Kitchen Crumbs

Revamping the spice drawer

2011-07-16T15:37:00.002-04:00

We all have them - stuffed full of faded labels and expired "use by" dates - the dreaded spice drawer or cabinet!

In the interest of full disclosure - here's mine - BEFORE!

We have only lived in our house 6 years, but we must have moved some spices from our old house, judging by the expiration dates. This seems to run in the family, because I remember Mom having a tin of mace from an A&P long after we had moved away from any branches of that famous chain grocery.

I admit it - this was a dysfunctional mess - I could never find anything, so I ended up either using whatever fresh herbs I had on hand or nothing at all - boring!!!

Judging by the cost of spice bottles in the grocery store, revamping the drawer and replacing the spices and herbs seemed overwhelming and too expensive, so I kept putting it off. And then along came Citizen's Co-op...

During their first day open, as I was browsing the shelves, I realized that all their stock of organic herbs and spices was brand new and super fresh. The bulk jars called my name and later at home I daydreamed ways to redo my spice drawer.

Since I happened to have a large number of very inexpensive small, clear plastic containers, I thought they would be perfect. I figured out how many would fit in the drawer, put them all in a box top, grabbed a Sharpie and headed off to the Co-op.

Once there, Gretchen put one of my containers, with the lid, on the scale to determine its weight so that when they weighed the full containers, the cashier could enter the tare and only weigh the spice or herb.

Choosing only 20 was fairly easy - and then I added a couple of new taste sensations to play with - for a total of 24 containers - just the right number to fill my drawer. I labeled the tops with the spice name and the price to make it easier to check out. And the payment was painless - the total for all the spices and herbs was only $9.00

So the total cost - a couple of hours and $10 - including the cost of the containers!

Once home, I just emptied and cleaned the drawer, lined it with a towel, and lined up my containers of fresh spices and herbs. So here's the AFTER!

It's worth the time and "expense" to have an organized drawer of fresh herbs ans spices at your fingertips - and bulk spices and herbs make it oh so easy to do!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

2011-07-06T21:29:00.003-04:00

I had fun in the kitchen today. I roasted a spaghetti squash and since I had the oven on, I also roasted a pan of eggplant chunks and another of chopped san marzano tomatoes. When the eggplant was done, I tossed it with some chopped fresh basil and a little olive oil. The tomatoes were tossed in olive oil and oregano before their pan went in the oven. The cooked and shredded spaghetti squash was tossed with a little butter, some roasted garlic (hey, the oven was on, so I took advantage) and thai basil.

When everything was done, I layered it in a flat casserole dish with Thomasville Tomme from Sweet Grass Dairy and more fresh herbs.

Covered the pan with foil and baked it 45 minutes at 350 degrees - on a cookie sheet since I used a glass pan.

What a winner! Looks great - tastes great - can be easily made vegan, but I am a cheese lover, and the Tomme was just assertive enough to stand up to the eggplant and garlic.

I will publish the recipe in Hogtown HomeGrown eventually, but until then, play with your food and have fun in the kitchen - you'll be surprised what you can create.

Come eat my food this Sunday

2011-04-27T21:29:00.003-04:00

So this Sunday is the Kickoff for the 2011 Eat Local Challenge and as part of the festivities we have 5 guest cooks (and yes, I am one of the cooks) who will do cooking demos every half hour from 12 - 3pm.

I've decided to cook Anna's African Greens

The recipe came from someone in Kenya via our very own Anna Prizzia. The combination of garlic, tomatoes and ginger just makes the greens melt in your mouth. It also has the added benefit of creating a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals all accessible in one tasty side-dish.

Hope you can come enjoy the Kickoff and Party at Kumarie's - but if you can't, get a bunch of greens and cook up a pot of yumminess tonight!

Tips to get ready for the Challenge!

2011-04-24T15:59:00.004-04:00

Well, just one week to go until the 2011 Eat Local Challenge begins. Since this is the 4th annual Challenge, I have learned a few tips to make sure I am ready to go on the very first day - which means we need to start now.

First, we need to eat up any non-local food we have in the house that we won't be eating during the Challenge - that little bit of ice cream in the freezer, those cheeses in the fridge and even the loaf of bread still in the breadbox. Not that we will go hungry with ice cream from Sweet Dreams, cheese from Cypress Point and bread from any of our locally-owned bakeries.

