Orange Bourbon Fig Compote | Friday Night Bites

I am dreaming of forwarding time to mid summer right now.  You may ask ....... why?  It is fig season of course. Smile.  I do simply adore figs, well actually kind of obsess over them - oh those glorious figs.  It has been almost two years since I made my last big batch of Balsamic Fig Jam.  I typically set aside a whole day and bang out 80 half pint jars of this delightful crowd pleaser.  Besides enjoying it at home, it is my "go to" hostess and holiday gift to share with others.  I have friends who wait in anticipation for it and one friend even has her whole family asking - when are you getting more fig jam?

Peppercress and Basil Pesto | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society

We had some great rain showers yesterday and today in the Bay Area.  Oh how we need the rain here in California – it was such a welcome event.  We just need about 10 to 15 more Spring Showers here to make a dent in this 4 year drought. Speaking of spring, this month’s Blogger C.L.U.E. Society theme is Spring Vegetables.  I have to declare that the spring time vegetable season is simply stunning.  From asparagus to fava beans, the assortment is spectacular.

Deviled Eggs with Bourbon Bacon Jam | Friday Night Bites

Okay it is almost Friday night and I could not be more excited for the end of the work week. Simply just need to unwind and let go of stress.  As you probably already figured out, I am on a deviled egg kick and just had to share another fun recipe with all of you.  I have an immense affinity for condiments – whether it is jam, pickles or salad dressings.  I am simply fascinated with making them and purchasing them.  They are the adornment to a dish and add that extra “wow” factor.

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{ Pancakes with Fig Balsamic Jam + Food Blogger "Jamming" Party Highlights }

What is one of your passions in life? Mine is food. I have an adoration for the blending of flavors, the various preparations and the joy it brings to people when they enjoy something truly wonderful. A few years ago I checked off the bucket list – making jam along with learning the process of canning.

One of the first jams I made was Fig Balsamic Jam. It was truly one of those mouth dropping flavors and quickly became a staple in my house along with a favorite gift to give to friends. It has the perfect balance of sweet, acid and texture. Works well with both sweet and savory dishes. It is quite simple to prepare and the result is just magnificent.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of getting together with five other food bloggers to make jam. It was not only the opportunity to see fellow food bloggers, but friends that I have made through this blogging journey. It was a day filled with great food, discussions about food, trying new flavors of jam and just generally having a great day.

Azmina of Lawyers Loves Lunch was kind enough to host the event at her lovely home. She set the tone of the day by her cleaver evite titled – “It’s Jammer Time” – which is sung to the tune of “It’s Hammer Time”. We coordinated through email what each person would bring. Gina of SPCookieQueen has access to the best fruit in the Bay Area and brought 30 pounds of nectarines and Santa Rosa plums along with her jam making prowess. Stephanie of The Baking Barrister brought lots of luscious lemons and sugar. Jean of Lemons and Anchovies shared the most flavorful blueberries along with assorted canning accoutrements. Liren of Kitchen Confidante brought beautiful canning jars along with other goodies. I brought a ton of fresh figs, large canning pot and other pots.

{ Left to right: Gina, Stephanie, Azmina, Me, Jean and Liren }

It would not be a foodie event if there wasn’t an abundance of delicious foods. No one disappointed. From divine salads, to supreme cookies and tasty appetizers – we did not lack for an array of sublime delights. We started the fig jam before diving into the snacks to get one jam going. Typically it takes me over an hour to simply trim and cut the figs – what a terrific treat to have so many hands working at once. This task was a snap!

Along with the Fig Balsamic Jam, we made Vanilla Santa Rosa Plum Jam, Blueberry and Nectarine Jam and Strawberry Lemon Jam.  It was great to have so many hands to help with the endevour.  We went home with lots of jam to enjoy for months ahead and will have fond memories of making it with everyone.

