Canbassadorship to the Nation

(The cache)
(Apricot & Nutmeg Preserves)
(Poached Apricots & Cherries with Cinnamon)
(Pickled Cherries with Chinese 5-Spice Blend)
(Poached Apricots & Cherries with Cloves)

Those of you that know me personally are all too well aware that I've been engaged in a love affair with the state of Washington for some time. From its snow-capped peaks to its rugged coastline, from its temperate rain forests to its profusion of islands, the state has long called to me with its siren song.

Imagine, then, my profound joy at receiving an e-mail from Annie, a representative for the Washington State Fruit Commission, asking if I'd be interested in serving as a "Can-basssador" for the state's soft fruits. Would I like to receive free, ripe, fresh, delicious, succulent fruits to render into jars of preserved bliss? Is the pope catholic? You bet I'd like to enjoy a bit of Washington's finest!

And so, within a week, I was the proud recipient of a box containing 30 apricots and 7 1/2 pounds of sweet Rainier cherries. With fresh fruit, in the summer, in an un-airconditioned house, you've got to shake a leg. No dilly-dallying, waiting around for a day when you "feel" like canning; you make that feeling happen. As such, I set about on several marathon early morning canning sessions this week. The above delicacies are the end result of my sweaty labor of love.

In the final analysis, the fine fruits of Washington state offered to me resulted in: 4 pints of pickled cherries with homemade Chinese 5-spice (I used Leena's recipe, but made my own Chinese 5-spice blend, the information for which can be found in the "Kumquat 5-Spice Marmalade" in my "Canning & Preserving" book), 4 pints of poached apricots & cherries with whole spices (including cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cloves), and 6 half-pints of apricot preserves with freshly ground nutmeg. I've got a large, pitted and stemmed bag of cherries waiting in the freezer at home (couldn't get to them before leaving for vacation on Friday and I'm still not yet certain if I'll turn them into homemade maraschino cherries, make them into cherry marmalade, or just dump them into a big cherry pie). I'm SO looking forward to pairing up these delicious delicacies during the approaching cooler months with the likes of baked brie, orange polenta cake, and hot buttered toast.

I invite you to take a peek at Sweet Preservation, the website developed by the organization. Not only is it rife with helpful canning tips, it's got a number of gorgeous downloadable canning labels. All of the labels were created by Etsy crafters, each designed with a fresh, modern feel for today's canning enthusiast (I especially love the yearly calender label-genius idea!).

So, if you love to can, and you love summer stone fruits, and you come upon a bounty of Washington's cherries, apricots, peaches, or plums, I highly encourage you to grab them up and put time in a bottle, made possible through the gentle alchemy of canning. I promise you, it's worth the hot-kitchen-in-the-summertime effort, offering up the sweetest reward.

Herbal Sun Teas & Simple Syrups

Happy Friday, everyone! My "Small Measures with Ashley" post is up on Design Sponge. This week I wax rhapsodic over the ease and incomparable flavor made possible through herbal sun teas and simple syrups. Pictured above on our porch railing are: (from left to right) thyme & lemon, rosemary, pineapple sage & fresh ginger, and peppermint & bee balm sun teas. See what's growing in your yard or available at your local farmer's market and set some tea of your own to sun-shining!

I'm so excited today! In just a few short hours, I'll be on a plane to Tampa to visit with my father, sisters, my father's wife, and a whole mess of other family members and friends. Pops has rented a gargantuan home in Palm Coast, just south of St Augustine, which we'll load into the car and drive to tomorrow.

We all camped out there last year, as well, and I'm hoping this year proves to be a repeat all of the lazy river floating, pool-side lounging, novel reading, ice cream-eating, delicious meal-cooking, frozen beverage-imbibing (sans hooch, this year!), ocean-gazing, nap-taking, silly film-watching, board game-playing, sister-chatting, porch-rocking, and other goodness that occurred then.

