What is Your Torrone Mood, Hard or Soft?

One of the great advantages, of being raised in an Italian/Croatian neighborhood, is not just experiencing two cultures, but sampling the variety of foods. Not everyone has the financial benefits of being able to travel the world, to experience what each country has to offer visitors.  However, traveling around these United States, you can basically get many of the same experiences; remember, we are a very diverse melting pot of humanity.

One of the largest celebrations, in Italian culture, is the Feast of San Gennaro.  In New York City, in September, it is an eleven-day event, within Little Italy, featuring live musical performances, parades, religious processions, vendors of every type, but foods are the major sellers.  Over one million people flock to Little Italy to enjoy this celebration of Italian heritage and culture. 

If not in a New York state of mind; don’t let Billy Joel hear that, then consider vacationing in Las Vegas, Nevada; South Florida (Tampa and Hallandale Beach), or the Georgetown area of Seattle, Washington, again, in September.  Of course, I am biased, and will push the NYC celebration before any of those other areas.

What are the typical foods being sold by the vendors during the feast? 

-Sausage and Peppers: Grilled Italian sausage with sautéed peppers and onions, typically served on a roll.

-Zeppole: Deep-fried dough balls, often covered in powdered sugar.

-Cannoli: Crisp pastry tubes filled with sweet ricotta cheese.

-Arancini aka Rice Balls: Large, breaded and fried balls of rice, often with a savory meat filling.

-Other Italian Dishes: Pasta dishes, pizza, and various Italian desserts and sweets.

-Ethnic Foods: The festival also features foods from other cultures, reflecting the diverse culinary landscape of NYC.  This is what I am speaking about when I say, you can experience the cultures and foods of the world, just by visiting our own United States!

Now that I have you all drooling, time to talk about a favorite Italian candy, sold at feasts, given out at weddings, and packed into Christmas stockings…Torrone.

Torrone has origin stories tracing back to Greece and the Arabian countries, but it is Italy that takes full credit for its creation.  In 1441, Bianca Maria Visconti married Francesco Sforza, and became the Duchess of Milan.  Legend states that, at the wedding in Cremona, Italy, a candied confection was served in the shape of The Torrazzo, the bell tower of the Cathedral of Cremona. Hence the name, however, it is more likely named after the Latin verb "torrere," which means "to toast", and refers to the traditional method of toasting almonds, a key ingredient in torrone.

  

Torrone is primarily made from honey, sugar, egg whites, and toasted nuts, most commonly almonds or hazelnuts. Other additions include pistachios, walnuts, and added flavorings such as lemon zest, orange zest, or vanilla extract (pure form only, nothing less will do).  The texture of the candy can be hard and crunchy (duro), or soft and chewy (morbido); it all depends on the proportion of ingredients and the cooking process.  Once cooled, the candy can be cut into a variety of small shapes which can be wrapped individually; or into a large block that can be cut apart later on.  The taste has a rich, sweet, nutty flavor that may be enhanced by the addition of the lemon, orange or vanilla flavorings.  It can even be coated in chocolate after cooling and cutting!

Torrone is a very sticky and messy confection, so rice aka wafer paper is used to hold it together.  The rice paper is made from potato starch and water, has a negligible flavor, so does not interfere with the full flavor of the torrone.  Without the rice paper, the nougat would stick to everything, and be impossible to cut, even after cooling.

 

Those of you who enjoy creating homemade candies might want to give the following recipe a try.  Otherwise, torrone is available via online shopping, and during the winter holidays, make sure to push your local stores to get the product onto the shelves.  Santa Claus will be so impressed, he might just give you an extra special present in your stocking.

So, enjoy a taste of torrone, whether you create it yourself, purchase it, or even have the blessed opportunity of traveling to the Feast of San Gennaro.  September is not that far away!

 

 

Classic Italian Torrone

Ingredients:

2 sheets edible wafer paper (rice paper), trimmed to fit your pan.

3 cups almonds (whole, blanched), roasted.

1 cup pistachios, roasted (this can be optional, or use hazelnuts)

1 and ⅓ cups honey.

