The Road to Farm-ville

Ok, so I am not the sporty or outdoorsy type.  I do not have a wide assortment of sports shoes, and I am afraid of bugs.  I love flowers (in vases) and animals (domesticated, non-rabid varieties), but I am not prone to even lingering for long stretches of time on our patio.  As I type this, some kind of gopher or hedgehoggy thing atop the hill outside is looking at me through the french doors.  (When he stands on his back legs, does that mean he's planning to attack?)

So, I never thought I'd be the type to say it, but I think I am going to run away and live on a farm.  See, it all started a couple years ago with Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.  (I suspect you may have either read it or heard about it by now, but if not, I highly recommend it.  If you like food, you'll like this book -- and it will also change the way you think about words like organic, local, seasonal, etc.)

Anyway, I think a lot of food standards are different in Europe than in the US, and it was easier to find organic (bio), non-GMO food.  There were weekly food markets year-round where I bought lots of local produce, meat and eggs, and often got to talk to the grower as well.  Here in New Jersey our closest approximation was Whole Foods -- until we heard about a local organic farm selling boxed share memberships in their cooperative.  Of course, we joined, and come spring we started to receive weekly allottments of the most succulent and delicious things I'd never seen before - garlic snapes, all kinds of new greens, varigated beets, etc.

As part of our membership, we also have picking rights to certain fields throughout the growing season.  Primarily it's been herbs, which I have frozen and/or dried in enough quantities to keep myself and my relations flavorfully sustained through the dark winter months.  My counters have been over-run with herbs for a while:

Oregano, Thyme, Summer Savory, Horehound, Assorted Mints...

But it's now the height of summer, and this week was the most luscious week yet.  Our boxes have been filled with dozens of tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, peppers, zucchini and herbs.  This means I have been making pasta sauces and stews like the Italian army is coming to stay. I also made my own ricotta to go with it - simple but messy, hence no pictures of any of that.  My kitchen still looks like spies ransacked it looking for the microfiche...

The picking fields are bursting with goodness too, and it's meant all kinds of herbs, flowers and berries are now available.  I spent much of Friday morning rooting around in the dirt, not caring a lick about the red earth caked around my shoes.  I shoed away bumblebees hanging from clusters of raspberries, and competed with the blackbirds for blackberries.  I even saw a skunk (thankfully from afar), which had it not been for the intense desire to collect my berries, would have ordinarily made me scream and run away.

I am still far from being a nature-girl, but it is the most fun I have had outside, ever.  There is a joy in collecting the food you are going to eat, in seeing where it comes from and picking it yourself.  There is of course a joy in eating it too - immensely tasty when it is so fresh and lovely.  But also I have had an immense increase in my understanding and appreciation of what it means to make food.  I know just spending a day out in the sun rifling around for ripe eggplants and pretty flowers does not a true farm experience make, but it's a lot more than I ever did before.  It is hot, hard work, and a profession to be respected and admired.  Thank you, farm and farmer, thank you!
 
Anyway, I'll leave you with a few shots of my day at the farm.  Have you had any food revelations lately?

Fields of flowers, which you are actually allowed to pick!

Globe Amaranth, which look like little red pom-poms.

Ok, am I the only one who didn't know that unripe blackberries look like raspberries?

Stevia in its natural state.  Prevents tooth decay?  Neato!

Fields (left to right) of maturing Pepper plants, assorted Basils (including that dark purple row), and Sunflowers (far right).

A heap of farm-fresh flowers, iced Mint and Stevia tea, and blackberries and raspberries.
A real treat after a hot day in the sun! 

Quick Trip to Baltimore

I had the opportunity recently to take a short overnight trip to Baltimore, which I'd previously visited on business trips several times but never had the chance to play tourist.  This time, I made sure to see a handful of the local sights during my less than 24 hour stay.

Because I only had the afternoon/evening and a bit of the following morning, I focused my efforts on the pretty Inner Harbor area which hosts many of the city's tourist attractions.

Nope, there is nothing wrong with my camera - the city was cloaked in a humid haze most of the afternoon.  

There are plenty of little shops and places to poke around along the Harbor.  Due to the humidity, I decided to stop in for a cold drink and people watch at one of the many terrace restaurants overlooking the view.

From there, I stopped by to learn more about the USS Constellation, which is the last Civil War-era US Navy boat that still exists.  The ship was used to disrupt slave trade during the Civil War, but was later used as a training vessel during WW1 also.  

