Getting Your Ginger

I love planting ginger indoors in the winter. Its serves multiple purposes, first ginger makes an excellent natural tea, you can also make your own lozenges, which helps prevent getting bad colds and flu's. The second and to me more important benefit- it soothes my itching green thumb. 

We all get it, it's winter, it's gray, miserable and cold out. You are clutching your seed catalogs and maybe starting some seedlings indoors, but you still have to wait. With ginger root, you can see results within a week and a plant that makes your home brighten up into a more cheerful place!

The best place to find ginger is right in your local grocery store. If you are REALLY lucky, you may see some ginger pieces that have already started to grow buds. So look carefully and you may save yourself a step! Some people have said it's impossible to get them to bud from the grocery store, but I have ALWAYS gotten my ginger from this location, never had any issues getting them to sprout!

Budding Your Ginger Root

If by chance you were not able to find ginger roots with buds already on them, fret not, it's the easiest thing to accomplish- It's virtually idiot proof!

Take your ginger root and place them in a windowsill in indirect light and just wait. That's it. Within a week or two you will see soft white and then greenish buds shoot from the ends of the plant. You don't need to wait for more than a couple, once they have started the rest will come. You can now get ready to plant your Ginger!

Planting Your Ginger 

Get a shallow plant bowl with good drainage that is wide- maybe only 6 inches or so in depth and depending o the number of ginger pieces you are planting, at least 3 times in width. Ginger roots spread out and grow horizontally, so a deep container is not necessary. The roots rhizomes shoot through the soil producing green stalks about 3 feet in height with only a few leaves per stalk. Your main concern is the root as that is what you will be consuming. 

Ginger loves high humidity, rich soil, and good drainage. It's an easy house plant to start in the winter, and if you want to, you can regrow it outside once the weather warms up.

For your soil, mix half sandy loamy soil with some well rotted compost. The sandy loam ensures that the roots do not become water logged, and the compost is what feeds the ginger plant, as ginger is a HEAVY feeder. Think about it, this is a tropical plant. What does the tropics have? Lush canopies of greenery that fall down and decompose on the ground. Lots of humidity, moisture, heavy rotting of dead plant life into the soil, this is what this plant is used to, so this is what you need to mimic!

Put the roots barely under only an inch or two of your prepared soil, with the buds pointing up and somewhat exposed to light. Lightly mist with water. I at first cover with a sheet of plastic to trap in warmth and humidity until green shoots start to emerge, then I remove the cover.

Harvest Time

 Check your potted plant after 6 months or so. You can see by the number of stalks how much your ginger has spread out since you first planted it.

Cut the stalks and put in your compost pile. Carefully dig up the ginger root and shake off the dirt from them. You may find that you have large pieces of ginger. Rinse with cold water the dirt from the roots and allow to air dry in your house on some newspaper. Once dried, cut with a clean knife into separate pieces. 

It's up to you what you want to do with your roots at this point. You can choose to start the replanting process, or you can use your roots for cooking or for medicinal purposes. 

What I do is a combination, I save maybe one or two small pieces for new plants, and I use up the rest. When your roots are cut into sections, you have to let these pieces dry out first before storing or replanting. 

What I like to do is freeze my ginger root. I peel the skin off with a sharp blade, then get a fine grater and grate it into piles and store in freezer bags in my freezer to use in soups like Carrot Ginger soup or various Asian dishes.

Check out my blog later as I show you how to make your own ginger lozenges!

You can make maple syrup with just about any variety of maple tree, but the most popular kind to use is the Sugar Maple or Acer Saccharum.

Generally around mid-March to the start of April is when most people start tapping their maple trees. This can vary as the weather has been a little flaky lately for many of us, but generally the ideal conditions is a freezing cold night followed by a 40 degree day the next. If you jump the gun and you tap the trees too early and another cold spell hits, your tap will be cut off and you will have to wait it out until the thaw starts again. Spring thaw is the best time to gain some sap from your maple trees although you can get some in the fall or on a warmer winter day.

How to Tap Your Maple Trees

Step 1:Mark off the trees to be tapped

Take some twine or construction tape or a can of spray paint and mark each tree you plan to tap. When choosing maple trees, make sure that the tree is at least 10" in diameter. For each 6-8" in diameter more than 10" you can add another tap to the tree. For some old maple trees, they can have as many as 4 spouts in one!

Step 2:Drill It
Now that your trees are marked, take a cordless power drill or a hand drill and bore a hole in the tree 2 feet up from the ground and about 2" deep. Try and angle the hole in your tree upward so that the sap will flow out more freely. You can get a specific bit for tapping trees from sugaring suppliers that are 7/16-inch bits. This matches the size of the commercial tapping spouts exactly, but you can also get a standard 1/2" bit or 3/8" bit to work.











Step 3:Hammer the Spout

Gently hammer in your metal tapping spouts, making sure not to crack the bark of your tree. If you crack the bark, sap will start to leak out of that and you will lose precious sap! So hammer the spout in lightly in bursts to make it go in far enough so that the spout won't fall out and so that you can hang your sap bucket from it.

