I was Canning when Canning wasn't Cool

I may be dating myself with the title of this entry, but it’s true.  There seems to be a trend recently in the food magazines putting an emphasis on canning and preserving local foods.  Canning has been a passion of mine since the late 80's.  Call me old fashioned or a trendsetter, I’ll take either one.

Typical Water Bath Canner - Used for canning high acid foods

Canning has always been a Zen experience for me.  I love taking all the wonderful fresh ingredients of summer, cooking them down and turning them into jars that look like little jewels.  It’s wonderful to crack open a jar of jam in January and be able to spread the taste of summer peaches on a biscuit.  I give away most of what I make and it’s a gift that’s more personal and from the heart than anything I could ever get from the store.

Every year I try to find something new to try.  If it’s a hit, it becomes part of the list of “must make” recipes for the next year.   Last year’s new additions were Cherry Preserves, Apple Butter and Sweet Jalapeno Slices.  This year’s new favorite is Heirloom Hot Sauce, made with heirloom tomatoes and Serrano peppers from our CSA share.  My list of “must make” recipes is up to 12 recipes now, so my summers are pretty busy in the kitchen.

Heirloom Tomatoes - They have amazing flavor

 

There can be no discussion about my canning passion without revealing the truth of why I started doing it in the first place.  It was the summer of 1988 and Tom and I had been living in our new house for about 6 months.  I was in a very domestic frame of mind and was looking to expand my cooking repertoire.  My mom had canned pickles a few times over the years so I thought I would give it a try.  I made Bread & Butter pickles and was pretty pleased with how they turned out.  The Gwinnett County Fair was coming up that September and on a lark, I submitted a jar to compete in the Adult Food Preservation contest.

And then it happened.  I won the blue ribbon! 

I couldn’t believe it.  To give you an idea how excited I was, I immediately ran to the bank of pay phones (pre-cell phones) and called my mom and my mother-in-law.  I had never won anything in my life and it felt good.  I was hooked.  I liked winning and I wanted to do it again. 

So I did. 

Over the years since that first win, I have managed to win 60 ribbons.  To date, I have 29 Blues, 14 Reds and 17 Whites under my belt.  I don’t have them on display; they are tucked away in a special box just for them.  It’s good enough for me just to know I have them. 
 

Every year I convince myself that the streak is going to end and we won't win anything.  I am nervous up to the point we go to the fair and look at the winner's list.  But  happily, we had another winning season at this year’s fair.  We took away 2 Blues, 2 Reds and 1 White. (I am making a point to say we because none of this is possible without Tom.  He is in this as much as I am.  He has carted bushels of produce; pitted mountains of cherries and been an unwavering source of support the whole way.)   

One of this year’s Blues was awarded to one of my most consistent winning recipes:  Peach Pineapple Orange Conserve.  (I am reluctant to give out any of my winning recipes but my niece Anna specifically asked for this one, so I must oblige.)  This spread is also one of my most versatile recipes.  It is delicious slathered on toast or biscuits.  It also makes a fantastic glaze for ham.  I have mixed it with a little bit of soy and used it to glaze a chicken on the smoker.  I think it would be beautiful glaze for salmon.  Or, if you are so inclined, just eat it straight from the jar.

This never gets old!

Peach Pineapple Orange Conserve

 8 to 10 medium peaches

2 medium oranges
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple (undrained) – I use juice packed
6 cups sugar

Peel, pit and then finely chop peaches in a food processor to yield 4 cups of fruit and juice.

Wash but don’t peel oranges.  Remove any seeds and finely chop the oranges in a food processor.
 

Thank God for food processors!  Chopping these oranges would take forever with a knife.

Put the chopped peaches and oranges into a 6 to 7 quart pot.  Add the crushed pineapple and sugar and stir until well combined.  Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 35 minutes until thickened.

Big ol' pot of yummy goodness!

While the conserve is cooking, sterilize your jars.  Put 10 clean half pint jars into your canner (a lidded stockpot with a wire cake rack in the bottom will work as a canner), fill it with water to cover the jars and boil the jars for 10 minutes.  Keep the jars in the hot water until ready to fill your jars.  Prepare your two-piece lids just before beginning to fill your jars by putting them in a pan or bowl and pouring boiling water over them.

