Monday, February 1, 2016

Clam Chowder

The Best Clam Chowder Recipe Ever

The Farmer stumbled apon a recipe for "Real New England Clam Chowder"
The author has a beautiful post but The Farmer still wants to showcase his own work.

Food Basics has frozen cooked clam meat available.
It isn't in liquid, just frozen meat.
It actualy tastes nice and is tender as well.
This is half of a $10 bag


The Farmers Wife chopped up 4 cups of celery with clean leaves included


The Farmer is the go to guy when onions need chopping
Two large  cooking onions did the trick.


Potato is one of the main ingredients.
These are local white purchased at Gallaghers Farmers Market this fall


Pupo's Food Market is The Farmers go to place for meats


This was such a nice salted pork belly.
Nice ratio of fat to meat.


The fire alarm had to be relocated for a while during the rendering process.
This took a while and a few adjustments to the flame to sizzle without smoking.


The Celery and onion deglazed the pot nicely


After two Litres of milk were brought up to simmer the potatoes were added.


The Farmers Wife stirred for the first twenty minutes keeping a very light simmer.
Just tiny bubbles around the edge.
The Farmer stirred for what felt to him an eternity but was probably twenty minutes as well.


The fat was starting to rise and pool on top when the potatoes were cooked.


As instructed in the recipe The Farmer strained out all the solids.


This is a beautiful picture of the liquid before blending.
Pictures of the blending process were never taken due to a tragic event.
Lets just say The Farmer has learned to never plug in a full blender without 
checking first to ensure the switch is turned to the off position.


Once the mess was cleaned up and the pureed liquids were reunited with the solids
A quart of cream was added and the mix was brought up to serving temperature.


Very Homogeneous indeed.
The blending brought the fats back into the sauce nicely.


Through the process time was taken to drain the water used to thaw the clams.
They were chopped into thirds smaller ones in half.
All the drippings were caught and transferred to the pot.
Now that everything is done cooking in go the clams.
The Farmer and The Farmers Family like a bit of zip so 
a few dashes of Tabasco sauce  was added.
Salt and pepper as well

This was a lot of work but well worth the effort.
This is the best chowder The Farmer has ever had.
Next time he may even seek out some fresh clams.
There isn't much claming going on in the great lakes region though.


The farmers Wife found a surprise in one of the potatoes.
It wasn't a likeness of The Virgin Mary.
Not even an angel but it does appear to have wings.


Happy Cooking !

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Festival Wagon

The Festival Wagon Project

So.....
Its been quite some time since the farmer blogged.
He retired a year and a half ago after 30 years working for the man.
So now he can't figure out how he had time to work.
Many projects have come and gone.
He is gleefuly doing things he wants to do for a change.
Thing is though without work stealing his life away things don't seem as bloggable,
Its just his life now and he's loving it.

Any way to the task at hand.
The Farmer's Granddaughter is two now.
She needs a ride.
Not just any ride she needs a stylish ride that will set her appart from the rest.
But she can't drive , cycling is still a ways off an a tricycle is just soooo normal.
So Pops and Granny.
AKA The Farmer and The Farmers Wife have decided to get creative.

Behold the Gypsy Caravan / Festival Wagon project







Pops has done his part now
Granny is creating the Gypsy art that will adorn the sides and back.




So all the art was complete so Jan 26th it all came together.
In The Farmers 180 year old dingy basement.






Next stop will be the big city.


Monday, October 27, 2014

Jalapeno hot sauce

The Farmer has been working on hot sauce
There were dreams of tons of red jalapenos
Alas only dreams this year.
Cold nights all summer and frost coming
So The Farmer headed out reluctantly and picked them green





The next task was dangerous business
Playing the mandolin with a jalapeno takes a level head
Tips of fingers are an unwelcome addition to the sauce




Layering into the crock with sprinklings of pickling salt as if making saurkraut
The farmer isn't shy with the salt after all these peppers will brine for at least a month




A pie plate fit over the top weighted down with a canning jar of water 
helps keep everything submerged
A few cups of water were stirred in to assure enough liquid to cover
Now the wait begins




The Farmer had almost forgotten about the fermenting peppers
With the end of October looming and a day unspoken for it was time
After cleaning the spoiled peppers from the edges around the plate
into the pot they go drained but not rinsed with four cups of water
Simmered for an hour adding a cup of sugar and a tbsp of vanilla
Then into the food processor on high to liquify


Pressed through the sieve and set the seed pulp aside to be dehydrated and ground
The Farmer has never made use of the seeds and pulp before 
the result will have to wait for another blog




  The sauce is ready for bottling and some for freezing
The Farmers bottles are repurposed and not blogable


MMMMMM

Thank you neighbor

The Farmers Neighbor called
She had extra sweet peppers to pass along





Thank you Fran
The nice thing about peppers is they don't require blanching
Just cut them up and freeze them
This should last well into winter



Monday, September 8, 2014

Gluten Free Lasagna

The Farmers Gluten Free Lasagna

The Farmer got into the gluten free baking again
This time it was an all day event
The making of gluten free lasagna noodles
was a messy camera free zone.
The Farmer used Jeanne's recipes from
It was a tough go but The Farmer is stubborn
Thus Voila!
Now The Farmers Wife made a cream sauce and veggie filling
The Farmer and The Farmers Wife are avid carnivores but not today
 The Farmer whipped up some kale and ricotta and egg for the cheese lair
 Then it was time for the pans
 Fill em up
 A pizza cheese topping
Ready for the oven
 350 for 30 minutes
 Chop up some parsley
uncover and sprinkle
Cook for another 30 minutes uncovered
All done and ready to enjoy
First Piece came out nicely
The Farmer is very pleased with the gluten free quality noodles
Happy gluten free eating!