Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Sept is a great month!











Pickles, preserves, charcuterie, ham and cabbage sandwiches, turkeys are getting near slaughter, smoke house filling up. Stocking up, freezing, drying, brewing, vac packing, planning, cleaning, granola, pot pies, matsutakes, honeys, fall tea mushrooms, hard cider, apple pie, pumpkin and bourbon, refreshing rain.........



Friday, September 18, 2009

Back to basics for fall

Some shots of our fall tomato and pickle day. Time to start thinking about eggnog and holiday plum pudding. Ive moved my favourite chili plant inside to hang for the winter in peace. Starting some hard cider and homemade pectin next week. Plus smoking tha country ham! Whats your favourite fall preserve?




















I feel like chicken tonight!

September rain brings, ............well chickens! Was on my way back from meeting a fellow shroomer to exchange some fungi news and spotted a "laetiporus Sulphureus" or in other words "chicken of the woods mushroom" These large shrooms "roost" in mature Manitoba maples, Oaks and various other hardwoods in eastern Canada. A texture very similar to chicken and a nice neutral mild flavour makes these shrooms a favourite among fungi enthusiasts.

At the shop we've been busy processing tomatoes for puree and sauce. 400lbs of tomatoes were done this fall, so were ready to hunker down into winter braising and ketchup/chutney production. 16L of naturally fermented pickles have been started (pics of tom production and pickles to come) Ive also started two prosciutto one country style ham, 2 dozen smoked goose breasts, 10kg of pastrami and some more heritage breed pancetta. Happy fall :)

Kobocha Squash Flan

Halibut wrapped with cured pork fat, ready to be sous vide.

"Laetiporus Sulphureus" Chicken of da woods!