When the conserve is ready, fill your jars, one or two at a time, up to 1/8 of an inch of the rim.  (Anything you can should be very, very hot when you pack into the jars.)  Wipe the jar rim and put on the two piece lid, tightening the ring portion of the lid.  Wiping the jar rim carefully is very important, as if there is anything between the lid and the jar rim, the lid won’t seal properly.  Return the filled jar to the rack in the canner.  After all the jars have been added back to the canner, the water should be at least two inches about the tops of the jars.  Add more hot water if needed.

These two accessories are essential for canning.  The jar lifter and lid lifter
 keep your hands far away from the hot water.  They are found easily at the grocery
store or online.

 

Turn the heat under the canner to high and bring the water to a rolling boil.  Your processing time begins only when the water reaches a full boil.  Process the conserve for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, carefully remove the jars and set them on the counter that has been covered with a kitchen towel.  The glass jars are at their most fragile state when they are fresh out of canner and the towel makes a nice soft surface for cooling.

As the jars cool, you will begin to hear a little pop as each lid seals. After the jars have completely cooled, to check if the lids have sealed, press down on each lid with your finger.  If it moves up and down, the lid did not seal and you will need to put that jar in the fridge and eat the contents within a couple of weeks.  If you are diligent about wiping the jar rims, this shouldn’t be an issue.

So there, my secret is out.  I can say that being thrifty, preserving local foods and giving homemade gifts are my motivation for canning and I would be telling the truth.  But the whole truth would have to include the simple, All-American desire to win and keep winning.  I can live with that.

Summertime is Fresh Herb Time

My freshly planted herb garden

One of the best things about summer is the abundance of fresh herbs.  Every year I have an herb garden in pots on my deck, just steps from my kitchen.  I grow parsley, thyme, chives, rosemary, mint, sage and of course, two kinds of basil.  Throughout the summer we enjoy Caprese salad with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, beautiful pesto, fresh herb vinaigrettes and more, all washed down with big glasses of iced tea with mint.

In addition to the herbs I grow, there is always a cache of herbs in my CSA share each week.  Gwendolyn and Brennan, the owners of Phoenix Gardens, also include a recipe or two each week using one or more of the ingredients that are in the share.  In a recent share they gave us a recipe for savory French cheese puffs or gougères.  These fluffy little bites are studded with Gorgonzola cheese and earthy sage.  You will definitely not be able to eat just one.

Sage & Gorgonzola Gougères

½ Cup Water
3 Tbsp. Butter, diced
½ tsp. Salt
½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Minced Fresh Sage
¼ Cup Gorgonzola Cheese crumbles

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium saucepan, heat the water, butter, and salt until the butter melts. Be sure to not let it boil. Quickly stir in the flour until it is fully incorporated. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for another minute to cook out any floury taste.

Cook and stir a whisk to remove the floury taste

Remove the flour mixture from the heat and transfer from the pot to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, one at a time. The first egg should be fully incorporated into the flour mixture before stirring in the second egg.  Fold in the sage and Gorgonzola.



Folding in the cheese and herbs with a spatula

Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper.  You can vary the size of the puffs but I found that a generous teaspoon makes the perfect bite. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes and then lower the temperature to 375 degrees for 15 more minutes.  After you take them out of the oven, poke each puff with a skewer or sharp knife to release the steam to avoid them getting soggy.



I forgot to use the parchment paper but thankfully they didn't stick.

These little puffs are a perfect accompaniment to cocktails.  They are super easy to make but give the impression you spent a lot of time making them.  Now that you have the basic recipe, you can change it up too.  I made a variation that used minced prosciutto and grated parmigiano reggiano instead of the Gorgonzola and sage with excellent results.  Try them with finely shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon or feta cheese and fresh oregano.

No discussion of summertime herbs would be complete without talking about the Mother of all herbs:  Basil.  This herb, especially when paired with fresh tomatoes, epitomizes everything that is good and fresh about summer.  The way I make that fresh flavor last well into fall and winter is to make and freeze batches of pesto.   My basic recipe for pesto uses basil, parsley, parmigiano reggiano and pine nuts.  You can mix this up by using spinach in place of some or all of the herbs, almonds or walnuts instead of pine nuts, really just whatever suits your taste.

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 Cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves

1 Cup firmly packed Italian parsley
1 Cup grated parmigiano reggiano
½ Cup pine nuts
2 large gloves garlic
½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cheesy, Herby Goodness!

