PLOG Definition:A variation of a blog that explores all
things vegetarian, produce, products, food events, restaurants, cookbooks, local farmers markets and more.
MARCH 10, 2005
March Recipe
Although March signals the beginning of spring, most farmers are still
between crops here, but you can still find some good winter squash. This soup is now one of my favorites. I love to start my day with it.
Recipe copyright by Debra Daniels-Zeller.
Creamy Miso Soup
(Serves 4)
Though winter squash has long been harvested, you can still
find some good organic local varieties this time of year. This easy creation was love at first bite fo rme. Tiny red lentils only take 10 to 15 minutes to cook. You can easily make it for breakfast. It has protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber--a good start for any day. Look for mirin in a natural foods store or Asian market.
2 cups water
1/2 strip kombu
1/4 cup tiny red lentils
1 1/2 cups bite-size pieces of peeled winter squash
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon mirin or sake
1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon sweet brown rice or chick pea miso
1/4 cup finely chopped greens such as mizuna mustard greens
(optional)
Bring water, kombu, lentils, squash and red pepper flakes to a boil in a
saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and simmer until lentils are done and squash is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Remove
kombu. Discard it or save it wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator to use in another dish. Pour soup into a blender. Add mirin, rice vinegar, ginger and miso. Blend until creamy. Garnish each serving with greens.
I've been too busy working on articles for Vegetarian Journal lately, but last week I took two days off to have lunch with friends and catch up on what's happening in their lives.
On Wednesday, I met three friends at the Andaluca downtown at Olive and 4th. Barbara Dong teaches Chinese cooking classes at PCC Cooks. Pranee teaches Thai cooking classes at PCC and around Seattle, and Connie, who is a friend and great cooking assistant is the best source of information about foodie events in Seattle that I know.
Barbara and I arrived early. Connie and Pranee were running a little late, but it gave me a chance to talk with Barbara about her Chinese cooking classes and the process I went through writing my book since she wants to write her book someday. When Pranee arrived, she knew Wayne Johnson, the Executive Chef and he came out to talk to us for awhile. When he saw my book, he mentioned that he was a member of the Chef's Collaborative, an organization of chef's across the country who are dedicated to connecting with local farmers and featuring seasonal menus from farms at their restaurants. By the time Connie arrived we were ready to eat the menus, so we ordered quickly.
The starter, Tomato Bread Soup, was stunning in presentation with a swirl of basil crème fraiche and the tiniest croutons I'd ever seen. My entrée, a Balsamic Onion and Dry Jack Risotto, was perfect. The texture was amazing, each grain of rice seemed to have been infused with the balsamic vinegar. When it came to dessert, my three friends ordered Banana Bread with Roasted Bananas, Brown Sugar Rum Sauce and Chocolate Gelato, but I selected Rose Ice Cream with a Pistachio Pizzele Cookie because my friend Elise had once mentioned that rose was one of her favorite flavors. It tasted like rose buds on a warm spring day. I wanted to hold it in my mouth and savor each bite until it disappeared. I shared it with my friends and they all agreed it was the best. I would go there again just to taste this heavenly cold treat. All, in all a great meal. She knows all the restaurants around town, and I'm always up for something new.
The next day I met Seppo at Chaco Canyon, my favorite raw food café on 50th and Brooklyn. It's a casual place under the Cedars and right next door to the Flying Apron Bakery. When the University District Farmers Market starts, I sometimes meet friends there. I got there early and ordered a single tall latte and chose a small table. When Seppo arrived we both ordered Thai Grinders--a raw food patty made of nuts and vegetables with a sweet sauce drizzled over on a mound of raw Savoy cabbage. Healthy foods have come a long way over the years. Now you get excellent presentation, organic foods and great taste.
There were quite a few choices on the menu, including smoothies and juice drinks. They are expanding the menu to include warm vegan sandwiches and some warm soups. I asked what farms they purchased fruits and vegetables from and Chris, the owner, mentioned a few of the fruit farmers from Eastern Washington. I would recommend the Kiwi Lime Tart. If someone offered me the rose ice cream from the Andaluca or the Kiwi Lime Tart from Chaco Canyon, it would be a toss up which I would choose. Maybe I would just get both!
On March 13, Sunday, I volunteered to work at the VegFest where I worked at a food sampling booth and handed out flyers for my book and upcoming book signing. The VegFest is an annual weekend event. Formerly called the Taste of Health, put on by EarthSave, a national vegetarian group, it is now hosted by the Vegetarians of Washington. There are cooking demos, nutritionists, vegetarian books for sale and lots of vegetarian food from various companies and a few restaurants to be sampled. My favorite booths were the Patty Pan Grill where I got sautéed onions and greens and New Roots Organics, an organic produce delivery service where I sampled bite-size red and yellow peppers and fresh grapefruit. A pleasant surprise was seeing Al Chase, a chef that I once assisted over ten years ago when I was just beginning to teach cooking classes at PCC. Al was there with his wife checking out the vegetarian scene. He said he lives in Portland now and is relocating his vegan chef school there, the Institute for Culinary Awakening.