USS Constellation

You can rent a boat of your own nearly from the same location, though they are much smaller (Dragon-shaped paddle boats below).  I decided to skip the paddle boats (terrible swimmer) and head straight to the Baltimore National Aquarium.  The Aquarium lives up to its reputation as one of the country's largest.  Check it out for your typical shark and octopus display but be sure to see the re-created Tropical Rainforest Exhibit too.  Highly recommended!

Foreground: Rentable paddle boats.  Background: Baltimore Aquarium (triangular roof).
 

By now, it was threatening to actually rain and my stomach was threatening to overtake sensible thought unless fed soon, so it was time to look for a dinner place.  Normally I do extensive research about places to eat great local cuisine before traveling, but as this was an impromptu trip, I didn't get a chance.  So, my dinner research involved squinting around the harbor, looking for something remotely seafoody as tribute to the local specialities.  Yonder in the distance, a sign: The Rusty Scupper.

Liking moths to a flame, my dining companion and I drifted towards it, and made it inside just before it started to pour.  From the restaurant, you can have a really great view of the entire harbor.  As a bonus, we were able to enjoy the thunder and lightening show as well.

But, we came here to eat, no?  As crab cakes are a local institution, we decided to share one for a starter. Since I am new to this whole blogging thing, I forgot to take a picture until after we had both tried a bite.  Sorry!  Anyway, you get the picture - a broiled, mostly crabmeat cake in a light mayo sauce.  It was good in the sense they didn't skimp on the crabmeat, but it didn't knock my socks off.

Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, minus two bites...

Main Course: Fish and Chips and Beer

To continue on the seafood kick, I decided to order the Fish and Chips accompanied by the house beer, a Rusty Scupper Amber Ale.  The fish was flaky, and the beer had a nice orange-blossomy aroma.  It did not compare to my favorite fish and chips in the world (Leo Burdock's, Dublin, Ireland - you will die when you try this!!), but it was decent.  The conclusion?  Come for the view and get some decent food to boot, but for a true gastronomical treat you may want to look elsewhere.

The following morning left me with just enough time for a light breakfast at the hotel and a sprint up Federal Hill for one last look at the harbor (sadly, without the camera which died the night before).  Had the camera worked, I would have also showed you some shots of my hotel, the Intercontinental Harbor Court Hotel.  Alas, all I can say is the place is pretty true to its advertising in terms of looks - very East Coast traditional decor, and excellent service.  Best of all, valet parking and a perfect location means I would stay there again next time I visit Baltimore.  And I will be back, as there is plenty more to see and do!

Le Weekend

I have been awol the past few days in preparation of and in the enjoyment of the most delicious weekend.  Friday I organized a special evening at home to celebrate the completion of a major work project.  It involved flower arrangements and hand-written menus, favorite foods and chilled cava and strawberries.  Needless to say, the evening passed most deliciously and it was very difficult to rise at 5am the following morning.  However, that is exactly what we did because we were due for a full day in New York City and had to make the early train.

Saturday in New York was exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable.  It merits its own post, which I will prepare for tomorrow.  In the meantime, I will share with you a moment from our much more relaxed Sunday.  We rose quite late (alright, one of us later than the other, what can I say, I have the gift of sleep?) and drove out to buy cheese from our local organic dairy.  After hob-nobbing with the goats, we continued our lazy Sunday drive and hit a couple roadside stands and organic farms.  'Tis the season here in New Jersey, and summer tomatoes are in their prime.  We lunched on the tomatoes, still sun-warmed, with just a hint of good olive oil, salt and pepper, and crusty baguette.

Here is a view from one of the farms where we stopped.  Hope your weekend was delightful as well!

Summer Barbecue (Indoors)

We had rain in fits and starts this 4th of July weekend, and although we planned to have enjoy a meal on our patio, we ended up taking the party inside.  But to keep the barbecue feeling alive, we did enjoy a festive lunch with my own version of "hot dogs."  These are a little fancier and a lot more flavorful than your typical Oscar Meyer (hey, I'm not knocking Oscar here, just sometimes you want to mix it up) but are quick and easy to do sans outdoor grill.  Grilling in the rain is just no fun, but eating this sandwich is.

