Perfect Salted Caramels

I met Lauren from Craft My Life Away at the From Scratch Club food swaps. As a first-time swapper, I was eager to get to know Lauren... especially since she brought these insane salted caramel bars that were a hot-ticket item at the swap. Seriously, they were soooo good.

Anyway.

Lauren is a pretty nifty lady, as she is a excellent baker/confection maker and crafter. Since each year I try to send my friends and loved ones a little treat for the holidays, I thought I'd ask Lauren to share her Salted Caramel recipe with me (us) - they'd be perfect to send in the post! So, Lauren, have at it. School us in all things caramel!

Jalapeno Simple Syrup Margarita

Just like with Rosemary Simple Syrup, Jalapeno Simple Syrup can be used in so many ways. My favorite, though, is in a margarita. It's just so, so, so, so... good. I mean, really good. I just love the way the sweet and spicy qualities of the syrup blend with the citrus in the margarita. Kind of like eating an orange and sucking on a Red Hot at the same time (ooh, wait, maybe that doesn't sound so good).

Get out the castanets, baby, it's about to get ca-razy.

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Jalapeno Simple Syrup
Makes One Cup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced thin

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until all sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer to three to four minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool for five minutes. The syrup will be slightly greenish-blue. Strain out the pepper slices and store in an airtight container. Jalapeno simple syrup will last in the refrigerator for up to three months (if you add a splash of vodka, it will last upwards of six months).

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Spicy Margaritas
Makes One Cocktail

Kosher salt or white sugar
Lime zest
Ice cubes
2 ounces blanco tequila*
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce orange liqueur (like Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
1/2 ounce jalapeno simple syrup

1. On a small plate, combine a pinch of lime zest with either the sugar or salt (or both - your preference). Rub a wedge of lime around the rim of an old-fashioned glass, then dip the rim of the glass at a 45-degree angle into the sugar/salt/lime zest mixture (for and extra spicy kick, you could also rub a little jalapeno pepper on the rim of the glass... if you're one of those people who like the hurts so good kind of pain)

2. Fill a Boston shaker with ice, then add the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and jalapeno simple syrup. Shake until the shaker is frosty on the outside (about 30 seconds)

3. Place three ice cubes in the old-fashioned glass, then strain the margarita into the glass. Garnish with a lime sprig. Enjoy!!

* A good margarita is all in the details. Go for a quality 100% pure blue agave blanco or silver tequila. Patron Silver is good on the higher-end of price. 1800 brand tequila is also a winner at a lower price point.

**To make a pitcher of cocktails, increase the ingredients to 2 cups of tequila, 1 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup of orange liqueur, and 1/2 cup of jalapeno simple syrup. Stir together with ice in a large pitcher and pour into 8 glasses. 

Rosemary Simple Syrup

I love to cook and bake, but sometimes my favorite things to make are really simple and easy. Things like compound butters and simple syrups. I love that a few really great, delicious ingredients can come together to create a new ingredient that can be used in so many ways. Most people think simple syrups are good only for cocktails, but I like to use them with club soda, or in dressings, frostings/icings, sauces, and other dips. I always have some in the fridge to perk up my cooking endeavors (I've been enjoying a lemon-coriander simple syrup from Braden lately... it's delicious with Bourbon).

I recently made Rosemary Simple Syrup and Jalapeno Simple Syrup for a From Scratch Club food swap. The rosemary variety is the not-so-secret ingredient to one of my favorite cocktails (see below). Get creative with this syrup recipe or use it as a starting point to create your own.

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Rosemary Simple Syrup
Makes 1.5 cups

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until all sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer to three to four minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to cool for five minutes. The syrup will be slightly green. Strain out rosemary and store in an airtight container. Rosemary simple syrup will last in the refrigerator for up to three months (if you add a splash of vodka, it will last upwards of six months).

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Rosie Collins
Makes one cocktail
Originally posted October 13, 2011 on From Scratch Club

2 ounces dry Gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce rosemary simple syrup
Ice
Club soda
Spring of rosemary (for garnish)

Fill a Collins glass three-quarters of the way full with quality ice. Add gin (I am partial to Brokers, though you could try a local option, too), lemon, and simple syrup. Stir to combine. Top with club soda and garnish with a spring of rosemary. Enjoy!