1 cup + 3 Tbsp. sugar.

2 large egg whites, at room temperature.

¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract.

⅛ tsp. kosher salt.

1 Tbsp. lemon zest or orange zest (optional).

Preparation:

Prepare the pan: Line an 8x11-inch baking dish with plastic wrap and place one sheet of wafer paper on the bottom.

Roast nuts: Roast at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and keep them warm. (see Notes below).

Cook honey and sugar: Combine honey and sugar in a pot and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly, until smooth. (See Notes below).

Whip egg whites: Whisk egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Combine mixtures: Gradually whisk the whipped egg whites into the warm honey mixture in batches.

Thicken the nougat: Continue cooking the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly for about 40 minutes, until it turns brighter white and thickens. A small amount dropped in ice water should feel like soft clay.

Add flavor and nuts: Whisk in lemon zest and vanilla, then add the warm nuts and stir.

Set the torrone: Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish, smooth the top, and cover with the second sheet of wafer paper. Press down gently.  Be care, the mixture will be hot!

Cool and cut: Let cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours until firm. Remove from the pan and cut into 1-inch squares with a serrated knife.

Notes:

Patience and continuous stirring are essential, especially when cooking the honey and sugar and thickening the nougat; use a candy thermometer for accuracy. Soft torrone is made with a lower temperature, around 280-290°F, while hard torrone requires a higher temperature, around 295-315°F.  Work quickly as the nougat cools and thickens fast.

Wafer paper can be difficult to find; parchment paper or greased plastic wrap can be used instead, but must be removed before eating as these are not edible.

The roasted nuts can be chopped into smaller pieces instead leaving whole.  Then they can be spread more evenly throughout the nougat.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

The Edible Cocktail Created by Prohibition.

Once again, we are going back in time to the Prohibition Era (1920-1933) and the banning of alcohol throughout the United States.  While most legitimate restaurants and bars were suffering the loss of income, illegal bars, called speakeasies, offered clientele liquored drinks and food.  Speakeasies usually did a consistent business due to payoffs of local law enforcement and corrupt politicians.  While barrels of hooch were rolled down ramps into the illegal bars’ basements, local constabulary looked the other way.

All the glassware inside legal bars were gathering dust, and there had to be a way to use them to entice customers back.  In 1806, The Balance and Columbian Repository formally defined the cocktail as a stimulating drink made with spirits, sugar, water, and bitters.  The mid-1800s to Prohibition is considered the "Golden Age" of mixology, where bartenders experimented and developed classic cocktails, many of which are still popular today.  With Prohibition, cocktails made with alcohol were banned, however, foods served with cocktails were not.

Did you ever order fried shrimp, oysters, clams, or any other type of seafood that was fried?  Typically, two sauces are offered, tartar sauce and cocktail sauce.  Cocktail sauce?  There is no alcohol in cocktail sauce, right?  Correct, however, the shrimp cocktail originated in the United States, you guessed it, during the Prohibition Era.  Martini glasses were used to serve the sauce with extra-large shrimp, or oysters, draped over the rim of the glasses.

Initially, cocktail sauce contains five ingredients: horseradish, lemon juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Depending on the area, brown sugar, onion powder and/or garlic salt might be added in.

Now wait, is cocktail sauce the same as shrimp sauce?  Again, depends on the area, and what folks call the red, ketchup based, spicy sauce.  Anyone ever go to Long John Silver’s?  The sauce they call shrimp sauce is actually called cocktail sauce in the majority of areas.

Shrimp sauce is mayonnaise based, and while similar seasonings used in cocktail sauce might be added, it is not unusual to have a sauce that is simply a mixture of mayonnaise plus ketchup.  Sound familiar?  Yes, in Utah, this is called “fry sauce”, and happens to be pretty tasty when dipping hot, crispy French fries into it. 

Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp. prepared horseradish*

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. hot sauce**

Preparation:

In medium size bowl, combine all ingredients thoroughly; chill until ready to serve.

Makes 1 and 1/2 cups.

