Preservation Link Roundup 3/21/10

The March Can Jam entries came fast and furious as the deadline loomed.

Nina Corbett, of Puts Up, was looking for ramps with no success when she was inspired by a wide variety of farmers' market produce (Rhubarb Fennel Chutney).

I actually spoke with an award-winning home canner (Los Angeles County Fair, natch) today who was looking unsuccessfully for some ramps to pickle. I suggested he try some green garlic instead.

Inspired by pickling guru Linda Ziedrich, Food in Jars makes a "bread and butter"-like onion pickle (Can Jam: Sweet and Sour Pickled Red Onions).

Oh, Briggsy... makes a Salsa Criolla, a traditional Peruvian condiment (March Can Jam: Salsa Criolla). Read the whole post for the meandering path she took to the recipe she choose. She also makes the following point:

It’s kind of like a simple red onion in vinegar, which I almost made but thought would be anticlimactic, but the ante is really upped by the lime and cilantro, which makes these pickled onions different and what I was going for. There’s only so much veggies sitting in vinegar that one can eat, am I right?

Pickles anticlimactic? Perhaps, for some, but really there are so many options for vinegars, spices and base that pickles need never be anticlimactic.

Doris and Jilly Cook make classic pickled cocktail onions - and discover the secret to easily peeling the little buggers (Pickled Onions for Cocktails).

Yes! I was hoping someone would make cocktail onions for this Can Jam. I'm a huge fan of what I call "cocktail canning"; syrups, pickles and mixes can all be canned at home for some wonderful drinking options.

For example, Food GPS reviews a restaurant owned by the first family of caviar (Petrossian -- West Hollywood). The first item reviewed? A champagne cocktail featuring candied hibiscus flowers in rhubarb syrup. If you want rhubarb syrup this summer (wouldn't that be nice on a warm Sunday morning in August) ... you're going to have to can it.

And what about flavored vinegars in cocktails? Sounds strange, but the Paupered Chef would disagree (The Strange Appeal of Vinegar in a Cocktail). You can make flavored vinegars and can them ... break out that peach vinegar for a winter party. Why not?

Preservation Supplement to LA Times Food Section 2/25/10

This week's LA Times Food Section features an article on Filipino chefs at top restaurants, but no Filipino food in those restaurants (Filipino Food: Off the Menu). This is truly a tragedy. I was in the military for nearly twelve years (enlisted Marine/Navy officer) and visited the Philippines at least half-a-dozen times. This is a cuisine that should get more recognition; it is a deep fusion of Chinese, Spanish, Mexican and other influences. Such a plethora of culinary sources might have been confusing 10 or 20 years ago, but not today. Bring on the Filipino-influenced cuisine, I say.

For example, how about a marmalade made with calamansi, the Philippine's famous citrus? (Kalamansi / Calamondin Marmalade a la Marketman)

It is on the bitter side, but the kalamansi flavor is superb. The texture is exactly as I wished for. If you don’t like bitterish flavors, don’t even think about doing this recipe. If, however, you are a fan of really good orange marmalade, you may find this kalamansi version an interesting alternative.

On Saturday, the Jewish festival of Purim begins. As this article explains, one of the important ways to celebrate the holiday is with gifts of food, particularly ready-to-eat food (At Purim, Food is a Blessing).

Of course, there are no mentions of home preserved food, but they would be perfect for the holiday. For example, the LA Times suggests a gift of bread, wine and cheese. Why not a little chutney or preserves with that as well? Hamantaschen are very traditional, but why not fill them with homemade preserves (fig jam sounds good)? Or perhaps you can give a DIY basket with all the fixings for hummus, including home canned garbanzo beans and some preserved lemons. Seems like a good idea to this goy.

In this week's restaurant review, the Tar Pit gets two stars (downgraded due to inconsistent execution) and some great compliments on its cocktail program (The Review: The Tar Pit is Campanile Chef-Owner Mark Peel’s Supper Club).

There are plenty of interesting infusions on the cocktail menu, as well as housemade ginger beer and lime syrup. Cocktails and food preservation. I've always thought bars need to do more preserving - house pickles, syrups, and infusions.

On the kitchen side, the appetizer of pickled deviled eggs is another "why didn't I think of that" moment. They serve their crab cakes with a preserved lemon remoulade. Pickled turnips (with seared salmon, a fatty fish) and onions (with cheese and charcuterie) also show up on the menu.

You can get a lot of good ideas for making and using preserved foods by checking out what is going on in the newer restaurants.