http://kitchengardens.net Where Food, Cooking and Politics Meet Wed, 16 Mar 2011 12:13:08 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en My life of late seems to be one random event after another. In the past 4 days I have sorted out a means of boiling maple syrup, bought 10 piglets, turned out for a tense fire call, moved a shed frozen to the ground out of my driveway, and ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/03/16/higgery-piggery/ [caption id="attachment_312" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Photo by Kate Hill"][/caption] So you've bought the book, the cultures, the pink salt, the expensive free-range, organic, provenanced meats, and now you are contemplating the brine injectors, smoke house, wine-fridge curing chamber and all the other gizmos, equipment, toys and goodies your new found love of ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/27/clear-that-calendar/ Back in December, during Duckfest, the seed had been planted…."Why not come to Gascony and study, if you have some time?" I pushed the thought off, thinking of where I could possibly come up with the money, how the chores would get done—in short, how could I possibly escape ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/23/talking-dollars-and-sense/ I have been raising pigs for a long time. I have raised many breed, on many feeds, in several different ways. When I started with pigs it was the typical backyard raise two, sell one to pay for the one you keep. We did it in a movable pen, ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/23/the-pig-the-meat/ On my recent visit to the Chapolard's Charcuterie Farm in Gascony I learned about and made these fantastic little Ham-ettes. You can get an idea of how to do it from this video, but you should also consider coming to Claddagh Farms, meeting Dominique, and trying for yourself! [tags]charcuterie, ham, pork, ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/21/a-look-inside-french-charcuterie%e2%80%94the-noix-de-jambon/ I live in rural Maine. It is beautiful here, and as we drove around the countryside of Gascony, I was often reminded of the rolling hills and forests around my own home. Granted, my home is covered in layers of snow and ice and the winter Gascon landscape had ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/20/podchef-on-assignment%e2%80%94gascon-charcuterie-review/ It always amazes me how a few simple things when put together create a much greater whole. Such was my final lunch in Gascony. More than an ordinary lunch, rather a taste, of the Lot-et-Garonne where I had been staying. The meal was also a reflection of everything I ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/18/podchef-on-assignment-final-day-impromptu-lunch/ While out in the wilds of Gascony going from A to B we encountered a sign. A sign from the fields which lead us to something better than we could have ever guessed by driving down a dirt track past ramshackle cow barns. What we first was was amazing ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/18/podchef-on-assignment-armagnac-distillery/ While checking out the market in Agen, I was impressed with the selection of produce, both conventional and organic. What struck me more was the seasonality of everything. The newer produce of the season--things like Poineaux a' Vinaignettes (small baby leeks) raddichio, pissenlit (dandelion) and aliettes (small, fresh garlic ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/16/podchef-on-assignment%e2%80%94the-markets-the-produce/ My time in Gascony as flown by. There has been so much to do and see. We have been to various markets almost every day, either to shop for something to cook or to see and learn. What amazes me is the size and scale of these "small" open ... http://kitchengardens.net/2011/02/16/podchef-on-assignment%e2%80%94the-markets-the-meat/