[Sca-cooks] This 'n that

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

On 9 Dec 2002, at 20:49, Sue Clemenger wrote:

> Hi, Brighid.
> I'm not a website <g>, but you can believe me when I say that I've kept
> my simple syrups (sekanjabin, pomegranate, lemon, and lime/ginger) in
> covered bottles in my cupboard for well over a year, and seen no
> problems or mold or anything.

I have also kept such things unrefrigerated, but they have the
added advantage of being very acidic, which helps discourage
unpleasant things.  When I say a simple syrup, I mean a sugar
syrup, with no other ingredients.  I will be using it to sweeten
diluted pomegranate molasses, wanting to avoid grit in the bottom
of the pitcher.

> I'd imagine that the differences in
> recommendations may depend on the ratio of sugar to water....like, it's
> okay to keep honey at room temp, but not real maple syrup?

This is a 2:1 syrup -- two parts sugar to one part water.

> Certainly, though, they'd be safe enough if you kept them cold, or even
> froze them.  If winter gets cold enough in your part of the Known World,
> maybe you could store them in your garage?

New Jersey isn't quite as cold as Montana, and I wouldn't keep
meat in my garage, but I'm inclined to think that syrup would do
okay there.

> Chicken parts? I think it'd depend on what you're doing with them.  I'd
> be tempted to use freezer ziploc bags, and double-bag the parts, putting
> one recipe's worth in each doubled bag (the gallon size).
> --Maire

I'm precooking the chicken in quince sauce.  However, the chicken
is on sale this week, and I don't think I can cook it all promptly.
(For one thing, I have to make the stock first.)  So I was going to
freeze the chicken, cook it in batches, and freeze the cooked
chicken in ziplock or heat-sealed bags.


Brighid ni Chiarain *** mka Robin Carroll-Mann
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
rcmann4 at earthlink.net