While I was in the Caribbean this past November, I tasted a homemade ginger rum at Bistrot Caraibes on the island of St Martin. The rum was served as a night cap after an excellent meal of foie gras with mango and Caribbean lobster thermidor. It was the perfect end to a perfect meal Read more ›
Last summer I got an urgent call from Molly McNeil, local produce, duck egg and yoga goddess, from Minnesota Peach Farm. “Hey, Tammy, want a case of pears? They’re about to go bad and I can’t move them. Maybe you can make cider with them or something.” I love this town. So I say “Yes, of course I want them! Come on over!” The case of Summercrisp Pears arrived on my porch, looking a little beat up, but smelling like a dream. Read more ›
Dandelions are everywhere. Every year I plan to make dandelion wine and every year I miss my chance. So this year I made a last minute mad dash to forage the yellow blooms before the summer heat took over, but I only had 4 cups of petals, not nearly enough for a proper batch of wine. So I made a shrub instead. My gin and tonic will never be the same.
Minneapolis is looking an awful lot like Seattle this year. We’ve had 17 days of sun since April 1st. The rest of the days have been cloudy or rainy, heavy on the rain. My rhubarb could not be happier. The leaves are gigantic, the stalks, prolific. Read more ›
On a lovely fall day a few weeks ago, my foodie compatriots Molly McNeil and Meighan McGuire helped me make a big batch of Apple Sour Cherry Cider. I’ve recently become fascinated with preserving food by making booze. Read more ›
It’s official. I may have gone over the edge with this whole tomato thing. As you might have gathered from this site, I love all things tomato. But wine? It makes my feet tingle just thinking of the possibilities! For anyone who has canned or made fermented things like sauerkraut, home winemaking is totally within your reach. The real difference? Read more ›
After my recent experiment with juniper bitters, I’ve been dreaming up new concoctions. But never did ginseng bitters cross my mind. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about fabled root. Many swear by its health properties which include increasing energy, memory and stamina, with a little sex drive boost on the side. Read more ›
Bitters, this is your year. If you’ve looked in the liquor accessories aisle lately, bitters have exploded. There are lots of classica, like Angostura, Fernet-Branca or Peychauds, and a plethora of new and exciting varieties, like Xocolatl Mole from Bittermans, Cherry Bark Vanilla from Bittercube and Moroccan from Bitter End Bitters. Read more ›
It’s beautiful here is Minneapolis this August. Cool clear nights and warm dry days make it a pleasure to sit outside and enjoy the late summer. There have been lots of posts lately on the web about homemade soda syrup, Read more ›
Sour cherries are my favorite fruit to cook with in pie, crisps, tarts, jam and even savory dishes. My neighbor has a little tree in his front yard that I pine after every June as the handful of cherries ripen. I covet his tree. I need more room in my yard. Read more ›