2009 September | Seed Simple

farm-to-table dinners

September 26, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer 1 Comment

Well of course your dinner comes from farm to table. I just happen to really appreciate dining out on food delivered by the farmer directly to the chef, who prepares it deliciously for that day’s dinner. Yes, that day. At this time of writing, I am working off the delirium enduced by such a meal, held last night at the Stone Balloon Winehouse on Main street in Newark, Delaware. I’ll note the dishes I enjoyed in this post so that the cooks amongst you may take second-hand inspiration from the creations of chef Jason Dietterick.

First, how did I find this particular evening’s meal? A petite flyer lay on the registers at the Newark Coop. Slow Food insignia enticed me to pick it up, and mention of heritage breed meats to be included in the meal intrigued me . For more information on what such meat is, take a look at the Ark of Taste project. And to find restaurants in your area putting on farm-to-table dinners, or sellers of foods listed in the Ark project, look at the Local Harvest web page.

On to the good stuff then, eh? Designed a-la carte style, the dishes were sized and priced quite reasonably ($7-14 for good-sized small plates; $16-29 for large entree plates). Choosing between lamb-stuffed sweet peppers and smoked squash soups proved difficult. Thus, I branched out into head cheese. Freshman farmer Andy Roddick, of Blackbird Heritage Farm, sat down for a quality chat as we ate this dish. Not quite as solid as I expected, Roddick explained that he had delivered the animal to the chef during the morning, and it was so fresh it had not set up yet. Not a problem! With some dishes in life, the differences are good based upon the story making them just so.

In fact, Roddick had delivered all of his items on the menu (comprising the vast majority of dishes offered) that morning. Chef Jason had a day’s notice about what would likely arrive, and quickly drew up a menu to print accordingly. No less than 23 distinct dishes were ready for diners. It was clear from conversation with the chef that he enjoyed the challenge (most restaurants have their menus scheduled and food stuffs ordered weeks if not months in advance). But further, Chef Jason clearly values fresh food and the ability to deliver an extraordinary experience to eaters. I’ll add my name to the restaurant mailing list to find out about farm dinners scheduled for upcoming months (these events happen at the farms themselves).

The next dishes: As Roddick recounted tales of his first-year of farming, Michael and I dipped into sweet corn and thyme johnny cakes. Served over a black lentil salad and with a sweet pepper jam, this dish surprised me. The cake edges perfectly crispy, and the lentils a subtle backdrop, seasonings came out to play. Like all of his vegetables, the sweet corn in this dish was an heirloom variety. Typically hardier to disease and weather, heirlooms are nevertheless not grown all that often. Most seed varieties grown on large-scale farms these days are genetically engineered and/or treated throughout their lives with chemicals to obtain good performance levels. Small farmers like Roddick employ their own variety of business advantage by selecting heirloom varieties, establishing a unique quality and flavor for their foods.

En suite, a pork chop served atop pureed potatoes (definitely sweetened by the secret spice of chefs – sugar), large white runner beans and thin slices of roasted Kubocha squash. This last being naturally sweet, and with a dab of molasses?/maple syrup? in the beans, the pork pairings mimmicked more typical fruit compliments. Instead of apples and raisins, the fall beans and squash were extremely well suited; the pork proved succulent and just done, a tinge of fat invigorating each bite.

Two ’small’ and one ‘large’ plate into our bellies, alongside a bottle of pinot, Michael and I slapped the napkins on the table and settled back into our plush seats. It was time for a breather before, eek, driving home. Spirited talk reviewing the multiple local food dining experiences we’ve enjoyed of late accompanied the water now decking our table. We have often pondered what brings an awareness into one’s life regarding food, the enjoyment thereof and the accompanying decisions.

I am thrilled that Chef Jason has demonstrated the feasibility of bringing local, sustainably produced ingredients into a restaurant setting; declaring it just as economical in many regards as contracts with his other suppliers, the chef also realizes he is cooking in the ‘it’ moment. Offering local foodstuffs to one’s clientele is hip; major kudos to this chef who truly puts his knife where his words are, and employs staff who engage the public with the story.

Filed Under Featured, Resources Tagged With ark of taste, blackbird heritage farm, farm-to-table dinner, head cheese, local food, local harvest, Newark Delaware, Slow Food, stone balloon winehouse

new frontiers

September 25, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer Leave a Comment

Fruits of my labors in a slight lull at the moment, I’ve enjoyed whole minutes of reflective thought about what it’s been like to grow my food for the past half year. Reading has nuzzled yet again into my nighttime routine (notable in that whole handfuls of pages are now absorbed before eyelids clunk shut). Roughly one month behind in reading my only subscription, The New Yorker magazine, I just came upon Elizabeth Kolbert’s August 31st published critique of recent books detailing various persons’ explorations into rather extreme life-style alterations in the name of ‘green’ and/or ’sustainable’ living.

