Subj : Re: Towing the Line To : Ruth Haffly From : Dave Drum Date : Sat Jul 27 2024 06:47:00 -=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=- RH> Meanwhile, our fig tree is beginning its summer time bonanza out put. RH> I'll probably make some preserves again this year; we've been giving DD> My grandparents had apple, cherry, apricot, paw-pae and crabapple DD> trees in the back yard of their town home. And a regular orchard at DD> the farm with more apples, peaches, cherries, pears and blackberry DD> brambles as well as raspberries on the other side of the orhard. DD> Gooseberies and May apples were available in the woods. RH> So putting up was a big production in the summer. Steve had a bowl full RH> (about 2 1/2 quarts) in the fridge so yesterday he pulled out the RH> dehydrator. Dried them down to maybe about 2 cups. We'll probably do RH> another batch or 2 in the dehydrator before the tree ends production, RH> in probably early September. The degydrator is nice. I use mine mostly for chilies - and the aroma that permeates the house is a great appetite stimulant. DD> I'm 82 years old and I have never had a fresh fig. I'll have to DD> correct that lack ..... I've only ever eaten Fig Newtons from a store DD> bought pkg. RH> They are good; a Newton will give you a bit of the taste but nothing RH> like eating one fresh off the tree. Rinsed but still warm from the sun. DD> I'll ask the folks down Jeffries Orchard farm stand about the DD> availability. RH> Do so, it's an ancient fruit; I think more popular in the southern US RH> than the northern. Fig preserves and a brie type cheese on a cracker RH> make a nice nibble. Last year when we took some preserves out to our RH> daughters, I told the grand kids that these were special, for their RH> mothers,(mom was to share), not to be used like regular jelly/jam for RH> pb&j or whatever. Probably because the fig trees do not do well in the Northern climate zones. I did some readig on what it takes to have a successful fig crop in my area. YIKES!!! I'll buy figs that have been shipped in, Thenkew veddy much. Bv)= DD> I had a cherry tree in my front yard until the derecho winds hit last DD> July. RH> My parents had one for years, until a storm did it in. It happened just RH> before we came up for a visit so Steve saved some of the wood for his RH> smoker. My tree service guy salvaged all the wood except the small branches for his son's smoker. AFAIK I've never had cherry smoked anything. I have, however, used grapevine cutting to smoke a chuck roast very successfully. MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Grapevine Smoked Chuck Roast Categories: Five, Beef, Bbq Yield: 6 Servings 3 lb Chuck roast Garlic powder Salt and Pepper Grapevines for smoke After pruning the family's Concord grape vines, I decided to use a few trimmings to make grapevine smoked chuck roast on my gas grill. I'd never used grapevines to smoke food before, so it was the perfect opportunity to experiment with this new smoking wood. I decided to use a chuck roast for two reasons. First, it was a relatively inexpensive cut of meat. If the grapevine smoke ruined the meat, the loss wouldn't be that great. And second, beef chuck contains quite a bit of fat and connective tissue, which adds to juiciness and flavor. And I like juice and flavor! Season the roast lightly on all sides with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cover it and let it set at room temp. Set up your grill for smoking, heating it to 250ºF/120ºC. The pieces of grapevine can be wrapped in a foil pouch, or put in a bread pan covered with foil, and placed over one of the burners set on high. When the grapevines begin to smoke, turn the burner under the grapevines down to medium, then pop the chuck roast into the grill and close 'er up. After one and one-half hours at 250ºF/120ºC, wrap the roast in a double layer of aluminum foil and place it back in the grill. Increase the grill temperature to 350ºF/ 175ºC degrees and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours. Remove the grapevine smoked chuck roast and let it rest, still wrapped in foil, for 20 to 30 minutes. After the rest, it can be sliced for great tasting sandwiches. A little homemade barbecue sauce would be a nice finishing touch. From: http://www.smoker-cooking.com Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen MMMMM .... When chickens get to live like chickens, they'll taste like chickens, too. --- MultiMail/Win v0.52 * Origin: SouthEast Star Mail HUB - SESTAR (1:3634/12) .