Where To find a Farmers Market in the USA – From the USDA = 7, 260 Farmer’s Markets and Counting in the USA

In a recent conversation with Sabina about her food adventures, she lamented that in the Netherlands that the trend in cooking real food has changed to packaged convenience foods. (How well I know that is the case in America.) Sabina told me that cooking with whole and organic foods is considered old fashioned and unusual. The Netherlands is a small country in size, but has robust agricultural economy.  (As I remember they make the best dairy cream for cooking.)  Alas, Sabina reports there are no Farmer’s Markets in the Netherlands.  It is a country of regulations and more regulations and licensing after all.

Ever the entrepreneurial haven to the world, the US has spawned (In a good way!) a vast countrywide Farmers Market trend, despite the great “agribizness” monster that seeks to control our seed, and food chain supplies.  (Don’t let me get started.)

According to the United States Department of Agriculture there are 7, 260 Farmers Markets in the US of A!  That means the trend to buy at Farmers Markets is growing.

Good news for the local small specialty farmers and the eating public.

Top reasons for going to a Farmers Market:

Freshness and Taste

Support local farmers

Convenience

Community Atmosphere

This makes my heart glad. Take a look at this map if you care to locate a farmer’s market in your area. I also am providing a link to an easy state-by-state locator from the USDA.

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/farmersmarkets2.jpg

This is a snap shot of the state-by-state locator; click the link below to reach that actual locator.  Going to the Farmer’s Market is just plain fun and relaxing.

http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/ Retrieved March 21, 2012

The Department of Agriculture has a blog where you can connect to more information on what is happening.  I stumbled on this article about legislature to have schools and institutional buyers to purchase locally grown foods. (I was aware of this from a sound bite. I plan to write my representatives in support of the Pingree/Brown legislation.) Since I work with kids who complain about the food they receive at school, which is packaged and not made at the school, this is very important to me.

Casting a ballot for local food Posted February 20, 2012 by Bill WenzelJoAnne Berkenkamp Local Food HealthRural Development

“Last November, Rep. Chellie Pingree, an organic farmer from Maine, introduced federal legislation that could have a profound impact on local food system development across the United States.  The proposed legislation would make it easier for schools and institutional buyers to purchase locally grown foods and requires that various federal grants and loans be made available for local food system development.

Minnesota has been a national leader in revitalizing our local and regional food system through new farmers markets, Farm to School and Farm to Hospital initiatives, healthy corner stores, farmer engagement and new businesses that connect “farm to fork”.  Recently, 39 Minnesota organizations and businesses representing farm, food, consumer and health groups signed a letter endorsing the Pingree/Brown legislation.  Nationally, more than 220 organizations have endorsed the legislation.  We hope that you will join us.”

http://www.iatp.org/blog/201202/casting-a-ballot-for-local-food Retrieved March 21, 2012

Join the Minnesota wave and visit a farmer’s market.

Go local for flavor and fun.

Farmers’ Market link for UK: http://www.localfoods.org.uk/home

Irelands Farmers’ Markets: http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/farmersmarkets/pages/default.aspx

Canada’s Farmers’ Markets: http://www.farmersmarketscanada.ca/

Have a great day!

Friday at 1:00 p.m. 13:00 it was 26 degrees Fahrenheit and went up to 35 degrees. Saturday the temperature will go up to the 50s – 60s Fahrenheit. (“There is no global warming or climate change.” Riiight.)  This is Minnesota. For things to grow we need snow.  We have not had much snow. (Sounds like a paradox doesn’t it?)  We have snow instead of rain and without either we have dry weather, fire danger and poor crops.

In fact, the weather makes me almost giddy. I have only slipped and fallen once this winter and I’m not the only one. (No damage; except to my pride.) Yet, I am concerned about the parched look of the grass and the weather forecast that it will be a dry year. Not good for the farmers. The farmers in Minnesota are already worried about a dry summer.

In conversation about this today, I started to imagine what the effect would be on the farmers market.  My thoughts: the birds will be confused as well the plants, when the temperature goes up.  This coming week will be warmer than normal. Birds think: start having babies? Yes/No/Maybe? Should plants start budding?  The farmers market: will there be less growth without the moisture from the snowmelt? Will prices go up at the farmer’s market? (Sigh.) This is what happens to my mind after writing and reading about food for almost two years. (It could still snow.) What happens when the seasonal changes become unpredictable?

