Excellent Adventures on Manitoulin ...continued

[Kerry Beal]

Some pictures before we left this morning -

The closet of stuff we leave behind -

The stuff we are taking home -

Still doesn't include the cooler bag with the fridge contents and the frozen turkey that is in the freezer at the clinic.

[Kerry Beal]

Off to the ferry we headed - South Baymouth was the place for breakfast - not our favourite place to eat - but the only game in town.

This is a hawthorn tree - producer of the hawberries which define the islanders. I'm sure I've mentioned before that people born on Manitoulin are called Haweaters and that the August long weekend (for which you don't want to be one of the doctors in town) is called Haweater weekend. Everyone born on the island is expected to come back for Haweater weekend - lots of alcohol and not enough places to put people up can result in some interesting situations.

Eggs with ham for each of us - makes it easy not to eat the carbs when the oil the potatoes were cooked in was probably changed last at the beginning of the season.

[Tri2Cook]

That's one well-packed car.

[Kerry Beal]

A stop in Owen Sound for slunch - supper/lunch rather later in the day. Not a lot open - we had been hoping to make it to Rocky Racoon's - a restaurant that serves a rather eclectic mix of items that reflect the chef's Sri Lankan background along with many other influences he's been exposed to. It was closed, the indian restaurant was closed, the japanese-thai restaurant was closed. Chaning - a chinese restaurant was open.

Egg rolls of course

Ginger beef

Sichuan chicken

A quick stop in Guelph to drop off a couple of things with the Matts - and we arrived home rather later in the evening.

I've unpacked the frozen turkey, the cooler bag full of refrigerated items, the eggs and the Kimchi - oh yeah and the tiny little duffle of clothes I brought. All else can wait until the morning.

[Kerry Beal]

That's one well-packed car.

We stopped in Owen Sound at KW Surplus - a store with a huge collection of strange and wonderful items - picked up a few things and tried to add them to the well-packed car. You recall the 'wafer thin mint'?

[Smithy]

That's one well-packed car.

We stopped in Owen Sound at KW Surplus - a store with a huge collection of strange and wonderful items - picked up a few things and tried to add them to the well-packed car. You recall the 'wafer thin mint'?

Please explain the "wafer thin mint" to me, because I don't get the reference...although I can probably guess the implication!

As a veteran of the "clear out the condo after lots of fun" schtick I can believe those pictures, but I also appreciate what goes into the process. I'm very glad that you're collectively so good at having fun and, er, leaving no traces...except possibly at the waistlines of Kerry's co-workers!

[Tri2Cook]

That's one well-packed car.

We stopped in Owen Sound at KW Surplus - a store with a huge collection of strange and wonderful items - picked up a few things and tried to add them to the well-packed car. You recall the 'wafer thin mint'?

That scene is playing in my head now... I can picture it with the car.

[Anna N]

I will leave Kerry to answer the "wafer-thin mint" puzzlement. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who followed along and offered advice and encouragement. I am at one and the same time glad to be home yet already missing the Island. Hope to see you all again next July! Anna

[rotuts]

your trips are always appreciated. looks like youve had extensive experience stuffing that closet and car.

[Kerry Beal]

We stopped in Owen Sound at KW Surplus - a store with a huge collection of strange and wonderful items - picked up a few things and tried to add them to the well-packed car. You recall the 'wafer thin mint'?

Please explain the "wafer thin mint" to me, because I don't get the reference...although I can probably guess the implication!

It's a Monty Python thing - I've attached the transcript here. Essentially it's a fellow who has eaten too much and John Cleese is encouraging him to have just a little more. If you google via youtube you'll be able to see the cut - kinda gross in a totally amusing way!

[Darienne]

DH and I have yearly experience with the stuff the van to the gills on the way home kind of thing...

About the Hawberries. Do you have any first hand knowledge of the eating of them? We have Hawthorns (and the dark blue berried Buckthorn) in profusion on the non-cultivated part of the farm. Because there at least 'seems' to be so many Hawberries on the trees, I had the impression that the birds don't eat them and therefore we shouldn't either. I'll take a better look this morning on the perimeter walk and also see what I can find on Google.

All information and recipes welcomed. Thanks.

[Dejah]

Not sure if you know what I mean when I saw Haw Flakes - a Chinese candy made from Haw, sold in stacks. My kids loved them when they were young and will still devour them when they find a stash.

Are these Haw Flakes made from Hawthorn berries?

Edited October 21, 2013 by Dejah (log)

[Kerry Beal]

DH and I have yearly experience with the stuff the van to the gills on the way home kind of thing...

