#edible gift

[askwhatsforlunch]

Lady Grey Date Jam

Every year for Christmas, I make edible gifts for my family and closest friends, whether they are Chocolates, Homemade Liqueurs, Chutneys, Pickles and Other Conserves or Festive Bakes and Biscuits! This year, I'm making a lot of jams and spreads, starting with this delicately fragrant Lady Grey Date Jam! I shall send this one to my girlfriend because she works at a record store and it's a date jam!

Ingredients (makes a small jar):

3/4 cup Medjool dates

1 Lady Grey tea-bag (Earl Grey works too, but I find the Lady is more aromatic!)

1 cup boiling water

1/8 teaspoon Mixed Spice

1 heaped tablespoon good Chestnut Honey

Place Medjool dates in a small bowl. Add Lady Grey tea-bag, and pour boiling water all over. Cover with cling film and allow the dates to plump up and infuse, at least one hour.

After one hour, remove the tea-bag, and removes pits from the dates --it will be easier and neater now than trying to do it before soaking them-- and put the dates in a blender.

Pour in Lady Grey tea and sprinkle in Mixed Spice. Blitz until very smooth.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat.

Stir in Chestnut Honey until completely melted, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon until the jam slightly thickens and darkens.

Pour hot Lady Grey Date Jam into a sterelised jar, and close tightly. Allow to cool and set. Then, label and store.

Once opened, keep Lady Grey Date Jam up to a month in the refrigerator, although it might not last that long!

[omnivorescookbook]

Pineapple Cake (凤梨酥), A Simplified Version A simplified Taiwanese pineapple cake featuring a buttery crumbly dough filled with a fragrant tangy pineapple filling.

Recipe: https://omnivorescookbook.com/pineapple-cake/

[delta-breezes]

Edible Gift - Brownie Mix | Call Me Cupcake 

[askwhatsforlunch]

Bergamot Marmalade

When we were in Menton, in the Summer of 2023, we brought home a host of citrus-y goods, the French Riviera town being renowned for its lemons. One of my favourite was an absolutely delectable Confiture de Bergamote, which unique flowery scent and flavour beautifully spruced up a morning toast or Yoghurt! I made this golden Bergamot Marmalade, glistening like amber or jewels, for my sister!

Ingredients (makes a medium jar):

2 bergamots

3 lemons

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup water

Thoroughly grate the zest of a whole bergamot and a whole lemon into a medium saucepan.

Cut the tops and bottoms off each bergamot and lemon. Working with one citrus fruit at a time, sit it on a cutting board and cut off the skin, removing all the white pith, turning the bergamot or lemon as you go.

Then, holding it over the saucepan with one hand, cut segments out of the fruit until none remains, then squeeze hard to release every last drop of its juice.

Proceed likewise with remaining bergamots and lemons. Scoop out the pips, and stir in caster sugar and water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then boil rapidly for about 25 minutes, stirring very often, until marmalade thickens slightly and takes a golden hue.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, 5 minutes more.

Pour hot Bergamot Marmalade into a sterelised glass jar, close tightly with its lid, and turn upside down on your kitchen counter. Allow to cool completely, label and store.

Once opened, keep Bergamot Marmalade up to three weeks in the refrigerator, but it shan't last that long!

A bergamot tree (Citrus bergamia) at the Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden in Menton, France (August 2023)

[omnivorescookbook]

Chinese Peanut Brittle (花生糖) Crunchy, sweet and nutty, peanut sesame brittle is a delicious treat that can easily be made at home.

Recipe => https://omnivorescookbook.com/chinese-peanut-brittle/

[omnivorescookbook]

Taro Bread This taro bread has a light and fluffy milk bread base swirled with a lightly sweetened taro filling.

Recipe: https://omnivorescookbook.com/taro-bread/

[omnivorescookbook]

Black Sesame Chocolate Truffles Black sesame chocolate truffles feature silky smooth truffles mixed with nutty black sesame paste and coated with a crispy chocolate crust.

Recipe => https://omnivorescookbook.com/black-sesame-chocolate-truffles/

[ronniefein]

Red Tomato Jam

The Jewish holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah mark the end of the year and the annual cycle of Torah readings. This joyful “ending”reminds me of school commencement which comes after the completion of required courses but means “a beginning,” a celebration of accomplishments but with a look to the future.

We’re done; it’s time to look ahead.

With this in mind, this year my Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah menu will focus on the end of the vegetable garden I planted last spring and using the harvest in new ways.

All summer we were blessed with fresh tomatoes that I used for sandwiches, salads, pizzas and sauce. And fresh chili peppers that went into mango salsa and roasted pepper soup. But recently we had a horrific rain storm that more or less put an end to my garden. I harvested the not so beautiful end of season tomatoes and cooked them into jam: Green Tomato Jam and, with the ripe red tomatoes, this simple Red Tomato Jam.

This was such a delicious way to make use of what was left! It’s vaguely sweet, with a hint of cumin. So far I’ve used the jam for grilled cheese sandwich and also as a spread for a cheese board.

Next: a topping for either burgers or steak.

There’s more to come of course. I’ll keep you posted.

New beginnings.

follow me on Instagram @RonnieVFein

RED TOMATO JAM

2 pounds tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

3 medium scallions, chopped

1 chili pepper, deseeded and chopped

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add some of the tomatoes, cook them for 20 seconds then place them under cold running water. Continue with the remainder of the tomatoes. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and chop them into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, scallions and chili pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes to soften them slightly. Add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and salt, mix thoroughly, bring the ingredients to a boil and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture is thick and jam like.

Makes about 2 cups