Notes:

*Prepared horseradish is a mixture of shredded horseradish root, vinegar and salt; good brands are Bookbinders, Woeber's or Gold's.  If vinegar and salt are not wanted in the sauce, use pure grated horseradish instead, remember though, it will be spicy enough to take your breath away.

**Tabasco is the typical hot sauce used for making cocktail sauce.

 

I have mentioned before that Roy and I enjoy date night on Saturday evenings, mainly with pizza, “finger foods” like Buffalo wings or mozzarella sticks, or anything easy to make and eat while watching a movie.  This past weekend though, in preparation for this article, my maternal grandmother’s Depression Era glassware featured: shrimp cocktail, crab cocktail and crispy whole wheat “cocktail” crackers loaded with goat cheese, honey and chopped walnuts.  Talk about an elegant and sophisticated display.  While the extra-large shrimp was easy to purchase, not so much with the crab.  Ended up using imitation crab meat which is basically fake crab.

 

Shrimp Cocktail Party Platter

 

 

What is Imitation Crab Meat?

Imitation crab meat, often called krab or kani, is a processed seafood product made from a white fish paste called surimi, which is then shaped and flavored to resemble crab meat.  What exactly is surimi?  The main ingredient, a paste made from minced fish, typically Alaskan pollock, which is washed, deboned, and minced. To make the surimi paste firmer, it is combined with binders like starch (potato, wheat, or corn), egg whites, or sometimes soy.  Artificial or natural flavors, including crab flavoring, are added to mimic the taste of crab. Food coloring, often orange or red, is used to create the characteristic color of crab meat. Other ingredients that are common additions are water, salt, sugar, and preservatives.

 

After reading all that, well, does not sound very appetizing, so if you are lucky enough to be able to purchase real lump crab meat, do it!  Oh, you will love this little extra bit, the next day, I made Alfredo sauce and egg noodles, threw in remains of the shrimp and imitation crab.  Added a side of steamed and buttered broccoli cuts, and lunch was delicious!

Now you have new ideas for spoiling yourself, or others, not just for a date night, but a “hey, I deserve to spoil myself tonight” meal.  Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour 

 

Keeping It Cool.

Here we are, the middle of July and the temperatures are on the rise.  So, where is that sound that brings out our childhood delight?  “What sound?”, you ask.  It is the jingle, the jingle played by the Good Humor or Mr. Softee truck.  All the kids lining up, at the usual stop, money in hand, to buy soft serve cones, rocket pops, éclair or strawberry shortcake. 

Ah, but where I lived, as a kid, we had one more sound that would get us excited in summer’s heat.  “What sound?”, you ask.  It was the “ding-ding”, no, not “dun-dun”; I am not doing an episode of Law and Order here.  “Ding-ding” of the bicycle bell located on the handlebar, and attached to the bicycle was a freezer on wheels, carrying cherry, lemon, grape and, my personal favorite, chocolate Italian ices.  Getting out a scoop and pleated paper cup, the Italian ice man would fill the cup, pressing down to get the most inside, and then rounding out the top in a mound.  It was sweet, it turned our tongues different colors, you could drink it as it melted inside the cup, but most important of all, it was cold.

What is Italian ice?  Origin, of course, is Italian, but even there it is debated on what region.  Supposedly, it is traced back to ancient Rome and the Apennine Mountain Range which runs through the center of Italy.  Snow was always on the mountain tops, gathered in the warmer months, mixed with fruit, and was a refreshing treat in the sweltering heat.  However, in Sicily, the same claim is made, but the snow came from Mount Etna.  In Rome, it was called sorbetto; in Sicily, it was called granita, and while both used fresh fruit, an added sweetener was also included and that was honey.

Between 1880 and 1924, poverty in Southern Italy and Sicily forced many a citizen, of these regions, to immigrate to America.  Italians became the fifth largest ethnic group in the USA, and the country benefited from their many skills, including culinary.  So, is it any wonder that Italian ices did not become a huge hit, during the summer months.  The cities were crowded, even back then, with street carts, people walking to and from employment, children playing, and others just going through day-to-day existence.  Concrete buildings and cobblestone streets created virtual oven-like conditions with the heat pressing down, and no ventilation.  One could not just go to the local convenience store, open the refrigerated section and grab a “cold one”. 

