Winter Reindeer stock

Reindeer and people have a connection that is thousands of years old. First by hunting, then through domestication and herding. One strong connection is with the Sámi people of the north. Sámi reindeer herders are nomadic and move with their reindeer herds between winter and summer pastures. While driving in Lapland you might get stuck in traffic behind a heard, just have patients.

Then and now: 
The Sámi people lived and worked in “siiddat” (reindeer herding groups) and reindeer where used for transport, milk and meat production. The Siida is a community system and can be defined as a working partnership where the members had individual rights to resources but helped each other with the management of the herds, or with hunting and fishing. 
So in the theme of working together lets learn how to use all the bits from this animal. 

Bone stock:

Prep, 10 min 

Cooking time, 7 hours (5 inactive)

Reindeer bones
Tomato pure 
Mirepoux:
2 white onions 
4 carrots 
4 celery stalks 
1 garlic flower

Bouquet garni 

10 Black peppercorns 

5 bay leaves

3 cloves 
1 cinnamon stick
1leak leaf to create the pocket

1. Set the oven to 200 Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) 
2. Spread out bones on foiled oven tray and paint the bones with tomato pure
3. Cut the mirepoux veggies in half and spread them out with the bones.
4. Place in oven and roast for 1 hour
5. Once roasted find a heavy bottom pot that fits the bones and veggies with a bit of space at the top. Add the bouquet garni and any other veggie bits you have lying around (I keep a box in the freezer for bits) cover with water and bring to a boil. 
6. As the water starts to heat up a foam will start to build on the edges, the "impurities". Just grab a spoon and a bowl of water to skim this away. Once you have done it a few times ( first 5 min)it should be fine. Top off the water, lower to a simmer and let cook for 4-6 hours. Topping off the water once it gets low the first 2 hours.  

7. Strain out the solids and return to the stove, reduce by 1/3, at this point you add salt and pepper to your liking. Put in ice trays and freeze into cubes overnight. pop them out add to box or bag and return to freezer and use when you like in the about you like. Great for sauces that will go on meats (reindeer roast?) or soups. 

TEA..... ALL THINGS TEA

The tea making Process is long and as in depth as wine

 but I am going to go over its short and quick,

 further research can be done on all types of tea. 

One legend says that the discovery of the tea plant occurred in 2737 BC by the Emperor of China.  For several hundred years, people drank tea because of its herbal medicinal qualities.  By the time of the Western Zhou Dynasty, tea was used as a religious offering.  During the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), tea plants were quite limited and only royalty and the rich drank tea not only for their health but also for the taste.  As more tea plants were discovered during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907), tea drinking became more common among lower classes and the Chinese government supported planting of tea plants and even the building of tea shops so everyone could enjoy tea.

Also during the Tang Dynasty, tea spread to Japan by Japanese priests studying in China.  Similar to the Chinese adoption of tea, tea was first consumed by priests and the rich for its medicinal properties.  Tea is often associated with Zen Buddhism in Japan because priests drank tea to stay awake and meditate.  

The Emperor of Japan enjoyed tea very much and imported tea seeds from China to be planted in Japan, making tea available to more people. 

Tea finally arrived in England during the 17th century when King Charles II married a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza.  The Queen made tea the drink of royalty and soon tea became a popular import to Britain via the East India Company.  

Afternoon tea (this has become widely popular all around the world) or tea parties became a common way for aristocratic society to drink tea. 

Though tea was regularly imported to Britain, the taxes were so high that smugglers would get and sell tea illegally for those that could not afford it.  In attempts to turn profits during the tea smuggling period, the East India Company began exporting the tea to America.  The American tea was also taxed heavily and contributed to the cause of the Boston Tea Party, an american conservative political movement that favors reduced government spending and taxes.   

From the plant to the cup

In general it is said that the tea plant should grow as slow as possible, so that more aromatic qualities have time to develop before harvest. The tea plant grows best in a gravel type dirt. The dirt quality, cleanliness of the air and sun time all effects the plant so that's why its so different depending on the region/land it grows in similar to wine. That is why the time of harvest is extremely important.                  Depending on what part of the plant is picked decides the quality, for example, silver needle, it is made up of only the white outer buds.

DRYING

Depending on the processed used a tea can go from a light green tea to a robust black. As soon as the tea is harvested it starts to oxidize and change, so it needs to be dealt with quickly. Each type of tea has its drying process and each tea maker their own style. I'm going to talk about the Three most common. 

GREEN TEA 

The processing technique used to process fresh tea leaves was to immediately steam the fresh tea leaves and dry them for preservation, and doesn't not go through an oxidation process. Therefore it keeps its fresh aromas and high levels of antioxidants. This makes it a great combination with lighter foods and deserts.  

