The start of a beautiful friendship...

Every week at the Tuesday farmer's market, my first stop is to see Bob, from Coffee Pot Ranch, where we buy all our meat. I am greeted every time with a huge smile and hug. We love Bob! My friendship with Bob started early on in my market shopping days when every week, along with the smile and hug, I'd get a "Good morning Julie!" Now, as many of you know, it is a bit awkward when someone gets your name wrong, especially someone you see regularly. I think I corrected him the first few times, but after that I just got used to it and it always gave me a giggle. When I started to see that he simply wasn't going to remember I wondered how he was going to feel when someone was with me and called me by name. If I come right out and tell him, he'll probably be embarrassed after all this time. I tried writing a check a few times, so he'd see my name and he'd catch on for that day, but next week it was back to Julie again...did I mention that we love Bob!?

Finally one day I couldn't make it to the market and I sent Rick instead. I saw my opportunity! I told Rick to tell Bob that he was "Julie, whose real name is actually Sally's husband". Rick and Bob got a good laugh out of the whole thing and now, to Bob, I'm Sally Julie :o) It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

Becoming friends with the people who grow your food has its perks. We have made trips out to Bob and Shirley's farm, Coffee Pot Ranch in Sheridan a few times. Once I was having a dinner party and needed some Italian Sausage and I called him and headed on out. Again a huge warm welcome followed by a short farm tour and we were on our way, full stocked. One of the things you find when buying your meat farm direct is that you sort buy whatever they've got that week. I don't know about you, but in our house we LOVE bacon! It isn't available from Bob's farm each week because in order to send it to his processor he needs to have met a certain minimum weight. A few weeks ago Bob updated me with the upcoming bacon arrival and I planned my next visit to the farm the same day he arrived from the processor so that I could get first dibs. Rick, the kids and some friends (who also wanted to get their hands on some bacon) joined me for the trip. As always, Bob was gracious enough to give us a full tour, telling us the history of the farm, his family and the animals. We couldn't have planned it better, since that morning some baby pigs were born, which the kids all got a chance to hold. Good stuff....we love Bob!

Forever warm and inviting, Bob extended an invitation to us to join them for their annual "Ranch Party" which we just returned from tonight. Not knowing what to expect, we headed out to the farm with only about 1 1/2 before Rick had to head back for work. We regret that decision. This was a great party and none of us were ready to leave. Most of the people were other farmers, friends and family who all brought dishes to share, while Bob and Shirley served the most fantastic roast pig. Live music, dancing and good people sure made it hard to leave. I've already got the party on the calendar for next year...and I'll be sure we have more time to enjoy it.

The decision to attend tonight was sort of last minute, and being that it was a potluck I was forced to get creative in the kitchen. The salad I whipped up turned out pretty tasty, so seeing that I'm trying to be better about writing these successes down- here it is :o)

Green bean, tomato and roasted carrot salad with bacon vinaigrette

1 lb green beans, trimmed

1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved

4 carrots, peeled and cut to matchsticks

1 large leek, trim off green and thinly slice white

4 strips bacon, diced before cooking

salt and pepper

olive oil to drizzle on carrots for roasting

dressing:

1 shallot diced

1 t chives

2T red wine vinegar

3T olive oil

1 t Dijon mustard

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Preheat oven to 475. In large pot of salted boiling water, blanch green beans for about 2-3 minutes- remove from water to ice bath to stop cooking- set aside. Spread matchstick carrots on baking sheet, drizzle liberally with olive oil to coat, salt and pepper- roast for 15-20 minutes- watch carefully- should be fork tender when done- not mushy!! Meanwhile brown diced bacon, rendering out the fat in skillet over medium heat. Once crispy add leeks and saute until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes- can add extra olive oil if needed.

Dressing- in large bowl measure in all ingredients except olive oil- while whisking pour steady stream of olive oil to emulsify. Once all oil is added, add green beans, tomatoes, cooked carrots, leeks and bacon and stir. Serve room temperature.

A little something of my own

Last week, feeling inspired by the fall weather, I decided to make some soup. Let me just start by explaining how I cook. Sometimes I follow a recipe exactly how it was written, but that is usually only when baking. I have yet to master the chemistry of altering baking recipes without disastrous results. Typically, if I am going to go through the work of baking it is because I REALLY want a sweet treat and don't really want to risk failure. On the other hand, when it comes to any other type of cooking I generally embellish, eliminate or experiment with the list of what I refer to as "suggested ingredients" to come up with something sometimes all together different from the intended result. This is not always a good thing - but more times than not, it turns out pretty darn good. Oh, the other thing I should probably mention is that when these experiments take place I rarely pay any attention to measurements or what I actually put in the pot for that matter. When, by the chance, the dish is a success, Rick is quick to remind me to "write it down" while still fresh in my head. I'm trying to be better at remembering to do this.

