The Real Dirt on Spuds

Posted on April 19, 2012 by

The promise of a great harvest.

It’s been a wild week for us!  We received our seed potatoes and onion sets on Wednesday from Moose Tubers in Waterville, Maine.  We try to get our ordern to them in early January, hoping for the best selection.  This year we are growing 10 varieties of spuds.  I remember when I first came to the farm five years ago, I had thought that potatoes were virtually all the same, regardless of the variety.  Oh contraire!  Not only do they vary in skin and flesh color, but their texture and flavor are unique to each variety as well.  Some are good for baking or roasting, while others are better mashed or in salads.  There are some varieties that can literally make me swoon, like Purple Vikings, Rose Finn Apple Fingerlings and Katahdin.

Potatoes prefer well-drained fertile soil.  As some of you know, we grow in clay which is a blessing and a curse.  A blessing when most things go well and we get plenty of sunshine, a curse when Mother Nature sends too much rainfall.  I’m not much of a gambler, but farming can certainly be a crap-shoot!  Normally you plant potatoes when the soil is about 55-60 degrees and dry enough to work easily.  We had near perfect conditions this year, as we have not seen rain for over a week.  It is also suggested, to plant potatoes when the dandelions are in bloom (which from the looks of it are more than abundant)!   Planting has been much easier for us ever since Val’s Potato Rickshaw was constructed.  We use this not only for potato and onion planting, but for garlic and tomatoes as well.  It saves our knees, backs and our dispositions.  Within three days we were able to plant 7,000 sets of onions and 650 pounds of seed potatoes!  The rule of thumb is for every 10 pounds of seed potatoes planted, we should yield 100 pounds of potatoes.  As we are not mechanized, that’s a lot of digging!  Although extremely labor intensive, it remains a favorite crop.

There are early, mid-season and late-season varieties of potatoes.  Fingerlings are mid-season and are 5-7 times more expensive than traditional potatoes.  This year we opted for two varieties:  LaRatte and Rose Finn Apple.  LaRatte is yellow-skinned and yellow-fleshed that is plumper than most fingerlings.  They are all the rage in Europe and have been described as having a  perfect texture.  Rose Finn Apple has been a favorite of our farm for several years, with pinkish skin and light yellow flesh.  Considered waxy with a dreamy creaminess that is as unforgettable as its name.

Our early potatoes are the ever favorite Yukon Gold, its relative Red Gold, and Chieftain.  Yukon has a yellow-buff skin and yellow flesh.  Its familiarity bodes well at market for those customers who hate change.  Red Gold is quite similar to Yukon  and comes on even earlier, which makes it all the rage as a ‘new potato’.  They need only a light steam and a toss in butter, and a touch of salt.  Chieftain comes on a little later,  with its red skin and white flesh.  Its texture is more floury, which makes it suitable for roasting.  Unlike most of the early’s it also stores well.

Our mid-season varieties are Purple Vikings and Yellow Finn.  Purple Vikings, one of my personal favorites, has pinkish-purple skin with white flesh.  Don’t be fooled by its good-looks alone, I found that it really shines in potato salad and is also good baked or roasted.  I enjoy combining it with an additional color like Chieftain when I make our Brickyard Farms potato salad.  Yellow Finn are pear-shaped with yellow skin and flesh.  They are excellent for both roasting and baking and are raved about for home-made gnocchi.

Last, but by no means least are our late-season varieties:  Bintje, Red Pontiac and Katahdin.  Bintje, grown originally by the Dutch (who know a thing or two about potatoes) since 1905.  It is the most widely grown yellow-fleshed potato in the world, due to its adaptability to a wide range of soil types, storability and growth habits.  It is reported to have  exquisite flavor.  Red Pontiac with its red skin and white flesh is a favorite for mashed potatoes.  This historical potato has been cultivated since the 1800′s and is known for its sweet flavor and creamy texture.  Finally we have Katahdin.  Known by the Irish and Maine potato growers as the choice winter potato.  I have never had a better mashed potato in the life!  Its texture is so creamy that I close my eyes as I eat.  It also stores well, as do most late-season types.

Now you might think that with all this potato talk that I might share a recipe for a gratin or potato salad; and that was my original intention.  However my sister-in-laws surprised us with 12 of the most beautiful Meyer lemons from the tree in their back yard.  We decided to be spontaneous and make Val’s Lemon Bars with them instead.

Beautiful Meyer Lemons.

