Have a Slavery-free Halloween

Assorted Fair Trade and Organic Chocolates

Yesterday the family and I attended the Northwest Chocolate Festival here in Seattle where “Chocolate Lover’s Unite”.  Along with a nice mix of vendors hawking everything from small little purses from 3rd world countries to hand crafted cutting boards from right here in Seattle (no, none of which were made of chocolate) there was a decent representation of small to medium sized fair and direct trade chocolate manufacturers. Some companies, which you may or may not have ever heard of, were Taza, theo, Divine and Madecasse.

All of these companies produce high quality, Fair Trade bars available online and at most Whole Foods and similar stores. During one of the many panel discussions we learned about what Fair and Direct Trade means, how it pertains to the chocolate industry, what the problems/benefits associated with both trade methods are and how the above companies work with those structures. I should note that a representative from Starbucks was also on one of the panels and it’s good to know that they have a very aggressive program in place to ensure their chocolate farmers meet certain criteria (via a point system) in order to be considered suppliers for their chocolate product line.

One question that came up was how families and parents can access Fair Trade, Organic and socially responsible chocolates to give away at Halloween time. After all, nothing is scarier than giving away handfuls of Hershey’s chocolate made on the backs of slave or child labor* and economic slavery. Personally, that’s not the kind of scary I want to spread around.

So if you’re looking for a few options, give the following companies a thought.

Divine: Individual minis, 200pc box

Dagoba: Tasting Squares, 36 pc and 432pc boxes

Kuapa Kokoo: Fair Trade Gold Coins, 13pc bag

Equal Exchange: 150pc box and 40pc sac of minis

Natural Candy Store: a variety of offerings including some of the above items.

Coco Zen: assorted chocolates including pops and disks

Sweet Earth Chocolates: Assorted, individually wrapped pieces

Assorted Options at Whole Foods (might be your best option considering time and costs)

Are these items cheap? No, they are not but at least you won’t get a little bit of your soul sucked out with each piece you give away. So maybe the kids at your door won’t get big handfuls to schlocky treats but may instead get a single/few, cherished piece of true goodness. Maybe parents will notice the Fair Trade emblem, pause and give a thought to what that means and how that differs from the colorful crap around it. And just maybe this is one step towards a Halloween candy revolution that will eventually force giants like Hershey to wake up, grow some humanitarian, chocolate-covered balls and produce products not derived from slave labor. Ooooo, corporate responsibility and change…scary concepts, I know!

Of course you can also opt to go the non-chocolate route and find good hard candies that are healthy (errr..healthier) and made with soul as well.

So have a safe Halloween everyone and remember, we consumers hold the power..shop wisely and beat the status quo down with your money stick or handfuls of loose change. If your local store doesn’t carry Fair Trade and/or organic (ie GMO-free) products squawk about it to management.

For more soul-saving purchases for Halloween visit these other informative blog posts. Remember, if you can’t make changes in time for this Halloween, there’s always Easter!

Get Child Labor Out of Your Chocolates : includes access to the 2010 Chocolate Company Score Card

Eco-Friendly Halloween Candy Choices

Green America’s Online Petition telling Hershey to go Fair Trade

17 Alternative Halloween Treats

Reverse Trick-or-Treating

Treats, no Tricks: Whole Foods Blog on Halloween candy

Free2Work Company Ratings

*It is estimated that 284,000 child laborers work on cocoa farms, and are either involved in hazardous work, are unprotected, are deprived of liberty, or have been trafficked. 

The Dairy Days of Summer

Ricotta is an incredibly easy cheese to make. Though it’s traditionally made with the whey left over from hard cheese manufacturing (makes you wonder why it’s so expensive doesn’t it?) the average cook can use a mixture of whole milk dairy to produce the same effect.  Whole milk and yogurt are the best options to start with. Balkan style or Greek style yogurts are best due to their rich taste and high fat content.  Use the best dairy you can find including organic, raw or goat milks and if you’re feeling really decadent you can make a full fat version using heavy cream. You can also make a similar cheese using soy milk or a mixture of soy and dairy milk. Have fun and say goodbye to the watery, overly expensive store-bought stuff you’ve been buying. Check out additional recipes like including this delicate, fresh ricotta like Roasted Corn, Herb and Ricotta Ravioli and Baby Roma Tomatoes with Herb Ricotta.

