Baby Bird's Farm and Cocina

Apple Wood Smoked Salmon from the Master (and Father’s Day Gift Ideas)

Posted on June 1, 2015 | Leave a comment

If you have seen the post on home smoked salmon, then you might remember my Uncle Bobby was the inspiration and originator of smoking salmon on the PK Arkansas Cooker (aka the “Bobby Grill.”) He recently sent me a picture of three pounds of apple wood smoked salmon.

Yum, right?

He shared, “Twenty minutes soaking in rum, four hours curing in salt & brown sugar, thirty minutes cooking in apple wood smoke, three weeks eating.” Bobby added his latest tweak for perfecting home smoked salmon: “I buy these large three-pound fillets which have fat parts and skinny parts. I separate them with a knife (that’s why there are four pieces) and the skinny parts smoke for twenty minutes and the fat part for thirty.” Papa Bird prefers the skinny parts. Although a large piece of salmon was pretty in this post, the skinny fillets get more of the rub and smoke flavor. But, could be personal preference…

You can read the full details of how to smoke salmon here. And with Father’s Day around the corner (June 21st), is there a grill master in your life that might enjoy a classic 50’s style grill/smoker that does both indirect and direct cooking? (Note, I am not affiliated in any way with the grill maker. I do receive small percentages of purchases on Amazon, but since they have literally millions of products, be confident that I only mention ones I truly recommend.)

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Grilled Baby Artichokes and an Awesome Cheese Board

Posted on May 25, 2015 | 3 comments

Are you grilling for Memorial Day? Try these delicious grilled baby artichokes! Because they are small and tender, they do not have to be parboiled or steamed before throwing on the grill. I am also sharing some tips for creating an awesome cheese, nut and fruit board, in case you will be entertaining. (Or just like cheese, like me.)

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Melissa’s Produce who supplied many of the ingredients free of charge. The recipes, post and opinions are my own. You might remember Melissa’s Produce from my posts on Butternut Squash, Chick Peas and Black Rice with a Clementine Shallot Vinaigrette and Chestnut Tart with Fresh Winter Fruit (GF, Vegan, Low Sugar). I didn’t hesitate when Robert from Melissa’s reached out and asked if I wanted to try some of their latest products, like Clean Snax and the baby artichokes, and seasonal, exotic fruit and nuts.

First, the artichokes! I grew up in the Carmel/Monterey area on the Central Coast of California, which is the perfect climate for artichokes. I still remember eating the grilled artichokes at the Rio Grill in Carmel, and it’s been at least 15 years. They were slightly charred, and dripping in olive oil, garlic and salt. I actually had been wanting to grill artichokes for awhile, and was excited to see the baby artichokes from Melissa’s. Cutting into them, it was fascinating to see that some had no choke at all, and some had a little to cut out.

Robert included Melissa’s new Hollandaise sauce, which made a tasty dipping sauce, along with our family’s favorite: balsamic yogurt. Other classics to try would be melted butter or garlic aioli. My mom used to do a semi-homemade take on aioli with garlic, lemon juice and mayonnaise. The full recipe for grilled baby artichokes and balsamic yogurt sauce are at the end of the post. We used the same olive oil, garlic and thyme, to dress a chicken my husband rotisserie-grilled, which completed our meal.

Now for the cheese board….

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Posted in Entertaining, Food, Restaurant Recreations, Seasonal Recipes

Tagged artichokes, cheese, cheese board, farm to table, gluten free, grilling, melissa's produce

7 Ways to Celebrate Strawberry Season

Posted on May 16, 2015 | 10 comments

To celebrate Papa Bird’s birthday this year, the four of us went strawberry picking again. Strawberries are in peak season and are super sweet. We picked a flat of strawberries and enjoyed them every which way in the week that followed. Here is a round-up of ways to celebrate strawberry season.

First: Go strawberry picking!

Susie’s Farm is still our favorite place to pick. The berries are organic and a super sweet variety (Albion.) The above flat was $36. We also met up with some of Little Bird’s friends since she was a little baby. My mama tribe has such a close place in my heart. We are all so busy these days, so it was nice to reconnect with a few.

My heart just about melted seeing Little Bird running with two of her friends… and “Littler Bird” chasing after them.

2. Strawberry, Dark Chocolate and Brie Grilled Cheese

Melt a little butter on a griddle or pan, add bread layered with thick slices of brie cheese, sliced strawberries, and shaved dark chocolate. Top with another piece of bread, flip and enjoy the messy, gooey, tangy warmth.

3. Strawberry Balsamic Pizza

The farm stand at Suzie’s had par-baked flatbread from Sadie Rose, which made me think semi-homemade pizza would be an easy dinner. I didn’t yet have the strawberry jam made, but inspired by the recipe in the link, I cooked down a cup of ripe strawberries, balsamic vinegar and sriracha for the sauce. Yum!