After leaving, I rushed home, fed the dogs, and phoned my friend, Susan, to see what time her party started. "It's going now," she said, "it started at twelve, would you be arriving soon?" "As soon as I make the dip we'll be right over," I told her. Susan used to assist many of my cooking classes at PCC. We've known each other for years. Susan and her husband are moving to South Carolina. This was a going away party. I quickly got out my Port Madison goat cheese and whipped up this fantastic dip recipe I'd recently created. Its made with Mama Lil's peppers and Gold Dust, dried, ground Chanterelle mushrooms. I add a little Port Madison goat yogurt to thin the dip. A final addition of fresh lemon gave it some zing and when I tasted it, I proclaimed it perfect.
It was standing room only when we arrived. Susan was busy setting out food. She came over, gave me a hug and said, "There are vegetarian meatballs on the stove. You have to try them." I weaved my way through the crowd to get them. They were heavenly-perfect texture with a slight barbecue flavor. I'll have to get her recipe and make them myself. I sampled all the vegetarian dips at the food table with abundance. I'd put the pesto and sundried tomato spread with cream cheese at the top of my favorite dip list. Listening to her plans for riding the train with her husband across the country made me hungry for an adventure of my own. I know I'll miss her when she goes, but friends across the country are always fun to visit.
March 22
Cook the Books!
On Saturday while at Green Leaf Book Shop, on Stoneway in the Fremont district, I found a some good advertisements for upcoming foodie events in Seattle. The 1st Annual Seattle Book Festival, will be held on Saturday, April 2nd at the Richard Hugo House at 1634 Eleventh Ave. An edible book is something that looks like a book and can be eaten. Or, it refers to a well-known book or character and can be eaten. You make your own edible book and bring your creation to Richard Hugo house between 1:30 and 2:30. They will then be eaten by the participants. This sounds like an inspirational fun event, and the only cost is time and ingredients. I can't wait to enter, attend and sample the entries!
The second event is Cooks and Books Visiting Chef Series which is where you can indulge in a great dinner and schmooze with well-known chefs who are on book tours promoting their books. The nationally known chefs coming to Seattle will be at the Union Bay Café from February through May. The line-up includes Bill Granger, Thomas Keller, Deborah Madison, Donna Hay, Mark Brittman and Susan Herrmann Loomis. For vegetarians, Deborah Madison on April 17, looks like a good bet. Her new book is called Vegetarian Suppers. The cost is $95 per person for Deborah. An autographed book is included in the price. My friend, Connie, has attended these events before and she said the visting chefs hang out and you can ask them questions and talk about food all you want. She can't wait to see Thomas Keller which has been sold out for some time already.
Another event, in April is Ruth Reichl on April 14th. She will be reading from her new book Garlic and Sapphires at 7 pm at Third Place Books at the Lake Forest Park Towne Center on Bothell Way in Lake Forest Park. Ruth's other books are Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples. Ruth weaves events of her life with odd and sometimes tantalizing tales of food and cooking. Her writing is a humorous delight. I could easily be tempted by this event.
While at Green Leaf Book Shop - a unique new book store with a focus on gardening and cooking - I browsed the cooking section and found plenty of cookbooks to drool over. Even the children's section has a number of gardening and cook books. The store features new and used books, and Christine, the owner, is busy getting new stock in all the time. Each time I go there I am amazed at how much more she has gotten for the store. It's a bright, open store that invites you to stay awhile. Christine has a P-Patch and is somewhat of a gardening expert herself. She also owns two cute dogs that she adopted from a local shelter and she has plans to create a dog biscuit pamphlet. The proceeds from the sale of this pamphlet will go to a no-kill animal shelter. I love her enthusiasm. This is exactly the kind of local company I want to support. I will be one of her first customers for her dog bisucit pamphlet - my Basset Hounds will love having different treats.
This month I am reading a fun culinary novel Beat Until Stiff. While looking for Tender at the Bone I found this little book. The back cover intrigued me with the caption "Anthony Bourdain take heed, the competition is stiff." I loved Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, and his look behind the scene in the restaurant industry. Unlike Bourdain's book, Beat Until Stiff is a novel written in a first person narrrative by a pastry chef in an upscale restaurant called American Fare in San Francisco. It's a look at the cut-throat restaurant industry. The heroine, Mary Ryan, goes to work one morning and steps on a laundry bag to reach the aprons on an upper shelf. The bag contains a dead body -- one of her Latino co-workers. This book keeps me up at night and makes me late for my aerobics class in the morning. Food writing is getting better and better. Who needs to eat when there are so many good books to whet your appetite?
March 29
Reality reading
Though this February has been mostly a month of fabulous sunny weather and signals that the strawberry crops will come in sooner than expected, last weekend it was pouring off and on most of the time. I wanted to go to Pike Place Market on Saturday to get a few ideas of just what is out there in March. Instead, got I eggs from Michaele at Growing Things behind Dick's Drive-In on 45th , and decided what I needed was a pot of Jasmine tea, a spot on the sofa and some interesting food reading. First, I stopped off at the library where I picked up a few books for an upcoming children's cooking class that will feature a talk on sustainable farming while we make whole-grain flatbread, seasonal salad and Cherry-Apple Oatmeal Cookies.