Nowadays, we take a luxury like this for granted.

Ah, but here came the Italian ice man, with his icy confections keeping cool with block ice.  It was momentary relief, but it still hit the spot.

Italian ice, sorbet and sherbet, are they not all the same product?  Yes and no.  They all, if the manufacturer cares about the quality, use pureed fresh fruit, ice and a natural sweetener like sugar or honey.  However, sherbet adds another ingredient, a dairy product of milk, heavy cream or buttermilk.  The added fat gives the sherbet a smoother texture equating it more to ice cream than an “ice”.  If shopping for any of these in a market’s frozen section, read the labels!  Some have artificial flavors and colors, and lots of sugar added, to fool you into thinking you are eating real fruit.  Chances are, if the product states, “no sugar added”, real fruit which contains natural sugar itself, is your main ingredient.

Can Italian ice be homemade?  You betcha!  Back in the 1990s (aka the late 1900s), Martha Steward did a show on making “granita”, or the Sicilian version of Italian ice.  Of course, she touted it as a very fancy dessert that would “wow your guests”.  Anyway, three basic ingredients are needed: fresh fruit, ice and a sweetener.  When making a citrus flavored ice, an additional tablespoon of freshly squeezed juice will give added flavor, and a zing to the tongue.  Berries can be put into the blender whole, except for large strawberries which should be quarter, and green part removed of course.  Larger fruit should be peeled and also cut up.

 

Homemade Italian Ice

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh fruit  

2 Tbsp. honey or granulated sugar

3 cups ice (small cubes or crushed)

Option: one Tbsp. freshly squeezed juice of same fruit being used.

Preparation:

In a food processor or blender, blend the fruit, honey or sugar, optional juice, and 2 cups of ice until chunky. Add remaining one cup of ice and blend until completely smooth. Taste to see if more sweetener is necessary.

Pour the mixture into a 9” x 13” glass baking dish and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove dish from freezer and scrape with a fork until slushy. Continue to freeze for another 2 hours, repeating scraping once per hour.

Scoop the ice into dessert cups.  The ice will be of a chunky looking consistency, if a smoother texture is desired, let it sit out for about five minutes.  Warm the scoop slightly and run it over the top of the ice to smooth out the bumps.

Makes 4 cups.

Pioneer Day Weekend celebrations will be here soon, wonder if a vendor will be cooling our tongues down with a nice fruity ice?

Mary Cokenour

The Mysterious Creation of Peanut Brittle

When I write about new recipes and food items, enjoyment does come from looking back in history, and finding out how it came about. Many origins are straight forward, and then there appears one that boggles the mind.  While researching the origin of peanut brittle, well, the origin stories need to be taken with huge grains of salt.  Alright, maybe the second story is more plausible, but still.

Here goes, the first origin theory goes back to before merry old England was even thought of as England.  The Celts (no, not the Boston Celtics; sometimes I really hate Google) lived during the Iron Age, from about 600 BC to 43 AD; this is when iron was discovered and developed into tools and weapons.  The Iron Age ended when the Romans invaded Britain and set up fortresses, took over established villages, and forced Christian religion and Roman government onto the locals. At that time, the people were not called Celts (that name was given in the 1700s), but the Romans sent back stories of the people they referred to as Druids.

Now here is where the origin becomes a bit mucky.  The Celts, and it is unclear if this is before they were named Celts, or after, thought to have served the brittle during holidays. They made the sheet of candy by baking a mix of sugar and peanut butter. The candy then made its way from Europe to America in the 1830s by way of Irish settlers coming to the New World. However, peanuts are not native to the British lands.  They came to Europe, via Spanish and Portuguese explorers, in the 1500s. They were very popular in Africa and Asia, but did not become popular in the UK until the 1800s.  So, did the Celts, who were not Celts until the 1700s, begin making peanut brittle between the 1500-1600s, or afterwards during the 1700-1800s?  Of course, no one really knows.

