What happens when two friends of 40 years make their favorite Christmas Cookies together? It may be a whole lot more than you would imagine. – Watch as Chef Blondie and Miss Nancy spend a day together baking cookies and so much more.
Hello, my friends! Chef Blondie here. Today, I have a special treat for you. My friend, Nancy. We’re going to be making our famous Christmas cookies. She’s going to make gingerbread cookies and I’m going to be doing my famous sugar cookies.
Why We Decided to Make Christmas Cookies Together
Nancy and I have been best friends for almost 40 years. Nancy will tell you that it started out Rocky – a little rocky. But it all worked out, and after all these years, we’re closer than ever.
If you’ve followed this blog since 2018, you well know we used to do what we call “Yard Trash Day.” (See here and here.) We would make beautiful floral arrangements out of just stuff from our yards.
But this year we said you know what, let’s do something different. So, we decided to try Christmas cookies and see how that works out. I will do rolled sugar cookies, adapted from a recipe in an old Better Homes & Garden cookbook. I’ve used this recipe for over 40 years. Because I made them with my daughter many times, and she likes them so much, I call them Kathy’s Christmas Cookies.
Nancy decided go back even further and make gingerbread men from a recipe from a very old edition of the Joy of Cooking. The recipe poses many challenges, but the end product is tasty. The old recipe includes instructions on how to make templates for the gingerbread men, and it would be great fun when done with a child or grandchild.
So, watch our video and see how much fun two old friends can have when they make Christmas cookies together.
Today, we’ll be exploring the rich culinary history of the Azores, focusing on a traditional and frugal dish—Azorean Bean Soup with Linguiça.
Hi! Old Fuzz Face here. Welcome to the soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen!
In the late-1800s and early 1900s, life on São Miguel was simple and community-oriented. Meals were often prepared with whatever was locally available, making use of seasonal ingredients and foods like linguiça sausage.
Our video will show you how to use linguiça in a traditional bean soup that tastes great and is warm and satisfying. – A perfect meal for this time of year.
By the way, don’t be worried if you don’t have any linguiça. A number of grocery chains such as Harris Teeter sell various brands of authentic linguiça sausage. And if you are really daring, try making your own linguiça using my recipe here.
Sous Chef Lessons Learned
Mr. Monte claims that I’m not the sharpest claw on the paw. I’m not saying our video proves him right. I will say that I learned three important lessons while making this about how to make Azorean Bean Soup. Watch the video to see what those three lessons were.
A Recipe on a Journey from the Azores
In 1903, my dad’s parents emigrated from São Miguel to Massachusetts. They didn’t bring much with them, and they had to start here from scratch. But my grandmother did bring one very important thing with her, that was her skill at cooking traditional Azorean dishes.
My grandfather died young, and I never got to meet my grandmother. My dad became the head of the household in the late 1920’s. I learned through my cousin Emma what types of meals my grandmother made for my dad and the family. This bean soup we’re preparing today is an example of what my grandmother would make back in those days. We think you’ll enjoy this bean soup because of its great flavor and ease of preparation.
After harvesting and processing, the next step in a successful winter food prep is making use of preserving skills. This is key in ensuring that favorite summer foods will be there during the coming months. So, let’s talk a little about the preserving methods we used here at Serendipity Farmhouse during the week of September 15th.
Farmhouse Food Skills Category 3 – Preserving
Hi! Old Fuzz Face here. In the first two posts of this winter food prep series, we talked about where we get our winter food and the farmhouse food skills we use to process it. But that’s just the beginning of our winter food prep. There’s another set of food skills we’ve learned that helps us preserve the food we’ve processed.
Food Preserving Skills
Q – Okay, now that we’ve processed our raw ingredients, what do we do to preserve different types of farmhouse food products?
A – We employ a variety of techniques to extend the shelf life of food, such as canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freezing, and vacuum sealing herbs and other food products. In the future, we hope to explore smoking and other traditional techniques.
