Some items Becky brought it to share with the class

Canning has always been something I’ve been interested in learning about, but was always a bit afraid of because of the feeling that it was overly complicated and difficult. But after last night’s class at The Happy Cook, where Becky Calvert introduced canning to about 20 or so people, I feel much more comfortable trying it, and can’t wait to get started later this summer.

Books about canning abound, and Food in Jars is one I will pick up right away.

There are a lot of books about canning, and Becky brought a few of her own stash to share with the class last night, and “Food in Jars” (which is also a blog) looked like a beautiful introduction to the art that conjures up images of our grandmothers from the past “putting up” large quantities of fruits and veggies for the long winter ahead.  Canning got it’s start back in the late 1700′s when in 1795 the French Military “offered a cash prize of 12,000 francs for a new method to preserve food,” and Nicolas Appert, a French Chef and confectioner succeeding in storing soups, vegetables, juices, dairy products, jellies, jams, by placing the food in glass jars, sealed them with cork and sealing wax and placed them into boiling water.

Strawberries for jam were on the menu last night.

In order to demonstrate just how simple canning can be, Becky brought in some strawberries, and started by cutting them in quarters and heating them with some sugar.  Each participant received a hand out with recipes, and was able to follow along as the strawberries reduced and Becky explained the different tools necessary for canning, and the folks at The Happy Cook had a bunch of beginner kits and other tools available for sale as well.

Becky speaking to a full house at The Happy Cook last night.

The important part about canning, I learned yesterday, is that everything has to be clean and sterile, and after that as long as you follow a few simple rules about time and temperature you won’t have any trouble, and you can “can” just about anything. Becky brought it some  Curried Pickled Squash that she had from last year that tasted wonderful, and pickled peaches that were delicious.

The different in jars is somewhat personal

Becky, a self described “Jar Geek,” had a number of different canning jars on display and explained the benefits and differences of the various designs.  Ultimately, though it comes down to a personal preference, and most any jar on the market is going to work well as long as you can get a good seal between the lid and the jar. The jars and rings are reusable but the lids are not, which was news to me, and you can get plenty of them at The Happy Cook.

The funnel prevents the food from getting on the edge of the jar, and helps with the seal.

Filling the jar to the first line leaves just enough space at the top.

After filling the jars with the reduced strawberry and sugar mixture, lids were put on top of the jars and finger tightened with rings, and then placed into a large pot of water that was almost boiling. An important aspect of the canning process is that the jars can not be touching the pan bottom, and there must be a trivet in the bottom of the pan, or you can purchase a specific pan that has a jar holder built into it. There needs to be ample room for each jar (about an inch around each side) so the bigger pot you have the more you can can at a time.

Becky pulling out the jars after they had been boiling for ten minutes

The final part is simply waiting for the water in your pot to come to a boil, and then to allow it to continue for the prescribed amount of time, in this case ten minutes for the strawberry jam.  Becky answered a number of different questions as pickles and peaches were passed among us, and she explained the difference between hot water bath canning and pressure canning.  Becky will be back at The Happy Cook on May 28th for Pickling 101 and then on June 11th for Pressure Canning.  Please check The Happy Cook Calendar for other upcoming classes.

Thanks for reading along and don’t hesitate to leave a comment or ask a question.

Cheers,

Justin

Gratin Dauphinois or Scalloped Potatoes

In order to make a great Gratin, one of my favorite things from my childhood,  the one item kitchen item that you need is a mandoline.  Though not online at the moment, the Oxo Mandoline, which is what we have, is available at The Happy Cook, or by calling 434-977-2665.  The Oxo Mandoline, comes with straight and wavy blades that can be set to any slice thickness and are ideal for making cucumber salad, potato chips, onion rings, citrus slices, french fries, carrot sticks and garnishes with the thin and thick julienne blades.  I made Gratin Dauphinois or what my mother called Scalloped Potatoes.

The “gratin,” comes from the French meaning “to scrape” or the “scrapings” of bread or cheese that is often found in casserole dishes with a crusty top.  The Dauphine, a region in France, is part of southeastern France that since the time of the French Revolution has has been divided into three departments, Isère, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes and is the site of the Dauphine Libere, a yearly tune up for those who will ride in Le Tour de France cycling race.

A mandoline is something every kitchen should have.  You can use it to slice up some potatoes, like in this case for the Gratin, or for slicing carrots or any vegetable you can imagine.  We often use our mandoline to slice squash and zucchini for grilling during the summer.  For this recipe I grabbed some leftover spiral ham we had in the freezer and added that to the Gratin.

Using a mandoline is great for getting all of your slices exactly the same width, which helps with presentation but most importantly with cooking time.  When baking and frying, having the same size ensures the cooking time will be the same for all the items in your pan.  Another great reason to have a mandoline is that it takes the “danger” out of a lot of kitchen knife work.  Because the blades are protected, and it comes with a carrier to hold the item to be cut, a mandoline used correctly can be fast, safe, and really efficient.

Next I diced up some of the leftover ham, and Utah and Normand were good about helping with those unused scraps, and then chopped some fresh sage that we had to add some more flavor.

