Get Figgy Wit' It!

I know you've all been waiting for this post. Well, it's been a strange year. The figs came early and aren't staying around as long on the tree. And these buddies sure don't last long once picked! Fortunately they were around for our neighborhood pal progressive dinner! Citing the fig tree, we requested appetizers so we could feature our favorite fig recipe. But figs also go well with...bourbon!

 

 

 

First, I infused some bourbon with some figs. Look at the color! That's the unadulterated bourbon on the left and the fig-infused on the right. Did you know that the Kirkland small batch bourbon at Costco is delicious and reasonably-priced? It's become a House of Pi standard. Some figs also found their way into a puree.

Fig-infused Bourbon

1 750-mL bottle of a decent bourbon
approximately 12 fresh figs

Clean the figs, then slice off the tops and cut into quarters. Place in a clean, glass container. Pour bourbon over figs and cover. Let sit in a cool spot for up to a week. Remove bourbon-soaked figs with a slotted spoon, then strain the bourbon back into the original bottle through a coffee filter.

 

Fig Puree

 

1 quart fresh figs

2 Tbsp sugar

4 tsp water

2 tsp lemon juice

 

Clean the figs, then slice off the tops and cut into quarters. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

 And then, the drank!

 

Get Figgy Wit' It

2 oz fig-infused bourbon
1 oz fig puree
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
club soda

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add a couple ice cubes, and shake well. Pour over ice in a rocks glass and top with club soda. Enjoy. 

 

And for the appetizer...

 

Prosciutto-wrapped Figs with Gorgonzola

 

12 figs

1 5 oz. package of prosciutto

gorgonzola cheese

 

Clean figs and cut in half. Top fig halves with a nice slab of gorgonzola. Wrap with 1/2 slice of prosciutto and secure with a toothpick. Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melty and the prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.

Misfit Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce

I know, I know. I've been slacking. But summer is a busy time of year! Sorry, friends.

Tomato season is upon us! It's our first full summer in the House of Pi, so we're still learning the nuances of our yard. Fortunately tomatoes are forgiving. Mostly. They're not always pretty. Or large. So here's what I decided to do with some of our garden misfits. Featuring: cour di bou, green zebra, large barred boar, and purple calabash!

cast of characters

Misfit Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce

2 pounds fresh garden tomatoes (not necessarily perfect)

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Chop tomatoes, keeping all of the delicious fresh juice and discarding any icky parts. Finely chop basil and garlic and add to tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.

Serve over your pasta of choice. I recommend angel hair. Top with parmesan cheese, if you like. Enjoy.

fin

Mojito Season

I don't think anything tastes like summer more than a refreshing mojito. And why not toss in a couple fresh blackberries off the vine?!

Here's my attempt to enumerate a recipe. It's more like just a feeling, you know?! Go with it.

Blackberry Mojito

makes a single drink in a pint glass

6-10 mint leaves (depending on size/potency/how much you like mint)
1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
4 blackberries
juice from 1 lime
3 oz. light rum
soda water
ice

Muddle mint leaves and powdered sugar in a pint glass (I find it easier to add an ice cube or a bit of crushed ice to help). Drop in blackberries and lightly muddle. Add lime juice, rum, and several ice cubes. Top with soda water and stir. Enjoy!

Preserving Plums

Another fruit tree we inherited at the House of Pi is a purple-leaf cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera). Or something like that. Whatever it is, it ended up completely full of tasty, little plums. I went out with the ladder and a bucket one day and picked the most accessible ones. And ended up with 18 pounds! Whew! So we spent a couple evenings making pickled plums, plum sauce, plum chutney, and cardamom plum jam. Despite a temporary repetitive-pitting injury, it was well worth it! As a bonus, that's 18 pounds of cherry plums that won't be making a mess in our yard.