Step 4:Buckets of Sap
Manufactured spouts for tapping maple trees usually come with hooks so you can attach your sap buckets easily. When I say sap bucket, you can really use any container, as long as you keep an eye on it when it starts to get full. You can use plastic milk containers, coffee cans, plastic buckets, etc. Really whatever is sanitary and free to be filled is game. You will need to either make a lid or have a bucket already with a lid to keep out any debris from the trees and animals who may be attracted to the sweet sticky sap.

Step 5:Boil 'er Down!
Start boiling your sap in 6 gallon or 8 gallon pots on an outdoor fire or stove. You can do this in your kitchen, but it does take a lot of time to cook the sap down, and it produces a lot of vapors and steam. Boil the sap, skim off any foam that starts to produce, and make sure that you don't leave the sap in there too long. You can leave the sap boiling away unwatched for the first couple hours where the sap is reduced to half it's size. Then as it cooks down more, you need to be watchful to make sure it doesn't boil over, get too dark, or boil off too much so that it will crystalize once put into jars. You can test your sap for density with regular sugaring tests or a hydrometer, sugaring thermometer or candy thermometer. Boil your sap until your candy thermometer reads 219º F at Sea Level. For every 550 ft. above sea level that you are located, add 1 degree.

The age old test to see if your syrup is finished, is taking a spoon scoop of the liquid and pour back into the pot. If the liquid sticks to the bottom of your ladel, you have syrup!

Canning Instructions for Maple Syrup

It's not recommended to just have your syrup in containers in the fridge without canning first. They can still get moldy and go bad and yes you will cry when realizing you spent 5 hours cooking down something that now looks absolutely putrid.

So instead, can it!

Instructions:

Heat your syrup back up to a boil and then immediately pour it boiling hot into already hot sterile canning glass jars. Pint jars are a good size to use and just fill them up to 1/4"just below the top. Seal tightly with heated canning lids. Your jars will seal themselves up tight, no need for the water bath. This is a completely sterile, tried and proven way of canning maple syrup that has been done for over a century.

This is probably my favorite Christmas cookie of all time. They are bite-sized and highly addictive. You will make them and lie to yourself that they are for Christmas day or for visitors. Please. They won't last the next 24 hours. You've been warned.

Ingredients:

1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
1/4 cocoa
1 and 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I rarely add salt)
2 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Confectioners sugar

Directions:
Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until light. Add the next 4 ingredients and mix well. Add nuts. Shape into 1-inch balls. Put on cookie sheets. Bake in a moderate oven (325*. F) for about 15 minutes. Cool slightly and roll in the confectioners sugar. Makes about 6 dozen.

Spicy Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

These are delicious thin chocolate cookies where the dough must be chilled overnight before baking for the best results. You can dip the edges of the cookies in chopped nuts or candies, whatever your temptation desires. I prefer the chopped walnuts or almonds.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup nuts, ground in a blender
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon each of baking powder and cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
(Multi-colored candies) this is where your memories and my recipe differ. But you can roll them many different things.....nuts, crushed hard candies, or the multi-colored tiny little balls often used on cakes.

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg, then add nuts. Mix the remaining ingredients, except the candies, and stir into the first mixture. Divide into 2 equal parts. Shape each into rolls about 1 inch in diameter. Sprinkle candies On wax paper and coat each roll. Wrap rolls in wax paper or plastic wrap, and chill overnight Cut into 1/4 inch slices and bake on lightly greased, or non-stick cookie sheets. Temp 350* F Bake about 10 minutes Makes about 5 dozen.

Original Bûche de Noël Recipe

Jelly Roll:
5 Eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Mocha Cream Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

Mocha Buttercream Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions:

Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.
Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.v Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back (do not overbake). Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread cream filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.

In a large bowl, beat frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark. Yield: 12 servings.

Tiramisu Bûche de Noël
Ingredients:

For Cake:
1/2 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring), plus additional for dusting pan
5 large eggs, separated, left at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

For Espresso Syrup:

1/2 cup espresso or very strong black coffee
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy

For Filling:
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

For Ganache:
12 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup

For Decoration:
Meringue mushrooms (optional)
Unsweetened cocoa for dusting
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

EQUIPMENT:
A 15- by 10- by 1-inch rimmed sheet pan (aka jelly-roll pan; small offset spatula (optional, but really helpful); long rectangular or oval platter or wooden serving board

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter pan and line bottom and sides with 1 sheet of parchment paper. Butter paper and dust with additional flour, knocking out excess.

Beat together yolks, vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon that takes 2 seconds to dissolve when beaters are lifted, 5 to 8 minutes in a stand mixer or 8 to 12 minutes with a handheld. 

Sift half of flour over yolks and fold it in gently but thoroughly, then sift and fold in remaining flour.

