It is the JOURNEY not the destination that counts...

Getting my ducks in a row before an event tomorrow. I love the process beyond the food. Its the visual feast of the supporting actors when a spread is presented that gets my heart beat going. The secrets behind the philosophy of form n function in still life. Oh Rocking out to Genesis Lamb Lies Down on Broadway..Its that kind of day. Pass the Single Malt....go on do something with your day. Scoot.
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Mmmmm Asian Red meat!

May just never warmed up here in Santa Cruz and Winter veggies are still reigning supreme.I jumped to the opportunity to serve up some of my favorite roots. Radishes. Now in general most Americans think of radishes as these red things to avoid on a bland sad veggie tray from the Mega Super. Alas America you are once again missing the boat to simplicity. This vibrant little love is a cousin to the Daikon and at first glance looks like any other Turnip. Then you break open this beauty and a rainbow winks back from deep ruby to a faded Irish moss the colors says so much to the eyes when anticipating the mouths adventure.

       In Mexico the classic red radish is a perfect mate to some spicy fare to cool the palate yet leave a bite. Where as in France ,Spain and throughout the Mediterranean little Breakfast Radishes (small long half white half pink)eaten as a late afternoon snack with sweet cream butter and sea salt is simple perfection.

       The Watermelon Radish or Rose Heart or Shinrimei,Xin li Mei and my favorite the Asian Red Meat Radish. Is very common in Asian cuisine world wide and the almost sweet quality of this radish goes so well with salty fatty foods. Not only is the Meat Radishes Colors an amazing addition to any plate it is a stand alone beauty that signifies a lazy afternoon enjoying the simplicities of life.

      The plate above is a combo of classic red radish to give a spicy bite with some local Watermelon radish, Pork Salumi, my very own sweet cream cultured butter and a small dish of dried Porcini sea salt. If memory serves we drank a wonderful tank fermented SCM Chardonnay and a Mendocino Malbec Rose.........Thank you my little Red Meat..........

Even if its out of season there still is a reason to pull out the jam pot.

My beyond nice neighbour came over yesterday with a big bag of vine tomatoes. She was gifted these babies and now I am the proud parent of re gifted out of season food. What's a girl to do? Well waste not no matter the season. Sooo. I whip out the smoke box and got the jam pot warmed up.
Soaking some apple wood in apple juice while the oven heats up. Halved the tomatoes, quartered a shallot,cut up an apple, splash o Balsamic a plop of brown sugar sea salt pepper and a rangy handful of creeping thyme from the garden. All in a pyrex.
Drain the apple juice soaked chips and got my lil smokie on the bottom of oven with pyrex on lowest rack. And...the oven door shuts. 25 min. Til its all brown bubbly hot mess.
ok here we are at hot bubbly mess in the pyrex. The house is filled with apple wood smoke. cough cough choke ...blechhhhh ahhhhh I love it. The dog smells like a camp fire so as you see in my insane close up of molten hot tomatoes n apples, the caramelization on the edges and broken down nature of it all is telling you its gonna be a good night in Jam town.

 She surrendered to fifteen minutes in the pan with some apple cider vinegar, some more sugar and dose of sea salt. 220 takes forever to get to but oh so needed to get that perfect jam consistency.
Patience Grasshopper it will pay off in grand ways. so I only yielded one vintage pint canning jar plus enough to bribe Boy Racer to wrangle the chickens tonight.
I need to tweek this recipe for certain so I'm not telling you yet all the details. Its a tad lack luster in the smoke department. I need to let it play Fire House a bit longer. I think more shallot would be nice balance and get the sugars right. Now don't get me wrong it rocks and I'm gonna be macking on Chevre dipped in this elixir of Love Apple goodness for awhile. It just can be better and this was a very cool Canary in the coal mine experiment.
So awesome that a gift from a neighbor(thank you DJ xoxo)has gotten me on a Dexters Lab afternoon on this much too temperate Sunday in May up here on the Ghetto Vineyard.