All the pickle and relish recipes here on Spectacularly Delicious are worthy in their own unique way. Still, like children, one always has one's favorites even though it's generally a good idea to hide it. With kids psyches get scarred; with recipes readers might think less of the other pickles and relishes if one is named the favorite. But it can't be helped. Spiced Pickled … [Read more...]
Two Mustards
For some, myself included, condiments are a sort of food security blanket. As long as there's an abundance of little jars in the fridge all will be right in the world. Or at least all will be right with the next sandwich you make. Specialty mustards are well represented in any respectable condiment collection. The flavor combinations are endless and they are indestructible. … [Read more...]
KIMBERLY CLARK’S BEET JELLY
It's always nice to meet a new friend, even more so when it's someone who shares an appreciation for the domestic arts. Recently I spent a pleasant Ohio evening getting to know my dinner companion chatting about home canning and preserving. Kim comes from a long line of passionate and prolific gardeners. Her childhood was spent in an Amish-adjacent community, virtually awash … [Read more...]
HOME-CANNED FRENCH ONION SOUP RECIPE
Are you one of those people who just love French Onion soup? I mean really, really looooove it? As in go to any lengths for a steaming bowl of hearty, aromatic soupe a l'oignon? Yes? Then read on. The operative phrase here is "go to any lengths;" this recipe is not for the time-pressed or timid. Rich, home made beef is a project unto itself. And patiently stirring up a … [Read more...]
OPULENCE! LOBSTERS, OYSTERS, CAVIAR AND MORE
There are those who are enchanted by the notion of a bridal bouquet fashioned from a head of organic cauliflower. For some, doling dulse into their quinoa is considered an indulgence. Yes, there's much is to be said about the simple joys in life, the charm of the unadorned and the modest. But you won't read about that here. At least not today. Opulence is the theme of … [Read more...]
WILD BLUEBERRY MANGO JAM
The secret to this blueberry jam recipe (and there's always a secret to the good ones) is not the mango. What kind of secret is that? No, the little something that make this jam mighty are mites of coriander and cinnamon. In this small quantity they boost the natural spice of the blueberries without making the jam taste "funny." No one really likes these kind of surprises, … [Read more...]
CHRISTMAS RELISH: PEAR, POMEGRANATE, PEPPERS AND CRANBERRIES
Embarking on the creation of the ruby red Christmas relish I must confess the red food coloring wasn't out of reach. (Making icings for the holidays.) But lo and behold, this rubicund relish needed no supplement coloring agents. The recipe calls for red pears, red onions, red pepper (fresh and dried), cranberries, pomegranates and a mix of dried dried cherries and … [Read more...]
SOUR CHERRY BEACH PLUM JAM
The abundance of this year's beach plum harvest filled nearly a whole shelf with jelly jars. This bounty is providing an opportunity to incorporate the piquant plummy flavors of beach plums into jams and jellies of other fruits. It turns out that sour cherries and beach plums are a match made in heaven. Luckily there was a pound and a half of sour cherries resting … [Read more...]
HOT BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES
Some like it hot. So good old Sally Stott's bread and butter pickle recipe gets a spicy upgrade here with sliced jalapeños added to the 'cukes and onions. There's enough sugar and spice in these babies to disguise the heat... at first. But the thermostat does creep up slowly and surely. Don't worry, it's nothing incendiary enough to kill grandma or emotionally scar … [Read more...]
HOMEMADE CULTURED BUTTER
Supermarket butter isn't bland by accident; our dairy industry is rewarded for making the most flavorless product possible. Which is why this recipe for homemade cultured butter (ripped from the headlines of the New York Times) is such an exciting discovery. Margaret Visser's Much Depends on Dinner (1989) explains the USDA's butter grading system. Not surprisingly flavor is … [Read more...]