I look forward to pickle camp each year. Friends and family gather to share stories and the thrill of scrubbing cucumbers and peeling garlic.
“Pickle pals” for life, Elsa and Teri
There are also plenty of laughs and good food enjoyed by all as we sit back at the end of the day and get that warm feeling about what we accomplished, and begin to start counting down the calendar days until Thanksgiving, when the first jar is popped open and pickle camp comes back to life, one jar at a time.
Fresh, ready-to-pack ingredients line the counter for packing jars.
Elsa had the liquid measurements on her wrist likened to a quarterbacks play list. The assembly line behind her was moving fast.
ELSA’S PICKLES
Place the following in the bottom of a quart canning jar:
1 head of dill
2 cloves of garlic
½ tsp mustard seed
1 red chili pod
¼ tsp turmeric
4 whole pepper corns
As jars are being filled, another garlic clove, red chili or a pinch more of dill can sneak into the jar, making the recipe really just a guide line.
For 7 jars, in a sauce pan heat:
6 cups vinegar
7-1/2 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
3/8 cup sugar
Place cucumbers in jar standing on end, pack tightly. Fill jar with vinegar liquid mix, place canning lid on top and screw lid on tight. Place into a water bath canner (water should cover top of the jar) and bring to a rolling boil. Process for 15 minutes. Do not open until Thanksgiving.
I have no patience for waiting on the greens in the garden to mature, so with a little help from my local farmer John at Maple Rock Farm, I learned to create and use some of the bounty early.
I have never been good at following recipes and measuring. Everything is done by eyeballing, more liquid or greens can be added to get consistency desired.
Parsley- Walnut Pesto
Fill your blender with 2 cups of chopped parsley, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 3-5 cloves of garlic.
Pour in ½ cup of good olive oil (I used Olivar De La Luna organic extra virgin). Begin blending, add more olive oil as the paste begins to pureé. You do not want it so thick you cannot get it out of the blender, but it should not be too runny.
Use a spoon and scoop into ice cube tray and freeze.
Once cubes are frozen solid, place the tray in a pan of hot water for a few minutes to loosen cubes of pesto, then place them on a cookie sheet to freeze hard again, then store in a container in the freezer.
When you want pesto, place a cube (or several) in a bowl and thaw to room temperature. Add hot or cold pasta and mix.
Grate parmesan cheese over pasta and mix. Do not add cheese before freezing, (it will turn into globs when heated).
Green Garlic Paste
Early summer-late spring, cut the garlic scape off of last year’s garlic you planted in the fall. These can be chopped and put into dressings, sauces and salads, but I like to make a garlic paste that is versatile and keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Fill blender half full of chopped garlic scapes, add ¼ cup of good olive oil and begin blending. You will add more olive oil as the combo begins to blend into a chunky paste.
This paste does not get smooth but will have texture.
Add more oil, or scapes, until you get a consistency of soft paste (if it is too thick you will not get out of the blender). Place green garlic paste in a mason jar with lid and keep in the refrigerator.
I use this as a rub on chicken; add to tomato paste-balsamic vinegar-olive oil as a marinade for beef; add to good olive oil-balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper as a salad dressing; stir into pasta; add to any dish you would add garlic to.
Spring is my favorite time of the year for so many reasons.
I’m back in my garden, seeds are sprouting, flowers are blooming, and birds are nesting and singing.
From hummingbirds zipping around my garden to eagles nesting across the valley, we have a huge variety of birds to appreciate.
Get your birding book out and enjoy learning about these little chirpers! This photo was found Googling birds in the San Juan Islands.
And Orcas celebrates our feathered friends with a little help from the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, which hosts the annual Birdfest, a celebration of birds! This year, the Orcas Island Birdfest runs for four days: Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2.
Sharp Shined Hawk
The schedule is packed with bird walks and nature tours, workshops, a fine art exhibition and scientific symposium, all focusing on the wonder of birds and grassroots solutions for maintaining healthy populations.