I understand one of her observations, that many of the actions taken by such persons can be viewed as largely purposeless, perhaps pointless. As admittedly spotlight hungry, short-lived experiments, the authors have discovered some changes to their lifestyles that they may continue, whereas most of their 100-mile diet and zero-carbon emission moments will continue solely on the printed page of yet another tree, cut, milled and pulped in the name of humoring pleasure-seeking audiences. Ending her writing with a suggestion for one author to expound upon the year of experimenting in order to create larger cultural impact seems a suitable review of the entire do-it-yourself-er environmental movement.

I would argue, in addition, that the exploratory nature of these immense life-style changes is no less daunting in our modern times than the deprivations explorers of years past endured. We’d like to think the changes to our living, necessary in order that the planet may not combust from our uses and abuses, will be painless. Yet in order for such change to be painless, the pioneers must sift through their brain cells, their chicken coops, their muscle fibers and more, so that they may discover ways of living that we all may have access to.

I recently viewed Mountains of the Moon, the story of Captain Richard Francis Burton’s and Lt. John Hanning Speke’s expedition to find the source of the Nile river in the name of Queen Victoria’s British Empire. It strikes me that these two vastly different men included money and glory amongst their needs and goals for such a discovery. Also, they were willing to suffer deprivations and imperil their lives and relationships. They enjoyed all of this; such a life gave them fulfillment alongside adventure, pride, etc.

Those who would start a trash-free life-style, commit to zeroing their carbon emissions, eat food from within a small mileage distance – these people are not just depriving themselves. They are as subject to monetary restrictions as any explorer. They are as subject to criticism as any odd feat. Should their story be bought for movie rights, all the better. If there is a critique to be made of the personal-change-of lifestyle-environmental-book, it is as Kolbert suggested: substantiated follow-up. We cannot expect all of these authors to continue, but those who push on are due for refining their findings and reporting thereafter.

The numbers of people enacting changes in their lives with regard to environmental concerns grows daily. All the better for those who publish accounts of their doings; in the masses of communications swirling around the internet in particular, the responsibility of those in the spotlight appears a bit less demanding than, say, the era of explorers. I took large, large, inspiration from Barbara Kingsolver’s first-year account of gentleman farming (Kolbert’s description), enough in fact that from the time of reading it until now I have set the goals of teaching myself various baking, farming and otherwise food-related skills. Certainly due to burgeoning values regarding my place on this planet, but also because many of these things have added substantially to the fulfillment I feel in life. There have been some deprivations, and there have been many glorious moments. I would love to read a follow-up book by Kingsolver, yet I’ll wait patiently. The inspiration was planted, sprouted and has raced my mind into fields beyond fields. As I await other’s stories, the day is up to me.

Filed Under Cricket Chirps, Featured Tagged With Barbara Kingsolver, Elizabeth Kolbert, environment, green living, sustainable, The New Yorker

sthuffering sthuccotash

September 16, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer Leave a Comment

It has been an eve of what if’s . . . like what if people still exclaimed ’suffering succotash!’ Ah yes, the good old days. We’ve all enjoyed them, and fall’s approach reminds the emotions of splendor past. As the sun drops lower in the sky, warm hues slant across earlier afternoon lawns and the forests fill with red-orange chill, many are the nostalgias that hang ripe from the last harvest vine.

I do not claim any deep-rooted fondness for lima beans. Yet a simple pairing of slightly cooked sweet corn kernels, new potatoes and those large limas suddenly welcomed fall by bridging the bright flavors of summer into the earthier vegetables ready to feed us. Accompanied by very lightly grilled venison, a meadow radiated across my vision; red, brown, gold and fading green joined in setting the course for months to come.

To make this, you’ll need an ear of fresh sweet corn, a couple handfuls of lima beans (probably half the beans from pods out of one farmers market basket), a handful of new potatoes (baby baby sized!), salt, pepper, butter. Boil the potatoes until JUST soft, add the lima beans, continue boiling another 3 minutes. Add the sweet corn kernels (cut off the cob), and cook 1 more minute. Drain (reserve the liquid for baking), place vegetables in a bowl, and dress with remaining ingredients. Throw in some fresh thyme leaves (2 tsp) for additional flavor.

