It has been a very un-winter like winter and the blame is on an oceanic weather pattern. This “Southern Oscillation” (ENSO) or El Niño/La Niña isn’t a recent phenomenon.
In the sixties an environmental scientist, Jacob Bjerkness, linked known changes in ocean temperatures with shifts in atmospheric condidtions.
So as the trade winds off the coast of South America shift, the Pacific Northwest’s winter is affected.
As with most weather events, the measures are in less than accurate terms. Less snow? Less than what? . . . warmer, wetter winter . . . perhaps?
The lack of snow on roads just presents more opportunities for adventure. So, bring on your oscillation.
Despite the weather, we managed a trip to the Crooked . . . meeting our minimum once a week fishing trip quota.
The remainder of the time was spent in the kitchen, getting caught up on canning projects and starting the holiday baking (see recipes below).
Portions of last season’s berries have been waiting in the freezer for cooler temps and preserving. We discovered a new fave . . . berry goo.
Well, technically it’s syrup.
This Raspberry Syrup is only pourable when heated, so we/ve taken to spooning it out of the jar over warm waffles on Sunday mornings. The flavor is intense.
We also put up some Cowboy Candy. Pickled chillies. It’s a super simple pickle.
We use a variety of sweet and hot peppers, including banana and jalapeños, adjusting the heat to our tastes.
With a nod to German traditions, JQ made Christ Brot (Sweet Christmas Bread). It features rum soaked citrus and almonds in a sweet bread dough covered in a sugar glaze.
The loaves, warm out of the oven are drenched in melted butter, covered top to bottom with vanilla bean sugar, then dressed in sifted confectioners sugar. Yeah, num . . . so much better than Stollen.
Six shopping days to Christmas and then it’s the new year.
Wow, this one went by in a rush. Looking like the week ahead is rainy, so we’re planning more baking and reading, with the mandatory fishing trip thrown in there somewhere.
Berry Icebox Ribbons
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter cut in to pieces and softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup dried fruit (match complementary dried fruit with jam, i.e. cherry jam with dried cherries) Dried fruit helps thicken jam mixture.
- 6 Tbsp jam or preserves
Instructions
- Process sugar, brown sugar, and salt in food processor until no lumps of sugar remain, about 30 seconds.
- Add butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and process until smooth and creamy, about 20 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.
- Add flour and pulse until cohesive dough forms, about 20 pulses.
- Transfer dough to counter and pat into 5 inch square. wrap square tightly with plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hour.
- Heat dried fruit and jam in small saucepan over medium heat until just bubbling, Let cool completely about 30 minutes. Process fruit mixture in clean, dry food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds.
- Roll dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper into 10 inch square, about 1/4 inch thick. Freeze dough until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut chilled dough into four 2 1/2 inch wide strips.
- Spread jam mixture evenly over 3 strips and stack, fruit mixture side up. Place plain strip on top. Wrap stack in plastic and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice chilled dough into 1/4 inch thick rectangles and place, one inch apart on baking sheet.
- Bake until edges are just golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotate sheet half way through baking. Immediately and carefully transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.Optional: Dust lightly with confectioners sugar.
Raspberry Syrup (Goo)
Equipment
- hot water canner
- 6 half pint jars in warm water bath
- lids and rings
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh or frozen berries
- 6 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Rinse and drain fruit.
- In large bowl.combine rasberries, lemon juice, sugar and water. Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
- Scrape berry mixture into stockpot and heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, hold at a boil for 6 mintues.
- Have a mesh sieve placed over a second sauce pan and run hot syrup through the sieve. use a wooden spoon to 'mush' all but the seeds through the sieve.
- Ladle strained liquid into hot canning jars, clean rims with vinegar, add lids and hand tighten rings.
- Process in hot water bath (an inch or two of water covering jars) for 15 minutes.
Cowboy Candy
Equipment
- hot water canner
- 5 half pint jars, lids and rings
Ingredients
- 3 lbs peppers (jalapeno, banana and a variety of small sweet peppers)
- 2 cups cider vinegar
- 6 cups sugar
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1 Tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to personal taste (we omit altogether)
Instructions
- Wearing gloves and a mask, remove stems, seeds and membrane of peppers. Slice into 1/4 inch strips. In the case of jalapeños, you can include seeds and membrane, which will increase the heat.
- Bring vinegar, sugar, and spices to a boil (use a pan large enough to hold the sliced peppers) reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and return to a boil for 4 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers into warm, clean jars to within 1/4 inch of rim.
- Bring syrup back to a boil and hold for 6 minutes. Ladle syrup over the peppers, adjust for about an inch of head space and release trapped air. Wipe rims, add lids and hand tighten rings.
- Process in hot water bath (and inch or two of water over the top of jar) for 10 minutes.
Sweet Christmas Bread (Christbrot)
Ingredients
- DOUGH
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 2/3 cup chopped candied citron peel
- 2/3 cup chopped candied orange peel
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 4 3/4 cup AP flour 600 grams
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 cup whole milk luke warm
- 8 1/2 Tbsp unsalted European style butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 grated peel of a lemon
- 3/4 cup blanched almonds chopped
- TOPPING
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 9 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Two days before baking, place the raisins and citrus peel in a bowl and add the rum. Cover and set aside, stirring occasionally.
- The day you plan to bake, stir flour, yeast, sugar and grated lemon peel together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, and eggs. Make a well in the flour and pour the milk mixture into the well, stirring as you go. Knead briefly until dough is shaggy.
- Dump the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour only if absolutely necessary, form the dough into a ball and place back in the large bowl. Cover with a clean dishcloth and set aside in a warm, draft free spot for 30 minutes.
- Gently pull the dough onto your work surface and pat out until about 1 inch thick. Distribute the chopped almonds and rum soaked fruit (include any rum remaining in the bowl) over the dough, and then gather the sides up around the fruit and almonds. Kneed together until the fruit and nuts are well distributed throughout the dough. Form the dough into a ball, place back in the bowl and cover with cloth. Allow to proof for another 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough in half and form each into a round loaf. Place the loaves on the prepared baking sheet, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the baking sheet in preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until loaves are golden brown.
- While loaves are baking, make the topping. Place the vanilla bean in small food processor or blender with 2 Tbsp of sugar and pulverize until the sugar turns nearly to a powder. Combine with remaining sugar and set aside. Melt the butter.
- Remove the baked loaves from the oven and let cool on rack for 5 minutes. Brush melted butter over loaves evenly. Do several coats until you have used up all the melted butter.
- Sprinkle vanilla sugar evenly over the buttered loaves, lifting up the loaves to coat all sides evenly.
- Finally, sift the confectioners sugar evenly over all the loaves, making sure to coat all sides. Let loaves cool completely.
- When loaves are completely cool, wrap in foil. Loaves can be frozen for up to a month. Serve in slices.