Archive for December, 2011

Gluten-free lifestyle

Posted in Gluten free, tagged , , , on December 31, 2011 |

Some on the farm are sensitive to wheat and gluten in food, which makes eating a challenge. Good for loosing weight, perhaps, but hard on participating in the age old social activities that revolve around food. Whether it is a quick snack on the run or an elegant dinner out on the town, being gluten-free brings with it the need for constant vigilance.

At the farm we have worked out a pretty good system for creating gluten-free table fare at home and managing gluten-free intake while on the road. Baking gluten-free is one of our specialties on the farm. We have developed sourdough bread for baguettes and rolls, artisan boule, and sandwich bread. Desserts, cookies, pies, muffins, and quick breads are also frequently prepared. Entrées are easier than baking, except for pasta, which we can get gluten-free at local grocery stores or other shops. When done properly, meals prepared gluten-free are equally delicious and satisfying as those prepared gluten-full. All of the recipes posted at Nobska Farms are gluten-free; others will follow.

Eating out is, perhaps, a bit more difficult, especially since you don’t have control of what goes on in the kitchen. At restaurants that don’t advertize being gluten-free, care must be taken to avoid obvious as well as hidden gluten. Salads with meat (hold the croutons), steak, boiled lobster, baked potatoes, and steamed vegetables are reliable. Some restaurants are now offering separate gluten-free menus or specific items marked as gluten-free on their regular menu. Finding these restaurants requires some effort, but once found, they are reliable sources for sharing social outings and events while maintaining a gluten-free diet.

Here are a few of the resources we use on the farm for maintaining a gluten-free diet, both at home and while out:

The most important advise for being gluten-free is to experiment. Reach out for information from others, blend this with what knowledge you already have, and weave together a network and understanding of what works for you. Your well-being depends on it. Take control.

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Garlic – A Root for Life

Posted in Farming, tagged , , on December 29, 2011 |


“You are what you eat. For example, if you eat garlic you’re apt to be a hermit.”
– Franklin P. Jones

When fall comes, it’s garlic planting time.  Last year’s supply is running low, and we need to think about how much will be needed for next year.

We love garlic.

That’s an understatement.

If garlic is called for in a recipe, there is no reason not to double the allotted amount. If no garlic is called for in a savory dish … well certainly the chef just forgot to include it in the list of ingredients. We don’t go so far as do some of Rooster’s friends; they eat garlic like apples … good thing they are a couple and enjoy their treat together.

Garlic has mystical powers, and for good reason. It wards off vampires, keeps goblins away at night, and heals all manner of pains and ills. What’s not to like?

When it comes time for planning your crop, the variety is bewildering in breadth.  On the farm we have simplified the decision and stick with softnecks.  We braid them for display and use through the year, or the garlic braids can be sold en masse at the farmer’s market.  All this depends on good planning starting your crop in the fall.

In Woods Hole, we have relatively mild winters.  A little snow and occasional stretches of sub-freezing temperatures.  This is well suited to most garlic.  The soil is cleared of debris and stubble from the previous crop.  A little compost or manure is worked into the soil and made ready.  Use bulbs from last year’s crop or order new ones from catalogs.  We have gotten bulbs from The Garlic Store and The Cook’s Garden.  Many other sources are available.

When you have your bulbs and the soil is ready … time to begin. We plant in October.

Break the bulbs into individual cloves and remove the obviously loose garlic skin.  Soak the cloves in fish emulsion fertilizer overnight.  This gives the garlic a boost to start their initial growth before winter sets in.  When you are ready to plant, drop the cloves into vodka or grain alcohol; rubbing alcohol works, too, but we prefer to give our garlic a little parting boost with drinkable hooch before being committed to the ground. Either way, this last step before planting kills fungus that can ruin the garlic once it is in the soil.  Plant the cloves about 3″ deep, 4-6″ apart.  Put the root end of clove down and cover the hole.  After all your garlic are planted, mulch the beds to protect them from drying winter winds.  We harvest seaweed that has washed up on the beach during fall storms and mulch a few inches deep.

The weather is still a little warm in October and November, and the garlic cloves begin to sprout. You will see green shoots coming up through the mulch. Almost looks like spring, but that is months away. Beautiful fall days give way to winter cold and snows. Don’t worry, the garlic is happily working it’s magic in the ground. Last year, we had mountains of snow and cold temperature, but didn’t loose any of our crop. This winter, it is warm and the garlic seems quite content.

In the spring, the green tops will start their strong growth spurt. A center flower stalk, called the scape, will form. If you cut off the scape when they are about a foot tall, the bulbs will be larger. In mid summer, around July in Woods Hole, the greens will start to brown. It is time to harvest. Dig up the bulbs, leaving the tops on. Knock off any loose dirt, but don’t be too aggressive. The bulbs will get cleaned up later. When you have a manageable quantity of bulbs out of the ground, lay them out under cover and away from direct sunlight for several days to dry. Put them on newspaper or other absorbent material. You want to avoid moisture, which will rot the bulbs. Good air circulation is important. After a few days, the external dirt will have dried. Rub this off to clean up the bulbs and tie them in bundles of perhaps a dozen or so. Hang these bundles to dry for three or four weeks at which point they are ready for braiding or storage.