When I got home, I made the tea, set out a few of my newest recipe creation -- chocolate hazelnut biscotti. (I love sampling this recipe; I must try it again soon.) I sat back, my spot on the sofa claimed, my tea in hand and to relax with the April issue of Gourmet magazine. What I got was a stiff dose of reality when I turned to "Politics of the Plate"- a fascinating and yet frightening look at GM crops today, Monsanto and the fight for the right to control agriculture through manipulation of seeds. The article drew me in when it talked about how food looks the same as it was ten years ago, but it isn't. Science fiction couldn't top this! GM fish potentially escaping into the wild, fish genes in tomatoes and the ability to cut and paste gene into just about anything without much government regulation whatsoever. "Substantially equivalent" is the term used by the government. The progress of this wild experiment is going unchecked and the evening news pays little attention to the state of our food today.
In one instance, students at Oregon State University tested a variant of a soil bacterium. It was discovered that they had accidentally invented a killer fungus that, had it been unleashed, could have "ended all life on this continent," according to Candaian geneticist David Suzuki. Questions of safety, how seeds can be patented and the future of agriculture itself are explored in this in-depth article, an unflattering look at Monsanto and genetic seed modification. If you want to see another side of agriculture, one that almost never hits the newspapers, pick up a copy of the April issue of Gourmet magazine and read this eye-opening article.
One of the books I got at the library for my children's cooking class was called One Good Apple: Growing Our Food for the Sake of the Earth by Catherine Paladino.
The opening paragraph is food for thought for kids of all ages.
"Reach for an apple the next time you are in a grocery store and hold it in your hand. Then try to describe it. What color is it. Does it smell sweet? Is it shiny and smooth or bruised and bumpy? What variety of apple is it? Can you tell if any insects tred to eat your apple while it was growing? How many people really give much thought at all to the food they eat?" This is a great children's book that covers important aspects about our food such as conventional apples coated with wax that seal in pesticides, DDT and other man-made toxic chemicals and the Alar scare--yet it also explores how organic farming can change the state of agriculture today.
I think my approach in the children's class will be positive with dose of reality as we talk about the negative aspects of conventional and GM farming and discuss why it's important to support small local sustainable farms. I am looking forward to this class. I am grateful that Marilyn McCormick, at PCC Cooks, recommended me to teach this class, since this is exactly what I am passionate about.
I guess the month of March is for planning and planting your garden and catching up on reading.
April 4
Touchstone Bakery
Ballard Farmers Market
On Saturday, April 2, I went to Michaele's produce stand behind Dick's Drive-In. Donna Weston, a mushroom forager was also there. She had gathered some fresh morels, so I had to get some for a pasta dinner. The season for morels is early due to the warm weather. After morels, come porcinis - I'm already thinking of new recipes I can create with them!
After getting my weekly eggs, some morels and a big bunch of tulips from some flower vendors next to Michaele's stand, I drove to Touchstone Bakery in Fremont. For a vegetarian visiting Seattle, this is an essential stop. The bakery is one of the only two collectives in Seattle. The other is Left Bank Books at Pike Place Market, one of the stores where you can also purchase my book. Lara Barryhill does most of the baking for Touchstone which is an all organic, all whole-grain bakery. They only use natural sweeteners and most everything they sell is made from ingredients grown and purchased locally. Even the wheat for the bread is ground in Bellingham at Fairhaven Mills. Since Washington only grows soft wheat, the hard wheat used for breadmaking is grown just across the border in Canada. Lara carefully considers every ingredient used in the bakery. I was impressed with how much she knew about the source of each food she talked about.
I love the bread and the sourdough spelt bread is one of my favorite breads because the complex taste and firm texture. And, the pastries are not to be missed. It was hard to select but I have loved Touchstone cinnamon rolls for years. They also make pies, cookies, muffins and when you stop in the retail bakery they also sell soup and sandwiches. It's a very casual atmosphere; many of the people who stop in are regular customers. I gave Lara a copy of my book to look at and she seemed quite taken with the dog biscuit section.
On Sunday. April 3, it was quite rainy, but we set off for the Ballard Farmers Market. I was curious to see if my favorite mushroom forager was there and John Huschle who has a farm in Carnation. The market is in the street now. The last time I was there it was wedged between two buildings in a parking lot and it seemed a little cramped. John wasn't there, possibly his crops are coming in soon. Full Circle Farm was there and I got some Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes. At another farm I got a great salad mix, onions and garlic. The onions and garlic were from fall harvest but they looked so good, I couldn't pass them up. I stopped to get some wildflower honey--one jar for Tom and one for me since I tend to complain if he finishes it off before I've had my fill. The man laughed and said we weren't the only couple who bought our honey separately. Till death do us part, but please leave my honey alone! Jeremy, the mushroom forager wasn't there but Justin who makes incredible pasta by hand was selling pasta and Jeremy's dried mushrooms. He said that morels weren't up yet, but each mushroom forager has their own secret places they like to go and apparently Donna had found a place where they were up early. Someday I'd love to take a trip out with one of them just to see what gathering wild mushrooms is like.
