But this year, we decided to be a little bit more scientific about growing them as I learned to love tomatoes last summer. Earlier this month, I sowed seeds of four different types of tomatoes. Silvery Fir, Yellow Pear, Red Pear and more Romas. With our new mini-greenhouse all that plants had germinated by the end of the first week. As I planted a couple of seeds per cup and did have to thin some down. This is the step that I think will make this year’s plants do so much better than last.

Once the first true leaves had appeared, I transferred each seedling in to a 4″ pot. Each was put quite deep into the temp pot. This should allow for excellent root development over the next 5 weeks before last frost date. In all we have 10 tomatoes plants in 4″ pots. Three Silvery Fir, Two Yellow pear, Three Red Pear, and Two Roma. If all make it to fruiting this season, I should get my tomatoes fill.

The next big step is building a trellis system for all of the tomatoes. They will all be in containers this year plus we are moving at the end of June. So instead of just a single system, each container will get it’s own. The Silvery Fir is a smaller determinate type tomatoes, only about 24″. So your standard tomato cage should work well those. Another perk of this little guy is that it ripens in about 60 days after transplanting. The Romas are also determinate but they will get to about 36″ tall, so a little different support system will be required. I think some stout stakes plus some wire should do it. The most difficult will be the Pear cherry tomatoes. They are all indeterminate varieties of tomatoes. Meaning it could grow as tall as 6 feet tall. I am very tempted to make a singular unit for all 5 plants but more portable, Individual planter support systems make more sense.

Each planter will get an improvised drip irrigation system made out of soda bottles. Consistent, even water, should make some delicious, very pretty fruit. With inconsistent water your fruit can have cracks in them.

Basically, I’m very excited to see if I can do better this season.
Thanks it

-FinnKidd

I used the ultimate flavor technique on this sponge meaning that it was allowed to ferment at room temperature for about an hour and then was placed into the fridge for 8-24 more. This stresses the yeast and give it great flavor.

The other this I learned during this bread QBP is to remember to add the salt. Salt does two important functions in bread making. It adds saltiness that balances a loaf out so it doesn’t taste flat. It also inhibits the over fermentation of the bread yeast. I figured out that I forgot the salt when my loaves that were supposed to take two hours to rise only took 45 minutes. I knew it was in trouble but proceeded to the completion of the bread anyways.

One of the best parts of making this bread was the mixing of the banana into the dough. The banana fragrance just filled the kitchen and the dough became a nice, very light yellow color. Made we want the finished bread now.

Because of time constraints and the mess up with the lack of salt. I was forced to put the rising bread in the pan into the fridge to stall the yeast a bit. It definitely slowed them down but the yeast didn’t finish raising the bread to the full level that the recipe called for.

I will have to make this Bread again but add the salt next time. I’ve been using this attempt for Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches. It’s a nice subtle banana flavor but I do add some rock salt under the peanut butter before I spread it to keep the flavors balanced.

Getting ready for the starter sponge

Sponge Mixed and in the bowl.

Dough mixed with starter and rising in a bowl

Fully risen in bowl after only 1.5 hrs. I knew something was wrong with that.

Finished bread, with great texture. Much smaller loaf than expected from the chilling it. Definitely needs the salt grinder in the background.

Timeline
09:05pm: Mix Sponge
10:30pm: Sponge in Fridge
09:00am: Sprinkle Flour Mixture
11:30am: Mix Dough + Banana + Butter and let rest
11:50am: Knead dough in stand mixer
12:00pm: Transfer to rising container and let rise
12:45pm: Bread Doubled in size, gave Two Business letter turns and back into container. This seemed quite quick.
01:30pm: Bread doubled in size again. Shape dough and put to quick bread pan and place into Fridge as we wouldn’t be back from the Uptown Art Fair anytime in the near future.
05:15pm: Turn oven on and take bread out of Fridge
06:00pm: Put Bread in Oven
06:05pm: Turn oven temp down
06:15pm: Rotate Bread in Oven
06:20pm: Turn oven down again
06:30pm: Remove bread from oven and let cool.