Braiding the garlic is easy. Here’s a good video, courtesy of Gardenerd showing you how to do it. If you don’t braid the garlic, they need to be stored in mesh bags or paper bags. Keep then in a cool, well ventilated place, preferably in the dark. A cupboard is a good place. Temperature of 55° F and humidity of 55% is ideal. We can’t achieve these conditions over the summer, but the garlic seems to be fine. Word of caution, do not put the garlic in a refrigerator … it will sprout!

If all goes as planned, your garlic is ready whenever you need some … gumbo … pasta … bruschetta … it’s hard to plant enough, but you can try.

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Got a Country Cured Ham? Now what?

Posted in Country cured ham, Gluten free, Recipes, tagged on December 4, 2011 |

Okay, so you have a country cured ham.  Unless you’ve been raised with this delicacy prepared at home, you might be wondering, Now what?

The process for preparing the ham, in its various forms, is involved and, frankly, time consuming.  With such an investment in time, you might hope that the results are mouth watering and that folks will be singing praises.  You will not be disappointed.  That being said, be sure there are a lot of folks around so that the praises will come in a chorus, not a solo or duet.  These hams will feed the masses, and do so for days.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, Easter, 4th of July, and other large gatherings are good occasions.

If you don’t have a gathering planned for a while, no problem.  The hams will keep, unrefrigerated, for extended periods of time.  The Rooster saw a ham this summer in Columbia, TN; it had been hanging for 70 years.  Can’t say for sure that it was still good, but it certainly didn’t look bad.  You don’t have to go to this extreme.  A few months, or even a year or more is fine to store the ham until you are ready for the feast.  Hang the ham in a cool(ish) place so that it gets good air circulation.  Keep it out of direct sunlight.  Pass by now and then to give the ham a squeeze.  Inhale the fragrance; let it take you back to feasts of yesterday or project you forward to the feast to come.  When you are ready … begin …

Remove the ham from its bag and give it good going over. Scrub the ham with a stiff bristle brush and a little vinegar to remove any mold and salt that may have been missed when the ham started its aging process. You will need to find a butcher to cut the ham into the various parts

Fresh cut salt country cured ham

Ham back from the butcher, ready to start cooking

required. Unless you have a bandsaw available (with a clean blade) don’t try this at home. One time, the Rooster figured it can’t be so hard … he did the butchering job with a hacksaw, yes, the blade was new … and no, the job didn’t come out so well. But, I digress. Take the ham to a butcher; have the hock removed, the center section cut into 1/4″ slices (about two inches worth), and the remainder left in one piece for baking.

Freeze the hock for later unless you plan to use it right away. Split pea soup is greatly improved with the hock. Will come back to this at a later time.

Put the slices in the refrigerator. Since you are having a crowd, you’ll want to fry these for breakfast on one or more mornings. Serve with eggs, biscuits, grits, and red eye gravy.

Now for the baking ham. Weigh the baking portion or have your butcher do it for you. The country ham is dry cured with salt. The first step in preparing the ham is to reduce the saltiness. Lot’s of different ways have been tried such as

  • soak for three days, changing the water every 12 hours, last soak is in beer; discard water and (gasp) the beer,
  • soak over night
    (the Rooster did this in the bathtub one time because there was no pot big enough for the ham … and yes, like the hacksaw incident, the tub was clean), or
  • simmer (not boil) for 20-25 minutes per pound.

At Nobska Farms, these days we prefer the last method. It is relatively fast and quite effective in reducing the salt content of the ham.

After the allotted soaking/simmering time is complete, place the ham on a cutting board and remove the skin and some of the fat. (If you have

Ham ready for oven after simmering, studded with cloves

Ham ready for oven after simmering, studded with cloves

chosen the simmering method, the ham will be HOT!! Wait a little while until it is cool enough to handle.) Do not remove the fat down to the meat. The remaining fat will help keep the meat moist during the baking phase. (If desired, this is a good breaking point, and the ham can be refrigerated overnight and baked the next day.)

When you are ready for the final step, place the ham fat side up in a Pyrex® baking dish or roasting pan. The Rooster’s mother (Mama Rooster) would pour Coca-Cola® soft drink into the pan. This year, the Rooster made a pseudo-Coke® mixture with a little molasses, brown sugar and water. The fluid helps to moisturize the ham during the baking. Score the fat with crossing diamond cuts and stud with whole cloves. Put the ham in a 275° F oven uncovered and bake until the internal temperature of the meat is 155° F (about 20 minutes per pound).

For the final step, make a mixture of bread crumbs (gluten-free if you like) and brown sugar. Use a little of the liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan to moisten the mixture into a paste. Pat the mixture on top of the ham and baste with the liquid from the bottom of the pan.

Country cured ham ready to eat with tur-duc-hen in background

Country cured ham ready to eat (with tur-duc-hen in background)

Place the ham back into the oven at 425° F until the glaze is nicely browned, might be 20 minutes, or so.  Baste the ham a few times during the glazing process.

The ham is done.

Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. Let the ham cool a little while as you set out the rest of the feast. When you are ready, carve the ham in thin slices. This can be done en masse (buffet-style) or one slice at at time to order (standing-at-the-head-of-the-table-style).

You will have left overs that will disappear little by little over the next few days. Folks passing through the kitchen cannot resist a nibble of ham as they walk by.  The ham is also great for soups, e.g., split pea, as already mentioned, or Hoppin’ John soup.

More ways to use the ham will be posted later. Enjoy.

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