Even if you are not a “birder,” this is an unforgettable experience showcasing the natural splendor of the San Juan Islands.
Hooded Mergansers at Otter’s Pond, ready to have ducklings in a month.
Grab your binoculars, pack your Birding in the San Juan Islands by Mark G. Lewis, put your hiking boots on and get ready for some local color and sound.
Pileated woodpeckers are easy to spot.
Visit www.otterspond.com for a list of birds you can see on Orcas Island.
For information about the 2015 Birdfest and a complete calendar of events, visit OrcasIslandBirdFest.com.
Do you like beer? Yeah, me too. That’s why after a day at the office or after a glorious, weekend hike on one of Orcas Island’s many trails, I like to grab mug #097 off the shelf and belly up to the counter at the Island Hoppin’ Brewery taproom. Talk about a place where everybody knows your name; 33 Hope Lane is the place, indeed. The staff is super friendly; always warm and inviting. And guess what? They’re open year round, everyday!
Hand thrown mugs made on Orcas.
Stop by Tuesday nights for Ping-Pong tournaments or Thursday nights for Mug Club drawing and a chance to win some cold, hard cash! No time to sit down and enjoy a beer? No problem, just grab a growler to go. Easy as pie! The tasting room is kid-friendly, so you can enjoy one of several amazing brews while you play Jenga with your Izze-guzzling, pretzel and peanut devouring rug rat. Right here on Orcas Island, ahhh the luxury.
Look, there’s the little, orange car!
If you see a bright orange car parked outside, and chances are you will—that’s me! So c’mon in and enjoy Nate, Becca and Jim’s Elwha Rock I.P.A. or one of their other delicious beers with me. Reason #129.5 to love living on beautiful Orcas Island!
Here are another 18 reasons to love living on beautiful Orcas Island. From time to time, each of these local establishments offers Island Hoppin’ Brewery’s beer on tap.
Beer selection currently on tap is listed on the board. I’ll take a #1, thanks!
If after visiting Island Hoppin’ Brewery you have found beer bliss and like me, you simply cannot go another minute without living nearby, give us a call at T. Williams Realty and we’ll get you squared away!
Here are 4 easy recipes to preserve your summer harvest.
No Cook Sunshine Tomato Sauce- Clean Eating September 2014-Give several summer ripe tomatoes a light rinse. Chop
Easy Sunshine Tomatoes Sauce
coarsely and dump into a large jar. Mash a few garlic cloves (I like a lot of garlic) add to jar. Add 1 cup of olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar. If you don’t have vinegar, use lemon or lime juice. The better the quality, the better the flavor on both oil and vinegar. Add sea salt and ground pepper to taste. If you have fresh basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme, tie up in bunch and toss in too. Put the lid on; shake the jar to mix contents, set in the sun or hot sunny window. Let sit to soak up the heat of the sun for 4 hours (can do longer time, do not recommend shorter time). Pull herbs out. Serve with crusty bread or use as a light raw sauce for pasta. I blended my jar contents and warmed in a cast iron skillet, spoon over ravioli, top with shaved parmesan cheese. You can freeze or keep in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Homemade Tomato Paste- Maple Rock’s Farmer John-Take your split and over ripe toms and cook them down in a pot to the point that you can macerate them with a potato masher or even a stick blender if you have one. After mashing them, run them through a food mill to remove the skin and seeds (I skipped this step). At this point you have a watered down sauce (sometimes I’ll drain off some of that liquid prior to mashing). Transfer the sauce in the pot onto the biggest sheet pans (I used cake pans) that will fit in your oven and cook it down for one hour at 350 then take it down to 250 for another two- three hours. Stir occasionally and add some nice olive oil and salt to taste. We like to make as big of a batch of this as we can and freeze it in pint jars not quite filled to the top. Keep one in the fridge all the time to add to just about anything you can think of.
Salsa- Years of Adding and Subtracting in Teri’s Kitchen and Ball Blue Book
Add chips and tequila!!!!
