramelize Life we like to cook seasonally.  When the mint is green and prolific in the herb garden as it is now, one should make mint juleps!

I embellished the recipe a bit by picking some edible flowers, herbs and fruit from the garden and freezing them for this and other cocktails.

Mint leaves work great frozen in ice cube trays or small tupperware.  Mint cubes can be used in summer iced tea, juleps, fruit beverages, as can fresh camomile and bitty strawberries.   If mint and strawberries aren’t growing in your garden, locally in the Methow, they are available fresh at Glover Street Market or growing live at Local 98856.  I froze the columbine as a large ornamental ice cube to go in big bowls of summer fruit punch.

Dandelion, strawberry and mint cocktail cubes

Mint Julep with Swedish Vodka, dandelion and mint cocktail cubes

~ Mint Julep ~

from Grandma Irene Nelson

8-10 fresh mint leaves

1 Tablespoon sugar

Ice, crushed or cocktail cubes

2 1/2 ounces bourbon

Splash Simple Syrup, recipe follows

Sprig of mint or two, for garnish

~Place mint leaves and sugar in the bottom of a tall cocktail or beer glass; with the handle of a wooden spoon, mash the leaves to extract the flavor.

~Fill the glass with crushed or cubed ice; pour in the bourbon and top with a splash of simple syrup.

~With your same wooden spoon handle, shake (do not stir ~ just like 007) to chill and mix.

~Garnish with a sprig of mint, and enjoy.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Mint Julep with mint cocktail ice cubes

~ Simple Syrup ~

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

~ Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cooking until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes; remove from heat and cool completely.

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups simple syrup

Love from our kitchen to yours, Georgina @ Caramelize Life

Jul 26

DSCF3918
9 Comments

Columbia River Sockeye Off the Hook

The Sockeye Salmon numbers in the Methow Valley region are off the hook!  Or, to be exact, they’re on our hooks.

Currently, there are over 20,000 Sockeye being observed and recorded over the Columbias Well’s Damm ~ per day.  Wells is a check-point for salmon between headwaters and the ocean.  These fish are counted by live people ~  24 hours a day.

Largely a wild run fishery,  the vast number of salmon are making national news and statistical records.  This high mountain river run is one of the last of it’s kind in the entire country for wild river fish.

That’s according to our resident expert, my husband Wes, who is a Fisheries Biologist here in the Methow Valley for the Department of the Interior (U.S. Geological Survey).  The sockeye percentage alone has increased in number to over 350% over the last ten years.  That is fantastic news in terms of river health, and reflects positively on Dam management of fish populations.

Fresh garden herbs and butter for salmon garnish

Sockeye salmon and other wild fish run up the Columbia River to the the Okanogan River, then travel up to Lake Osoyus, B.C., to the Columbia’s origination.  Wes mentioned after a successful day of fishing this week that the Okanogan River is truly impressive, even on an international level.  It provides a major salmon resource for recreational anglers and Tribal sources.

Sockeye, Summer Chinook, and Stealhead are among the finest fish we gather locally for creating fresh, gourmet cuisine.  But among those, fresh Sockeye are really the cream of the crop ~ in our humble opinion.

Herb~butter, sockeye and ground Brittany Grey salt

The Columbia River real time data access gives up to date statistics on fish to catch: http://www.cbr.washington.edu/dart/

After a good catch the last few days, we have 8 large Sockeye fillets in the freezer and tasted one off the grill last night.  We grilled Sockeye fillets and tossed fresh baby green beans with cherry tomatoes from the garden.

~ Grilled Sockeye with Herb Butter ~

1 large sockeye salmon fillet

bunches of fresh herbs ~ Dill, oregano, chives, basil, terragon (you may also substitute your preferred combo of fresh herbs ~ rosemary, mint, sage, cilantro are good options).

3 Tablespoons butter

~Coat the fillet in extra virgin olive oil, top and bottom; sprinkle with fresh ground sea salt and pepper.

~Place fish on preheated grill, skin up, and seer for about 2 minutes; turn the fish skin down and seer for 5-7 minutes more.

~Remove from grill and top with herb-butter.