The pasta with morels was heavenly! I cooked the morels in hazelnut oil and used some sundried tomato, garlic and onions that I had purchased from the other farmer. We also stopped at the Patty Pan Grill stand and got some tamales from Devra. She said, "You'll have to have some Ancho Salsa to go with those," and she gave me a big scoop in a cup to take along. That's the kind of food that warms you up from the inside on a cool rainy spring day.
April 17
Bellingham Farmers Market
Community Food Co-op
It was pouring rain on Saturday when we drove to Bellingham to visit the farmers market and go to the co-op. Dependable gray Northwest weather, but we've been having such a drought lately, the soaking rain is a
welcome sign for farmers. Still, I'd been hoping for a dry, sunny day to visit the market. We packed up the books that the Community Food Co-op had ordered, helped Zeke and Hunter into the car and set off. On the way, I read the Sno-Isle Co-op newsletter (the Everett Co-op) and was impressed with the articles about how products for that co-op are selected, from true free-range organic eggs to hexane free soy protein powder and possibilities for raw milk, these people really care about the quality of products in their co-op.
By the time we arrived in Bellingham, the rain let up. The farmers market is at the crossroads of Railroad and Chestnut, every Saturday
from 10 till 3, starting the first week of April through late October. Parking is easy, at least this early in the season.
Hazelnuts from McMurry's Mountside Farm in Everson was my first purchase. Both the raw and toasted samples were perfect. I daydreamed
about making Cheryl's hazelnut cake. I bought 6 pounds of nuts in the
shell- five for us and one to give to Deborah Madison at her book signing for her new book Vegetarian Suppers on April 18th. A few farms had early summer greens, some storage potatoes, carrots and early root crops. The harvest is just getting started, and not all the farm vendors have enough to sell yet, but I spotted Alm Hill Gardens- Gretchen Hoyt's farm located near the Sumas-Canadian border. It's been around since 1963-everybody who goes to farmers markets around here knows Alm Hill
salad mix, vegetables, berries and flowers. The harvest season has arrived when I can get Alm Hill spicy salad mix and early turnips. I
also got some comb honey from Bill's Bees - a sweet treat that can lift your spirits on the rainiest Northwest spring days.
Our next stop was the Community Food Co-op, at 1220 N. Forest Street, where I dropped off 8 books and we checked out the retail store
and Swan Café and deli. It was so busy, we couldn't get a parking spot in the lot, yet inside it had a casual, easy-going atmosphere. Local products such as cheeses and breads stood out with prominent signs. It's obvious why it's called Community Food Co-op. Port Madison goat yogurt and Samish Bay cheese made me feel like I was home. We selected a handcrafted garlic-cheese whole-wheat bread made by La Vie En Rose bakery, got some goat yogurt and a new variety of salsa before we
left.
I grabbed a copy of the Co-op Community News on my way out. When I
looked through it, I was impressed with the page that featured Whatcom County CSA Farms - what various farms offered, where they were located,
the drop-off points for weekly boxes, how many weeks they extend and the price to purchase a farm share. This is community support at it's finest. On another page I read an article about social sustainablity in agriculture by David Kupfer from the Davis Food Co-op. He wrote that while organic agriculture has seen improved crop production and growing methods, one aspect of the organic farm that has been neglected is the farmworkers. He said since we have come to demand cheap food in this country, it's difficult for many to make the connection that cheap
food depends on cheap labor. Farm work is dangerous and demanding. Housing conditions are poor. Seventy percent of farmworkers in this
country have no health care coverage. These articles with real news coverage is what food co-ops in this country are all about.
Driving home, our sleepy old hounds woke up with big yawns. The sun came out and a double rainbow magically appeared. When the rain stops here, I forget about the soggy gray feeling and I'm suddenly in love
with the warmth of the sun, and the aroma of damp fertile earth and tiny greens springing up from the the ground.
May 20
Recipe of the Month: Creamy Hazelnut Nettle Soup
Found and foraged foods make an appearance in April. Nettles are just about the most nutritious greens on earth. They are also very helpful with allergies and you can often find freeze dried nettle supplements on the allergy aisle of a natural foods store. Foraged greens have a much greater vitality than cultivated crops. What you eat imparts that vitatlity or lack of it. This soup is energizing and comforting at the same time. I could eat this entire recipe and love every bite of it. Look for more like this in my upcoming book.
Creamy Hazelnut Nettle Soup
(Makes 4 servings)
Though you can sometimes feast on nettles through the fall, I like to use the very tender first leaves in spring for this soup and be careful and wear gloves when touching raw nettles.
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups coarsely chopped nettles, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 1/2 cups water
1 apple, peeled
2 tablespoons hazelnut butter
1 cup soymilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons goat yogurt (optional)
Saute onion in olive oil in a soup pot until soft. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes. Stir in wine. Add nettles, salt, cayenne, water and apple.