10 cups chopped tomatoes (I include skin and seeds, can remove if desired) about 6 lbs.
5 cups chopped green bell pepper, seeded. About 2 lbs.
5 cups chopped onion (you choose type, I use Walla Walla) about 2 lbs.
2.5 cups chopped, seeded hot peppers. (I usually use a variety based on what my farmer is growing. Include some seeds for more heat). For deeper flavor, roast peppers first, then remove skins. About 1-2 lbs. Be sure to wear gloves
2 garlic heads. (can vary dependent on your taste, however, too little is not good).
1 tblsp hot sauce
2 tblsp dried red pepper
1-2 tblsp crushed cumin
1 ¼ cup cider vinegar
Salt to taste
Big hand full of chopped cilantro
Chopped and combine all ingredients (EXCEPT CILANTRO). Place in large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cilantro. Ladle hot salsa in prepared jars, leaving ½” headroom. Cover with seal/screw top. Process 20 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Dried Tomatoes- Easy-This is great use of blemished or split tomatoes. I usually use this method after I have done all of the
Can be done any time of the year!
above and am tired or ran out of jar space in the pantry. Clean tomatoes, cut stem and blemish/bad areas away. Slice the tomatoes about 1/8” thick. This is a guideline. Too thin, they come out crispy, too thick, they come out chewing and are more likely to mold in the jar. Coat the trays with a non stick spray or rub with olive oil to keep slices from sticking to the tray. Place slices on tray, leaving room around the slices so they have air circulation around all sides. Set dryer on 135 degrees for 5 hours. The timing can vary, checking every two hours until dried to your preference (close to potato chip crisp). Turn off the dryer and let tomatoes cool completely. Store in an airtight jar. Great to eat as is, or add to quiche, soups or sauces for a strong tomato flavor that will delight your taste buds.
Enjoy preserving, eating, sharing and pairing all of the above- teri
Friday is spent outfitting our sailboat with fresh bedding, rugs, dishes and other items for the new season. I call it a season only due to the lack of time on the boat through fall and winter. No matter rain, sleet or snow, we usually have time each month. This past year we were required to do a vessel survey and the boat was in need of many upgrades and fixes. No problem if your first mate is McGuiver! Just need TIME.
Awaiting guests on the Blue Pearl.
Jay re-wired, re-plumbed and re-worked everything in getting ready for the survey. Our sailboat passed with only a few things put on the to-do list. The survey did more than get us outfitted – it required the boat to have a name. On April 20, as Jay and I were soaking in the hot tub, contemplating life, the boat came up. I am a huge fan of Johnny Depp and the Black Pearl adventures. Hmmm…female pirate…blue hull. Suddenly the name “Blue Pearl” came up and was adopted. This meant a christening was to take place.
A Few Mates
All aboard for the christening!
My plan was to stay on the boat at the dock in Bay Head Marina on Friday night. This gave us a chance to invite a few mates aboard. Beth Baker (Sew Like the Wind) came to admire her work with the installation of my new upholstery – all new pads and covers throughout the boat. Mike Powell (Cruising Concepts) came aboard to review cupboards. Permit Resources and Cruising Concepts have done some horse-trading and the Blue Pearl needed some teak work to accommodate the needs of the galley cook.
You will read my comment “we could be anywhere, and not far from home” many times through out my musings about life on the water. After champagne and discussions about changes to be made on the boat, we headed to Octavia’s Bistro in the Orcas Hotel. Friday night is Pub Night, includes tasty specials, local live music, a fine Makers Mark Manhattan cocktail, and toe tapping Orcas fun! Octavia’s tequila clams are the best in the County.
Ready to walk back to the marina from Octavia’s on a summer eve.
It was a fine early summer evening to walk back to the boat and nestle in for the night. With bags everywhere and plenty of plans for the next day of organizing, we found the coffee pot and propane for the morning and settled down into our new bed. Awwwww the life of a pirate…
This is soooo easy, fresh and light. A dish that is just right for a summer casual patio dinner. I pulled the recipe out of a magazine (Rachel Ray’s, Whole Living, Light Cooking or Martha) Not sure which one. I have since lost the recipe so I create by memory… that’s my style. I do not like to follow directions.
