Black Star Farms Shares Their Hot Spiced Cider Recipe

Via A Celebration of Autumn!

1 bottle Black Star Farms Hard Apple Cider

6 oz. water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

a couple sprinkles of ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and give it a good stirring. Heat gently (for approx. 30 minutes), but do not boil, and do not stir again. Skim off the spices on top, serve and enjoy.

I Like Cherries

Note to Ms. Marchetti, those of us who reside "Up North" love our raw cherries too!

See NPR: Pucker Up For Sour Cherries

It wasn't until the late 1980s that sour cherries entered my orbit again, when I headed to Detroit to take my first newspaper reporting job. By day I chased local news, but on my own time I chased local foods. I soon discovered that the northwestern part of the state along the shores of Lake Michigan (fondly known to Michiganders as Up North) is the sour cherry capital of the U.S.

*Bonus* Audio Two's "I like cherries"

Foraging For Mulberries

I love mulberries. I love getting a purple juice stained hand when picking them. Around Traverse City the mulberry trees are still producing juicy berries. In past years I've picked mulberries around Cherry Festival time. But what to do with all this bounty? How about a mulberry tarte tatin.

See Goodeater: Urban Foraging: Mulberries

The Atlantic Food Channel posted an apple tarte tatin recipe too.

Praising Black Star Farms' Rustic Apple Galettes with Raisins and Apple Brandy

See the recipe at AH: Black Star Farm Apple Galettes

Butternut Squash Bisque

I got the basis for this from an old slow cooker cookbook. But I made it thicker and a bit healthier with the sweet potato.

1 medium-sized butternut squash; peeled, seeded, cubed
1 sweet potato; peeled and cubed
1 onion; chopped
1 celery stalk; chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Cup lentils; dry (I use the red ones)
1 tsp garam masala
4 Cups chicken or vegetable stock

Put the vegetables in the slow cooker, sprinkle the garam masal on top, then pour in the broth or stock.

Cook for 4-5 hours at high temperature or 8-9 hours at low temperature.

Just before serving take your potato masher or stick blender and mash/puree the soup to make it a thick bisque.

It is really good when served with Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery's parmesan olive bread.