Caring for wood in the kitchen may seem like a mystery, but it’s actually pretty easy. We have wood cutting boards, salad bowls, a few wood plates and utensils, and a butcher block top on the baking center/floating island, and it only takes a little effort to maintain them.

For cleaning, we scrape off all stuck on bits of flour or whatever, then we rub them down with hot soapy water but avoid submerging in water. If wood items soak in water, they tend to crack when drying, so avoid that especially with good cutting boards or plates/bowls. For the same reason you should never put wood items in a dishwasher. To remove odors, I spray on undiluted white vinegar and let the pieces sit overnight without wiping off the vinegar, but you can also use lemon juice.

Our boards and butcher block get a weekly rub down with a homemade beeswax rub, which helps repel water but does not make them waterproof. Cleaning removes this coating, which is why you need to make this a weekly activity. It only takes a few minutes, and it adds a layer of protection as well as luster and a light beeswax aroma.

*Walnut oil, almond oil, and pure tung oil make good food-safe finishes if you prefer to avoid beeswax or mineral oil, but should not be used if you cook for someone who has tree nut allergies. Avoid olive oil or other kinds of vegetable oils that turn rancid quickly.

BEESWAX PASTE

Makes about 10 ounces.

Equipment

small sauce pan
12 to 16 ounce wide mouth glass jar with lid (I use a wide mouth Mason jar so I can get my hand in it.)

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) pharmaceutical grade mineral oil (inexpensive and available at drugstores, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.)
2 ounces (57 g) pure beeswax

Preparation

MAKE: Pour the mineral oil into the pan and add the beeswax. Melt over low heat just until the beeswax has completely dissolved, stirring as it melts. Once the mixture is blended, remove from heat. Allow to cool for a couple minutes so it’s not too hot for the glass, then pour into the glass jar and allow to finish cooling completely. Add the lid, label it, then store in a cool location.

TO USE: Scoop some onto a smooth clean cloth or towel (not terry cloth). Wipe on clean wooden surface, adding more as you go. There will be some excess on the surface, and that’s ok. Allow it to rest for about 30 minutes or overnight, then smooth the excess. Reapply weekly to protect wood.

More Make Your Own Recipes

Resources

eBeeHoney.com (my source for beeswax)

Local Harvest – Beeswax

References

What’s Cooking in America – Cutting Boards

Finewoodworking.com – Food-Safe Finishes

Wikipedia – Tung oil

More Beeswax Recipes From Around the Blogs

Brownie Points – Winter Lip Balm

101 Cookbooks – Canneles de Bordeaux

Elana’s Pantry – Vanilla Butter Lip Balm

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

That’s pretty easy math! The process is simple and the equipment list very short: you only need a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. There was a time when I would have said that the biggest part of that equation was the vanilla beans due to their cost, but the Internet is making them more easily and inexpensively available. If you buy beans by the half-pound or by the pound, you can save quite a bit of money. Check out the recommended list of online vendors at the end of this post.

The biggest thing you need is time, because the mixture needs to sit for about 8 weeks to reach it’s full potential. However, do not fret thinking that you are too late for Christmas gift giving, because you can start now and include a little note with your gift stating when the vanilla will be ready. It’s like a gift that keeps on giving! And if you plan to keep some for yourself, which you should, you can continue adding vodka and beans to perpetuate your stash.

The vanilla orchid plant Vanilla planifolia is native to Mexico but is now grown throughout the tropics, with Madagascar being the world’s largest producer and accounting for 59% of the total world production. Other species of vanilla orchid are also used for production, though the amount of vanillin in each species varies. The green pods on the plants do not have any of the aroma associated with vanilla, and the pods are aged for several months before they turn dark brown to black and are considered ready for use.

(Additional information added Nov. 7, 2007) Storing vanilla beans is pretty easy, just keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. According to Nielsen-Massey, if stored in this manner, they will keep for at least two years. Do not store them in the refrigerator, as they tend to mold.