Val’s Lemon Bars

Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more to sprinkle on finished bars
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 8 Tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter, softened but still cool, cut into 1 inch pieces
Filling:
  • 7 large egg yolks, plus 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup juice & 1/4 cup finely grated zest from 4-5 lemons
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) sweet butter,  cut into 4 pieces
  • 3 Tbsp heavy cream

  1. FOR THE CRUST:  Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Fold two 16-inch pieces of foil lengthwise to measure 9 inches wide.  Fit one sheet into the bottom of the greased pan, pushing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan, the overhang will help in removal of the baked bars.  Fit the second sheet in the pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet.  Spray the sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Place the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt in a food processor and process briefly.  Add the butter and process to blend, 8-10 seconds, then process until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses.  Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  3. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the crust until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

    Preparing filling

  4. FOR THE FILLING:  Start the filling as soon as crust is in oven as it will need to be poured into the warm crust.  In a medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together the yolks and whole eggs until combined, about 5 seconds.  Add the granulated sugar and whisk until just combined, about 5 seconds.  Add the lemon juice, zest and salt; whisk    again until combined, 5 seconds more.  Transfer the mixture into a medium nonreactive saucepan, add the butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the curd thickens to a thin sauce-like consistency and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes.  Immediately pour the curd through a single-mesh steel strainer set over a nonreactive bowl.  Stir in the heavy cream; pour the curd onto the warm crust immediately.
  5. Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and center 3 inches jiggle slightly when shaken, 10-15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes.  Remove the bars from the pan using the foil handles to a cutting board or decorative plate.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar.  Cut into 2 1/4 inch squares, wiping knife clean between cuts as necessary.

Almost ready.

Beautiful and delicious!

Life is uncertain.  Eat dessert first.  ~Ernestine Ulmer

Posted in Farm News, Raves, Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tomato Dreams

Posted on April 4, 2012 by

I was staring out our kitchen window this morning,  taking in all the beautiful spring green around the farm.  I’ve already mowed the grass twice, and many of the trees are in an advanced stage of leafing out.  After the warmest March on record, nature seems to have tapped the breaks with the return of evening frost warnings.  Spring fever hit me hard this year.  I recognize with seasonal temperatures back in the 40′s, that getting out the shorts and sandals, was indeed premature; but I just couldn’t help myself.

It begins with all those little seeds.

Grow, grow, grow!

The brief burst of warm weather did allow us to get a jump on a few things.  Our land has been tilled for spring planting and we have our garlic, beets, carrots, lettuce and spinach planted.  Our greenhouse is filled with over 8100 tomato seeds, along with peppers, herbs and cabbage.  It’s hard to believe that market starts in less than a month!  It will be interesting to see all the new renovations that have taken place during the winter months.  We are labeling soaps during rainy days, and are trying to get more time in the shop for making spoons and salt cellars for something new this year.

But the thing that keeps me going right now is the dream of warm days to come.  I am anxious for three things: garlic, tomatoes and basil.  As a foodie who loves growing food, life would be a little empty without the sweet, pungent, aromatic taste of those three things.  For me it borders on a religious experience.  We are almost through our stock of sauces, pesto and salsa.  As much as I enjoy using all those wonderful homemade foods, nothing will ever beat fresh.  When the tomatoes are on, I will eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.  BLT’s, uncooked tomato sauce, caprese salad, gazpacho, salsa, bruchetta and pesto are all on the menu for summer eating in the screened-in porch with lake breezes and good friends.  In the mean time I will practice being in the present with the beautiful Swiss chard from our  hoop-house.  My two favorite ways are sauteed and topped with a poached egg or combined with garlic-cream and pancetta for Swiss chard casserole.  My brother-in-law who “hated” Swiss chard had seconds, twice.

Swiss Chard Casserole

Preparing Swiss chard for the casserole

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 slices pancetta, diced
  • 1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed & drained, stems removed & chopped into 1/4 inch slices, leaves cut into ribbons (stems = 2 1/2 cups, leaves = 7-8 cups)
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a shallow 5-6 cup ceramic gratin dish.  Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter and toss it with the breadcrumbs; set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and garlic to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes, reducing the cream to about 3/4 cup.  Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 12 inch nonstick skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat until crisp and browned.  Drain on paper towels reserving 1 Tbsp fat in skillet.  Add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter to skillet and melt.  Add the chard stems and saute over medium heat until they are soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Add chard leaves.  Saute about 2-3 or until wilted.
  4. With tongs, transfer the contents to gratin dish, leaving any excess liquid in skillet.  Spread evenly. 
  5. Sprinkle pancetta over chard.  Top with pecorino cheese.  Pour the seasoned cream over all and top with buttered breadcrumbs.  Bake until golden and bubbly, about 25 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Creamy and savory.

Serves 4-6
“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.”  –Voltaire
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Occupy Your Garden!

Posted on March 25, 2012 by

Need we say more?

So let me ask…..how many of you have vegetable gardens?  How many of you frequent farmer’s markets?  Until I lived and worked on a farm, I was pretty clueless about growing food.  So why should we be concerned?