Now to the second origin story which takes place in the United States’ deep south.  During the Civil War soldiers survived on peanuts because of its high protein content, were easily transported, and the shells were natural waste.  After the war and the reconstructionism of the south, peanut farming found its niche, and became a huge commodity.  Around the year 1890, a Southern woman (unnamed) created peanut brittle by mistake. Apparently, she was making taffy, added baking soda instead of cream of tartar.  Waste not, want not, she continued cooking the mixture which resulted in a crunchy brittle, instead of a chewy taffy. 

But wait, there is one more story which deals with a “maybe he was, or maybe he was not” a real person in history.  Tom Beaver, a West Virginia woodsman and lumberjack, who was often associated with Paul Bunyan, supposedly created peanut brittle.  A leak had erupted in a dam, and a town was in danger of being flooded, destroyed and many lives lost.  Tom created a goopy concoction of peanuts and molasses, plugged up the leak, and the town and people were saved.  He gave the “recipe” to the people, and they, in turn, cooked it up into a tasty treat.

Originally, peanut brittle began with a sugar and water mixture, but other sugary liquids began to be used; many adding unique flavoring.

What can be used instead for peanut brittle?

 -corn syrup.

-honey.

- light molasses.

- agave nectar.

-brown rice syrup.

-maple syrup.

One of the most delicious peanut brittles I have ever eaten came from Honeyville, in Durango, Colorado.  It was light, airy, crispy and had such an addicting flavor to it; and nope, the recipe was not available to the public.

After experimenting with an easy recipe, I did find, here were the conclusions.

Honey: A lighter-flavored honey works better, especially if you do not like an aggressive honey flavor.  

Texture: While it is initially a crispy candy, even stored in an air-tight container, the candy does soften up into a smooth treat that does not stick to the teeth when eaten.  A huge plus!

Samples were given out, and not one complaint; instead, the recipe was requested.  Whether completely crunchy, or it has softened up, I am declaring this peanut brittle a winner!

Hint: With the recipe I will share, it calls for two cups of honey.  To obtain, and keep, that crunchy texture that most enjoy, use one cup honey with one cup corn syrup instead.

 

 Honey Peanut Brittle

 

Ingredients

2 cups honey

1⁄4 cup water

1 and 1⁄2 cups raw peanuts (roasted and salted nuts can be used, skip 1/8 tsp. salt))

1and 1⁄2 Tbsp. butter

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1⁄8 tsp. salt (skip if roasted and salted nuts used)

 

Preparation:

Line a large rimmed baking sheet (aka jelly roll pan) with baking parchment paper, a silicone baking liner, or butter very well. 

 

Combine the honey and the water in a 3-quart saucepan.  Boil, on medium-high heat, until it reaches the hard crack stage; remove from heat. (See Notes).

 

 

 

 

Add the rest of the ingredients; mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture from saucepan onto sheet, spreading thinly.  Wait until brittle is hardened and totally cool to the touch (20-30 minutes); break into pieces.

 

Makes about 2 lbs. or 16 servings of one ounce (about 1/4 cup)

 

 

 

Notes:

The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature (300° F–310° F) you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup.  It will take a good 25-30 minutes to reach the temperature. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.

After hardening and cooling, if the brittle is still somewhat soft and sticky, place pan in a preheated 325° F oven for 5 minutes to harden up completely.

Peanuts: Spanish or Virginia. The skins add a deeper nut flavor and a lovely light brown color to the brittle. However, remove half the skins from the peanuts, or the mixture will become too “gunked” up and be difficult to process correctly.   Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, Walnuts or Pepitas can also be used.  With the larger sized nuts, chop up before using.

Mary Cokenour

 

The Poof is in the Honey.

 The watering stations, in the backyard, are beginning to see more activity.  Honey bees are finding their way back, with flowering plum and apricot trees to provide pollen as well.  Around the stations are a plenitude of flowering, what some call weeds, but are pretty flowers to me.  The bees do not complain, so why should I?