I shared my knowledge of jam by making with the Fig Balsamic Jam along with general things I have learned through the years. Gina is a master jam maker and I learned some new tricks from her. Love the art of continual learning. Here are a few tips from Gina and myself for mastering the art of jam making:

• A small batch of jam is 3 pounds of fruit with 19 ounces of sugar and 2 ounces of lemon juice. Use a scale to measure the ingredients. This will yield four to five 8 ounce jars.
• The key to great jam making is the perfect balance of sugar to acid. As the jam begins to thicken, taste to see if acid slightly takes the sweetness of the sugar away. You should still taste sugar but it will be balanced by the acid.
• An alternative to sterilizing your jars is to do this in the oven. Wash the jars first, then place onto a baking sheet with sides and heat at 225 degrees for 15 minutes. Sterilize the lid with the rubber portion in boiling hot water for 10 minutes.
• The basic equipment for canning includes: large pot, rack to hold jars, tongs to remove hot jars and towels to cool the jams on the counter.
• After several batches of jam, using our senses of smell, taste, feel and taste will be your greatest tools  to making perfect jam.

Since it was Sunday, hubby loves a big breakfast and specifically asked for pancakes. He simply likes butter on top of his and that is it. I liked a bit of maple syrup on top. Today, I was inspired by our day of jam making, that I topped it with a large dollop of Fig Balsamic Jam and sliced fresh figs. Simply supreme. All in all, it was a wonderful day with wonderful friends and wonderful food. I have included my recipe for Fig Balsamic Jam. Enjoy!

Fig Balsamic Jam

Makes 12 to 14 pint jars

6 Pounds Fresh Figs – remove stem and cut into quarters

4 ½ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Balsamic Vinegar

Use a large pot. Add all of the above ingredients to the large pot. Stir well to combine all of the ingredients. Place on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil. Once really bubbling lower the heat to medium. The sugar will begin to thicken and the figs will soften. Once the figs are soft, about 45 minutes to one hour. Simple test by pressing the spoon against a fig to the side of the pot. If soft and the liquid is thicker, then it is probably ready.

Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Using an emulsion blender, puree the jam. If you like it with chunks, then process less.

To process the jam, add to each sterilized jar and wipe around each rim to remove any of the jam that spilled. Put the lid and rim on each jar and tighten, but not too tight. Add each jar to the boiling water of the large pot with tongs and use a canning rack. Process for 10 minutes. Using tongs remove each jar and place onto a towel on the counter. This will prevent the jar from cracking if it hits a cold hard surface. Let cool.

You will hear the lids popping. The popping means the jar is sealed. After an hour, check each jar to ensure you can’t press and hear a popping sound. If you do, it means it did not seal. Simply re-process to obtain a tight seal.

Pancakes

1 C. Flour
1 T. Sugar
2 t. Baking powder
1/4 t. Salt
1 Egg
1 C. Milk
2 T. Vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl add all of the dry ingredients.  In another bowl add the egg and beat, then add the milk and vegetable oil and mix together.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.  The batter will be lumpy.

Spoon about a 1/4 cup of batter onto a greased hot skillet.  Cook till pancakes are golden brown, turning to cook second side when pancakes have a bubbly surface and slightly dry edges.  Makes 8 to 10 standard size or 36 dollar size pancakes.  Simply double or triple the recipe if you need to make more.

*Pancake recipe from Better Homes and Garden - New Cook Book

Please enjoy these other posts from the "Jamming" bloggers! (Will update the others as they become available)

Liren from Kitchen Confidante
Stephanie from The Baking Barrister

Jean from Lemon and Anchovies
Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

Apricot Cardamom Curd + Healdsburg Highlights

A weekend getaway was just what the doctor ordered. Often a long weekend will rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Hubby and I whisked away last weekend for my birthday to Healdsburg. We stayed at the luxurious Hotel Les Mars, which had been on both of our bucket lists for quite sometime.

The Hotel Les Mars is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux which brings the anecdote of French living to wine country. Relais & Châteaux is an exclusive collection of 475 of the finest charming hotels and gourmet restaurants in 55 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association’s mission is to spread its unique way of living across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. With only 16 well appointed rooms, you feel as if you are staying at a French chateaux with the traditional 17th and 18th century antiques which adds to the old world charm.

The service was impeccable from when the general manager Ramon greeted us upon our arrival to Nicole the assistant manager who checked us in to Colin who brought our bags to the room and shared the amenities of lovely accommodations.