Place all of the ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and process, stopping several times to scrape down the sides, until pureed.   With the processor running at a slow speed, slowly add the olive oil until fully incorporated.

Divide the pesto into 6 portions.  Put each portion into a Ziploc bag and throw the bags in the freezer.  Each portion makes 4 servings of pasta.  Just cook 8 ounces of any pasta according to package directions and toss with the pesto until thoroughly combined.

This pesto is not just for pasta.  It is also excellent used as a brush-on for grilled shrimp or chicken.  It adds an extra kick when spooned into gazpacho or vegetable soup.  Try brushing baguette slices with it and running them under the broiler.

I hope you get a chance to try these recipes and experiment with ways to make them your own.  Let me know how they turn out!

Grill some Seafood!



Grilled Herbed Clams

It’s that time of year in Georgia when the temperature hovers in the low 90s most days.  This means that although we can grill out year round, in the summer it becomes our preferred method of cooking.  Anything to avoid heating up the house with the oven.  Because of this, I am always looking for ways to mix it up from the regular steak, burgers and chicken.  When in a rut, I always turn to seafood.

One of my favorite seafood recipes for the grill is Linguine with Herbed Clams.  There is some minor prep cooking done on the stove but the clams and sauce are cooked on the grill.  And of course, the pasta is cooked on the stove but your kitchen should stay nice and cool while preparing this dish.  This meal is easy to make but feels fancy when you serve it, so it would be great for company.

LINGUINE WITH HERBED CLAMS

24 Fresh Clams – Littleneck if you can find them

1 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves minced garlic
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
4 to 5 anchovy filets (Don’t be afraid.  The filets melt away in the sauce and leave a yummy depth of flavor.)
½ cup dry white wine – I use Pinot Grigio
Crushed red pepper
1 cup chopped tomatoes
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
8 oz. linguine

Purge, Baby, Purge!

About an hour and a half before you want to start cooking, you will want to purge your clams.  A lot of clam recipes don’t include this step but I feel it is essential, simply because I prefer my clams sans sand and poop, thank you.  It isn’t hard and you will have nice clean clams.  First rinse the clams thoroughly with cold water and place them in a large bowl or pot.  Combine 1/3 cup of kosher salt with 2 quarts cold water.  Add 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal to the salt water and pour the mixture over the clams.  The cornmeal will irritate the clams and cause them to expel any sand into the water.  Allow the clams to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse them well with cold water.  Repeat this process two more times.

While your clams are purging the third time, you can begin to prepare your sauce.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the onions and anchovies and cook for 5 minutes until onions are soft, stirring frequently.  Add the wine, a generous pinch of kosher salt, fresh black pepper and a generous pinch of red pepper and continue to cook for about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, basil and oregano.

Before the grill.....

Place clams in a foil 13 x 9 x 2 disposable pan.  If any of them have opened during the purging process, give them a quick tap with your finger.  If a clam doesn’t close right away, discard it.  Top the clams with the sauce.  Tie the thyme and bay leaves together into a bundle with kitchen string and toss in with the clams and sauce.  Cover the pan tightly with foil.  (Now is the time to cook your linguine.  When it is cooked, toss it with olive oil and keep warm.) Place the pan on the grill directly over medium high heat for 12 minutes until the clams open and the sauce is hot.  If a clam doesn’t open, discard it.  Discard the thyme and bay leaf bundle as well.

After!!!

When the clams open, they release their juices into the sauce, giving it briny, rich flavor.  Serve the clams immediately with the linguine and some crusty French bread to mop up the sauce.  A glass of chilled white wine and you have a perfect summer supper.

The Great Corned Beef Experiment of 2012

St Paddy's Day beverage of choice

For a few years now, around St. Patrick’s Day I have seen articles popping up about curing your own corned beef at home.  I have been scared to try it and always said that next year we will give it a go, only to say the same thing the following year.  This year was the year we took a leap and did it.

Tom was tired of me just talking about doing it and went out on the internet to find the supplies I needed.  Turns out all I needed is a concoction called “pink salt”.  All of the remaining ingredients were normal items you would have in your kitchen anyway.  Tom purchased the inexpensive pink salt at www.sausagemaker.com .  It is called Insta-Cure #1 and is available in 8 and 16 ounce bags.  This salt has been dyed pink so you won’t confuse it with regular table salt.  It contains sodium nitrite which kills botulism during the curing process.  (I know some of you may be thinking “Eeek!  Nitrites!” but as I only make corned beef once a year, I am not sweating it.)  You use very little so a small bag will last you forever.