Food gardens and orchards were once common in the western world, but have been replaced by manicured lawns and a few ornamentals.  How is this possible when surveys show gardening as our favorite pastime?  Yet when it comes to whole food, the closest most of us get is the local produce section of our grocery stores.  The enlightened might venture out to the farmer’s market and hopefully spend their food dollars with a genuine farmer.

Not long ago we were an agricultural rather than industrial society.  Most farms were family farms until the 1940′s.  These farms were not mono-cultures, but grew and raised a variety of vegetables, fruits and livestock.  These were largely self-sustaining farms that grew their own feed grains to feed their livestock, using field rotation and organic methods.  They would compost and return their manure to their fields to fertilize the soil.  Pests were controlled by having multiple crops in smaller fields.  Although it was labor intensive, the hoe and the plow were the weed control methods of the day.

Enter WWII.  Many left family farms to serve, creating an exodus to the cities by many who no longer valued agrarian life.  There was opportunity in the city.  With this change came the battle cry of bigger is better; mono-crops replaced the thoughtful and common sense approach to farming.  Cheap petroleum, along with new science, created the world of pesticides, to address the new push of agribusiness for mono-crops.  Commodities replaced food.  Herbicides were the preferred weed control method.  Free range animals were sequestered into feed lots, resulting in the need for preemptive antibiotics.  Chemicals were more cost-effective than manual labor.  The family farm was lost.

Rachel Carlson was before her time when she wisely commented: “Future historians may well be amazed at our distorted sense of proportion.  How could intelligent human beings  seeking to control a few unwanted species by a method that contaminated the entire environment and brought the threat of disease and death even to their own kind?”

Our food system is more fragile than we realize.  Dr. Vandana Shiva stated, “Seeds controlled by Monsanto, agribusiness trade controlled by Cargill, processing controlled by Pepsi and Phillip Morris, retail controlled by Wal-Mart–is a recipe for food dictatorship.  We must occupy the food system to create food democracy.”

As these concerns play out, organic farming and the local food movement has tried to respond by educating the consumer about how to change our food system to become more sustainable.  Concerns about quantity over quality, profit over sustainability and the environment, will need to be seriously addressed in our lifetime.  Our current industrial practices are not sustainable.

I had never put up food before I came to the farm over 5 years ago.  I would simply purchase whatever I needed whenever I needed it.  I was not conscious of the connection between food and health.  When fresh became my motto, I learned that if I planted it, raised it and harvested it, it’s going to taste better than if I bought it.  Fresh herbs and whole foods became my passion.

Becoming a partner of a 5.5 acre vegetable truck-farm was what it took to turn the proverbial corner.  Growing food has changed my life in a multitude of ways.  Now I can tomatoes in all their various guises:  sauce, whole, chopped, salsa, as well as my own Puttanesca relish.  I freeze dozens of trays of roasted tomatoes to use in future recipes.  I can homemade apple sauce and fruit butters, pickle beets and ginger peaches.  I freeze fresh corn and pole and shelling beans, along with strawberries and blueberries for smoothies.  We harvest eggs almost daily from our laying birds and feed them our vegetable scraps.  Val has learned to make home-made bread, and has turned into an excellent baker.

Now you might ask, “How in the world do you find the time?”  My response to that is twofold; one, we are NOT television watchers, and two, it’s a labor of love.  The flavor of home-grown vegetables is so superior, I literally find the time.  Since doing this we have cut our grocery food budget by more than half, saving thousands of dollars annually.  But the monetary savings is only one form of wealth.  We are so much richer for the life on our farm.  The sound of birdsong, the physical labor, the smell of fresh earth, the excitement of watching seeds grow into mature plants, which produce vegetables so good that you close your eyes when you eat.  This is not a need for nostalgia, but a prayer of gratitude for seeing with new sight.  Knowing what is possible when food is home-grown or grown locally, makes me want to sing its praises and encourage others to dynamite their lawn and put in a food garden.

Family relationships become deeper when you work together and a family food garden is a great place to start.  When seeds are planted, there is a sense of purpose; a stewardship of your plot of land.  With attention to what’s needed your efforts will be rewarded with food grown with your own hands for your own table.  I know each spring when row after row of seeds are sown, there is nothing quite like the thrill of seeing rows of tiny green seedlings breaking ground and reaching for the sun.  It’s a birth and there you stand like a proud parent.

Then it starts.  You read, you experiment, and you want the best for those seedlings.  How much water is too much; how much too little?  Those little seedlings will inform you whether or not you are on the right track.  You will weed and weed again.  Each day you will observe.  Didn’t it grow twice as big after the last rain?  You will curse the cut-worm or slug that caused it to fail.  You will take it personally.  You will uncover your creativity and discover solutions for problems and challenges.  All the while, each of you will be invested in the outcome.  With shovel and hoes in hand, your investment will bare fruit as you slowly become closer to the earth and each other.  You will find that you do indeed reap what you sow.  If your space is limited, you might consider incorporating vegetables in your perennial garden as borders or backdrop.  Many vegetables offer both color and texture to the aesthetic eye.