Serves two people with a little left for Jay’s next day lunch.
Peel a hand full (10) prawns, set aside.
Local prawns
½ package of fettuccini. Place pasta in boiling pot of water while you make sauce below. Cook fettuccini to al dente. I have used many styles, rice, whole wheat, egg noodle. Any style you choose will be great with this light sauce.
Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to a skillet (I have the biggest collect of cast iron skillets in San Juan County!)
Add chopped or grated garlic and sauté, careful not to burn.
Add ½ c. white wine and bring to a simmer.
Turn heat to low, add ½ c. Crème Fraiche and mix well. I have added more if my noodles seemed too much and needing more love.
Add 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice.
Add prawns and cook 2-3 minutes, just until they turn pink.
Add cook pasta and toss. Salt and pepper to taste.
Light, fresh sauce adds just the right touch to local seafood
Serve in bowls with freshly grated parmesan cheese, a hint of grated lemon peel and chopped chives.
I serve this with a side green salad. Top with a splash of color with sliced green grapes and strawberries.
Crudités are a great side as well
I recommend serving around a fire on the patio with a great bottle of wine-bonus= ROMANCE!!
Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island? Contact T Williams Realty – we’ll help you find your way home.
‘Tis the season for gift-giving (and receiving:). An upside of our down economy is that many of us have scaled back our purchases re-learned the joy of handmade gifts. This is especially true in our small island community with so many creative, resourceful people choosing to live a simpler, less materialistic life.
A gift from the heart conveys so much more meaning than the gift itself because of the time, effort and forethought involved. Money is tight, but time is universally more precious! A truly personal, one-of-a-kind gift will be cherished forever.
I’m excited about a few gifts I’ve made for Christmas this year (will save for a future post so as not to spoil the surprise.) In the meantime, here are some images from the archives. If you’ve given or received a gift from the heart that had special meaning, we’d love to hear about it!
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Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty – we’ll help you find your way home.
My post on Indian Island the other day reminded me of a notecard I have with a watercolor painted by my good friend Debi Madan. I’ve always admired her talent, and earlier this year she agreed to give me lessons! On Fridays we get together at various inspirational locations around Orcas – Crescent Beach, Crow Valley, my garden – and as she shows me the technical aspect of painting, I try to unleash my creative side. Maybe someday I’ll feel confident enough to post one of my creations. 🙂 Until then, look for more of Debi’s inspiring art in future posts!
Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty – we’ll help you find your way home.
I’ve almost hit my 5 year mark as a breast cancer survivor and am proud to be a member of one of the most amazing groups of people. A funny thing happens after you’ve gone through this experience… you find yourself drawn to other survivors.
When you first hear your diagnosis, you feel scared and alone even when surrounded by family and friends. How will you get through this? Here on Orcas, a community of supporters quickly emerged to lift me through the challenges. I found new friendships that nourished my heart and healing. These people will be with me the rest of my long happy life!
Recently I was contacted by a couple who’ve just begun their journey with cancer. They’ve chosen to spend it on Orcas where they have a summer house. Naturally they had many questions and concerns about the logistics of treatment and medical care on the island. I began sharing my experience and information regarding my cancer care team.
The stellar crew at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was my partner and guiding light. I also found that the medical opportunities available on Orcas and within our reach are limitless. If you want to learn more about my experience you can visit my TeriKicksCancer care page (send me an email to receive your login info).
My new friend is on her way to experiencing the loving arms of Orcas Island in supporting her walk of life and celebration of more birthdays.
Every day I thank the universe for the opportunity to experience breast cancer and all the positives it has brought to my life!
Looking to enjoy the simple life on beautiful Orcas Island?
Contact T Williams Realty – we’ll help you find your way home.
By Teri Williams
Fill your blender with 2 cups of chopped parsley, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 3-5 cloves of garlic.
