-=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=-
RH> Meanwhile, our fig tree is beginning its summer time bonanza out put.
RH> I'll probably make some preserves again this year; we've been giving
DD> My grandparents had apple, cherry, apricot, paw-pae and crabapple
DD> trees in the back yard of their town home. And a regular orchard at
DD> the farm with more apples, peaches, cherries, pears and blackberry brambles
DD> as well as raspberries on the other side of the orhard. Gooseberies and May
DD> apples were available in the woods.
RH> So putting up was a big production in the summer. Steve had a bowl full
RH> (about 2 1/2 quarts) in the fridge so yesterday he pulled out the
RH> dehydrator. Dried them down to maybe about 2 cups. We'll probably do
RH> another batch or 2 in the dehydrator before the tree ends production,
RH> in probably early September.
The degydrator is nice. I use mine mostly for chilies - and the aroma
that permeates the house is a great appetite stimulant.
DD> I'm 82 years old and I have never had a fresh fig. I'll have to
DD> correct that lack ..... I've only ever eaten Fig Newtons from a store
DD> bought pkg.
RH> They are good; a Newton will give you a bit of the taste but nothing
RH> like eating one fresh off the tree. Rinsed but still warm from the sun.
DD> I'll ask the folks down Jeffries Orchard farm stand about the availability.
RH> Do so, it's an ancient fruit; I think more popular in the southern US
RH> than the northern. Fig preserves and a brie type cheese on a cracker
RH> make a nice nibble. Last year when we took some preserves out to our
RH> daughters, I told the grand kids that these were special, for their
RH> mothers,(mom was to share), not to be used like regular jelly/jam for
RH> pb&j or whatever.
Probably because the fig trees do not do well in the Northern climate
zones. I did some readig on what it takes to have a successful fig crop
in my area. YIKES!!! I'll buy figs that have been shipped in, Thenkew
veddy much. Bv)=
DD> I had a cherry tree in my front yard until the derecho winds hit last July.
RH> My parents had one for years, until a storm did it in. It happened just
RH> before we came up for a visit so Steve saved some of the wood for his
RH> smoker.
My tree service guy salvaged all the wood except the small branches for
his son's smoker. AFAIK I've never had cherry smoked anything. I have,
however, used grapevine cutting to smoke a chuck roast very successfully.
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
Title: Grapevine Smoked Chuck Roast
Categories: Five, Beef, Bbq
Yield: 6 Servings
3 lb Chuck roast
Garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Grapevines for smoke
After pruning the family's Concord grape vines, I
decided to use a few trimmings to make grapevine smoked
chuck roast on my gas grill. I'd never used grapevines
to smoke food before, so it was the perfect opportunity
to experiment with this new smoking wood.
I decided to use a chuck roast for two reasons. First,
it was a relatively inexpensive cut of meat. If the
grapevine smoke ruined the meat, the loss wouldn't be
that great. And second, beef chuck contains quite a bit
of fat and connective tissue, which adds to juiciness
and flavor. And I like juice and flavor!
Season the roast lightly on all sides with the salt,
pepper and garlic powder. Cover it and let it set at
room temp. Set up your grill for smoking, heating it
to 250┬║F/120┬║C. The pieces of grapevine can be wrapped
in a foil pouch, or put in a bread pan covered with
foil, and placed over one of the burners set on high.
When the grapevines begin to smoke, turn the burner
under the grapevines down to medium, then pop the
chuck roast into the grill and close 'er up. After
one and one-half hours at 250┬║F/120┬║C, wrap the roast
in a double layer of aluminum foil and place it back
in the grill. Increase the grill temperature to 350┬║F/
175┬║C degrees and continue cooking for another 1 1/2
hours.
Remove the grapevine smoked chuck roast and let it
rest, still wrapped in foil, for 20 to 30 minutes.
After the rest, it can be sliced for great tasting
sandwiches. A little homemade barbecue sauce would
be a nice finishing touch.
From: http://www.smoker-cooking.com
Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen
MMMMM
... When chickens get to live like chickens, they'll taste like chickens, too.
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