Sus scrofa domestica (of the Tamworth Persuasion)

Meet the newest additions to our growing collection of critters here at Gryffon Ridge. The fine looking future bacon provider in front is Atilla and the smaller yet someday equally tasty one in the back is Bungie. Atilla and Bungie came to us by way of Harrison, ME and providence. Fortunately for us their buyers backed out and they were available at the last minute. Now we just have to fatten them up over the next several months while they rototill the woods. 

This also will hopefully provide some impetus towards me building the smokehouse that I’ve been talking about for the past year. Right now it’s just ideas and theory in my head. No plans, no materials, not even sure where I’m building it yet. When I was asked last fall what I wanted for my birthday I said cinder blocks and fire bricks. Nobody took me seriously so not only is there no smokehouse there is no backyard oven either.

This is all probably for the best. At the present time I have no time. Not only do we have our two porcine companions, we live with six cats. Some of you know a few of their names as some of the spice blends are named after them; Ziggy, Zeus, Rusty, Dolores, Elizabeth, and Budweiser. My son named the first two, the rest of them kept the names they had when we adopted them. At times it feels like were running a shelter up here.

Then there are the chickens…all 118 of them. We started with 8 hens and a rooster last year and this year we thought let’s do a few more birds for meat and we’ll also get some more hens. Actually we started with about 40 birds last year but some are in the freezer and the local fox got one. So this year we said, “It’s pretty inexpensive to buy a 100 chicks. We’ll eat a hundred chickens over the course of a year. Let’s give it a try.” Yeah. Four weeks later they’re going through 50 lbs. of feed every other day and are nothing but little shit factories. But their days are numbered. We’re planning on doing the processing up at our place and some local friends have graciously offered to come help with the deed.

 

Did I mention the ducks that arrive the middle of next month? We'll have 50 tasty Pekins, just like the one in the pool above.  Last year at there were 14 ducks trying to swim in the pool all at the same time.

 

Then there are 25 Welsh Harlequins which we are hoping will become great egg producers.

 

Ten Indian Runner Ducks to just look good, lay small eggs and eat slugs and bugs.

And 8 Bourbon Red Turkeys.

No partridge in a pear tree. That's it.  We thought about a beef critter but no.  At least not this year.  But we do have pear, apple, plum, peach, cherry and hazelnut trees.  Not to mentionthe raspberries, strawberries, and a 1/4 acre garden.  And a hell of a lot of grass to mow.

So I'd like to say this is why I haven't posted in over a month.  It'd be a damn good excuse but the truth is I suck.  At least that's what Christine said I should tell you.  I've had good intentions for the last several weeks so at least I'm on the right path to hell.

Anyway, we start the Freeport Community Market tomorrow afternoon from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. located right outside of L.L.Bean in the parking lot across from the giant boot.  On Saturdays we can be found at the Crystal Spring Farmers Market in Brunswick.  Directions to both can be found over at Gryffon Ridge.  Come on over and say hello, take a look at what we have to offer, and check out the rest of the vendors.

Rick

 

Made In...Maine

So, it appears that the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce (EACC) is hosting what they are calling a Made in Maine Market. They’re touting this as an opportunity for the public to meet and purchase from over “45 top Maine Artisans from all over the State.” Sounds good, doesn’t it?

It turns out that Bangor Savings Bank is the lead sponsor for this event. I’m not sure what the lead sponsor is supposed to provide as there are no other sponsors listed, but according to them “As a Maine Bank, it is important that we support and lend exposure to Maine businesses. By shopping locally and supporting the Maine economy, we enable our exceptional Maine businesses to expand to other market opportunities,” commented Bangor Savings Bank Vice-President, Rose White.

Now the problem I have with all this is in their application. They want to charge a non-Chamber member $350 for an outside 10’ x 10’ booth for a 7-hour period. Now come on people, I pay less than that for an entire season’s worth (26 Days at 4 hours each) of markets. I pay about $2.88 an hour for an established market with a 10’ x 30’ booth that my customers will return to. The EACC wants to charge me $50.00 an hour for a one- time event. Why would I possibly want to do this? It’s not located in the center of town; it’s not located in a pleasant park on the river; it’s located at the Mill Mall on State Street.