Soy Ricotta with Buckwheat Honey and Lavender & Fresh Whole Milk Ricotta with Olive Oil and Lemon

Fresh Homemade Ricotta:

yields around 2 lbs

1 Gal (or 4 Lts) Whole Milk
1 Quart Plain Whole-Milk Yogurt (the higher the fat % the better)
3 teaspoons White Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice
1-2 teaspoon Salt (reserve 1 teaspoon for finished ricotta if necessary)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Method:

1. In a large stainless steel pot, bring the milk, yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice and salt over medium heat. Stir for a few minutes just enough to blend all of the ingredients. Heat until just under boiling then turn off completely and let sit for 2 minutes. Don’t actually allow the mixture to boil since too much heat will lead to rubbery curds.
2. Line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth (or use a new, fine weave, all cotton dish towel) and set it over a deep bowl.
3. Carefully pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 10-15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid. This will leave you with very dry ricotta.
4. Reserve the left over whey (the liquid separated out from the curd) for additional recipes and as a tasty drink for people and pets.
5. If desired add in the heavy cream and some of the left over whey to create a smoother, creamier ricotta. Of just add more whey and omit cream. Adjust salt as needed.

Use immediately while still warm or chill thoroughly and refrigerated for up to three days.

Options:

• Use all lemon juice vs. Vinegar and add an additional 2 tsp for a more tangy and lemony curd.
• Though you can used reduced fat milk and/or yogurt the trues tastes lies in the high fat content.
• Removes as much whey as possible to use the ricotta as a salad topping or as a finish for baked goods.

• 

  Baby Roma Tomatoes filled with Herb Ricotta

Soy Ricotta:

yields just under 2 cps

4 cps Soy Milk (plain for savoury and vanilla for dessert ricotta)
1 teaspoon White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
Salt as needed

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Cook for 2-3mins then store then fridge overnight to allow whey and curds to slowly separate.
3. Strain through extra thick cheesecloth for 2 hours.
4. *Due to the very fine, small curds formed soy ricotta tends to hold far more water and requires longer straining.
5. Add additional salt where needed.

This vegan ricotta is best used chilled though it can be added to hot pasta dishes just before service. The vanilla version is particularly delicious served as a spread on muffins, breakfast breads or on fresh fruit. Store for 3-5 days refrigerated.

If you don’t have time to make your own fabulous dairy products then you can check out Hans Dairy, the largest Ontario dairy specializing in South Asian dairy products, and their new Lassi/Yogurt Smoothies in Passion Fruit and Mango flavours. Delicious chilled or on ice and surprisingly fat-free even though the mouth feel is decidedly silky, rich and smooth. With only 70 calories per 125 mL it’s a great snack when you’re on the run or for lunch boxes. Look for Hans line of quality dairy products in South Asian grocery stores.

Hans Passion Fruit and Mango Lassi

Picky, picky, picky!

Freshly picked berries at Whittamore's Farms

When I go grocery shopping I’m pretty picky, I turn containers over, sniff fruit, hold olive oil up for inspection, thump melons and gaze into the eyes of aquatic life on display. As a “city girl” growing up in a car-less household the thought of going to pick seasonal produce at “local” farms always excited me. I am enchanted by anything that grows on a tree or a bush that I can pick and eat; it’s really magical and never ceases to amaze me. Unfortunately not having a vehicle in New York City, or even friends with vehicles,  meant no picking trips. But it did leave me with a real longing to partake in all of the pick-your-own fun I heard about but couldn’t partake in as a kid. Instead I spent my time finding fruit bearing bushes and trees in Central Park. I knew where the best mulberry, sour cherry and apple trees were and thrilled at finding the occasional apricot tree; birthed no doubt by a pit being pitched over the park wall by a Central Park West bus stop. I spent years harvesting my precious gems while onlookers gawked and asked if my treasures were “safe to eat”. It wasn’t until my early 20′s that I was able to go once in a while with a friend with a car, but I still never quite got the full experience until last week.

With the workers strike in full effect this past Canada Day my family, some neighbors and I decided to visit Whittamore’s Farms for the day for a little picking action. At Whittamore’s you have the option of bringing your own containers, plastic bags are frowned upon in the berry fields, or you can purchase inexpensive and large buckets from the farm itself. We opted not to go too crazy since we had plans to pick snow peas, sugar snap peas and new potatoes later in the day. I was amazed at the sheer size of the farm, the amount of people who had the same idea plus the civility and order at which everyone interacted. I think I was even more excited than my 4-year-old who, naturally, couldn’t abide by the “No Eating!!” signs posted everywhere.

