Umeshu
On vacation down in San Jose Japantown I saw ume (Japanese plums) for sale for $4.99/ lb. In Seattle they are $11.99 and all browned and bruised. I decided to get a couple of pounds and some kori sato (lit. "ice sugar") to whip up a batch of ume shu. The smart people at Nijiya had printed out the recipe rigth next to the ume.
Ume shu:
- 2.25 lbs of ume
- 2 lbs rock sugar
- 7.5 cups (1.75 ltr) shochu or other neutral alcohol*
Wash ume and remove the stems using a bamboo skewer.
Dry ume thoroughly.
Place ume in large glass jar.
Pour rock sugar over plums.**
Pour Shochu over plums/sugar.
Store in cool, dark place for at least three months. Best after one year.
* - I can't remember how I stumbled across it, but some time back I read about filtering cheap vodka with a brita filter. Since there's so much sugar in the umeshu you can't really taste the alcohol anyway so as long as you start with a pretty neutral spirit you're good. Six filterings through the brita turned my cheap, $20 bottle of vodka into a decent enough "white liquor."
** - it's important that the sugar goes over the plums. Plums float in alcohol. I've learned this the hard way.
Of course, the hardest part is waiting.
Dinner: Lima Bean and Porcini Soup
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/dining/251srex.html
Made this for dinner last night. Yum Yum. And it was a big hit with the mrs. and little one too. I opted for the lamb neck bones because that is what the wife bought at the grocery store. Having been Vietnamese in a past life I used a fair amount of fish sauce to add flavor and threw in some blanched collard greens at the end for some greenery. Definitely going to make this one again. I don't know if it's the lima beans or the barley, but the soup was very creamy and hearty. I would like to try it with beef shanks too to see the taste difference.
Made this for dinner last night. Yum Yum. And it was a big hit with the mrs. and little one too. I opted for the lamb neck bones because that is what the wife bought at the grocery store. Having been Vietnamese in a past life I used a fair amount of fish sauce to add flavor and threw in some blanched collard greens at the end for some greenery. Definitely going to make this one again. I don't know if it's the lima beans or the barley, but the soup was very creamy and hearty. I would like to try it with beef shanks too to see the taste difference.
Big feet mean ...
Lately, H has taken to carrying my boots around. I have no idea why it's the boots versus any of the other shoes I have but he seems particularly drawn to this pair. He also likes putting his feet into the boots and even sometimes trying to walk with them. It's all very comical. We moved him to the dining room to get a clear picture of him. Here he is. Destined for the NBA?
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