Filed Under Featured, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With lima beans, new potatoes, recipe, succotash, sweet corn

chutney charge!

September 16, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer Leave a Comment

Sometimes I need a real kick in the pants, or skirt as it may be. Putzing away my time creating berry patches or wandering stone walls, I all too often sidetrack into non-priority pleasures. Garden season requires a particular ability to focus on the now whilst acting on the future; my one set of hands must deliver rainbowed abundance into consumption (fresh, frozen or otherwise) as well as plant for next month (weed, prep the land, etc.).

Head swirling with daily produce to be picked and prodded, a breath of fresh airinspiration was much needed. This part was easy: off to the Fair Hill Inn! And a special wine dinner at that, featuring Donnafugata (translation: fleeing woman – romantic notion to be sure, but the last thing I’d do from a vineyard). Chefs Brian and Phil began with a tomato plate: pickled green tomato, some sort of sweet tomato jam, and several other tastes. Further in, the antipasto plate with house-made salumis accompanied by various relishes, jams and chutneys.

Et Voila! Inspiration anointed. Granted, this is one of the few North American restaurants operating under the ‘if you eat it here, we should make it here’ mottos; levitation is guaranteed upon such dining experiences. Which is precisely why I chose such a particular kick in the pants. Returning home, a nice sway to my step, off the shelf came “Art of Preserving” by Jan Berry and Rodney Weidland, as well as the house bible, “Putting Food By.” Eyelids sliding blissfully shut shortly thereafter, dreams saw my knife skills flash through a vegetable rainbow, chopped pieces flying neatly into sterilized jars, lids popping shut to my dance steps around the kitchen.

And then came morning and hard work. Now a week in, a crew of chutneys, relishes, pickles and juices lays waiting in the cool basement; a couple months down the road, flavor will have developed nicely in the first and I’ll finally relent from my hording instinct towards the juice. Several things came into play to make this much preserving feasible: a free-from-many-duties day or two, and a couple evenings; cheaper than normal bushels of fruit due to late-season blight at an orchard and random hand-picking from nearby abandoned fruit trees; and finally, a supply of glass jars and lids, and large amounts of cider vinegar (I found my jars at a Giant; attempting to order unique-looking glass from online has so far proved too expensive for shipping).

I would love to provide some recipes here, but will await tastings to ascertain how well my creations fared. In the meantime, I am most excited about the pickled shallots, the green tomato and onion relish, and the brinjal chutney (eggplant, ginger, peppers and more, a great side to curries).

Filed Under Cricket Chirps, Featured Tagged With art of preserving, chutney, donnafugata, fair hill inn, pickle, preserving food, putting food by, relish

relative chill

September 11, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer Leave a Comment

Temperatures dip gracefully into the 60s, lower still at night, and warm food once again beckons. Yet unwilling to concoct stews or other hefty plates, I am inspired by a simple Italian style Ragu; it juxtaposes the fresh, bright tastes of items off the garden vines and stems alongside a slowly heated, heartier base. Despite using my favorite pas de deux, butter and pork, this dish manages to dance between lustily flavorful and light to digest.

Perfect for a day such as this, rainy and preliminarily fall chilly, I recommend cooking this when you can pass in and out of the kitchen for an hour (or two!) prior to eating; that might sound demanding – you can also prepare this in a half hour, but the flavors develop somewhat differently with a longer simmer.

You’ll need: 4 Tbs butter; 1 small onion, chopped; one carrot, chopped, 1/2 bulb fennel, chopped (or celery), a tsp. of fennel seeds; 2-oz. piece of pancetta (I also use several strips bacon and any other cuts of pork left over from other dinners); 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 cup tomato puree (optional); salt and pepper; 3/4 cup milk; several dashes of heavy cream; parmigiano-reggiano. Also – fresh pasta or dried pasta cooked (a tagliatelle style is good).

To cook, put the pancetta or other pork cuts into a heavy-bottomed, medium-sized pot, over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, fennel (or celery) and fennel seeds and cook, stirring frequently (I usually swing by every 5 to 10 min., doing necessary phone calls, or other household chores in-between) until soft and somewhat browned, about 15 minutes. You can also leave this to simmer for up to an hour.

