Thursday, November 16, 2017

Cranberry Orange Jam (Thanksgiving Jam}


Plump sweet, tart and tangy cranberries make their appearance every fall, and are oh so good for you. Full of antioxidants and other good for you stuff, it just makes sense to turn them into a  jam you can enjoy long past the holidays.

Since cranberries have a lot of natural pectin, there is no pectin required for this recipe ... see? Easy!



This jam is not overly sweet. It is delicious served: 
  • on scones or English muffins
  • over cream cheese on crackers as part of a charcuterie board
  • basted on grilled or roasted poultry
  • as an accompaniment to turkey, ham or pork


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Discovering Gorget Distilling Company - Revolutionize Your Spirit


I always find it amazing what you can find right outside your back door, if you take the time to look. For a  few years now we've been traveling to local farms, markets and real food establishments to learn about their processes, discovering the best of South Carolina small family farms, farmers markets and "real food stores" that source their products from local farms and markets.


We've traveled all over the state, from one farm or farmers market to another, and recently decided to branch out exploring wineries who are making amazing wines from their scuppernog or muscadine grapes, visiting both The Winery at Mercer House and Enoree River Winery.

And then I read about Gorget Distilling Company and couldn't wait to go visit. As they say on their website:


"Gorget Distilling’s name has a unique tie to both South Carolina and the birth of our country as a nation. The word gorget means a piece of armor worn around the throat in battle. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, William Moultrie was commissioned to design a flag to signal South Carolina troops. He took the blue from the soldier’s uniform and the crescent shape from the cap, designing the Moultrie or Liberty Flag. Gorget Distilling Co. was founded in 2015 by three local gentlemen who wanted to create not only a buzz about the gorget, but a following for their fine, handmade, local spirits. Isn’t it about time you #Revolutionizeyourspirit??


The grains they use come from local farms in the surrounding area, and their corn is crushed at Boykin Mill, a 100 + year old water-powered stone mill, which is a local historic mill; how cool is that?


"At Boykin Mill, corn is ground today as it has been for 200 years. Water rushing through the spillway behind the dam of the mill pond is channeled through 100-year-old turbines to power the mill. The corn is crushed between two ancient millstones which are hand dressed with with notched surfaces, and which weigh a ton each. These rotate slowly, maintaining a cool temperature to retain the essential oils and preserve the delicious flavor of the corn."

So on a nice Saturday in early November, a small group of us met at Gorget Distilling Company for a tour and tasting. 


We arrived at 1 p.m. and were met by our host for the day, Hugh Thomas, one of the owners and the Distiller. After introductions all around, we began our tour, which was fascinating. 


Did you know? To be vodka it has to come out of the distillery at 190 proof or higher. The distillery's rum tanks hold 136 gallons, and bourbon takes a year in the barrels and is aged in a new barrel each time. 


When making whiskey or rum, which also takes a year, the barrel can be used about 2-3 times, then they sell the barrels to breweries to use. So cool.


Then we tasted! For the nominal fee of  $5 per person we tasted a dozen of their liquors, from the award-winning silver rum to vodka, flavored rums, and moonshine. While I enjoyed all of them, my personal favorites are the silver rum and vodka.


Gorget Distilling Company sells all their liquors on-site, as well as has them available at retailers in the area. They also have a nice selection of T-shirts, ball caps, beautiful glasses, and other items for customers to purchase. 


When you see the "certified South Carolina product" label on their bottle, you know you are getting a local, handcrafted product, produced right here in South Carolina, and that's fantastic. Anytime you can shop local and support local is a win-win, for yourself, your community, and the local business you are supporting.


Until our next adventure ...

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Monday, November 13, 2017

Rib-Eye Tomahawk Steak


You owe it to yourself to try this "show stopper" Rib-Eye Tomahawk Steak just once. Perfect for special occasions, dinners for two, or any other time you want a caveman-sized cut of beef.

Did you know grass-fed beef is:
Low in saturated fat and cholesterol
Rich in Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids
Rich in Conjugated Linoleic Acid
High in Vitamin B complex
(niacin, riboflavin, and B12)
High in Vitamins A and E
Rich in Zinc, Iron, and Digestible Protein
High in all Nine Essential Amino Acids
Free of Preservatives
Free of Antibiotics and Hormones



Buying grass-fed beef from a local farm or butcher will possibly be slightly more expensive than the grocery store, but it is so worth the expense for superior taste. Remember, you only live once, so you may as well live it up once in awhile! 


RECIPE
Ingredients
1 - 2 lb, 3" thick grass-fed rib-eye tomahawk steak 
1 tbls olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely sliced and minced
1 slice white onion, thinly sliced
3 small sprigs fresh rosemary, finely minced
dash or two course ground black pepper

Method

Pan sear in olive oil, garlic, onion, rosemary and pepper just a few minutes. Coat beef on all sides with above mixture.

Grill beef on low indirect heat, turning every ten minutes or until internal temp reaches 125 degrees.

Let rest covered 10 minutes; turn on the sear burner. Sear steak on each side 2-3 minutes, remove and let rest 5 minutes more, slice and serve.

Cook's note - the internal temperature of beef will rise during the resting time so the end result following the grilling time stated is a perfect medium-rare.  If you would like the steak more rare or more well-done, you will need to adjust the grilling time, either shorter or longer, to achieve your desired result.




Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.