Liquid Gold!

Maple Syrup Day!!!!

For the first time ever the conditions were just right for trying this. Firstly, the maple tree I planted 25 years ago in the garden is over 12" diameter, there was frost in the ground, daytime above freezing and before bud burst. So, a quick check on tinternet and out with the drill and a piece of pipe - blimey, it's working - quick get a jug!

Within an hour it was clear I would need to big up the collection device so brewing kit to the rescue.

After a few hours had collected about 4 litres of sap, so into the pan to reduce it to syrup.

And what it boils down to, literally, is about 4 cm in a jam jar!

Tastes delicious, and I won't ever complain about the price of maple syrup again!

Spoonfest

I was there, and I've got the t shirt!
This had to be the best value festival ever. For the same price you would pay on a local campsite there was everything a spoon carving enthusiast could possibly want:- free wood, chopping blocks, inspirational teachers from around the world, food, local beer (after tools down of course), and the friendly company of nearly 200 other spooners. The atmosphere was great and inclusive so even people coming on their own felt involved. Skill sharing was rife and everyone from complete beginners to seasoned pro's had a fantastic time and the friendly atmosphere was infectious.
It's a big step from having a mad idea to actually pulling it off so a big thank you to Robin and barn for doing it and all the volunteers and people of Edale who helped to make it happen.
I arrived on Thursday to help get the party started and make sure the beer was well tested but also to attend the first workshop with Jogge Sundqvist  on the Friday morning. He was booked to do the opening lecture in the evening but added two workshops as well.

Sorry about the exposure, I wasn't paying attention and the camera was on the wrong setting!
Jogge's lecture was outstanding and worth the visit in its own right.

His spoons show particular attention to detail with a lovely finish. I dug deep into my pocket and bought the green and black one above to constantly inspire me! I also bought one of Jarrod StoneDahl's spoons which is a beautiful shape and a typical example of his work.

Fortunately, some of my spoons sold in the spoon shop (below) so I managed to make a small 'profit' over my purchases.

The workshops were very popular and quickly filled up. The demand was so great on the first day that extra ones were put on. This helped by doubling the places available but meant that the tutors missed out on ones that they would have liked to participate in as they were too busy teaching. Fritiof said that he was so tired in the last session that he ran out of English words!
After tea on Saturday night there was campfire singing into the early hours well away from the campsite.

Sunday morning saw another set of workshops organised ........

.... but people were better organised for queueing than before ....

..... with impromptu entertainment.

The last hour or so on Sunday saw a special collaborative event which was enjoyed by everyone. Sean Hellman took photos so I won't say anymore as I expect they will appear on another blog soon.

If you didn't attend this event make sure you look out for the next one and register as soon as possible.

Thanks again to all involved for a memorable event.

Spoon Club

There is one place left on the spoon carving course with barn this Saturday due to a cancellation. If you are interested contact me straight away at eco.al.

Barn has agreed to stay over for a spoon club here on Sunday 20th May in the afternoon from 2pm. This is very informal with chat and tea around the fire or under cover if wet. Bring your own tools and ideas and see what others are doing too. No formal teaching but good to get inspiration from and to help others. No charge but you are welcome to bring something to cook for tea. I hope this will be a regular monthly 'club' for those interested in spoon carving etc. Not suitable for complete beginners but all other abilities welcome.  Chopping blocks provided! 

Location is TF4 3QX, number 5, GR SJ680056, car parking just past house on left. Contact no. is 07779 967710.

I will post pictures of the weekend activities soon.

Aspen Serving Spoons

I'm becoming a bit of a fan of Aspen, which is great as I have enough to keep me going for years. It is straight grained and fairly easy to work and has very little taste so it's good for cooking spoons and bowls which come into contact with wet foods such as bread dough. Some pieces have a lovely ripple like fiddle back sycamore and I have been making some serving spoons from these.

They have been finished in walnut oil which works well but may be a problem with some people with nut allergies. Raw linseed oil is OK in that respect, but most that is available in the UK is pressed at a high temperature and isn't fresh so it has a strong smell and taste which many people find off-putting. I've just taken delivery of some UK grown linseed oil which is cold pressed on the farm and is only a few days old. This is culinary grade and more expensive than most virgin olive oils and has to be kept in the fridge. It does have a nice taste and virtually no smell and can be used in salad dressings etc. It's going on the next batch of spoons and bowls so I hope it works!