Hot Fudge Sauce

Did you go make those brownies I told you about? Good... now go make this delicious hot fudge, grab some ice cream (and a spoon!) and make yourself a Sundae. It's hot outside and you deserve it.

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Hot Fudge Sauce
Makes About 2 1/2 Cups


1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup light corn syrup*
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the cream, butter, corn syrup and sugar over medium-low heat. Stir constantly and cook until the butter melts and sugar dissolves (about three minutes).

2. Add the chocolate and sire until melted and smooth (about two minutes).

3. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool slightly before using. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. To re-heat, spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe container and microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. If needed, continue to re-heat in 20-second 10-second intervals.

*Replace corn syrup with brown rice syrup if desired. 

Food Swap Recap - August

This past Sunday marked the latest From Scratch Club food swap. Held at All Good Bakers, I was impressed with the diverse crowd! Lots of new faces ready to roll up their sleeves and get swappin'. I brought some herbed salt in cute wire-latch jars, some carrots from my garden picked just an hour earlier, and some flowers from around the farm.

I spy Becky of The Mixing Bowl Diary, Sarah from Farmie Market, and Chris with From Scratch Club in this picture.

Turns out nobody wanted my carrots (suckers! I ate them myself and they were dee-licious). In exchange for my four pots of herbed salt, I received a batch of rosemary flatbread (which I'm eating right now with some tasty hummus), a jar of local honey from Wind Women Farm, some amazing, perfectly seasoned salsa, and a jar of chile, cayenne, and brown sugar mustard (from Ms. Chris herself). I also won a brick of cultured thyme butter handmade by Nick and Britin of All Good Bakers. I've yet to really enjoy it, considering how much I lurve butter. My flowers were given to Chris and Christine as a thanks for organizing the event. I picked two bouquets: The "pink" bouquet had zinnias, cosmos, and holly hock; the "orange" bouquet had marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and chinese lanterns. Chris generously gave me a half-pint of onions pickled with apple cider vinegar, thyme, and brown sugar in return. I made out like a bandit!

We will be holding another swap in September (as well as some fun special events with author Kate Payne!), so check out the From Scratch Club blog or Facebook page for more information. I hope to see you there!

Herbed Salt

Get ready for one of the easiest, most useful recipes ev-ah. Herbed salt takes less than 5 minutes to make, but has myriad applications. Try a little on homemade french fries or potato chips. Or try a lot, a la salt-crusted fish. It's a simple touch that makes the dish just a smidge more special. It's also a great way to use up an overflow of garden herbs. I recently brought this to a From Scratch Club food swap and people clamoured for it!

Have any other suggestions for herbed salt use? I'd love to hear!

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Herbed Salt
Makes Approximately 2 Cups

2 cups Kosher salt
1/2 cup finely chopped herbs

1. Wash and thoroughly dry your herbs (you can use any herbs you like - I went Provençal and used thyme, rosemary, tarragon and sage). Finely chop herbs.

2. Combine herbs and salt together. Store in an airtight container (you can use immediately, but I like to let it sit for a day or two to let the flavors marry). Keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Herbal Digestif

I made this herbal digestif for the food swap I recently attended. This is a simple recipe with spectacular results - perfect to keep on hand for last minute host gifts and to offer guests at impromptu drop-ins. Herbal digestifs are great aides for digestion (especially after a large meal) or to help alleviate other ailments (simply match the herbs used to the desired treatment). This version is also great for cocktails (see the recipes below). Any herbs or whole spices can be made into a digestif or infusion, so use your imagination and my below selections and a guideline. You can find similar glass bottles at kitchen supply stores.

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Herbal Digestif

Clear, neutral alcohol, such as a decent quality Vodka or Everclear (I used Fleischmanns)

Selection of fresh herbs, approximately 6-7 sprigs of herbs for each quart (32oz) of alcohol (I used tarragon, rosemary, common thyme and lemon thyme)

1. Thoroughly wash selected herbs. Place in clean, dry container (such as a mason jar or glass bottle with stopper) and set aside.

2. In a saucepan, warm enough alcohol to fill bottle over medium-high heat. Bring to just under boiling. Remove from heat and pour into jar or container (use a funnel if needed).