I am hoping that some of these bees are relatives of the ones saved in June 2020.  Cindy and Mack Smith helped rescue, and introduce, them into their existing hives.  Since then, the Smiths have given us a jar of their precious, and most delicious honey each year; and we are so very grateful for the generosity.

In our home, the honey is never wasted as it sweetens are tea, is used for cooking, and most definitely for baking, especially bread products.  When baking up bread, even rolls, that require yeast, some sort of food is needed to feed the yeast, a sweet food.  Most recipes call for sugar, but, in comparison, honey makes it more flavorful, and sugar is, well, sort of bland.  Now many will agree, and many will disagree, and that is perfectly alright as taste is in the mouth of the person eating.  However, I know many who will drizzle honey over their sugar infused bread, and they are making my point, honey makes it better!

As I have stated many times, I like it easy; easy recipes, easy preparation, and easy techniques.  Recently I came across a recipe for 5-Ingredient Bread with the yeast being fed by honey…perfect for me!  While it makes an airy white bread, I played with the recipe and introduced potato flour to the all-purpose flour.  The first batch was terrible.  While the outside was crusty and golden brown, the interior was a complete mushy mesh.  What went wrong? 

Potato flour is not the same as boiled, mashed potatoes apparently, even though the flour is made from, what else, potatoes.  Potato flour is made from potatoes that have been cooked, dried to remove all water, then ground; however, it retains the starch.  Adding mashed, wet potatoes means it is retaining the starch which makes the bread denser, but liquid has to be limited.  Potato flour sucks up water like a sponge, so additional water needs to be constantly added to the mixture for a dough to eventually form.  Too much water though, and the bread will bake on the outside, but leave a wet mess inside.  It seems to be a matter of trial and error.

How to fix this?  For every 3 complete cups of all-purpose flour, only add ¼ cup of potato flour.

Back to the honey.  While waiting for the yeast to grow inside the mixture of warm water and honey, expect to be amazed.  In 15-20 minutes, the entire mixture will simply grow and grow!  I used a 4-cup bowl, and good thing a clean towel was over it, as the mixture had doubled and would have been dripping over the sides.  Oh, and the smell of the yeast and honey is intoxicating!

Now to the recipe; try it as written, but I definitely suggest adding a little potato flour to the mixture.  The bread will be slightly denser, so you will think you are eating cake, instead of bread.  As is, or with butter smeared over, is lovely. Toasted, with butter and jam, jelly or marmalade, now we are talking heavenly.

 

5-Ingredient Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water (105F-110F)

2/3 cup honey

1 and ¾ Tbsp. active dry yeast

1 and ½ tsp. salt

5 cups all-purpose flour (or 4 and ½ cups all-purpose plus ¼ cup potato flour)

 

 

 

 

Preparation: 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together warm water and honey until honey is dissolved. Add yeast, and cover with a towel. In about 10-20 minutes, mixture will be frothy and double in size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in salt, and add flour one cup at a time.  Flour hands, remove dough to board, or clean counter, and knead for 5 minutes. Place kneaded dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with towel.

After an hour, dough should have risen to almost top of bowl. Punch the dough down once, remove to board or clean count; knead again for 5 minutes. Divide into two lightly-greased loaf pans, cover with towel; allow dough to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325F for 30-35 minutes. Many bread recipes use an oven at 350F, but 325F works better when using honey.

 Makes two loaves.

To freeze a loaf, wrap completely in plastic wrap, place inside a freezer type plastic bag, and label with date as it will only keep for 3 months.  That is if it can last that long before both loaves are eaten.

Enjoy baking and eating this bread, and remember to always be kind to the bees.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

Honey Bees and Water

With Fall being just around the corner, animals and insects are attempting to get their homes, nests and hives ready for Winter’s cold, and darker, days. Back on June 21st, our home was blessed with the arrival of a swarm of honey bees. Cindy Smith, and her husband, came to their rescue; taking them home and providing a new hive. Seems an old tree had fallen within our Monticello neighborhood, and these bees were looking for sanctuary. 