Minnesota Grown

Each year the Farmer’s Markets are a tradition that so many people enjoy. The amazing change that has happened is that more and more people are going to Farmer’s Markets all over the country.  When the rise and influence of the mega food giants has become so pervasive in our food cultures world wide, it is heartening to see the local markets bringing us closer together.

I feel more and more overwhelmed at a mega food store, because even when it is well stocked there is little to buy that is whole food. (I was looking for a whole chicken to bake last weekend and stopped at a large well-stocked food store.  There was no butcher. There were packaged meats.) Convenience food is so pervasive…it makes me dizzy to see everything wrapped in plastic.  I wonder what it would take for me to divest myself of my convenience food indulgences? I find myself longing for milk bottles with cream top milk.  I cannot find a fresh turkey, duck or goose at a grocery store. Here’s a list of butchers with ratings for Minneapolis: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=butchers+in+minneapolis&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Am I caught in nostalgia for food-simple? Is that a bad thing? Nahhh.  Find your Minnesota Farmer’s Market: http://www3.mda.state.mn.us/mngrown/?gclid=COrPpuPh3K4CFYhrKgod7kBtYA

Have a great freaky weather weekend!

Ah, the birds are singing.

 

 

Chocolate Nut and Fruit Chunks = Chocoladebrokken

Remember Chunky “What a chunk of Chocolate!”? No? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestlé_Chunky  Nevermind.  Suffice to say, it was a chunk of chocolate with nuts and raisins. Old fashioned energy food, which was not owned by the Nestle company as it is now. I loved this chocolate chunk.

Here’s a recipe for something to serve with coffee that seems to be an approximation of a “Chunky”. It has all my favorite foods: chocolate, raisins, apricots and nuts.

I nabbed this recipe from Sabina Kookt to try. I had all this chocolate that I bought on sale. (What to do? What to do?)

The Dutch version of the recipe followed by the English version:

2 Oktober 2009 Door Sabina

Ingredienten

200 gram pure chocolade, het liefst chocolade om te koken

150 gram gemengde noten

eventueel: wat gedroogde abrikozen of rozijnen

Breek de chocolade in brokjes en smelt au bain marie. Dat doe je door een glazen schaal of een kom in een pan met zachtjes kokend water te zetten.

Doe aluminiumfolie over de bodem van een kleine springvorm.

Als de chocolade gesmolten is en glanst, roer je de noten erdoor. Je kunt er ook rozijntjes of in stukjes gesneden gedroogde abrikoos aan toevoegen.

Spatel het chocolade-notenmengsel in de bakvorm en laat afkoelen. In de koelkast is het in een uur of twee voor elkaar, anders moet je langer geduld hebben.

Als de chocolade is afgekoeld, haal je de rand van de springvorm af en wip je de chocolade van het aluminiumfolie. Breek of snij in grote brokken.

Gebaseerd op het recept voor ’Daatjes’ van Yolanda van der Jagt, uit het kookboek Hollandse Kramen.

Je kunt de chocoladebrokken een week bewaren, daarna beginnen ze wit uit te slaan. De smaak blijft hetzelfde, maar het ziet er niet zo gezellig meer uit. Snel opeten dus! (Geen straf).

http://sabinakookt.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/chocoladebrokken/

English Translation:

200 grams of 100% cocoa baking chocolate – I used semi-sweet Ghiradelli Chocolate  – great flavor.

150 grams of mixed nuts – I used raw Spanish peanuts that I roasted at 300 degrees in the oven for ½ hour.

Chopped apricot and whole raisins to add to the melted chocolate

 Method

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bain marie or double boiler. Bain Marie – put a bowl in a pan of water and heat up the water to simmering to melt the chocolate. I used a metal bowl.

Line a small spring form pan with aluminum foil. Alternative: Use aluminum cupcake baking liners is what I did since I don’t have a small spring form cake pan.

When the chocolate melts and is shiny stir in add the nuts and a handful of raisins and 4-5 diced soft dried apricots.

Spread the mixture over the bottom of the spring form pan or drop and spread the mixture into the aluminum foil cupcake liners. Let that cool.  Alternatively, place the mixture in the refrigerator and it is ready in an hour or two to serve.

Open the spring form pan and take the aluminum foil sheet off of the chocolate and break into chunks or serve in the aluminum cupcake cups.