3. Secure the top or lid of container and store in a cool, dry place for at least a week. Shake container each day for the first week to help release oils from herbs.

4. After one week, the digestif is ready to use (it will be a lovely shade of chartreuse). Filter with cheesecloth and discard herbs, if desired. Will keep indefinitely in a cool, dry location. Drink approximately one ounce each evening or after large meals for digestive aide, or serve in a cocktail. Enjoy!

Bloody Mary Mary Quite Contrary

Serves One

2 oz. herbal digestif

6 oz. tomato juice

4 drops Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp. horseradish

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Celery salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a highball glass with ice, Garnish with a celery stalk.

Herb's Harvest

Serves Two

2 oz. herbal digestif

5 oz. pear puree

5 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. cranberry juice

1/2 oz. almond syrup

Combine all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

Garden Select Vodka Tonic

Serves One

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 oz. herbal digestif

5 oz. tonic

Stir ingredients together in a highball glass with ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a lemon slice.

Garden Ale

Serves One

2 oz. herbal digestif

1/2 oz. dry vermouth

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

Ginger Ale

In a collins glass, combine herbal digestif and vermouth. Add ice and top with ginger ale. Garnish with an olive.

Food Swap Recap

On Sunday, I attended my second food swap held in collaboration with From Scratch Club (a blog and food community I write for - amazing stuff!). I have to laugh sometimes - where I grew up, food swapping wasn't a thing, it was something you just did. I think it's funny that many of the principles I grew up with are now en vogue. It's something I've grappled with, and I'll admit, I have had a bit of a chip on my shoulder about the whole thing until recently. The foodie and local/farming/homesteading movements that have become popular over the past several years adhere to the old-timey practices I was raised on. Sometimes I still get upset when people take an old notion and act like it's totally revolutionary. I definitely fit into the "First Adopter" role in many of these cases (to through some fancy marketing terms around), and sometimes I want to hop on my high-horse and say, "Listen, idiot, that's something people where I grew up have done for generations. Just because you're doing it while wearing skinny jeans doesn't make your method new, better, or hip." Instead, I've learned to embrace a different role. I'd be putting my parents, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and the rest of my ancestors to shame if I didn't take my knowledge and try to help others with it. Instead of competing over each other, it's my job to offer ways of collaboration so that these roots of my exsistence carry on for future generations. I'm trying to bolster what other people are doing, because I believe that what they are doing (well, most of them) is the right thing to do. Besides, I'd rather be seen as a becon of knowledge rather than a bully of originality.

Okay, enough ranting already!

Where was I? Oh yes, food swap. So, the food swap was held at All Good Bakers and organized by Christine (yes, that Christine, the one I'm forever raving about - she's awesome!!) and Chris with From Scatch Club. I was late (as per usual), but I was so excited to see all the new faces in the crowd and watch them get jazzed for their first food swap. Food swapping is quick and dirty: First, you set out what you brought (samples are always a good idea), and fill out a handy little swap card detailing your item. Second, everyone goes around and takes notes on what they like. Next, we all write our names, as well as what we can swap for, on the card of the item(s) we desire. Finally, we look at our own cards to determine who wants to swap with us, and if we want to swap with them. Swapping is based on a 1:1 ratio. For every one item you bring, you swap for one item. For more on how food swapping works, check out this handy recap.

via the FSCSwappers Facebook page

I made a Herbal Digestif for my swap item. Great on its own or in a cocktail, it is easy to make and can be used in many ways (recipe to follow). I included a recipe card in the form of a "Cootie Catcher," because who doesn't love alcohol paired with silly games? I made four jars of the digestif and swapped it for garlicky pesto (which we paired with bacon and linguine for a tasty pasta dinner), a jar of corn relish, a jar of salsa, and a bar of rosemary soap (yep, soap is techincally allowed at a food swap, the main rule being you have to swap something you made/grew yourself. No store bought items!!).

I had a great time at the swap, and look forward to the next one soon (and here's the recap of my first food swap). If you are in the Albany area, contact me for more information about the whys and whatnots of our next swap! Food swapping is a great way to lead a sustainable lifestyle because it keeps food production local and helps create a community of like-minded individuals. I hope you will give it a try!