OOLONG TEA

The production of oolong requires that the leaves be processed directly after picking. First the leaves are wilted in the sun for a short period of time. They are placed into baskets and shaken, which bruises the leaves. The juices in the leaves are now exposed to the air, which begins the process of oxidation. The leaves are then spread out to dry. After a period of time, less than 2 hours for Chinese oolongs, longer for Taiwanese oolongs, the tea is fired, which stops the fermentation process.

Oolongs are traditionally fired into hot woks and cooked very quickly. After that is done, the leaves may be further fermented, and then fired again. Ultimately we have crisp, dry leaves.

They are in between Green freshness of tea and Black heavyness of tea, and therefore fits well to main course meals. 

BLACK TEA 

2 methods of withering the black tea

a) The natural withering where the leaves are spread out on laths which are covered with jute, wire or nylon nets. The withering time takes, depeding on the weather and humidity content of the leaves, between 14-18 hours.

b) The modern withering in large troughs of a length of 25-30 metres which are covered with wire grids and are ventilated with large ventilators. These can also be used to warm the leaves, should it be necessary, to reduce the withering time to 8-12 hours.

Then rolling(oxidation)

This process takes 30 minutes each and is repeated 3 times. 

Once rolled for 30 minutes, the entire leaves are torn in specially constructed thorn drums. The stems and leaf ribs are separated as far as possible and only the torn "meat" of the leaves is processed further.

The leaves are spread out on large boards in 10-15 cm thick layers in a special room with a room temperature of 40°C for 2/3 hours and additionally sprinkled with water. Thereby, the leaf takes up its copper-red to brown color and starts to unfold its unique aroma. On the high point of the fermentation, the leaves are transported through so-called tiered dryers on metal conveyor belts. The tea is dried for approximately 20 minutes with hot air of 80-90°C which makes the cell fluid stick to the leaves and gives it its dark brown to black color.

LETS TALK COFFEE

Drinking the Bitter invention of satan

The word "coffee" entered English language in 1582 via Dutch koffie, borrowed from Turkish kahve, in turn borrowed from Arabic qahwa, a truncation of qahhwat al-bun 'wine of the bean'.

Espresso

Espresso is a strong black coffee made by forcing steam through dark-roast aromatic coffee beans at high pressure in an espresso machine.
A perfectly brewed espresso will have a thick, golden-brown crema (foam)

Espresso is the foundation for a wide variety of specialty coffee drinks, such as the cappuccino.

How to have it: Espresso should be taken either on its own or with a small teaspoon of sugar. Having it "short" means that it has less water and is therefore more concentrated, and "long" uses more water and does not taste as strong.

Give it a twist: Adding a dollop of steamed milk creates an espresso macchiato ("macchiato" means stained or marked). Topping an espresso with whipped cream makes it an espresso con panna. 

*Espresso corretto (which translates to "corrected") is made by adding a splash of grappa, cognac or sambuca. Yummy!

Cappuccino

This hugely popular coffee drink has become a staple that even the most common of corner coffee shops carries. A true cappuccino is a combination of equal parts espresso, steamed milk and milk froth.

How to have it: It is common to sprinkle your cappuccino froth with a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder or grated dark chocolate.

Give it a twist: Asking for your cap "scuro" (dark) means you want less milk than usual, while "chiaro" (light) means you want more. Iced cappuccino makes a great summer drink. 

*bourbon and baileys like to hang out  

Americano

An Americano is a single shot of espresso added to a cup of hot water. The name is thought to have originated as a bit of an insult to Americans, who had to dilute their espresso when it first gained popularity. Many coffee houses have perfected it, however, and the result has become a creamy, rich espresso-based coffee. 

How to have it: Many like to drink it as they would their regular brewed coffee, with milk and/or sugar, but connoisseurs suggest keeping milk to a minimum. 

*Adding Peppermint snaps sounds festive. 

Caffe Latte

A caffe latte is a single shot of espresso to three parts of steamed milk.

How to have it: Sugar your latte to taste and discover the wonderful world of dipping. Cookies, sponge-type cake slices and even fresh Italian bread can transform your coffee into a breakfast. 

*Nothing wrong with a little Baileys 

Caf au Lait

This traditional French drink is similar to a caffe latte except that it is made with brewed coffee instead of espresso, in a 1:1 ratio with steamed milk. It is considered a weaker form of caffe latte.

How to have it: Sugar to taste, and it is also great for dipping.

*Lets add Goldschlager and taste Christmas 

Caf Mocha (Mochachino)

This is a cappuccino or a caffe latte with chocolate syrup or powder added. There can be wide variations in exactly how this is prepared, so ask your coffee house how they do it before you order.

How to have it: Like your "cap," you can top it with cocoa powder or grated chocolate.

Give it a twist: Garnish with whipped cream.

* add peppermint flavor or Peppermint snaps and keep warm. 

Caramel Macchiato

This is another variation that is prepared in a number of ways by different coffee houses. The most common method is combining espresso, caramel and foamed milk, though some use steamed milk.

How to have it: You can add sugar, but taste it first, as it may be sweet enough as is.

Give it a twist: Drizzled with caramel sauce, of course. Highly addictive!!!

*patron cafe to make it exciting 

Lets talk Irish coffee 

Its is a cocktail consisting of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and sugar (some recipes specify that brown sugar should be used), stirred, and topped with thick cream. The original recipe explicitly uses cream that has not been whipped, although drinks made with whipped cream are often sold as "Irish coffee".

STAY AWAKE AND KEEP WARM MY FRIENDS 

COFFEE ... ALL THINGS COFFEE

A BIT OF HISTORY 

Coffee is grown in a multitude of countries around the world,  Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the islands of the Caribbean and Pacific, and all can trace their heritage to the trees in the ancient coffee forests on the Ethiopian plateau.

The Arabs were the first, not only to cultivate coffee but also to begin its trade.
European travelers to the Near East brought back stories of the unusual dark black beverage. By the 17th century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. Opponents were overly cautious, calling the beverage the 'bitter invention of Satan.
The controversy was so great that Pope Clement VIII was asked to intervene. Before making a decision however, he decided to taste the beverage for himself. He found the drink so satisfying that he gave it Papal approval.
In England 'penny universities' sprang up, so called because for the price of a penny one could purchase a cup of coffee and engage in stimulating conversation.  By the mid-17th century, there were over 300 coffee houses in London, many of which attracted patrons with common interests, such as merchants, shippers, brokers and artists.
(http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=68)

THE TREE

While there are several different coffee species, two main species of coffee are cultivated today. Arabica coffee, accounts for 75-80 percent of the world's production. Robusta coffee, accounts for about 20 percent. While Robusta coffee beans are more robust than the Arabica plants, but produces an inferior tasting beverage with a higher caffeine content.  Both the Robusta and Arabica coffee plant can grow to heights of 10 meters if not pruned, but producing countries will maintain the coffee plant at a height reasonable for easy harvesting.

To watch a 30 sec video of the process please click link. 
The Bean Growing


METHODS OF HARVESTING 

Harvest by Stripping
One sweep of a branch removes the ripe as well as the unripe berries. Commercial growers use machines to remove all the berries. This method is used when the majority of the berries are ripe. Strip on to the ground or nets then sorting the ripe from unripe. 

Selective Harvesting

Let the unripe cherries remain on the tree to ripen and be harvested at a later date. Ripeness is determined by appearance and touch. Bright red and glossy. 

Mechanical Harvesting
Large commercial growers use big harvesting machines to remove the coffee cherries from the trees

What Happens Next....

Squeeze the cherries to separate the seed or the coffee bean from the fruit.

After you have separated the beans from the fruit, some meat will remain on the beans. Soak them in a bowl or bucket of water for one to two days to break down the fruit and separate it from the bean. The fruit will float to the top and can be discarded, while the beans sink to the bottom of the bowl.

Drying the beans is a lengthy process, taking between 10 to 30 days, You will know the beans are dry when their outer skin flakes off easily.

Roasting

The final step to make the coffee bean ready for brewing coffee is to roast the green beans. Without roasting, a beverage made from the green coffee bean would be bitter and extremely acidic- in short, undrinkable.
During the roasting process the green coffee changes dramatically. The process of roasting forces water out of the bean, causing it to dry and expand in the process. Some of the natural sugars in the bean are transformed into CO2 gas, and others are caramelized into the complex flavor essences that make a good coffee. The colors darken and at the end of roasting the bean is about 18 % lighter in weight and 50 to 100% larger than when it was green. After roasting the coffee continues to “degas”, emitting CO2 which helps protect the delicate flavor and aroma of the coffee. Just one week from the time it is roasted, the coffee has already started to lose some of its best flavor and aroma.

SPARKLING AND SWEET WINES

Methods for making sparkling wines(sparking wines not made in champagne France)
Although many sparkling wines use the same methods as champagne(traditional method) there are four other methods...