Lactic Fermentation

This has to be one of the simplest, and best, ways to preserve fresh garden vegetables. It doesn't involve cooking and it keeps and enhances the colour, flavour and texture of your surplus to enjoy in the less productive times of the year. You can use many different vegetables depending on what's available and the preparation is the same for all of them:-
Wash in cold water to remove soil etc, but leave the skin on as you are relying on the natural enzymes and bacteria to start the fermentation process. Use only home-grown or organic to avoid treatments which may prevent the process from starting.
Slice thinly with a sharp knife - get your friendly spoon carver to show you how to sharpen a knife properly!
Start with a couple of layers in a preserving jar with a little sea salt and pound gently with a wooden pestle to break down the cells to release the liquid.
Add more layers and salt as above and keep pounding/pressing the vegetables until the jar is full to the top and the liquid is covering it. This will take about 4 times the amount you think and is not a quick process. If you are short of time stop reading blogs and emails for a day and you will be able to fit it in easily!
The jar should now look like this:-

Put the open jar in a bowl to catch any liquid which will overflow. Put a jam jar full of water (for weight) on top as you need to keep pressure on the vegetables. A cloth over the top will keep it clean. Leave it in a warm room for a few days. Every time you pass it give the weighted jar a press and soon bubbles will start to rise as the fermentation begins:-

After about a week, depending on the temperature, the fermentation will have slowed down. Remove the jam jar, add any liquid from the bowl to cover the vegetables and seal the top and store in a cool, dark place ready for the time you have run out of fresh produce. This will also save you a bike ride to the shop. You will have a crisp and very tasty food which is quite different to pickle. Use it as a winter salad but do not heat it as this will damage the lactic ferment which is good for the digestion.

What vegetables to use? Well, white, red and green cabbage all work well, especially if combined in layers of different colours. This is how sauerkraut is made but a lot of commercially made ones are sterilised after filling the jars which destroys the ferment. I also use beans, beetroot, celery, peppers, chilli, carrots, root ginger (very fine threads and only a little) and spinach, but not onions as they dominate the flavour. Seaweed and wild foods can be added for variety and extra minerals. Use strongly flavoured things sparingly otherwise you will not be able to taste the other vegetables.

Kimchi is made this way too, but a lot of chilli is added to really spice things up! Use small preserving jars so you can experiment with different combinations. Leave the sealed jars for a few weeks, if you can wait that long, and once opened keep a liquid layer on top and store in a cool place until finished. If you leave it too long after opening a white mould develops so probably best to put it on the compost heap which will enjoy the extra bacteria, and use smaller jars next time.

Bread Matters

Sunrise, time to make bread.

I've been making bread for a very long time. It varied between OK and really nice but I couldn't seem to get consistency in the really nice category. About 30 years ago I bought Elizabeth David's book 'English  Bread and Yeast Cookery' and did a lot of experimenting. I was especially keen to make sourdough but found it difficult to get and keep a starter.
When I was running an organic food shop, we sold nice sourdough from the Village Bakery in Melmerby. The bakery was set up by Andrew Whitley using traditional fermenting techniques and a wood-fired oven. A couple of years ago, I was given his book 'Bread Matters' and it has transformed my bread making! He debunks the myths surrounding sourdough. You can easily make and keep your own starter. It doesn't need 'looking after' or feeding, is always ready to use and is very active. When you are busy it is easy to forget that you are supposed to be making the bread and the dough escapes:-

However, that is not a problem as it is very tolerant - I have even forgotten to bake it and left it in the pantry overnight without ill effect. The bread was made the next morning and the starter saved for another day!

Yesterday I made one of the nicest loaves yet. The long fermentation gives a nice sour tang to the bread and it keeps very well too. The dough feels and smells differently to yeast based ones and is a real pleasure to use. You can buy his book on Amazon, but better to cycle down to your local bookshop and order a copy. You'll have to cycle back when it comes in so will enjoy eating the bread even more as you will have a healthy appetite.
Check out his website here. You can even go on a course, but not until you've been on a spoon carving one first!