Pookus and the Pea: pea picking is serious work

After we were assigned our own row to pick it was impossible for three of us to gather all of the incredibly fresh and delicate fruits at our feet. We simply weren’t prepared to leave with gallons of berries so we left plenty behind for the next group of pickers. Thankfully the forecast called for a mix of sun and light rain so the drifting clouds overhead kept our backs from baking while we squatted over to find red jeweled berries, bright green pea pods and muddy potatoes. It really makes you think hard about the millions of migrant workers who scrape by picking delicate produce for our supermarket enjoyment. These are hard working people doing physically draining work!

Tractor makes for easy "picking" of new potatoes

In the end we left with mounds of red berries, tons pea pods that make delicious raw snacks and some amazingly fresh potatoes that required some serious washing and scrubbing. The farm’s store yielded even more goodies from delicious baked goods, fresh garlic, amazingly flavorful cheeses from  Empire Cheese & Butter Co-op and the same farm-fresh produce from the fields if picking isn’t your thing. For little kids there’s the “Fun Farm Yard” for animal petting, hay rides, a bouncy farmhouse and all manner of things to climb on. $5 a child for 2 year-old and up isn’t bad for unlimited access but they do make adults pay as well, which may limit your desire to take the whole family in.

A week later our strawberries are still fairly fresh (don’t cover them after picking and when refrigerated so they can breathe and whatever you do don’t wash them until you need to use them!) and we have tons of snap still left in our beans.

Strawberry Short Cake Roulade: ½ Sheet Pan or 6, 2” servings

Strawberry Short Cake Roulade with fresh Ontario Strawberries

Strawberry Filling:

2 Quarts Fresh Strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/2′s or 1/4′s depending on size
1 cp Water or Juice of choice
1 cp Sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the berries)
2 Limes,  juiced
1 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated fine

1 Large Box of Natural Fruit Pectin

pinch of salt

Method:

1. Wash, hull and slice strawberries. Reserve half and add half to a 2 quart sauce pan.
2. Combine remainder of ingredients except pectin and reserved berries.
3. Stirring constantly over medium heat cook berries until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbling. Cook for 8-10mins stirring occasionally.
4. Add in fruit pectin stirring until dissolved.
5. Increase heat and bring mixture to a rolling boil stirring continuously and boil for 1 min.
6. Remove filling from heat, pour into a bowl and allow to cool down completely while refrigerated.
7. When cool add in fresh berries, mix well.

Cake Batter:
4 Egg Yolks
1/3 cp Vegetable Oil
½ cp Water
½ Tbs Vanilla Extract

7oz Cake Flour
3.5oz Sugar
2tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt

4 Egg Whites
1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
1tsp Water
3.5oz Sugar

Garnish:
Powdered Sugar, whipped cream and fresh mint

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil a 15- by 10- by 1-inch shallow baking pan and line bottom lengthwise | with a large piece of wax or parchment paper, letting paper hang over ends by 2 inches.
2. Combine yolks, oil, water and vanilla in mixer. Mix with paddle or (hand whip) on medium-high speed until light and pale. 8-10mins.
3. Combine and sift cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
4. Slowly add flour mix to whipped yolks until well incorporated and no lumps are present. But don’t over mix.
5. Combine water and cream of tarter then add to egg white.
6. Whip whites on medium speed until they double in volume.
7. Increase speed to high and slowly steam in sugar until whites are stiff but still creamy. Aprox. 1-2mins.
8. Fold whipped whites gently into yolk/flour mixture until well incorporated making sure to keep as much air in the batter as possible.
9. Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until puffed and top is dry to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes or until top is very lightly browned and cake pulls away from pan edges.
10. Transfer pan to a rack. Cover top with 2 layers of damp paper towels and let stand 5 minutes, then remove towels and cool for 5mins. Loosen edges with a sharp knife.
11. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake layer and overlap with a clean kitchen towel lengthwise. Place a baking sheet over cake and invert cake onto it, gently peeling off wax paper lining.
12. While cake is still slightly warm, roll cake the long way using the kitchen towel to make the roll as tight as possible w/out breaking the cake. Place cake seam side down on baking tray and allow to cool completely at room temperature. About 15-20mins.
13. Once cooled, carefully unroll cake leaving the towel underneath. Cake will have a nice, gentle curve to it.
14. Spoon half of the strawberry filling into the curve of the cake.
15. Put a long platter next to a long side of cake. Using towel underneath as an aid, roll up cake jelly roll–style, beginning with a long side with the berries at the back. Carefully transfer cake, seam side down, to platter, using towel to help slide cake. (Cake may crack but will still hold together.)
16. Dust cake generously with powdered sugar before serving and garnish slices with remaining berry filling, whipped cream and fresh mint.