~ Green Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad with Feta & Herb~Lemon Vinaigrette ~

1 lb. fresh green beans

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled feta

~Boil 1 pound of green beans for 5 mintues then rinse in cool water; cut into 1 inch lengths.

~Toss with 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes and the lemon dressing and top with feta.

Herb~Lemon Vinaigrette

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cloves minced garlic

chopped fresh basil, about 1/2 cup

salt & pepper to taste

Jul 17

chicken whisperer
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Chicken Whisperer

We absolutely love chickens at Caramelize Life.  Both Rachelle and I have been raising chickens for their farm fresh eggs for years, but now our kids are so in love with the chickens, we’ve handed over the task to them.

My son Phoenix and Rachelle’s daughter Eva are the same age and recently got together for some gardening and chicken care.  Eva shared that she now has 29 birds and cares for all of them!

We have a small flock of five (after one winter weasel incident and two unfortunate raccoon attacks).  But, we have hand reared them just like Eva, so they are very gentle creatures.  Eva got to meet our new young ones, and the kids and chickens had a fabulous time.

Baby Ginger, Polish Crested, “hippy-chick”

Baby Melon, Polish Crested or “top hat”

Now, I knew that Phoenix loves his chickens ~ especially Ginger, a Polish Crested (or, hippy-chick, as we call them).  But when I saw the emotional bonds between the kids and their chuckies, I couldn’t resist writing about it.

Ginger’s sister is Melon, another Polish Crested, or  ”top-hat,” and we have one Buff, my daughter’s “Sqeaky.”  Our two unknown multi-breed variety, we christened Cheep and Re-Cheep.  On almost a daily basis, each of them gets hand fed, cuddled, and spoken to like a member of the family.

During our playdate, Phoenix and Eva first gave the chickens a tour of the garden ~ in arms of course.

The beloved birds were hand-fed fresh strawberries…

Garden sampling for the chicken friends

Then they tried sweet peas, just picked…

And finally, two lucky chickens got naps in arms to the tune of lullabies and whistling by both Phoenix and Eva.

At one point, I returned outside to find Eva with Melon laying belly up on a pillow in the grass.  With Eva protectively overseeing, Melon was peacefully sleeping.

All I really wanted from the chickens were good organic eggs ~ but with a couple chicken whisperers around, the benefits of the birds are greatly enhanced.  Chickens aren’t just worth the effort, they are a joy!

So my methodology for our readers this week is a simple one: love your chickens and you’ll have a happy, healthy flock.

Love from our nests to yours!  Georgina @ Caramelize Life

Jul 10

Kauai'i - Steel Grass Chocolate tour

And the Winner for the Food with the Highest antioxidant content is…(drum roll please) Part Two

If you are just joining us check out part one of our chocolate tour.

part two…

We hit the prime time to view the cacao tree, because in early to mid June, the tree is in bloom with flowers, new leaves are emerging from the top, and the cacao pods are ripening.  Michelle cut open a cacao pod so we could see the white fibrous center and the seeds nested within.

Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the USA where chocolate trees grow?

Next on our three hour tour we are happily seated under the big top, the Steelgrass’s newest addition. Here is where we trust Michelle and taste little bits of chocolate from numbered ramekins.

This blind test allows us to banish any preconceived ideas we bring and let our taste buds tell us  what we really like, rather than great marketing. This method draws out each of our inner wine enthusiast and we write down adjectives like smoky, pungent, fruity with a gritty mouth taste with an earthy flavor. These words are the ‘terre’ (french for place) that describe the chocolate and the flavors that swim in our mouths bumping into our sweet and salty taste buds.  The flavors pop in our mouths and our taste buds jobs are made easy purely responsible for sending messages to our vacation brain, so we may conjure up visuals of the tropical landscapes the samples of chocolate originate from.

Cacao bean and chocolate covered nibs

Of course, if you didn’t have the patience for all this nonsense and preferred to just eat your chocolate pieces and doodle on paper with crayons (like I said; no rock was left unturned) then Annabelle had a small following in another tent just for you nonconformists.

Meanwhile in the big top we traveled back in time and followed Michelle through chocolate’s historical journey from start to present day. Then we were given the secret DIY knowledge of transforming these cacao nibs into rich, creamy, melt in your mouth chocolate complete with kitchen appliance recommendations for the aficionados in our group.