You can find any number of lists describing skills needed for preserving food. The lists pretty much agree on primary techniques, but it’s hard to find a single standard list. In our list of six preserving techniques, we show the ones that are important for us here at SFH. For other folks, the list will be different.
6 Important Preserving Skills
Technique
Description
Canning
Preserves fruits, vegetables, and meats by sealing them in jars and heating to kill bacteria. This technique is vital for ensuring long-term storage without refrigeration while retaining nutritional value and flavor.
Dehydrating
Removes moisture to prevent spoilage. This is essential for preserving herbs, fruits, and vegetables, making them lightweight, compact, and easy to store, with a long shelf life.
Fermenting
Utilizes natural bacteria to convert sugars into acids or alcohol, preserving food while enhancing its nutritional value and flavor. Perfect for making pickles, sauerkraut, and other fermented goodies.
Freezing
Slows down enzyme activity and bacterial growth. Freezing is indispensable for maintaining the quality and nutrition of fruits, vegetables, and meats, making them last well beyond their natural season.
Root Cellaring
Uses the earth’s natural coolness for storage. This energy-efficient method is perfect for keeping root vegetables, apples, and other hardy produce fresh over winter. (We don’t have a root cellar or basement, so we have to use the coolest places we can find in our old farmhouse.)
Vacuum Sealing
Removes air from packaging or containers to extend the shelf life of foods. This method is critical for preventing freezer burn and oxidation, keeping frozen and dried foods fresh for a longer period.
Farmhouse Preserving Skills
Here are some preserving skills we used during the week of September 15th.
Canning – Spicy Dilly Beans
We’ve been canning spicy dilly beans for three years now. It’s a great way to preserve those garden-fresh beans and to kick them up a notch. Sure, they can be used as a side for dinner. But with these spicy dilly beans you can also serve them as an appetizer or as a snack at lunchtime. It’s really worth the effort to can beans this way because it ensures that we will have a crunchy, tangy snack or side dish all year-round.
Sage is an essential herb for adding flavor to dishes. Dehydrating this herb takes little time and it’s about as easy as it gets. Now that we’ve started dehydrating products from our own gardens, we can be sure that we always have a supply of aromatic, home-grown herbs to season the foods cooked in the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Test Kitchen.
This is our first year dehydrating tomatoes. We’re compiling a list of ways that we can use them in various recipes. They reconstitute easily and they’re going to be found on top of our pizzas and in clam chowder and other dishes. Looking further into the future, we expect to turn some of our dried tomatoes in tomato powder for making tomato paste, tomato sauce, and other basic tomato products.
As we see it, dehydrating tomatoes is a way to preserve summer’s sweetness for those colder months. It’s a great way get the most from our summer garden.
Fermenting – Cucumbers
Fermenting cucumbers, or making pickles, is an excellent way to add tangy, probiotic-rich foods to our diet. During the summer we get a large number of cucumbers from our CSA. In fact, we get more than we can use during a normal week. Fermenting those excess cucumbers means we can preserve them for several months and use our own homegrown dill and garlic to add flavor. So, we end up with a healthy, flavorful treat that’s perfect for snack platters and sandwiches.
Fermenting – Garlic
In mid-September our homegrown garlic meets a critical point in its lifecycle. Without a proper cold storage room, this is when our garlic starts to go down hill. We’ve found a few good ways to preserve garlic from two to six months beyond this point. One way we used to preserve the garlic was in red wine. Now, we prefer to ferment our garlic. That’s because, not only does it last longer, in the fermenting process it gains the healthy benefit of becoming a probiotic.
Fermenting garlic enhances the flavor and gives it a little more kick. Now our garlic is long lasting, has great flavor, and it’s healthy. Who could ask for more?
We dehydrate, pickle, and freeze our okra. But, we never ever ferment it. The one time we tried that, we regretted it deeply. So for now, freezing is our go-to method for preserving okra. It’s a simple, effective way to preserve this nutritious vegetable. Freezing okra ensures that we have a supply of this versatile veggie for soups, stews, and gumbos all winter long. Of course, frying is our favorite way to use okra.