Sadly, G. won't be going with me, as our much loved friend, and long-time house-sitter, crossed coasts this week to set up house in California. With 5 geriatric cats, 2 young dogs, 4 hens, and 2 beehives to attend to, one of us had to stay. So, I'm heading out today, while G. will travel next Friday to Dallas for 5 days of cutthroat word-smithing at the National Scrabble competition.

Have a great weekend, all!

Cucurbit Love

This month's Can Jam (selected by across-the-pond homesteader Gloria, of the imminently inspiring Laundry, etc.) celebrates all things cucurbit. Encompassing that much loved network of extended, yet similar, kin, cucurbits include melons, squashes (all of them-zucchini, winter, summer, pumpkins, etc.), cucumbers, and luffas. Although most cucurbits are inclined towards vining, some appear as shrubs or trees.

I've yet to meet a curcubit I don't love. From my recent prego-induced watermelon ravaging benders (and yes, it is entirely possible to have too much of a good thing) to pumpkin butter, zucchini bread and beyond, I'll gladly consume any cucurbit you put in my path with gusto. I even like saying the word. Cucurbit. Reminds me robust croaks emanating from the tiny throats of frogs and toads. But I digress...

If pressed to choose a favorite, if backed into a corner and threatened with permanent obstruction lest I select a preferred cucurbit, I'd have to go with cucumbers. During hot summers (this one certainly being no exception), I've been known to form a meal from sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, sprinkled over heavily with sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper. The preferred method for cucumber consumption chez English, however, is pickles. Hands down. We eat pickles all year long, especially dill pickles. Nothing fancy. Nothing exotic. Just simple, straight-up, heavy on the fresh dill, dill seeds, garlic cloves, and black pepper, dill pickles. Crunchy and sour in all the right ways, in my house, dill pickles can cure whatever ails you.

From my book, I offer you classic dill pickles. They might just become your new favorite thing.

CANNING CLASSIC-DILL PICKLES

For many, a sandwich just isn’t a sandwich unless accompanied by a dill pickle. In my opinion, their pungent saltiness is the perfect lunchtime companion. Aside from an overnight soak, this canning classic is ready in no time. Yield: 8 pints.

You will need:

- 6 pounds pickling cucumbers

- ½ c. + ¼ c. pickling salt (divided)

- 4 c. white vinegar

- 3-½ c. water

- 8 garlic cloves, peeled

- 4 tsp. dill seed

- 8 fresh dill heads (if unavailable, use 4 tsp. dried dill)

- 3 tsp. black peppercorns

To make:

-Rinse cucumbers in cold water. Scrub gently with a vegetable brush to loosen any hidden soil. Remove a thin slice from the blossom end of each cucumber (if you can’t tell which end is the blossom end, just take a thin slice off of each end). Place cucumbers in a non-reactive bowl, add ½ c. pickling salt, cover with water, place a plate or towel over the top, and set in a cool place or the refrigerator overnight or for 8 hours.

-Drain off the brining solution. Rinse cucumbers thoroughly to remove salt residue. Set aside.

-Sterilize 8 mason jars, lids, and screw rings.

-In a medium-sized stainless-steel pan, combine vinegar, water, and ¼ c. pickling salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

-Into each sterilized jar, place 1 garlic clove, ½ tsp. dill seeds, 1 dill head or ½ tsp. dried dill, and 8 black peppercorns.

-Pack cucumbers into each jar and cover with vinegar solution. Leave ½-inch headspace. Use a non-metallic spatula to remove any trapped air bubbles and wipe rims clean with a damp cloth. Place on lids and screw bands, tightening only until fingertip-tight.

-Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remember to adjust for altitude.

Host A Canning Party!

Hi folks! My "Small Measures with Ashley" post is up on Design Sponge. In recognition of this weekend's Can-A-Rama being sponsored by the good folks at Canning Across America, this week's topic discusses hosting a canning party. A great way to use up extra produce whilst chatting it up with your buddies, canning parties are THE social event of the harvest season.

In other news, Glenn and I are serving as hosts to Sara, Thor, and little Henry Jensen for the next few days. You might remember me mentioning Sara several months ago, with our auspicious internet meeting. Well, we've now met real-time and the Jensen clan is all that and a bag of chips.

