I picked up the Palm Zipper by Chef'n in a kitchen store in Ashland, Oregon this summer. Thing 1 just got his braces on, and would not be able to eat corn on the cob for the next two years. (What? No sweet corn? Inconceivable!) And after he's done with braces, Thing 2 will be in the same boat.
I've tried using various methods to get corn off the cob so I could freeze it. I've used the corn cutter that looks like a giant bobby pin with a circle of steel in the middle of it - the cobs never really fit correctly, especially the really fat ones. I've tried cutting it off the cob with a knife, which results in lots of half-kernals, kernals with the tops sliced off, etc. Not to mention the fact that I always feel like one of my fingers is in danger of getting sliced. I needed something better.
So last night I tried the Palm Zipper for the first time (yeah, the corn is that late this year). Woo-hoo! I love it! The thing is wicked sharp. It slices through the corn like a hot knife through butter. Given my history with sharp objects, I didn't hold the ear in the palm of my hand, but set one end on a plate, and held it upright with a corn holder on the other end. Zip zip zip. It only takes off two rows at a time, and could maybe be a little bit deeper, but full kernals came right off the cob with very little waste. I also like the fact that it's nice and small - no big mandolin-style set-up. It's a keeper in my book.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Back Again
Hey, everyone! I'm still alive. Spring was hectic, and summer even worse. Now that things have calmed down, I finally have the time and energy to write.
The garden was a major disappointment this year. The spring was too cold and wet, the summer was cloudy except for a couple of spurts of hot weather (when we were on vacation, no less). I didn't put Kozy-Koates on my tomatoes, so the first ones are just now getting ripe. The strawberries are still a mass of weeds. Half of the things I wanted to plant, didn't get in the ground.
The cabbages that I started under lights early this year bolted, as did the broccoli. The lettuce nearly died when I transplanted it. The lettuce that self-sowed did much better overall. The cherries had a late frost, so I didn't get any. Even my apple trees are not doing so well, many having succumbed to a fungus.
Now the weather powers-that-be say that we're in for a La Nina winter, which means that nothing will overwinter here without serious protection. September is supposed to be way colder than normal, and October wetter than normal (read "floods"). It's supposed to rain at the end of the week, so I'm going to put something over the tomatoes to help keep them warm and dry (so they don't get late blight).
In lieu of garden fruit and veggies, I've been trying to find u-pick and local food. The boys and I picked 14 pounds of blueberries and several pounds of raspberries. I bought 20 pounds of peaches at a farmer's market and canned several quarts. I'll make a trip down in the valley for pickling cukes, corn to freeze, and whatever other veggies I can find.
I'll still get another batch of lettuce, spinach, radishes and scallions planted for the year, and maybe some arugula and mache. I'm not hoping for anything beyond that, though. I'll be stocking up on supplies this year as La Nina has lately meant two weeks of snow, or I can't get across the valley to the grocery store due to flooded roads. I've already started stocking up on my son's medications, canned tomatoes and beans, although an inventory is probably in order.
Hmm. Nice to core-dump. Back with more (accomplishments this time) soon.
The garden was a major disappointment this year. The spring was too cold and wet, the summer was cloudy except for a couple of spurts of hot weather (when we were on vacation, no less). I didn't put Kozy-Koates on my tomatoes, so the first ones are just now getting ripe. The strawberries are still a mass of weeds. Half of the things I wanted to plant, didn't get in the ground.
The cabbages that I started under lights early this year bolted, as did the broccoli. The lettuce nearly died when I transplanted it. The lettuce that self-sowed did much better overall. The cherries had a late frost, so I didn't get any. Even my apple trees are not doing so well, many having succumbed to a fungus.
Now the weather powers-that-be say that we're in for a La Nina winter, which means that nothing will overwinter here without serious protection. September is supposed to be way colder than normal, and October wetter than normal (read "floods"). It's supposed to rain at the end of the week, so I'm going to put something over the tomatoes to help keep them warm and dry (so they don't get late blight).
In lieu of garden fruit and veggies, I've been trying to find u-pick and local food. The boys and I picked 14 pounds of blueberries and several pounds of raspberries. I bought 20 pounds of peaches at a farmer's market and canned several quarts. I'll make a trip down in the valley for pickling cukes, corn to freeze, and whatever other veggies I can find.
I'll still get another batch of lettuce, spinach, radishes and scallions planted for the year, and maybe some arugula and mache. I'm not hoping for anything beyond that, though. I'll be stocking up on supplies this year as La Nina has lately meant two weeks of snow, or I can't get across the valley to the grocery store due to flooded roads. I've already started stocking up on my son's medications, canned tomatoes and beans, although an inventory is probably in order.
Hmm. Nice to core-dump. Back with more (accomplishments this time) soon.
Friday, April 16, 2010
April Can Jam - Mint Jelly
April's Can Jam was herbs, and since the only herbs really going here are the chives and mint (and what the heck can you can with chives in it?), I needed to find something to do with mint. Besides mojitos. Which is normally what I make with my mint, in my Mexican pot, called "the Mojito Pot". And even though I was totally aghast at using up all my mint, and had to find more at the store (but, hey! I managed to find organic AND local (like 13.3 miles local!) mint) all I can say is:
Mmmm. Ymmmm. Smack, smack. Mmmm.
I just pulled my first (and it will not be my last!) batch of mint jelly out of the canner. I have never tasted anything like it! I'm totally blissing out here.
Mmmm. Golden jars of minty goodness.
The recipe, from Ball Complete book of Home Preserving
Mint Jelly (makes 4 half-pints)
1-1/2 cups fresh mint leaves, packed
2-1/4 Cups water
2 T lemon juice
3-1/2 Cups sugar
One packet liquid pectin
Prepare jars, canner, and lids. Wash, dry, and chop the mint fine.
Combine mint and water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn off heat and cover, letting it steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag.
In a large saucepan, mix 1-3/4 Cup minty liquid with lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When boiling so hard, you can't stir it down, add pectin and boil hard one minute. Remove from heat.
Skim scum, pour into jars leaving 1/4" headspace, process 10 minutes.
Mmmm. Ymmmm. Smack, smack. Mmmm.
I just pulled my first (and it will not be my last!) batch of mint jelly out of the canner. I have never tasted anything like it! I'm totally blissing out here.
Mmmm. Golden jars of minty goodness.
The recipe, from Ball Complete book of Home Preserving
Mint Jelly (makes 4 half-pints)
1-1/2 cups fresh mint leaves, packed
2-1/4 Cups water
2 T lemon juice
3-1/2 Cups sugar
One packet liquid pectin
Prepare jars, canner, and lids. Wash, dry, and chop the mint fine.
Combine mint and water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn off heat and cover, letting it steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a jelly bag.
In a large saucepan, mix 1-3/4 Cup minty liquid with lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When boiling so hard, you can't stir it down, add pectin and boil hard one minute. Remove from heat.
Skim scum, pour into jars leaving 1/4" headspace, process 10 minutes.
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