To Market with Mo: just a spoonful of...
Thursday, April 29, 2010
If Mary Poppins were giving little Michael and Jane honey instead of sugar, why she might have been able to skip the 'medicine' part all together....and no it's not psychosomatic. That spoonful on honey does ease a sore throat. Honey is a wonder 'drug' on two fronts:
A) It's natural antiseptic properties, 'yeah, sore throat, take that', and a great topical salve (number one wound treatment during the civil war, how 'bout that tidbit?). For this purpose go for a darker honey, say a buckwheat honey. It packs more antioxidants than any other honey.
B) Homeopathically. If you are an allergy sufferer like myself, down local raw honey to build up your immune system. Your local bees aren't collecting nectar and pollen from hibiscus in Barbados, but from all those blooming things that got you sneezing in the first place. Local honey (especially a prairie or wildflower honey) hold bits of pollen from all these allergens. So, by consuming the honey, you start building an immunity to them. Yay you.
I could go on about the 'good for you' properties of honey, like all the antioxidants, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins it contains, but all that aside, it's the taste that is so intoxicating. And I am not talking your grocery-store, all the goodness cooked out of it variety, but real local honey that you can actually taste the blooms that it came from.
Speaking of the blooms. Did you know it takes 4.5 million flowers to make one pound of honey? And who does all the work? Bees. Seriously. These little creatures, who you might find annoying if they sting you, are probably the most important player in the sustainability story. Bees gather nectar from flowers, and in turn are pollinating plants. A full one third of the food we consume requires pollination. Did you know that when bees are around to pollinate, crop yields have been known to increase as much as 45%. Wow! Busy? Not the word for it. And with the bee population a quarter of what it was less than 50 years ago....well, instead of getting too down about this situation I say spin it positive--we can all do our part to help US beekeepers, and they in turn they will help the honey bee. How? By buying the byproduct of the bee's hard work: that raw local honey.
There are a number of sources for local honey and honey products. Two in the city itself (
Chicago, to clarify for my out of town readers):
Chicago Honey Co-op and
Sweet Beginnings (producer of the
beeline, line of honey products). Not only are both these producers working within the city limits in under-served neighborhoods, and increasing our bee population, but they are helping to provide jobs for those who might otherwise have a tough time finding employment.
A number of vendors sell honey at the farmers markets, but one of my favorite source is
Bron's Bees Honey (from Heritage Prairie Farm). Why? I truly believe the beekeeper, Browyn Weaver's passion for bees, and beekeeping, is reflected in the honey she produces. Wait. I need to back up. The honey that her well-cared for bees produce. And don't stop at trying the honey and honey comb, if you have the opportunity to try Bron's Honey cake? Do. Oh my heck, this cake is pure bliss. But if you can't wait another couple of weeks for Summer market season to get into full swing, there are online and local retailers that carry these locally produced honeys (
refer to all the links above).
All this talk of blooming and pollen has got me feeling a bit of spring fever. And if 'allergy girl' is going to sit out on the back porch, on an unseasonably warm MayDay evening, might as well combat the pollen blowing about with a 'medicinal' cocktail, right?
Bee's Knees (a speakeasy classic)
2 parts gin (Hendricks works nicely)
1 part honey simple syrup*
1 part fresh lemon juice
splash of Licor 43 (optional, but brings this cocktail to another level)
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, stir briefly to dissolve the honey syrup, then fill with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon, or really zip it up with a sprig of lavender.
*Honey simple syrup: combine equal parts of honey and water in a sauce pan. Heat until simmering and honey is dissolved. Store in the fridge.
See you at the markets!
Mo
p.s. any favorite ways to use honey? email me at moira@efete.net
Labels: beeline, Bron's Bees, Chicago Honey Co-op, Green City Market, seasonal organic produce, Sweet Beginnings
To Market with Mo: tiny but intense...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
...clearly I am not describing myself, unless of course women who are six feet tall are suddenly deemed 'tiny'. No, 'tiny but intense' best befits micro-greens. Let me tell you, I cannot get my fill of these petite doses of green. And, in this 'super-sized' world we live in, it is so incredibly refreshing to find something so wonderfully tasty in micro-size.
Hitting the last few indoor farmers markets, the biggest clue that we are nearing outdoor market season (
fyi...Green City kicks off the outdoor Chicago area farmers market season on May 12th. How excited am I?!?) is the presence of the micro-greens. Nothing complicated or exotic here, micro-greens are simply the seedlings that are harvested before developing into mature greens and/or herbs. Oh, but add a few micro-greens to a dish and turn on the instant 'wow' factor. Those you are feeding just might think they are being served something complex and exotic, when all you prepared was a simple omelet that suddenly looks fresher, prettier and most important, tastier.
I dare not call them 'cute'. No, nothing 'cute' could pack such a punch of flavor and nutrition. Think of them as a super concentrated form of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and a zing of flavor. A great way to sneak in more 'healthy' into any dish. And back to 'keep it simple' in the kitchen, what could be easier than adding some to a sandwich or wrap (
boy that trumps a flavorless leaf of iceberg), garnish a pizza, quesadilla, stir fry, or piece of grilled fish, add to sushi and maki rolls, salads, or forget the mature salad greens and make a salad using only micro greens. The other day I gave my favorite Spring dish of grilled asparagus topped with a fried egg the 'wow' factor with a topping of
Three Sisters Garden mixed mirco-greens. I did not think I could love this dish more.