Happy weekending, everyone!

*Image courtesy of Lark Books.

Auntie Love

As I mentioned yesterday, my sisters were absolute workhorses (along with G.) during their visit. They moved all of the furniture out of what will be Nugget's room (it was our guest room), moved all sorts of things around in the office/additional guest room, and painted the nursery.

The paint we chose was "Globe Artichoke" from Olympic Paint. A zero VOC paint, it was pretty amazing to become conspicuously aware of the complete lack of odor as my sisters painted. Having painted many a room in my life, and suffered through can after can of noxiously scented paint, I can't recommend this product enough.

The color could best be described as a sort of fresh, mossy green, perfect for the outdoorsy nature theme we're going with. We left the trim a deep cocoa and the ceiling a mushroomy-taupe. Now all it needs is a crib, a rocking chair, a chest of drawers, a changing table, a mobile, a play table and tiny chairs....

Thanks, aunties. Glenn and I appreciate all of your efforts more than you can possibly know (and thanks, G., for later painting the floor!). Nugget is one lucky little feller.

Our House, Part 2

A few more scenes from our place (here's the first round).

The last photo is of our back/front porch (you actually enter our house from the back door, which takes you directly into the kitchen; the "true" front of the house includes this porch, although it's not a "used" entrance, as we've fenced off the yard for the dogs-sounds confusing, but makes sense in context...).

I recently re-upholstered the seats of the wrought iron table set (while G. gave 'em a new coat of paint) and ran out of canvas staples, hence the bedraggled look of the closest seat.

It's always a work in progress out here. Good thing I'm a go-getter.

Off-the-Grid Homes

Hi friends! My "Small Measures with Ashley" post is up on Design Sponge. This week's topic discusses off-the-grid homes, those sensational dwellings that provide shelter, comfort, and refuge without the use of public and municipal utilities. It's something that Glenn and I aspire to, without question. The Simon Dale House in Wales, pictured above, is one of my all-time favorite off-grid homes.

This past week has been jam-packed with family interactions, visits, and festivities. My two sisters, ages 23 and 19, flew in from Florida on Wednesday. After lunch at the Early Girl Eatery, they went off for haircuts at Adorn, and then we all reconvenied for treats and thirst quenchers at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge (Glenn ordered a chocolate/vanilla/coffee milkshake that was, hands down, the best milkshake these lips have ever slurped). Thursday saw us up and out early, heading to Charlotte to visit my older brother and sister-in-law and their new son, born July 1st (we stopped at the West End Bakery en route for their stellar homemade egg biscuits!). James Waugh Adams IV, more commonly referred to as either "Little Man" or "Baby James" or "LJ" stole the show with his adorable chicken leg arms and froggie legs and general adorableness. After that we popped into IKEA to check out their crib selection and other baby accoutrements.

Friday Glenn and my sisters worked their arses off, moving furniture, re-organizing, and painting Nugget's room (more images on that to come). It's so exciting to see everything start to come together. We've got 3 1/2 months to go before the little dude's debut but, as a lifelong advance planner, I like to know that progress is being made and preparations are being undertaken. Finally, yesterday, after taking my sisters to the airport, Glenn and I attended a fantastic (and FREE!) class for beginning parents at Nest Organics home and child store in downtown Asheville. Topics discussed included: cloth diapering options, slings/carriers, sleeping arrangements, BPA-free teething toys and pacifiers, glass bottles, and much, much more. Sarah Easterling, co-owner and the class's instructor, is a veritable fount of information on all topics related to natural child rearing. She's also just a generally cool lady and one I'm immensely pleased to have in my circle of au natural mommas. We picked up a beautiful, gently used Moses baby basket and rocker (similar in appearance to this one), as well as a newborn sling, at Nest. Nugget will be comfortable and living in chic digs once he's on the scene, that's for sure!

Today I'm off to sling some cupcakes at Short Street in just a bit. May your week's end be all you want it to be!

*Image from here.