Within the past week, about three dozen honey bees have been visiting our backyard once again. With the recent rains, our bird bath was full to capacity; its rim providing just the correct distance for bees to drink. That is correct, drink water; bees will travel up to five miles, from the hive, to find water. Like we humans, bees are mainly live sacks of water that need to keep hydrated. “…it has been estimated that the bees may be bringing back nearly a gallon of water a day." (Bug Squad: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=14566)

Of course there are a variety of uses for water, including hive maintenance, honey production and the nurse bees must insure the health and well-being of the queen. Bees cannot swim, so they can drown if they fall into a water source. While the bird bath has a rim, we added flat rocks for them to perch on as well. They lower their proboscis into the water and suck it up. The proboscis is a straw-like tongue used for slurping up liquids and also for tasting. When not being used for either chore, the proboscis is folded up and stored in a groove-like structure in the bee's head. 

We checked on the bees daily, making sure the water was reachable for them, and that none had fallen into the water. One night I found two floating in the water, not moving, and I feared they had passed on. Placing them into the palm of my hand, I spoke to them, telling them how sorry I was for getting there too late. I was going to recite a blessing over them, when suddenly, there was movement. Little legs began to twitch; they were alive, but needed warmth.

Bringing them into my home, I continued to cup them inside my palm, and talked to them the entire time. Slowing rising up, they both began to clean themselves thoroughly. Drooping antennae lifted upward; legs swept against bodies and wings; they began to walk and it tickled. As they became more active, their little butts began to wiggle, and I knew it was time.

 

Walking outdoors, one took off immediately; the second was hesitant. Simply sitting in a chair, watching the sun set, my honey bee companion and I; and then it left. 

This is, for me, one of those moments that confirms why life is worth living.

Mary Cokenour

Resolve to go Coconuts for the New Year.

One of the most widely promised resolutions for the New Year is to become healthier.  It could come about through change of diet, more exercise, being proactive on a disease/illness, lifestyle change, or all of the above.  This resolution is also the most broken as a person seems to think there are just too many obstacles, or perhaps we set too high a goal and quit out of frustration.  Now, what if you could simply make one change that would equal several results?

Coconuts, first it was coconut water which, not only hydrated the body, but added enriched nutrients.  Then came oil, a high saturated fat which raised both good (HDL) and bad (LDL) cholesterol due to lauric acid.  However, a single tablespoon of virgin, unrefined coconut oil can replace large amounts of other oils or butter in cooking and baking.  Now we have flour, sugar, milk; coconut chips and low sugar coconut bars for snacking; all used accordingly can be more beneficial than harmful.  You also have to be careful about which coconut product is better than the next, for example, creamed coconut milk in the can is typically used for Thai cooking.  It contains more fat (14 grams) per serving than boxed coconut milk (4.5 grams); may contain thickeners and/or preservatives.  With oil, flour and sugar; unrefined means a better chance of a pure product with no chemical additives.

Now the big question, do coconut products make everything taste like coconut?  Surprisingly, the answer is slim to none; unsweetened coconut milk (I prefer the vanilla flavored) brings out the flavor more of any cereal it’s poured over.  Baked goods taste exactly as they would if using regular flour and sugar; while coconut chips are baked pieces of coconut, so yes, big time coconut flavor.  However, you get the full flavor of potato when potato chips are fried or baked in coconut oil.  Think of it this way, trial and error with the products you purchase will bring more enjoyment than trying to stick to a rigid diet, and then failing at it.

Still not convinced, than here’s a personal example of how beneficial cooking with coconut can be.  Pancakes, who doesn’t love pancakes?  Now I’ve mentioned before that I’m diabetic, so eating pancakes, even with sugar free syrup, can send my blood sugar sky rocketing.  However, with these coconut flour pancakes I’m giving you the recipe for, my number was in the normal range; I was in total shock.  Maybe it was a fluke, so I tried it again on another day; the same results!  The taste was amazing too; lightly sweet from the honey, barely a hint of coconut, crispy edges with fluffy interior and melt in the mouth goodness. 