Once you learn a preserving technique, you can apply it to a host of other food products. Freezing some veggies like okra is very simple and straightforward. Other vegetables, however, require an added step of blanching to lock in color and flavor. Crookneck squash requires that little bit of extra preparation. After that, it’s just like freezing okra and tomatoes.
You’ll really want to try this. That’s because everybody knows that by mid-summer they’ve seen too much summer squash and zucchini. Freeze it now, and enjoy it in February.
Farmhouse Food Skills Series
We hope that you’re enjoying this series of post and videos about farmhouse food skills.
How have my beautiful Miss Blondie and I improved our lives by learning basic Farmhouse Food Skills? – The are two answers to that question.
The first answer is quite simple. Our lives have been improved because we’ve learned and practiced these skills and techniques together. We spend our time together in the garden and the kitchen. We love each other and we work side-by-side doing what we love to do.
The 2nd Answer to the Question
The second answer to the question is more complex. This answer also responds to questions posed by my son-in-law, Andy, during a recent conversation.
Andy watched the first video in this series about Farmhouse Food Skills and he read the accompanying blog post. He told me that he realized that now was a good time for Daughter #1 and him to learn some of these skills and techniques. Andy noted that he gets more out of our blog posts than from our videos. He added that he wants to come over and watch us do these things in person.
Based on what Andy told me, I decided to change my approach so that it might be more instructive. So, I’m providing links to videos and posts that explain the “what”, “why”, and “how to” dimensions of the skills we use here at SFH. This approach will help explain how Miss Blondie and I have improved our lives by learning these skills.
Category 2 – Food Processing
Q – As viewed by the staff of the SFH Test Kitchen, what skills or techniques fall under the category of Food Processing?
A – For us, there are four primary skill sets and one general set in this category.
General: cleaning, chopping, grinding of any type of food
Routine Dairy: separating cream, making butter, and other simple dairy tasks
Daring Dairy: making cheese, yogurt, creme fraiche, etc.
Sourdough Culturing: creating and maintaining sourdough cultures
Spice Blending: preparing spice blends and mixes
Following are six examples of Farmhouse Food Processing Skills we used during the week of September 15th. I think you’ll see how mastering each skill has contributed to the joy we experience in farm-to-table living.
Making Butter
Homemade butter is rich, flavorful, and free from additives. For us, it’s a simple process that connects us to traditional methods. Churning butter from fresh cream provides a sense of accomplishment and yields a versatile ingredient for cooking and baking. And, when we serve our fresh sourdough bread to guests and tell them we also made the butter, they always acknowledge that extra farmhouse touch. – And don’t forget, when you make your own butter, you also get to drink that delightful buttermilk that’s left over.
Goat milk cheese is nutritious, easier to digest than other cheeses, and is often preferred by those with lactose sensitivities. We use raw goat milk to create our own cheese and cheese dips. We’ve found that goat milk cheese freezes quite well. So, we can have our favorite homemade cheese even when fresh goat milk is out of season.
Goat milk yogurt is probiotic-rich and supports gut health. We culture our own yogurt to ensure freshness and to avoid store-bought additives. It makes a perfect breakfast or snack option. We’ve also found that making our own yogurt is cost effective. Of course, we can use cow milk when goat milk is out of season. Also, we’ve seen that some folks make yogurt using milk powder. The staff members of the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen are planning to try that soon.
Making Mayonnaise
Homemade mayo is healthier than store-bought versions, as it lacks preservatives and stabilizers. For us, making mayonnaise allows for customization (e.g., using olive or avocado oil, or adding herbs). It’s a staple for sandwiches, salads, and dips. – Mr. Monte, our food quality control expert, is always there when we’re making mayo. He lets us know if we’ve chosen the best type of oil for the job.
