Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen

It might seem a bit early to think about Holidays Gifts, but actually this is the perfect time to start making your Gifts from the Kitchen.

Here are a few easy ideas that can get you started.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
Add a few vanilla beans, some whole and some split to vodka, rum or brandy.  I prefer a dark Jamaican rum since the "sweetness" of the rum gives the extract a smoother, richer taste.  Keep in a dark cool place for at least a month, shaking every once in a while.  You can reuse the beans.  The bottles I used this time can turn into candleholders after the vanilla is used.

To re-use the beans in a new batch of vanilla, just keep in the bottle and add more vodka, rum or brandy.  You might have to add a bean or two more.  To save for other uses, the bean should be air dried before you store it so it will not mold.

Vanilla Sugar
Insert one or two split vanilla beans in a jar of refined sugar.  In just a couple of weeks the sugar will be perfumed with the vanilla scent and taste.  You can reuse the beans.

Vanilla Beans
I tied 6 vanilla beans with red raffia and made little gift bundles.  Place each bundle in a small zip-lock bag or wrap in clear or colorful Saran wrap.

Liliko'i (Passionfruit) Vinaigrette
Cut passionfruit and scoop out seeds and pulp.  Place in a saucepan with small amount of water and enough sugar to make a syrup - about 1 cup sugar per 1 cup liquid - bring to a boil and cook until the pulp starts loosening.  Pass through a fine mesh colander or sieve.  Add distilled white vinegar.  Taste depends on how tart/sweet you like your vinaigrette.  Bring to a boil.  Cool and store in a clean bottle or jar in refrigerator.  Decant into decorative gift bottles just before you assemble your basket.

Hawaiian Sea Salt with Alae and Red Pepper Flakes
In one of our bulk markets, I found some plastic containers of Hawaiian salt with alae (red clay).  I bought a large container and mixed it with a large container of red pepper flakes.  I then filled smaller seasoning jars I had been saving for the purpose.

Lemon-Ginger Jelly
I have to fezz up that I did not make the jelly myself this year.  I found some delicious jellies at one of the recent craft fairs in which we participated and bought some to give as gifts.

I would have preferred to have used Hawaii grown vanilla beans, but could not purchase in bulk from the nearby vanilla farm in time to start preparing the gifts.

For information on buying vanilla in bulk, please visit

www.vanilla.com
www.arizonavanilla.com   

Making your own coffee liqueur is fun, easy and rewarding.  It is also a great project to do about a month before the Christmas holidays and give as gifts to family and friends.

We like to collect pretty bottles through the year.  You can find many in yard or garage sales.  After a while, you will start noticing pretty bottles everywhere!

Kona Coffee Liqueur

2 cups finely ground Kona coffee beans (strong, full-bodied blend such as French Roast or espresso)
3 cups boiling water
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon glycerin (*)
4 vanilla beans, split   
3 cups vodka

Combine ground coffee and water in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Strain immediately through cheesecloth into a saucepan.  Add the sugar, both granulated and brown, and heat for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to steam, do not let it come to a boil.  Remove saucepan from heat and let cool. 

Stir in the glycerine and vodka and pour into clean glass jars.  Add vanilla beans making sure to include the seeds, seal and store in a cool dark place for at least 30 days before using.

Decant into individual gift bottles, tie a pretty ribbon on the neck and tie a card with the recipe if you wish.

(*) Vegetable based glycerin (95.5% USP Kosher)  can be used in food applications.  You can find it in most pharmacies. 

YIELD: 1-1/2 pints

SOURCE: "Coffee... the Frisky Berry!," Come Join the Feast column by Sonia Martinez for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald of Hilo, Hawaii, February 2003

 

ROSEMARY BUTTER

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, removed from stem

1/2 teaspoon orange or lemon zest or grated rind

1 Tablespoon white wine or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red chile pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 ounces unsalted butter (1/4 pound - 1 stick), softened

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

They can be rolled into logs and wrapped in plastic wrap. Can be frozen.

Put a frozen pat/slice on roasted chicken, a freshly grilled steak, baked potato, and while grilling shrimp or prawns.

NASTURTIUM BUTTER

4 ounces unsalted butter (1/4 pound - 1 stick), softened

12-18 nasturtium flowers - rinsed and drained - chopped small

3-4 fresh chives (optional) - chopped small

2-4 fresh nasturtium leaves or a few sprigs fresh parsley - chopped small

Mix all ingredients until well blended.

They can be rolled into logs and wrapped in plastic wrap. Can be frozen.

Put a frozen pat/slice on roasted chicken, a freshly grilled steak, baked potato, etc.

I wanted to combine cucumbers and the Green Zebra tomatoes I had received as gifts from a friend's farm with onions and garlic I already had.  I added a few of the little red Hawaiian chile peppers from our garden.

I was always told that before you preserve garlic in oil or use them when making pickles you needed to first blanch them in vinegar so that the natural sulphur will not cause them to turn green and harvest botulism.  Some experts say that you only need to do it when preserving them in oil.  I do it anyway, just to be on the safe side.

For an easy way to peel the garlic without damaging the cloves, I first take apart the whole head and drop the cloves in rapidly boiling water to blanch for about 3 to 5 seconds, stirring them constantly to make sure they just don't float to the top and lay there.  Take them out of the boiling water with a skimmer and plunge them in cold water.  After cutting the root end off, the skins will slip right off, leaving you with clean smelling hands!

Sonia's Refrigerator Pickles

6 cups white vinegar

4-1/2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons Hawaiian sea salt

White peppercorns

3 large cucumbers, thinly sliced

3 medium onions, thinly sliced

3 medium Green Zebra or other green tomatoes

1 head of garlic, separated and peeled

Hawaiian red chile peppers

 

Wash your glass containers and lids thoroughly and place them in a large pot of boiling water.  Keep them on boil for a few minutes and turn the heat off but leave them in the hot water until ready to use.  I like to use the canning jars with the glass lids that clamp on.

 

Process the garlic cloves by blanching them in the boiling water and peeling them.  Set aside.

 

In a large stainless steel or non-reactive saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil and boil gently for about 1 minute, or until sugar and salt are dissolved.  Remove from heat and add the peeled garlic cloves and stir in the hot vinegar mixture for about 1 minute, then remove them with a skimmer and set aside.

While your jars are still hot, drain and wipe briefly with a clean cloth. 

 

Put a few peppercorns in the bottom and start layering your sliced cucumbers, onions and green tomatoes.  Remember to stick a few of the processed garlic cloves and a few chile peppers here and there as you fill your jars.  Add a few more peppercorns.

Wipe the rims thoroughly and seal them tightly.

 

When cool, store in refrigerator.  They will keep for several weeks.

Comments

[list of perfumes]

well if your looking for the easiest way to save your beans they you can just keep them in the bottle and add more vodka, rum or brandy

[Sonia]

Thank you, Diane. I enjoy making gifts from the kitchen, as I know you do also!

Doesn't seem I will be able to make too many of them ahead of time this year, though :-(

[Diane]

Wonderful article, beautiful pictures and ownderful ideas and recipes. You live in paradise my friend!

[Sonia]

Aloha Marsha! Glad I can be of help.....!
Good to hear from you and hope you're doing well...in the cold north
LOL

[Marsha]

Nice! Great suggestions for homemade gifts. I'm going to need all the help I can get this Christmas!