Cover and cook until nettles are soft - 10 to 15 minutes. Puree in a blender with hazelnut butter and soymilk. Return to heat gently on low. Stir in fresh lemon juice before serving. Add a swirl of goat yogurt on top, if you like.
copyright debra daniels-zeller 4/05w many weeks they extend and the price to purchase a farm share. This is community support at it's finest. On another page I read an article about social sustainablity in agriculture by David Kupfer from the Davis Food Co-op. He wrote that while organic agriculture has seen improved crop production and growing methods, one aspect of the organic farm that has been neglected is the farmworkers. He said since we have come to demand cheap food in this country, it's difficult for many to make the connection that cheap
food depends on cheap labor. Farm work is dangerous and demanding. Housing conditions are poor. Seventy percent of farmworkers in this
country have no health care coverage. These articles with real news coverage is what food co-ops in this country are all about.
Driving home, our sleepy old hounds woke up with big yawns. The sun came out and a double rainbow magically appeared. When the rain stops here, I forget about the soggy gray feeling and I'm suddenly in love
with the warmth of the sun, and the aroma of damp fertile earth and tiny greens springing up from the the ground.
May 15, 2005
Markets and a deli
Just a few short weeks and the Bellingham Farmers Market has been transformed like a butterfly. Last weekend the sun was out, the empty spaces that we'd seen on our last visit were filled with farm and craft vendors. There was musical entertainment on each row of vendors-- people singing, playing instruments with open guitar cases filled with dollar bills. They were all so good, I wanted to linger, listen and toss a dollar into each open guitar case. This market is definitely a place for taking your family and meeting friends. I wished I'd called some of my friends meet us there. A farmers market often provides a social place where people can relax and get together--this market has a true community feel to it. My favorite entertainment was the couple with the man who played the saw. I was amazed by the beautiful sounds he could create by bending it in different ways. There was a whole row of hot food vendors, picnic tables and friends and families meeting over Thai or Indian food. The smells were enticing, I couldn't resist taking samples that were offered. Before we left the market, a Thai youth group, both boys and girls, dressed in all white, preformed some amazing musical numbers with an instrument that looked like a curved xylophone. I bought some bread from the Bread Farm, farmstead cheese, some radishes and a wild and spicy salad mix to take home.
This past Saturday, March 14, I went to the second week of the University District Farmers Market in Seattle, where I met old friends and my favorite farmers like Bill Weiss and Anselmo from Homestead Organic Produce, John Huschle from Nature's Last Stand and Jeff from Willie Greens Organic Farm. Chris, the market director said this market is one of the top ten farmers markets in the country. This market is for serious farm foodies. It's an all farmers and food producers market, no crafts and not a lot in the way of music. There isn't much hot food here either, until Billy Alstot starts roasting some of the peppers he grows from his farm in Tonasket in July. I love the smoky flavor of those just roasted peppers. And his salsa is fabulous! John Huschle brought his bread and butter pickles to sell, which I have been craving for over a month now. A number of farmers had nettles to sell and Jeremy Faber, one of the local foragers, told me why you are supposed to eat only the top tiny tender leaves. Apparently the larger, older leaves have a substance in them that taxes the kidneys. John Huschel said that farming is easy compared to foraging and selling wild foods. Some of the places that foragers go are quite difficult to get to. Jeremy said he leaves many first time foragers who want to tag along behind when he goes out to gather mushrooms and wild greens.
I purchased some nettles from Donna Watson from Wild Things and I got some morel mushrooms and fiddlehead ferns from Jeremy. From Willie Greens I got a salad greens mix, radishes, baby spinach, turnips and strawberries. At Stoney Plains farm, I gave Patrick one of my cookbooks for his mom and got the most amazing young tender collards. I could not resist the bag of shallots from Tolt Farm. I got asparagus from Bill Weiss, a loaf of bred and some beautiful flowers on my way out. The friends I meet at this market all into very healthy foods and we all have our favorite farm vendors.
I drove to Marlene's Market and Deli (marlenesmarket-deli.com), after the U-District market, where I delivered 10 more books. Marlene's Market and Deli is a great place for natural vegetarian foods and deli items to go or eat there if you're in the Tacoma area. There are two stores, one in Federal Way and one in Tacoma. They offer healthy cooking classes there and have all the natural foods that the co-op or Whole Foods has in Seattle, at a comparable price. At the deli, I got garlic roasted vegetables, which was excellent. There is plenty of room to hang out and relax there. Many of the baked goods they sell contain only whole grains and natural sweeteners. Now it's another place a person can get my book south of Seattle. One of the workers there mentioned how in the summer, Saturday business slows down because of the farmers markets. It's fun driving around finding all these great places that I had visited before my book came out. I hope to teach a cooking class one day at Marlene's, the people who work there are friendly and fun to talk to. I'm working on some hot class ideas for fall.
May 23, 2005
Columbia City and Hail Storm Hits Willie Greens
Last Thursday I went to the Columbia City Farmers Market on Rainier Avenue just South of the International District. I love the multiethnic feel of the market and the number of people who show their support for local farming. It's one of the few markets where the person next to you may not speak English and you see all kinds of people there. At the Alvarez Family Farm you can get peanuts, raw or roasted in the shell. I love the roasted. Until I went to this market, I didn't know anyone in this state grew peanuts, but this is a growers only market where farmers have to grow what they sell and food producers make what they sell. Like the University District, the Market Alliance runs it, so there are no crafts sold. Many of the same farm vendors from the U District are there, so if you miss that market you can come here. Michaele from Growing Things sells here so I stopped to get her great farm fresh organic eggs.
