Prosecco & Berry Jam

Berries. So pretty. So yummy. So happy. Make them hot and juicy, add some bubbly Prosecco (not just for special occasions people!!), some sugar and you get JAM. Christmas present jam! 

Busy day today...I have a full on Christmas factory set up in our apartment and I'm heading to the Brooklyn Flea to complete my xmas shopping! I am determined. I need the shopping to be over. By the end of last night I was walking around Target just grabbing anything for gift wrapping that said $1.00. Anything. I have no idea how I ended up with so much crap!

Now I'm deep into the making of edible Christmas gifts. Jam. Truffles. Cookies. Cakes. Jam. On and on....Oh! And liquor! I got some amazing bowls and bottles and jars at Marshalls for giving gifts, I'll post pictures soon.

Jam on toast

First step...

 Later...

Yum yum jars!

 For you!

Prosecco & Berry Jam

You'll Need...

1 1/2 pint Blackberries

1 pint raspberries

4 cups sugar

750ml Prosecco

Put the berries in a large pot and heat them until they begin releasing their juices. Add the Prosecco and sugar and boil. This will take a while, the Prosecco will bubble a lot and you need to wait until the bubbles die down. Pour (carefully!) into hot sterilized jars. Seal and let set in a dark cool place, then store in the refrigerator. Give away!

Fig Jam

I'm doomed. I was doing so well eating healthy and working out and being better etc etc. Blah blah. Now I might be pulled out of poverty with a new job, so to celebrate I bought four kinds of cheese, bread and sopressata. From Costco. Where they don't give bags. So when I ran into Chako on the street on the way into our apartment, my purse was literally bursting at the seems full of GIANT WHEELS OF FRESH CHEESE. It was kind of embarrassing. I was going to put it all in the fridge, cut them smaller put small pieces towards the front and hide the giant chunks behind herbs and tubs of batter and dough that he never goes near. Now he (and all of you) know that I am weak. I am weak for cheese and will buy it in bulk and eat it every chance I get. It's very very bad. 

As Chako is standing on the street hysterical laughing at the contents of my purse and my bright red face, I worked to justify my behaviour. I had just made a jam. It was a miracle. Jam as yummy as this fresh fig jam deserved cheese (and lots of it!), he had a long day and deserved jam and cheese, he's had a long several weeks dealing with me while on the job hunt and deserved jam and cheese. On and on and on. I'm sure he really enjoyed the scene.

Thankfully, to complement my cheese insanity AND continuing my fig party and crossing off Jams from Fall To Do List, I made...FIG JAM! This jam is so pretty! Little fig seeds, chunks of figs, a beautiful golden jelly, all piled into a freshly sterilized welches jar. All about recycling in this tiny kitchen...or hoarding. Whatever. We broke this our for the first time at a dinner with our dear friends Teff & Ryan. Slather this jam on fresh bread with creamy brie...killer. 

For the record, I didn't do all the fancy canning jamming things for this batch, this was a trial to see how the recipe would turn out, therefor the ingredient measurements are only for one small jar. Next time I'll do a big batch with proper canning technique and everything because guess what, everyone is getting jam for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries you name it! So expect a follow up jamming post...

More beautiful figs

 Figs and sugar

 Lemon rind

Yummy sweet stuff in a pot

Needs some booze

First stage of cooking

Stage two of cooking

 Stage three of cooking

 Happiness in a jar.

Going on a jam making party. Raspberry jam, apricot jam, tomato jam...I'm going to make them all. And probably eat them with cheese. Come help us eat the crazy cheese in our fridge....

Fig Jam

Makes one jar

You'll Need...

About 10 figs, cut into small pieces (Smaller then the ones I cut, thats one thing I'll do better next time!)

1/4 cup of sugar  (You can add an extra tablespoon...I did)

1/8 cup of water

Juice from half a lemon

Rind from half a lemon

1 Tbsp of Cointreau

Put everything in a pot! Cook it over a high heat until its bubbling, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Once it bubbles for a few minutes (two or three), reduce the heat to medium, cover and let simmer for half an hour. Stir for a few more minutes on a medium heat, then remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer the jam into a clean, sterilized jar and refrigerate for four hours before using. 

Love.

Back from Chicago

Chako and I just returned from our long weekend in Chicago, visiting friends, enjoying a beautiful wedding and eating incredible food. Our dear dear friends Matt and Don invited us to stay in their lovely apartment. They are both incredible foodies, both have worked at all the best restaurants in Chicago. They pointed us in the direction of incredible eats in the city. 

Sadly, our little point and shoot digital camera that we brought with us is having some problems uploading to my computer, so pictures will have to wait..but a brief description of our two most exciting meals is in order.

For dinner on Saturday night we took a chance at trying to get a last minute spot at the The Purple Pig.

We didn't think we'd have a shot, but by some god given chance, there were two seats available at the kitchen counter, a great spot that directly over looks the kitchen, we were seated right next to the expeditor and just overlooking the Head Chef, Jimmy Bannos Jr. It was an awesome view, why people wouldn't want to sit there is beyond me. We had a great time. For dinner we had...

Course #1

Cheese and Charcuterie- Prosciutto di Parma, Blu di Bufala, Truffle Tremor, Parmigiano Reggiano

Course #2

Salt roasted beets with whipped goat cheese and roasted pistachios

Course #3

Greek salad 

Course #4

Pork Blade steak with 'nduja and honey

Course #5

Affogato with hazelnut soft serve

Summer Berry Crostata

It was an absolutely divine meal. We split everything and it was the perfect amount of food for the two of us, that blade steak was huge! Next time we are in town and go back (as we will!) we need to try the bone marrow and the pastry fried ricotta dessert. Highly recommend you check this place out if you are in the Chicago area! 

For brunch, Matt & Don took us to one of their favorite places, Jam.

This has incredible and creative brunch items. Great coffee and of course, great jam!

Course #1

Pastry- Peach coffee cake

Scone- cinnamon raisin

Course #2 (Chanty)

Eggs Benedict- english muffins, poached eggs, crisped pork belly, fennel hollandaise, roasted fennel

Course #2 (Chako)

Savory Buckwheat Crepes- braised lamb, asian pear, hazelnut-sage glaze

Course #3 (for the table...)

Malted Custard French Toast- macerated rhubarb, lime leaf cream, pink peppercorn

It was so good, I was so full. You know how people are always saying, "Nothing is better than bacon"? Well, NOTHING IS BETTER THAN CRISPED PORK BELLY!! Just saying.

Going to try and recreate some of these things soon, get ready.