Sourdough Culturing
Sourdough is a time-honored bread-making technique. We’ve had a reliable, mature sourdough starter for quite some time now. The slow fermentation process enhances digestibility. Everyone refers to our starter by the name of Mrs. Patmore. Maintaining, using, and sharing Mrs. P has become a living tradition here at our farmhouse. Baking sourdough loaves brings warmth to our farmhouse kitchen.
We preserve the summer tomato harvest by canning salsa. We used to use Mrs. Wages brand salsa mix when canning our 12-18 pints of salsa every year. However, now we grow many of our own herbs and spices. So, we came up with our own salsa mix that combines homegrown tomatoes, jalapeño and other hot peppers, onions, and a variety of spices. Our canned salsa, with it’s homemade spice blend is a flavorful addition to meals. But the real pleasure in making it ourselves comes when sharing homemade salsa with family and friends.
Join Chef Blondie as she shows you how to prepare an elegant yet easy RV meal by Jacques Pépin. In her latest YouTube video, “Dining by Candlelight,” she takes you on a culinary adventure inside the cramped kitchen of our cozy 24-foot motorhome. You will be amazed by the simplicity and style of this most appetizing dish!
When we arrived at our campsite, the outside temperature was 101°F. Nevertheless, my dear, fearless Chef Blondie demonstrated that she can handle the heat in the kitchen. She also made it clear that anyone can make a tasty dish, even on a getaway trip in a small, hot RV.
Reprise of an Easy RV Meal
On this RV trip, Chef Blondie decided to prepare a delightfully easy RV meal inspired by the legendary Jacques Pépin: Rice with Mushrooms and Steamed Asparagus. This is not the first time the soon-to-be-world-famous SFH Mobile Test Kitchen staff has made this dish. No, almost exactly one year ago, our intrepid crew made their very first YouTube video featuring this same recipe. (See Simple Rice with Mushrooms & Asparagus – Jacques’s Way for the original story and the printable recipe.)
Now one year and over 500 new subscribers later, Chef Blondie confidently steps out in front of the camera, without a script. She’s justly proud of her media ventures highlighting her culinary achievements and her useful cooking tips.
Easy RV Meals Come with Challenges & Rewards
To many, cooking in a motorhome might seem challenging, and it definitely is. Yet, with the right recipe and preparation RV Cooking brings great rewards. In this video, Chef Blondie demonstrates how simplicity and creativity can lead to gourmet meals, no matter where you are. This Jacques Pépin recipe showcases the fresh flavors of mushrooms and asparagus, making it a perfect choice for a romantic candlelight dinner in the camp setting of your choice.
In the video, Chef Blondie provides step-by-step instructions on how to prepare the rice and sauté the mushrooms to perfection. She also shares her tips for proper cooking of the asparagus and ensures that every bite is bursting with flavor. The warm, earthy tones of the mushrooms combined with the vibrant green asparagus create a visually stunning dish that’s sure to impress.
Set the Scene for Elegant Dining
As we set the scene for our candlelight dinner, Chef Blondie emphasizes the importance of ambiance in dining. With soft lighting and a beautifully set table, she transforms our motorhome into a charming dining space, proving that you don’t need a fancy restaurant to enjoy a special meal.
Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting out, this recipe is accessible and delicious. Perfect for camping trips or a cozy night at home, it’s a meal that brings comfort and satisfaction. So, grab your ingredients and join us on this culinary journey!
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more delicious recipes and cooking tips from Chef Blondie. Let’s make dining memorable, no matter where the road takes us!
Creme fraiche is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can elevate your culinary creations. This rich, tangy cream is a staple in French cuisine, perfect for adding depth to sauces, soups, and desserts. If you’ve ever wondered how to make this tasty dairy ingredient at home, you’re in luck! Our latest YouTube video walks you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you achieve that perfect creamy texture.
Helly, my friends!
I’m getting ready to make Julia Child’s Cheese Tartlets. A key ingredient is Creme Fraiche. You can buy it in the store, or you can make it yourself. Providing you have just a little time to spare the day before making your special dish, this will be easy to make and quick to prepare.