I usually have a good idea about what I want, but now I am on the lookout for unusual produce finds and I found it here. Cardoons-an heirloom Italian vegetable that looks like celery but tastes like artichokes. It's an amzaing find and later I cooked all the stalks up with my friend whose grandmother was from Italy and she used to collect them every spring. I also stopped at Stoney Plains where I talked with Patricia awhile about the profile I wrote for my book. Stoney Plains had early strawberries which I couldn't pass up. I had to sample a few as I walked around the market and it gave me pure joy to know that harvest season is here and peaches will not be far behind strawberries.
My next stop was Willie Greens where, sadly, I found out they experienced a devastating hail storm that day and did not know the extent of the damage yet, but it hailed for a good 15 minutes in Monroe so they were not optimistic about the how much could be saved or how long that will set them back. I have known Jeff at Willie Greens for many years so this is quite sad news to hear since he was geared up for his best year ever. Since I was pressed for time, I made one last quick stop at the Patty Pan Grill-Devra has been a market vendor for many years. She serves up some great, fast vegetarian food there. I got the black bean chipotle tamales to go and when I asked how hard they were to make, she said she would show me how to make them if I stop by her restaurant sometime. I plan on taking her up on that!
On last note about Willie Greens. They suffered the worst damage they had ever seen on the farm. The pea vines and kale were in shreds. Everything was pounded hard and ice was all around the plants. Two local news crews came out and ran stories on the hail. They had over $50,000 worth of damage with no crop insurance since organic farmers have a hard time getting that. They have had to lay off seasonal employees. You can read about it and see pictures on their web blog at www.williegreensorganicfarm.com. Keep Jeff and the crew in your prayers, send him an encouraging email and keep supporting Willie Greens at the local markets.
June 14, 2005
Food finds on the Penninsula and crazy gamblers
Take a short ferry ride from Edmonds to the Penninsula on a Saturday and you can go to four farmers markets all on the same day if you hurry. We took our first trip of the season to the Penninsula a few weeks ago.
First stop was the Kingston Farmers Market which was just a short distance from the ferry terminal. It has the ambience of a gentleman's market, set on lush green grass with the vendors spaced apart and people strolling around, chatting with farmers and vendors as if they weren't in a hurry to go anywhere. There were lots of young spring starts (plants) for the gardener, crafts and a few farm booths, which I'm sure expands to include more locally farm fresh produce come mid summer. I got a dark raw safflower honey from John Carmody, and I talked to him about bees and honey. This market is the perfect destination for those who want to take the ferry over to Kingston and just walk around Kingston for the day and chat with the local people and check out the local farm produce..
The next stop was Port Townsend, where we found out that the farmer's market on Tyler street was put on hold because of a parade. So, we drove to the Food Co-op on Kearney street. It seems a regular building outside--biege with some ivy growing up the walls, but once you pass through the doors and gaze around, the funky atmosphere generates a unique feeling of community. Every wall, indeed every surface, in that co-op is a different color - purple, pink, brown, orange, green, blue. In the deli wooden chairs that are painted bright sunshine yellow surround cantaloupe orange colored tables. The square linoleum tiles are laid out in strips of orange, brown, turquoise and biege. I immediately went to the deli case and ordered a spicy Thai black rice salad with a cheese sandwich. I was intrigued by the variety of foods - this was not the usual deli offerings. A vegetarian could be in heaven here. I could come back to this place for the deli salads alone! As I sat, I was mesmerized by the colors that surrounded me. The grass green freezer on one side and pale yellow deli cases on the other. For an instant, I felt like I was back in the 70's.
After finishing lunch, we walked around the co-op. I looked for a place to put my book but there were no bookshelves for the books. Instead, books are all displayed on shelves above products. A number of books were displayed in the produce section where I saw Nash's produce for sale as well as offerings from Old Tarboo Farm among the other produce selections. I dropped off a few books before leaving and we were soon on our way to the Sequim farmer's market and Nash's Farm Store on Anderson Road.
The Sequim market seemed small, about one short, small town block, and yet there were about 30 vendors lining both sides of the street. There were crafts, plants and farm fresh produce. People chatted like they had all day, none of that rushed feeling you get at some of the Seattle markets. I was looking for lavender vinegar, but it was a little early in the season. I found Nash's booth of organic produce there and got some fresh chard, Jerusalem artichokes, potatoes and green garlic. The woman at the booth gave us directions to Nash's Farm Store.
The lasts time we had come out to the Penninsula, a few years ago, this store wasn't at the farm. The store was a small, dark wood, one room building, next to Nash's house. Aubrey, the young woman who worked inside, said it was tight [financially] at this time for the farm because it's early in the season. It is the same for most farms this time of year. This is why farmers offer CSA's to help see them through these "tight"times. A CSA (community supported agriculture) is where you purchase a "farm share" for a certain amount of money at the beginning of the season. In return, at Nash's farm you receive a generous box of veggies that are harvested each week for 25
weeks. With that CSA veggie box comes a weekly newsletter with nutritional information, tips recipes and local land issues. To check out Nash's offerings see www.nashsproduce.com. There were plenty of hearty greens and a few root vegetables inside the store. There were also selections of organic bananas and sweet potatoes to purchase.