Beat whites with salt and cream of tartar in a large metal bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.

Fold 1/4 of whites into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Stir 1/2 cup batter into melted butter in a small bowl until combined, then fold butter mixture into batter gently but thoroughly. Spread batter evenly in sheet pan and rap once on counter to help eliminate air bubbles.

Bake until top of cake springs back when gently pressed with finger, 7 to 10 minutes. Sift top of hot cake evenly with confectioners' sugar and cover cake with a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth) followed by a baking sheet. Holding sheet and cake pan together with oven mitts, flip cake onto cloth on baking sheet. Carefully peel off and discard parchment paper.

With a long side nearest you and using towel as an aid, roll up cake in towel, jelly-roll style, keeping it wrapped in towel. Cool cake completely, seam-side down in towel, on a rack.

Make Espresso Syrup:

Bring espresso and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves, then boil until reduced to a scant 1/4 cup. Remove pan from heat and stir in Cognac, then cool to room temperature.

Make Filling:

Slowly mix mascarpone, sugar, cinnamon, and Cognac in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. If mixture is very loose after adding sugar, beat mixture briefly to thicken slightly (see Cooks' Notes).
Beat heavy cream in another bowl with same beaters at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone mixture.

Make Ganache:

Put chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil, then pour over chocolate and let stand 3 minutes. Stir slowly with a whisk until smooth. If bits of chocolate remain unmelted, set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and heat, stirring gently, until completely smooth, and remove from pan. Stir in corn syrup. Chill, stirring a couple of times, until it thickens to an easily spreadable consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Assemble Yule Log:

Gently unroll cooled cake on a baking sheet, keeping it on towel, then arrange baking sheet so that long side of cake that was inside roll is nearest to you. Brush all of cooled espresso syrup all over surface of cake.

Spread filling with offset spatula evenly over cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Starting from long side nearest you, roll up cake without towel, leaving it seam-side down on baking sheet. Gently brush off any excess confectioners' sugar.

Cut a 1 1/2-inch-long diagonal slice from each end of roll and reserve. Transfer cake, using 2 metal slotted spatulas as aids, seam-side down on platter. Using ganache as "glue," attach end pieces, diagonal sides down, on top and side of log to resemble branches. Spread ganache all over roll and branches with offset spatula, making it resemble tree bark.

Arrange a few meringue mushrooms, if using, around Yule log, and very lightly sift a little cocoa over log and mushrooms first, followed by a little confectioners' sugar to resemble a light dusting of snow.

Styrofoam Ball(s)-Comes in assorted sizes, keep in mind that the bigger the diameter the styrofoam, the larger the evergreen branches that you will need, and the more of them you will need too.

Clippers/Pruning Shears- nice pair of sharp shears to trim your evergreen branches.

Wire Hangers-Easy way to hang up your kissing balls when you are done.

Rubber Gloves- Try and get a heavy duty pair, the disposable ones break too easily.

Ribbon/Extras- Whatever creative elements you want to add to jazz it up a little.



Getting Started

1.) Find Evergreen Branches

You can purchase some from a florist shop, or if you have property where you can go out back and trim some off of a tree, you can also trim off the lower branches of your christmas tree to use those, or as a last resort you can take a ride out along the highway or a low trafficked back road at night and "borrow" some. Some places that sell Christmas trees are also only too happy to give away FOR FREE the cut bottom branches from trees they have sold. Typically the commercial retailors are your best bet. 

2.)Trim Branches

Looking at your Styrofoam ball, estimate the length of branch cutting you will need to fill your ball. Estimate that each branch you sink into the ball will have to go in at least 2-3" deep to be firmly in place. Cut smaller branches off of the main bough to size that you desire for your kissing ball. If some pieces are too long, cut the branch again where you need it and then cut again closest to the next joint in the branch that protrudes out of the piece so that you don't have any bare wooden ends poking out of your kissing ball. Make sure you cut your branches so that the ends have a nice sharp angle cut. This will make the next step easier on you.

3.) Insert Hanger

Taking a plain wire clothes hanger, cut to specs and poke through the top of your styrofoam ball and push all the way through. Trim with wire cutters if necessary at the bottom, and bend the end upwards against the base of the ball so it stays firmly inserted. Don't worry your branches will cover this up nicely so no one sees it.

4.)Start Filling It In

Begin with taking your 4 best evergreen pieces, and put them in the 4 directions N,S,E & W as if you were poking them into a globe. After that, you start at the top of your globe and in circular spirals going down, start filling the rest of your branches into your styrofoam ball, evenly all the way to the base. Make sure that you don't push in the branches too far or too little, you want them to be stable and for them to make an even diameter around the ball.

5.)Ribbons or Other Decorations

Here is where there are no rules, just go with what you like. I would recommend that if you use ribbon make sure that it has the wire in it so that your bows will stay lively looking and not droop when you hang it. You can also hang ribbon streamers from the bottom of the ball too (see image below). Again whatever looks good to you!