If you have thought that vanilla was a flavour all on its own, you would be wrong. Here is another bean that not only qualifies as a substitute for vanilla, but also for nutmeg.

Qualities: the presence of coumarin in the beans give the seed its odour or perfume.

Flavour: Marzipan like

 

Like a lot of members of the pea family that are trees, tonka beans starts as a pod on a tree. 
The pod contains a single bean which is dried like so many other spices.
It’s used in the same dishes that you used vanilla or nutmeg for, like shortbread biscuits, custards, cream brulee' and so on.

 

To harvest the pods, they are picked when fully mature and have fallen to the ground.  Then they are broken open with a hammer to reveal a wrinkled oblong 2.5cm seed.

When this bean is cut in half lengthwise, it has a creamy white centre.

• These beans are placed in the sun to dry, activating the enzymes within the bean.
• But did you know this bean has been banned in America since 1954 because of the coumarin present? Coumarin is also present in cinnamon and that's not banned!

Tonka beans may be grated like nutmeg before adding to a recipe or soaked in warm water or milk to infuse the flavour.

• Tonka is a strong spice, so only use in similar proportions to nutmeg.

I you wish to grow the tree yourself, it's a very pretty flowering tree suited to the tropics and sub-tropics. Not a tree for frost prone areas. The plant itself is not available for sale, but you can buy the seeds from overseas sellers.

 

I am talking with Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au

Let’s find out more

If you have any questions either for me or for Ian you can email us Realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2rrr, PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675.

Mulled Wine and Mulled Wine Jelly

Are you missing the Christmas spirit? In Australia it was mostly too hot around Christmas time to partake in mulled wine. Winter isn't that far away, and for some people, Christmas in July is a thing.

That would include mulled wine.

Right now though, you could make some mulled wine jelly to relive some of that Christmas cheer which just seems like a faded memory.

You may have heard of the spices that go to make mulled wine, a traditional drink in the northern hemisphere at that time of year.
But here in Australia, it’s too hot, so what else can we do with these spices?

Traditional mulled wine spices contain allspice berries (ground), cassia bark (Asia version of cinnamon), ginger, dried orange peel, and cloves.

In a saucepan 

POUR 1 bottle of red wine

ADD1 cup of brown sugar,

ADD 1 fresh lime

ADD 1 fresh quartered orange.

ADD2-3 tablespoons of mulling spices.

SIMMER gently for 30-40 minutes DO NOT BOIL

STRAIN: into a jug and serve while warm.

If you’re keen to experiment with your own recipe, then use real vanilla pods, cinnamon quills, fresh citrus and star anise at the very least.

Apart from mulled wine jelly, and mulled wine fizz, there’s also mulled wine glazed ham. So experiment away. Listen to the podcast to find out more.

I’m talking with Ian Hemphill from herb and spice expert from www.herbies.com.au
PLAY: Mulled wine jelly_9th December 2020
If you have any questions about spices in mulled wine spice mix, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write to 2rrr PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

Dry Fermentation Process: we're doing a cabbage.

The whole leaf on top of the shredded cabbage is the 'plug.'

Leave some headroom in the jar so the fermenting process doesn't bubble over.

The cabbage should start bubbling which is the fermentation process.

LEAVE it out of the fridge but in a cool spot such as a tiled floor.

WAIT ten days then taste it. Before this time it doesn't taste very nice.

You can leave it longer if you like.

PROBLEMS:

White yeast growing on the surface needs to be removed otherwise it will spoil the flavour.

If you see mould, throw it out and start again.

Once you like the flavour, put it in the fridge, it will slow the fermenting process.

Let's find out more.

 

Holly describes herself as an 'old fermenter.'

Jokes aside, what's the first thing you need to know before you start fermenting any vegetable.

Do you need high end equipment?

Let’s find out more.

 

Fermenting is a process that happens in the absence of air.

It turns out that a clip lock jar or a glass jar with a screw top lid would suffice. Or you can use a plastic jar.

NOTE: the lid needs to have a coating on it which most would have if they were on jars that were bought with food in them. These jars are perfect for re-purposing for fermenting.