Wow, I do love this dish more.
Some of my favorite sources for
la petite greens are
Three Sisters Garden mixed micros and petite pea greens,
Tiny Greens for, oh where do I begin, bronze fennel, radish, curly cress, arugula, amaranth, onion, sunflower, to name a handful, and
Heritage Prairie Farms for mixed micros. I recommend using your greens soon after getting them home, but if you are not ready to use right away, store in a closed container (
the plastic bag or container you brought them home in are perfectly fine) in the fridge for up to a week.
Micro-greens: proof that great things come in small packages (present company excluded from that statement of course ;)
See you at the markets!
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Heritage Prairie Farms, micro greens, seasonal organic produce, Three Sister's Garden, Tiny Greens
To Market with Mo: chestnuts now?
Friday, April 9, 2010
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost..." Whoa, whoa, whoa sister, stop already, wrong time of year. It's time for green to start showing all it's beautiful new shades, not for popping freshly roasted chestnuts into our pockets to keep warm. Oh, but wait. It does not have to be wintry to enjoy chestnuts. Yes, prime season is Fall and Winter(
hello chestnuts and Brussels sprouts), but a recent wander thru the farmer's market (
a stop at Hillside Orchards stand to be specific) and, low and behold, one of my favs in another form. Or I should say forms: chestnuts peeled, frozen, vacuum-packed and ready to go, chestnut flour, and something I had not seen before, chestnut 'slices' and 'chips'
(these are freeze dried slices of chestnuts to enjoy as is as a snack, garnish salads or veggies, pulverize to a 'breading' for fish or meats, or rehydrate and use like you would fresh chestnuts.)
Oh sure, frozen are a great stand-in for fresh: to use in stuffings and soups, but the sweet tooth has been doggin' me a bit more than usual (I'll blame Easter, yeah, that's it...) so I'm thinking souffles, puddings, ice cream, or puree (for crepe filling, of course). Why stop at the crepe filling, bring on the chestnut flour to make those crepes, that need filling.
Chestnut flour. In both Europe, and here in the States, chestnut flour was a staple used more than wheat flour. It was the wheat flour that was more of a luxury (go figure). Then bam, a 20th century chestnut blight, and oh how the tables turned. But lucky us, the majority of stateside chestnut growers, rebuilding blighted trees, are located just across 'the lake' in Michigan.
Gluten-free, low fat, and nutritious, chestnut flour is a great stand-in for wheat flour. Chestnut flour does lack gluten, and is denser than wheat flour, so in some recipes you might want to mix with wheat flour, or other GF flours if you are celiac or gluten intolerant. You don't want to mess around with mixing flours, and are hankering to whip up something sweet? Here is a simple and delicious brownie recipe courtesy of the
Chestnut Growers, Inc. (
which Hillside Orchards is a member of):
Chestnut Brownies
2/3 cup chestnut flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 stick plus 2 T butter
1 c sugar
2 t vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 c chestnut 'slices' or walnuts or pecans (optional)
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk flour, salt and baking powder in small bowl; set aside. Fit a 16x12 inch piece of foil in the bottom of a 13"x9" pan, using the overhang as handles. Spray foil with cooking spray.
Chop chocolate, and melt with butter in a bowl, over a pot of simmering water. When completely melted remove from heat. Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then the eggs. Continue whisking until smooth and glossy.
Add the dry ingredients (including 'slices' or nuts if using) until just blended. Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake approximately 40 minutes (or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use foil handles to remove sheet of brownies from the pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut. Serve. Devour.
See you at the markets!
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: chestnut flour, Chestnut Growers, Green City Market, HIllside Orchards, Inc, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: it's not about the sauce
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
When I hear the word 'whore', I think, 'lady of easy virture'. So when I am to meet the Pasta Puttana, I try to prepare myself for what someone, who calls them self a pasta whore, looks like. Wow...and cute, fresh-faced, natural, curly haired red-head (think Charlie Brown's adorable forever crush) was not what I had conjured up in my mind.
Now that we have the original image shaken from our head, Jessica Volpe, said Pasta Puttana, decided to turn her love of pasta into a business, so that she could encourage folks to cook good fresh food at home. And, being the whore she is for pasta, and pasta being one of the least intimidating things to cook on ones own, it was natural that it was pasta that Jessica would craft. And let me tell you, this artisanal pasta is...let's just say, it leaves me speechless.
If your idea of 'pasta nite' is a box of spaghetti laden with commercial (oh, the horror) jarred marinara, or a thick cheesy sauce, then you know what? Stick with the boxed macaroni. Jessica's pastas, made from local organic ingredients (ONLY) and that take hours to handcraft, deserve so much more. Or less, as the case may be. Just a bit of high quality olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt is all that is needed to bring out the complete and utter deliciousness of Jessica's silky ribbons of pasta.
