Month: April 2016

April – Fort Bragg Remodel – Demolition
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April – Fort Bragg Remodel – Demolition

We just got back from checking on our remodel. There isn’t much “there” any more. The great room (combination kitchen, dining, living room) has been gutted. The bathroom window has been removed and they are repairing the the deck and siding because of dry rot.

Front door and bathroom window with part of the deck.

Front door and bathroom window with part of the deck.

We will need to replace the front door as well.

Here is some background on the house.

When (as a complete lark) we started looking at houses on the northern California coast, the house on Nameless Lane was the first house we saw. We were “kicking tires” and didn’t plan to fall in love with Fort Bragg much less a cabin build in the 70’s (and it looked as if it still lived in that era). For years the idea of finding a “weekend get-away”, “vacation home” and “retirement nest” had been floating around but we couldn’t seem to agree on the big question of where.

But…

My husband, Steve, is a sailor. Plus we lived on a trawler in a San Francisco marina for the first year of our marriage. Those are very happy memories. Do you see the the boat-like angle to the windows on the side of the house? It’s the first thing you notice driving up the driveway. It looks like the bow of a ship and caught his imagination. He was hooked!

Fort Bragg front meadow deck

Fort Bragg front meadow deck

For me, it was the sunny back meadow surrounded by trees but open to the sky. And, the mature rhododendrons surrounding the house. I saw the possibilities immediately…garden. Oh my!

Fort Bragg back meadow

Fort Bragg back meadow

And for both of us it was the quiet. We heard only the wind in the trees and the distant pounding of the surf about half a mile away.

Fort Bragg house - front

Fort Bragg house – front

Our first home is in Oakland, and we are not far from the freeway. It is not quiet. We hear sirens. And motorcycles. And, although it is a lovely neighborhood, it is definitely an urban setting. I garden on the only sunny spot not shaded by big trees, which belongs to the neighbor behind us. They have been kind enough to grant permission for me to squat. But it could be taken away at any point if they decide to use that area to the side of their driveway. I might be asked to remove the raised beds and all the plants at the drop of a hat.

I wanted my own garden. And Fort Bragg is a town of passionate gardeners.

In Fort Bragg we practice “forest bathing” (the house sits on 7 acres of second growth redwood trees) and saturate ourselves in the negative ions of the coast. Do you know about “forest bathing” or Shinrin Yoku? From Wikipedia:

Studies support claims of the benefits of Shinrin Yoku. These have demonstrated that exposure to nature positively creates calming neuro-psychological effects through changes in the nervous system. In addition, the level of the hormone serum adiponectin is also increased. When this hormone is present in low concentrations it is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, among other bodily disorders.

Every study conducted so far has demonstrated reductions in stress, anger, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness amongst the subjects who have participated. In Japan there are now 44 accredited Shinrin Yoku forests.

Our little forest would definitely be accredited.

But, when we purchased the house four years ago we knew the inside would eventually need renovation. We loved the open room, the stone fireplace, and the big windows. The rest, not so much. It was just a matter of time.

kitchen post demoliton

kitchen post demolition

Living/Dining Room

Living/Dining Room

Bathroom

Bathroom

The time has come.

April – Preserving Meyer Lemons – Meyer Lemon Aigre-doux
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April – Preserving Meyer Lemons – Meyer Lemon Aigre-doux

In April, many of the backyards in Northern California host heavily laden Meyer lemon trees. I can almost hear my tree groan as the branches are bent to the ground with fruit. This year I am determined to preserve as many of the lemons as possible. We suffered the mysterious overnight loss of all the lemons from the tree last year. I’m telling you, literally overnight the tree was bare! Who? What? Neighborhood foragers? It turns out there was a family of opossums nesting in the corner of the yard. Mother opossum must have had a huge dinner of lemons.

opossum family

opossum family

Poor babies, what must have her milk tasted like after all that gluttony? But, they certainly didn’t have any chance of catching scurvy!

Meyer Lemons

Meyer Lemons

Meyer lemons are so sweet that you can eat the rind. When he was a small child, I once found my son snacking on one he had pulled from the tree as if it were an apple.