Pickled Cherry Plums
adapted from Glutton for Life

makes 4 pints

2 lbs. cherry plums
4 whole star anise
8 green cardamom pods
8 nickle-sized coins of ginger
3 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt

In each sterilized jar, place one star anise, 2 cardamom pods, and 2 ginger coins. Pack with cherry plums. In a saucepan, bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Fill jars with liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and lid. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Delicious served over vanilla ice cream!

Plum Sauce
adapted from An Oregon Cottage

makes about 8 half-pint jars

4 lbs. cherry plums, pitted
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. ground mustard
2 tsp. dried chili flakes
2 Tbsp. ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about a half hour. Process with an immersion blender and cook until thick and syrupy. Ladle into sterlized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, and lid. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Serving suggestion: as a glaze for grilled chicken drumsticks, shown here with kimchi fried rice and asian-style zucchini

Plum Chutney
adapted from the Ball Blue Book

makes 4-6 pints

4 quarts cherry plums, pitted
3 cups brown sugar
2 cups raisins
1 cup onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until thick, stirring frequently. This can take up to an hour. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and lid. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Cardamom Plum Jam
adapted from Liana Krissoff, author of Canning for a New Generation, available in Southern Living, August 2012

makes about 5 half-pint jars

4 pounds cherry plums, pitted
2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. freshly ground cardamom

Combine plums and sugar in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, gently pressing with a wooden spoon to squeeze out juices. Reserve plum pieces. Return juice to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes or until syrupy. Add reserved plum pieces and stir in lime juice and cardamom. Bring to a light boil, stirring often, and simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, and lid. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Serving suggestions: on a crumpet at tea or cut with a bit of balsamic vinegar and used as a glaze on broiled pork chops

And here are the finished results! I tend to use 4 oz jars to share tastes with more people...

Cucumber Inspiration

Our first harvest from the summer garden was a cucumber! Okay okay that may not sound very impressive, but we were excited. What to do with it?! We didn't want to cover up the flavor of this exciting cucumber too much, so we decided on a simple sunomono.

Simple Sunomono

Serves 2-3

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 tsp. sesame seeds

Pour vinegar over cucumbers. Serve in small dishes topped with sesame seeds.

Many traditional recipes use sugar and salt or soy sauce. Feel free to try that if you like, but we enjoy the simple flavors of the vinegar and cucumber.

But what else should we have with this special sunomono?! We decided on cold soba noodles. There happened to be a delish sauce recipe on the package. And somewhere in between, Brent splurged on a lovely ahi steak.

Seared Ahi over Cold Soba Noodles
Serves 2

1 ahi steak (approx. 2/3 lb.), cut into two halves
olive oil
sesame seeds (1/2 white and 1/2 black is especially pretty!)

1 3 oz. package soba noodles
1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. finely grated ginger
4 Tbsp. lime juice

Coat edges of ahi steaks with sesame seeds. Thinly coat a skillet with olive oil. Sear ahi over medium high heat for 45 seconds on each side. Carefully cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Cook soba noodles as directed. Rinse well and drain. Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and lime juice. Pour over noodles, reserving remainder for dipping.

Things to do with Strawberries - Bubbly and Muffins

What happens when you spend a weekend with friends in Tahoe and another couple also brings a 4 lb. box of strawberries?!

Strawberry-Mint Sparkling Limeade
adapted from Cooking Light, May 2012

3 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 bottle sparkling wine, chilled


Place all ingredients except the wine in a blender and process until smooth. Pour 1/2 cup strawberry mixture into a glass, then slowly add 1/2 cup wine and gently stir to combine. Enjoy.

TIP: If you already have all-purpose flour, you don't need to buy a whole other bag of self-rising flour. Wish I'd looked this up before I did...

1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder + 1/4 tsp. salt = self-rising flour

Why am I mentioning this? Oh, here's another strawberry recipe to make while you're enjoying your bubbly:

Strawberry-Meyer Lemon Muffins
adapted from Southern Living, April 2012

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup sugar
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup meyer lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups diced fresh strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

2. Stir together sour cream, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs and add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently fold strawberries into batter. Spoon batter into lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, filling three-fourths full. If you like, sprinkle additional sugar over batter.

3. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 1 minute; remove from pans to wire rack, and cool 10 minutes.

We also concocted possibly the best quiche yet: zucchini, mushroom, and feta. Yum! I'll just go add that to my quiche post...

Garden Update - late May

Things have been busy busy lately, so I haven't been able to throw together any helpful posts! So hey, how about some photos from the garden on this lovely morning!

blackberries and grapes getting started

spaghetti squash and cucumber 'Potluck' showing off

Nugget hops movin' on up

 

heirloom tomato 'Large Barred Boar'...with a long way to go!

uh-oh! what's wrong with my 'Black Krim'? still working on a diagnosis, but since it's the new leaves that are curling with purple veins, I'm leaning towards a virus...

Things to Do with Beets - Refrigerator Pickled and Greens in a Sauté

mood: refreshed

music: an awesome thunderstorm! (when I was making these monday evening)

Beets were cheap at this past weekend's Midtown Farmers Market, so I snagged a bunch each of red and golden to make some quick refrigerator pickles! Lots of other recipes have all sorts of spices, but personally I prefer just the taste of vinegar and the beets.
 

Refrigerator Pickled Beets

1 lb. bunch beets
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. kosher salt

Scrub beets and trim greens (but save those for later!), then boil for 20-30 minutes until fork tender. Let beets cool, then peel and slice. I just cut them into quarters or sixths. Drop beets into a Mason jar; I find a bunch fits pretty well into a pint and a half jar.

For the brine, I use apple cider vinegar for the golden beets and 1/2 apple cider and 1/2 balsamic vinegar for the red beets. In a small saucepan, slowly bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil. Pour the brine over the beets, cover the jar, and place in the fridge. Try to wait a week before you try them!

 

 

Don't forget the beet greens! They're really tasty in just about anything you'd use other greens in. Their texture is somewhere in between spinach and kale. Here's a recipe I threw together in the height of Meyer lemon season that I used the beet greens in this time.

 

TIP: When Meyer lemons are abundant, freeze some of the juice in an ice cube tray to enjoy the flavor even after the fruits are gone.

 

Sautéed Chicken with Meyer Lemon, White Wine, and Greens

 

1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cubed

3 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 cup white wine

juice from 2 Meyer lemons

1 bunch greens (beet greens, arugula, spinach, etc.)

1/2 lb. pasta (I usually use angel hair)

olive oil

black pepper

 

Boil pasta according to directions. When done, stir with some olive oil and juice of 1 Meyer lemon.

 

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook garlic in oil for about a minute, being careful not to burn. Season chicken with black pepper and add to skillet. Let chicken cook for a minute or two, then add white wine and juice of 1 Meyer lemon. Continue to cook until chicken is done, 5 more minutes or so. Add greens towards the end and toss until wilted.

 

Serve over pasta, including some of the liquid.

Derby Day

mood: confused
drink: see below

Did I miss something? When did Derby Day become a big thing?

Don't get me wrong, I remember occasionally watching the Kentucky Derby as a child and being particularly proud the one time I somehow randomly picked the winner. And I do dig mint juleps. But recently Derby Day appears to have become a new marketing angle. At least three local spots are advertising events with drink specials and fancy hat contests. I'm thinking it has to do with the hipster/mixologist-driven resurgence of bourbon and new "southern" restaurants with fancified $20-a-plate attempts at fried chicken that will never compare to Price's Chicken Coop.

I guess we just needed another legitimized excuse to drink during the springtime, somewhere in between St. Patrick's Day and Cinco de Mayo. And who am I to disparage a reason to drink bourbon in the middle of the day?

You don't need me to repeat a traditional mint julep recipe, why not check out "The Official Mint Julep of the Kentucky Derby" here. But here's what I threw together for my Derby Day Drank.