4. Top and fill a cake with strawberries

Little Bird loves baking as much as me. For Papa Bird’s birthday we made a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate orange buttercream frosting. Can you guess how old he turned? The filling was strawberry jam and whipped cream. Other cakes just begging for strawberries: Baby Bird’s Healthy Smash Cake, and Tres Leches.

5. Strawberry Shortcake and (healthier) Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait

We took slightly sugared, sliced strawberries up to my sister’s along with shortcakes and cream. It was easy to assemble traditional strawberry shortcakes and a sweet way to celebrate my niece’s birthday.

For a slightly healthier take, try this parfait version which features vanilla chia pudding. If you are mindful of the sugar you add, it easily doubles as both breakfast and dessert.

6. low-sugar strawberry jam

Sugar helps fruit break down and get softer, but is not necessary for preserving. If you cook the fruit long enough, it will still get soft. You can also use honey, or another sweetener. Pectin isn’t needed, either! Using super sweet berries, all you need is a little lemon juice. This year I overcame my fear of my steam canner, and canned for the first time.

7. green strawberry pickles

If you love the idea of adding home-fermented foods to your diet, green strawberry pickles are an easy way to start. My kids like them, too.

Here’s a bonus way to try them: Strawberry Salmon Salad with Green Strawberry Pickles.

Canning the pickles and jam is a classic way to extend strawberry season. Having produce preserved is a great way to enjoy produce at its peak all year round.

: Littler Bird in a grape vine teepee at Suzie’s Farm

: Tea and crumpets with strawberry jam

: Strawberry season!

How do you like to enjoy strawberry season?

Please share your ideas and link your recipes in the comments!

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Posted in Family Adventures, Food, Green Parenting, Our Family, Parenting, Preserving and Canning, Recipes for the Whole Family, Recipes from the Garden, Recipes to Make with the Kids, Seasonal Recipes

Tagged farm to table, seasonal recipes, strawberries

For Sale: Ocah Full Buckle Baby Carrier, Didymos Black and White Indio Wrap Conversion

Posted on April 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

–SOLD–

Now that the littlest Baby Bird is running most of the time, I’m selling our much loved Ocah full buckle baby carrier, so that another family can enjoy it. This “Ocah” is a wrap conversion, made from an organic cotton Didymos black and white Indio wrap. Wrap conversions are made from wraps that are especially woven to be worn with babies, and to be soft and supportive. With a high level of attention to detail, Ocah is one of the very best converters. Operating out of England, custom spots are in high demand and the costs of shipping oversees and back can add up.

Here is the description from the maker:

I am so pleased with how this Ocah Full Buckle carrier (OFB) has worked out. The Wrap used for this carrier is a Didymos Black and White Indio. This is custom sized at 17″ tall and 18.5″ wide. It comes with a Pixie style sleephood, leg padding, arms out padding, matching chest strap, and it has additional top stitching on the waist.

You can see more pictures in a full feature of this wrap conversion on the Ocah blog here.

We bought this full buckle wrap conversion to be an easy to wear, but comfy, carrier, primarily for my husband. The custom-sized panel is wider than Ocah usually makes them. However, both my skinny/tall girls were still comfy. My husband is 6’2″ and I am 5’2″ and we both found it comfortable for wearing. We bought it second hand. The German-made wrap must have been perfectly broken-in and soft, but in excellent condition, when it was converted. The woman I bought it from (via the babywearer.com) only used it a few times. We didn’t end up using it much, because both my husband and I ended up having other carriers as our “favorites.” But this one has the adorable pixie hood, and is a good size for either small babies or bigger toddlers. We used Red Charlotte Suck Pads to protect against baby drool with our first, but the second left some drooly marks. I use super gentle detergent. They may or may not come out if you clean more aggressively. Detail picture of the stains available upon request.

: Here is a petite 6 month-old cuddled close.

: Little Bird is almost 2-years-old here and still comfy.

: Papa Bird, gardening and babywearing.

For the condition, asking $250 cash for local pick-up in San Diego. Message me for a quote for US or international shipping. For reference, having a carrier made with these features would cost £282 (approximately US $428) NOT including the cost of the wrap or shipping it to England. And not at all factoring in the time you might spend stalking a custom slot.

Send me a message here if you are interested in trying it on:

Additional information:

Our home is smoke-free, and until very recently was pet-free. We now have a cat, but the carrier hasn’t been used since she joined our home, and has been stored in a room she does not go in. Perfume-free and scent-free home, too. Links to buy/sell/trade feedback on the babywearer.com and FB available by request.

Baby Bird's Farm and Cocina

Apple Wood Smoked Salmon from the Master (and Father’s Day Gift Ideas)

Grilled Baby Artichokes and an Awesome Cheese Board