THE VERY LAST 24 HOURS OF 2012! HOW WILL YOU SPEND IT?

Its 8:30 in the morning here on Prince Edward Island. We've had a dump of snow over the weekend and have a few feet now. The island is under a wind warning with winds coming from the west at 21 mph; a change from 7 am this morning from, northwest 19 mph. To step outside is to get blown off your feet by a cold, snowy blast!

My lonely little mailbox is out there ~ somewhere ~ in that vast expanse of newly dumped snow

In less than 24 hours, this day and the year of 2012, will become extinct! You will retire to bed in one year and wake in the next. What will you remember about this passing year? I have kept personal diaries for years and its fascinating to look back, years ago, on what was happening in my life on this date. 

What earth-shattering, life changing events will you perform on this last day of 2012...

Mine are humble and in preparation for 2013. Inventory all groceries in the house and rearrange my cupboards to make them more 'user-friendly', order a tank of oil and clean the house; after that its cleaning out the fridge and putting the washing away. Course the biggest thing will be taking down the tree and storing all that stuff for the end of the new year, in about 365 days. 

Putting things in order and planning for January; working on my budget... seems like a sensible way to spend the last day of this year.

Catspaw   


  

TO CONSOMME OR NOT TO CONSOMME ~ WHAT'S A CONSOMME?

Consommé with Vegetables

Now you have to admit, this - looks - good! 

Consommé is not stock or bouillon, rather it is made from stock and bouillon.

Consommé is created by the proper clarification of a high quality stock by adding a mixture of finely ground meats with mirepoix, a combination of carrots, celery and onions, along with tomatoes and egg whites into either a bouillon or a stock. To make a high quality consommé the secret is simmering; the act of simmering combined with frequent stirring starts the process of  bringing impurities to the surface of the liquid, which are further drawn out because of the presence of acid in the tomatoes. 

After a while solids will begin congealing at the surface of the liquid forming a 'raft' which is created by proteins, including albumins, mucoproteins and globulins, in the egg whites. Once the 'raft' begins to form reduce the heat and do not stir but carefully poke a hole in the raft so the stock can work its way around it. The stock is simmered  at a lower heat until it reaches the desired flavor and all the impurities come out of it, this takes anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour. The result is a clear and very flavorful liquid that will have a rich amber color for beef or veal, or a very pale yellow color for poultry consommé. 

Poultry Consommé

Carefully lift out the raft and pour the consommé through a filter to ensure its purity. If visible fat remains it can be skimmed from the surface with a paper towel. For complete purification, refrigerate the consommé to draw out any remaining fat that can be easily removed with a piece of cheesecloth. Another method involves pouring the consommé into a large bowl, cutting wide strips of parchment paper to carefully drag over the surface of the consommé, any tiny amounts of fat that are left will adhere to the parchment leaving you're consommé perfectly degreased. When mixing the mirepoix, the cartilage and tendons in the meats you use should be left on the meat because of the gelatin they contain, this greatly enhances the mouth-feel of the soup you are creating. When using beef or veal to create the part of the raft, shin meat is ideal; apart from being very low in fat, its also very high in gristle. This is essential for the flavor of a good consommé. The meat should be ground very fine.

Consommés are served piping hot because they are a thinner variety of soup so they lack the ability to retain their heat and cool down far more quickly than other soups, forming a gel in place of soup. More often than not, they served with garnishes that vary in complexity from a splash of Sherry or egg yolk to cut veggies, or they can be shaped into savory custards. In the 1700s they were made and used in cooking to enhance the flavor of other, daily-served dishes. Stock, Bouillon and Consomme's were always on hand and at the ready for cooking almost any dish. Along with prepared stock, consommé was used to create a beverage similar to what we know today as coffee.

Latte, as we know coffee today

It takes a large quantity of meat, bones and vegetables to create a high quality stock that will be used to yield only a small amount of consommé. When making the stock do not add any spices or flavorings, that will come after the consommé is made; if high quality meat, bones and fresh vegetables are used in the stock you may not need to add anything as the flavor of these will be enough.

Catspaw

MORE RECIPES FROM LOUISBOURG, NS Canada

Housewives and housekeeps used the same basic methods you and I use today: baking, frying, roasting and cooking in liquids; namely boiling, simmering and stewing. With the exception that they used very heavy cast-iron cookware, long handled fry pans and the spit with its jack for turning meat, fish and poultry.
In the house we are building I'm seriously considering having one of these:

Kitchen Fireplace Spitjack

I'd never have a cold house again!! Especially in Winter.

1700s Roasting Jack

Heavy cast-iron dutch oven

Clean/Season with oil, a cast iron pan

Long handled frying pan

Most of the French who settled Louisbourg came from the Coastal regions of Normandy, Brittany, southwest Atlantic coast and communities near Bordeaux. Bretons and Normans tended towards rich, creamy sauces and cooking with cider and calvados. While those from the west coast cooked with wine. Adaptions were made when certain foods were no longer available or were more expensive than in their native country. A replacement for wild boar in France, caribou became the option in the 1700s Cape Breton. 

A basic recipe and starter for Stocks and Sauces was Roux, what we know today as a thickener.

Roux
Combine equal portions of Flour and Butter! That's it!!

2 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Butter
Mix flour into melting butter and cook over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to allow it to 'brown' before adding another liquid.

Use to thicken liquids like stock, wine, milk and sauces. 

Reducing Method
Allows the meat, fish or vegetables juices to simmer uncovered until the amount of liquid has reduced. This intensifies taste and provides more body to the sauce. 

I made and used the roux with the Chicken en civet I made and it thickened wonderfully without the 'floury' taste you can sometimes get. 

Try this the next time you are making a sauce and see how it works for you.

Catspaw

CHRISTMAS CAT TREE

There was a mystery gift and it wasn't under the Christmas tree. Rather it was sequestered in behind the tv and covered over with a blue blanket ~ its hasty wrapping paper. When, what to my wondrous eyes should appear...

A brand new cat tree for the cats to enjoy! Me too, actually, because now they won't be on every other surface in the house and since they lost their last cat tree this past spring, they've been wanting one back. 
My husband made this tree from bits of rough hewn wood he found round the dairy. When, I don't know and when he got it into the house and down the stairs into the basement where I rarely go, I don't know and he isn't telling...
But I've been asking for one for a-g-e-s to keep the cats off other kitchen surfaces that they've claimed as their own and out from under my feet.

four cats in a tree

 

After putting it in the kitchen for the time being its become the most popular place in the house! Come January it will go in the living room front window.

This is the only way Molly and Sassy will share - 1. when they can't see each other and 2. when they are on different tiers.

The morning's entertainment on Boxing Day 2012;

For once Molly isn't hitting Winston and she can't see Blackie, so he's safe.
Of course, there's a story here, the grey cat on the highest tier is a little female; the one beside is a male...

Since she was fixed she's gained weight and  attitudes toward every cat that used to beat her up. 

So guess what?

Winston and the Grey male sharing the cat tree on Boxing Day morning.

Pretty much, you guessed it; she will take after any cat now...

Barn cats sharing a homemade cat tree

Happy Christmas to Everyone, including you're pets!

Prosperity, Family and Good Friends are all very welcome in the New Year ~ 2013

Catspaw