HOW DO YOU MANAGE?

Princess Diana on our minds

I began preparing this column the day after Princess Diana lost her life in a tragic car accident. I couldn’t concentrate. Each time I sat down to the computer I would tune out the task at hand and listen to the TV and radio updates of Diana’s death.

When the public first met her she was like a breath of fresh air where the royal family was concerned. Her following was by people of all cultures and ages. My friends and I anxiously awaited the royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. We all set our alarms and jumped out of bed in the middle of the night to watch the lavish event. At 13 we were awestruck. We even got Diana haircuts.

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How did she steal the hearts of so many people? She was a genuine princess, beautiful, intelligent, and truly concerned about the well-being of others. We can learn from her royal life:

Everyone is created equal.
We all experience the same emotions.
Wealth and power do not necessarily bring happiness.
We should cherish each day, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Bernardin tomato tidbits

Do not refrigerate tomatoes. They will retain their flavor and ripen properly at room temperature. Use ripe tomatoes within three days.

To remove skins submerge in boiling water for 30 to 40 seconds, then in ice water for 30 to 60 seconds. Skins will slip off easily.
To retain an appetizing tomato color and flavor, use glass, stainless steel or enamel utensils and saucepan. Natural acids in tomatoes react with aluminum, copper, brass and iron equipment, causing an undesirable color and bitter flavor in canned tomatoes.
For many years, eating tomatoes was considered fatal. That all changed starting on the courthouse steps in Salem, New Jersey, on Sept. 26, 1820, when Colonel Robert G. Johnson ate not one, but a basketful of tomatoes. He not only lived, he wasn’t a bit sick following his demonstration.
In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the tomato must be considered a vegetable, even though botanically, it is a fruit. Because vegetables and fruits were subject to different import duties, it was necessary to define it as one or the other.
Tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C.

Pizza sauce

13 cups prepared 3.25 L

tomatoes,about 50 plum tomatoes (8 1Ú2 lb./3.8 kg)

1Ú2 cup bottled 125 mL

lemon juice

2 1Ú4 teaspoons dried 11 mL

oregano leaves

1 teaspoon pepper 5 mL

1 teaspoon salt 5 mL

3Ú4 teaspoon garlic 4 mL

powder

Pass tomatoes through a food mill and measure 13 cups (3.25 L). If you do not have a food mill, peel, core and chop tomatoes; place in a colander. Let stand 15 minutes; discard liquid and puree tomato pulp in a food processor.

Fill boiling water canner with water. Place four clean pint (500 mL) mason jars in a canner over high heat. Boil snap lids five minutes to soften sealing compound.

Place half of the tomato puree in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan; bring to a boil. Maintaining a constant boil, add remaining tomato puree one cup (250 mL) at a time. Stir in lemon juice and spices. Boil hard, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.

Ladle tomato sauce into a hot jar to within 1Ú2 inch (one centimetre) of top rim. Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and food; adjust headspace to 1Ú2 inch (one cm). Wipe jar rim to remove any stickiness. Centre snap lid on jar; apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat for remaining sauce.

Cover canner; return water to a boil, process 35 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet (305 m). Remove jars. Cool 24 hours. Check seals. Sealed lids curve downward. Wipe and store in a cool, dark place. Makes four pint (500 mL) jars.

Peach pleasures

When peaches are plentiful, make several batches of this refreshing nectar to serve alone, diluted with sparkling water or in fruit punches.

14 cups prepared 3.5 L

peaches, about 6 pounds (2.8 kg)

1Ú3 cup Fruit Fresh 75 mL

fruit protector

21Ú2 cups apple 675 mL

juice, divided

2 tablespoons 30 mL

lemon juice

Fill boiling water canner with water. Place four clean pint (500 mL) mason jars in canner over high heat. Boil snap lids five minutes to soften sealing compound.

Wash, pit and coarsely chop peaches; measure 14 cups (3.5 L). Combine peaches, Fruit Fresh and one cup (250 mL) apple juice in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil, mashing fruit until peaches are soft. Remove from heat; strain through a dampened cheesecloth-lined strainer, squeezing as much liquid out as possible. Measure the juice. It should yield about eight cups (two litres).

Return juice to clean saucepan; add remaining apple juice and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; boil hard one minute.

Ladle nectar into a hot jar to within 1Ú2 inch (one cm) of top rim. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre snap lid on jar; apply screw band just until fingertip tight. Place jar in canner. Repeat for remaining nectar.

Cover canner and return water to a boil for 10 minutes at altitudes up to 1,000 feet (305 m). Remove jars. Cool 24 hours. Check seals. Sealed lids curve downward. Wipe jars, label and store in a cool, dark place. Makes four pint (500 mL) jars.

Note: Over time a sediment will form in this nectar, causing a cloudy appearance. To restore the champagne pink clarity, decant nectar from jar into serving container leaving sediment in the jar.

For more information contact Bernardin Ltd., at 416-239-7723.

Homogenization

Dear TEAM: I make an oil and vinegar dressing. Is there a method so the mixture can be homogenized? – E.M., Selkirk, Man.

Dear E.M.: Blending the ingredients in a blender for one minute will make a more stable emulsion and a creamier texture.

An emulsion is a stable mixture of two liquids that normally separate from each other. An emulsifying agent and vigorous mixing of the ingredients are required to get a mixture that does not separate.

Emulsions can be temporary (seconds or minutes), semi-permanent (hours) or relatively permanent (days, months).

Food manufacturers use natural foods or chemicals to keep food emulsions from separating (lecithin, monoglycerides and diglycerides, egg yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, milk).

The vinegar in an oil and vinegar dressing will act as an emulsifying agent to help keep the oil particles from combining. Traditionally, dressings used three or four parts oil to one part vinegar. One or two parts oil to one part vinegar will be easier to make into a stable emulsion and will produce a healthier, lower fat dressing. A little water, fruit juice or wine can be added to stretch the salad dressing without increasing the fat content. The following recipe uses an equal portion of oil, vinegar and water.

Super salad dressing

2 tablespoons 25 mL

vinegar or lemon juice

2 tablespoons oil 25 mL

2 tablespoons water 25 mL

1 small clove 1

garlic, minced

1Ú4 teaspoon each 1 mL

salt and pepper

1Ú4 teaspoon dry mustard 1 mL

Combine ingredients and mix well. Yield: Six tablespoons (90 mL)

Salad dressings are quick and easy to make, can be made to suit individual tastes and are less expensive than store-bought dressings. Use your favorite herbs and spices or flavored vinegars or oils.

Rhubarb ginger marmalade

4 pounds rhubarb, 2 kg

cut into 1Ú2 to 3Ú4 inch (1 to 1.5 cm) pieces, about 8 cups/2 L

6 cups sugar 1.5 L

4 medium oranges 4

1 tablespoon 15 mL

grated fresh ginger root

Mix rhubarb and sugar, let stand four hours or overnight. Remove rind from oranges; cut into thin strips. Cover rind with water and simmer until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain. Chop orange pulp. Combine all ingredients except rind. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil rapidly to jam stage (about 10 minutes). When the jam stage is reached, remove from heat. Add cooked rind. Stir and skim five minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Cool and seal. Makes about 8 cups (2 L).

Plate test for doneness (jam stage): Place a small plate in the freezer. Remove the saucepan from the heat and put a spoonful of the fruit mixture on the cold plate. Immediately return the plate to the freezer and wait two minutes. The mixture is done when it forms a mass that moves slowly as the plate is tilted. If the fruit needs more cooking, cook for another two minutes and repeat the test.

Variation: