Tangy Mayonnaise
I have a confession to make. There are two condiments that I consistently buy and rarely make from scratch: Heinz Ketchup and Hellman’s/Best Food’s Mayonnaise. For this scratch cook, this is a travesty. Read more ›
Domestic Arts & Homesteading Archive
Braised Sichuan Grass-Fed Beef Stew
Sometimes I get stuck. I season and cook my dishes the same way every night, which, lets face it, leads to boredom. When it’s dark and cold outside on our long winter nights, boredom is a very bad thing. Enter, Sichuan, specifically hot, spicy, mouth numbing awesomeness that is hot chilis and Sichuan peppercorns. Read more ›
Savory Herb Cheese Lard Biscuits
Even after a week of freezing weather and two snow storms, my little herb garden is still producing. Not wanting to temp fate, I promptly picked some rosemary and chive herbs to make these savory herb cheese lard biscuits for breakfast. Read more ›
Browned Butter Buttermilk Pie Crust
There are two schools of thought on pie crusts: One is that the crust should be a neutral vessel that adds a little texture and flavor, but otherwise supports the filling. The other thought is that the crust is the real star—flakey, nutty, sweet, salty, spicy—whatever the flavor profile, the filling supports the crust, not the other way around. Read more ›
Cultured Butter
My mother got me a classic butter churn for Christmas. Whoopie! Only problem? I need a cow. (Not to be confused with “having a cow,” as my daughter likes to say.) Every time I make a cultured milk product like yogurt or cheese, I wish for a cow of my own, though I’m not sure the City of Minneapolis will go that far for urban agriculture. Read more ›
Handmade Soaps at Home
Domestic arts, homesteading and urban agriculture play a very big roll in the day to day life of me and my family. In addition to scratch cooking, preserving of all kinds, and making our own beer, we also raise a small flock of backyard chickens, garden extensively and make our own soap. Read more ›
Rendering Pastured Pork Lard
Rendering your own lard is a snap. Lard does wonderful things to food, making pastries flakey, deep fried foods crispy and sautés profoundly flavorful. But the most important component of good tasting lard is the source of the pork fat. Read more ›