It's humpday and I'm home once again, online, job hunting. Is this a long overdue vacation from all the overtime I put in a few years back? I think not. This is just crappy timing. But, I don't mind too much. Well, not as long as I can cook, bake or pickle. And that is what I did last week. Nowhere else can you experience all four seasons in one day but in Chicago. Crazy I tell ya. One day cold and rainy. So, I'm thinking soup! Then the skies break, the humidity sky rockets and it's salad time. My cousin gave me a few beets that she had for juicing. She didn't want to bother with prepping them. So, I knew that I would pickle them instead of roasting or making soup simply because it was warm outside and fresh pickled beets with shaved onion and orange segments just bring a smile to my face. On a mission to brine, we hit the local Polish grocery in search of spices. No luck there, but lots of inspiration. Barrels chock full of sauerkraut ranging from slightly tangy to over the top sour. And aisles loaded with imported fermented goodies ranging from beets, to beans and everything else brine worthy.
So, no luck at the neighborhood shop I ventured out into the city for spices. My first intention was to head over to Devon Avenue in northern Chicago, home to a large Indian and Pakistani community. However, due to ripped up pot holes in the street and the city taking it's time to repair the holes parking was very limited. So, I kept driving. Then I remembered hearing about this little spice shop in Evanston, just north of Chicago. I got all giddy. I got to the Spice House and was greeted by Paige. She was very helpful in answering questions about house blended spices and assisted me in making my purchases. I knew that I wanted to go for a "global" infused flavor for my pickles. For the beets I was thinking Moroccan flavors and for the carrots Indian inspired. So, Paige filled a little bag for me with star anise, whole garam masala (which consisted of cardamom, clove and coriander) and turmeric. I also took home some grains of paradise, which have a zesty peppery flavor, and Ceylon cinnamon, which Paige called "true cinnamon". It is milder and more fruit forward rather than spicy like Vietnamese cinnamon or cassia. The Ceylon variety is favored in the Mexican kitchen and is often used in coffee and in making mole, the national dish of Mexico made of various ground spices, chiles and chocolate.
I did the quick pickle method no pressure cooking. Just hot brine, blanched vegetables and chilling the finished product. The pickles came out superb! Vibrant color, crisp texture and bold flavors. The beets were steeped in apple cider vinegar along with garlic, fresh ginger, cinnamon, star anise, orange peel and grains of paradise. The carrots took a dip in a brine made with white vinegar, sugar, onion,turmeric, garam masala and ginger. Since I have moved to Chicago my friends and I stay in touch through Facebook. And funny thing, just a few days before I pickled, my brother from another mother, Roger did some pickling too! Check out his blog Soul Cocina.
Going back to the "true" cinnamon used in mole, I will be having my fix of Chicago's finest sauce at the Mole de Mayo event this coming Saturday May 2, 2009. I'll see you there, I'll be the one in the front with the bib on and a tortilla in hand!
On Sunday Grandma made gorditas. With leftover bacon fat from morning's breakfast, masa harina and loving hands she formed plump little corn pockets which were filled with 