Derby Day Drank

3 oz. bourbon
6 oz. sun tea
1 oz. mint simple syrup

Pour ingredients into a highball glass and stir. Fill with ice and enjoy.

Sun Tea

Drop 5 black tea bags in a 1/2 gallon Mason jar. Fill with water, cover, and place in the sun for 3-5 hours. Remove tea bags and chill in the refrigerator.

I guess I should say that some people worry about bacterial growth since the water isn't boiled. The water that probably came from your tap and that you put into a clean container. Be as paranoid as you want, but I've never had a problem. 

Mint Simple Syrup

1 cup spearmint leaves
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan. Slowly heat on medium, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a slow boil. Turn off the heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a glass jar and let cool. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Happy Tomato Planting Day!

mood: accomplished
drink: sun tea :)

You already planted your tomatoes, didn't you?! I have to admit that I planted mine last weekend, but I waited as long as I could! April 28 is "official" Tomato Planting Day here in Sacramento, according to Farmer Fred (who has lots more great gardening advice, check it out!)

Why wait? The plants are happiest in soils around 65 degrees and optimal fruit production occurs above 70 degrees soil temperature. And what about that crazy weather we've had over the past few weeks? Thunderstorms and wind...threats to your young plants.

When it does come time to plant, clip off the lower leaves and put as much of the stem in the ground as you can. Roots will grow from the nodes and give the plant a good base of support.

A good way to support your growing plants is by rolling cages of six-inch mesh concrete reinforcement wire. Bonus: local gardeners report less problems with hornworms when using these cages. One friend says he watched a western scrub-jay perching on the cage and picking off the worms.

Do you have to do all these things to get tomatoes?! Well, no. These are just tips to help you have happy, healthy, productive tomato plants. Good luck!

WARNING -- EXPERIMENT IN PROGRESS

Brent is the one that identified a healthy, happy honeysuckle along our fenceline. Sorry bees, I'm trying some liqueur! I found some references on the internet, but couldn't find a recipe I liked, so here's my experiment. I picked as many flowers as I could stand and fairly tightly packed them into a quart jar, then filled with vodka. I'll let you know the results in a couple months!

Quiche!

mood: dilatory

With the girls giving us 2-3 eggs a day, quiche has become a weekend brunch staple around the House of Pi. It may be easier than you think...at least the way I make it!
 

Base Quiche Recipe

1 refrigerated pie crust

3 large eggs

1 c. milk or half-and-half

3-5 c. fillings*

1 c. cheese (or more!)  

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie crust and give a few pokes with a fork.
3. Whisk together eggs and milk. Fold in fillings and cheese.
4. Pour into pie crust and bake for about 45 minutes. A toothpick poked into the quiche should come out clean. Feel free to sprinkle more cheese on top for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Fillings

Plan your fillings, or just empty out your fridge. Here are some options that work for me:

Bacon

Cook 4-5 slices of bacon. Crumble.

Broccoli

Dice broccoli florets. Tender stems too, if you like. Cook in boiling water until fork tender, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Mushrooms

Slice or dice your favorite kind and sauté in butter. Maybe with a diced shallot or red onion. Let cool.

Spinach

Wilt 4-6 c. of spinach (it shrinks!).

Zucchini
Thinly slice a zucchini and sauté in butter. Let cool.

 

Combos
Here are some of my favorite combinations:

broccoli - bacon - cheddar
spinach - mushroom -swiss
zucchini - mushroom - feta

 

Purpose and Need

mood: informative
drink: white wine from a box (that's right)

The title is for all my pals in environmental planning. :)

I thought I should do a post in introduction. I figure most visitors will be people I know, so this is more for those that find their way here down the rabbithole of the interwebs. Bet you wish you took the blue pill...

My name is Lily and I live in Sacramento, California. Professionally I am a wildlife biologist, currently employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I mostly sit in a chair. But if you're interested in checking out more from when I used to get to go outside, I had a blog back then: Bishop or Bust! But at home, I've come to enjoy a variety of hobbies, including cooking, preserving, gardening, gaming, and beer. Friends ask for my recipes and like my dilly beans, so I thought I might as well put some info out there for all y'all.

