Archives for February 2007
Fresh, local produce…what’s not to love
- Dick Cheney will not be allowed to visit the farm while carrying a gun.
- You’ll get a potato shaped like Anna Nicole’s face and you’ll sell it on eBay for lots of money.
- You’ll get the best, fresh succulent garlic…ever.
- You’ll know where your food comes from and who grew it.
- The produce comes to you in a container that is reused every week.
- You’ll pick peas, boil corn, and create pesto (if you want).
- You’ll get the best organic produce, eggs, cheese, and fruit delivered to a convenient pick-up site.
- You’ll be the first to brag at the office that you had hoop-house lettuce for dinner.
- You’ll get a rebate from Physician’s Plus.
- You’ll be a part of a local food system that focuses on taste, nutrition, local economies, and respect for the land.
We geeks are all about love and about sharing the love. Today’s love is about Vermont Valley Community Farm, the CSA that we’ve been a part of for at least five years. It is sign-up time for the Spring and Summer shares and I know you don’t want to miss out on some of the most delicious produce on earth.
Vermont Valley is farmed by Barb and Dave Perkins. With the help of friends, family and CSA members they have cultivated a farm that fed over 1,100 families last season. The Spring share is our favorite because it is the first leafy greens of the year and we just can’t get enough of them. I always look forward to the Vermont Valley Watercress and Ramps. The Summer share is stunning with its variety plus the abundance of the two major food groups…tomatoes and sweet corn. In the Fall they offer a storage share that will keep you well stocked in tubers and roots. They also offer an organic fruit share that consists of ten deliveries of fresh, organic fruit from some of the best farms in the U.S. We’ve found this share to be delight and it certainly doesn’t last long around here…but then what does. Fresh eggs and goat cheese from Dreamfarm are also delivered and I’m telling you I haven’t found better eggs anywhere…they are superb.
So if you’re a Dane County local and you’re contemplating a CSA membership this year, or even if you aren’t, you should check out Vermont Valley’s website. If you have any questions feel free to send me an email, as you can tell I’m more than happy to talk about Vermont Valley CSA.
Leave the gun, take the cannolis
Here’s another thing you didn’t know about me: my all time favorite movie is the The Godfather.
BTW…tonight’s dinner sucked. It was supposed to be another inspired foray into leftover/pantry cooking but something went amuck…yes amuck. It was a compilation of frozen artichoke hearts, leftover roasted chicken, aged Mahon cheese, garlic, onion, a bit of smoked pork jowl, and black olives. I can now clearly see that there were way too many strong flavors vying for my meager attention…ah well we live and learn.
Good things about today: we are experiencing a respite from those unthinkable temperatures we had a last week, and the week before last…etc. I’m back to walking with that dog through the conservancy and during our absence the foxes have been busy. There is carnage all over the trail leading to and from the fox den. This is a picture of some of the carnage…filed under “what I found on my walk today”. Yes, I’m a sharer, I love to share.
Dinner was made more entertaining not only by that second glass of chardonnay but also by Anthony Bourdain’s excursion to New Jersey (please use the correct New Jersey accent as you read this paragraph). His show is one of my favs and I loved this episode because he featured Bob-O-Link Farm, a small farm run by people who believe in selling direct to the consumer. The ending featured Tony and Mario Batali at a pastry shop sampling the Italian pastries. They got a dozen cannolis to go and I was left thinking that Tony didn’t exactly get what he deserved…if ya know what I mean.
Don’t let your meatloaf…loaf
I only make meatloaf once or twice a year but I always use Alton Brown’s recipe. It turns out a moist, delicious meatloaf with a great texture. The leftovers make excellent sandwiches. I’ve provided the recipe in my usual format for your convenience and here’s the link to Alton Brown’s recipe at the Food Network.
Good Eats Meat Loaf
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown
6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and broken
3 whole cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
18 ounces ground chuck
18 ounces ground sirloin
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
For the glaze:
1/2 cup catsup
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey
Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.
Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.
Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.
Recipe Summary: Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 45 minutes, Yield: 6 to 8 servings
User Rating: 4 Stars
Episode#: EA1B11Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
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