*Options:

• Substitute strawberries for other fresh fruits.
• Use 1cp whipped cream along with berries when filling the cake.
• Use cookie cutters to cut rounds out of finished sheet cake for individual short cakes.
• Bake cake in prepared round pans for stackable cake layers. Add an additional 5-8minutes in baking time.

Year End Product Reviews: Snacks

It’s pretty hard to make a bad snack (okay, almost) and some companies truly excel in the art of snackery.  From sweet, to savory and mix of both I think you’ll find these selections fun and yummy.

To start things off on a healthy note we have Bodhi Fruit Chips which are 100% natural, air baked (as apposed to freeze dried) slices of whole fruits. These chips are as healthy as you can get with no additives, fats or sugars so the natural flavour of these Mexican harvested fruits really comes through strongly. A perfect snack for kids and health-conscious adults alike. Bodhi also makes a Lime Powder which boasts an impressive promise that each 3 oz bottle has 72 limes inside ready to be used for cooking or baking.

Next in the realm of healthy snacks comes Harvest Lark All Natural Food Bars. I had the pleasure of meeting Cheryl Zumbrunn, the founder and energy behind Harvest Lark and it’s product line at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York this past July. Cheryl has been able to maintain the home-baked quality and taste of her bars by making sure each batch is home made vs. factory produced. Her family’s commitment to farming and the care they put into their all natural bars is evident in every bite. Not too sweet, made with grains grown on their own property, these bars are a healthy snack any time of the day. Harvest Lark’s new packaging and expanded offerings (bars come 10 to a box) make for a very marketable product. The Ginger Date and Cranberry Pecan bars are particularly good.

Raw foodies and non will both enjoy an exciting new line of bars from Raw Revolution. The true litmus test for the survival of a raw product outside of the genre is whether or not it can be enjoyed across the board. This is the case with Revolution’s bars that are Gluten Free, Vegan, Wheat, Corn, Soy, Trans-fat, Cholesterol, Refined Sugar Free and still manage to taste good. So what’s in these bars that make them yummy? A combination of dates, cashews, almonds and sprouted flax seeds add a base to most of the line combined with agave or evaporated organic cane juice as sweeteners. Familiar flavour combinations like Hazelnut & Chocolate, Chocolate & Coconut, Tropical Mango and Choc Chip Cookie Dough it won’t be too hard to get the word out about this healthy alternative. Besides, their packaging is eye catching, fits perfectly with the product name and stays clear of the granola-crunchy exterior of most health food store fare making the product more universally appealing.

I’ve been a fan of Mrs. May’s Classic Crunch seed snacks since they first arrived on the scene a few years ago.Their product line has grown exponentially to include dried fruits like strawberry, pineapple, pomegranate and papaya, their packaging has also improved and yet they still maintain the quality of their line. As well as being Kosher their products are vegan, non-GMO, cholesterol free, dairy free, wheat free, Gluten free, have Zero Trans Fats and contain no artificial colors or flavors. The crunch is truly enjoyable with a fun mouth feel without being too sweet with a portion size that’s just right for single bites. You can order product on-line and can also find boxes of bars in bulk stores like Costco and BJ’s. And if bulk stores turn you off it’s always good to know that a portion of every bag of Mary’s Snacks sold is donated to Joni and Friends and their Wheels for the World program; so bulk is a beautiful thing.

Chips are one of the quintessential snack foods, some might even call chips “the” ultimate snack food. Yet not all chips are created equal and Tyrells Chips, imported from England by the Chelsea Market Baskets, are arguably the best of the best. Grown from seed on the Tyrells Court farm, these small crop, heirloom veggies are hand frying and creatively seasoned. After all who can resist such flavours as Ludlow Sausage with Wholegrain Mustard, Worcester Sauce with Sun Dried Tomato, Beef & Horseradish, Ale & Cheese and Honey Glazed Parsnips.

Chances are that if you love chips you’re a big fan of popcorn as well. Two companies have led the way in taking this simple, low cal snack and turning it into a gourmet art form. Dale and Thomas Popcorn takes the feel of down home, right-off-the-farm goodness and slams it together with equally grounded flavours. Eight savory varieties include three distinct cheddar options, three distinct Regional Italian choices and classic Kettle Corn and a South West nod to chili and sour cream. To balance out the salty there are six drizzled chocolate flavours and seven Sweet Mouthfuls (Almond Biscotti anyone?). Well worth trying to smuggle out of your local gourmet food show when given the chance. If that doesn’t work ordering their 12-Bag Sampler is the next best thing.

If Dale and Thomas are the “good old boys” of the popcorn world, with their signature popcorn truck, then The Hampton Popcorn Company are the swanky, hobnobbing set that’s on all the “in” lips and hips. Their crisp, clean and simple packaging featuring firehouse red/white or cool beach blue /white stripes have set them apart and make the consumer focus on what’s inside vs. being sold on glitzy externals. With flavours like White Truffle Parmesan, Chipolte Cheddar Cheese and White Chocolate Peppermint (seasonal) it’s no wonder carb-fobic Haptonites can’t resist.

This next product is, well, oddly wonderful. Cupuladua Oven makes these light as air Cupola Clouds and Cupola Cookies that have a very interesting texture that literally melt in your mouth. The Clouds are savory snacks that come in Smoked Gouda and Parmesan Pink Peppercorn, both of which are delicious and extremely low in calories. The Cookies feel guilt free and come in assortment including Chocolate Cashew, Espresso Walnut and Chai Pistachio. Try to eat just one as you ponder how they made these little domes so impossibly light.

With the holiday season here, and almost gone, I can’t resist giving some space to a time-honored sweet that is near and dear to my heart, Rugulagh (ruhg-uh-luhkh). Chewys, out of San Diego, CA makes the kind of rugulagh your Bubby should have, but didn’t want to make. Crispy on the very outside, moist on the inside and filled with everything from traditional nuts, raisins and dates to chocolate and even boysenberries. With just as many spellings as there are fillings it no wonder it’s a must at Hannukah and New Year celebrations. Do a search for them and you’ll find Chewy’s dominating the field and with good reason, they are irresistable. As a matter of fact I wouldn’t be surprised if they supplied the rediculusly small kosher shop my Bubby used to send me to for orders which still thrives wedged between swanky restaurants on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Brining for the Holidays

Every holiday I brine either a turkey or pork loin for the main roast at our house and since I first learned about brining I became an instant fan of this easy cooking technique. Brining meat is an age old culinary technique that adds great, personalized flavour to meat, fowl and even seafood. Not only will a brine add flavour, but it keeps your food moist even when cooked at high temperatures and shortens cooking time. Brining consists of a completely submerging your product of choice in a salty-sweet liquid you prepare using ingredients that best compliments the item you’re cooking. If a little sodium in your meal doesn’t bother you then this is a great technique you may like to enlist for your next holiday meal.

Turkey brines are great with fresh sage, apple cider/apple cider vinegar and a little brandy. Chicken works great with lots of garlic, fresh rosemary, white wine and bay leaves, as does pork loin; while salmon fillets benefit from fresh dill, shallots, mustard seeds and sea salt. Brines can also take on the ethnic characteristics of a particular cuisine beautifully so your imagination sets the limit when it comes to ingredient choices. Just a few, of many, wonderful options below to help add an ethnic kick to your next brine recipe:

Asian: Ginger, garlic, scallion, lemon grass, white pepper, chilies, star anise, kaffir lime leaf, galangal root, 5 spice powder, soy sauce, coriander/cilantro, rice wine vinegar, sugarcane vinegar.

East Indian: Turmeric, white onion, garlic, ginger, curry leaf, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, coriander/cilantro, fenugreek.

Italian: Basil, garlic, rosemary, lemon peel, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar, parsley.

Middle Eastern: Sumac, garlic, cinnamon, saffron, ginger, clove, sweet paprika, cilantro, parsley, orange, lemon, mint, honey, anise, Turkish pepper, za’atar.

Greek: Oregano, thyme, olive juice, parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, citrus peel, bay leaf, red onion, honey.

Spanish: Onion, garlic, sherry vinegar, piquillo peppers, olive juice, saffron, citrus peel, paprika, sherry.

Latin: Cumin, coriander/cilantro, onion, garlic, chilies, hoja santa leaf, avocado leaf, epazote, bitter orange, anotto, rum.

