During my chat this afternoon with WTSB friends, Carl Lamm asked me to report on some good news. After all the bad news about the ObamaCare website nightmare, escalating costs of health care, the ever-growing national debt, NSI, Common Core and other data-mining eroding our privacy, I was ready for some good news too.
- Reforms enacted by the 2013 General Assembly will give taxpayers across NC a tax cut allowing them to keep more of their own money, roll back regulations that are strangling business, focus education on students and the classroom while allowing teacher to do what they do best – teach, and spend transportation dollars on roads, bridges based on data and safety not political patronage.
- Many good-hearted groups and individuals stepped up when the government with the shutdown, fell short of providing for those in need.
- The legislature and the governor have assured us that our interests will be protected, even if it means they have to hire their own attorneys to defend the laws of NC.
- Raleigh is named the top dog friendly city in the US.
- Interest in the fair is at an all time high. Entries in the NC State Fair competitions (everything from roses to crafts and hobbies and of course the culinary division) are up a whopping 44 percent! Given the heightened competition, I’m happy with the third place ribbon I won this year for Apricot and Date Chutney.
Here’s the recipe:
Award winning Apricot and Date Chutney
2 pounds dried apricots
2 ½ cups pitted dates
3 cups brown sugar
2 ½ cups raisins
1 Tablespoon mustard seed
1 Tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon coriander
2 cups white wine vinegar
2 cups water
Soak apricots in enough water to cover for 30 minutes. Drain and place in a large saucepan. Chop dates and add to apricots. Add remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Ladle hot chutney into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.
Makes 12 half-pints
From Ball Blue Book of Preserving