Making your own extracts, oils, and spice mixes is a fun way to give gifts at Christmas time, and those kinds of food gifts can go under the tree without having to worry about spoiling. This is my contribution to an event celebrating homemade gifts called Spoonful of Christmas hosted by Zlamushka at Zlamushka’s Spicy Kitchen (Sweden).

Equipment

16-ounce jar or bottle with tight-fitting lid
kitchen scissors

Ingredients

16 ounces vodka, top-shelf brands not required
6 vanilla beans

Preparation

1. Cut the six vanilla beans in half lengthwise, leaving about 1 inch connected at one end.

2. Put the beans into the jar and pour in the 16 ounces of vodka.

3. Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place for about 8 weeks. Give it a gentle shake about once a week.

Sources of Vanilla Beans

Arizona Vanilla Company (Be sure to check out their eBay auctions and Amazon store for good deals.)

The Vanilla Company

Various Amazon sellers

References

Wikipedia – Vanilla

Wikibooks – Cookbook – Vanilla

Joy of Baking – Vanilla

OChef – How to store vanilla beans

Amadeus Vanilla Beans – FAQs

I love it in cocktail sauce, but I can’t do it straight. Prepared horseradish is a condiment that I did not have during childhood, although we probably should have grown the plant because it would have cured every cold I ever got. The heady, strong smell of prepared horseradish clears your sinuses pretty quickly. Michael loves it spread on meat or as a sauce for sandwiches, but he also likes to eat really hot peppers. He rarely ever gets a cold, so I may have to give the horseradish and hot pepper preventive a try.

His parents grow horseradish at their camp in the Adirondacks, and his father made a batch while we were visiting last week, so of course I had to capture his process. They don’t keep a food processor at the camp due to kitchen space, so they use a blender instead. Michael sampled the batch and proclaimed it “good, with a slow burn.” Michael’s uncle has a bunch of plants that grow wild on his property, and he rotates the harvest over a three year period so that the roots have time to grow back strong. Some of the roots that he has dug up are over an inch thick.

Horseradish can be grown as both an annual or a perennial depending on your hardiness zone. To grow your own as a perennial, plant it and leave it alone for at least a year before digging up anytime during spring through the first frost. Then cut away the roots, leaving a small amount just below the stems, and replant the stems for next year. Harvesting just after the first frost gives maximum heat to your prepared horseradish.

Making horseradish is really pretty easy, but it’s one of those jobs that’s probably best done outdoors unless you want that strong smell to hang around your house for a while. Horseradish freezes well, just put it into small containers and cover with a layer of plastic wrap before sealing. And if you are looking for ways to use it, check out Foodie View’s list of recipes that call for horseradish.

In response to a number of requests, I checked with the National Center for Home Food Preservation about canning horseradish at home, but they currently have not identified a safe, tested method for home canning. Their recipe for pickled horseradish sauce recommends storing in the refrigerator.

[Updated July 23, 2009]

Equipment

blender or food processor with blade attachment
sharp knife
vegetable scrubber
strainer
plastic container(s) for storing

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups horseradish roots
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
more water as needed

Preparation

1. Dig up the horseradish.

2. Rinse the roots and cut just below the base of the stems. Set the stems aside to replant as they will grow new roots. Scrub the roots clean and cut into 2″ pieces.

3. Pour the cider vinegar and water into the blender. Add all the cut roots. Add water to the full line and cover.

4. Blend for several minutes until the roots are finely ground. Strain the away the liquid. Store in a well-sealed plastic container.

Variations

Food processor instructions: Pour the cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and the cut roots into the processor bowl and cover. Do not add more water. Process until the horseradish is finely ground and strain as above.

Resources

Wikipedia – Horseradish

J.R. Kelly Company (the largest horseradish shipper in the United States) – Recipes

Foodie View – Recipes using horseradish

Horseradish recipes

***************************************************

Source: Rich Meyers