Smithy

U.E, if you have the space, I'd advocate freezing the fruits rather than drying them. I don't have a dehydrator, so maybe I'm selling the method short, but I've found I much prefer the berries (blueberries, raspberries, cherries) I froze during the best part of the season to the equivalent in dried form. Well...except possibly for the cherries. Dried tart cherries are a real treat eaten out of hand, and they seem to work better in baked goods than the frozen ones. I'd prefer the frozen ones for a pie, though. For freezing: I wash (gently) the blueberries or raspberries, spread them out on a towel to let them dry somewhat, then spread them on a tray and put that in the freezer. When they're well frozen, I load them into a freezer storage container and they're good to go. I've read many times that you aren't supposed to wash blueberries before freezing them. I disagree. I've tried side by side tastings and found no deterioration in quality between pre- and post-washed berries. In the meantime it's a real pain to wash frozen berries. They keep freezing the wash water and sticking to each other, making it necessary to keep scattering them apart unless you want to thaw them first. That's messy. With cherries I wash, then pit, then freeze all in a muddled mess, not separated at all.

That's good advice. I'll add some encouragement. U.E, I don't know where in the Midwest you are, but I can assure you that wonderful strawberries grow wild in the woods here in Northern Minnesota, and some people cultivate those same berries. I don't know if they're the same as the Alpine berries (my attempt to grow that cultivar failed) but they look much the same. Alpine or no, I can tell you that good strawberries grow up here for a short time. We're almost as far north as you can be in the Midwest while remaining a Yank...so if you're from southern Minnesota, even, or farther south, yes - you should have the climate to grow good strawberries. Talk to your extension agent about the proper soil, sun, planting, etc. Hmm. The cultivar is important. When I go home to central California (inland from chardgirl) and get strawberries from the stand, they're usually a bit smaller than the grocery store strawberry-flavored styrofoam things, which are (I suspect) grown on some equivalent of strawberry steroids. (No, I don't know if there's such a thing, but the idea of berries pumped up like Conan the Barbarian appeals to me.) The locally grown strawberries, when they finally hit their season, are smaller than the farmstand berries of California and considerably smaller than the supermarket variety, but they still never could be mistaken for wild strawberries.

Andie, you've given me something else to look for if I should decide I need a better chinoise. Mine are of the perforated steel ilk. (Somewhere I read that there's a different term for it, but I just grew up knowing it as a China cap.) When I need better filtration I resort to cheesecloth. I saw one of the wire-mesh variety at Williams-Sonoma one time and marveled at its fine gauge. I also wondered how easily damaged or clogged up it would be. The perforated steel liner inside the mesh sounds like a nice 2-stage filtration system that would protect the mesh. Hmm. Has anyone tried the gold coffee filters for this task? Maybe they don't come in large enough sizes.

Yes to most of the recommendations above, by Brad and Sparrowgrass. I haven't been to the Root Beer Lady's cabin so I can't swear by it, but I'd trust the recommendation. The Tower-Soudan mine and the Wolf Center are fascinating. A small correction: Brad, Temperance River State Park is farther north than Highway 1. You might be thinking of Tettagouche State Park, which is on the Baptism River. (Temperance, Baptism, what's the difference? ) Tettagouche's entrance is at the junction of Hwy 1 and Hwy 61. But you're right on both counts: that route is about the longest way to get to Ely (more so than just going to Duluth and up, or going farther to Two Harbors and up) - and it's very pretty.

Very cool, JAZ. I can see just enough of the candles to get an idea of what it must have been like. When you get around to posting in more detail in the Fine Spirits and Cocktails forum, I'll be interested to learn what differences you detected in the three styles of tequila. I'm guessing it was more than just the strength of the flavor. Thank you very much for blogging! It's been an enjoyable week, lit by your fine prose and photos.

Good job, Melissa! I didn't even see the slot until after I'd posted, but I still wouldn't have had any good ideas. (I do still like the visual image of zesting a tree trunk, but somehow I doubted that was it. )

It looks like a zester from the inside, but how would you get the fruit inside without barking your knuckles? Uhm. It's for zesting something stationary, like the bark from some tree or large plant big enough to hold still while you run the zester up and down the trunk. Cinnamon bark, for instance.

I've never owned or had a chance to try one of those Twist 'n' Chop things, but every time I look at it I think, "No way could that work as advertised." I guess you just confirmed my assessment.