Spicy Sausages on Challah Buns

6 spicy Italian sausages
6 challah buns
2 chopped ripe tomatoes
1 chopped sweet onion
1/2 small head of lettuce
mustard (dijon or spicy brown) to taste
salt and pepper

Set your oven to broil and in a non-stick cookie sheet set out your sausages evenly spaced.  With a sharp knife, split each sausage down the center to butterfly it and flatten down slightly.  This will help even the cooking and ensure the sausages are browned nicely all over.

Chop tomatoes, and toss lightly with a couple turns of cracked pepper and salt.  Chop onion and place in a separate bowl.  Wash and dry lettuce, arrange in bowl.

Keep an eye on the sausages, they will be nicely browned in 10 - 15 minutes.  When thoroughly cooked, remove from oven and place sausages on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any fat.

Split the challah buns and toast in the oven for one or two minutes on broil, then remove buns to a plate.

Each person can assemble their own sandwich but the idea is the same.   Slather one side with mustard (I like egregious quantities of it, so slather is really the right word in this case), and line the other side with lettuce.  Gently nestle a sausage in the center and scatter tomato and onion on top, to taste.  Now try to close it all up and take a big bite.  Repeat.

Serve with a side of good potato chips (like Kettle Chips) and refrigerator pickles (or in a pinch, Claussen's Dill will do).  Oh, and a nice Belgian beer is strongly recommended.

This recipe makes 6 sandwiches.  I will tell you right now *some* people can stuff 2 of these in their gullets in one sitting (ok, yes it was me, and while it was not my proudest moment, it was delish)... so I would say this serves about 3-4 people depending on appetites.

One final word - the secret to a deceptively simple sandwich like this is ingredients (well, isn't that the case with just about everything?).  The rich eggy dough of the challah, the juicy ripe tomato, the handmade sausage from my butcher -- it all adds up.  And whatever you do, please be a mustard snob and get something hearty and zingy to cut through the richness of the meat.  The pleasure of this sandwich is in the contrasts of crisp, tart, rich, salty, etc. and it starts in having a good foundation.  Enjoy!

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

It's getting increasingly warm and humid here in rural New Jersey, and whilst the air conditioner is set to a balmy 72 degrees, it's not enough to keep my mind off the heat.  We find ourselves craving cool summertime staples like crisp watermelon and creamy ice cream.  But, as there is a limit to the amount of chocolate ice cream that even I can (or should) stuff down my gullet after dinner, I made these frozen treats yesterday to mix it up.

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

1 16 oz. bag frozen strawberries
1 32 oz. bottle of kefir yogurt
1 large container of Greek yogurt (like Fage, 500 gr)
1 pint of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
1 good pinch of salt

In the bowl of a large food processor, empty the entire bag of frozen strawberries.  Using the "pulse" option, chop down the strawberries until they are small frozen bits.  (Depending on the strength of your food processor or the size of the berries, you may want to let them thaw a bit first before processing so your food processor doesn't throw a fit.)

Add sugar, kefir and about 2/3 of the blueberries, reserving the rest of the berries for garnish.  Add the vanilla, salt, and orange blossom water (if using).  Pulse again until well blended.  Because my food processor capacity doesn't go much further, I emptied most the bowl contents at this point into my largest mixing bowl.  Now, inside the almost empty food processor, I put in the Greek yogurt, and give it a couple pulses, just to liquify it down a bit.  I find this helps with combining it with the rest of the kefir-berry mixture, but you could also slowly whisk in the Greek yogurt by hand without food processing it.  Now, combine the Greek yogurt and kefir-berry mixture into the mixing bowl and mix together until everything is well combined.

Because I wanted to have individual servings set up, I bought some clear plastic cups from Target's party section.  With a 1 cup measuring cup, I dumped one cup of the mixture in each up.  It makes about 12 cups total.  Into each cup, I added about 3-4 blueberries as a garnish, then I cleaned up any spills around the cup edges with a wet paper towel.  Cover in plastic wrap and set in the freezer, and they are ready to go!

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

Tip: As you can see in the shot below, the cup is only half-full.  So I cover loosely in plastic wrap, and after they are frozen, I can stack about 3 cups together to make room in the freezer.  The plastic wrap nestles down between each cup, so the bottom of one cup won't get messy from the top of another.

I like to eat mine semi-freddo, so I let it sit out on the counter for about an hour before eating.  It also means I have to pre-plan my snack a little bit, which cuts down on impulse eating straight out of the freezer!

Next I plan to try mango and pineapple flavors.  What other flavors do you think would work for homemade frozen yogurt?