Some people would argue that it’s good exposure for your product. They may be right. But if I had wanted exposure I could have gone to the New England Food Show down in Boston and paid $10 a square foot for a 3 day show. Someday I might; lots of people and lots of exposure. You get what you pay for…sometimes.

This “event” is being held on Saturday, June 19th. Three days after school ends for the summer. Why isn’t it being held in the middle of summer? At the height of tourist season. Say in the beginning of August when many of our out-of-state visitors will be here for vacation and able to provide an additional influx of outside capital for the local economy?

I don’t know. I see this as an attempt by the EACC to gouge small business owners throughout the state in a misguided effort to line their own coffers. $350 is a substantial amount of money for many entrepreneurs to shell out for a one day show; especially if you are selling low cost items such as candles, cards, or other smalls. Just what is Bangor Savings Bank providing? If an outside booth in a parking lot costs $350, just what is it that you're getting for your money? I haven’t seen any advertising for this. The Village Soup ran an article on April 5th but that and a Tweet is all that I’ve seen.

Okay. I’m done venting. I originally thought this might be a decent show to take part in but it appears that Downeast greed will win this one.

Dresden Blues

Today I’m giving you one of my recipes. Not just any recipe, but one of my (our) favorites. In 2008 this recipe took the Judges Award at the Common Ground Fair in Unity. In any given year we tend to buy anywhere from 100-150 lbs. of Maine blueberries from Wilkinson’s Blueberry farm here in Dresden. Makes it very convenient for mead making; they live on top of Blinn Hill and we are over on Gryffon Ridge. Most of these blue jewels go into making mead and beer but a few are saved for the occasional pie and pancake breakfast.

Dresden Blues Blueberry Mead

27 lbs. Maine Blueberries

22 lbs. Maine Honey

Pectic Enzyme (Optional) 1/10 Tsp. per lb. of Fruit

1 oz. Fresh Ginger ~ Peeled and Sliced

1/2 oz. Cassia Cinnamon Stick

Water to make 6 Gallons

2 Packages Cotes de Blanc Yeast

6 Gallon Carboy - With airlock

Freeze your berries; preferably a few days in advance. Then thaw the berries, and run them through a food mill, or juicer. Place your crushed berries and juice into your carboy. If you’re using glass…good luck. If you have one, place them in a nylon mesh brewing bag. (This will make it much easier to remove the seeds at racking time.)

I’ve never used camphor tablets to kill the inherent yeast that can be found on almost all fruit. The way I see it, it’s there for a reason and the yeast that I add is in such a large quantity by comparison that it will probably dominate. (Or maybe create some Uber-Yeast.)

In a large pot heat approximately 1/2 gallon of water to a temperature sufficient to dissolve honey. I never boil my water or honey. Add honey to the pot and stir to dissolve. Repeat as necessary until all the honey is dissolved. Pour the honey water into the carboy with blueberries. Add cold water to reach 6 gallons total. Add your pectic enzyme if you are using it. When your mixture is about 70 degrees F. rehydrate your yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water. Take a hydrometer reading of your must and record it, adjusting for temperature. Add the ginger slices and the cinnamon.  Add the yeast to the carboy, stir vigorously, seal, and add an airlock. Place in a shaded area that will remain between 65 – 75 degrees F. Fermentation should begin within 24 hours.

Every other day open the carboy and “punch” down the fruit cap that will form. Failure to do this may result in a blocked airlock which may then lead to a Blueberry Krakatoa wherever you have placed your carboy. (I speak from experience with making Strawberry Beer.) Fermentation may last for several weeks. Once fermentation has ceased you must “rack” the liquid goodness off the blueberry and yeast corpses and into a clean carboy (preferably glass at this point) using a siphon. Try not to disturb the sediment at the bottom of the carboy. Take another hydrometer reading. Follow the formula for determining ABV in last month's post. Sample your mead.

Cap and add airlock, and place in a safe cool place away from light. Cellars are good choices. Forget about it. Every couple of months check the airlock and top off if necessary. As you approach the one year mark, sample your mead. Most meads only improve with age.

