Whoa! It’s been a whirlwind of a month! I’ve been busier than I’ve ever been. I won’t go into details but if a picture is worth a thousand words (or ahem, 85,000!) then here you go:

Photo by Bennett Sell-Kline

I haven’t been back to my beloved Berkshires, and more importantly, my beloved garden since August 21st to be exact. (ugh!) It feels like those lazy summer days I dreamt about last winter remained just what they were – a dream.

Some people in my life find it hard to believe I do what I do, and I garden, and I preserve the bounty, and I roar over here about it. But you know what? I love it – all of it! I hope you’ll stick around even during those times when my paws are busy with other things, and I can’t be around here quite as often. ‘Cause you know, eventually I’m going to give you something like this:

Lemon basil nectarine preserves as crazy as my August was, I couldn’t bear to let nectarine season go by without getting some of these little sweeties in jars. One of my fave preserves from last year was nectarine preserves with summer savory and white pepper.

For this batch I used the following:

4 pounds nectarines
4 & 3/4 cups sugar
3 lemons & large bunch lemon basil

I followed exactly the same technique as last year’s recipe, but because of my business, I left the fruit macerating in the fridge for 2 full days and nights. Bury the lemon basil in your just simmered fruit on day one, keep it in there throughout the maceration process, then take it out just before you put it on the stove day 3. The combo is brilliant – if I do say so myself. Don’t forget to check out my other preserves recipes here.

One of the things I love about having these two little blogs o’ mine is that I get to share my secrets. I mean not all of my secrets of course.

But definitely the tasty ones. This one is my little pilgrim trick. So easy and basic but not something we do much of in the US. Big in England – at least at one time. And honestly I am not sure if it’s a common cooking practice there anymore. But I love it. Try it just once and you’ll realize how simple it is. Plus, it’s the perfect way to showcase your delicious homemade jams.

Jam Pudding

6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (plus more to butter basin and parchment)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
rounded 1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 & 1/4 cups jam

also needed:

1 quart pudding basin
parchment paper
kitchen twine
steaming pot
tea towel

yield: serves 4 (or 2 big servings, plus another piece for breakfast)

First let’s talk about the basin. Actually you can use any quart size basin that can withstand 2 hours in a bit of boiling water and swirling hot steam. But a traditional pudding basin is reasonably priced, made just for this purpose, has a lip to affix the twine, and can be used day-to-day as a mixing bowl.

Whatever pot you’re using, you want to make sure the basin is not placed directly on the bottom of the pot, so you will need some kind of steaming rack.

Directions: 

1. Place the basin on the steaming rack inside the pot and fill the pot with water halfway up the side of the basin. Do this before you do anything else so that your water level is prepared. Then remove the basin from the pot.

2. Cut a round out of parchment paper that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the top of your basin. Butter the entire basin well and one side of the parchment round.

3. Stir the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside. In a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Mix the egg in. Slowly add the dry ingredients until just mixed.

4. Place the jam in the bottom of the buttered basin. Spoon the batter over top. It will be a bit thick. Smooth the top of the batter to even it out. Place the parchment butter-side down on top.

gap

5. Begin to heat the water – medium high will do. Wet your tea towel thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. There are two ways to fasten the tea towel. You can fold it in half, tie it tightly around the rim, twist the long sides and tie together on top.

Or you can leave the tea towel unfolded, place it over the top, fasten with twine. And then tie the opposite ends together. Done this way you’ll have four points tied together rather than two and it will be more stable to lift.

But I like to live dangerously.

6. Carefully place the pudding basin in the steaming pot.

7. Steam for 2 hours at medium heat. Check every 45 minutes or so to make sure the water level has not dropped too low. Add hot water when needed.

8. After 2 hours take off heat. Remove pudding basin from pot, and tea towel from basin. Set on wire rack to cool for 10 or so minutes. Run a sharp knife around the basin rim to release pudding and turn out on a plate.

Jam pudding is best served warm. But you know, cold for breakfast has its merits too.

You can up the recipe accordingly depending on the size of your basin. Generally count one hour of steaming time per 1/2 quart.

You may have a bunch of these hangers-on from your summer garden that are just about ready to jump. Or you might have been caught in the eye at your local farm store by a few too many of these gorgeous gourds. Or maybe, you just like the smell of damn good bread wafting through your kitchen on a cold winter morn.

Shaker Squash Bread

I’m touched by all the thanks and kind words about the can jam on many of your blogs this last month. Thank you. I hope the intentions of celebrating and saving local produce, building a vibrant on-line canning community that’s both inspiring and helpful, and having fun while doing it all were realized. Mostly I hope that if you’ve been learning to can with us here, your enthusiasm and delicious creations will inspire others to can. Finally, if you haven’t started canning yet don’t despair because now is the perfect time!

Chutneys, Conserves & Compotes

apple cherry compote with hazelnuts – locally preserved ooh, a compote! Finally a compote. I have been thinking lately that we really need to start a compote renaissance, no? Oh, and I am all about this spicy fig jam!

Apple cranberry raisin conserve with port and thyme – prospect: the pantry I really love your pairing suggestions! A little conserve brightens up wintry dishes it’s so true!