Transfer method

This process tries to gain the advantages of a second bottle fermentation without the riddling and disgorgement required by the champagne method. Up until this point the process is the same as champagne but the transfer method takes the bottles and pours them all into a big tank under pressure to keep the bubbles. This ensures consistent quality. Then it is filtered in bulk and re-bottled. This method is done in many new world wines. Labels might differ in the transfer method saying bottle fermented while in the traditional methos will say fermented in this bottle. 

The tank method 

Most of the inexpensive sparkling wines are made this way. In this method the second fermentation is done in a sealed tank rather than a bottle. The dry base wine is places together with sugar, yeast, nutrients and a clarifying agent in a tank after the second fermentation. Then it is filtered and bottled. This is Ideal for fruity aromatic wines like Prosecco. The quality of the base wine is important as it accounts for most of the quality of the final product.

The Asti Method 

This method is different as it is does not involve the production of a still dry wine. The must is stored at close to freezing temp.s then warmed up and the fermentation takes place in pressurized tanks. CO2 is allowed to escape until the alcohol level reaches 6%. The fermentation continues until the alcohol reaches 7-7.5%. Then it is stopped by chill filtration and then bottled.

Carbonation

This method is as it sounds. Taking a white wine and adding CO2 to it to create bubbles. This is the cheapest method and is not considered to make a quality wine.


Sweet wine
Most wines are fermented to dryness as in the yeast consumes all the sugars. But sweet wines contain un-fermented sugars and can be created in a few different ways.

Interrupting the Fermentation 

The addind of a grape spirit is the traditional way of stopping fermentation with sugars still present. This radically alters the structual balance of the wine. The resulting wine is filtered to remove any remaining yeast. Once this is done it is vital no yeast come in contact with the wine otherwise fermentation will resume.

Adding a Sweetening Component 

In some countries like Germany medium sweet wine can be created by adding unfiltered grape or Sussreserve juice.  This is a sterile product made by filtering must before fermentation. It is added to the dry wines when they are ready to be bottled.
Rectified Concentrated Grape Must (RCGM) a pure sugar solution extracted from grape juice can also be used for the same effect.

Concentrating Grape Sugars
The best sweet wines come from grapes that are extreamly rich in sugar. this can be done a few different ways.

Noble rot  

This is used in the making of the very best sweet wines including Sauternes in France and many others. Wines made this way have a distictive honey and dried fruit aromas.

Drying grapes on the vine
passerillage

Once sugars have reached full sugar ripeness they begin to dehydrate and turn into raisins on the vine. This increases sugar concentration in the juice. Conditions need to be dry and warm for this to happen or else rot can take hold. These wines have an over ripe character ans a richly texture mouth feel.

Drying grapes after picking 

This causes healthy grapes to dehydrate. Conditions need to be dry and warm for this to be successful and care must be taken to remove all rotten grapes or the rot will spread. this is used in the production of PX Sherry and the passito wines of italy. These wines have a raisiny quality.

!!!!CHAMPAGNE !!!

Champagne is unique in that it can only be made in the Champagne region in France, and there is no regional or subdivision with more straighten production requirements. With in the region there are five concentration of vineyards and they are spread over the entire region. the three most famous areas are shown in this map of the region.
Climate 
Champagne has a cold climate around 16°c this becomes difficult as growers have to fight spring frosts and winter freeze. Even the warmest years the sugar levels in the grapes stays very low with high acid. This makes them less than ideal for still(not carbonated) wine production.
To battle frost most vineyards are planted on slopes.

Grape Varieties 
The three main grapes for making champagne are:

Chardonnay, for its high acidity with floral and citrus fruit characters.
Pinot Noir, for greater body and length and provides structural back bone to most blends
Meunier,easy to drink fruitiness and especially important for wines that are ment to be enjoyed while young.

Traditional method 
 Most champagnes are white even though around 66% of the grapes used are black. To avoiid coloring the wine mechanical harvesting is forbidden. they are not destemmed or crushed. they are pressed as quickly as possible and Press Houses are found throughout vineyards to make sure this happens.
To maintain high quality only 102 liters can be pressed from 160 kilograms of grapes.

Primary fermentation: Generally this takes place in a temp. controlled stainless steel vat. Prior to this the juice is clarified to avoid the development of non-fruit flavors. The resulting wine is dry with natural characters high acidity and moderate alcohol. Most base wines is used to make up blends the year after harvest, although some wines are stored for use in future years, this reserve wine have an important role in the blending process.

Blending: Champagne is a region the is dependent on blending. Blending from different villages, varieties and vintages. Generally blenders aim to produce a wine that conforms to t the house style. The grape varieties are used to give the wine its character and structure where as the reserve wines are vital in smoothing out vintage variations and adding complexity. It is easier to achieve the house style if the blender has as many wines to blend with as possible. This is why the base wine is fermented in so many different vats and this is the key reason why champagne houses dominate. They have access to the highest range of base and reserve wines.