Let me tell you, the little bit of effort invested pays huge dividends in flavor.
What is Creme Fraiche?
Creme fraiche is a cultured cream that has a slightly nutty flavor and a velvety consistency. Unlike sour cream, it has a higher fat content, making it less tangy and more luxurious. It can be used in both sweet and savory dishes, from drizzling over fruit to enriching pasta sauces. Making it at home is not only easy but also allows you to control the ingredients and flavor.
Why make it at home?
Making creme fraiche at home is not only cost-effective but also incredibly rewarding. You’ll find that homemade versions taste fresher and more flavorful than store-bought options. Plus, it’s a fun way to experiment with your culinary skills!
My dear friend Pierre LeChat has talked about this ingredient in his post Julia’s Tartlets – Pierre’s Test Case. For a detailed demonstration, be sure to check out our YouTube video on how to make creme fraiche. You’ll see the entire process in action and discover tips to customize it to suit your taste.
Happy cooking!
Creme fraiche is a versatile and delicious ingredient that can elevate your culinary creations. This rich, tangy cream is a staple in French cuisine, perfect for adding depth to sauces, soups, and desserts.
Coq au Vin is a dish as complex as a French chef can contrive, or it is as simple as an RV camper can concoct on a 3-burner RV stove. No matter where you fall in that spectrum, you should try out Ina Garten’s recipe.
One momentous test of Julia Child’s recipe took place on November 11, 2021. The world famous Le Chat Chef Extraordinaire (Mr. Monte) oversaw Chef Blondie and Sous Chef Fuzzy. Under his close scrutiny and guidance, the SFH Mobile Test Kitchen staff artfully executed Julia’s recipe for Coq au Vin.
We proved that a camping couple like us can prepare this fine French dish, even in a cramped RV kitchen. We call our modified recipe Coq au Vin a la El Camino Del Monte.
In Search of Worthy Competitor
Yes, we had success in our Mobile RV Test Kitchen in 2021. We have also mastered Julia’s recipe in the well-equipped Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen. Nevertheless, I knew that Julia’s recipe might have some worthy competitors. While perusing Ina Garten’s cookbook, Back to Basics, I was intrigued by her recipe. There was just enough difference in her approach to suspect that my Test Kitchen staff would want to try it out. They did and I think you will be surprised by the results. I know I was. So, make sure you check out our video at the bottom of this post.
Coq au Vin – Two Recipes Compared
Julia Child’s recipe for Coq au Vin in “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” emphasizes traditional French techniques. It showcases her classic approach to cooking. She uses a whole chicken, marinating it in red wine, and incorporates ingredients like lardons, mushrooms, and pearl onions. Child’s method involves browning the chicken in butter and then simmering it slowly. This allows the flavors to develop deeply, reflecting her belief in the importance of time and technique in cooking. Julia’s recipe only requires the use of a stove top. That’s why we could easily adapt this recipe for use in our RV.
In contrast, Ina Garten’s recipe in “Back to Basics” offers a more streamlined and accessible version. Garten’s approach is less labor-intensive, focusing on ease without sacrificing flavor. She simplifies the process by using fewer steps and emphasizes the use of high-quality ingredients, making it approachable for home cooks. However, Ina’s recipe calls for simmering the chicken in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Although our RV has an oven, this would not be our method of choice on a hot day while camping.
While both recipes celebrate the essence of Coq au Vin, Child’s rests on classic French culinary traditions, requiring patience and skill, whereas Garten’s version is modern and user-friendly, appealing to a broader audience. This contrast highlights the evolution of cooking styles, balancing tradition with practicality.
Julia Child’s Recipe: Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine with Onions, Mushrooms, and Bacon), serves 4-6, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, page 263.
While perusing Ina Garten's cookbook, Back to Basics, I was intrigued by her recipe for Coq au Vin. Her approach differs from Julia Child's in several ways. There was just enough difference to persuade the SFH Test Kitchen Staff to try it out. They did and I think you will be surprised by the results. I know I was.
