I'm Making Gin!

 

My aunt and I are in touch with each other every day. My aunt is only 12 years older than me, making us closer in age than were any of her three siblings, so we have a different aunt/niece relationship than probably what is considered normal. We exchange texts every morning, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it, we do so in order to make sure that one of us is not dead. The rule is that if we don’t hear from one another by noon, we call, and if that call is unanswered, we reach out to each others’ offspring. I am happy to report that the latter has yet to occur.When you text someone every day, it can become a bit boring, so I like to throw some interesting one liners at her, including what I have planned for the day. This morning I sent her a text that simply read, “I’m making gin today, what are your plans?”

Photo Credit: Amazon

 I am indeed making gin. I’m always curious as to how things work, hence the mushroom growing kit (that turned out to be a delicious success), and because I am a gin girl, making gin seemed right up my alley. I will be using this kit, and according to the instructions, I should have results in less than a week. I’ll be back to report.

Photo Credit: Amazon

 

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Bacon Vodka Olives

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Olive fans, here is another wonderful olive recipe for you. This is super simple to make, is a most appreciated hostess gift, or something special to nosh on all on your own.

There’s no detailed recipe. You need only as many olives as will fill as many containers as you would like to make. Once you have filled each container to the top with your choice of olives, you just pour in the vodka, and wait. Because my chosen vodka here is a bit pricey, you may want to use jars that are on the small side, like these.

Bacon Vodka Olives

Adapted from Donna Hay

Assorted jars or other favorite glass containers

Varied mix of your favorite olives — Kalamata, Castellano, ripe, even caper berries if you have them*

Bakon Vodka, pricey but worth it

Fill a jar or container with olives. Fill to cover with vodka. Allow to marinate overnight, or several days. Pop open and enjoy!

*Do you have any of those little pearl onions? Toss them in, too. Seriously, anything that would work well in a cocktail would do well here. What the heck, toss in some cloves of garlic, imagine the Bolognese!

Making Homemade Orange Marmalade

I fell hopelessly in love with orange marmalade during a trip to Scotland in the same way that I fell in love with clotted cream while living in Oxford.  I knew from the first bite of each that they would be permanent fixtures in my kitchen, and I had hoped to one day learn to duplicate these British delicacies.

Inasmuch as I thoroughly enjoy, and am a prolific prolific maker of relishes and chutney, the skill involved in successfully making jams and jellies has always eluded me.  So when I saw this can of Seville oranges at Williams-Sonoma and read the very simple instructions, I knew I had to give it a try.  I was very pleased with the results.  This can makes an excellent and very fresh tasting marmalade reminiscent of what I had each morning in Edinburgh, and the process is astoundingly easy.  A can of Seville oranges, sugar, and a "knob" of butter are all it takes to get wonderful results.

I encourage anyone who loves marmalade the way that I do, but who has always been a bit hesitant to make it, to buy yourself a can of these Seville oranges and plunge right in.  I knew I had it right when my brother-in-law said he disliked this as much as he disliked the Keiller Dundee brand from Scotland.  Success!

Another resolution to check off of my list!  

Of course we had to have the marmalade for breakfast this morning, so I made a batch of Mile High Biscuits in order to try it out. DELICIOUS!

MILE HIGH BISCUITS

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk

Whisk together first five ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and milk; mix until dough forms a ball. Do NOT overmix. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead 10-12 times, only. Roll out to 3/4 inch, cut with a 1-1/2" round floured biscuit cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 475 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden.