18
July
2008
Coming back from vacation is hard enough for adults, but what do you do with the kids after days of nonstop fun and activities? Time to pull out that bag of flour I bought from Bluebird Grain Farms and put them to “work” baking bread.
I’ve been feeling pretty lazy and jet-lagged myself and didn’t want to do anything too complicated so I found the simplest recipe I could find, forgot about starters, sponges and all those artisanal labor-intensive methods for now. I did the initial mixing myself or more accurately, the food processor did, let it rise once and then called in the workers to take it from there.
Our warm weather is perfect for activating the yeast and the dough rose to fill the bowl in about an hour. I cut the dough into 4 pieces and let Adrian and Lily each make 2 small loaves. Adrian was more methodical and rolled his into baguettes, while Lily’s were more rustic loaves. Both of them thoroughly enjoyed all the kneading, punching and patting to the point that I was a little worried about the texture of the bread. I shouldn’t have been because when it was baked and covered in butter, we couldn’t stop ourselves……
Here is the recipe for this very simple and quite delicious local whole wheat bread. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: Eat Local, For Kids, Grains, On the Local Table
30
May
2008
Herbs in the garden, a kind of culinary magic.
When I planted an herb garden just outside the back door ten years ago, I had no idea how much it would simplify and influence our cooking, the ability to have what is needed to brighten the flavor of almost anything. Like this farro salad for example, it was a step out the back door, snip a few pieces of this and that. Voilà. Well, almost.
This isn’t a precious garden, it gets some attention in the spring, cleaning up and rearranging, after that not much of anything. That’s the way with herbs, they like to rough it. They’d be good on a camping trip – hike for miles without water and then bed down for the night without any fuss. The Mediterranean landscape is in their genes and rocky scruffy soil and dry conditions make them feel right at home. Sure, they respond to a little TLC, but the point is they don’t want or need a lot of attention. Not at all like roses who will throw a temper tantrum on a whim, herbs are the least spoiled child in the garden. Leave them alone, they’re happy campers.
The convenience of having fresh herbs at hand is still such serendipity when I find that I have just what’s needed to make something delicious. I wanted to marinate a flank steak and realized that most of the ingredients were growing in the backyard: mint, oregano, marjoram, garlic, parsley; olive oil and red wine vinegar in the pantry. This happens a lot. The Roasted Tomato Salsa in The Herbfarm Cookbook goes with the steak and calls for, but of course, tomatoes which are not yet available locally. So, I made the ‘salsa’ minus its main ingredient and used it as a dressing for the cooked farro. With thinly sliced pieces of the grilled flank steak the whole thing was exceptional.
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Posted: Eat Local, Grains, In The Garden
26
March
2008
Farro Risotto is a great example of a slow food. You can create a satisfying local meal while taking time to enjoy your life. Once you have it started, you can pour a glass of wine, savor the company of family and friends while giving it an occasional stir. Both the process and the product can be very rewarding.
I used Alice Waters’ Risotto Bianco from her book, The Art of Simple Food . This is a good basic recipe but feel free to use variations depending on what is fresh and seasonal. I picked up some delicious mushrooms from Foraged and Found Edibles at the University Farmers Market. This is the type of recipe you may never make the same way twice. Creativity is encouraged.
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Posted: Eat Local, Grains, On the Local Table
24
March
2008
If you make the decision to eat a local diet, one of the biggest issues you are likely confront is how to substitute some of your favorite foods with something grown locally. It can be fun to sit around and speculate about how you are going to replace any given item. The whole idea tends to spark my pioneer spirit. However, the reality of giving up a beloved staple, like rice, seemed kind of grim until I discovered farro. Bluebird Grain Farms grow this ancient wholegrain in the Methow Valley near Winthrop. Every step of their growing process is about producing a superior product. Evidently, farro is traditionally known by growers as being a little cranky when asked to perform like wheat. It can be difficult to grow and low-yielding. Lucky for us, since the chances of it becoming genetically modified are close to none.
Many people discover farro while traveling in Italy where it has become a local specialty with a wide range of uses from soups to salads. It works well with a variety of seasonal ingredients and can be a staple year-round. It has a distinctive, nutty flavor similar to barley or spelt. It’s low in gluten, so it is useful for those with wheat issues. It may fall more into the “slow food” category in terms of cooking time, but it is an ancient grain, after all, and is pretty low maintenance while it cooks. So, all I ask is that you give it a chance. Okay, it hasn’t completely replaced rice in my kitchen, but it is running a strong second. In terms of flavor and nutrition it can be deeply satisfying. We will be giving you some of our favorite recipes, so go ahead and get some to have on hand.
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Posted: Grains, On the Local Table