"All y'all"?! I thought you were originally from San Francisco?! True story. Well, my fiance Brent grew up in North Carolina. So you never know when some of that southern influence might sneak in. But for now, we live in Midtown in Sacramento in a 100-year old craftsman bungalow. With Jatarri. Both pictured below on a lazy Sunday.

We were fortunate enough to inherit a number of mature fruit trees: fig, tangelo, Meyer lemon, avocado, and cherry plum. Keep an eye out for recipes featuring these; I aim to feature ingredients in season. Hey, guess who else lives in our yard?!

Well that's Buffy (left), Penny (back), and Zoe (right)! Bonus points if you get the name references. Prepare for more chicken details than you ever wanted to know...

Penny and Zoe are rescues from a local craigslist post. Penny is an auburn Java, a rare color of the second oldest breed in the U.S. Javas are considered good for both meat and laying, but are slow to develop so they are less preferred by our society of immediate gratification. Zoe is a splash Andalusian, a breed studied by Gregor Mendel while developing his genetic theory. The standard for the breed is a blue color, but you can't breed blues without a splash. Science!

Buffy is a cross between Ameraucana and French Marans. Say what?! Well, Ameraucana are sometimes known as "Easter Egg chickens" for their blue colored eggs. And Marans lay chocolate brown. So Buffy's breeder raises crosses to get a variety of "camo" eggs. While I was hoping for olive green, she lays brown eggs with the occasional dark spotting. Regardless, they're delicious!

So that's the household! I plan for weekly posts. Thanks for following!

The black-chins are back!

mood: chillaxed
fingernails: silver

Okay, so I intended to start this blog off with more of a cooking/preserving/gardening tack, but today's quiche is an experiment and I saw my first of the year (FOY) black-chinned hummingbird, so that's what you're getting! Well maybe I'll sneak a pseudo-recipe in...

I dabble in photography, but I have to admit to borrowing pretty hummingbird pictures for this post from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology - All About Birds page. Thanks to the original photographers with better cameras and more patience than me!

Here on the west coast, we're lucky enough to have hummingbirds here year-round.  Anna's hummingbirds are our largest, and the males are striking with rose-pink feathers on their heads as well as their throats.  They readily attend feeders, and you can often hear their squeaking songs in your neighborhood.

male Anna's

male black-chinned

But in the spring, we get to double our hummingbird pleasure! Black-chinned hummingbirds are smaller and more aggressive.  The males have a black chin (hence the name), bordered by iridescent purple below. Handsome!  They also make an interesting noise in flight, likened to the sound of a yo-yo string zipping up.  Or something like that.  Listen for it!

We also have a chance of spotting rufous hummingbirds during migration.  Unlike our other two species with green body feathers, rufous live up to their name and sport a bright reddish-orange. Check out this recent Audublog post for more information on where they're showing up!

If you do choose to put up a feeder to attract these beauties, simply use a mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Boiling the water helps to dissolve the sugar and prevent fungal growth. Do not use honey or red food coloring! Most feeders have enough color. And keep those feeders clean!

For a cool opportunity to participate in some citizen science, Hummingbirds @ Home is a new program by the National Audubon Society designed to gather information on flowering times and hummingbird arrival (think climate change!) and the effect that feeders have on the birds.  Download the app and participate!

Oh yea, I promised a recipe. As you'll learn, we have a huge and prosperous tangelo tree in our yard. So I'm constantly trying new ways to utilize the prolific fruit. Today? Tangelo mimosas on the porch, while watching the hummingbird feeder!

Tangelo Mimosa

a glass of your favorite bubbly
a splash of tangelo juice

Pour together into a cute glass. Enjoy.

Super helpful, right?! Recipe inspired by My Drunk Kitchen.