Next, we must make sure our pantry is stocked - basics like oil, vinegars, spices and herbs can make the difference between a bored locavore and a happy one! If you have decided to include them, also check your stock of grains, beans, flour, sugar and yes, butter. Consider using some substitutes during the Challenge - local ground corn products for cereals and flour, local honey in place of sugar, and while I suppose you could make your own butter - let's just not go there!

Finally, we check to see if we have enough pet food, dishwashing soap and paper products to last the month. I really try not to enter any big-box stores during the entire Challenge, although last year, I found myself doing late night runs (in disguise, of course) to get dog food and toilet paper. This year, I am stocking up in advance!

The Eat Local Challenge is not a road map to Locavore Nirvana, it is just a chance to see if you can eat a little closer to home, a chance to have fun with a new way of eating, and a chance to shake things up. Make the Challenge fun - get together family and friends to cook most of your meals at home, but be sure to visit some of our locally-owned restaurants that source local food.

Italia

2010-10-28T03:24:00.003-04:00

Italy has a been a revelation. The best food is fresh and seasonal - just the way I like it - but served very simply, without many spices or condiments. This allows the natural flavors of the ingredients to blend with each other, creating a more powerful taste than any spice or condiment could evoke.

My favorite so far? This simple, but luxurious, primi of artisan Bergamasque cornmeal with white truffle shaved over the top. The aroma was heavenly and the taste earthy - the entire dish was so satisfying that I was tempted to lick the plate - only thoughts of good manners and my mother's disapproval restrained me.

Now I have made polenta before, but the creamy texture and pure corn flavor put my efforts to shame. I don't know what it was, but I will try all the tricks I know - freshly ground cornmeal, slow even cooking for a long time and a wooden spoon for stirring.

As for the truffles - well, fresh truffles only have about a three day lifespan - so unless I decide to mortgage our house (second mortgage, that is) to fly one over from Alba, I will have to make do with a few meager slices of the jarred truffles in liquid I am bringing home. Oh well, my memory will be with me at least!

Got Cheese?

2010-05-28T12:26:00.007-04:00

Text and photos by Erin Rauch, intern for Hogtown HomeGrown

With the help of master cheese makers, extensive research and community support, Florida now boasts three licensed artisan cheese dairies. In their new book, Summer of a Thousand Cheeses, Russ and Peg Hall describe artisan cheese as “produced primarily by hand, in small batches, with particular attention paid to the tradition of the cheesemaker’s art.”

Dairies across Florida are reintroducing the European artisan cheese tradition and expanding their presence in the local food market. “It was actually the more artisan cheeses that got us re-interested and made us think there was a story to be told,” Peg Hall said.

Russ and Peg Hall mention Winter Park Dairy, licensed in 2008 as the first raw milk cheese maker licensed in Florida, in their book. David Green, owner of Winter Park Dairy, learned how to make cheese at the University of Vermont. “Cheese is extremely complex,” Green said. “You need to learn the intricacies of making it.” Green makes Tomme and Bleu Cheese, both he described as uniquely natural rind cheeses. The rind is the outer shell of the cheese and is usually edible. He also said he hopes to make Gouda in the future.

Green said he likes the Bleu Cheese he makes because it’s alive and it has a lot of flavor. His Bleu Cheese, known as “Bleu Sunshine,” was the first raw milk cheese produced in Florida. “It is the freshest raw milk product that can be legally purchased,” according to their website, www.winterparkdairy.com.

Winter Park Dairy originated as a citrus farm. After a bad freeze, Green started the dairy. “Cheese isn’t seasonal and it’s not subject to plague or frost,” Green said. “It ages indefinitely, it just gets better.” Green milks eight cows, twice a day, with help from Leah Steele, an intern studying at the University of Central Florida, and he brings in milk from other dairies as well.

He sells his cheese at the Winter Park Farmers Market on Saturday mornings and at the Audubon Park Community Market on Monday nights. Green said the market for his cheese is only limited by the U.S. Postal Service. While he sells cheese as far away as Napa Valley, California, his commercial accounts include major hotel chains such as the Waldorf Astoria, Hyatt, Marriot and Hilton.

