The hot stuff

Barlow Farms Kimchi

This is a great way to use cabbage for something other than cole slaw, Kimchi is FANTASTIC! It’s a spicy Korean condiment that is often fermented or aged  for months. We had fun with this recipe and shortened it's fermenting time to one week, only because we couldn't wait to try it! It’s traditionally served with steamed white rice.(it is good alone also). For this recipe, we did not use the cabbage we grew here on the farm, we had to buy Napa Cabbage from the co-op! After trying this recipe, we will be growing it come fall.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup kosher salt, divided
• 2 3/4 pounds napa (Chinese) cabbage, quartered lengthwise (about two)
• 2 cups thinly sliced green onions (about 2 bunches) 
• 2 cups finely grated peeled daikon radish (about 1 medium) 
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 tablespoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)

Preparation

1.  Reserve 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside. Place cabbage in a large bowl; sprinkle remaining salt over cabbage, sprinkling between leaves. Weigh down cabbage with a smaller bowl filled with cans or anything heavy. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours; drain. Rinse cabbage thoroughly under cold water; drain. Remove cabbage leaves from core; discard core.
2.  Combine reserved 1/2 teaspoon salt, onions, and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Arrange cabbage leaves in layers in a 1-quart airtight container, spread radish and other ingredient mixture onto cabbage leaves in layers; press leaves to compress mixture. Top leaves with any remaining radish mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 week. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

What the heck is  Sambal Oelek ! 

Let's start here.... there is a company called Huy Fong Foods that has a  US market for hot sauces. They own the rights to use brand name Sriracha in the US. All of the labels have the rooster on them, with a green top. 

Sriracha is named after the Thai port city of Si Racha and is mostly used as a condiment or dipping sauce. This is the sauce that had become a huge favorite of the eating masses. Because of the big white rooster label it is commonly called,“cock sauce”. 
It’s pretty much made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt.  It is even  kosher! People put it on almost  anything and everything!.


Sambal Oelek is more of Indonesian and Malaysian origin. It is made from a variety of different chilies, but mostly cayenne. It is simply ground chilies.  
It is what we use in our Kimchi. Sambal Oelek is used  when you want to add heat without impacting the flavor of the dish. It is used for cooking.

Chili Garlic Sauce

Huy Fong Foods   also makes a chili garlic sauce. It has more of a garlic taste. It is made from  chilies, garlic, salt, sugar, and white vinegar. It is great in stir fried vegetables and is a great addition to hot and sour soup.  The garlic flavor make it  really great for adding  to cooked dishes.

Glorifiction of Busy

Why is everyone so busy? It seems that the response to "How are you?" on conference calls or conversations with friends results in my least favorite word - busy. Most of the insanely busy people I know aren't working multiple jobs or balancing family and work, let alone tending to a farm or home business!  The full calendar is a result of choice rather than sheer workload. Busyness isn't a badge of honor… it just makes you look self-important (and self-loathing).

 It’s almost always people whose lamented busyness is purely self-imposed: work and obligations they've taken on voluntarily, classes and activities they've “encouraged” their kids to participate in. They’re busy because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because they’re addicted to busyness and dread what they might have to face in its absence.

Finding some work/life balance is hard. It take presence and the ability to stop and notice why you are so busy. Stop, take a deep breath in  and release slowly. Better yet, for the love of all things holy, unplug from your, smart phone I Pad and email. Don't freak out it will be OK!

It took me years to not completely freak out on Fridays and Mondays.  Friday Freak Out sessions were the result of me obsessing on all the stuff I needed to do at home and in the yard after putting in a full week at my regular job.  It would start about half way home during my commute. My "To Do List" played over and over in my head.  By the time I got home I was completely pissed off!  I literally walked though my house pointing out all that was dusty, needed picking up and putting away.

Manic Mondays followed the Freak Out Friday session.  On my way to work during my commute, my "To Busy To Finish List" played over and over in my head.  I began to feel guilty and depressed Why couldn't I complete my "To Do List"?  Why did Monday come so soon. Why am I so pissed off?

Then it  hit me, one word -

  GRATITUDE

Believe me, I have taken on too much a lot of the time.  I have "encouraged" my kids to join clubs and activities that require a lot time time.  I am awfully guilty of checking my e-mail, smart phone and social media a billion times a day! I have taken on all the chores simply because I did not delegate.  My busy busy life was my badge of honor, I would be damned if I was going to give it up!  Being aware of the insanity is a good place to start.  Notice when you are logging in.  Notice when you are speeding down the road to get to the next activity in time.  Notice when you are going through the drive thru for "dinner".  

When going though the garden, doing the never ending house work or even when shoveling out the horse barn or chicken coop, I am grateful for having all that I have. I am grateful for my family, my kids and my husband. A quick look around is all it takes. Our home at  Barlow Farms can get hectic.  We spend a lot of time trying to get things done. Small farming may sound, well, small. Believe me it is not!  Organically grown fruits and vegetables and Organic meats require work to produce.  Small farmers and home cooks are an integral part of our community.   We are working hard to motivate change in the way our food is produced.We sell our abundance at our farmer's market in order to put the earnings back into the farm.  Staying busy this way is the only way! 

So the next time you feel busy, stop, take a deep breath and notice your stress level.   Noticing comes first.  Be aware. Be present.  Becoming aware and present in the moment clears the way for Gratitude.