Rick has never been a fan of soup. I have made different versions of soup over the years without much of an interest from him or the kids. When making soup these days I fully expected to have the pot to myself. This works fine with me because I am left with lunch for a week and some extra for the freezer. Last week I was trying to find a use for some kale that made an appearance at our farmer's market. Rick had taken some ground pork out of the freezer and seeing the two ingredients there together inspired me to put some soup on. Working with what I had on hand in the pantry, freezer and fridge I got to work.

Not only is Rick not much of a soup fan, he is also in process of acquiring a taste for the nutrient dense leafy greens. I give him big points because he actually will eat whatever I put in front of him, and trust me sometimes I don't even want to eat it. So that fact that there was kale in the soup solidified my belief that I was to indulge alone. As for the kids, well let's just say they are still a work in progress!

After the soup had been cooking for about an hour, I saw my visions of a week worth of lunches come crashing down as I heard Rick walk in the front door and say " Something smells GOOD!" Now I had mixed feelings here, of course I want to win him over to loving soup as I do, and who doesn't love it when someone thinks something you made turned out fantastic, but selfishly I didn't really want to share. Rick has a big appetite and sharing with him means I have to be sure to remind him to "Save some for ME!"

Well, as you can probably tell the soup was a hit! I remembered enough of what I had thrown in the pot last time to make it again this week, with Swiss chard and Italian sausage this time, since kale was absent this week and Italian sausage is perfect for soup. I am listening to my dear soup loving husband and using this blog to "Write it down!"

Hope you give it a try...and in the spirit of things, add a little something of your own!

Fall Vegetable and Italian Sausage Soup
(All local, primal ingredients)
*all measurements are approximates from memory

3T Extra virgin olive oil, cold expeller pressed
2 large or 3 small leeks, chopped fine
1 red onion, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red or yellow pepper, diced (or add both if you have them, I did!)
1 bunch Kale or Swiss chard ( or both) cut fine
1 lb ground pork Italian sausage or plain ground pork
2 T Italian seasoning, dried
(I also added extra parsley, oregano, and thyme- maybe an extra 1/4 t of each?)
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t sage
2 bay leaves
Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste- maybe start with 1/2 t salt, 1/4 t pepper
6 C chicken broth- I used homemade
1 C shredded zucchini and yellow squash (I shredded for texture reasons- less mushy that way)

**if you are a garlic fan I suggest adding a few cloves as well...I didn't have any on hand

In a large heavy pot warm the oil over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, celery, carrots and peppers and saute until leeks are tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add kale, sausage/ground pork and herbs (and garlic if adding), cook about another 5 minutes. Add chicken broth, shredded squash and bay leaves...season with more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and cook as long as you have time for....longer the better. Tastes even better the next day...that is, if there is any left! :o)

Do you know right from wrong?

Hopefully I've convinced you by now to make a weekly stop at a local farmer's market in order to get the freshest food possible. Now that you've got that fantastic food home- what do you do now? Do you put the tomatoes in the fridge, in a bowl on the counter, or in a sunny window sill? Will the melon be happier on the counter or the crisper drawer? What about avocados- paper bag? Fridge? Not many people know the right answer...and really the answer in most cases is "it depends." Many of us go to great lengths to get the best food we can for our family, only to ruin it once we get home by improper storage. When it comes to storing our fresh produce there are many factors that come into play- how is one to know right from wrong? Well I'm here to help!

I have been reading a really great book How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons. It is all about food...specifically fruits and veggies-how to choose, store and cook them to obtain optimal taste. One of my favorite things about this book is the layout. It is very user friendly. The book is split into 4 seasonal sections, encouraging his readers to eat seasonally! Each chapter is dedicated to a specific fruit or vegetable- detailing it's history, farming procedures (very eye opening!), storage from farm to market, suggestions on storing at home and Parson's favorite recipes. It is a comprehensive look at our food and full of fantastic information- I suggest it be a sort of fruit and veggie "Bible" in your kitchen too!