Bengal style chutney – flamingo musings yes I agree, Indian flavors can turn even the most mundane tofu steak into a magnificent meal! 🙂

Dried fruit conserve (minced-no-meat) – café del Manalo I don’t think I have to say twice that this is my kind of conserve! And I love that you’re going to make a pie with it for your father-in-law. ‘Updated’ family favorites are where it’s at! 🙂

Pear & dried apple chutney – notes from a country girl living in the city I’m just wondering if you compared the ratios to an existing recipe from a good source. The acid level could be questionable here.

Pear port compote – backyard farms love the photos of you and your year of jarred bounty, love that you did a compote, and love the pelham variation!

GAP

Persimmon & dried cherries with brandy conserve – showfood chef I’ve never had a persimmon, fuyu or hachiya, but I’m damn sure going to try one now! Pronto!

Rhubarb conserve – bigger than a breadbox I for one am always looking for ways to preserve rhubarb, since I happen to have a field of it. Thanks for this one!

Spicy cranberry chutney – just the right size did you just say fan-friggin-fabulous? I think you did! Well ok, then. I think that means you like it! (And I must say this looks like much more than a cranberry chutney!)

CherryMeyerGingerAde – This one looks all nikki – love the dried cherries in a marmalade!

Christmas jam – what Julia ate kudos to you for making this! It has been on my list for a while – and yours looks mouthwatering! …here kitty, kitty, kitty.

Cranberry marmalade with dried apricots – food in jars you just keep taunting me with that book don’t you? (I totally know what you mean about book recipe emergencies – I have 3 books I’m totin’ now!). Oh, and the cardamom sounds perfect in this!

Cranberry orange marmalade – Toronto tasting notes candied ginger and cranberries are one of my favorite combos! And I agree, these would make wonderful holiday presents! Festive indeed!

GAP

Jalapeño sunshine – knit & nosh I would eat this for the name alone, yes I would!

Name that marmalade – hip girl’s guide to homemaking hurry peeps, get on over there and name Kate’s marm to win a jar! So great, Kate, to be reminded of your enthusiasm at the start of the can jam. And look at you now – you preservin’ fool you! 🙂

Quincemeat preserves – the artisanry of acorn cottage yay for you! this looks resourceful, original, and most of all – delicious!

Savory triple-ginger pear preserves – married …with dinner I’m a ginger lover, so this one is calling my name…and I see you got yourself some weck jars. Nice!

These crinkly little critters are not the loveliest things I’ve ever set eyes on.

In fact, they never were quite ready for their close up. That said, and as I am sure your mother always told you:

It’s the taste that counts. (You thought I was going to say it’s what’s inside that counts, didn’t you?)

Well, let me get to the point: I used the outside of the ugly ones, and the inside of the pretty ones so as I said it’s the taste the counts.

Lime on Lime Shred Marmalade

I threw a bunch of fresh raspberries into a quart jar and doused them with white wine vinegar. With the best intentions of tending to them, I promptly left them all by their lonesome for 8 good months!

And for all you fellow lazy asses out there who have similar habits, I am here to say this is one time where laziness is a virtue!

It is rife with raspberry flavor, and because I used a fragrant natural cane sugar and cooked it down, it’s an intense caramelized raspberry flavor. I can imagine it will be perfect drizzled over bitter salad greens & shaved parmigiano, butter lettuce with soft goat cheese & walnuts, grilled romaine with a crumble of blue, or splashed over a shredded cabbage & carrot slaw.

I am in love with this vinegar and you can bet that I will be throwing a bunch more berries in vinegar filled jars this summer.

There’s probably a few of you around here now privy to the fact that I love me an old-fashioned dessert. And I love me a steamed pudding. But there’s a little something else I’ve been playing around with as of late, and that’s steamed bread. If it was up to me, this technique would have never gone out of style.

This version is one part rye flour, one part whole wheat bread flour and one part stone-ground cornmeal. Aside from the heartiness and gentle tang of rye, you would never guess it’s comprised of whole grain flours. It’s the steam that does it.

The good part? You may think that you need lotz of special equipment to get this result. Not so! You need a 1.5 quart basin that can withstand a boil and then a gentle simmer and steam for 2 hours. That usually means heavy duty ceramic or stainless steel. These traditional steaming basins are easy to come by and economical. I love my patisse stainless mold and that’s what I used for this walnut bread, but you could even use a clean and empty coffee can as many a Bostonian have been want to do. This bread is quite simply a riff on the brown bread that those very same Bostonians have enjoyed for centuries, right along with those famous baked beans of theirs.

Fall is the season of New England. There is no doubt about it in my book (blog?). It’s the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, pumpkins and jack-o’s, mulled cider, outside fires, and a carpet of stars shining way, way up in the night. It is the harvest moon, lace-ups, and dozens of worn down gravestones, crooked like teeth. It’s apples that my good neighbor brought me.

In New England it happens when summer barely ends. The nights get cooler, and the trees start to fade even as the grass gets greener still.

The mile mark for me is when the farmer down the road drives his tractor up into our field to cart off the hay he baled way back in summer’s dawn. Winter food for his lovely cows that I’m happy to provide. I know then the time is nigh to pack up and make our yearly move back to the city.

In fact, I’m already there. It came earlier this year. With a trip down south to my in-laws and travel across a few seas coming soon, we had to pack up and get down sooner than normal. So I brought my beloved New England back with me.