Jean Rudd

Dale Poole wrote: As for broken starters, I sometimes go months without using my starter.

Unfortunately, I have been killing starters for a long time.  20 years ago, I would bake yeast bread regularly, then I had to go gluten free. The gluten-free breads or sourdoughs just aren't that good.  And I'm not convinced GF has helped me that much, so I'm shifting back to a Weston-Price attitude toward bread -- and trying to re-learn sourdough.  My starters die due to sheer neglect-- and they get worse than just the black liquid.  They get that off smell.

But I completely agree with you all about making it easier.  I remember that once you have your routine, you are usually set.  I just heard of the "scrapings" method, where you never create a discard, which I think is Dale's point -- stop making it harder than you have to.

Good luck with the book.

I have a lot of apples to process this year so I tried a new recipe: Curried Apple Chutney.

I actually had trouble with the recipe because it never thickened the way the recipe said it should.  It was supposed to "mound on spoon". I live at high altitude, so I figured it would take a bit longer. But the recipe called for 45 minutes of simmering -- I ended up with 4 hours of simmering.  And I think I might have done a bit too much because I ended up with 9 pints instead of 10.  But the consistency looked like chutney in the end!

And yes, that is a pressure canner I am using to boil the jars -- it's the only pot I have that's deep enough for water bath canning!  I obviously don't tighten down the lid.

The end chutney was very good, but I thought it wasn't spicy enough -- & I am not big on spice!

Fresh Mint tea.

For infusion, pick as many leaves as you need according to taste.  Strip leaves off of stem and bruise.  Place in heatproof glass.  Pour in boiling filtered water.  Steep for a few minutes and strain.

Simple!  I like my mint tea plain.  I also like to cool it -- very refreshing on a warm day.

M Wilcox wrote: advise me on how I can eat

Oh!  I totally forgot that part!!!  You have to start eating them with TINY amounts and build up. We split one at first and then after awhile we'd work up to one.  But not much more.  They have a lot of Prebiotic.  Inulin, I think.

Modern Farmer recommends boiling in lemon juice or pickling:  Modern Farmer  but I haven't tried it.  

Good catch!

Loretta Liefveld wrote:

Jean Rudd wrote:

I give mine neglect and no water in clay soil.

Wondering how difficult it is to dig up the roots when they are growing in clay soil.    I keep wanting to grow them, but I just think it would be too difficult.

My jerusalem artichoke roots are about a full shovel head (8") down -- I probably planted about 1/2 shovel (4") down.  I water mine deeply when digging up if I have trouble getting to them.  If you are worried about missing some of them (which happens often) you can try to contain them by planting a deep container.  But I bet they will find a way out.  The ones I have trouble getting out are under the driveway.  I think there is more moisture trapped there and it has a sandier base than the natural clay soil.  

I found that they grow better than my potatoes in the clay soil, which I found difficult to dig up. (Trying above ground methods now!)  And it makes sense that sunchokes seem to grow better than potatoes for me since sunflowers are one of those deep-rooted, "bring up the nutrition from poor soils" type of plant.

Great List!

I'm going to try saffron crocus for next year once the bulbs I ordered arrive.  But here's one to add to your list:  Jerusalem artichoke (neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke) a.k.a. a sunchoke.  

It's a perennial: Helianthus tuberosus.  After the first frost, you dig up the roots -- delicious if slow roasted in oil & garlic.  In summer, it looks like a very tall 6-10' sunflower with small 3" flowers.  After the first frost you dig up the roots.  And here's the trick:  you always miss some.  This spreads like crazy (aggressive) from a single bulb/root.  Not sure what the right conditions are.  I give mine neglect and no water in clay soil.

This is my first video upload, so here it goes!  I had more trouble with making a little video than cooking the egg!

Part 1 of the video shows the pan being heated, the beautiful green egg being cracked in the pan and then fried.


Then, I realized I didn't have my garlic out so I had to stop video. I like to crush a garlic on my fried egg.  When I restarted, all I had was still shots (NOT) showing how the egg slid around in the pan!  So I cooked another egg. It was ok since I was hungry.  So here's part 2 of egg fry -- showing it sliding around.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EW2w5_ooa8I[/youtube]

Then clean up!  My pan didn't look like it needed to be reseasoned, so I stopped after it was dry.  I probably only do the resealing every 4 or 5 times I use the pan because the "non-stick" really seems strong.

These are fantastic ideas.  I thought I was doing great with my "lost" garlic, left over from other years so I have a handful of clumps which I dutifully started to replant to get spring garlic but there really are so many of them!  And I don't have nearly as many as Pearl!  

The best idea I have been using is a simple stir fry. Delicious.  

But now I'm going to try that soup recipe and the ferments.   Thanks for all the ideas!

Strawberry Rhubarb is fun!

My favorite savory pie is spanakopita -- greek spinach & feta.

Also, just trying to move the conversation along