Cabbages and other root vegetables are ideal for fermenting.

METHOD:

PICK a cabbage that is heavy for it's size, preferably an organic one.

Should be dense and tightly packet.

STRIP off outer leaves.

CUT the cabbage into four and cut the heart out of it.

SHRED your cabbage finely, Holly likes it between 3-5mm in width so it has some crunchy.

If your ferment comes out mushy then air has entered into the process.

ADD 20gms of fine ground sea-salt to every kilo of cabbage.

RUB sea salt into cabbage until it releases moisture-make sure it's vigorous , releasing plenty of liquid.

There should be enough liquid to completely submerge the cabbage in the jar.

STUFF into a jar and cover with the liquid.

PLACE one of the previously discarded whole leaves on top of the shredded cabbage in the jar.

I’m talking with Holly Davis, whole food chef, and educator.
PLAY: Fermentation Part 1_25th November 2020

Until recently, this next spice, black pepper, was one of the most traded in the world. 
We’re talking thousands of tonnes of black pepper, can you imagine? But why was that and how does this it grow?

 

On a tree, a shrub or is it an orchid?

Did you know that to get black peppercorns, the berries are harvested when they are green?

Berries allowed to mature and turn red, can be peeled and inside is a seed.
This is actually white pepper.

Ian says " a lot of people forget that in effect, a curry is a casserole with a distinct number and type of spices."

If you think about it, that's perfectly true, because curries tend to have cheaper cuts of meat that need simmering for a couple of hours, just as you would a casserole.

But because curries hail from countries where the spice trade was high in importance, those countries cuisine, reflect  the spices that they produced.

I'm talking with herb and spice guru, Ian Hemphill from www.herbies.com.au 
Let’s find out.. 

PLAY: Madras curries pt 1_5th August 2020 
Curries need not always be hot as in 
Ian’s tip is “You can actually start to make a curry by making a sweet spice blend.” 

• Start with cinnamon, add, allspice, cloves, ground coriander seed.
• Then add turmeric and cummin, paprika, some chilli (a little or a lot).
• And this is basically a madras style curry.
• When all these are blended together, you can't go wrong.
• If you're wondering what proportions, first smell the individual spices. 
• If they smell strong, such as ground cloves, then add only a small portion.
• You can also add some dried curry leaves from your curry tree-fry some until they're crispy and save to use as a garnish after cooking.Murraya koenigii

If they smell mild, add more, such as coriander, up to 1 tablespoon, and cummin, about 2 teaspoons.
The trick is balance of flavours. One thing is to not overdo the cloves, pepper and chilli.

• Another tip is roasting spices is not always necessary, particularly if you’re making a vegetable curry.
• If you'r curry blend is a little too hot for your liking, you can tone it down by stirring some greek yoghurt through it.

If you have any for Ian about spices or herbs or have information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write 

O 2rrr PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID & TIPS TO MAKE IT BETTER part 2

I would imagine, most listeners Real World Gardener radio show would have a vegetable garden, but perhaps there’s also some new listeners new to gardening?

This next interview will take you through some of the most common mistakes that gardeners make when starting out and what to do to avoid them.

Wrong Fertiliser?

• Crop Rotation

Failing to observe crop rotation will mean a build up pests and disease that attack that crop.

I am talking with Toni Salter Toni Salter who is The Veggie Lady. She has a passion to see organic principles adopted by everyone, encouraging people everywhere to grow organic produce in their own backyard. As a qualified horticulturist, Toni has been teaching community education classes both privately, at her home, as well as through various community colleges and local councils around Sydney since 2003. Catch her on www.theveggielady.com

The flavour profile is supposed to have notes of basil, spearmint, citrus with notes of tarragon, 

Planting to Deter Mosquitos

Allspice vs Cloves

The heat of the sun activates the enzyme which turns the berries dark brown.

At night, the berries are heaped into a pile and covered with a tarpaulin.

The next day they are spread out in the sun again. 

This process is repeated over three to four days, by the end of which time, a volatile oil develops called eugenol.

It turns out that allspice and basil, also have a lot in common, because both contain the essential oil eugenol.