This recipe is an adaptation based on three different versions of Ina Garten's recipe. The notes section lists the changes we made.
The July sun is beating down and the mercury is rising, that makes this the perfect time to try Jacques Pépin’s Summertime Pasta. After all, the last thing the SFH Test Kitchen wants is to spend hours in a hot kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that we’re ready to sacrifice delicious, satisfying meals. The fact is, Jacques’s pasta recipe is the perfect solution for these sweltering July days. It’s quick, easy, and bursting with fresh, seasonal flavors.
Hello my friends. – What I love most about this Summertime Pasta is how it allows the natural flavors of the produce to shine. There’s no need for heavy sauces or complex seasonings – just pure, unadulterated deliciousness. It’s the kind of meal that nourishes your body while delighting your taste buds.
One of the best things about this dish is how easily it can be adapted to suit your personal tastes and the ingredients you have on hand. For example, we added diced shallot to the recipe. Either shallot or red onion work beautifully to add a subtle, savory depth of flavor.
Although Jacques’s Summertime Pasta is similar to his Pasta Primavera recipe, the flavor is different due to the selection of vegetables. See our Post Pasta Primavera Your Grandkids will Love. Also check out Jacque’s cookbook Fast Food My Way for other quick and simple recipes.
Summertime Pasta in 4 Simple Steps
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. With just a handful of wholesome ingredients – ripe tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, shallot, etc. – you can create a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that feels indulgent without weighing you down. And the best part? It all comes together in a matter of minutes. – Take a look at the four simple steps.
Step 1 – Mix the Vegetables
Start by dicing up the tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and shallot. The small, uniform pieces not only look beautiful, but they also allow the flavors to meld together seamlessly. Toss these veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you’ve already got the makings of a delicious sauce.
Step 2 – Prepare the Pasta
About 20 minutes before serving time, bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot. Add the pasta, stir well, and return to a boil. Boil, uncovered, over high heat until cooked to your liking (slightly al dente for us).
Step 3 – Microwave Vegetables for 2 Minutes
While the pasta is cooking, put the bowl containing the vegetables in a microwave oven. Cook on high for 2 minutes, or until lukewarm. This helps to soften the tomatoes and zucchini, creating a perfectly balanced texture.
Step 4 – Drain the Pasta and Add to Vegetables
Drain the pasta thoroughly and add it to the warmed vegetable salad. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and basil and toss well. Divide among four warmed soup plates. Serve immediately.
Summertime Pasta – Summary
So, the next time the summer heat has you feeling uninspired in the kitchen, turn to Jacques Pépin’s Summertime Pasta. It’s a celebration of the season’s bounty and a testament to the power of simple, seasonal ingredients. What more could you ask for?
Happy Cooking!
Jacques Pépin's Summertime Pasta recipe is the perfect solution for sweltering summer days. It's quick, easy, and bursting with fresh, seasonal flavors.
You might well ask, why would you want to be garlic self-reliant? You can pick it up in any grocery store. Why make a big deal out of growing your own garlic? Let me give you 7 good reasons why.
Hi! Old Fuzz Face here. Living in our nearly century-old Serendipity Farmhouse, with its expansive 1.203 acres of land, the pursuit of garlic self-reliance has become a tremendously rewarding and practical endeavor.
Before I give you our 7 reasons to become garlic self-reliant, let me make a confession. I don’t just love garlic (Allium sativum), I’ve spent my life in pursuit of international garlic adventures. Midway through my list of reasons, I will take a break to tell you about two of those adventures.
Our 7 Reasons Why We Want to be Garlic Self-Reliant
In theory, our 1.203-acre estate could support a great deal of agriculture. We could grow rows of corn, beets, leafy vegetables, etc. Unfortunately, we’re a bit past the age to keep up with such large gardens. Besides that, our soil is very poor in nutrients and very high in rocks. That’s why we have to be selective about what we grow. You can be sure there was never any question that Allium sativum would hold the top spot on our garden list. Here are just seven of the many reasons why.