Secondary fermentation: Once the blend is made a small portion of liqueur de tirage (adds sweetness) (mix of wine, sugar, yeast, yeast nutrients and a clarifying agent) is added before it is bottled. The bottle is then closed with a plastic cup shaped cap. They are then stored horizontally in cellars around 10°-12°c. with these temps. the secondary fermentation takes six to eight weeks. The alcohol is raised around 2% and the CO2 that is generated by the yeast created the sparkle.

Yeast Autolysis: once fermentaion is done the extra sediment froms at the bottom of the bottle. These dead yeast cells break down and release proteins and other chemical compounds into the wine that create that toast or biscuit flavors in sparking wine made this way. Autolysis lasts for four to five years but has been know to last up to ten. Once disgorged the wine will mature very quickly.

Riddling: To get the sediment out of the bottle after it has matured you riddle it then disgorge it. Riddling is moving the bottle from horizontal to invert vertical very slowly and a gental shake and twist the bottle a bit each time to get the sediment into the cap.
*jour means Day

This takes up to eight weeks when done by hand. But macines created can do this in eight days. But this is still done by hand for bottles of unusual shape and size.

Disgorgement and Corking: The neck of the bottle is submerged into a very cold brine(water and salt) which freezes the wine in the neck. GThis freezes the sediment into the neck of the wine bottle the keep the wine clear. The crown cap is then removed and the pressure from inside the bottle shootle out the frozen sediment. The wine is then topped with a liquer d'expedition (adds sweetness)(mix of wine and cane sugar solution) then sealed with a cork and held secure with a wire cage.

RED WINE PROCESS & OAK

This chart shows a simplified way of making red wine 

The key to red wine is the successful extraction on the tannin and color from the skins of the black/red grapes. This is accomplished by mixing the skins around during the fermentation process.
The grapes must be harvested when tannins are ripe but not affected by noble rot( used in the making of some sweet wines) 

Pre-fermentation extraction 

Some wine makers prefer to leave the grapes to macerate(soften or break down by using liquid) for a time to extract greater color and flavor aromas. Or heat the grapes to encourage the grapes to release color this can reduce the fresh fruit aromas.

Extraction during fermentation 

The presence of skins makes alcohol fermentation in oak barrels impractical because it would be difficult to maintain contact between the skin and the juice. Red wine fermentation normally reaches between 30°-32°c higher temp.s improve extraction of color and tannins. But fermentation will stop(as described in Wine making:The beginning) if temp. gets above 35°c.

If left to itself the wine will soon have a thick mass of pulp and skins on the surface, called the cap, and will not extract color or flavor.

There are several extraction methods

• Pumping over: Drawing off the wine from the bottom of the tank and pumping it over the top. This is used in the production of most red wines and is usually done several times. The oxygen is useful for helping the yeast populations grow.

• Punching down: Punching down the cap by hand using paddles. This was dangerous because the workers could have been over come by carbon dioxide.  
• Rack and Return: Draining all the juice, leaving the cap behind, racking the cap and pumping the juice back over. 
• Rotary fermenters: a modern device that ferments the wine is rotating horizontal tanks 

Post-fermentation extractions 

The fermentation time will vary but is typically from one to tree weeks for red wines. The length of the time the juice is in contact with the skin depends on the style of wine being made. Example: to produce a low tannin fruity wine the skins will be drawn off once fermentation is finished. Or to create a wine that will age for a long time the skin will stay in contact for several weeks after fermentation. French and Italian wines use this for high-quality wines that are intended to age. 
 Once the juice is drained off the remaining mass is pressed to create a press wine. This has deep color and high in tannins. This is used to balance color and tannins in the blending process.


OAK

Is primarily used to add tannins which add to the structure, color and texture complexity in red wines.
The wines also extract aromas such as vanilla toast and smokiness from the oak. There are two different kinds of oak vessels
French Oak:This is more expensive and tends to give vanilla and toast flavors.
American Oak: Generally more aromatic flavors such as Sweet vanilla and coconut.
New heavily charred barrels give the most flavor. Small oak barrels have a far greater impact on the final flavor of the wines than the larger barrels. The standard small size is 225 Liters and is generally used for aging red wines. This produces 300 bottles. Large oak barrels give very little oak flavor and can be as large as 200 Hectoliters

Oak flavors can also be added to the wine by using Oak chips or Oak staves. Both methods ensure oak and wine come in contact and come at a much lower cost than using barrels.