It was David Green and Winter Park Dairy that sparked John and Nancy Mims’ interest in artisan cheeses. The Mims have been in the dairy business for about 34 years. Their newest venture is Cypress Point Creamery, a cheese dairy on their farm, RexRun Farm in Hawthorne, Florida. John Mims built the cheese plant about a year ago in 2009.

“We were looking for something that added value, rather than just wholesaling all of our milk,” John Mims said. Cypress Point Creamery is a farmstead cheese manufacturer because they produce cheese using only the milk from their cows. With the help of hired workers, John Mims milks 160 cows, twice a day.

The Mims’ make cheese about once a week. They are currently making Gouda, Havarti and Tomme because people recognize their names and love their taste. By law, raw milk cheeses have to age for a minimum of 60 days in order to be sold for human consumption. Their first venture, Gouda, should be ready to sell soon. “It’s just a mild, white cheese,” John Mims said. “It melts well and has a good creamy texture.”

While they wait for their cheeses to age, they enjoy the fruits of their labor with almost every meal. After positive reactions from friends and neighbors, they said they are looking forward to selling their products at market soon.

Another Florida cheesemaker is Wainwright Dairy in Live Oak, Florida. They produce Grade A Pasteurized, non-homogenized milk and all-natural cheeses. The Wainwright family has been in the dairy business for over 30 years, according to their website, www.wainwrightdairy.com. They were the second licensed raw milk cheese maker in Florida.

Chris Campbell, manager at the dairy, said they just built a cheese plant and a bottling plant. They currently make cheese twice a week, according to their website, and it can be found for sale at local retailers. The different varieties they produce are Colby, Pepper Jack, Baby Swiss, Cheddar and fresh Cheddar curds.

It was Cheddar cheese that was the main part of Russ and Peg Hall’s family cheese roots since they grew up in New York. One of the Hall’s first experiences with artisan cheese was in Florida. As they wrote their book, Russ Hall said their biggest discovery was the new cheese makers in Florida.

The Halls describe the significance of the bond between cheese, cheese maker and customer in the book Summer of a Thousand Cheeses. “It’s kind of like a little partnership,” Russ Hall said. “You know the cheese is good, clean and fair because you know where it came from.”

Summer of a Thousand Cheeses shares the Hall’s adventurous discovery of the new American cheese and the book can be purchased online at www.lighthallbooks.com. The Halls “want to share the fun we had doing it,” Russ Hall said. “We want people to enjoy and learn things along the way.”

While there may be only three raw milk artisan cheese producers in Florida, the variety is amazing. “We are all doing different styles with different herds and techniques,” David Green, owner of Winter Park Dairy, said. “It’s a good thing.”

Farmers Feast at Georgia Organics Conference 2010

2010-03-06T10:47:00.004-05:00

A recent trip to the Georgia Organics Conference in Athens, Georgia was an eye-opening experience to a foodie culture that we did not know existed in semi-rurual Georgia. We went to attend workshops and hear Carlo Petrini - we left with a respect (and a little jealousy) for what Athens has been able to accomplish by promoting, serving and savoring local foods.

Our first night in Athens was spent dining at Last Resort Grill - a hard choice made from a list of Athens restaurants that serve local food. We had a fabulous meal and a wonderful experience.

On to the Conference - I attended workshops about family dinners, farm-to-school programs, youth-led activism in New Orleans and a Cafe Campesino and Cooperative Coffees workshop about free trade coffee cooperatives and roaster cooperatives.

After a quick lunch of local green salads, veggie chili and cornbread (I was scandalized - there was sugar in all the cornbread!), and a long walk through the expo with more than 100 vendors with everything from vegetables seeds to casseroles to cook those veggies in, we were looking forward to a chance to relax at the Farmers Feast.

Rumors of the feast circulated as the day went on — more than two dozen chefs, local wine, lots of desserts — it was a good thing lunch was light. The most bizarre rumor turned out to be true — while everyone received the same starter, there were four different menus! We entered the ballroom and quickly moved through the burlap-covered long farm tables, looking for a “menu match.” It was a very hard choice, since they all sounded wonderful and there were at least one vegan and four vegetarian choices on each seven item menu. While we got to know our table mates, the food parade began, with the chefs bringing out each table's seven dishes in family-service sized bowls and casseroles. We passed the food and wine, chatting with our neighbors about flavors and seasonings. Greens and root vegetable were heavily represented due to the time of year, but their presentations were flavorful and innovative.

