Preserving Field Trip to the Workman-Temple Homestead Museum! & a Grenadine Recipe

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Ernest Miller

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Oct 12, 2011, 4:43:19 PM10/12/11

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Greetings!

Fall is in full swing, the 2nd Master Food Preserver is almost 1/2-way
through, and all sorts of events are happening fast and furious, but
this is going to be a short email.

I'm feeling sort of nostalgic. It was approximately 2 years ago that
I invited members of this list on a preserving field trip to the
Workman-Temple Homestead Museum to pick pomegranates and can them in
my home. The day was a great success and I'm happy to be providing
this opportunity once again. I can't believe I've been working over
two years to revive the art of preserving here in Southern California
- it seems like I'm just getting started. Time flies when you're
having fun, I guess.

This preserving trip, however, we will be traveling by passenger van
from the Farmer's Kitchen in Hollywood to the museum in the City of
Industry. So, during the trip I'll be able to lecture as we travel,
talking about where we are going, a bit about pomegranates and a bit
of local history and color as well ... such as our trip will take us
somewhat close to the site of the very first Hass Avocado tree, where
MFK Fisher was raised and more!

People who've never been to the Homestead Museum are amazed to find
this six-acre historical treasure nestled among the busy streets of
the City of Industry. Called “one of California’s true historic
treasures” by the Smithsonian Institution, the Homestead Museum
provides a unique way to look at Southern California’s history from
the 1840s, when the land was still part of Mexico, through the 1920s,
when Los Angeles came to be known world-wide as a major metropolitan
city.

The six-acre site features the Workman House, an 1870s country home
constructed around an 1840s adobe built by William and Nicolasa
Workman; La Casa Nueva, a 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival mansion noted
for its architectural crafts, built by the Workmans' grandson Walter
Temple and his wife, Laura; and El Campo Santo, one of the region's
oldest private cemeteries, containing the remains of Pío Pico, the
last governor of Mexican California, and many other prominent pioneer
families.

The Farmer's Kitchen has arranged a private tour of this historic
treasure. Following the tour, we will be picking pomegranates from the
100-year old trees on the grounds, return them to the kitchen and can
them as pomegranate jelly and true grenadine.

Don't miss out on this spectacular opportunity!

For those of you who won't be joining us ... remember that true
grenadine is a pomegranate syrup, not the artificially-colored,
artificially-cherry-flavored corn syrup you generally find in the
stores. The word "grenadine" comes from a French corruption of the
Spanish "granada," which in French became "grenade." And, thus, a
syrup made from the fruit is "grenadine" - it is not named after the
Grenadine Islands of the Caribbean (pomegranates don't grow very well
in the tropics). Make some real grenadine ... it can be canned for
storage. Your cocktails (both alcoholic - Tequila Sunrise - and
non-alcoholic - Shirley Temple) will be glad you did.

Grenadine

Yield: About 4 half-pint jars

3½ Cups Pomegranate juice

1 Tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2¾ Cups Granulated Sugar

1. Prepare canner, jars and lids.

2. In a large stainless steel saucepan over medium heat,
combine pomegranate juice, lemon juice and sugar. Bring
to a boil, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved
completely.

3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Remove pot from heat and skim off any foam.

5. Ladle hot syrup into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until
resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

6. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered
with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes.
Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, label and store

Sorry for the shortness of this email. More in the future.

As usual, if you have any questions about canning, pressure canning,
fermentation, dehydration, freezing, pickling,
curing, smoking or brewing, feel free to email me at
ernest.miller @ gmail.com.

Follow the Master Food Preservers of Los Angeles:
The blog:
http://ucanr.org/blogs/MFPLA/index.cfm
The Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/mfpla
The twitter hashtag:
#mfpla

Don't forget to sign up for the Farmer's Kitchen newsletter:
http://www.hollywoodfarmerskitchen.org/