Notes: I use a Staggered Nutrient Addition with many of my Meads. This means that I use a Blend of 66% Yeast Nutrient to 33% Yeast Energizer at various times throughout the fermentation process. General guidelines for a 6 gallon batch are:

3/4 tsp of the Blend just before pitching yeast

3/4 tsp of the Blend 24 hours after fermentation started

3/4 tsp of the Blend 48 hours after fermentation started

3/4 tsp of the Blend after about 30% of the total expected sugars have been consumed by the yeast (Use your ABV formula).

You can find endless discussions regarding Nutrient Additions on the internets.  Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Rick

C6H12O6 -->2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2

The Almighty Fermentation Equation. So critcal in so many ways.  I’m going to start off talking about some of the various fermented beverages that have been made throughout history with an emphasis on mead. Most everyone is familiar with beer and its primary ingredients which are water, malt, yeast, and hops. However, mead is a beverage with an even older lineage and is one of the finest beverages known to man. In its simplest form, mead is a blend of honey and water that is fermented through the addition of yeast. There is no definitive list of "approved" types of mead.  These are some of the more common varieties along with a few other beverages and terms for future clarification.

ABV ~ Alcohol by Volume. A measurement of the percentage of alcohol in a beverage expressed as a percentage of the total volume. Proof on the other hand is the ABV doubled.

Applejack ~ An alcoholic beverage made by either freeze distilling Cider or by evaporative distillation methods. Calvados is one of the more recognized offerings of this apple brandy.

Braggot ~ This is a mead that is brewed with honey and malt and may have hops added to it. This makes it something of a cross between a beer and a wine. It will generally have a higher alcohol content than your typical beer. Natural carbonation can be a problem depending on the yeast being used.

Cider ~ Not the cider you buy at the farmstand or pick up at your local market. Only in the U.S. do we use the term Cider to refer to unfermented apple juice. To rest of the civilized world this means a fermented beverage made from apples. It is usually carbonated and rarely exceeds 9% ABV.

Cyser ~ In its simplest form this is apple or pear juice that has been fortified with honey and fermented. However, Cyser lends itself to much experimentation with the addition of herbs, spices, and other fruits. Alcohol content can be as high as 24% ABV.

F.G. ~ Final Gravity. The final reading of a solution, taken with a hydrometer. See O.G. below.

Hydromel ~ Translated from the Greek this means water-honey. Typically this refers to a low alcohol or a very light mead.

Hydrometer ~ This is a device that looks like a thermometer but instead measures how much sugar is suspended in a solution when it is floated in it. Pure water has a specific gravity of 1.000 at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Adding honey (sugar) to the solution makes the specific gravity (density) rise which causes the hydrometer to rise and the scale to be read at a different location. See O.G. below for more.

Hippocras ~ A Pyment to which spices have been added.

Melomel ~ A mead made from honey and the addition of any fruit or fruit juice. Certain melomels have their own name depending on the fruit that is used.

Metheglin ~ This is a mead that has been fermented with herbs or spices. The name comes from the Welsh and roughly translates as “Healing Liquor” (No argument here). Some of the more common metheglins are made with cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger.

Morat ~ A melomel that is made from mulberries.

Must ~ This is what mead is called before it becomes mead. It is the honey-infused liquid that the yeast will feed on to produce alcohol.

O.G. ~ Original gravity, also known as S.G. or Starting gravity. This is a measurement of the amount of sugar that is suspended in a solution. It is determined using a hydrometer before yeast is added. Another reading is taken after fermentation has stopped. The F.G. is subtracted from the O.G. and multiplied by 1.333 and then 100 to arrive at ABV.

The formula is: ((OG-FG) x 1.33) x 100. Very simple actually. If I have an OG of 1.130 and a FG of 1.000 then it is: ((1.130-1.000) x 1.333) x 100 = 17.329 % ABV. See hydrometer above.

Pyment ~ A mead that is made with red or white grapes.

Rhodomel ~ Rose hips or rose petals are fermented with honey and water to give rise to this ancient drink of Rome.

Sack mead ~ A fairly strong and sweet mead.