Wait...you mean that fancy cookie press lurking back in the bottom cupboard might never get used? Meanwhile...I just have to know what Tupperware came out with other than a slotted spoon?! Photo, please! I like the "coffin" designation. In our household, though, everything's jumbled into a drawer with the useful stuff. Hmm.

I'm not worried about their food safe-ness, but they clog in a heartbeat and then, as noted above, rupture. Stick with cheesecloth, or muslin, or the chinoise. Coffee filters, by the way, work for thin liquids, but in my experience they'll clog easily too, and you can't squeeze them to force the liquid through.

Well, that answers my question about cleaning up the Emile Henry...that is, why you haven't answered my question yet! If the blog is closed before you empty and clean that pot, as I suspect it will be, please post about it on an some other appropriate thread. ETA: anything you can tell us in the remaining time about your classes, past or present, will be welcome.

Ooh, apricot kernel oil sounds wonderful. I'll bet it smells like sweet almonds. Hmm. Match it with a tart, neutral vinegar and a touch of orange juice? I confess, my mind is running away from an apricot oil vinaigrette and right onto drizzling it over chocolate cake, or chocolate brownies, or perhaps a mocha dessert of some sort...or an almond quick bread...mmm. Apricots and coffee. Apricots and chocolate. Apricots and almonds. What could be bad? I've used sunflower seed oil; it's readily available here. However, I can't remember doing anything special with it in terms of a salad dressing. If "virgin" sunflower seed oil is of a distinctly higher quality, I may have to go hunt for it.

How did the texture of the hand-pounded nut butters compare, Andie? I like the Real brand peanut butters - runny, still with chunks, has to be stirred, with a lot of very creamy peanut goo. I'll bet it would take forever to do with a mortar and pestle.

Welcome to eGullet, Sebastian_Ignacio! You, er, wouldn't care to say more about cleaning up melted plastic vs. ash after you burn the boards?

Yeowch!

Some time back I discovered that walnut oil and good balsamic vinegar like each other a lot, almost to the point of magic. If I want a change from my standard olive oil and vinegar combination I generally go that route. Sorry I can't think of which herbs or seasonings I add. Garlic, or shallots, for sure. Dried thyme is a nice addition. I can't remember whether I've liked mustard in that combination, although my olive oil/vinegar dressing generally uses it. Pistachio oil is another nice one, but I haven't found a vinegar that gives it the same "wow" factor as the walnut-and-balsamic combination.

JAZ, remember please to tell us about the cleanup of the EH vs. LC!

It does look good. I'll definitely have to try that recipe. Interesting about the moisture. I meant to comment earlier on your Meyer lemon tree. Isn't the smell of citrus blossoms the most wonderful thing? Lucky you! The rampant rosemary looks a treat, too.

I'm eagerly awaiting your assessments! I like to do the head-to-head comparisons like you're doing, and such tests are what convinced me that mass matters in braising. I haven't tried the Emile Henry stuff but I'm curious to hear about it. My experience with beans has been about like yours was. I keep hearing raves and wondering why. I'll try that cowboy cassoulet; it sounds like it might change my mind!

There are other good stops along the North Shore, and if you drive up along that way, don't let anyone fool you into going to Betty's Pies for pie. It's not bad, but I think it's very overrated, probably living on an old reputation from when it was the only place along that stretch. 4 or 5 miles farther up the shore in Castle Danger you'll find the Rustic Inn. They make the best pies, bar none. But unless you're taking the scenic route (or your boyfriend's family lives on the North Shore) I doubt you'll be going that far. I should add a warning about the fish. It's hard to beat "shore lunch", properly done, with the fish and potatoes and onions fried just right. It's also a tradition up in these parts. Unless there's so much fish that people are looking for a change, you might want to go lightly on the idea of different recipes. It's like, well, messing with Thanksgiving traditions. They might decide you're a Heathen and forbid your boyfriend to marry you.

Sucrose=sucrose. The difference is believing the marketing trying to make you think one is better than the other. ← Ha, we might have to move this one to its own thread! I agree that sucrose = sucrose, but what about the trace compounds present with it? And no, I don't know if I can tell the difference; I haven't tried them side by side. But couldn't there be a difference, just as there's a difference between, oh, corn syrup and maple syrup? Or honeys from different flowers? (...shuffles off, mumbling, to consult McGee...)