It was late. The last stop was the Port Angeles farmers market, but by the time we got there, most of the farmers were packing up. The overcast, cool windy afternoon no longer lent itself to people lingering and chatting like they were at the Kingston or Sequim markets. The last time I had been to Port Angeles, the market seemed alive, yet this visit, later in the day gave the impression that it was one of those early market days where people might have stayed to talk in the morning hours but those people were long gone. The farmers had all put in a long day. Earlier, I had found out from Aubrey that Nash was out of town, so his presence at the market left an empty space. We were both glad to get back in the car and head back to Kingston where we caught the ferry back to Edmonds.
Update on Willie Greens: This farm in Monroe is truly amazing. Although Jeff says they are still behind, the warm spring weather has kept the ground warm enough so the crops that are filling his booths at the markets now are better than expected. Broccoli, pea pods, fresh spring turnips, strawberries and the fabulous greens his farm is known for, line his booth now. His loss is not quite as great as anticipated, and his optimistic attitude is something to be admired. Jim Meyer from Casdadian Farm Home Farm explained crop losses and farmers the best to me when he said, "Farmers are just crazy gamblers."
June 27, 2005
Victoria, BC
On a recent trip to Victoria we had a chance to check out the local food scene in British Columbia. Everyone had told us, "Have tea at the Empress Hotel; it's the experience you don't want to miss!" I'd have to say, visiting markets and seeing all the support for local artisans, was the best part of our visit. We did have tea; I was disappointed it was tea bags in a pot, but I'm probably not the average tea drinker, whose main experience might be Lipton tea. It was fairly good tasting mild tea, though I'm partial to the Assam tea I can get from Kuan Yin Teahouse on 45th in Wallingford. If you visit Seattle and you want good tea, go there. I requested extra vegetarian sandwiches at the Empress Hotel. The cream cheese with gingered carrots was such and interesting taste combination, I imagined substituting Port Madison cheese for the cream cheese and coming up with my own local tea sandwiches. I wondered if the cucumber sandwiches would fare well on whole-wheat bread sandwiches. The strawberries were locally grown, but the taste was nothing compared to Many Hands strawberries from Cascadian Farm -- Home Farm. After tea, we walked to a farmers market that was on Menzes Street. There were more crafts than farmers and there were a few vendors with baked goods -- one with dog biscuits, so I got some treats for the dogs. With the bread and pastry vendors, I wondered how many different meat pies a person can find there. Don't they go bad out in the heat of the day? Just a thought. Another thought: it would have been nice to see a vegetarian pie, with fresh locally grown roasted or grilled vegetables. No matter how full I was, I could always find room for something like that.
Where ever you go in Victoria, you can find vegetarian options. The Tapa bar was well advertised and when we stopped in for a quick afternoon drink, the grilled vegetable selections sounded wonderful. There were two notable vegetarian restaurants-Green Cuisine and The Lotus Pond. The Lotus Pond was small but packed with people all enjoying vegan Dim Sum. Green Cuisine had a buffet and an excellent vegan bakery where everything was made with whole-grain flours and unrefined sweeteners. As we walked down Government Street we found a pizza and deli called The Joint, where you can order vegan pizza and get a gluten-free crust if you request it.
We strolled down the usual tourist streets and walked through all the artisan shows and open markets there. At one market, I met a couple selling their cookbook called Cooking With BC Wines. It's a self-published book and it looked good, though probably not vegetarian. I regret not purchasing it there and then and plan on going to the website and get it from them. Look it up yourself, if you're interested at www.polyglotpublishing.com. It was written by Troy Townsin.
The trip to Butchart Gardens was worth the trip. The flower gardens are amazing, and of course I had to stop and get a mango sorbet before leaving which was heavenly. Foodwise, I'd have to say that was the best part of the trip. But then, I am a fiend for frozen desserts. Our tour bus drove by so many farms. Fresh eggs were offered at a number of farms and you could see berries growing abundantly. We got my friend Pam some Nasturtium Jelly before leaving. I always look for a unique food item she would enjoy. All said, it was a warm relaxing trip.
July 10
Two market demos
On July 23, I will do a cooking demo at Mrs. Cooks in the University Village Mall from 12 to 3pm. I plan on going to the University District Farmers Market in the morning and will create my taste demonstration around what is fresh and plentiful that week at the market. I'm thinking about roasted tiny yellow summer squash with garlic-lemon sauce and something with peaches from my dessert section of my book. Who knows? I love to be inspired by produce from local farmers. Free recipes from the demo and copies of my book will be on hand at this demo. Stop by for some local taste treats.
On August 20, I will be at the Magnolia Farmers Market at 11:00 am. Again I have not decided on what to create yet, but August is excellent for peppers, corn, heirloom tomatoes and eggplant. I love them all. Stop by and taste the local flavors I'l cook up. Free recipes from the demo and copies of my book will also be on hand for this demo. I would love to talk with anyone about local farms or produce selections and recipe ideas at either demo.