We selected one of their many packages which included a six course dinner at Dry Creek Kitchen at Hotel Healdsburg along with a personal tour at Chalk Hill Winery. An added bonus was our impromptu visit to Lancaster Estate Winery - quite a sublime experience.  In addition, a French breakfast is delivered to your room each morning based on your selection criteria you submit the night prior. One of our favorite amenities was the wine and cheese hour that was served in the gorgeous walnut paneled library.

{ Wine and cheese at Hotel Les Mars }

Ramon hand selects the wine and cheeses from local vendors. A few of the cheeses that really stood out for us were the Andino, a cow’s milk from Ecuador, Pond Hopper, a goat’s milk with Mirror Pond Ale, Valdeen, a sheep’s milk blue cheese, Two Goat Rock, a goat’s milk from Sonoma and Sottecenere al tartufo, a cow’s milk with Truffle imported from Italy. Two wines really stood out for us - the Viognier from Hawley Winery along with the Petite Syrah from Stephen and Walker Winery.

{ Hubby enjoying wine and cheese in the library at Hotel Les Mars }

The true highlight for us was our magnificent dinner at Cyrus. Cyrus has earned numerous accolades including a two Michelin star rating. Michael Bauer from San Francisco Chronicle says "Douglas Keane further enforces he is deserving of a four star rating" and Chef Keane was recognized as the Best Chef Pacific by James Beard Awards.

{ Cyrus }

We opted for the 8 course chef tasting menu and wine pairings. Our vision was to stay at the Hotel Les Mars and eat at Cyrus which is adjoined to the hotel, so we did not have to worry about enjoying the full experience. No driving required. Smile.

{ Our personalized menu for us to take home }
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Thought I would share the menu and wine pairings with you. Each course was supreme and I could elaborate for hours on how truly delicious the food was and the impeccable service. Each bite and sip of wine during our four hour dinner was simply perfection.

{ Our beautiful room at Hotel Les Mars }
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The inspiration for the Apricot Cardamom Curd was two fold. Each night we enjoyed a lovely wine and cheese respite at Hotel Les Mars in the library. It was relaxing along with meeting some wonderful people. One of the courses during our long dinner was the cheese course. The presentation was pure decadence with tableside service where the waiter would cut each cheese while explaining the flavors and origin. The accoutrements came moments later which included assorted breads and crackers along with panforte and cardamom butter.

The cardamom butter was simply supreme and fascinated me. I knew I needed to discover a way to make this. After much research, I found this recipe for Apricot Cardamom Curd which I altered slightly. The result was a delicious accompaniment for our Friday appetizer night. We purchased the Two Goat Rock and Sottocenere from The Cheese Shop in Healdsburg. I also added a reserve Dutch Gouda and some marcona almonds to the cheese platter.

My birthday weekend was simply magnificent and the best birthday to date. As they say – "Each year gets better and better."

{ My cheese platter for Friday appetizer night. Cheeses from top to bottom: Two Goat Rock, Reserve Dutch Gouda and Sottosenere }

Apricot Cardamom Curd

4 Large apricots
1 Lemon (zest and juice)
3 eggs
1 C. Sugar
1 t. Cardamom, ground

Wash apricots and cut in half and remove the pits. Cut into small cubes. Add to a medium pan with about 1 tablespoon of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes or longer until really soft. Set aside.

In a large bowl add the eggs and whisk gently. Add the juice of the lemon along with all of the zest from the lemon and whisk gently. Place the bowl on top of simmering water and continue to whisk in the sugar.

Use an emulsion blender to puree the apricots and then add to the mixture and continue to whisk quickly. Cook gently until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Feel free to strain through a sieve to remove any random particles. Makes about 2 pint jars. Refrigerate.

Tomato Jam + Appetizer Ideas | Secret Recipe Club

Time flies. It seems like I was just writing my last post for The Secret Recipe Club. You don’t know what The Secret Recipe Club is? Let me share a quick synopsis with you. Each month you are given a link to a member’s blog and you browse through the “secret” blog to determine which wonderful recipe you are going to create. The club is divided into four groups with each one having a “reveal” day during the month. Once the reveal takes place you are also able to see who received your blog and what recipe they chose. It is a lot of fun - I encourage you to check it out.