Dessert cannot be described, but I did lovingly videotape the groaning dessert tables.

The dessert parade was even grander than the entree parade.

Each table was presented with a cake by a chef who described and served the heavenly creation.

I must admit, while our table was served a luscious-looking Coca-Cola cake, I knew that somewhere in the room was that delightful Southern specialty, Hummingbird Cake - spice layers with a pineapple-fruit-cream filling. (It was the last cake pictured in the parade of desserts video.) I boldly took my slice of Coca-Cola cake and went in search of a trade. Across the room, a kindred spirit's eye's went wide when I flashed my cake and offered a trade for hers. Oh, was it worth the effort!

The conference was wonderful, the workshops excellent and enlightening, the atmosphere in Athens was welcoming and inspiring! And Carlo Petrini signed my copy of one of his books -

If you want to read more about the conference look in the March 2010 Hogtown HomeGrown

Up to my ears in pumpkins!

2010-01-27T10:20:00.012-05:00

I've been busy getting ready for the Souper Fun Sunday fundraiser at St. Francis High School this Sunday, January 31st. It never occurred to me how much space and time five gallons of soup can take up! Using my recipe for Zen Pumpkin Soup and multiplying it to make 5 gallons, I need 40 cups of roasted pumpkin - yes, 40 cups.

Needless to say, I have been up to my ears in pumpkin! There are 6 Seminole pumpkins of various sizes sitting in my dining room ready to be roasted, pureed and placed in the freezer.

For those of you intimidated by the idea of splitting and roasting a large hard winter squash of any kind, here are simple instructions with pictures. Don't worry about having a strong knife or a large roasting pan - a knife with a 6 inch blade and a cookie sheet will do!

First, insert the knife near the stem and wiggle it into the center of the pumpkin. At this point you can rotate the pumpkin while bringing the blade around the curve toward the bottom.

Flip the pumpkin over and continue back up towards the stem on the other side. Don't try to cut through the stem - just remove the knife, wedge your fingers into the cut on the bottom of the pumpkin and pull - the pumpkin will split and the stem will end up on one half.

Take a large spoon and scoop out the fibers and seeds in the center. You can save the seeds to clean and roast or just toss them into the compost pile - your choice!

Place the pumpkin halves cut side down on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees until your finger leaves a dent in the flesh and skin. Depending on the size of the pumpkin, this could take two hours.

Remove from oven and cool before handling. The skin will either peel off easily or the flesh can be scooped from the skin. At this point you can serve it or continue with a recipe.

Well, I'm off to make 5 gallons of soup - see you Sunday at the Souper Fun Sunday!

January Menu Ideas

2010-01-03T20:43:00.002-05:00

Holiday eating is over - the last fruitcake cookie is gone - no more pecan pie - time for some veggies and regular eating!

I picked up a CSA bag for a friend on Saturday - lots of greens! Then I restocked my pantry and took a freezer inventory - we have a lot of bread, blueberries, pesto and seafood! (When fish is on sale I usually buy one for that night and get one double-wrapped for the freezer.)

Here are my menu ideas to make use of seasonal produce, raid my pantry and to use up the bounty in the freezer - I love shopping in my own kitchen!

MAIN DISHES
BBQ Eggplant and Lentils
BBQ Tofu
Mjuddrah (lentils and rice with onions and olive oil)
Latkes with Sour Cream and Applesauce
Turnips, Sweet Potato, Apple, Pecans with Balsamic as side with Fish
Mashed Potato and Curly Kale as side with Fish
Split Pea Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Veggie Salad with Garbanzo Beans or Tuna
Spaghetti and Sweet Basil Sauce as side with Fish
Spaghetti and Pesto as side with Fish
Linguine with Clam Sauce
Linguine with Pesto and Scallops
Penne with Cabernet Marinara as side with Fish
Penne with Shiitake Mushrooms and Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