August 23, 2005
A good day
A good day was spent going to two farmers markets. The first was Pike Place Market and the second Columbia City was only really good today because Armando was there selling his salsa. I had only really gone there to see Melissa do a demo, but it was Naomi and not Melissa doing the cooking demo. The traffic was enough to give me a headache and combined with the heat it could set me on edge.
When I got to the market, problems with the traffic slipped away from my mind. Pike Place Market is the perfect destination on a sunny August afternoon. Too bad so many others and tourists had the same idea. Not that there's anything wrong with the lurking out-of-towners but it would have been perfect, it if was only me and a few locals strolling around.
I stopped at Left Bank Books first with a few books, then sold a few to Tenzing Mo Mo. I'm fond of many of the stores that carry my books. I love the left-wing political posters in Left Bank Books and the sign behind the register that says, "This store is controlled by its workers." I wondered if anyone had ever written a history of the store and published it. Left Bank Books and Touchstone Bakery are the only two true collectives in Seattle. Someone did a disertation on the two places. Lara from Touchstone told me that. The people at Left Bank Books said such nice things about my book. I like to keep it in their stores.
Tenzing Mo Mo is always a little odd. I love everything about that store. Any herb you would want is there. Many of the people who work there are a wealth of information. All the strange jars behind the register and various ointoments and salves on shelves around. It's dark when you step inside. It's almost like you've stepped back into the 70's. There used to be a guy named Thundercloud who read cards on some days. I don't remember how much it cost. I wonder if he's still around. This is a place I would stop if I was vacationing in Seattle.
I'd ordered a dozen white fleshed peaches from Rama. I am a devout fan of Red Havens. To me, they have the best peach sweetness, flavor and juice. I stood beside my car with the peaches and I closed my eyes and inhaled. The sweet aroma of peach enveloped me. I bit hesitantly into this white fruit and I was immediately caught by surprise. The skin was slightly tough, but inside was all juicy flesh, dripping with complex peach flavors. Flavors that I wanted to hang onto and dream about. I held a pieces in my mouth and chewed slowly. I fell into a daze and before I knew it the peach was gone and I was tempted to reach for another. I couldn't wait to share this joy with my friend, Rachel.
When I got home I ate two more. I shared the sun and a peach with Abe in the back doorway. "It doesn't get any better than this," I said to my long-time best friend.
Enjoy the flavors of summer wherever you are. Let the memories carry you through to the next season. I'll definately have to freeze or dehydrate these if they are there again next week.
August 4, 2004
3 Markets, peaches and the best-tasting blueberries
Food finds and they are bursting from the seams now. I think I have been enjoying fresh berries, melons and peaches too much to take time for writing.
In July, summer harvest explodes, markets are fragrant with flowers and filled with the local farm produce. At Pike Place Market on organic Wednesdays I thought I could avoid crowds but it is elbow to elbow with tourists and locals moving slow and browsing. I'm amazed at how this long-time national attraction has transformed into a giant flower market with huge bunches of cut fresh flowers for only ten or fifteen dollars.
The organic produce vendors are in front of the market. A couple of weeks ago I found fresh garbanzos from the Alvarez Family Farm booth. It was like finding a rare piece of beach glass on a crowded beach. What a find! I just had to have a taste. Cooked, the beans melted like butter in my mouth. I cooked them with tomato sauce and tiny fresh okra. If you don't go to markets on a weekly basis you miss these finds. I also got some Rama apricots so rich with flavor and dripping with apricot juice so thick it was like syrup. These are pure heaven.
One Sunday I stopped by the West Seattle Farmers market. Inside the market, there were lots of familiar faces. Many of the same farm vendors as the University District Market were there. So if you miss the University District Market on Saturday, you can go to West Seattle on Sunday. It's just as crowded as the University District Market, but the parking isn't as
tight. At the University District Market people are watching their cars closely now since the
meter maid gets lots of city revenue by writing up lots of tickets there.
Peaches just arrived at the University District market. I had signed up to get a two layer box of Rama peaches weeks ago, and last weekend ate peaches with carefee abundance. I love the deep sweet taste is the best around. All that sweetness the peaches is because of the heat and dry weather Eastern Washington gets. My idea of heaven is blueberries from Many Hands at Cascadian Farm Roadside Stand and peaches from Rama in the heat of summer. (Read my recent sustainability profile in the Sound Consumer at www.pccnaturalmarkets.com).
The Edmonds Farmers Market is where you want to take out-of-town visitors. There are crafts as well as farmers there and there are lots of vendors in the middle of summer. This market is on Saturdays from 10 to 3. Go early or you may not get around he entire market. Here you can purchase produce, jewelry, cooked foods, jams, bread and pastries, candy, nuts,
cheese, cards, clothing, music, flowers-there is even a rummage sale to support the Edmonds museum.
I sampled all the blueberries at the various markets I've gone to and determined this year Rent's Due Ranch and Many Hands Blueberries are the very best. You can find Rent's Due Ranch at the University District Market on Saturdays and Lake City Market on Thursdays. Many Hands
blueberries are available at PCC Natural Markets, Madison Market and Skagit Valley Co-op, or drive up to the Roadside Stand near Rockport for a scenic summer drive, play in the Skagit River across the highway then get some blueberry shortcake while you're there.
