April Cooking Frenzy

The gardening season is just around the corner and I am looking forward to all of the fantastic things I will have to eat from my urban plot. In stark contrast to those bountiful gardening months, we are currently at a low point when it comes to local food. This is the point in the year where the foods that were stored over the winter are getting rubbery and/or rotten yet it is too early for the spring treats. As I plan the garden, I find that it feels like forever until we are eating out of it.

So, the main way to satisfy the crazy preserving/baking/making urges I have been having recently is through non-local goods. I've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen over the past 2 weeks. Here are a few of the things I have to show for it.

After a night of chopping, stirring, sanitizing and simmering, I have these jars of blood orange marmalade.

I have a big jar of these preserved lemons aging in the fridge.

I have a cupboard of small jars of olive oil, slowly infusing. Some of these are destined for the upcoming food swap.

I used to have this carrot cake, although that is almost gone already.

I have a jar of this cocoa hazelnut granola, to which I added toasted sesame seeds and dried cranberries.
We also have a loaf of Peasant Bread, but that isn't unusual around our house since we discovered this artisan bread book. And, we are also taste testing a jar of homemade ginger syrup to see if that would make for a good swapping option.

There is still so much more I have been wanting to make, but there just isn't enough time!