So start now.  Whether it’s a few pots on your balcony or deck, or planning a small 10 x 10 plot; learn what it takes to grow food.  The learning curve is immense, but the reward will more than match your efforts.  What I have learned about farming and growing food is not planted in the soil, but in the heart.  In these fields of plenty, we are all asked to the table.

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.”  –May Sarton

Posted in Essays, Food Issues, Rants, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

March Madness!

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

Does this look like March in Michigan to you?

No, it’s not hoops and the tourney, but some of the oddest weather we’ve ever seen.  We just finished up with an extremely mild winter.  We only had three significant snow falls, which were literally gone 3-4 days later.  The entire season was back and forth, up and down.  But now, what do you say to temperatures over 35 degrees above normal?  We have set record after record already for this time of year.  If I thought I was disoriented during the winter, I’m totally confused having late May in mid March!

Our family in California is having colder than normal temps, while we are in shorts and sleeveless shirts!  Although there are still some hold-outs claiming that climate change is bad science and a conspiracy, I for one am quite convinced of its truth.  The question is what do we make of all this weather stuff anyway?  As a farmer, if the weather can’t teach you flexibility, nothing will.  So here we are getting a jump on our season, by tilling six weeks ahead of schedule.  What the heck, just take each day as it comes, stay flexible and get going!

Towanda and I getting ready to till one of our fields.

Towanda and me getting ready to till one of our fields.

Beautiful soil, ready for planting.

For those of you who have followed our adventures in farming, you know that our garlic crop has been a lesson in itself!  We have had success and failure due to weather extremes and growing in clay.  We have lost thousands of dollars in seed stock, yet stay committed to a crop that gives us such joy we refuse to give up on it.  After three consecutive years of frustration, Val decided to get completely out of the box.  When traditional methods fail, its time to rely on your own knowledge of your land, its cycles and its personality.  We have purchased seed stock for many years.  Last year, we had some seed stock that did not look viable and I was heading for the compost pile.  Just before I was ready to chuck it, Val told Zac and I we were going to plant it.  We couldn’t believe it!  Quick frankly, it looked like crap, not to mention it was the wrong time of the year.  Yet plant it we did….when will I learn?  By fall, we had some of the highest quality single bulb seed stock we had ever seen! We were clearly on to something!  Seed stock adapted to our land and climate could be the ticket to success.  Time will tell.  It takes two years for this method to come to fruition.  If it works, we will no longer need to purchase garlic stock, which could save us thousands of dollars annually.

Seed stock

So since it’s May in March, we have opened up the screened-in porch and have already enjoyed gin and tonics, along with a rousing game of Mexican Train dominoes.  Today after tilling we decided to retrieve some fresh-frozen cannellini beans from our freezer and make a warm bean and herb salad.  The hoop-house herbs are looking great, particularly because of our mild winter.  It’s one of the many ways to use fresh beans, and pairs well with anything on the grill.

cup

Fresh herbs from the hoop-house.

Warm Bean Salad With Olives and Herbs

  • 3 cups drained cooked white beans, such as cannellini, navy or flageolets; (reserving 1/3 cup of cooking liquid)
  • 2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 4 large fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
  • 3-4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Yummy ingredients


  1. Place beans in a medium nonstick skillet and set aside.
  2. To make the dressing, in a small skillet, combine the olive oil and garlic over low heat, and cook until garlic is soft, about 3 minutes.
  3. Increase heat to medium and add the rosemary and thyme.  Cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Do not let garlic brown.
  4. Add the bean cooking liquid and olives, increase heat to high and boil for 30 seconds.
  5. Scatter the parsley and basil over the beans and pour the dressing over the beans, tossing to coat.  Heat until beans are warm and most of the dressing has been absorb by the beans.  Serve warm.
Serves 4

Wonderful, warm and satisfying!

“It’s spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ”   ~Mark Twain

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The Devil’s in the Details

Posted on February 24, 2012 by

Being vegetable farmers, we don’t eat out a lot.  When we do go into town and want to eat out, we tend to stay away from chain restaurants.  In a pinch we are willing to eat at Panera or Chipotle.  There are many reasons for this that I won’t go into now, but suffice it to say, we can eat better at home.