SIDE DISHES
Roasted Turnips and Carrots with Meyer Lemon Marinade
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Kale with Ginger and Meyer Lemon
Turnip Greens with Sweet Smoked Paprika, Hot Peppers and Onions
Steamed Broccoli with Meyer Lemon Marinade
Green Salads
Veggie Salad with cucumber, tomato and carrot
Spinach Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms with Miso Ginger Dressing
Avocado Grapefruit Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Balsamic

DESSERTS
Blueberry Bread Pudding
Sweet Potato Custard
Sweet Orange Compote

Take the time to inventory your pantry and freezer for your own menu ideas. Just think of all the money you'll save by shopping in your own kitchen!

Souper Fun Sunday

2009-12-09T01:37:00.004-05:00

I am so excited! Hogtown HomeGrown has been chosen to participate in St. Francis High School's Souper Fun Sunday on January 31, 2010 from 1-4pm. It is a fund raiser for technology upgrades and enhancements for the school.

Lots of area restaurants and caterers will be participating in this soup tasting competition. Each participant will provide 5 gallons of soup to be tasted by ticketholders and judged by both local celebrities and ticketholders in several categories. They even added a vegetarian category this year!

Tickets are available on the website http://www.souperfunsunday.sfchs.net/ There are discounts on ticket packages until December 15th, so get your tickets now. With a Kid's Activity Tent (new this year) and family passes available, this is an event for the whole family.

What soup will I be making? I'm not telling, but I'll give you three hints - it's vegan, very simple and in the recipe section of the Hogtown HomeGrown site. Buy a ticket, taste my soup and I'm sure you'll be voting for it!

Clam Chowder for a cold, wet night

2009-12-05T08:25:00.003-05:00

I'm back in the kitchen, successfully this time. Came home from shopping yesterday and knew that soup would be the perfect dinner.

1 T olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1 T butter
6 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds yukon gold creamer potatoes, chopped
dried herbs to taste
1/4 t salt
4 cups seafood stock
2 cups pinot grigio (white wine)
2 pounds frozen chopped clams (Northwest Seafood freezer)
1 can Pet evaporated milk (not condensed - that's got sugar!)
1 T butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Saute onions in oil until limp, add butter and celery, stir until celery is softened.

Add potatoes, herbs and salt and stir occasionally until potatoes are hot, then add stock and wine. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered until potatoes are fork tender.

Add partially defrosted clams and reduce heat to medium. Cook until clams chunks are separated. Add milk, stir, cover and simmer on low for at least 1 hour.

Stir in butter and taste for seasonings.

Serve hot with crusty rolls to dip into broth.

Makes a huge pot, so either serve a crowd or cover and refrigerate.

And I thought I could cook?

2009-12-01T18:54:00.002-05:00

There are days and there are days - today was not my favorite kitchen day.

Kitchen disasters don't happen often in our house, but when they do, they tend to be spectacular. Today was no exception -

My Aunt Lil sent us some of her infamous baklava (the actual name is pronounced bitlayawa, but I can't spell it) and we enjoyed it so much, I thought I'd give it a try.

Ground walnnuts - check!

Melted and skimmed butter - check!

Simple syrup without honey - check!

Defrosted phyllo dough - NO CHECK!!!!

Did you know that frozen phyllo dough can get stale after a couple of years in the freezer? Well, I know now! Unfortunately I'm a little slow - my lesson was not evident until I bit into the completed pastry!

Yes, hours of prep, layering, brushing each individual phyllo sheet with butter, blah, blah blah.....

Maybe I can save the walnuts by scraping them off the phyllo and use them as an ice cream topper.

Just thought you would like to know!

Hope it gave you a smile!

P.S. There will be no pictures with this post - ever!

Baking Pumpkin Pies with the Pineridge Science Club

2009-11-22T08:25:00.007-05:00

For years, when our sons were Cub Scouts, I would bake Pumpkin Pies with their dens right before Thanksgiving. I developed a very simple recipe that the boys enjoyed eating and that they could measure and mix without frustration. Pre-made frozen pie crusts made the project even easier.