I grated some Gruyere, a cow’s milk cheese from Switzerland that is a bit salty and nutty and is great for things like quiche and yes, Gratin, and added that to the pile of things I was collecting.  Once all the ingredients were prepped, I put some butter to melt in a pan, and added some flour to create a bit of a roux and added milk to the mix.   I also added a couple of table spoons of sour cream and the Gruyere and grated in nutmeg.  Salt and pepper to taste and that was done.

After using a wisk to bring this all together over a medium heat, I layered the the potatoes and ham in my stoneware pan, and poured the creamy mixture over it, and did the same a number of times.   I finished with a bit of grated sharp cheddar on top and put the mix into the oven covered for about an hour.

A mandoline is perfect for veggies, and firm fruits like apples, pears and the like, and is essential in every kitchen.  Be sure and pick up a mandoline at The Happy Cook, and check on line for more classes and events happing in the coming month.

Cheers – JI

A pro in any kitchen!

Kitchen tools are a world unto themselves, and you can find just about anything at The Happy Cook, here in Charlottesville. In that world there are a few items that you simply can’t live without.  A good chef’s knife is important in any kitchen, as cutting, chopping, peeling and slicing are a part of any food prep and cooking  that you can think of today.  A stand mixer, like a Kitchen Aid, is an item that if you do any baking or mixing of ingredients at all, seems to be found in both home and professional kitchens everywhere.  And I would argue that a Vita-Mix Professional Series is right up there on the list of must have tools in the modern kitchen, because of it’s versatility and ease of use.

Soup in ten minutes ... yeah it can do that!

Traditionally a Vita-Mix has been compared to a blender, and juicing and making smoothies are the first items that come to mind, but the reality is that a Vita-Mix is like a blender on steroids, and making juice or a smoothie are only scratching the surface of what one can do with them these days.   Yesterday for lunch in the time it takes to make a good cup of tea, my wife and I created a warm carrot and ginger soup in “one pot” – the Vita-Mix machine, and enjoyed something fresh and flavorful.

Coarse chopped ingredients ready for the Vita-Mix

Load it all in ... and let it rip!

With the power and variability of the Vita-Mix, it is so easy to simply load up the machine with your ingredients and turn it on and away you go.  Along with the Vita-Mix comes a manual, that is more of a cookbook than a manual, and it provides you with a multitude of different items to make from soups to nuts, really!

Carrot Ginger Soup whizzes away inside - don't try this at home, it could get messy!

Our lunch .. Carrot Ginger Soup with a dollop of cream and a parsley leaf.

After lunch we decided to put the Vita-Mix through the paces and make another common item that is wonderfully useful and easy to make, Almond butter.  One reason that Almond butter is so useful is because it is is comparable to Peanut butter (something you can also make in the Vita-Mix) but is a great alternative with great nutritional value, 26% more Vitamin E, 50% more monounsaturated fat and about 25% less saturated fat.

You can use raw or roasted almonds to make your almond butter.

We had some Dry Roasted and Unsalted Almonds on hand so we simply put three cups of the nuts into the Vita-Mix, added a touch of salt because our nuts were unsalted, and let it whirl.

Roasted, unsalted nuts ready to become butter.

Beautifully smooth almond butter makes a great and health snack.

Utah approved!

In a matter of minutes, with a drizzle of grapeseed oil to smooth out the consistency, we had the most amazing Almond Butter, which was “Utah approved,” which should be refrigerated after you make it, and look forward to using it in the mornings on toast and English muffins. So get out there and get a Vita-Mix, and make something other than smoothies and juices.  In the last week we’ve used it to make Ice Cream as well, and we’ve only just begun to see the potential this amazing machine has in store for us.

Thanks for reading along.

Cheers,

Justin

Get your Vita Mix at The Happy Cook online or in store.

The Mason Shaker has Charlottesville Roots.

Cocktail shakers have been around since the beginning of time, and by the late 19th century, the cocktail shaker as we now know it was in wide use.  But it took a bit of southern flair and it two former students from UVA, Eric Prum and Josh Williams to bring the Mason Shaker into existence. “We were randomly selected as first year room mates,” said Eric Prum via email, “and hit it off right away. I am a Charlottesville native, and Josh is from Northern VA, and we have been fortunate enough to still be able to work together 9 years later.”

The Mason Shaker is old world southern flair

“The actual idea was born out of make shift mason jar cocktail shakers we fashioned in college” said Eric.  Both Virginia natives were from the Class of 2008 at UVA and presently can be found in Brooklyn, NY. “It took a bit of design work and time to get there, but we finally came up with the final concept last spring,” and the Mason Shaker is the first of a number of new items they have in mind.

All the makings for a traditional Side Car.

I personally found the Mason Shaker to be a great addition to our kitchen because of it’s natural appeal and size.  You can make double and triple drinks – or even more if you have to – inside the Mason Shaker which holds a full 32 oz..  Another nice part is that you can actually see inside the jar as your are mixing the drink, which is both enjoyable and handy.  Eric said “The shakers are great- the Ball Jars have both metric and imperial measurements on each side, they look great on the mantle, and the cap acts as a one ounce jigger,” which can be helpful in creating cocktails.

