Preserving Fresh Herbs

It seems that the end of summer is when my herb crop is at its peak. This is perfect for me because it means that I have plenty of my favorite seasonings to save to use through the fall and winter.

Freezing Herbs
Just chop the leaves of your favorite herbs, such as basil or Italian parsley, and put 1 teaspoon into each cube of an ice tray and fill with water. After the cubes have frozen, pop them out and put them into a ziplock bag for easy storage. Then when you want to add the fresh taste of herbs to your favorite soup recipe, just drop in a few of these pre-measured cubes and let the flavor melt in.

Drying Herbs
Gather the herbs in the early morning, then wash them and pat them dry. Gently remove leaves from stems - herbs such as basil tend to bruise easily.
Place the leaves in a shallow basket for air-drying. If you're drying herbs with small leaves such as rosemary or oregano, it's best to use a holder with a tighter weave, like cheesecloth stretched over a frame.
Cover the leaves with newspaper to keep them from drying too quickly. The drying process usually takes three to four days. Once a day, shake and redistribute them so they dry more evenly.
Once all of the moisture is driven from the leaves, just crush or crumble them and then store them in labeled, airtight jars in a cool dark place.



Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
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How the Martini was Born

 

The Martini

The most well-known of cocktails, Western culture has created quite the lore and mythology surrounding the drink. The three-martini lunch became a popular phrase coined for expensive, long lunches taken by business executives. In fact, the Martini has become more of a class of drinks than one drink in particular – with variations like Appletinis, Vodka martinis and others becoming popular over the years.

The famous and powerful people who have favored the simple, yet potent, original – Winston Churchill, Truman Capote, Ernest Hemmingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald to name a few – have only added to the lore of this popular classic cocktail. The first Martini – or Martini-like drink – was poured sometime between 1862 and 1871 and was called a Martinez, a name to honor the humble town of Martinez, California, where it was purportedly first dreamed up by bartender Julio Richelieu, proprietor of the eponymous Julio Richelieu Saloon. That similar (but sweeter) version of the cocktail consisted of sweet vermouth, gin, bitters and was garnished with a maraschino cherry. This version (which was essentially a gin Manhattan) eventually gave way to the more contemporary drier version that includes gin, vermouth and bitters and was supposedly first made popular when John D. Rockefeller started downing them at the turn of the 20th century.

Although the origins of the first Martinez date back to the 1860s, the modern Martini first rose in popularity starting in 1900s. During prohibition, the Martini became the drink of choice (or no choice in many cases) in speakeasies across the country due to the quick accessibility and production of gin. In fact, it was often a gin Martini or no drink at all for customers hiding out in their secret watering holes. The modern Vodka Martini, which James Bond stalwarts will surely order shaken not stirred, was not created until much later and many Martini purists still claim the idea of a Martini made with vodka is preposterous. A steadfast and iconic cocktail, however, the classic Martini is here to stay, whether made with vodka or gin, dirty or not, with varying amounts of vermouth, neat, or over ice.

Put those tomatoes to good use!

What a GREAT way to use up all those tomatoes that are ripening quickly!

Caprese Salad
Serves 4 as an appetizer

8 ounces fresh mozzarella
2-3 tomatoes
1 bunch basil
Extra-virign olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Slice the mozzarella and tomatoes into thin slices. Lay tomato slices on a platter, top with a leaf of basil, and then layer with mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.



Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
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Easy Refrigerator Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are easy to make, and there's no need for kettle steamers, special jars, and vacuum-tight lids. Plus, unlike store-bought pickles, these scrumptious homemade pickles are low in sodium.

Ingredients

• 6 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
• 2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Place 3 cups cucumber in a medium glass bowl; top with 1 cup onion. Repeat procedure with the remaining 3 cups cucumber and remaining 1 cup onion.
2. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; stir well. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Pour over cucumber mixture; let cool. Cover and chill at least 4 days.
3. Note: Pickles may be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.

(Courtesy MyRecipes.com)



Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist
Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
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Here are a few common questions and tips regarding garlic…

Here are a few common questions and tips regarding garlic…

1. What are some garlic equivalents? 1 medium clove = 1 teaspoon minced = 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt = 1/4 teaspoon granulated = 1/8 teaspoon powder. (see note below about clove size–halve if small clove, double if large clove).
2. What does a clove equal minced? 1 small clove = 1/2 teaspoon minced; medium clove = 1 teaspoon minced; large clove = 2 teaspoons minced (these are approximate measurements).
3. How should bulbs be stored? They should be kept cool with good air circulation (don’t refrigerate and don’t store sealed in a plastic container). Keep a bulb or two in a small bowl or basket on the kitchen counter if you use it daily, the rest can be stored in a basket in a cool, dark pantry to prolong shelf life.
4. How can I store it once it’s minced? Put it in a small glass jar then cover with olive oil and refrigerate (use within the week). If you want to make big batches at a time, you can freeze it by storing in a small ziploc freezer bag, patting the garlic down into a thin thickness and to remove all the air, then pop in the freezer. Remove frozen pieces as you need by breaking off a chunk.
5. Can you freeze whole bulbs? Yes you can! Freeze whole, unpeeled bulbs in a freezer bag then remove cloves as you need. You can also separate the cloves before freezing or place peeled cloves in an empty icecube tray, cover each with olive oil, freeze, then pop them out and freeze in a large bag or airtight container–grab a cube when you need it.
6. Oops, there’s too much garlic in my dish…how to fix? Mix 1 teaspoon of sugar with two teaspoons of vinegar then mix with 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of water. Mix well then SLOWLY add to your cooked dish until you find an agreeable level of garlic taste. Just mix this in a little at a time since you may not need much!
7. How do you roast it? This is very easy to do and it’s delicious in mashed potatoes, on meat and vegetables, slathered on bread and used in many other dishes. See this page for directions.
8. Is there a way to make my own garlic salt? Sure! Grind dried garlic in a food processor until it’s a fine powder, measure then add 4 parts salt to one part garlic powder and mix for 2 seconds. Store in an airtight container.
9. Any tips for removing garlic smell from hands? Here’s a few: Remove the smell by rubbing your fingers over a stainless steel spoon. You can also rub a couple crushed crackers between your hands to remove the smell.
10. How do you peel cloves? For big batches dunk cloves for about 10 seconds in boiling water then strain and dunk in ice cold water. The cloves should pop out of their skins easily. If it’s just a few you need to peel, cut off one end of the garlic then peel off the skin with the blade of the knife. If the recipe calls for minced or crushed, just smash the clove with your knife (or rock as mentioned at the top of the page) and you’ll be able to pick out the skin easily.

Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
Visit out Facebook at
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A quick tip for chilled wine in a flash!

Wintery Wine

 

You forgot to chill the wine and you need it for your dinner.   You can try this quick tip to chill it quickly.

Grab a dish towel and get it totally wet.  Wring it out and wrap it around your bottle of wine.  Now just pop in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

If you need it quicker put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Don’t forget to set a timer if you put it in the freezer.  I have forgotten a bottle or two…..



Posted by Joanne Vanderhoef
Marketing and Media Specialist

Bone's Steakhouse
http://www.bonessteak.com
Visit out Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/bonessteak