I recently volunteered to make pies with the Pineridge Science Club, an afterschool program for elementary-age students. In the interest of science, I took the time to talk about each ingredient, from pumpkin to milk and eggs to honey. Showing whole spices was a revelation - that's ginger? Vanilla pods? Cinnamon sticks? Whole nutmeg and cloves?

Due to limited time, we would have to make individual pies, so that they would have time to bake and cool before the participants took them home. Fortunately, ready-made tart-sized graham cracker crusts worked perfectly and tasted great.

With the kids working in pairs and adults helping to measure and pour, 24 pies were mixed up in a very short time, then baked, cooled and placed in bakery boxes for the trip home. Everyone seemed to have a good time - I know I did!

Here's the recipe -

Pumpkin Pie
1 can pumpkin puree (15 ounces)
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and cloves
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until completely combined. Pour into 1 pie shell (regular or graham cracker) or 8 individual tart shells. Place on cookie sheet in oven. Bake 20-23 minutes for individual pies or 30-35 minutes for a regular-sized pie. The pie is cooked when the center does not jiggle when shaken. Cool before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Out to dinner at the Paramount Grill

2009-11-17T17:52:00.003-05:00

I love to cook, but when invited to dine out at a restaurant of my choice, I am thrilled. My cousin Susie who travels all over the world for business, but is based near New York City, came for a visit this past weekend.

Weekend plans included the art fest, La Chua trail and some local restaurants, but she wanted us to pick a restaurant we had not visited, but wanted to try. On the advice of foodie friends, we picked the Paramount Grill in downtown Gainesville.

Our early reservation on Sunday evening meant we were the first to arrive for dinner. Our server Daisy gave us wonderful personalized service that continued even after the dining room began to fill with other patrons.

Chef and owner, Clif Nelson, had taken the evening off, but you would never have known by the quality of food served. Artfully presented, the food was layered with flavors and brought "oohs" and "aahs" with each bite as a different taste sensation was discovered.

While pictures cannot do justice to either presentation or taste, here are pictures of my meal - fresh berry salad, curried tofu, and butterscotch creme brulee -

Apples, Apples Everywhere

2009-11-10T11:02:00.002-05:00

Although I prefer to cook with locally-grown food, we Floridians have an apple deficit. A few apples, especially ones bred to grow in the Middle East, will grow here, but after about seven years they tend to succumb to diseases brought about by our heat and humidity.

So I have to find apples elsewhere. For a few years I was lucky enough to get a case of freshly-picked North Carolina apples delivered by my parents, but unfortunately that stopped last year with my Dad's death.

This year I bought retail - it was tough knowing that although the fruit was organic, that it had to travel cross-country, using lots of fuel. Harry's Farmer's Market, in Roswell/Alpharetta Georgia, offered a bounty of apples from Washington State, Oregon and New York - Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Paula Red, Braeburn and Macoun. Whole Foods in Orlando had a fresh batch of Stayman Winesaps from West Virginia.

Before I started cooking, I tasted each type. The Ambrosia were the sweetest, but without much flavor, depth or character. The Honeycrisp were sweet and crispy, with a more complex sweet-tart combination. Paula Red and Braeburn offered classic apple flavor, with less sweetness, while the Macoun and Stayman Winesap had a full fruity flavor, not as sweet or crisp as the others, but with subtle flavors that gave them real character.

To make sugarless applesauce (although it is so thick, you can put it on toast)I used Ambrosia and Honeycrisp with just a couple of Braeburn and Macoun for more flavor and depth. I cut the apples into quarters, skins, seeds and all, dropped them into a pot, squeezed a lemon over all and added enough water to almost cover them. I cooked them until mushy, cooled slightly and pushed through a fine sieve to create a smooth liquidy sauce, that I then cooked about 8 hours to a thick, sweet, rich sauce. From 6 quarts of apples I canned 7 cups of applesauce.

Next up, applebutter with sugar and cinnamon. I used all the remaining apples, prepared in the same way - I started with 12 quarts of apples (yes, I have two really big pots),cooked them down, added 1 1/2 cups of sugar and about a tablespoon of cinnamon. I ended up canning 16 cups of applebuuter.

So now there are no apples in the house - now we need some fresh bread to make toast so we can eat applebutter - yum!

