SPRING HAS SPRUNG - 2015

The spring has been busy. For those of you who supported Heartwood Forge throughout the holidays even though we were back ordered since way before Thanksgiving, I am forever grateful. Spring is finally here and this time last year I was just about clearing up the holiday order list. This time around I'm about halfway through. It's amazing to have so much support and I appreciate everyone's patience.  Most of my customers know that I was slated to get married and hit the rough for a honeymoon in Hawaii. This is all over now and has been on the front of my mind as I ease back into making knives. It was amazing and memories were made that will last forever.

I am grateful to have had the help of Jenny Lee over at Jubilee Flower Farm, who forages and biodynamically cultivates her own unique bouquets. It's really hard to not get screwed when you mention the word "wedding" but Jenny Lee of Havana, FL is down to earth, reasonable and accommodating. She also offers a flower CSA; what a sensible idea for anyone who enjoys the beauty and joy of fresh flowers but doesn't have the time, space or know-how to grow their own!

Our camellias were extremely busy producing more blooms than we new what to do with. Every year when these do their thing, I am thankful that the family that lived here before us planted what they did here. 

Upon our return we found quite a bit of ready to eat kale in the garden and the flowers we're growing survived with a healthy start.

While waiting to harvest our onions the beauty they bring after flowering is amazing. Great for cut arrangements or as an added bonus in the garden are these friendly and erect little white tufts.

2015 ICE STORM / PHOTO ESSAY

Living close to the land entails experiencing the land in every season.

And a part of the land is her weather.

Out of power with batteries charged.

Fire burning and a healthy dose of natural beauty. 

RECIPE : BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

These fluffy buttermilk drop biscuits remind me of the holidays. I was inspired to post this recipe for a friend who I think will find them even better than Bojangles' or Chick-fil-A...

TALL AND FLUFFY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

From Cooks Illustrated, July 2004 ed.

INGREDIENTS

·       2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour (I like to use White Lily flour for biscuits)

·       1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder

·       1 tablespoon granulated sugar

·       1 teaspoon table salt

·       1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·       4 tablespoons cold, unslated butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

·       1 1/2 cups buttermilk cold, preferably low-fat

To Form and Finsh Biscuits:

·       1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour, distributed in rimmed baking sheet

·       2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Generously spray inside and outside of 1/4 cup dry measure with nonstick cooking spray.

2. For the dough: In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda to combine, about six 1-second pulses. Scatter butter cubes evenly over dry ingredients; pulse until mixture resembles pebbly, coarse cornmeal, eight to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated (dough will be very wet and slightly lumpy).

3. To form and bake biscuits:Using 1/4 cup dry measure and working quickly, scoop level amount of dough; drop dough from measuring cup into flour on baking sheet (if dough sticks to cup, use small spoon to pull it free). Repeat with remaining dough, forming 12 evenly sized mounds. Dust tops of each piece of dough with flour from baking sheet. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough and coat with flour; gently shape dough into rough ball, shake off excess flour, and place in prepared cake pan. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 9 rounds around perimeter of cake pan and 3 in center. Brush rounds with hot melted butter, taking care not to flatten them. Bake 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees; continue to bake until biscuits are deep golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Cool in pan 2 minutes, then invert biscuits from pan onto clean kitchen towel; turn biscuits right-side up and break apart. Cool 5 minutes longer and serve.

SHAPING THE BISCUITS

1. Using greased 1/4-cup measure, scoop 12 level portions of dough onto floured baking sheet. Lightly dust top of each biscuit with flour.

2. With floured hands, gently pick up piece of dough, coating outside with flour, shaping it into ball, and shaking off excess flour.

3. Place 9 biscuits snugly around perimeter of pan, then arrange last 3 in center.

RECIPE : FOCACCIA

This is one of those recipes you should be weary of because once you try it, you may never want to eat another focaccia or from a restaurant bread basket again. This no knead, simple recipe is awesome.

In a bread class I took, my teacher swore by using organic flours and distilled water, and that lesson stuck with me. I usually use organic King Arthur flour, unless I have some fresh milled stuff around.

FOCACCIA

adapted from Saltie (a favorite cookbook in our home)

·       6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

·       2 tablespoons kosher salt

·       1 teaspoon active dry yeast

·       3 1/2 cups warm water

·       1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing & drizzling

·       course sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water and stir until all the four is incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into a 6 quart container with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate overnight or up to two days.

When you're ready to bake, oil an 18 x 13 inch sheet baking sheet. Remove dough from the refrigerator and transfer to prepared pan, using hands to spread out as mush as possible. Allow dough to come to room temperature 20 min - 1 hour. When the dough is ready it should spread out on the entire sheet and have a fluffy feeling.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

Pat down douch to an even thickness, about 1 inch on the baking sheet and begin to make indentions in the dough with your fingertips. Dimple the entire dough and then sprinkle evenly with sea salt. 

Bake about 15 minutes. Then turn oven to broil and bake about 3 more minutes to get a nice crisp top. Transferto a wire rack to cool and eat!

**Store leftover focaccia in up to  1 week refrigerator in a plastic freezer bag and toast when ready to eat.