The bread itself is pretty simple. All Purpose flour, salt, yeast and water. The starter was a biga. A fairly compact starter that is great for breads like this that need a better gluten structure. The bread itself had less than 1.5 cups of flour in it. It’s the light airy texture that makes Ciabatta brilliant. This is also a bread that when you are shaping it, be sure to use ample flour as it stops this very sticky dough from catching and so adds that characteristic look.

Getting Ready to Mix the Biga

The Mixed Biga. It would triple in size over the next few hours

Mixing the dough, pre-gluten forming.

Well defined gluten

Mixed dough measuring less than 1/4 quart

I only needed a triple volume rise in this bread. . The four times size increase was nice but maybe it cut down onto later risings.

Well floured cutting board, getting ready for the sticky dough.

This is the bottom of the bread. It gets dimples to create the wrinkled top crush.


On the Silmat ready to be placed into the oven


Propping the door open with a bottom of a wooden spoon. This helps crisp the top of the bread.

The finished product. Great tasting too. Firm Crust on top and bottom.

We cut the bread after it had fully cooled and used it as buns for lamb-burgers that evening. Only the end remains. Good Eats.

Timelime
10:30pm: Mix Biga
05:00am: Put into Fridge (The Infant slept though the night but we didn’t)
06:30am: Take Biga out of Fridge
07:30am: Mix the dough and let it triple in size. We had time to go out to the FinnishBistro and for the Infant to take his nap.
10:00am: Dough made it close to 4.5 times its size. Shape dough and let rise.
12:40pm: Dough only rose slightly after trip to Borders (Picked up Tender & The Vegetable from an Italian Garden, two moleskins, & some kids books) & Seward Co-op (CSA Box + Other goodies)
01:25pm: Bread into the Oven
01:30pm: Turn the Temp on Oven
01:40pm: Turn the Bread
01:45pm: Lifted onto the Stone
01:50pm: Oven Off, Propped door open
01:55pm: Out of the oven and cooling time

Well I will have to embark on my challenge tomorrow as it is way too late to start mixing some dough.

-FinnKidd

I brewed my first batch of beer for the season. Caribou Slobber. A clone kit from Northern Brewer of Big Sky’s Moose Drool. An american style brown ale. Slightly hoppy with crisp malt background. It was definitely a challenge getting it all working again. I hope to do at least 3 more batches this summer. We will see.

We planted our container garden outside the work shed. Garlic, Soybeans, Basil, Thyme, Sage, Dill, Chamomile, Chives, Cat Nip, Mint and probably a couple of others I can’t remember. Everything is doing fine expect for the Soybeans. We need to replant them. I think I went a little too deep on the first try. Sadly I am using the containers from my Hop growing last year as the roots did not survive the winter and I wasn’t looking to start another set of vines if we plan to move next year. We did learn to get our rosemary, tomato, and pepper plants in the starter dirt several weeks early than we intended. They are just coming up now. I don’t think they will mature by the end of the harvest.

Much of my free time has gone into planning a week of dinners for our trip to the lake this year. Scouring books looking for that interesting recipe to start them summer off right. Mostly looking through an old series of Williams-Sonoma of books called Grilling, Vegetable & Bread. Also How to Cook Everything contributed many recipes. The hardest part was finding dessert recipes that used the grill in a tasty way. After selecting the recipes, sizing for a group of 10 and figuring out how much of each ingredient was needed for the week. Then figuring out the time needed to prep and cooking to serve. Seems like a lot of work for a vacation but I feel if I do this right now I won’t spend so much time on vacation getting food ready and more time fishing, playing games, being outside in general. That and I enjoy doing everything I listed above.

What I am most excited for this week is the first week of our CSA membership from Featherstone Farms. Mel and I are excited for the challenge of the unknown veggies during the next 20 or so weeks. We even got the larger box because we love veggies so much. We are pretty much vegetarians just be cooking habits, not by principle. Equipped with our new salad spinner we welcome the challenge of the copious amounts of greens. Last Year the first week brought Spinach, Red Butter Lettuce, Salad Greens, Radishes, Asparagus, Rhubarb, & Cilantro.

There is much more but I feel that would just be more rambling.

Til next time
-FinnKidd

Part of the allure is the lines and the method in which you stand. Which is right behind the people that you want to finish so that you can have a seat to eat at.

As you wait against the wall of the building the forms the southside of the restaurant, you can decide what looks good in front of you from what the others are ordering. I find that going by yourself or with one other person works best. With 3 or more you might be waiting longer that you would want or frustrate the others with the empty seats. Don’t be surprised after you are seated if you are asked to move down a couple of seats to make this problem go away. After you’re seated pick up the menu. It’s been the same for many years. Classic breakfast. After you place your order it is translated into diner speak and shouted across the space.

You order is prepared quickly with loads of flavor.It’s amazing to believe that there is usually 5 employees behind the counter keeping the machine running.

I won’t say that Al’s is about the presentation, it’s definitely about the flavor and fatty goodness.  I always get the same thing when I make the annual trip. The two egg Jose on rye. Two poached eggs with fresh salsa, cheese, hash browns & toast . Always filling. I believe that this was the first place I ever had a poached egg. The textures that the dish puts together are amazing. Gooey & crunchy plus some heat to wake you up in the morning.  I’m sure that there other great things on the menu but I go to Al’s for the Jose.

I probably eat faster that I should but I want to get going so that the hungry eyes behind me can get a seat. They take cash only unless you are a regular that has a tab book down below. If you ordered mistakenly without have cash they’ll let you run across the street to get some at the ATM. Luckily I’ve only had to do that once before.

Al’s Breakfast is a once/twice a year kind of place for me. I don’t know if my body could handle it more than that. I like to go on weekends because that parking is free. Check it out and get the Jose.  Al’s has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives.

-FinnKidd

-FinnKidd

P.S. I am very excited for the our Featherstone CSA to start in June and for the trip to Park Rapid in same week.

-FinnKidd

I am not done with this blog just figuring out time management with it. I will pick up writing again when I get more or a netbook. For now Juhani hopes that everyone is having a fun and tasty holiday season.

-FinnKidd

Not all hops are dried before they are used. This is called wet hopping or fresh hopping. To get the best hop flavor and aroma the hops have to be picked and used as close together as possible. Many of the breweries in hop growing country are using them within hours of picking. Breweries in the midwest are getting them in 2 days. The pale ale is the usual style used for wet hopped beer as the style emphasizes the aroma and flavor of hops and there is no fresher flavor or aroma than using wet hops.

Attempting to get in one last home brew prior to the baby’s arrival, I decided to brew last weekend. It had been quite sometime since my last beer and I was waffling in the styles that I wanted to do and my first year hop plants had failed to produce any cones, so I thought. They had a few of them up high on the bines (yes, bines not vines). It came to me, fresh hop beer. I harvested every hop I had but only came up with 19grams. A little over a half ounce. Not really enough to use for a whole beer. So they were placed in the aroma portion of the brew to enhance the aromas. I had my first taste of the fermented out beer today and was it ever aromatic. Strong citrus throughout the nose. Great cascade throughout.

My small harvest this season, hopefully lots more next

Most homebrewers will only use homegrown hops for this purpose because they do not know of the alpha acid content of their hops. Without knowing how bitter the hops are it is difficult to make a properly balanced beer. The pro’s get their’s tested when making their fresh hopped beers.

There are several commercial examples of fresh hopped beer including Surly Wet, Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale, and Brau Brothers Hundred Yard Dash. All of these are available for a limited amount of time. They should be consumed fast, stored in the cold and kept out of the sun. The longer you wait the more flat/oxidized they will taste.

-FinnKidd