For May, I received Cathy’s blog Wives with Knives. Cathy lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon for her entire life. Her love of food came from growing up on a farm on the Columbia River and learning how to cook from her grandmother. Her recipes come from family favorites along with local farmers’ market vendors and other spectacular collected recipes.

Cathy herself is a vendor at the local farmers market and sells roasted and glazed nuts, granola and trail mixes. She went on a trip to Germany years ago and fell in love with the Christmas markets along with the smell of roasting almonds. She loved it so much, that she purchased two of the roasting machines and sells her delights at the farmers market in Beaverton, Oregon. { Note to self: need to make a trip to Beaverton and stop by Cathy’s booth at the market.}

Cathy has an incredible selection of tasty recipes, that it was quite difficult to select which one I wanted to make. I have bookmarked many to create in the future. Like Cathy, I am a self professed condiment junkie. I am drawn to them at small grocery stores, farmers markets, specialty food stores and anywhere else I may spy them. So when I saw that she made Tomato Jam – I was sold on that recipe.

I used the tomato jam to make Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  Simply cut a baguette on the diagonal and buttered each side.  Added a bit of jarlsburg swiss cheese and a generous spoonful of the tomato jam.  Grilled until golden brown on each side.  Absolutely delish!

Making jam is one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy creating unique flavor profiles and then sharing with friends and family. Tomato Jam has been on my list for several years to make, but just have not found the perfect recipe – until NOW. This jam is rich, spicy, hearty, unique and tasty. This might just be the ultimate tomato jam.

Another quick appetizer - Tomato Jam and Chevre Costini.  Simply slice a sourdough baguette thinly and brush each side with a bit of olive oil.  Lay onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until golden brown on each side. Best to rotate at the 5 minute mark to brown evenly.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Spread chevre (goat cheese) on top of each one and add a generous spoonful of the delicious tomato jam to the top of each one.  Perfect with a glass of sauvignon blanc.

Tomato Jam

1 ½ lb.Ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. minced crystallized ginger
1 t. ground cumin
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground cloves
1 t. salt
½ t. red pepper flakes, or to taste

To peel the tomatoes easily, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a slight X on the top of each tomato. Place into the boiling water for about one minute and remove to cool for a few minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, the skin will peel away easily. Continue to dice into small pieces and remove any end portions of where the tomato was attached to the vine.

Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of a thick jam, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Watch carefully so the jam doesn’t burn. Taste and adjust seasonings, then cool and refrigerate. Will keep, refrigerated, for two weeks. Makes approximately one cup of jam.

Cranberry, Orange and Ginger Chutney Brie Cups | My Guest Post on Kitchen Confidante

About a month ago Liren asked me if I wanted to contribute a guest post and be part of her “Friends-giving” series. I was completely honored and immediately responded with a resounding yes. Now the only question lurking was what to make?

Last holiday season, I had a dinner party with Liren and Jean (Lemon and Anchovies) and gave each of them my Cranberry, Orange & Ginger Chutney. It was a perfect little gift for the holiday season. A few months later, Liren surprised me by highlighting the chutney in her Gorgonzola Tart with Cranberry Orange Ginger Chutney & Candied Pecans. I actually never posted the recipe for this chutney, until now. I thought this was perfect timing to highlight this tasty recipe.

Please click the link for Cranberry, Orange and Ginger Brie Cups and enjoy my guest post on Kitchen Confidante.  It is a simple holiday inspired appetizer that you will make over and over again.  Thank you Liren for inviting me to do a guest post on your lovely blog!

Green Fig, Peach and Balsamic Jam

Fig glorious figs – I absolutely love this time of year. In fact, I have been waiting anxiously until I saw those beautiful little gems arrive in the store. If you have been reading my blog for a bit, you know that I have taken up canning in a big way. One of my favorite items to make is fig jam.

The addition of the balsamic gives that extra punch of flavor and sweetness to the jam. I prefer to lightly process the jam prior to canning by using an emulsion blender to make it smoother. You decide what your preference it.

This week at work was quite exhausting – both physically and mentally. The stress level was elevated. All I can say is that I am happy it is the weekend and making jam is quite the stress reducer. I think it is the satisfaction of seeing all those beautiful jars lined up in the kitchen. And even better yet is the expression on the folks I give a jar to as a gift. Nothing better than giving.