Pink Salt

It turns out that curing your own corned beef is pretty darn simple.  You mix up the brine, place it with your brisket in a large plastic tub, weight it down with a plate so it stays submerged, cover it and pop it in your fridge for 5 to 7 days.  Even though it sounded simple, we bought a “safety” corned beef brisket and threw it in the freezer in case mine didn’t turn out.

I checked it every couple of days to make sure it smelled okay and that the meat was still submerged and it was always just fine.  Finally, the big day came when we would see if we had pulled it off.  I had intended to braise it slowly in the oven but my oven died.  (More about that later.)  I ended up simmering it in a large roasting pan over two burners instead. While it was cooking, the whole house had a wonderful smell of spices and garlic.  I simmered it for a total of four and a half hours until it was fork tender. 

The finished product.

Finally, it was time to give it a taste.  We took it out of the pot, and let it rest for about 30 minutes, and then Tom cut it into thin slices with the electric knife.  It looked perfect.  It had the nice deep pink color that you expect from corned beef.  It looked juicy but not fatty like some corned beef can be.  Now for the moment of truth:  we each took a taste. 

Shut the front door. 

It was hands down, the best corned beef I have ever tasted in my whole life.  The depth of flavor that you get, compared to what you get from a purchased corned beef, is indescribable.  I will never again in my lifetime buy a corned beef brisket.  It was juicy, spicy, garlicky and just plain delicious.  When I think that fear kept me from trying this sooner I could kick myself.  If you enjoy corned beef, I strongly encourage you to cure your own.  The difference is unbelievable.

Delicious, tender lean corned beef with cabbage, potatoes and carrots.

Home Cured Corned Beef Brisket with Cabbage

4 to 5 pound beef brisket (get the flat cut; it is leaner)

For the brine:

1 gallon water
1 cup dark brown sugar
8 ounces salt, by weight
4 teaspoons pink curing salt

5 tablespoons pickling spices
4 cloves garlic, crushed

For cooking the beef:

4 cups reduced sodium or salt free chicken broth

4 cups water
1 large onion - roughly chopped
2 carrots - cut in big chunks
2 ribs celery – roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

For the vegetables:

2 or 3 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

6 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
A small head of cabbage, cut into wedges

A week before cooking the corned beef, heat the brine ingredients in a large stockpot until salts and sugar have completely dissolved.  Allow to cool completely to room temperature.  Place brisket in a large plastic container (I used a Rubbermaid bin I got at the grocery store) and pour brine over the meat.  Weight down the meat with a bowl or plate to ensure the beef stays submerged in the brine.  Place the container in the fridge and check it every couple of days to make sure it remains submerged.

The day you cook the beef, remove it from the brine and discard the brine.  Place the broth, water and next 5 ingredients in a large stockpot or roasting pan and bring to a boil.  Add the brisket, return to a boil, and reduce to a simmer and cover.  Simmer until meat is fork tender, about 50 minutes per pound.

Remove the brisket to a 13 x 9 baking dish and cover with foil.  Allow the beef to rest for 30 minutes before cutting.  Pour the cooking liquid through a mesh strainer into a Dutch oven and discard the solids. 

Add water to the strained cooking liquid until you have ½ a pot of liquid.  Taste for seasoning just in case, but it is doubtful you will need to add salt.  Bring liquid to a boil.  Add carrots and potato and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove from liquid and set aside.  Add cabbage and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

A must-have for corned beef.

I serve the beef and vegetables with my simple mustard sauce.  This is made by combining 1 part hot mustard with 2 parts sour cream.  I use a jar of Coleman’s English Mustard and 1 cup of light sour cream.  It is creamy with just the right amount of mustard bite.

Now I just have to get rid of the safety corned beef brisket in my freezer.  I think I will smoke it and make pastrami.   That’s another experiment I have been putting off.  I hope it turns out as good as this one.

Cheesy, Salty, Sweet Multigrain Goodness

Amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwich

One of the reasons I wanted to buy my KitchenAid stand mixer was the dough hook attachment.  I had envisioned myself making loaf after loaf of delicious wholesome breads, forsaking store-bought breads forever!  Well, that didn’t happen.  Even with the stand mixer, bread making still proved to be a bit of a chore.  That is until I stumbled on this recipe from Cooks Illustrated.  This bread gets its start from a multi-grain cereal mix so there is no hassling with putting together the various grains, it is already done for you.  This recipe produces a soft, artisan style bread like what you would get at a bakery and the stand mixer does all the heavy lifting.