We did however find ourselves in Panera the other day for lunch.  I was desperate for the restroom at the time, so while Val was ordering I hurriedly headed in that direction.  I opened the door to find a man standing there.  He looked surprised, then annoyed.  I gave him my best disapproving look and slipped into a stall, promptly locking myself in.  I waited until I heard the thud of the restroom door and let out a sigh of relief.  What was he doing in here anyway?  Hopefully he wasn’t a pervert!  Maybe he was just confused?  No, I thought and settled on jerk.  I finished my business, unlocked the stall and headed to the sink to wash my hands.  It was then I noticed the urinals to my right.  My face flushed bright red in the mirror.  I gathered my pride, picked up my 2 inch self and quietly slithered out of the restroom, hoping desperately to go unnoticed.  They really should make those signs bigger!  Walking briskly past the gentleman who had been in the men’s room, I flashed him my best smile, although my flushed face was a dead giveaway.  I sat down across from Val and said, “I think I’ve lost my appetite.”

“How come?”

I was full of humble pie.  All the way home we would look at each other, laugh hysterically and I would just shake my head.  I was so sure.  Once home it was clear that I needed some comfort food.  We settled on homemade Mac-N-Cheese.  At least it was something I could be sure of!

Assembling the ingredients

In the beginning, mac-n-cheese for me was made with good old-fashioned Velveeta and plenty of it.  Then we upgraded to Kraft, as it was cheep and easy.  Sometimes we would even jazz it up with a little diced ham.  After having my fill of this approach, when I was single and low on cash, I started looking for the real thing.  I soon found there are many approaches to homemade mac-n-cheese.  I now use a version which enables me to use many different kinds of cheese, along with protein and vegetable additions.  I appreciate a recipe that offers so much flexibility and that can be adjusted to the diners preferences.  Top it with homemade breadcrumbs and bake it for a real down-home and satisfying dish.

Flexible Mac-N-Cheese:

For the topping

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups coarse, fresh breadcrumbs, lightly toasted
  • 2 Tbsp finely grated Pecorino cheese

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Place bread crumbs on cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and toast lightly (about 8-10 minutes).  Place toasted bread crumbs in bowl and toss with butter, garlic and cheese.  Set aside.
For the cheese sauce
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 cups whole milk
  • Kosher salt
  • 3-5 cups of freshly grated soft cheese such as: Sharp Cheddar, Gruyère, Comte, Gouda, Fontina, Monterey Jack or Havarti
  • 1 cup finely grated accent cheese such as:  Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, Feta, Chevre or Mascarpone

Melt butter in a heavy-duty saucepan or Dutch oven on low.  Whisk in flour and continue to whisk over low heat for about 3 minutes.  The butter and flour should gently bubble without coloring.

Making a roux for the cheese sauce

Slowly add the milk, while whisking constantly.  Whisk until the sauce is smooth and has the consistency of heavy cream, about 6-10 minutes.  Raise the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a simmer, continuing to whisk constantly.  Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and gently whisk in your cheeses and any herbs and spices you have selected.

  
Optional Herbs or Spices
  • 1 1/2 tsp fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage or 1/4 cup of parsley (no more than two)
  • 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper, dry mustard or toasted and ground cumin or 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper or nutmeg (no more than two)
Add-Ins (optional)
  • Combinations of vegetables and/or proteins up to 3 cups such as:  frozen peas, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, ham or prosciutto, scallions, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, chard or kale, bacon or pancetta, jalapeno or Serrano chiles. 
Make sure you cut and cook your vegetables until just tender or al-dente before adding them.  Fry your bacon or pancetta ahead of time, then drain on paper towels.                        
Pasta
  • Use 16 oz or 1 lb of pasta such as:  elbows, shells, penne, campanelle, ziti, cavatappi, rotini or pipette.
Boil the pasta according to package directions, less one minute.  Drain and place it back in warm pot to combine the rest of the ingredients.  I do this while I’m making the cheese sauce.  Mix pasta, cheese sauce and  add-ins to combine.  Place in 13×9 inch casserole dish, and top with reserved breadcrumbs.  Place in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until hot and breadcrumbs are golden.  Serve immediately.
Serves 6

This version has spinach, ham, Monterey Jack, Fontina & Pecorino

“Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening.”  –author unknown

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Cabbage Rolls Revisited

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

I love cabbage rolls.  My mother-in-law Elsa made them for me the first time in the early 80′s.  She mixed beef and pork together with onions and rice, placed them in cabbage leaves and tied them with thread.  She called this peasant-food.  Her son John and I called it heaven.  The first time I tried making cabbage rolls I was surprised just how bad I was at getting the leaves separated from the head in one piece.  I kept saying, “It can’t be that hard!”  Yet I was terrible at it.  This surprised me as I feel pretty confident in the kitchen; I just couldn’t get the technique down.  I would either tear the leaves or end up with mush.

The other day when I was dusting my study, I picked up Elsa’s picture and said, “I sure do miss your cabbage rolls.”  I decided to get out of the box and approach it differently.  Why not turn it into a casserole I thought?  It would be less time-consuming and we could enjoy it more often.  While I was getting out of the box, I decided to use ground lamb, different spices and feta for a different take on it completely.