That's it for today. I’ll be posting more regarding mead, including pictures concerning its making and consumption. Skål!

Cena exquisito at El Camino, Brunswick Maine:

This was a weekend for dining out with great friends and family.

On Friday night we took Morgan, our youngest son with us to El Camino’s. We can never say enough about the service, the food and the wonderful drinks from this Nouveau Mexican Oasis in Maine. We had three of the specials available that night, but I would say Rick had the award winner. The Lamb special was to die for, not to say the two other dishes were not exceptional but the flavors within this dish were exquisite. Great to see tamales on the menu.  Eloise and the staff out did themselves.

On Saturday we had our friend and jeweler, Meghan Donahue http://www.meghandonahue.com/ and her beau come and stay with us for the night. After their adventures of trying to fly kites up on Gryffon Ridge sans wind, (this was one of maybe 3 days when the wind doesn’t blow up here) and some restrained (only 2 bottles) sampling of Blueberry and Black Chai Mead, we headed to Rockland for dinner at Suzuki’s http://www.suzukisushi.com/.

We had the most wonderful night; Matt our server took extraordinary care of all of us as soon as we sat in our seats. I don’t know if there are words to describe the wonderful dinner we were treated to. This was the first time our guests had been to Suzuki’s. They had heard us speaking about the freshness of the seafood as well as the excedllent and knowledgeable service and this visit was no different. We never placed an order, Matt just asked them if there was anything that they did not like and he and Suzuki took the meal from there. The freshest seafood available from Maine with much of it coming right out of Penobscot Bay.  Last week for Uni (Sea Urchin) which is a wonderful creamy taste of the sea.  Everything was outstanding and we were able to try something new. It was our first time for Tile Fish, what a wonderful delicate tasting fish. So several bottles of Sake later and the freshest sushi in Mid Coast Maine, and we headed back to the Ridge for the evening.

Well, on Saturday we sold out of the 3 lbs of Duqqa we prepared for this past weeks market, so I guess I am not the only one who found it addicting. To date this has been the best new release we have done, thanks everyone. We will have more this coming Saturday for everyone that missed out.  This next week we will not be releasing a new blend but we will have a couple of new herbs and spices for your enjoyment.

For your health: Did you know that Basil can be made into a paste and rubbed on bee stings to prevent swelling and pain?

And so it begins...

What is a blog, what to write on a bog and what do the folks on our blog want to know about? These questions have been spinning through our heads since the date we made the decision to start the blog several months ago. As you can see it has taken us a while to get moving on this.

Welcome to the Gryffon Ridge Blog. We hope to entertain you and speak upon all the great ideas and not so great ideas we come up with for our various endeavours. Also, we might cover a few other items that happen up at Gryffon Ridge. We started our company over a year ago.  Boy were we naive. We sit back and laugh from time to time at what we wanted the business to do and how we were going to do it. Well, we have come a long way from a small coffee grinder and it is thanks to all of you for your wonderful support and coming back to see us every week at the markets.

So what is happening these days?  We are learning to tweet or is it twitter? Rick has started up the Twitter site and we are slowly learning about twittering and re-tweeting. I am in hopes of having the Facebook page up this next weeks. So here we go. We will be connected beyond our beliefs. Now all we need to do is get the ecommerce going so you can order on line.

What is cooking this week? We worked on the Duqqa Blend this week, oh it is addicting. Nothing like some Zue’s bread, great Lakonia’s Olive Oil and Duqqa. I had to walk out of the kitchen so I stopped eating it.

Last night was one of our favorites for supper, Spicy Coconut Shrimp made with Crazy Cats Creole. Yummy. Tonight we are going to go do our contribution towards supporting our local business and have dinner at El Camino’s in Brunswick. If you have not been there you’re missing some of the best food around. Paul, Daphne and Eloise will be sure to treat you to a wonderful meal and the drinks are great. Not to mention that they are firm supporter of the local movement and do all they can to help support our local farms.

We will try to get more on the blog (including pictures) as the weeks roll on and we hope you enjoy reading about all our ups and downs of living on Gryffon Ridge.

Have a good weekend folks.

Christine