Since we are all busy people and I do realize that I am some what unique in my choice of leisurely reading, I will save you all a bit of work by sharing some of Parson's refrigeration quick tips for retaining the freshness and ultimately flavor of your food.



Never Refrigerate (did you see it says NEVER!!)

Bananas and Plantains

Potatoes

Storage Onions and Garlic

Tomatoes ( again it says NEVER!)



Refrigerate only briefly (no more than 3 days)

Cucumbers

Eggplants

Melons( only after fully ripe)

Peppers



Refrigerate only after fully ripened

Avocados

Peaches, Plums and Nectarines

Pears


I find this list to be helpful, but what about lettuce, mushrooms, squash, berries, apples, and pears? And depending on which list the food makes- how do I store it once I get it there? So I proceeded to make my way through Parson's book, chapter by chapter, food by food, pulling out bits and pieces I think might help you answer those questions. I'm not going to give away all his secrets because then why would you need to buy the book? :o)Here we go...

~all taken from How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parson's

SPRING

Artichokes -Keep artichokes in the refrigerator, tightly sealed. Don't clean them until shortly before your are ready to cook them.

Asparagus - Store in the refrigerator in as humid an environment as possible. One way to accomplish this is to keep the spears upright in a container of water, like cut flowers. Drape a plastic bag over the top to create a moisture trap.

Onions- Storage onions, shallots and garlic should be stored in a cool, dry place away from light. Sweet Onions should be refrigerated, as should green onions and leeks.

Greens- Keep lettuce tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. Don't wash it until you are ready to use it. Moisture will break down the leaves faster than anything except heat...stick a paper towel in the bag with the lettuce to absorb any excess moisture. Refrigerate in the crisper.

Strawberries- Transfer the berries to a plastic bag lined with a paper towel and refrigerate them.



SUMMER

Corn- Refrigerate corn, still in husks, away from strong flavored foods. Keep it in its husks to help preserve the moisture in the kernels.

Cucumbers- Seal cucumbers tightly in plastic bag and keep them in the refrigerator. Use them quickly.

Eggplants- Keep your eggplants as dry as possible...store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, in a plastic bag with a crumpled-up sheet of paper towel to absorb excess moisture up to a week.

Green Beans- Store them tightly wrapped in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Summer Squash- They should be refrigerated until ready to use, sealed in a plastic bag. Do not wash the squash until right before cooking.

Tomatoes- Do not,ever, put a tomato in the refrigerator. Store tomatoes in a cool, dry place away from direct light.

Grapes- Refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag. Don't wash until just before you use them.

Melons- Store all melons at room temperature. Cantaloupes and honeydews continue to ripen after being picked. This ripening makes them more fragrant and complex, but it doesn't make them any sweeter. If you prefer them chilled put them in the fridge overnight.

Peaches, Nectarines and Plums- If you buy fruit that is too firm,leave it at room temperature. Only when it begins to ripen should you move it to the refrigerator.



FALL

Broccoli and Cauliflower- keep it tightly wrapped in the crisper drawer.

Mushrooms- Store mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator.

Peppers- Store peppers tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, but not in the coolest part.

Winter Squash- Store in a cool dark place. Do not refrigerate.

Apples- Should be kept as close to 32 degrees and with as much humidity as possible. Store them in an open or perforated bag. Put the bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.



WINTER

Cabbage and Brussels Sprouts- Store in plastic bags in the crisper drawer.

Cooking Greens- refrigerated immediately in a humid environment, such as the crisper drawer. Keep them in plastic bags, but if you are going to store them for a very long time, slip in a paper towel to absorb moisture.

Potatoes- cool, dark place...avoid direct sunlight. Don't keep potatoes in the refrigerator.

Root Vegetables- Store carrots and parsnips in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Remove tops. Sweet Potatoes at cool room temperature, but refrigerating does them no harm.

Lemons and Limes- Store at room temperature. Chilling will cause them to spoil more rapidly.

Mandarins, Tangerines, and Grapefruits - Because of their thin skins, mandarins should be refrigerated as soon as you get them home. Do not wash them. Grapefruits will last a little longer at room temperature.

Oranges- Store at room temperature for up to a couple weeks. If you buy them in a bag, take them out so the trapped moisture doesn't lead to mold. Refrigerating oranges does not hurt the flavor.


So there you have it...I have to say again the book is filled with tasty, simple recipes and lots of food know how.- so go buy it and keep it handy. Oh and I'm not sure I mentioned it but do not, EVER, put that tomato in the fridge! ;o)

Enough said...Live well!