So, for the New Year, make a resolution to go coconuts.  Ease it into your diet for a little goes a long way; make sure to have fun using the products.  Happy New Year!

 

 

Coconut Pancakes

(Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Crispy Edges, Fluffy Interior, Diabetic Friendly)

Ingredients:

¼ cup coconut flour

½ tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. coconut oil, plus 2 Tbsp. for grill pan

1 Tbsp. honey

3 large eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk (do not use canned type)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

 

Preparation:

In a small bowl, mix together coconut flour, baking powder and salt; make sure to break up any lumps, set aside.

 

In a medium bowl, cream together coconut oil and honey until smooth; don’t worry if a few lump oil remain, they will melt on the grill pan.  Whisk the eggs in one at a time; whisk in coconut milk and vanilla extract.  Use a rubber spatula to mix in dry ingredients from small bowl; scrape down the sides to make sure all ingredients are mixed in.  Do not overmix; batter will look slightly lumpy.

 

On medium-high heat, melt one tablespoon of coconut oil on grill pan; coconut oil has a high smoke point, so will melt and burn very quickly.  Be ready, with a small ice cream scoop, to ladle out three scoops (each scoop equals two tablespoons) of batter onto melted oil; gently press out batter to 4 inch diameter.  After two minutes, flip pancakes and cook additional 1-2 minutes on other side; check for desired browning.

 

Repeat above step with remaining batter.

Makes 6 – 4 inch pancakes; Serves 2.

Condiment Options: Fruit Jam or Maple Syrup.

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

Honeyville is a Sweet and Friendly Place to Visit.

Honeyville

33633 Hwy 550
Durango, CO 81301

Phone: (800) 676-7690
Fax: Fax: 970-403-0022

Website: http://www.honeyvillecolorado.com/

On Route 550, north of Durango, is one of the sweetest shops in the area...Honeyville.  This small shop is packed full of products made from wildflower honey such as jams, jellies, sauces, whiskey and wine aka mead.  The staff inside are just as sweet as their products and go out of their way to help you make perfect selections; a taste sample is not out of the question.  In the back of the store is a viewing area of the processing room.  I was recently informed that approval was given for Honeyville to expand, so more luscious honey products can be made available!

Honey Bourbon Whiskey





Honey Wine aka Mead

Throughout the shop are recipes cards to give you great ideas on how to use Honeyville's products.  Can't get to the shop, go to their website and shop, or order a catalog.  Never say never, Honeyville has something for anyone.

 

Mary Cokenour

Not Authentic, Definitely Inspired, Thai Cuisine.

Often I do not follow recipes to the letter; I want it to be mine and I love to play with my food. Then there are those times when I just don't want to make the full effort. Yeppers, this is one of those times when I like the whole idea, but I'm not going the full route. Being a rogue, it also helps when you don't have all the listed ingredients, so need to make due with what you have.

Thai Glazed Chicken Thighs was the original recipe, but I didn't have any coconut milk nor chicken thighs; instead it was orange juice concentrate and chicken breasts. It didn't exactly come out as a "sweet and sour" dish, more like a "sweet and savory" because of the soy sauce I added as an after thought. I also was going to make a vegetable stir fry as the side dish; there was so much sauce created in the chicken cooking process, that simply cooking the vegetables in the sauce was the sensible thing to do.

...and away we go.

Thai Inspired Chicken

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 at 1/2 lb. each)
1 (12 oz) container orange juice concentrate, defrosted
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp. ground ginger
4 Thai chiles, stem removed, minced
1 Tbsp. dried, crushed Thai basil
1/4 cup soy sauce

Preparation:

 

Place chicken into a 4 quart crock pot. 














In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together orange juice, honey, ginger and chiles; pour over chicken. 




























Sprinkle basil and soy sauce over contents in crock pot; cover, set on low and cook for four hours.

 

Remove chicken from crock pot and keep warm.  Place four cups of cut up vegetables into crock pot, set on high and cook for 15 minutes.  Serve as side dish with the chicken.

 

 

 Makes 8 servings.

Mary Cokenour