These treats can be stored for a week, but after that they start to look white. They still taste the same, but don’t look as appealing to eat.  Eat them up!

Chocolate Chunks

Note: I would use a lighter chocolate or milk chocolate next time and add more raisins. They have a really dark flavor, if you like that, then enjoy! After a day’s curing. These are really fabulous!

This recipe is based on the “Daatjes” of  Yolanda van de Jagt from the Cookbook “Hollandse Kramen” Retrieved March 4, 2012.

Note: I have asked Sabina to write recipes in English, but she modestly declines, which allows me to loosely translate recipes from her food blog.

Gingerbread + Hansel and Gretel + Storybook Recipe

Once again I am indebted to the baking imagination of my friend Richard for this recipe for gingerbread from The World of Baking by Delores Casella.[1]  Richard told me the story of visiting New York City and going to a hole in the wall bakery that he found in his travels in Greenwich Village.  Here he tried the Molasses cookies, which were small and surprisingly crisp, warm and sharp in flavor.  Richard then told me that secret to a good molasses cookie is to add a little cocoa and black pepper to them.  (Who knew? I am really fond of molasses cookies.  They remind me of the Hermits, a dessert bar, that my mother made. That’s another story.)

Gingerbread reminds me of desserts at school and this was one that I really liked.  It’s the molasses flavor that I crave, but Richard went one step further and made the Gingerbread of Gingerbreads.  The kind that might convince kids to try it!  (Remember the gingerbread house in the story of Hansel and Gretel?  Was that a warning against eating too many sweets or what? Ha!) Richard’s recipe is darkly, daringly, gingerly-breadly delicious.

Ingredients:

1 cup of boiling water, coffee, or orange juice (Richard used coffee)

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup light or dark molasses, maple syrup, or honey (Richard used dark molasses)

3 large eggs

2½ – cups sifted flour (Richard added 2 tablespoons of cocoa)

1 Tsp salt

1½ Tsp baking soda

1 Tsp ginger

1 Tsp cinnamon

1 Tsp nutmeg

Richard added crystallized ginger to the batter – “Fresh ginger that has been slowly cooked in sugar water and rolled in coarse sugar to preserve it. Also known as candied ginger or glace ginger, it has a wonderful sweet spicy taste and is commonly used in desserts and can easily be made at home.” Read more: http://www.food.com/library/crystallized-ginger-65#ixzz1nWJZ2FFk Retrieved February 26, 2012.

Directions:

Pour boiling water over the combined butter, sugar & molasses. Stir until butter is melted and set aside to cool. When mixture is cooled beat in eggs.  Sift the flour with the salt, soda and spices and stir into liquid mixture. Beat just until smooth and turn batter into a buttered 9’ X 13’ baking pan. Bake in a 325˚F oven for 1 hour, or until done.

Dress with sweet heavy cream, whipped cream, ice cream or whipped cream cheese topping.

Who is that nibbling at my house?

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[1] Casella, Delores; “A World of Baking” David White, Inc. 60 East 55^th Street; New York, NY 10022; 1968; Page 275.

No Valentines? Don’t Whine – Make Brownies

Moist Brownies

Ingredients

¾ cup sifted cake flour

½ tsp of baking powder

1/3 cup of butter

2 squares of Baker’s Chocolate, melted

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup nuts

Directions

Sift flour, measure, add baking powder and sift twice more. Melt butter and chocolate together. Combine eggs and sugar; add chocolate mixture; beat thoroughly; then add flour, vanilla and nuts. Pour into greased baking pan and bake at 350˚ for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut in squares. (Serve with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, if you are feeling really sinful!) if your feeling less baaad, have a nice glass of milk with them.

This recipe is from a cookbook I found at an estate sale in 1995. From time to time I try some of the recipes and share them.

My search for a really great Brownie recipe continues. Anyone have a great recipe they would like to share?

Recipe from: Mrs. Lawrence Carlson

“Moist Brownies”; Friendship League’s Book of Tested Recipes; Swedish Tabernacle Church; Independent Press, Inc. Seventh Edition; Minneapolis, Minnesota 1948 Page 147.

(Thank the angels for the church basement ladies’ recipes – a Minnesota icon.)