Multigrain Bread

1 1/4 cups multi-grain hot cereal mix (I used Bob's Red Mill 5-Grain because I couldn’t find 7-Grain)
2 1/2 cups boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour (not bread flour)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats or quick oats(I used steel cut oats)

Instructions
Place cereal mix in bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and pour boiling water over it; let it stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture cools to 100 degrees.  It should look like thick oatmeal.  This will take about an hour. Combine flours in separate bowl.

Once the cereal has cooled, add honey, butter, and yeast and mix on low speed until combined.  Add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until loose dough starts to form, about 1 1/2-2 minutes; cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes.  Add salt and knead on medium-low speed until dough clears sides of bowl, about 3-4 minutes.  You may need to add a little flour, but no more than a tablespoon.  Continue to knead dough for 5 more minutes.   Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead by hand until the dough forms a smooth, round ball.  (Next time I make this, I am going to separate the dough into two balls at this point.  I think I lost some of the airiness of the bread when I separated it into two balls after it had risen.) Place the dough in large, oiled bowl; cover tightly with plastic and let it rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 45-60 minutes. 

Before rising...

After rising!

Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.  Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and divide it in half.  Gently press one piece of dough into a 9×6 inch rectangle, with the short side facing you.  Roll the dough toward you into a firm log, tucking it under itself as you go.  Turn loaf seam side up and pinch it closed with your thumb and forefinger.  Repeat with the second piece of dough.  Spray loaves lightly with water.  Roll each loaf in oats to coat evenly and place seam side down in prepared pans.  Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Bake until the loaves register 200 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes.  Remove the loaves from pans, return the loaves to the rack, and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing and serving (if you can wait that long;  me, not so much).

Slice with a serrated blade or electric knife to get even slices.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, just combine the cooled cereal mixture with the other ingredients until you get a “shaggy” textured dough.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until you have a smooth round ball.  This should take about 15 -25 minutes.  Frankly, I think eliminating that task alone is worth the purchase price of a KitchenAid stand mixer.

Sandwich makings!

I used this bread to make one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had.  I used Thomasville Tomme cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy ( www.sweetgrassdairy.com ), prosciutto and quince paste.  You get the creamy texture from the cheese, the salty bite of prosciutto and a sweet kick from quince paste, all on this delicious, toasty bread you made yourself.  I’ll take two please!

I get this paste in the deli at Publix.  It is delicious with cheese.

Five & Ten

Five & Ten is a great neighborhood restaurant.

Tom and I recently had the pleasure of having Sunday brunch at Hugh Acheson’s restaurant Five & Ten in Athens.  It is a bit of a drive from Lawrenceville but most certainly worth it.

The restaurant is housed in what used to be a Five & Ten store, hence the name.  Parking can be an issue, so be prepared to park and then walk a bit.  It was raining the day we went but we were lucky and got a spot right next to the restaurant.

Once inside, we found the restaurant to be cozy and casual.  The decor is relaxed and slightly random.  Not deliberately random like a TGI Fridays, random in a way that suggests things were acquired over time.  On one wall there was a beautiful handmade quilt, another held Audubon prints and another had unusual stylized wall sconces.  I counted at least 4 different types of lighting fixtures.   All of this gave the room a relaxed, homey feel.

The place has a warm, friendly environment

The crowd that morning was a mix of all ages and types.  There were several family groups, most of whom were enjoying a post-church Bloody Mary or glass of wine.  Babies were being passed from lap to lap while all the adult family members got caught up.  There were a couple of tables of UGA students, probably fraternity and sorority members.  Rounding out the crowd were couples like me and Tom.  Several of the people were obviously regulars given the way they were familiarly interacting with the staff.  It is clear that Five & Ten is a popular, community gathering place.

World's best Bloody Mary!  Note the small plate of biscuits and coffeecake.

We had reservations so we were seated pretty quickly.  Given the crowd, I would not try to come without a reservation. The hostess and the wait staff were friendly and very helpful.  We were immediately brought a plate with small biscuits, coffee cake, butter and jam.  The hostess circulated the room offering more biscuits throughout the meal.