Assembling the ingredients

Doing the cabbage “rolls” as a casserole allowed me to follow my own whimsy.  I could shake it up a bit with non-traditional spices and be able to enjoy more cabbage in the process.

Ready for mixing

Lots more cabbage!

Cabbage and Lamb Casserole

  • 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 lbs), remove core, half and slice in 1/2 inch sections
  • 1 lb ground organic lamb
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large farm-fresh egg
  • 4 oz (1 cup) crumbled feta
  • 1/2 cup short-grain rice, such as Arborio
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano (1 1/2 tsp dried)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1  15 oz can chopped tomatoes (I used our own canned tomatoes)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (I also used homemade)
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a 13×9 inch casserole dish with butter.
  2. Cut cabbage in half, core, then slice in 1/2 inch wedges.  Place the wedges in casserole dish so that they overlap each other in two rows.
  3. In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the lamb, onion, egg, rice, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, cumin, fennel, salt and pepper.  Place on top of cabbage, leaving a 1 inch space around the sides of casserole so that cabbage shows through.
  4. Combine the tomatoes and chicken broth in a medium bowl, then pour the mixture over the meat.  Cover with foil (shiny side down).
  5. Bake covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.  Let stand 15 minutes.
Yield:  6 servings

Ready for the oven

New traditions!

“A smiling face is half the meal.”  –Latvian quote

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Awakening Curious George

Posted on February 2, 2012 by

The view out our kitchen window on Sunday

Our view today, just four days later

Our seesaw winter continues.  Winter blows in, then spring comes barking at its heels.  It leaves me feeling unsettled and edgy.  I can’t quite relax with all this change blowing around me.  Usually winter evokes a certain sense of solitude and quiet.  It is the time that I generally read and write.  These days I find it difficult to find my center.  My writing projects are left scattered across my desk, waiting for me to settle in and focus.  Before long  we will be in the greenhouse planting tomatoes and the opportunity for writing will be gone.  I have always found my true north by the seasons.  I could never live in an area where there wasn’t a solid delineation for each one, some internal call for change, yet the seasons themselves seem confused and muddled; their ambiguity disorienting.

When confused, I find there are two things that help immensely, my home and my thirst for discovery.  My home offers me a sense of place where I am loved unconditionally.  Without it I would be a boat without a rudder.  My sense of discovery helps me to not wallow in my insecurities and self-pity.  The other day while I was going dishes, Val came in with a hand-made spoon.  ”Look what I made!  Would you like to try?”  I looked at her with doubt.  I had never used power tools in my life.  I put on my coat and followed her out to the barn.  We looked at the wood we had recently had our friend Ted mill for us from a fallen cherry tree on her father’s property.  ”You don’t see grain like this anymore,” she said.  ”You won’t believe how much character it has when you start working with it.”  I heard a voice whisper, “carpe diem” in my ear.  I looked at the wood in front of me, and selected a piece that might make a good salt-bowl.  Val used the band saw to cut it into a small cube, which I took over to the sander. Val offered some simple instruction about the mechanics of the sander, then stepped back and said, “Have at it!”  I held the cube in my hand, turning it over and over to examine its grain and how I might approach it.  I turned on the sander, took a deep breath and started rounding off the corners.  After a few moments I would look at it and adjust.  Before long it started to take shape.  To my surprise I was completely immersed and enjoying myself.  We figured out how to attach a lid with a brass pin and drill out the center for the salt.  I found myself learning by doing, developing a dimension of myself I had not yet tapped.  Since then I’ve made about a dozen salt containers complete with spoons.  Most of these have been given away as gifts.  We have ventured into spoons, spatulas and pasta/salad paddles.  As we explore we have decided to bring these items to market in May.  We feel these kitchen wood-crafts would complement our vegetable sales, along with bringing some much-needed revenue.  Since coming to the farm, I am shocked at how much life has been thrust my way.  It’s virtually impossible to be bored, although I am still learning to find the balance between being and doing.  One thing I can say is that I’ve never felt more alive.

My beautiful cherry salt-bowl

Solid cherry wood-crafts

We have scheduled Friday and/or Saturday to be our ‘shop’ days.  One of my favorite things to do before we go out, is to watch Val make her wonderful Lemon Scones.  There are few things better with a hot cup of coffee.  After trying many scone recipes over the years, Val has adapted this one from the Zuni Cafe cookbook.

Perfection!

Lemon Scones

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (we use King Arthur)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 pound cold butter (2 sticks)
  • Grated zest from one lemon
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 large farm fresh egg
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use silicone mats.
  2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking power, and slat in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
  3. Add lemon zest and butter.  Cut in the butter until it is the size of small peas.  Add golden raisins.
  4. Whisk together the egg and milk.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix and fold until the dough masses and the flour is absorbed.
  5. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 balls.  Pat each one into a 6 inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Cut like a pie into 6 wedges each.
  6. Bake until edges are lightly golden and firm to the touch, about 25-30 minutes.

