another warm summer day

Hot summer days (90 or higher) drive me inside --- for even though I love the sun and worship the energy it bestows upon our mother Earth, once the thermometer makes it to that level…..unless I have the benefit of being at the shore, floating on a river or being involved in some sort of water activity.... I like to hang in the kitchen and try out new things (always in the cool of the morning). 

I am sure some of you are thinking~~well~~why not go to the water then if you don’t like the heat.   Truth is, when I lived in the Portland area (grew up there) I was spoiled by the many options of waterholes, and had a great private one I used to frequent with my dog, Zephyr.  Off we would go on a hot day, in Karmann (Ghia) to spend the day on the Sandy River (by Tad’s Chicken n’ Dumplin’s). Ahh, I can feel it, that great waterhole, swimming about it in after getting totally parched in the sun. The coolness of the water, tossing the frisbee and frolicking about with “Z” dog.  That ahh, when you first plunged in, and your breath was sucked away by the chill and smell of the cold river water.

Maybe it is because I am older now, or because I don’t much care for crowds anymore; (really, who knows?)… but I do believe it would not be the same, and that by holding onto those memories of the river; the sounds, the sun dappling through the trees, the water sliding off my tanned skin, cooling me….all of those type of conditions that make a day at the river seem “perfect”... those memories will cool me off just right for now.   But I digress…as I am known to do. 

TODAY, we (being John and I) made candied ginger! It turned out spicy and sweet (Ed Baldwin just stopped by, tried it and LOVED its spicy flavor). Better yet, it was ever so easy to make.  No Lucille Ball /Ethel moments… just all good flow with John as my kitchen buddy and accomplice.

Candied ginger ~~

Ingredients

1      pound fresh ginger root

2      5 cups water

3      Turbinado sugar (organic) – approximately  2 + cups

Additional items for cooling candy

Cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat silicone baking sheet

Place baking rack(s) on top and spray lightly with cooking spray

Directions

Peel the ginger root and slice into 1/8-inch thick width NOT length of ginger.

**Note a Mandolin or a Benriner slicer work great for this.

Put ginger in a 4-quart saucepan with the 5 cups of water.

Bring to boil and turn down to medium heat

Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the ginger is tender

Once tender, drain the ginger into a colander – RESERVE ¼ cup of the liquid.

If you have a scale - weigh the ginger and measure out an equal amount of sugar.  IF not – use 2 cups of sugar as noted in recipe.

Return the ginger and the reserved 1/4 cup water to the pan with the sugar.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium

Continue to cook stirring frequently

Sugar syrup will start look dry and will have almost evaporated when it arrives at the re-crystallization process. 

**Note - this took approximately 20 minutes (we live at 3,500 feet so as with any candy making process it will vary based on altitude)

Transfer the ginger immediately to the cooling rack and spread to separate the individual pieces.

Makes approximately one quart jar of candied ginger

We saved the ginger cooking water from the first step, poured it into the crystallized sugar in the saucepan and made homemade ginger-ale (carbonated water) with it!  For those who enjoy an adult beverage – try a Moscow Mule!  Fill up a tall Collins glass with ice, 2 oz vodka, 1 oz lime juice (could use Rose’s Lime Juice) and top it with ginger ale and a lime squeeze. 

PS.... Ginger is multipurpose and for starters..

Aids in Digestion- ginger is perhaps the best herb for digestion. It helps break down proteins to rid the stomach and intestines of gas. It also aids in the digestion of fatty foods.  Can alleviate High Blood Pressure ~ ginger’s warming quality improves and stimulates circulation and relaxes the muscles surrounding blood vessels, facilitating the flow of blood throughout the body. Treats Nausea and Morning Sickness ~ ginger has been widely shown to prevent as well as an aid to treating motion sickness, relax the stomach and relieve the feeling of nausea. Lowers LDL Cholesterol ~Studies demonstrate that ginger can lower cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption in the blood and liver. Its extract can help reduce the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body, reducing the risk of developing heart disease.