I am determined to preserve the bounty before mother possum comes for a return visit.

The following is a recipe I have made for several years (with the exception of last). Meyer Lemon Aigre-Doux comes from the book The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant. It is my most often used cookbook for interesting twists on preserving. Paul writes “Meyer lemon aigre-doux is extremely versatile. In spring I make an emulsified vinaigrette to dress grilled asparagus or delicate butter lemon leaves. Just pick out any visible seeds, blend the wedges and aigre-doux liquid until smooth, then drizzle in good olive oil (I also like to add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard). The result is a creamy as mayonnaise. In summer I’ll make a citrus relish to pair with fresh summer green and wax beans by dicing the wedges crosswise and mixing them with celery root slices, chives and olive oil.” 

It is a lovely addition to a marinade for lamb or chicken, and a quick sauce for fish.

“Aigre-doux” is the French term for sweet-and-sour. It’s a mixture of fruit with wine, vinegar, and spices. I’ve made several types from the book (grapes, mandarin orange, cranberry) but the lemon is my absolute favorite.

Meyer lemon aigre-doux vinaigrette

Meyer lemon aigre-doux vinaigrette

I can attest to it being absolutely delicious on grilled asparagus.

Grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon aigre-doux vinaigrette

Grilled asparagus with Meyer lemon aigre-doux vinaigrette

Meyer Lemon Aigre-Doux

Ingredients:

  • 2-3/4 cups of white wine (624 grams)
  • 1-1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of Champagne vinegar (312 grams)
  • 1 cup of honey (330 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt (3 grams)
  • 11 to 12 cups of Meyer lemons, ends trimmed and cut into about 6 wedges (depending on the size of your lemons this will be 12 to 14 lemons) (1362 grams)
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs of thyme

Directions:

  1. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring the wine, vinegar, honey and salt to a boil. Keep hot.
  2. Scald 6 pint jars (or run them through the dishwasher) in a large pot of simmering water fitted with a rack – use this pot to process the jars. IMG_4266Right before filling, put the jars on the counter. Into each jar add 1 bay leaf and 1 thyme sprig. IMG_4267Pack the lemon wedges into the jars, using about 12 wedges per jar. IMG_4268Meanwhile soak the lids in a pan of hot water to soften the rubber seal.
  3. Carefully pour the hot brine over the lemons, leaving a 1/2 inch space from the rim of the jar. Check the jars for air pockets, adding more brine if necessary. Wipe the rims with a clean cloth or paper towel, seal with the lids, then screw on the bands until snug but not tight.
  4. Place the jars on the rack in the pot and make sure they are covered by about 1 inch of hot water.
  5. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Start the timer when the water comes to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave for several minutes before removing the jars from the hot water canner.

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I think I will try making marmalade with them. Don’t you think it would be lovely for holiday gifts?

Do you have any favorite recipes for preserving lemons? I will salt some, of course. And there is lemon curd, but does anyone know if it freezes well? I will have LOTS of lemon curd.

I am taking the lemons to dress a salad at Fiesta Friday #114. Fiesta Friday is hosted by Angie at Fiesta Friday and co-hosted by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook. Click on the links to see all the wonderful party food.

April – Cookbook Memories
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April – Cookbook Memories

Do you collect things? My personal collection (read obsession) is cookbooks. My library shelves are bursting at the seams.

Some of the collection

Some of the collection

I really do need to do a purge but cannot bring myself to part with any of them. They are a very personal history of my life and that of the women in my family. They tell the story of my evolution as a cook, and how cooking has changed over the last few decades. I have cookbooks that belonged to my mother and grandmother, very precious for the memories they contain. With my mother (and grandmother when I was quite young) I spent hours discussing recipes, ingredients, and menus. When I visited my mother in Florida, we explored any new market near her. I remember her delight when arugula finally made it to the local stores. It was a regular in California where I lived, but less common for her and therefore highly treasured. Traveling together, local farmer’s markets and food specialty stores were goals and highlights. In the evenings we cooked together. Neither of us wanted to go out because it was so much more fun spending time in the kitchen together.

This was one of the first cookbooks my mother gave to me, with a cover she lovingly made herself.

"JC"

“JC”

Can you guess?

Mastering the Art of French Cooking b Julia Child

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

JC was always Julia Child to her.

But how do you tell, out of those hundreds (I am afraid to count) of cookbooks if it’s a good one? For me it’s the food stains on the pages and the notes in the margins.

Stained and well used pages of a recipe

Stained and well used pages of a recipe

I read cookbooks like others folks read novels. But unlike novels, which I mostly read on my Ipad, for cookbooks I want an actual book I can hold in my hands…hardback preferred.

The recipe pictured above came for the book The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant. Paul is a Michelin-starred chef so his preserving manual is different from any others in my collection. The recipes are creative and imaginative, inspired by his restaurant, Vie, in Western Springs, Illinois. He gives menus plus suggestions for using those pickles. It’s a treasure trove of ideas.

My Meyer lemon tree is bursting with lemons which need to be picked. This will be the third year I’ve made Aigre-Deux with them, the jars from last year are almost gone. Look for a post later this week.

What are your favorite and most used cookbooks?

April 2016 – In My Kitchen
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April 2016 – In My Kitchen

I missed everyone last month, March was a crazy time spent packing and moving as we were getting ready for the remodel to begin on our “retirement” home up on the northern California coast. Much of the last month was spent choosing paint colors, meeting with cabinet makers, the painter, and our contractor. In truth, not much cooking has been happening in the kitchen, but there are a few new things and some old.

Fort Bragg kitchen remodel

Fort Bragg kitchen remodel

From this picture the contractor sent you can see that there isn’t any kitchen left in the house after demolition. Thank goodness we are not living there during the process.

In my intact kitchen are paint boards.

Hale Navy, Sweatshirt Grey, Ballet White

Hale Navy, Sweatshirt Grey, Ballet White

The new kitchen cabinets were delivered to the painter today so it is too late for any changes. I know paint colors don’t come through well on line and they will look different to each of you depending on your screen. The picture will just give you an idea. The kitchen island will be Hale Navy, the opposite wall of cabinets will be Sweatshirt Grey, and the walls Ballet White.

In my kitchen (and out of storage in the back of a closet) are two platters I inherited from my mother, I am pretty sure she inherited them from my grandmother. I wish I had asked her about them, they hung on her kitchen walls for as long as I can remember. I intend to hang them on the wall in my new kitchen, I’ve always loved the blue willow style of dinnerware and I think these are quite old.

IMG_4239

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They go well with the paint colors (again, I know this doesn’t come through very well).

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In my kitchen is a lovely orchid that was a gift from a good friend who was a houseguest.

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It is the most beautiful shade of pinky-apricot, the underside of the petals a green-yellow.

In my kitchen is a new blender. I have lusted after a new one for years but the old one still worked (although it could not make any of the fancy smoothies so popular right now). This one is a “reconditioned” commercial grade blendtec but it comes with an 8 year guarantee and was much less expensive than a new one. I don’t think I could tell the difference.

Blendtec

Blendtec

I’m looking forward to trying out some of the recipes.

It is definitely spring and we are eating the first of the spring lettuces out of the garden. Because of the drought I haven’t had much of a garden the past year. I managed to plant a couple of rows of lettuce in hopes the winter rains would encourage their growth. It is so wonderful to go into the garden, pick some leaves for a salad, and eat them the same day. IMG_4243

And lastly, in my kitchen are a couple of new spices. I’m never empty handed after a visit to the Oaktown Spice Shop.

Ground Vanilla Beans and Honey Powder

Ground Vanilla Beans and Honey Powder

I’ve already used the honey powder in a dry rub. It gave the flavor and sweetness of honey without any liquid, a definite advantage. I haven’t used the ground vanilla yet, any ideas?

What is happening in your kitchen this month? This post is part of the ongoing monthly series, “In My Kitchen”. To learn what is happening in other kitchens around the world follow the link to our wonderful host Maureen the Orgasmic Chef.  You never know what new things you will learn!