I swear that I live in the biggest small town on earth. I know it is the fourth biggest city in the United States but it is very much a small town. I have the hardest time finding things here at times. Fabrics. Yarns. Things to make the things. That even includes food stuffs. If I am willing to travel ten miles (this is within the city limits) I might be able to find the ingredients that I am looking for. If I do not wish to that, I either have to grow it or make it.
I make the food to make the food to make the food. It is my life. Let us not talk soup at all.
I was trying to get the ingredients together for kugelhopf and panettone in my neighborhood. I just did not wish to drive anymore. Not this season. I started saving every orange peel. Which I really have to ask the boyos to do for me. I am good for one orange or tangerine. Not as many as I needed.
I started with making candied peel to begin with. That went into the panettone. It clinked on the china plate when I was done. Not the prettiest but it would do and I had some to save.
The next thing was that I took a bag full of peel and dried them. This took about six hours and half way filled a quart canning jar. But I will have dried peel for chai later in the year. I can say that this area grows citrus so it is in season here. I just have to keep gathering. And feeding boyos oranges and grapefruit.
When the grapefruit happens, the same will happen to its peel. As well as the lemon. Then I will also start in on the extracts. I may be plotting a few Christmas presents for next year already.