Cooking with Chef Jo: Me, a Sage?

This is a continuation of Sunday's article. I'm up to my elbow in flour this morning. Even though, I ground enough flour for this week's baking, I sort of went overboard in baking. So now, I was sifting it to make some really fluffy, yummy biscuits for deer sausage biscuits for breakfast.

We were gifted 5 lbs of already prepared and packaged deer sausage by our wood delivery guy. I cooked some off plain to check the seasoning. I don't think there was any in there and the fat ratio was off. I corrected this by adding a half pint of rendered bacon fat (that I'd canned earlier last year) to each lb of sausage I thawed. It's not as good as chunks of fat mixed in with the meat but only what I had on hand. I used my trusted recipe for general sausage. I didn't think I was actually going to give a recipe this post, but this one snuck in.

General Sausage Spice Mix
to season already spiced sausage that tastes bland

What you'll need per 2 lbs of meat/fat

• 1 ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
  3 ¹⁄₂ tsp paprika
  ²⁄₃ tsp garlic powder
  ¹⁄₃ tsp Fennel seed, cracked with mortar and pestle
  1 tsp black pepper
  ¹⁄₄ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

  I'll add 2 tsp sage to pork and chicken sausage.
  I'll add 1/4 tsp of Liquid Smoke if I want a slight smoked flavor. 
  
  For new sausage I'll double this amount.

  
  

  
  

Anyhow, back to the topic of this post. There have been quite a few moments that I cherish the knowledge that I've garnered from others, been taught, and learned just from experimenting with food and preserving in over half a century on Earth. With so much of the country experiencing weeks of quarantines, we are prepared and ready should the need arise with this new threat of COVID-19, Corona Virus, making its rounds.

I bought two 2lb containers of Hooiser Hill Farms Whole Milk Powder for stores last year. I bought it to see if Mel would drink it in a pinch. She didn't like it. So I've been using it for cooking and baking. Personally, I didn't mind the taste on cereal. Anything is better than NIDO or Carnation dry skim milk. I guess in the long run towards self sufficiency, we'll have to buy a mini cow to supply our drinking milk needs. She didn't prefer goat's milk either.

I guess my taste buds aren't that picky. I'll drink NIDO and the Carnation stuff in a pinch too, but only as a last resort.  That's why I said a mini cow might be in our future. I really doubt it. I'd much rather have goats. Although, goat's milk is naturally homogenized and it's harder to separate the cream from the milk. Mel says goat's milk is too rich and sweet for her tastes. I tried. Still, it's not a total loss. I found a powder milk I can bake and cook with. Speaking of which, I need to order two more 2lb containers soon for my stores.

Do I know everything about cooking, preserving, and this part of homesteading? Even after forty years, I can say quite honestly...no. But I know a lot which I share freely with others. I know enough to maintain our health and nutritional needs, plus a smidgen of our medical needs organically. I'm a forever student and constantly learning. That's my true blessings, my thirst for knowledge and a curiosity to try.

My curiosity to try new ways of doing old things. Reinventing the wheel as it were in the medical and culinary world around me. I analyze and try everything at least once. Like Brussels sprouts, I was forced to eat them as a child and hated them. Now, I crave them cooked my way. Sometimes the line between hate and love is just the method they are served and how they are cooked. I've found many foods I turned my nose up at as a child or young adult was because of this. I revisited many of these foods from a chef's point of view. Why did I dislike so and so? How could it be made better? Then it's off to the kitchen to try. When I was looking for an herbal fever reducer, I found white clover. I'm allergic to aspirin, tylenol, and motrin.There are so many incidents of this...it's awesome.

Because of this new found attitude, I've moved several vegetable and meats from the despised category to the make it again category.  I grow dual purpose herbs to flavor my food and heal our bodies. All of this knowledge came with a price tag. Be it college tuition or hours listening to folks more than twice my age. But none of those sacrifices were in vain. The wisdom I got is priceless. I would do it all again if I could. Unfortunately, I am now the one younger folks and not so younger folks listen to like y'all come to. Not that I mind, but I feel I don't feel I know enough to be the sage. People are turning to me. Especially now, since the SHTF situation of COVID-19, Corona virus, is so close to us.

In cooking possibly. I've been doing it all of my adult life. I have enough sheepskins, awards, and job related experience to be able to teach others. My last position as a culinary arts instructor says so. But as such, I only guided others in industry standards. And yes, I could regale students with past experiences. Having said that, I guess I am the old guy I used to listen to. All I can do is share what I know even if I'm not like the parents, grandparents, and great grandparents I used to listen to. Hey, now that I think about it. I'm that role too. Woah! What a sobering thought!

Be grateful in the knowledge you've gain, but always be searching for alternatives. You may find a few surprises out there. Don't be afraid of trying new things or reinventing the wheel of thing you like or dislike. One day, you will be the sage younger folk listen to for expanding their knowledge base.

Y'all have a blessed day!

Chef Jo