Charcuterie refers to the art of preserving or processing meats.  This
includes but is not limited to pates, terrines, galantines and sausages.

Yummy!

Our first course was a charcuterie plate featuring a duck terrine and a pork pate.  These were served with house made mustards, pickled radishes and wonderfully fresh bread.   So delicious and kind of a genius offering from the kitchen, I must say.  It is a make-ahead dish that eases the burden on the kitchen while still impressing the diners.  I washed this down with easily the best Bloody Mary I have ever had in my whole life.  No Bloody Mary mix here, my friend.  If this is the Bloody Mary recipe from his book, it is made with fresh heirloom tomatoes and just the right amount of horseradish and hot sauce.  Delicious!!  Writing this makes me want another one.

For our main course, I got the 5 & 10 Eggs Benedict.  This is served with a potato latke, bacon, dill Hollandaise and lettuces.  The beautifully poached egg tasted so fresh with a bright yellow yolk and Hollandaise laced with fresh dill.  The creaminess of the eggs was countered by the crispy bacon and latke and clean taste of the undressed baby lettuce.  The portion size was perfect; I was full but not stuffed.



Amazing Short Ribs

Tom ordered the braised short rib with a leek-hominy stew.  The beef was fork tender and beautifully braised.  It was served atop the savory hominy stew that had a smoky flavor from roasted chilies.  I have made this at home from the recipe in Hugh’s book and I came pretty darn close to replicating the dish at home on my first try.  I think this is a testament to how well his cookbook is written.

Our experience at Five & Ten was relaxed, satisfying and worth repeating.  We will be making the drive to Athens more often.  I suggest you do too.

Pure Georgia

Thanks to Hugh Acheson’s blog, I have recently discovered a couple of fantastic food sources here in Georgia.  (Hugh is my current celebrity chef crush.  FYI - my crushes can change from week to week.)

Tim Mills and Luke the Mule

The first discovery is Red Mule grits, and what a discovery it is!  These grits are the absolute best I have ever tasted.  They are used in several high end restaurants in the area including Five & Ten and the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation.  They taste like fresh corn and are much lighter in texture than the grits at the grocery store.  They are so fresh that you have to keep the grits in the fridge or freezer rather than the cupboard.  They come from Mills Farm in Athens, where all of the grits are ground on a mill powered solely by a red mule named Luke.  You can either call them to place an order or send them a letter to place your order.  They will mail your order, along with an invoice, and you send them a check in return.  No credit cards or e-commerce for these folks.   They do have a website that I recommend you visit to learn how you can get your own bag of deliciousness.  It is http://redmulegrits.us .  Click on the Contact Us link for their phone number and address.

Next, there is the cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville.  Sweet Grass Dairy is a family owned, grass based farm where they handcraft all of their cheeses.  Their cows are rotationally grazed, hormone and antibiotic free.  The result of this special care is a collection of beautiful artisan cheeses.  Our first order we got the Georgia Gouda, Green Hill (a camembert-style cheese) and the Asher Blue cheese.  I am not sure how to describe the difference between a handcrafted cheese and the cheese you get in the dairy case at the grocery store.  I would liken it to the difference between fresh squeezed orange juice and orange juice made from frozen concentrate.  It’s just better.  The cheese is creamier, fresher and has more depth of flavor.   

Creamy Georgia Gouda

The farm has an e-commerce site which makes their products easier to get. They will ship your order to you via UPS Ground for one day delivery in the Southeast.   Outside of the Southeast, you would have to go with Overnight Mail which is an extra charge.  It is packed with frozen freezer packs too keep it cool during shipping.  Their website is www.sweetgrassdairy.com .

Look for this logo

So, now I’m armed with yummy grits and cheese.  What should I make?  Shrimp and grits, obviously.  This leads me to one of my favorite ingredients:  Georgia Wild Caught shrimp.  In Atlanta, this is easily found at Whole Foods.  The shrimp I used the day I made this had been swimming off of the coast of Georgia less than 24 hours before we bought it.  This is so important for many reasons.  First, our shrimping industry needs our help.  They are fighting against a cheaper farm-raised product out of Asia.  Second, it tastes better.  Think of it the way you would think of free range chicken or grass fed beef.  Protein raised in its natural environment produces a superior product.  It’s just that simple. 

Beautiful!