About the Hawberries. Do you have any first hand knowledge of the eating of them? We have Hawthorns (and the dark blue berried Buckthorn) in profusion on the non-cultivated part of the farm. Because there at least 'seems' to be so many Hawberries on the trees, I had the impression that the birds don't eat them and therefore we shouldn't either. I'll take a better look this morning on the perimeter walk and also see what I can find on Google.

All information and recipes welcomed. Thanks.

I probably wouldn't eat them as is (cause they are kind of like a rose hip - just a pithy little dried thing) - but pick some and make jelly and you'll never look back.

[Kerry Beal]

Not sure if you know what I mean when I saw Haw Flakes - a Chinese candy made from Haw, sold in stacks. My kids loved them when they were young and will still devour them when they find a stash.

Are these Haw Flakes made from Hawthorn berries?

Yup - the chinese make all sorts of 'sweets' from Hawthorn.

[Hassouni]

For rotut's amusement - we have Wray and Nephew Overproof on 75 grams of JD chips with about 1/4 of a spent vanilla bean and 1 allspice berry. It's had about 1 1/2 minutes in the nuke which brought it up to about 60º C. I put the lid on immediately and it's cooling on the counter. I will do this one or two more times - tasting at that point to see what's what.

DSCN2264.jpg

So, how did this turn out?

[Kerry Beal]

For rotut's amusement - we have Wray and Nephew Overproof on 75 grams of JD chips with about 1/4 of a spent vanilla bean and 1 allspice berry. It's had about 1 1/2 minutes in the nuke which brought it up to about 60º C. I put the lid on immediately and it's cooling on the counter. I will do this one or two more times - tasting at that point to see what's what.

DSCN2264.jpg

So, how did this turn out?

Pretty yummy and smooth! Lovely vanilla notes.

[Hassouni]

For rotut's amusement - we have Wray and Nephew Overproof on 75 grams of JD chips with about 1/4 of a spent vanilla bean and 1 allspice berry. It's had about 1 1/2 minutes in the nuke which brought it up to about 60º C. I put the lid on immediately and it's cooling on the counter. I will do this one or two more times - tasting at that point to see what's what.

DSCN2264.jpg

So, how did this turn out?

Pretty yummy and smooth! Lovely vanilla notes.

How long did you let it go for? And why did you nuke it?

[Kerry Beal]

Ah - the nuking is the quick 'aging' process. You heat for short bursts in the microwave until the temperature reaches around 60-65º C. Then put the top off the mason jar on which will seal and form a vacuum.

Let it return to room temperature. Rinse, lather, repeat for 3 cycles. You could do this all in one day - or over a couple of days. When cooled the 3rd time - taste and see if you like it. You can continue - but beware - too many times will get you too much tannin. When you are happy with the taste (you should add some water to the sample before tasting) - take off the chips right away. Again leaving it on the wood will draw out too much tannin.

Letting it sit for a couple of days will mellow it out further.

The nuking and cooling 'under vacuum' is meant to simulate the cycles of heating and cooling that occur in barrel aging. But a whole lot faster.

[Hassouni]

Ah - the nuking is the quick 'aging' process. You heat for short bursts in the microwave until the temperature reaches around 60-65º C. Then put the top off the mason jar on which will seal and form a vacuum.

Let it return to room temperature. Rinse, lather, repeat for 3 cycles. You could do this all in one day - or over a couple of days. When cooled the 3rd time - taste and see if you like it. You can continue - but beware - too many times will get you too much tannin. When you are happy with the taste (you should add some water to the sample before tasting) - take off the chips right away. Again leaving it on the wood will draw out too much tannin.

Letting it sit for a couple of days will mellow it out further.

The nuking and cooling 'under vacuum' is meant to simulate the cycles of heating and cooling that occur in barrel aging. But a whole lot faster.

Is this functionally different than letting sit on oak for several days?

[Kerry Beal]

Yup - more flavour extraction and reduction in the raw alcohol burn.

Why don't you try a little side by side experiment with nuked and non nuked samples?

Edited October 24, 2013 by Kerry Beal (log)

[gfweb]

Tastes like bourbon?

[Kerry Beal]

Nope - tastes like wood aged rum.

[gfweb]

Har, matey.

[Hassouni]

Kerry, a few questions about your home-infused endeavours:

 

What were the colouring herbs you used for your absinthe, and how did you managed to have such a clear final product? My herbal infusions are awfully murky.

 

Similarly, I saw you added gelatin as a fining agent to your vermouth - how did you then get the gelatin out?

 

Thanks!

[Kerry Beal]

For the absinthe I used Roman Wormwood (artemisia pontica) aka petite wormwood that I purchased online. Also lemon balm, hyssop and veronica.  I let it settle for a while after filtering out the herbs, then run through fine filter paper.

 

The gelatin in the vermouth actually causes everything to settle to the bottom - so you are left with clear liquid on the top.