Kate’s Fish Chowder = Favorite Fish Chowder Recipe from New England

It has been a somber time in my life as my aged mother has passed away.  As I have told before in this blog, she did not teach me how to cook. (For the life of me, I’ll never know why.) There was one of her dishes that I asked her about a couple of years ago that I long for – my mother’s New England Fish Chowder. What you will find in restaurants and cans from the grocery store is some sludge that no fish lover would call chowder. (Harumph.) If you find yourself wondering about the simplicity of this recipe, don’t fret because if you love fish, this is the cat’s meow of chowders.  Simple, fresh and plain good.

I share this recipe as a tribute to my mother. (She only used butter.)

 

Catherine Rita McCarthy AKA Kate Rowell

 

 

 

New England Fish Chowder

Ingredients:

1 – 1 1/2 lbs fresh haddock or cod fish filet

2 tablespoons of butter

1 medium sweet onion sliced

½ cup diced celery

2 cups diced raw potato

½ cup diced carrots

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

Cut cod or haddock fillets into bite sized pieces. Melt butter in large saucepan add the onion and celery cook until onion is tender and translucent.  Add potatoes, carrots, water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add fish and cook 10 minutes longer.  Add milk. Reheat, but do not boil.

 

Serve hot, with freshly baked homemade bread or rolls and butter.

 

 

 

About Lasagna = A Better Way To Make a Red Sauce

 

Once again I am indebted to my culinary guide, Richard Lafortune for tips on how to make a red sauce that is a cut above the standard recipe I have used.  Lasagna is one of those healthy dishes that is perfect on a cold winter day.

Richard made this nice pan of Lasagna. He shared the secret of the sauce with me, which I pass on to you.  The reason I like it is that it wasn’t heavy with red sauce acidity and lighter on the palate. This is a do ahead sauce, according to Richard. One day before is good.

THE SAUCE:

2 Cups chopped large onion sautéed in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil until well browned with 3 minced/smashed cloves of garlic (don’t burn the garlic)

When this is ready add:

2 cups chopped mushrooms and 1 cut up turkey sausage (or Italian spiced sausage and brown ingredients. Then add 1 large can of Trader Joe’s tomato sauce*[1] and 4 small cans of diced tomatoes along with 1½ cups water or stock

Simmer for 45 minutes. Towards the end add your spices:

3 teaspoons of oregano

1-1/2 Tsp black pepper

Light on the salt

1 Tsp crushed basil

Pinch of cinnamon

Fresh Italian parsley – a small handful (optional)

Finally take a box of thawed frozen spinach – squeeze water out and add to sauce.

Richard explained he was preparing to cook the noodles when he looked at the directions on the box that they came in – ‘hey these are no cook noodles.’  I had heard of no cook noodles long ago. It was with skepticism that I listened to other cooks’ testimony of their goodness.  Anyway, Richard used the already boiled water and proceeded to dip the no cook noodles one-by-one and distribute in the Lasagna pan. (He had seen that done on a cooking show.) Layering the ingredients in the traditional way with one change; he layers in a crisscross pattern – first layer of  noodles – place them short way and then the next layer is placed the long way – repeat the pattern until all the noodles are used.

METHOD

Build the lasagna

Cheeses for the layers:

1 ½ lb grated Mozzarella

2/3 lb grated Parmesan

1 ½ cups Ricotta mix in one egg (or substitute pesto sauce – Richard’s recipe)

Richards recommends using a pastry bag to distribute small teaspoon-sized dots ricotta in a grid on each layer to avoid big globs of ricotta.

In a 9 x13 x 2 inch baking pan spread a ½-cup of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Then a layer of noodles placed the long way (4 layers grid style as follows), cover with sauce, ricotta and cheeses that are divided up into 4ths of the mozzarella/ricotta/grated Parmesan.  Repeat noodles, but place them the short way and repeat the process alternating with the sauce and cheeses.  Repeat noodles placed the long way with the sauce and cheeses layered.  Top off the last layer of noodles with leftover sauce and cheeses.

Bake at 350 for 45 min – let sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Note:  No cook noodles are thinner.

Enjoy!