At our monthly management meeting this week, I am going to surprise the group with handmade buttermilk biscuits and this glorious fig jam. Perhaps some of the folks may read this post and then it won’t be a surprise. I guess they will have the inside scoop on the surprise, but will have to wait until then.

Enjoy your weekend! 

Any fun plans?

Green Fig, Peach and Balsamic Jam

1 1/2 Lb. Green Figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped
½ Lb. Peaches, peeled and pit removed and course chop
1 1/2 C. Sugar
1/2 C. Balsamic Vinegar
¼ C. Fresh Lemon juice

Combine the figs, peaches, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium to high heat. Then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook. Break up the large pieces and stir periodically until the jam thickens. Remove from the heat and squeeze about a tablespoon of lemon juice and stir. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired. If too chunky, you can use a food processor to quickly pulse a bit smoother. Spoon the jam into a container with a lid. Using sterilized jars, spoon into jars, seal with jar and process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool and lids should seal.

Guest Post on "Love & Olive Oil" - Cherry Strawberry Jam

Recently I was asked by Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil to do a guest post.  I was thrilled.  Lindsay and I met virtually about a year and half ago through Adopt-a-blogger.  In case you missed it, please click here to see the post and feel free to browse her beautiful blog.  Thank you Lindsay!

Strawberry Lavender Jam

My fascination with homemade jam continues. I love the entire process from deciding which flavor to create to selecting the fruit to processing the jars in the water bath. It brings a sense of accomplishment. In turn, I enjoy sharing with my friends and family the end product.

Sunday was a jam making extravaganza. It was a strawberry festival at my house. My hubby was certainly enjoying the aroma of strawberries. This time of year produces some of the most juicy and flavorful berries. I purchased 16 pounds of strawberries from Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market. I was shocked to see that each 4 pound container was only $3.72 each. The berries were perfectly ripe and delicious.

It is fun to add a creative touch to a staple flavor of jam, such as strawberry. The first thought that came to mind was lavender. I know, you are probably thinking – what a strange combination. The hint of aromatic floral is just ideal with the sweet berries. The flavor is supreme and unique. By the end of the day, I had produced 26 half pint jars of jam.

If you live in the Bay Area, or want to visit and want to learn to make jam, I have two great resources for you. I discovered Happy Girl Kitchen at the Farmer’s Market at the San Francisco Ferry Building. They have a wonderful story of how they got started on the website and it is very inspirational. They offer jam workshops at their headquarters in Pacific Grove along with classes in Oakland and Watsonville. It might be worth the drive depending where you live.

The second resource is Blue Chair Fruit Company. Classes are held at their beautiful Oakland kitchen. The class size is limited to 12 students so you receive personal attention. I just purchased the Blue Chair Cookbook and it is stunning book and I give it high praise. Both Happy Girl Kitchen and Blue Chair are on my bucket list!

While making my jam on Sunday, a cute little saying that my Aunt would often say, came to mind – “Patience is a grace, grace is a little girl with jam on her face”.

Strawberry Lavender Jam

16 C. (4 lbs) Strawberries, hulled and halved
2 ½ C. Sugar
½ C. Fresh lemon juice
1 packet of pectin
1 T. Fresh or dried lavender

In a large non-reactive pan add the strawberries and sugar. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Have ready hot, sterilized jars and their lids. You can sterilize by placing in a 225 degree oven on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes or sterilize in hot water or the dishwasher. Place 2 or 3 small plates in the freezer.

Add the lemon juice and pectin to the pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, add lavender, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Use 1 tsp jam and a chilled plate to test if the jam is ready. The mixture is ready if it wrinkles when nudged gently with a finger. If it doesn’t, continue to cook for a few minutes longer and retest.

Ladle the hot jam into the jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if needed. Wipe the rims clean and seal tightly with the lids.

Process the jars for 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Remove and let cool on a towel. The lids will pop and that means they are sealed. To test, simply press down on the lid and if no popping happens, they are sealed. Tighten the lids and store in a dark, cool location.