Pickels and brioche

Hmmmm farmers markets close soon, and farmers go to hibernate. Yesterday I pickled every vegetable in my apartment. I figure every thing can be pickled, sooooo I did turnips, eggplant, chiles, peppers, shallots, garlic, leeks, onions, carrots, and jalapenos. Can you tell it's autumn and it's the end of season.

Brioche, hmmm just wanted to make brioche because it makes me happy, me and my gal. Brioche may actually make her happier then it makes me, but it is so very satisfying to see/smell just baked brioche cooling.

Must keep cooking, feel compelled to feed the desire in my soul and the hunger in the bellies of others.

Pig head goes on brine tomorrow!!

Dinner party on friday

So I have a 3 pound bone in pork loin waiting for me tomorrow. The anticipation makes me excited. I haven't really cooked in a long while. I have been working on my projects and cooking my normal 2 am post baking shift suppers for the night owls of my life. But it's been a while since I have cooked Dinner (w/ a capitol D). To break bread, and breathe in the love of friends. To drink up conversations and satisfy my craving to share something so intimate as food.

A very wise man once told me that the only way to be closer to someone then cooking for them is to make love to them. Not sure those are the words he used, and not sure I have expressed it well but I think you get the essence. In reflection a portrait photographer can be quite close someone as well.

So a soup to start, I think a smokey bacon broth with mushrooms and apples, garnished with mustard oil and maybe some rye croutons.

progress

Sooooo that bacon hasn't yet moved mountains but it has moved two local chefs to use it as inspiration in their menus. Yes it is that good.

Hakuri turnip flan with cider caramel, locally smoked bacon and celeriac puree.

Hmmm how about that autumn??

Gotta start thinkin about my next project. A friend offerd the use of his charcuterie cave to hang sausage. Thinkin that may be a good direction. Another friend wants me to make some head cheese for a halloween party!! And I still need to can some hen of the woods mushrooms!

Grrr never enough hours in the day.

Winter Warmer

So I had some pluots that I wanted to jam or pickle, but they stayed on the back burner and never happened. So I took what was left, covered them in calvados, pink peppercorns and bay. Looking foward to turning that into some punch come cold weather and friendly faces..

Ms Bone

This morning I went to a class put on my Ediable Boston, held at Cambridge Culinary(just a few block up mass ave) and taught by, yes Miss Bone, Eugenia Bone noted cookbook auther, daughter of famed italian chef. Anyway an informative session that affirmed that in keeping with my reading of all this canned and preserved, I am doing things right. She gave me a place to begin with canning hen of the woods mushrooms in a barigoule style.

Hmmm think I may try to bake some bannana bread tonite!!

Up in smoke

So another saterday night and I'm not working. Hmmmm it feels very odd. Well the bacon has been smoked!! It took 4 hours, and I set off 4 of my neighbor's smoke detectors.. but it looks devin.e All dark and dry and roastey just like the speck I ate in Bad Goisern. I hope it's not too smokey.