Boozing it up, Autumn Style

So, our kitchen is a bit hectic today. The end of autumn has brought on a pretty amazing array of projects. I have never wanted a solar dehydrator more. Our garden gave something like 30 pounds of tomatoes this year, which is pretty awesome given how late they went in. Our community garden spots were finally available really late into the season, but everything we put in gave a lot for the amount of time we had them in the ground. We also tossed in some potatoes that just happened to have eyes when we brought them up from their cellaring. (We know how to do it better next year!) They tripled their weight even in a shallow bottomed raised bed, which is super cool.

This is how excited we are
 about fall produce!

We're so excited about squash, apples, and the variety of pears this year that we went a BIT over board at the market this morning, even with an excellent list on hand.

I made a still life! 

It's "make a lot of crap" day at our house and our first project was a little bit of a booze fest. We have plum wine brewing from red and purple plums that we started earlier this season and seeing how pretty they were we jumped into another batch with the Italian Prune Plums. So easy, essentially its vodka, plums and sugar in a jar and 6-12 months of patience. We decided we'd do limoncella which is pretty much the same deal with lemons when the citrus season hit, but in the mean time, since we were having so much fun we also picked up a variety basket from Tower Farms at the Bidwell Farmers Market. We tossed it all into the jars the same as the plums and since Tower calls them Sunshine Baskets, we have thus named in Sunshine Alky. Lest you think we are total lushes, we do love to entertain, and I don't think there is a better social lubricant available than homemade booze with local fruit and organic sugar. And it is SO pretty looking on the shelf.

Come over in a few months to taste it! 

And we are ending the day with making our own vanilla extract. Admit it: You are always running out, forgetting to pick up, or annoyed at paying for vanilla extract. Well, we heard from the folks at Wilson Street Farm that its as easy as dropping split beans in a bit of 80 proof alcohol. So we decided to go for it. The smell of the beans is sensual and lusty from INSIDE the container.

Then I'm also using some of my yogurt to make the pear custard bars in Simply in Season. BUY THIS COOKBOOK! I am going to cook from it 6 nights this week, and every time I open it I am amazed by how simple, honest, and real every recipe is. Each one comes from a family trying to live on local produce, all year round and it is inspiring. I will share pictures!


Visit them here: http://simplyinseason.org/