Add the white wine and simmer until evaporated, roughly 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree if desired (sometimes I leave this out, preferring the sauce over pasta with just the flavors of veggies and pork). Stir well to combine, adding water if you desire; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper, then add half the milk and simmer. Add rest of milk after a couple minutes, continue simmering until sauce is thickened. This can take from 1/2 hour to an hour – just depends on how thick you want it. Stir in the cream and serve over your pasta of choice – again, bite size pieces are good versus long strands. Top with Parmigiano-reggiano.

Note: Sometimes I leave out both the tomato puree and milk, waiting just until vegetables are nicely soft and pork flavor fully developed. Then, I toss with about 1/4 cup of cream and the parmigiano over pasta, which makes for a lighter fare. Add a bit of fresh chopped basil atop each serving for a brilliant note of your fall garden.

This recipe is our take on several versions published in Saveur, No. 110.

Filed Under Featured, Seasonal Recipes Tagged With butter, carrot, fennel, Italian, pork, ragu, recipe, saveur

flower power

September 11, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer 1 Comment

Quick update here on that most tasty, zippy flower, the nasturtium; my plants, at roughly three seeds per whiskey barrel (which eventually grew to fill and overflow said pots), continue to blossom eagerly, supplying dinner salads or plates with extra zing. They even made it through the several weeks of 90+ degrees nicely, albeit with somewhat fewer blooms. Gotta love a plant that gives so much.

Filed Under Cricket Chirps, Featured Tagged With edible flowers, nasturtium, salad

september splendor

September 11, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer Leave a Comment

Just a bit fatigued with the harvesting and preserving, September has arrived in splendid fashion to inspire my flagging food production interests. Ahoy to nursery plant sales! With both the summer heat and prices diminished, perennials and shrubs at your area nurseries are in their prime for planting. Whereas planting in the spring allows you to see leaves and blossoms flourish, this late summer and fall planting time provides substantial stabilizing time for roots to grow and settle in for the winter.

After a couple trips to Groff’s, and the resultant spree of flower bed digging and sod shaking, my back cries out for rest. The beautiful pollinating bugs, though, are partying like it’s a New Year. Here are some shots of mostly native wildflower varieties I’ve planted in the past couple of weeks, each with some bug gorging on flower sweets. Pass over the flowers to read their names. In anticipation of either babysitting or outright owning bee boxes in the near future, I think I may yet return this month for further delectable nursery buys . . .

For further fall inspiration, check out Mt. Cuba’s Meadow Study sessions; Sept. 26, Oct. 14 and Nov. 18 are planned dates to show class participants the evolution of a fall meadow. David Korbonits leads the sessions, with 20 years as the institute’s meadow gardener, making these classes a truly knowledgeable perspective on developing such landscapes.

Filed Under Featured, Resources Tagged With bee boxes, Groff's plant farm, meadow study session, Mt. Cuba, perennials, planting, pollinators, wildflowers

lay it on thick

September 6, 2009 By Lynea Newcomer 1 Comment

Would you look at that color difference? This golden tub of Jersey cow butter (higher butterfat content that the ol reglar stuff) came into my possession during a country mile loop of late. On the hunt for plant nursery sales, all those cute Amish stands begged for perusing as well. A hand-scribbled note lay beneath scrubby tape lines at the counter: Jersey butter for sale, $6 a lb. To those in love with the taste of rocking good fat, such notes are to be taken as serendipitous lottery-sized asides from Heaven. “I’d like a tub, please,” I said somwhat hastily, fretting that perhaps the sign was old.

One of the ladies shuttled into the house behind the stand to procure a tub, telling me that yes, the butter was available for most of the year, and how much would I be coming back for? It wasn’t until holding a virginal butter tasting at home that I understood in the immediate start contrast of conventional butter next to this Jersey gold how much better it is. And once past the initial dollops, Michael and I greased our elbows significantly with more prolonged application testing. First, on sweet corn. Then into biscuits for breakfast, topped with sausage and gravy (butter being a main ingredient here as well). I recalled a discussion several years ago with fellow participants in a cheese-tasting seminar – the couple had just completed a butter party, wherein guests delighted in no less than 10 butters. I remember wondering where one could acquire so many varieties, and I questioned my ability to really enjoy such an event.

Happily, my gastronomical awareness matures daily, with especial help from the experiences of home-grown produce and meats, neighbors who haul me along to their finds in the region’s edible abundances, and a partner who really enjoys eating. I’m convinced that butter could be anyone’s next frontier; dried pork varieties a bit too scary still, and wine still a totally mystifying indulgence? Try butter! ssssss

Filed Under Cricket Chirps, Featured Tagged With amish, butter, butterfat, jersey cow