You can get these shrimp from Whole Foods like I did or you can order them online at http://www.georgiaseafood.com/ .  This site is run by the Boone Family, who has been in the shrimping business out of Darien for three generations.  They will send you a 5 pound box of large shrimp overnight for $12.50 a pound.

Lisa’s Shrimp and Grits

3 ½ cups water

1 cup milk
¾ cup Red Mule grits
½ generous cup of shredded Sweet Grass Dairy Georgia Gouda
1/3 cup grated parmesano-reggiano
3 slices bacon
1 cup sliced white mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp. flour
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ cup cream or ½ & ½

Bring water, milk and a generous pinch of kosher salt to a boil.  Add grits and return to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often.  When grits have just about reached your desired degree of thickness, add the two cheeses and stir to combine.  Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

While the grits are cooking, you can start your shrimp. In a large skillet, cook your bacon until crispy.  (I know its bacon, but most shrimp and grits recipes start with at least 6 slices, so I am lighter than that.  If you dare use turkey bacon with these other pure ingredients, I will never speak to you again.)  Drain bacon on paper towels and set aside.

Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in the skillet.  Saute the mushrooms in the drippings until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, shrimp and green onions and sauté until the shrimp begins to just barely turn pink, about 1 or 2 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the ingredients in the skillet and stir for about a minute to cook out the floury taste.  Whisk or stir in the chicken broth and stir until the sauce begins to thicken.  Stir in cream and heat through.   Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

To serve, put about a generous portion of grits in a shallow bowl, top with the shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Lisa's Shrimp and Grits

There you have it.  A creamy, cheesy delicious shrimp dish made with some of the best ingredients Georgia has to offer.  Enjoy!

Local Republic

Local Republic - my new hangout :)

Tom and I have decided to make a concerted effort to support the local, non-chain businesses in our community.   This, of course, extends to restaurants (lucky me!).  We have frequented Ray's, Pura Enchilada and Oyster Bay Seafood Cafe recently and left full and happy that our dollars were helping the local economy.

The Bar - Notice all of the beer taps

Last Friday we had lunch at another local restaurant:  Local Republic.  I found this gastro-pub while doing a search for restaurants in Lawrenceville.  The reviews were favorable and the menu looked interesting, so we decided to give it a try.  I am so glad we did.



The view of the square from my vantage point on the banquette - Beautiful day!

The eatery is housed in what I believe was originally a gas station.  The space when you walk in feels casual and airy.  There are several wooden tables with vintage style metal chairs.  A wooden banquette against the far wall has throw pillows scattered along it.  There is art on the walls and some vintage signage for an eclectic vibe.  I immediately thought, "I could hang out here".

Mexican Coke es muy bueno!!

Local Republic's menu changes often because they focus on using seasonal organic produce and meats.  They have several appetizers to choose from, along with soups, salads, entrees, sandwiches and burgers.  They offer some vegetarian options, too.  Their bar serves craft beers on tap and wine.  And God bless them, they have Mexican Coke.

Absolutely delicious!!

We started out with the goat cheese, tapanade and pesto small plate.  These three ingredients are served atop four toasted bread slices.  When you bite into one, you get the crispy texture of the bread, the creaminess from the goat cheese, the earthy, fresh flavor of the pesto followed by the briny olive flavor of the tapanade.  One perfect bite.

After we scarfed down our appetizer, we each had a burger.  Their burgers are made from antibiotic and hormone free, grass fed Brasstown Beef from Ridgefield Farm just over the border in North Carolina.  (Ridgefield Farm also supplies Atlanta area Whole Foods stores with their dry-aged beef.)

Mr. Jones

Tom had the "Mr. Jones" burger which is topped with house made pimento cheese with jalapeno & bacon.  The pimento cheese was made with sharp cheese, which is how I make mine, so thumbs up there.   I had the "Make Fungus Not War" burger which has sauteed mushrooms, melted swiss and grilled onions.  Both burgers were hot, juicy and absolutely delicious.  My only complaint would be that after eating the appetizer, neither of us could finish our enormous burger.   Next time we will probably order one burger and split it.

Make Fungus Not War!!

The service at Local Republic was very friendly and attentive.  The prices could be considered a little on the high side, but you have to keep in mind that the best ingredients simply cost more.  I am willing to pay a couple bucks more to have them hold the antibotics and hormones, thank you very much.

No styrofoam to-go boxes here!

The final verdict:  we loved Local Republic and we will be back.  One more reason to love downtown Lawrenceville!