The last bit of information we absorbed was what brought us here in the beginning; we now know which chocolate our taste buds have decided is the best from around the world.

For me it was the 70% Kallari “Red Leaf.” Forastero/Nacional, grown in Ecuador. I was happy to hear that it is also a very socially responsible production with a great story, another bonus to all the good news I am learning about chocolate!

Armed with facts and research to support their debate I believe our family favorite smoothie will be made more often this summer. Below is our combination of Ed’s Juice and Java’s; Funky Monkey and Molly of Glover St. Market’s; Energy Boost.

Cacao Nib Smoothie

2 Peeled Bananas

1/4 cup Cacao nibs

3 cups Almond milk

1/2 cup Almond Butter

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

liquid chocolate to taste (optional for sweetness)

Blend together adding more liquid depending on desired thickness

Enjoy!

Have it cold: if you make too much or have left overs simply pour into a Popsicle mold and pop it in the freezer for a healthy summer treat.

Fact: Cacao has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants of any food. Antioxidant levels are measured by Oxygen Radial Absorbance Capacity. Per 100 grams, cacao nibs have 95,000 compared to; broccoli 890, spinach 1,540, acai berries 5,500 and dark chocolate 13,120.

*source Steelgrass.org handout.

Aloha kakou!

Rachelle @ Caramelize Life

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Jul 7

DSCF3761
3 Comments

Any~Time~Any~Meal Winners: from Rhubarb Crisp to the Philly Cheese Steak

Recently Rachelle and I, partners at Caramelize Life, were happily bantering about favorite foods and recipes we adore.  We landed on a few win-all, any-time, all-purpose recipes.

I think we’re all familiar ~ those recipes that we’ll secretly devour on any occasion in a darkish corner of the kitchen.  It’s just as good first thing in the morning as late at night, whenever hunger strikes.

There is most commonly no guilt associated with these snackings, because the recipes are so delectable (and arguably healthy in our minds) that they should be enjoyed for any meal.  No excuses.

Four quick and easy Any-Meal-Any-Time Recipes for our Beloved Readers

These recipes may be made garden to table any time of year with a few tricks, but each one also uses produce and ingredients currently in season.  I’d like to highlight the Emmer Farro recipe and our friends at the Methow Valley’s own Bluebird Grain Farms because it is now prime salad season.  This recipe and those for Rhubarb Sauce and Philly Cheesesteak were also published in recent months.

But don’t miss the new recipe of Rhubarb Crisp at the end ~ it’s a universal winner!

1

~ Philly Cheese Steak Meets Methow Mama ~

The first weekend I made this recipe, I’ll admit, I ate this cheesesteak for three different meals.  And yes, one of them was breakfast.

2

~ Emmer Farro Salad with Fruit, Feta & Pecans ~ High-Protein, Hearty…. Delectable 

Emmer Farro is a unique, ancient grain cultivated in the Methow Valley. It is highly sought after in fine dining establishments in larger cities. And here is why: emmer has a full-bodied flavor, a texture and shape that holds, and contains up to 22% protein.

Photo credit: John Lok of the Seattle Times

3

~ Rhubarb Sauce & Yogurt ~

Rhubarb and yogurt is a family staple.  Check out this easy recipe for healthy any-time snacking.

4

New Recipe

~ Rhubarb Crisp ~

Fruit Mixture ~

5 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, diced in 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 cups sugar

4 Tablespoons flour

Note: if rhubarb is frozen, thaw but do not drain.

Crisp Topping ~

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or cinamon

1/4 cup cold butter, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1~ Combine rhubarb, sugar and flour in a bowl and set aside.  Let stand for at least 1/2 hour, stirring periodically.

2~ Meanwhile, prepare topping by combining all dry ingredients, then cut in butter.

3~ Place fruit in greased 2 quart square baking dish or equivalent and sprinkle topping over fruit.

4~ Bake at 375F for about 1/2 hour or until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden brown.

Yield: 10-12 servings (or4-5, depending)

Love from our kitchen to yours!  Georgina @ Caramelize Life

Jul 4

Plans for summer

Plans for summer.

via Plans for summer.

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