The coolest dinner

2009-11-01T00:33:00.002-04:00

We are in Atlanta and went to dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant. Noodle bowls (Pho) were a menu staple, but I found something unusual - Vietnam wraps - with an unusual note next to the description - "self wrapping".

My dinner was presented as a plate of veggies and herbs, a plate of dry rice wrappers, a plate of grilled salmon (there was a choice of beef, shrimp or salmon) and a big bowl of steaming hot water.

After dipping the rice wrapper quickly in the hot water to soften it, I laid it on the plate and assembled my wrap. The veggies and herbs included lettuce leaves, bunches of Thai basil and cilantro on their stems, julienned cucumber and carrots, and bean sprouts. Also available were crushed peanuts, hoisin sauce and a couple of different hot sauces. The salmon was grilled with a crispy exterior and moist center. I made several wraps and it was a fun and yummy dinner.

I can easily see making these at home - just put out all the ingredients and let everyone wrap their own. And it is definitely a fun way to get the kids to eat their veggies.

Day in the life of this foodie

2009-10-25T19:25:00.003-04:00

Sunday is almost over and today has beeen a foodie's dream -

Breakfast - Nova Scramble with green onion from Farmer John, arugula from Devi, eggs from Glades Ridge - Sweetwater coffee - Valencia orange juice

Lunch - tofu salad with celery, green onions, tamari, tahini, Wickles Pickles and celery - some cute cherry tomatoes from Saturday's 441 market - a bite each of a praline and this heavenly pecan caramel thingie from Savannah Sweets in St. Augustine

Dinner - Double Stuffed eggplant - eggplant from Eric, shallot, mushrooms, tofu and farmers cheese from Ward's, elephant garlic from Possum Hollow, walnuts and thyme - a carrot, zucchini salad - bread pudding with pumpkin and pears - Irish coffee

No more food tonight - now I have to go write up all the recipes for the November Hogtown HomeGrown!

Time to Cook

2009-10-24T22:05:00.002-04:00

Home from vacation - cooler weather - and I'm ready to cook again. Just mixed up a batch of bread pudding to soak overnight before baking tomorrow. Planning a stuffed eggplant with nuts and cheese for dinner tomorrow night Contemplating when the weather will be cool enough for a pot of vegan potato scallion soup.

Had fun at the 441/Alachua County Farmers Market Sustainability Fair today. Thanks to Erika Henderson for inviting Hogtown HomeGrown to participate. We gave out samples of Prickly Pear Jam on Challah bread from Flour Pot Bakery and White Batard from Upper Crust. Talked to lots of people and did an interview with Brittany Perkins - she's writing a local food article - possibly for the Gainesville Sun.

Off to enjoy the cool weather and listen to the rest of the Gator game.....

Dinner at the Columbia in St. Augustine

2009-10-20T20:57:00.003-04:00

When I was five, my parents took me to the first Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City - wonderful food and atmosphere! During our many trips to St. Augustine, Jeff and I have always made a trip to the Columbia on St. George - even if it was to just pick up black bean soup and bread to take home for dinner.

Tonight was an adventure - we got dressed up and went to dinner. We ate on the second floor porch overlooking St. George Street, had a personable waiter named Ken and a wonderful meal. A bottle of crisp white wine - Vina Esmeralda by Torres from Spain - Caesar Salad, Cakes de Cangrejo (Blue Crab Cakes with Passion-Fruit Aioli) and hot Cuban bread to start. Jeff had Cannelloni de Langosta “Setes Portes” - cannelloni with lobster, scallops and shrimp in a rich sauce - very tasty! I had Snapper "Alicante" - a huge piece of fish with a brown gravy, onions and green peppers served with yellow rice - perfectly cooked, but a little salty. Jeff brought a piece of their Godiva Chocolate cake back to the room to have with Sweetwater coffee later.

Oh it is later and I'm going to ask for a bite of cake - bye for now!

To blog or not to blog?

2009-10-20T14:54:00.002-04:00

In the age of internet-savvy people, blogging seems to be the next logical step for Hogtown HomeGrown. As I navigate the inner workings of my online world, I wonder - will anyone read my blog? To be sure, my friends on Facebook seem to love my posts about what's for dinner, as I love theirs, but is a relationship based on food sustainable?

I guess I am about to find out......is anyone out there?