Applesauce

In the Cleveland area, it has been a rough year for apples.  We had an early frost which got the buds on the apple trees which really affected the fruit production.  This Saturday we went to Eddy's and they said they lost about 50% of their orchard this year.  We were still able to pick some apples, though there were not very many and of the apples there, I only considered 2 varieties edible.

I picked about 13 pounds of Melrose and Empire and made 11 pints of sauce this morning.  Applesauce is pretty easy to make, and you hardly have to add anything because the apples are so flavorful themselves.  You can freeze applesauce or hot water process it to store it, or just make enough that you can eat and keep it in your fridge.  Because I hot water processed it, I needed to add 4 tbsp of lemon juice for acidity which helps to preserve the sauce.  I also added 1 cup of sugar, and about 1 tbsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp ground cloves for a little extra flavor.



If you have a strainer, applesauce will be infinitely easier and you will get more sauce from the apples, but you can do it without this handy contraption.  Wash the apples, quarter them, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and boil the apples until they are soft - about 20 minutes depending on the size, quantity, and variety. Cooking the apples with the skins on gives the sauce a beautiful pinkish color!

In batches, put the apples through a food mill or strainer until you have a puree.  Return the puree to a pot and add sugar, lemon juice, and other spices and bring to a boil, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick.  At this point, you can hot water process it, let it cool and freeze it or put it in the fridge, or eat it right away!  If you hot water process the sauce, you will need to do it for 20 minutes.

Happy Fall! 

Pork. Belly.

My eyes were opened to pork belly when I was working on a farm in Italy. I have never tasted anything more satisfying in my life and now any time I see pork belly on a menu at a restaurant, I have to order it.  Pork belly is the cut of meat that you get bacon from and has the most delicious layer of fat on top of tender meat.  The balance of the melt in your mouth fat that is also crispy on top combined with the flavorful meat is unlike anything else.  I've wanted to make my own pork belly for a while now, and finally did it this week.  We got a beautiful cut of meat from Sand Farm and found a recipe by Dan Barber that takes 3 days to complete. 

You start by making make a cure mix of spices that you rub into the meat and then let it sit in the fridge for 3 days.  Then, you rinse of the mix and roast it for 7 hours at 200 degrees.  The lengthy roasting is the key to the success of this dish because it allows the meat to slowly cook and become pull-apart tender.

After 7 hours, sear the pork belly on both sides that gives the meat that crispiness that makes every satisfying bite even more delicious. I highly suggest making this dish if you have the patience!

 Freshly ground spices in a mortar and pestle made by Seth.

The belly.

The belly with the cure mix ready for the fridge. 

Finished product with a side of roasted delicata squash with rosemary and rice. 

Fall is Here!

What happened to August and September? The end of summer seems like a blur and all of a sudden I am bundled up in a scarf in my house writing this post. I am not complaining...fall is my favorite season but it always seems to end too soon and before we know it there will be snow on the ground.  I love seeing the changes of the seasons and I think autumn has the most beautiful colors and most comfortable temperatures.  The days are getting shorter and it is most apparent to me on Saturday mornings as we get ready for the market.  We used to be in the garden at 6:30 am picking the last of the produce and loading up the van, but now we have to wait until about 7:00 am to get just enough light to see what we are doing.

The garden is showing signs of fall as lots of the plants are starting to brown and not look as lush as they did a few weeks ago.  The sunflowers have been done for a few weeks and the zinnias have just about had it.  We still have flowers at the market, and the arrangements are full of stems that can be saved for drying. 

With the cooler temperatures we once again have lettuce and cilantro and our tomatoes will continue to ripen until the first frost. After that, it will be time to make pickled green tomatoes!

All around the rest of the yard is evidence of summer coming to an end: the red leaves of the burning bush, the antiquing hydrangeas, and browning of the ferns settling in for winter.

As a reminder, we still have garlic for sale and we can ship it to you! We only have Music and Italian Purple Striped varieties left, and please email me at endeavortofarm@gmail.com to place your order!

Now Shipping Garlic!

Following a successful harvest of our 4 varieties of garlic, Endeavor Farm is offering Music, Italian Purple Striped, German Porcelain (*sold out for 2012) and Leningrad garlic for sale by mail order or for pick-up.  As the tomato season is coming to a close and we are transitioning into winter, it's time to think about making soups, roasts, and stews. Garlic makes a great addition to so many meals and all of these varieties are fantastic raw and become so sweet and mild once they are roasted. Our garlic will last through the winter, and you should store it in a cool, dark place. 

Music 

Big cloves that are easy to peel, taste is medium-hot, true garlic flavor that lasts a long time.

Italian Purple Striped 

Full flavor and lack of sting, great for roasting.

German Porcelain (*SOLD OUT FOR 2012)

Rich, mildly hot flavor, easy to peel, large cloves, and a very dense garlic.

Leningrad

Smooth beginning flavor ending with a hot and pungent, lasting bite.

The price is $6.00 per 1/2 pound minimum which will include 5-7 medium to large sized heads and will be sent promptly by UPS upon receipt of payment by check. Please email your order to endeavortofarm@gmail.com and we will respond with the total amount due including the appropriate shipping cost by regular UPS delivery to your home or business.

Please make out check to Terry Ries and send to: 15874 Hemlock Road, Chagrin  Falls, OH  44022.

Thank you for your continued interest in our efforts and activities at Endeavor Farm. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Gazpacho

I love recipes that where you can find all the ingredients you need in the garden, and this recipe for Gazpacho from Janet H., a loyal market customer, was a winner! 

Gazpacho
4 plum tomatoes, quartered and cut into 1" pieces
1 red onion, 1" dice
1 English cucumber, scrape out seeds with a spoon, 1 " dice
2 red peppers, 1" dice

Put in Cuisinart separately (or you will end up with mush) and pulse a few times.

In large bowl add the following ingredients to the chopped vegetables:
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
32 oz.  tomato juice or V-8
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 T. kosher salt
1/2 T. freshly ground pepper
1 T. herbs de Provence

Combine all. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. Squeeze lime juice over before serving.