A Mason Shaker makes great addition to any cocktail makers kitchen.

The Happy Cook is stocked up with Mason Shakers, and they are a great addition to any cocktail makers kitchen.  With warmer weather, the advantages of being able to make multiple drinks at once will make the Mason Shaker one of the hot items this summer.  And be sure and be on the look out at The Happy Cook for some new items from the former UVA grads coming in May.

Cheers,

Justin

Get your Mason Shaker at The Happy Cook online or in store.

Brookville Restaurant features 90 plus percent local products everyday.

The term locavore was coined by professional chef and author Jessica Prentice back in 2005, and the word was the Oxford English dictionary’s word of the year in 2007. The idea to eat “locally” spawned a movement that has since spread world wide, and here in Charlottesville, one of it’s biggest proponents is Chef Harrison Keevil of Brookville Restaurant.  On Sunday,  April 14, 2013, Chef Keevil will share some of his philosophy, cooking skills and inspiration at The Happy Cook Farm to Table series, from 5:00 – 6:30 PM, and you can call (434) 977-2665 for tickets, which are $40 per person, tasty bits and beverages included.  Click here to book online.

Chef Harrison Keevil behind the line at Brookville Restaurant

I caught up with Chef Keevil last week at his restaurant and talked to him about the upcoming class at The Happy Cook.  Chef Keevil grew up in Richmond, Virginia and after a circuitous route to the kitchen, which included stops in California, London and San Francisco, he opened Brookville Restaurant in Downtown Charlottesville in 2010 with his wife.  About the class series, Chef said, “We partnered with The Happy Cook to create a Farm to Table class series, where I team up with a local farm, and we could just show and give credit to the local farmers who are really doing all the hard work.”  It seems to me to be a prefect match, because The Happy Cook itself is locally owned and operated since 1978.

Looking at tickets during dinner service

“Brookville was founded with the philosophy of sourcing and utilizing as much locally grown product as we can,” said Keevil, “right now we are 90 percent locally grown … so most everything comes within 100 miles, and everything else we get from small local purveyors here in town, so our money can go back into the local community.”  This standard will be on display during the Farm to Table cooking class at The Happy Cook  when Chef Keevil presents Shiitake Crepes made with locally sourced mushrooms from Sharondale Farm on April 14, 2013.

Shiitake Crepes with micro greens and smoked Piedmont

“I love this recipe because it is a fun vegetarian recipe that is delicious year round,” said Chef Keevil. “It’s a nice simple vegetarian dish … the last of the cold weather kind of warm you up dishes, that will hold you over until all the greens of the spring arrive.”  Crepes, a thin French kind of pancake, is something everyone can benefit from learning how to make.  I learned to make crepes in Normandy, France back when I was an exchange student, and once you make your own at home – you can fill them with sweet as well as savory items, they will become a regular on your weekend menu. When asked about the hardest part of making crepes for this recipe, Chef said, “The hardest part is the crepe. You have to make sure your heat is not too high because you want as little color as possible.”

So come on out and support our LOCAL FARMS and CHEFS, and sign up for this great evening at The Happy Cook.  Chef Harrison Keevil from Brookville Restaurant will be cooking Shiitake Crepes, among other treats! Learn about this local farm, eat great food, and enjoy a fun evening out with your friends! $40/person, beverages included. (434) 977-2665 Sun., April 14, 5-6:30 pm.  Click here to purchase tickets online.

Justin, at right, in the kitchen at Menton in Boston.

Starting soon The Happy Cook will add a new voice to its social media team when professional photographer and food blogger Justin Ide joins the operation, periodically contributing to the store’s blog, Facebook, and Instagram pages. Justin is a recent transplant to the Charlottesville area from Boston, Massachusetts where he worked as a photographer for Harvard University, as well as photographing for some of Boston’s best known chefs.  Look for new posts on items for your kitchen that you can find at The Happy Cook as well as stories about cooking classes, chefs, local farmers and upcoming events.

Welcome to Charlottesville!

Come eat and talk about our local food scene with a Chef who is devoted to it every day!  Chef Harrison Keevil from Brookville Restaurant will feature menu items from local sources every second Sunday right here at the Happy Cook!

Harrison will feature Timbercreek Organics in Charlottesville for his first offering.  Menu: Holstein Schnitzel, Pork and Eggs. Beverages included. $40 per person – (434) 977-2665.  5-6:30pm.  Pre-payment required.

This is a great menu for anyone looking for healthy vegan alternatives or for those who just want to find healthy and delicious recipes to add to their at home repertoire. Chef Ingrid Berger will be preparing Carrot Soup with Cilantro, Toasted Cumin & Lime; Roasted Cauliflower with Almonds, Baby Spinach, Quinoa & Sauce Romesco.  Beverages included. Pre-payment required.  40 dollars per person.

Tim Gearhart, owner and chocolatier, of Gearhart’s Chocolate will be doing a limited edition “Chocolate Making Class.”  Tim will prepare his famous truffles and students will leave not only with their “Chocolate Fix” but also a gift box of truffles.  40 dollars per person, Beverages included.  Pre-payment required.  6-7:30 pm.