Classic French: Thyme, parsley, savory, chervil, garlic, shallots, wine vinegars, bay leaves, lemon, regional wines, capers.

Coconut sugar

Your choice of salts and sweeteners also play a vital role in the flavour profile of your brines and finished product. Experiment with mixing sugars like standard white, dark brown, molasses, varietal honeys, coconut, palm or date sugars to bring a mellow base note to your brine.

Artisan Salts from Salt Works

The world of salt, non-iodized only please, has greatly expanded from the basic stuff your grandmother always used. Companies like Salt Works carry an impressive offering of naturally harvested and even smoked sea salts from around the world. The deep, musky Salish, an Alderwood smoked salt, goes wonderfully with pork and fowl while the Kala Namak, or “Indian Black Salt”, deepens the flavour of traditional Indian fare; especially any dish with coconut milk. Though more pricey than store say kosher salt when preparing smaller portions a little specialty product goes a long way in creating a truly memorable meal with added depth and dimension to your food without a great deal of work on your part.

The base of your brine can be water or a flavourful, low (or no) sodium stock like chicken or vegetable. Keep in mind though that once your food has brined the brine can’t be re-used and must be discarded so if cost is a factor then water will be your best bet.

Lastly a little acid helps to add a little zing and added tenderizing properties when used in moderation so various vinegars and/or alcohol products like, rum, beer or wine make great additions. For meats/seafood cooked to well done what little alcohol content went into the food will be cooked out by this point.

The internet has a wealth of recipes and additional info regarding brines but one great site I highly recommend is: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brining.html which provides great basic recipes, tricks, tips and well researched “how to” information. I’ll also add one of my recipes for a basic turkey brine below.

If you’re in the Toronto area spices and herbs can be purchased at Bulk Barn, various grocery stores in Little India/China Town and House of Spice as well as at Kensington Market for the more exotic items. New York shoppers will find everything they need, and then some, at Kalustyan’s Oriental Trading. So get into the kitchen this holiday season and start brining so you can be a pro come the Summer when you get to combine brining and smoking for the absolute in BBQ flavour!

Logan’s Basic Turkey Brine yield: 1 Gallon

1/2 Gallon of Water

1/2 Gallon of Apple Cider

2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar

1.5 cups Kosher Salt

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 Yellow Onion, large dice

1 Head of Garlic, cut in half

1 Bunch of Parsley Stems

1.5 package of Fresh Sage (or 2 Tbs. dried)

1 package of Fresh Thyme (or 1 Tbs dried)

1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)

5 Fresh Bay Leaves (or 3 dried)

1 tsp Black Pepper

1. Combine all ingredients into a non-corrosive pot and simmer for 30mins. Cool completely and pour over, raw, rinsed turkey. Make sure brine covers the turkey completely.
2. Brine for 8-24 hours (depending on weight of bird) then “air dry” on a rack for 8-24 hours to ensure a crisp skin.
3. Prior to air drying add Turkey Butter under skin (recipe below).
4. Follow normal cooking instructions but note brined turkey will cook faster so check internal temperature 3/4 of the way through.
5. Since your brined bird will have a good salt content to it so will the cooking juices so wait until the last minute to add salt (if needed) to your pan gravy.

Logan’s Turkey Butter yield: 1/2 quart

1/2 lb. Soft Butter, Australian is best

1 Shallot

6 ea. Fresh Sage Leaves

1 Tbs. Fresh Oregano

2 Tbs. Fresh Parsley

1 Tbs. Fresh Thyme

2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1. Combine all ingredients (fresh herbs are a must) in food processor and puree until well combined.
2. Carefully lift turkey skin from breast and thighs w/out breaking.
3. Spoon or use a pastry bag to get as much butter under the skin as possible. Depending on the size of your bird you may have extra or need more. Extra butter can be used for basting or fully baked stuffing only due to contamination of butter with raw turkey juices.
4. If turkey has been brined allow it to continue to air dry but make sure to add butter prior to drying or skin will be too taunt to manipulate.

Enjoy and have a safe, wonderful holiday!

Welcome!

I’d like to welcome you to the official blog space of Blue Nile Consulting. A relaxed environment to share ideas and showcase the successes of our clients.

So thank you for stopping by and I hope you’ll stay a while and contribute your thoughts.

Best,

Logan Niles

CEO

Blue Nile Consulting