Good luck with the fishing! The last time I cooked walleye, I dipped the filets in an egg batter, then in chopped pecans with some seasonings, then sauteed it. The pan juices were turned into a sauce that went over the whole thing, with the help of some wine and lemon juice to deglaze. The filet and sauce went onto a bed of greens, with vinaigrette drizzled over it, and I was in heaven. I don't know that I'd call this a "favorite" recipe - first because I've only done it once, and second because I was feeling my way as I went, but I'd do it again. It's the last thing I cooked in the above-mentioned foodblog, if you want more information. I'm glad the links look helpful. I really am impressed with the way the food scene has grown in Duluth. Where south of Ely will you be staying? Someplace on Birch Lake? Would a restaurant in Gilbert be considered "on the way" enough for you? If so, I recommend The Whistling Bird. It's a Jamaican restaurant, of all things, on the main street of Gilbert, and it's so popular that reservations are strongly advised. The food is excellent. Gilbert isn't necessarily on your way, but it depends on the route you intend to take.

No cast iron on a glass cooktop? Oops... I don't remember reading that in my stove's booklet. No problems...yet. ← I don't have a glass cooktop, but if I recall correctly they warn against cast iron just because of the potential to either scratch the cooktop or drop the heavy pot and break the glass. The triangular wire thingy should be all right if it doesn't hang outside the "burner" area and conduct heat to a surface that isn't designed for hot items. When I was investigating glass cooktops I was told that you shouldn't use a pot bigger than the prescribed area, because the metal would overheat the glass outside the burner ring. If, for instance, you have a 10" burner, I think the ring of protected glass around it is a 12" diameter. My 20" canning kettle was a clear no-no.

There are some great grocery stores in Duluth. The Farmers' Market will be open, but I doubt there will be much in the way of produce yet - possibly a few herbs. Tomatoes will certainly not be available then. The Whole Foods Coop has expanded and moved to its new location, just east of the downtown area. They specialize in organic produce, bulk products (coffee, flour, beans, herbs and spices) as well as packaged products. They now also carry a fair selection of meats: grass-fed beef and lamb, free-range chicken. Fish, I think. I have admired the meats but not been willing to spend the money on them yet, but I know they're certified as to how they were grown and handled. Whole Foods Coop also has a good deli section. They're at 610 E. 4th Street (near the intersection of 4th Street and Central Entrance - or do they call it 6th Ave. E there?). Here's their web site. Cub Foods, up on the hill on Central Entrance, has a good cheese section and an excellent produce section. They're my first choice for produce because of the variety and quality, but if I stuck to organic produce my selection would be more limited. Their selection of "ethnic" foods (they call it the World Market) is expanding too; no longer does "ethnic" necessarily imply Mexican or Chinese in this town. They have a steadily-expanding organic produce section but it isn't their main emphasis as at Whole Foods Coop. They're at 615 W. Central Entrance. If you wanted to do some advance scouting you could call at (218) 727-0272. I am particularly fond of their "take and bake" breads, too. The Italian Peasant loaf makes a frequent appearance around our house. Festival Foods is the newcomer to the grocery store world up here. They're a large, good-quality grocery store with good prices and selection. Having said that, I'll also say that they're off the beaten path for you no matter which way you go to Ely, and I don't think they can do anything for you that Whole Foods Coop or Cub can't do. They're at 1316 W. Arrowhead Road, and good luck finding them if you're wandering without a guide. Northern Waters Smokehaus is a genuine cheese place with real raw milk cheeses and an amazing assortment of imported cheeses, given their size. They're on the waterfront, near the Lift Bridge in the Dewitt-Seitz Building. They'll let you taste samples. They also carry cured meats, cultured butters and some other odds and ends, and an excellent selection of smoked fish. For a bit more information about them you can check out my foodblog from last summer, or visit their website here. The Blue Heron Trading Company is the local kitchen and gourmet store, and it's located in the same building as Northern Waters. I talk about it in the foodblog also. Between Northern Waters and the Blue Heron, I do pretty well in the gourmet food supply department. Mind you, I still go crazy in major metropolitan areas, because Duluth just can't support the variety of the larger urban areas, but we do all right. My foodblog link takes you to the start of a post that includes Northern Waters Smokehaus and the Blue Heron Trading Company. Those are down toward the bottom of that particular post. Farther up in the post is a discussion about Russ Kendall's Smokehouse, in Knife River. They also sell fine smoked fish, and have a selection of cheeses. Their cheese selection isn't as good, but I'd say their fish selection is broader in terms of variety of fish available. If I get to Ely in the next month or so I'll do some scouting around for you, but the assessment of their stores might be about right. Feel free to ask more questions, or if you think it's appropriate you can PM me instead.

I think that Kyocera slicer goes way thinner than my (admittedly cheap) mandoline. I'll keep that in mind when the mandoline breaks.