 

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[1] Trader Joe’s uses Non BPA cans

Amazing Thailand Restaurant = Curry away winter doldrums

Amazing Thailand Restaurant
Located in Uptown

3024 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408-2614
(612) 822-5588

http://amazingthailandusa.com/menu.html

Amazing Thailand Restaurant has a beautiful décor and luscious food from Thailand with full bar service. The service is impeccable. The extensive menu has something for everyone. I am especially fond of curry. The Yellow curry with tofu sounded appealing. It was truly superb. If you don’t like hot curry, you can order “mild’ and be assured that it is mild. The rice that was served was better than any I have had in a restaurant. The flavor and consistency were well…heavenly. I tied the chicken sate appetizer and was rewarded with sweet flavored meat that was tender and memorable.
There are many Thai restaurants in the Twin Cities. This one stands out in my book.
Thanks to friends who gave me a restaurant gift card, I was “amazed” with the quality. (They have a lunch buffet that I would love to try soon.)

http://amazingthailandusa.com/PhotoAlbums/Foods/

January Thaw = Where Did The Snow Go Fettucine Alfredo

So far for Minneapolis and the environs it is a mild winter. Not much snow has fallen and temperatures are above normal. (Welcome to La Nina efecto)  Driving is not hazardous due to endless snowstorms, but the snow sports industries are wondering where the snow is.  The “Farmer’s Almanac” prediction of heavy snowfall for this area has not come true – yet.  January is the month of weather surprises.

In January last year it rained on top of the heavy snow and the streets were turned into slick ice sheets because the temperature dropped back to below freezing after the rain.

This January,  when the 40-degree temperatures arrived this week, there was a beautiful day to enjoy outside as there were no snow piles.

What I notice is that winter weather is coming later each year.  The upper Midwest relies on the snow for moisture.  Without the snow there is not enough moisture for the earth and the plants for spring.  The weather reporters are saying that it’s dry. There are three more months of winter and plenty of time for snow to come.

Although I am watching my cholesterol intake I splurged last night when I found Emeril Lagasse’s simple recipe for Fettucine Alfredo. (Heavy cream and butter required)  I added a half-cup of peas.  A recipe this simple and good has to be shared.  Alfredo di Lelio developed the recipe in Rome Italy at his restaurant Alfredo in 1914.  From Wikipedia: January 8, 2012.  (For more history click on the title.)

Fettucine Alfredo

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried fettucine
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Directions

Cook the fettucine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until tender. Add heavy cream and bring to a boil. Cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Return the pasta to the pot it was cooked in, set over medium-high heat along with the reserved cooking liquid. Add the butter-cream mixture and half of the Parmesan and toss to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Retrieved January 8, 2012. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/fettucine-alfredo-recipe2/index.html

No snow: enjoy Fettuccine/Fettucine/Fettucini Alfredo

Get Ready to Roll Christmas Cookies = No Butter Shortage

 

 

One of the charms of Solstice gatherings is the food. To mark the dark of winter, serving special foods by candlelight helps folks up in the northland to bide through winter. Richard Lafortune is a man of tradition.  He faithfully recreates the many Christmas cookies from his childhood each year for friends at Winter Solstice and for family at Christmas.

Each year I have enjoyed the many offerings and good conversation at Richard’s solstice gatherings.  This year I asked to document his cookie making.  This is just a sampling of what is done to prepare the various dough that are used in each of his creations.  Richard puts planning in place. First, he sets out all the supplies to make sure he has everything for baking.  Richard makes a list of all the cookies and begins the magic of making these delights that have been handed down in his family for generations.

The plan takes hours. Seeing what work goes into this process, I present to you some photos of making shortbread cookies. These are no ordinary cookies. (Real Butter!)

The Ingredients

Viennese Shortbread

"Making a list and checking it twice"

A little bucket of flour - it's a go!

Shortbread Dough - Flour Butter Sugar Salt Egg, a splash of milk when it's too dry.

Mix and shape dough with your hands.

After dough rests in the fridge, get ready to roll the dough.

Ready, roll. Another dough was made with cocoa.

Squaring the Edges of the Dough

Dividing the Dough

The Checkerboard Divide

Four Stacks for the Checkerboard

Checkerboard ready to cut

Second Batch Roll out Spiral Cookies

Are we rolling?

 

Ready for final division - pretty!

Fresh from the oven!

The cookies on the left are pecan cups from Richard’s Nonnie’s recipe.  I took over 90 photos of the work involved.  This little essay is just a glimpse into the process. Richard made Christmas bread, fruitcake, and in total eight items for Solstice and Christmas – all to share.  Richard creates a memory for all his guests which he hands down from all the generations of women who perfected these cookies, breads, and love.

There is nothing like home made cookies!

Peace and Happy Holidays to all.