Reason 1 – Freshness
Growing our own heads ensures we always have access to the freshest possible produce. Store-bought garlic, even from specialty markets, can lose its flavor and aroma over time as it sits on shelves.
We harvest our homegrown Allium sativum at the peak of ripeness and we can use it within two weeks of harvesting. We know it will retain all of its bold and pungent qualities. This freshness translates to a more flavorful culinary experience. Executive Chef Blondie will settle for no less.
Additionally, we’ve learned several different methods of preserving fresh garlic. We can preserve it in wine or we can ferment it. We even dehydrate it and make our own garlic powder.
Reason 2 – Cost Savings
Purchasing garlic from the grocery store can add up quickly, especially if used frequently in cooking as we do. This vegetable is a relatively inexpensive crop to grow, and the yield from even a small plot such as ours can provide ample supplies for a household. Over time, the cost per pound of homegrown garlic will be a fraction of what one would pay at the store.
Planting
Harvesting
Drying
Reason 3 – Garlic Variety
Commercial markets typically offer a limited selection of garlic types. They often stock only the most common varieties. By growing our own garlic, we’ve opened up a world of diverse flavors and characteristics. From the robust, pungent hardneck garlics to the milder, sweeter softneck varieties, we can experiment with different types to find the ones best suited to our culinary preferences.
Reason 4 – Organic Control
One of the primary advantages of growing our own garlic is the ability to control the quality and cultivation methods. Some store-bought garlic comes from producers who have treated it with chemicals. Sometimes, it may come from distant regions. This results in a loss of freshness and nutritional value. By growing our own heads, we can ensure that it is free from harmful pesticides. At the same time, we know our Allium sativum will be packed with the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that make garlic a true superfood.
Time Out For 2 International Garlic Adventures
South Korea 1969 – Kimchi and Much More
My very first international garlic adventure was in the late 1960s when I spent several months in South Korea. That was where I had my first encounter with kimchi.
China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of garlic. Some sources say Korea is number two. I was young and not prepared for the large quantity of this vegetable found in Korean cuisine. But I soon learned that garlic is a defining feature of most traditional kimchi recipes and many other dishes.
This experience was truly a delight to my youthful palate. Soon I became a denizen of the Korean and Chinese restaurants in that South Korean town. The pungent aroma and flavor of the garlic in the many dishes I sampled led me to seek out garlic-enhanced cuisine throughout the world.
Moldova 1994 – If you can’t beat them, join them.
I had a far more extreme international garlic adventure during a business trip to Chisinau, Moldova in the 1990s.
Picture me having lunch with a group of Moldovan business associates in a fairly high-class establishment. Imagine my surprise when we were served fresh, raw garlic and green onions as an appetizer.
That moment became a high challenge and test of machismo. Was I man enough to match them one-for-one on the number cloves I ate? I was! – All of us consumed liberal amounts. Needless to say, the subsequent meetings on that warm summer afternoon, in that very small, poorly ventilated room, left a strong impression on my memory.
Reason 5 – Health Benefits of Garlic
Allium sativum is renowned for its impressive array of health-promoting properties. It can boost the immune system and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Because we grow our own, we can be confident that it’s packed with beneficial compounds, such as allicin and antioxidants. Also, this vegetable has long been revered for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting properties. This makes our homegrown bulbs an invaluable addition to our diet.
Reason 6 – Convenience
Having a ready supply of fresh garlic right at our fingertips has been a game-changer for the soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen. No more last-minute trips to the grocery store for us. With our own garlic patch, we can simply step into the pantry and find what we need, whenever we need it. This convenience allows us to incorporate this superfood into our cooking more freely, elevating the flavor and nutritional value of our meals.
