October, 2010

  1. Honey Apple Cinnamon Jelly

    October 27, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    honey apple cinnamon jellyAs a child, we yearly made jelly from the crabapples that came from the crabapple tree out front. My mother and I made a LOT of jelly. The crabapples were small and the tree was purchased with the nursery claiming it wouldn’t fruit at all. Or at least that was the legend. It did though and we made jelly from the small, cherry sized crabapples. I remember hours of cleaning, pulling stems, sterilizing jars, boiling, and pouring paraffin on top.

    Making jelly really isn’t as time consuming or as complicated as you might think though and the results are so worth it. On Sunday evening, Rebecca and I set forth to make Apple Jelly. Apple is the simplest because you don’t need pectin or anything special.

    It came out perfectly jelly-not runny, cloudy or even a wee bit odd. It does have a strong honey flavor to it because of the types used (explained below) and well, we haven’t waited long enough for the cinnamon to really do its work. It is fantastic spread on toasted English muffins though.

    I swear, this will be the last apple post I will torture you with for quite some time. Tomorrow I am finishing off the bag of apples with some apple butter making.

    Honey Apple Cinnamon Jelly

    5-6 lbs apples (We used a variety of windfall apples)

    Honey

    Wash apples. Remove stems and dark spots and quarter apples. Do not pare or core. Place in a stainless steel or enamel saucepan and add enough water to half cover the apples. Cook until apples are soft. Skim off any foam. Drain using a jelly bag if you can find one. We used cheesecloth folded in thirds. You’ll get more juice if you squeeze the bag but then you risk a cloudy jelly. Measure 6 cups of juice. You can add water to the pulp to get more juice, but it is better I think if you just squeeze a bit and be patient. Add about 1/2 cup honey for every cup juice. We used a combination of cranberry blossom, tupelo and clover because that is what we had on hand. In general, the rule is to get a very light honey so you don’t get too much honey flavor. Boil honey and water until a good jelly test is obtained.

    We used a combination of thermometer and the spoon test. Add a cinnamon stick to each hot, sterilized half-pint jar, leaving 1/4-inch headspace, and seal. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

    Yield: 5 half-pints

    Category Fruits | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. A Love Song in Fifteen Parts

    October 27, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    My almost youngest child and sometimes known as my middle child turned 15-years-old today. How could that happen so fast? How could it be that this child, the one who has seemed forever part of my life but just arrived already has reached 15? I can’t speak to the nature of time, only that it passes in a blink and in a crawl. I can speak a bit about the drop-dead gorgeous woman child that shares my genes.

    A love song in fifteen parts for you Rebecca:

    You warn us to “be safe” and always say “I love you!” when we part–superstition on your part, but do you know this belongs to me as well? That I whispered “I love you” every night over your beds for years, that I think be safe, I love you whenever I can’t be with you.

    You’ve been my early bird child since before you were born. (though like your siblings you lingered past your due date) I love the fact that you wake with the sun and find the blessing of the sun.

    While others see the scatterbrain, I see the ferocious focus in your life. The awesome power of that focus can change the world.

    Your writing astounds me. You’ve got a writer’s brain and way with words.

    You believe in magic but most of all I wish for you to believe in you.

    Speaking of belief, believe in the goodness in everyone, believe in the love in them–yes, with a heart so close to your skin–it is easier to believe otherwise to think yourself safe but love does conquer all.

    Know that your eyes are beautiful and compelling. Your eyes like the sea in Oregon, like the Great Lakes, like the ocean near where your father and I first spoke of children and love.

    Your love of books makes my heart sing. You, of all my children, read as voraciously as I do. I may fuss about you escaping into a book, but I do the same. One day I hope you venture around the library or a book store and pick up a random book and trust the right books to fall into your hand–unlike your current habit of plotting your reading like a military exercise.

    Thirteen and Fourteen were rough years for you and I sing you the song of a smoother year for fifteen. It does get better.

    I always say these days that my proudest moment was driving the big moving truck to Florida from Maryland, alone and in a day. But, really, it was the keynote-not for the fact of the keynote itself, but for being able to sing that love song and look you in the eyes as I did so–a moment proud because you know I chose to write something well, you know I chose to chase a dream and a moment proud because my daughter, you, saw me up there doing what I set out to do. Not every daughter sees that in her mother but you did, first hand, and you cared.

    You love to learn and I love that you love to learn. Be a student inside of school and out for the rest of your life. I sing you a song of curiosity and questions. Learn about things, about people, and never stop asking questions.

    The love song of course has a song of remembering the time for yourself–for the scooter time, the walking, the mindless repetition of activity, the magic of motion and thought.

    This year I sang you a sparkle party and gave you a sparkle necklace to honor the sparkle in you. That sparkle makes people take notice. That sparkle got you chosen as a BlogHer Voice of the Year. That sparkle had Laurie White represent your piece with a photo of sparkle. Never forget that sparkle, never hesitate to pull it out at the right time…but remember that it can overwhelm. Sing your sparkle song quietly in those places. You’ll be loved either way.

    Your beauty amazes me and others–recognize it in yourself and care for yourself inside and out, even if you don’t see that beauty yet.

    And for the fifteenth part of the love song remember what I have told you forever-you are my favorite, even if you aren’t always my favorite for everything. And of course, anything, anywhere, any time. Always.

    Category retro food | Tags: | 3 Comments

  3. Her First Apple Pie

    October 25, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    Or Double Crusted Pie. It came out beautifully–even if my picture did not. RJ used an Epicurious recipe, but has failed to send me the link.

    In the meantime, you can read how my experiment with Terra Chip Chicken (Look! No Apples) went on Friday.

    Category retro food | Tags: | 4 Comments

  4. Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

    October 25, 2010 by Tarrant Figlio

    Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

    We got our first box of fresh, locally farmed veggies to your door from a local company. In it was an acorn squash.

    RJ put this together last night to go with the meatloaf she requested for birthday dinner and a green salad (also from the box of magic veggies).

    Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

    1 acorn squash cut in half
    2 apples, cored and diced
    1/4 cup maple syrup
    1/4 cup melted butter

    Cut squash in half, clean out insides and place in baking dish with about 1/2 inch water. Combine apples, syrup and butter and fill center cavity of the squash with the mixture. Cover pan with foil and bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

    Category retro food | Tags: | No Comments

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