Last Tuesday, I flew down to Austin to meet my brand new nephew and hang with my sister and her family for a week. I fully intended to keep posting here on the blog (I even had a schedule) but I quickly slipped into the rhythm of their life and lost my grip on my best laid plans.
Instead of writing, I’ve spent countless hours snuggling (and bouncing) a three week old, playing trains and reading books with the three year old, and making food (squash gratin! soup! pasta sauce! granola!). I taught my brother-in-law how to make jam and gave my sister a crash course in homemade sauerkraut. In my book, it has been time very well spent.
Now, links!
- Still got tomatoes? Pressure can up some soup!
- Julia has the scoop on the new book, Fermented Vegetables
. - Here’s a terrific interview with David Ehreth of Sonoma Brinery.
- Speaking of pickles, how about some in-season carrots and daikon!
- Quick pickled peppers (and some serious pickle porn!).
- Sweet potato butter. Not cannable, but totally delicious.
- Apple conserve. Yum.
- Awesome jam wisdom from the folks behind We Love Jam.
- Two takes on savory winter squash pies.
- Pumpkin date truffles (the post calls these caramels, but I struggle calling something made almost entirely with pureed dates a caramel. Delicious? Yes! Caramel? Not so much).
- Chocolate chip pumpkin oat bars. Sounds like my kind of thing!
- These raw chocolate and pistachio butter cups sound amazing (though really, I just want the pistachio butter).
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The winners in last week’s Quench
giveaway are #70/Jen and #298/Kim Murphy. Thanks to all who took the time to enter!
Congratulations to the winners of the book.
Marisa; sounds like you had a wonderful time spending with family members
Just finished reading your article in Fine Cooking and wanted to say thanks for the tip on adding vinegar to the water bath. I moved recently and my jars of apple butter and conserve look nasty from the water. I’ve cleaned them off in the past if I got deposits, but I never realized I could prevent it.
Selfishly, I wish you would do some classes in Texas while down visiting. You have a lot of fans down here!
Oh new baby smell!! <3
I love the two links to the savory pies.
I tried out the conserve today, but with honey liqueur instead of rum and pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices listed as I’m out of cinnamon (it IS apple season). It is delicious! The recipe said 6 8oz. jars – I got 4 8oz + 4 4oz. with just a bit left over for the fridge. I expect it will be excellent over vanilla ice cream. Thanks for posting the recipe!