Reason 7 – Sense of Accomplishment
Growing our own food, like garlic, has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Yearly, we witness the transformation from a humble clove to a thriving plant, and then harvesting first the garlic scapes and then the flavorful bulbs. This leads to a profound sense of accomplishment and pride. This connection to our land and the food we produce is deeply satisfying.
Imagine our joy when we harvest our own fragrant bulbs, curing them to perfection. And the satisfaction increases when we incorporate our garlic in a wide array of culinary creations, from savory stews to zesty pestos.
Summary
After hearing our reasons for wanting to be garlic self-reliant, you might consider doing the same yourself. Miss Blondie and I hope you do.
Regarding my two international adventures, you might want to accuse me of being obsessed with Allium sativum and recipes using it. But I want to reassure you, I am not obsessed. It’s just that, for me, having just the right amount of garlic in my favorite dishes is a Way of Life, and I intend to be garlic self-reliant.
Until next time, Keep it Simple, Keep it Practical, and Happy Cooking!
Joining a CSA can be a great deal! Hubby and I have made a video of my weekly veggie haul that shows you why.
Hi! Chef Blondie here.
Last year, in our post Can Joining a CSA be a Good Deal?, we showed you the many benefits of joining a CSA farm (Community Supported Agriculture).
We are now four weeks into this year’s CSA season. We thought you might be interested in joining me as I head over to Waterpenny Farm to do my weekly veggie haul.
So, read this post for some background info. Then watch the video to see what one might find on a weekly veggie haul.
By the way, you might notice that I’m wearing shades in the video. Well, that’s because I’m still recovering from recent eye surgery and bright light causes me discomfort. I’m expecting things will be much better in a week or two. Many thanks to those who prayed for me over the last several weeks.
What’s a CSA?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a production and marketing model whereby consumers buy shares of a farm’s harvest in advance. In exchange for this, farmers commit to supplying sufficient quantity, quality, and variety of products. The consumers and farmers share the risks and benefits of food production.
If you’re interested in a how a CSA works, check out Waterpenny’s website here. Eric Plaksin and Rachel Bynum give a great rundown of how their CSA came to be and they highlight their service to the community. They also talk about pricing for shares and half shares, describing what products are available over the course of a season. – There’s a lot more to running a CSA than you might think, and Eric and Rachel provide many valuable insights.
SFH and Waterpenny – An Interesting Relationship
In a sense, CSA members support the CSA farm as if it were their own. That means, through the lean years as well as through the good years. And that’s been our relationship with Waterpenny Farm for the past 8-9 years. There are times when our half share overwhelms us. So, we have to give away excess produce to our children and friends. There are other times when we wish the weather had been kinder to our CSA.
But here’s the secret to what makes the Serendipity Farmhouse – Waterpenny Farm relationship so worthwhile to us.
If you’ve read our posts, you know we grow our own herbs, and vegetables. We can or preserve most of what we grow.
We know we can’t grow everything we want or need. So, we stick to our favorites – tomatoes, okra, garlic, green beans, and hot peppers.
Although our garden production overlaps with what Waterpenny provides us, Waterpenny grows a host of other products that are not within our capability to grow. – And when we’re one pound short of tomatoes for canning, Waterpenny always comes through.
The bottom line is, come canning season, we have everything we need. There are no trips to Walmart for veggies during the summer. – In essence, Waterpenny becomes a virtual extension of the vast 1.203-acre Serendipity Farmhouse Estate.
What does a half share veggie haul look like?
I think you’ve got the picture now. By working with products from our CSA, we’ve managed to solve a large part of our original food procurement problem. In answer to the question “Can joining a CSA be a Good Deal?” The answer for us is ‘yes.’ As an illustration of that, here are pictures showing some veggie hauls from last year and last Thursday.
Typical Veggie Hauls
If there’s a downside to all this feast of plenty, it’s difficult to find. But when this much fresh food comes into our kitchen every Thursday, we have to plan meals to ensure nothing is wasted. It’s amazing how many innovative recipes we’ve developed to make the best use of this great bounty.
