About ten years ago I got it into my head that I was going to start making wine, mead, and hard ciders. I imagined myself opening a bubbling bottle of cider and smugly saying, “Why yes, I made it myself,” while pouring my amazed family and friends each a glass. I ordered myself a small home winemaking kit and eagerly unpacked it when it arrived in the mail. Laying out all of the different gadgets and powders and hoses I thought, “Now what the heck do I do?” I knew there had to be … [Read more...] about No-Fuss Hard Apple Cider – An Introduction to Homebrewing
About Tracey Besemer
How To Make Butter & Buttermilk From Cream In 20 Minutes
Homemade butter tastes far better than anything that comes from the store. If you’ve ever tasted homemade butter, then you know it’s far superior to anything you can get in the store. Nothing beats the creamy, slightly salty taste of fresh, homemade butter on hot toast or steamed veggies. Believe it or not, if you own a stand mixer, it’s ridiculously easy to make butter. It takes about twenty minutes total from start to finish. And most of that is hands-free while your stand mixer … [Read more...] about How To Make Butter & Buttermilk From Cream In 20 Minutes
Pumpkin Seeds – How to Save and How to Toast
Fall means pumpkins! Hey folks, it’s Fall, and you know what that means. Pumpkin season! I can hardly drive more than a few miles without passing a farm stand, a pumpkin patch, or even someone with a bumper crop trying to unload a few pumpkins on passersby. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. The weather is cooler, the leaves are changing, and there seems to be a sense of settling in for the cold months ahead. Which in my house means cooking lots of winter squash, … [Read more...] about Pumpkin Seeds – How to Save and How to Toast
How to Make Onion Powder – Easy & Flavorful
You can't beat the flavor of homemade onion powder. I know, I know, you’re thinking, but onion powder is so cheap, why bother making your own? Because homemade onion powder is superior in every way to the store-bought stuff, that’s why. When it comes to spices, the adage of “You get what you pay for” has never been more accurate. If it’s cheap, you’re losing out on flavor. And who knows how long it’s been since that powder was actually an onion. Have you ever bothered to … [Read more...] about How to Make Onion Powder – Easy & Flavorful
Amazing Fire Cider and the Fight For Its Name
If you’re even the slightest bit interested in natural remedies or improving your health, then I’m sure you’ve heard all about the fantastic health benefits of apple cider vinegar. It seems like this ancient panacea has been used to treat and cure just about everything you can think of over the years. Apple cider vinegar is everywhere these days. You may have even made it a part of your daily routine. Start your day with a shot of fire cider to ward off colds this winter. But … [Read more...] about Amazing Fire Cider and the Fight For Its Name
22 Impressive Pine Needle Uses You’d Never Have Thought Of
I kind of have a thing for pine trees. If you were to ask my family how I feel about pine trees, they would probably roll their eyes and groan. When it comes to our fresh-cut Christmas tree, my eyes are always bigger than our ceiling. Every single year. A basket of freshly picked Eastern Hemlock and Eastern White Pine. Half of all the candles I own are pine-scented. And one of my favorite vacation spots is in the Adirondack mountains amidst massive … [Read more...] about 22 Impressive Pine Needle Uses You’d Never Have Thought Of