Kitchen Notes: Hard Apple Cider

A month after I started fermenting a batch, I thought I should write up the recipe.. you know, in case I get the urge to make more. I didn't actually start with a recipe; just a process. Despite Washington state being a leading producer of apples in the US, procuring fresh pressed apple cider is not cheap. For raw, unpasteurized cider, it costed $4/half gallon locally procured. 

2013-11-08, day 2 fermentation going strong

Timeline

Nov 3 - procured equipment (1 gallon glass jug w/ cap, fermentation lock)
Nov 7 - added yeast to fresh sweet cider
Nov 16 - added 1/8 tsp pectin enzyme (for liquid clarity)
Dec 1 - CO2 has stopped and the water in the fermentation lock has leveled out
Dec 14 - a lot of sediment at the bottom

Batch 1 Ingredients

1 gallon fresh pressed apple cider (raw, unpastuerized)
1/2 packet champagne yeast

I used the potassium metabisulfite powder (also known as a Campden tablet) to sterilize the gallon-size glass jug, as well as the liquid funnel, fermentation lock, stopper, etc. Wikipedia says that you can also use this stuff to neutralize tear gas. I didn't add any directly to the cider to kill off the wild yeast. I'll just have to wait and see what happens to the end product.

After two weeks at an average kitchen temp of 62 degrees F, the batch stopped producing CO2. At the moment, all I need to do is transfer the fermented liquid to clean containers and then maybe let that sit for another three months.

This process is a result of looking at the recipes at Imbibe Magazine. Nearly every site says to pasteurize the cider with heat (not to let it boil) or use a Campden tablet. I did not do this step. There's a chance that the wild yeast will make the cider taste better, or worse. I want to see what impact the wild yeast has on it. Besides, I have another gallon of raw sweet cider in the freezer if I were to make a second batch.

2013-12-14, have not touched the cider. It's still in the fermenting container. Has a much lighter, blonde color after the pectin enzyme was added. And, definitely does not smell like sweet cider anymore. Smells alcoholic.

Roasted Carrots

A lot of foods are tastier when roasted: garlic, bacon, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, etc. I usually have carrots in the fridge as a stock-making component, or to add to soups and stews. Because carrots are really low in calories (25 per medium carrot), it seems like a lot of trouble to bake them. Nevertheless, here is the recipe.

In the Pacific NW, I grow thyme outside and it is winter hardy. There has already been a dusting of snow and nearly two weeks of freezing temperatures. The plant seems to be doing fine.

Ingredients

a bunch of organic carrots, trimmed and split lengthwise
2 tbsp olive oil
fresh thyme leaves
1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. Wash the carrots. No need to peel them. Trim off the ends, then halve the carrots lengthwise. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil on top of the carrots and toss the carrots to coat with oil.

2. Sprinkle on a generous amount of fresh thyme leaves. Add salt and black pepper.

3. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Simple Stovetop Mac and Cheese

There are times when I reach for that 99-cent box of mac 'n' cheese at the store and pause for a long time on the cheese sauce ingredient list. Surely, there must be a better way to get my fix for this besides making a huge batch of it and then freezing individual portions. Besides, this is one dish that doesn't taste all that great reheated, or frozen then reheated for that matter.

Ingredients

1/2 lb elbow macaroni
10 oz shredded cheese, preferably cheddar
2 eggs
6 oz evaporated milk
1/2 tsp hot sauce
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring to a boil in a large pot enough water to cook macaroni. When pasta is al-dente or almost soft, drain and put back into the same pot. Add butter to pasta and stir until melted.

2. Add egg mixture to the pasta and stir to combine. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted.

Measurements can be halved to make fewer servings. You can make this with unsweetened rice milk. I've read elsewhere that you can simmer a cup of rice milk until it is more concentrated like an evaporated milk substitute; but, why not just use 6 oz of rice milk instead. After all, rice milk is just the byproduct of ground rice and water. I would not go so far as to use a cheese substitute for the cheese part. The texture would just not be the same.

Source: Alton Brown

Mulled Apple Cider

This recipe is pretty simple and is a crowd favorite for any autumn or winter holiday. It can be prepared on the stove (over low-medium heat) or in a slow cooker (4 hours on low).

Ingredients

1 gallon fresh pressed apple juice or apple cider
peel of one navel orange
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp whole allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

Combine all ingredients into a pot and let simmer over low heat.

Slow Cooker: Beef and Vegetable Soup

Soups are good make-ahead meals. This batch makes about three quarts of soup. I thought it tasted a bit spicy, so I may leave out the paprika and black pepper next time.

Ingredients

1 lb beef stew meat
1 qt organic vegetable or beef broth
2 14-oz cans of organic diced tomatoes
4 organic carrots, sliced
3 potatoes, diced
1 oz red wine
1/4 c unbleached white flour
1/2 c pearl barley (optional)

herbs & spices:
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp organic granulated sugar (optional, if soup tastes acidic)

Directions

1. Combine ingredients except for flour and pearl barley in the slow cooker, starting with the chopped vegetables, followed by meat, herbs and spices.

2. Cook for 6 hours on "high".

3. (optional) In a separate pot, bring a 1.5 cups of water to boil. Add pearl barley, cover the pot and cook on low-medium for 45 minutes. Turn off heat. Fluff with a fork and add to slow cooker. Stir to distribute the pearl barley evenly throughout the soup.