Sometimes it’s better to just do nothing at all. That’s what I did when a dinner guest commented, “Ew! Gross!” And when my daughter sneered, “Mama! It’s different!” Friends and family members, including Alex, regarded the open jar of smelly cider with raised eyebrows and pinched noses. I maintained that I was following the vinegar recipe: pour fresh raw apple cider in a jar, cover with an air permeable top, and set it aside for [...]

Our Xmas was truly lovely.  The Goose Dinner went off without a hitch, Lillian was patient during the many family gatherings, and we loved the wintery weather.  We received some fantastic handmade gifts during the festivities. Click pictures to enlarge. My sister sewed me a lower half apron with purple fabrics from my 30th birthday quilt, Lillian’s gift, a handmade purse, and gifts from years past. She also was the crafty person behind Devie and [...]

Alex and I make all sorts of things ourselves: confit, counter tops, hard cider, chicken coops…stuff most people prefer to buy.  We like getting a little messy and learning exactly how things are created. Even given our penchant for handmade goods, we freely admit that Alex’s birthday gift of homemade ammunition for his father this year is bit of do-it-yourself over-achievement. The Back Story Tom, Alex’s dad, has a Springfield Model 1873 rifle, more commonly [...]

This post concludes my series on handmade holiday gifts.  Previous weeks included instructions for making hand-rolled beeswax candles, hot cocoa mix, and spice rub.  A list of other possible gifts in jars is at the bottom of the post. I believe that giving a homemade or home canned gift in a mason jar is a true expression of love.  A homemade jam contains peak of the season flavors and the gift of time spent preserving.  [...]

Last week I shared how to make hand-rolled beeswax candles. This week I offer recipes for this spice rub and cocoa mix. The series concludes next Monday with ideas for perfectly packaging your handmade gifts. My parent’s kitchen counter always has a crock of this spice rub alongside the baking canisters. Dad uses this rub for large cuts of meat he later smokes and as a topping for grilled salmon. Because of the sugar content, [...]

Are you making handmade gifts this year?  We are! Hand-rolled beeswax candles will make an appearance in several gift baskets.  They are simple enough that Lillian can make a passable candle and they burn cleanly with only the slightest honey scent. We order bulk beeswax sheets from Knorr Beeswax for $43 (shipped) for twenty 8×16 inch sheets and wick. It comes in a variety of colors and is very high quality in our experience. To [...]

We at Hounds in the Kitchen have many things to be thankful for this year: family and friends, a garden that filled our pantry with home canned goods, a dog finally healed, and new projects like cider pressing. On Thanksgiving, especially, we are thankful for animals that give their life to feed us. In turn, we use every bit of the nutritious goodness in each animal we cook. When we buy, brine, cook, and carve [...]