Serve warm from the oven with lots of sweet butter to melt into all the crevices.

Yield: 12 scones

“Happiness is homemade.”

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Confessions of a Tree Hugger

Posted on January 21, 2012 by

Solitary against the winter sky.

It’s been a strange winter.  Here we are in the later part of January with only our second real snowfall.  It too will be gone sometime this week with temperatures in the upper 30′s during the day.  We’ve been in a cycle of bitter cold followed by moderate temperatures all season.  As farmer’s, the weather is of constant interest to us, as the reality of climate change has us planning for future weather extremes which seem to be the new ‘normal’.  We have found ways to extend our season, by building hoop houses.  We have diversified our crops so that if one fails due to unforeseen weather, we have other crops that might like warmer temperatures or higher amounts of precipitation, like potatoes and onions.  Each spring when we hit the ground running we realize not only are we getting a little older, we need to be more physically active during our off-season.

Main building at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

We are fortunate to have a wonderful environmental facility only 5 miles away from us, with excellent hiking trails on over 600 acres of land in Barry County.  Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is a cross between a nature center and a biological station.  Its mission is to teach personal stewardship for the land around us.  Whenever we hike the many trails we not only exercise our bodies, but our hearts, as we enjoy the gift of land that is cared for by its members and interns from various state-wide universities.  It is a great place to experience and learn from nature.

Quiet creek running through a wetland.

Section of beautiful Brewster Lake Trail, 1.8 miles

By going out on Pierce Cedar’s hiking trails 3 times a week we hope to be in shape to start our farm season in April.  Our two dogs Ella and Bleu know when I get Bleu’s harness out that we’re going for a hike.  Bleu can hardly contain himself.

Ella, Val & Bleu on the Old Farm Trail

When we return home, all the fresh air has our stomachs growling.  Our resident baker Val knew it was time for some home-made oatmeal cookies.  These are moist and chewy, with dried tart cherries from Well’s Orchard in Grand Rapids.  Healthy never tasted so good.

The freshest ingredients make the best cookies

Val’s Oatmeal Cookies

  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 Tbsp)
  • 1/2 granulated cane sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 farm fresh egg
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose organic flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 salt
  • 1/2 baking soda
  • 3 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup dried tart cherries
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats.  Alternately grease two baking sheets.
  2. Cream together the butter and both sugars until fluffy.  Add the egg and beat thoroughly.  Mix in the water and vanilla.
  3. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda; add to egg mixture and mix well.  Add the oats and cherries, and mix.
  4. Use a cookie scoop, placing 12 cookies evenly on mat; alternately use large spoons and form cookies using about 2-3 Tbsp of batter for large cookies.
  5. Bake until edges are done but the centers are still soft, 15-17 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Yield:  About 2 dozen cookies

Ready for the oven

These won't last long!

“If cookies be the food of love….munch on!”  –Dame Judi Dench

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What Goes Around Comes Around

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

It sometimes seems like it’s the little things.  An unexpected smile or phone call, someone shares a story that touches you.  I was in the bank today making a deposit, when one of the tellers shared with me that when she was checking out at the grocery store the other day, the cashier was admiring the silver ring on her finger.  She said it would be nice to have something like that to leave her granddaughter someday.  Without hesitating the teller gave the cashier her ring.  She immediately blushed and said, “I couldn’t possibly take it.” to which the teller said, “Of course you can.”

I grabbed her hand and said, “Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story.  I wish all of us were as quick to give without expectation.”  I left the bank feeling a little lighter.   I like to feel that I too am a generous person.  I want to be able to give without expectation, to help lighten someone’s load with a kind word or gesture.  I find it strange that we sometimes hear that offering assistance to others is enabling.  So often we hear how ‘poor choices’ are the reason that so many people lead unfulfilled and unhappy lives.  Yet no one ever completely avoids poor choices, no matter how much they plan.  Life is a series of events both planned and forced on us.  I have been lifted immeasurably by the unexpected kindness of others.  Kindness too, is a choice.  My New Year’s resolution is to give it away as much as possible.

After vowing to make kindness a regular part of my life (along with wearing my eye-glasses regularly), Val and I sat down with dozens of seed catalogs to plan the 2012 vegetable season.  We always vow to be more organized, knowing fully that life will happen outside of these plans and demand our flexibility.  As both of us are approaching sixty in a few short years, we decided to reduce our heavy physical labor.  Of course farming is about physical labor, but some crops are more labor intensive than others.  This year we cut back our seed-potato order from 650 lbs. to 500 lbs., and increased our onion sets from 20 lbs. to 35 lbs. (onions being much easier to harvest).  We are planning to grow more Jerusalem artichokes, lettuce, bush and shelling beans.  We thought we might grow fewer heirloom tomatoes, but after reading descriptions of endless varieties, we knew this was futile.  Sadly our friends Tim and Steph will be relocating, so it looks like we will be venturing back into herbs.  They will be sorely missed in our community, as they had created two successful businesses with their energetic attitudes.  Their need to be closer to family trumped Cloverdale.  We sincerely wish them well.

Our wonderful neighbors, Tim & Steph

Next week we will be firing up our soap kitchen.  We have 5500 bars of soap to make before April 1st!  Fire up win-sockeye!  In spite of all our activity (isn’t winter supposed to be down-time for farmers?)  We continue to entertain each other in the kitchen.  This week  it just wasn’t our kitchen.  One of our rentals had some water damage that lead to the decision to replace their kitchen.  Tomorrow I will be tiling their back-slash.  They were so thrilled, that when their kids came home from school, the littlest one crawled under the sink to play hide-n-seek.

Even with all this activity, we still need nourishment.  Nothing like a frittata for a quick yet healthy dinner.

Spinach Frittata

  • 6 farm fresh eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely minced
  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup freshly shredded Pecorino cheese
  1. In a 10 inch non-stick, oven-proof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.  After butter stops foaming, add shallots.  Saute 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
  2. Add chopped spinach.  Saute until just wilted, but still bright green.
  3. Pour beaten eggs over spinach.  Reduce heat to medium.  With spatula, lift sides away from pan so that eggs pour into opening.  Continue doing this until egg mixture is almost set.
  4. Turn on broiler.  Sprinkle frittata with cheese.  Place under broiler until cheese melts.
  5. Slide onto decorative plate.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Mmmmm

“If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.”         —Bob Hope

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It’s A Wonderful Life

Posted on December 27, 2011 by

Silent snow

Most families have their own holiday or Christmas traditions that surface when they gather together each year.  These traditions have evolved over time as life changes the framework.  Val and I have both lost our parents and our immediate families have either moved out of state or split up.  One tradition that has lasted over time is watching It’s A Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart and Donna Reed.  We love the story’s premise of how it’s main character George Bailey gets the opportunity to see how different life would be without him in it.  After becoming despondent following the disappearance of $8000 from his savings and loan business, he considers suicide, but instead is visited by his guardian angel: Clarence.  With the help of Clarence, he discovers that no one is born to be a failure.  The richness of life is about the presence of family and friends who bring love and kindness into our lives.  Although filmed in the 1930′s this film helps us remember what happens when we place possessions and money over people.  We certainly could apply it’s lessons to the events of the banking crisis and the high levels of corruption we see in our corporations and government.

Christmas dinner with family and friends.

This Christmas we had the unexpected pleasure of hosting my two nephews Ian and Jake for four days.  During that time we practiced a philosophy of being ‘unplugged’.  No computers or television were turned on during that time.  We cooked, shared, ate and played together.  We taught them how to play dominoes and were up late for two nights, laughing and carrying-on.  It was a special opportunity to bond as family and will always be remembered.

During this cooking frenzy, I sometimes slip in some comfort food.  Sheppard’s Pie is traditionally made with lamb.  Cottage Pie is made with ground beef.  I enjoy making a Farmer’s Pie which takes its cue from both recipes and uses sweet potatoes rather than regular potatoes for the topping.  It can be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd, and looks interesting and colorful.

Saute carrots, onion and celery

Saute carrots, onion and celery

Farmer’s Pie 

For the topping:

  • 4 large sweet potatoes (about 4 lbs total)
  • 2/3 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the filling:
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 medium celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced 
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 tsp fresh oregano, chopped or 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 lbs ground organic pork
  • 1  140z can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced
  • 2/3 cup golden raisins  

Ready for the oven

Prepare the topping

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 F.  Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil (shiny side down).  Slice the sweet potatoes in half length-wise and set them cut side down on the baking sheet.  Roast until very tender, about 30-40 minutes.
  2. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a medium mixing bowl.  Add the milk, cheese, butter, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and beat on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

Prepare the filling

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the celery, carrot and onion with some salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are soft, fragrant and starting to turn golden.  Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder and cinnamon and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Add the pork and season with 2 tsp of salt.  Cook until no longer pink.  Tilt the pan and spoon off all but about 2 Tbsp of fat.
  3. Add the tomatoes with their juice, braking up the tomatoes with a spoon.  Cook uncovered until it thickens slightly, about 10-12 minutes.
  4. Add olives and raisins and cook 5 minutes more.  Adjust seasoning.
  5. Transfer the filling to a 13×9 inch baking dish.  Spread the sweet potatoes over the top in an even layer.  Bake for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  6. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Comfort food at its best.

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces–just good food with fresh ingredients.”    —Julia Child

 

 

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