So you want to get a bit more elaborate than salt and olive oil? On the back of each package of pasta, the pasta whore herself provides, not elaborate recipes, that can cause frustration or intimidation (depending on one's prowess in the kitchen), but great flavor pairings to help inspire one's creative culinary freedom. Oh, this is so a girl up my alley. Inspired by Jessica's suggestion to pair her whole wheat (OMG honestly, if ever turned off by a boxed whole wheat pasta, you will completely change your mind after trying Pasta Puttana's whole wheat, nutty delicious ribbons) pasta with roasted shallots, I took things a wee bit farther with the following recipe:
Mo's Springtime Whole Wheat Pasta
(2 entree or 4 appetizer servings)
1 package of Pasta Puttana Whole Wheat pappardelle
Olive oil
2 good sized shallots roasted, and silvered
1 cloves of garlic minced
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup fresh peas (ok, frozen will do in a pinch)
1 cup edamame (shelled, and yes, frozen works)
sea salt to taste
1-2 T fresh goat cheese (with lemon essence if you can find)
Lemon zest
Put a large pot of salted water onto boil. Meanwhile, heat (on medium high) a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add garlic and heat till that garlicky good smell wafts to your nose. Add the snap peas, peas and edamame, and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the roasted shallots and then turn off the burner.
By now the pot of water should be boiling furiously. If so, add the pasta and stir immediately. DO NOT walk away expecting pasta to cook for 8-10 minutes, remember this is not boxed. Cook for 20 seconds (yes, you read that right. 20 seconds). Strain pasta.
Add pasta to the sauteed veggies. Toss pasta and veg together.
Divide among serving bowls, and garnish with a pinch of lemon zest and a few crumbles of goat cheese per serving. Devour pronto.
Whole wheat is only one of the rotating flavors that the Pasta Puttana crafts. Look for golden egg, white wine, roasted squash, wild mushroom, seasonal herb, fiery red chili, seasonal garlic, and perhaps, a few surprises this coming market season.
You can find Pasta Puttana pastas at the following locations:
and through:
See you at the markets!
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: artisanal food, fresh pasta, Green City Market, Pasta Puttana, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: the final countdown
Friday, March 26, 2010
It's the end of March and I am now in serious 'final countdown' mode (dang, now I can't get that 80's anthem out of my head). For what? Outdoor Farmers Market season in Chicago! Only a few more indoor winter markets to go: Green City this Saturday, March 27 and two in April on the 10th and 24th. This Sunday, March 28th is the last indoor Logan Square Market for the season. Portage Park Indoor Market will happen this Saturday, March 27th and then on April 24th. And that's all until Green City kicks off the outdoor season on Wednesday, May 12th -- oh yeah, you can bet I will be there, and bright and early to boot. Ok, so on April 25th I will really be in final countdown mode, don't get me on the technicality. And anyone who knows me knows that 'countdown' really starts in early November, after the last outdoor market closes for the season.
Trust me, I so, so, so appreciate our area indoor markets, but there is something about shopping for farm fresh fruits and veg, and meats and cheeses (and let us not forget our local baked goods and artisanal food products) out in the open air. Somehow everything seems that much fresher...or so I like to think to myself. Nothing like getting to the market first thing in the morning braving elements, whether gorgeous and sunny, or cold and rainy, to get your pick of the fresh picked. Seriously great way to start the day. You laugh. Try it, you just might like it.
Get in 'count down' mode with me, and head out to the final indoor markets, for a last stock up of micro greens, root veg, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, apples (yep, and so good), grains, milk, eggs, yoghurt, meats, honey, maple syrup, preserves, ice cream (not kidding), cheese and of course baked goods before outdoor market season begins:
See you at the markets!
Mo
P.S. am I missing any markets? If so let me know, email me at moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Green City Market, logan square market, portage park market, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: breakin' bread
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
For some of us with Irish ancestry, one of the things we look forward to on St. Patrick's Day is Irish soda bread and brown bread. And for others of said ancestry, Irish soda bread was just something you had everyday. How envious was I of my friend, Maura Kelly, whose mom baked soda bread EVERY morning. Maura would show up to school, with still warm slices of the raisin-speckled, unleavened heaven. And yes, of course there was butter to top those slices with.
And here I always thought that Mary Poppins and Maria Von Trapp were the best 'moms' (okay not really moms but in my child mind they were great stand-ins), but here comes Mrs Kelly, a real mom, who bakes bread every morning?!? Yeah, mother of the year for sure!* I stared so longingly at Maura's slices of steaming soda bread everyday that eventually her mom took pity on me and started sending along slices to share with 'the other Moira'.
To set the record straight Mrs. Kelly's, and most of the 'irish soda breads' we have all come to know, is actually Spotted Dog. A traditional 'soda bread' contains the following ingredients period, end of story: flour, baking soda, salt, and soured milk (buttermilk). Now this is more your 'brown' bread you take with every meal variety.
Irish Brown Bread. On every table in Ireland, at every meal: breakfast, lunch and tea. Seriously I cannot get enough of the stuff when I have been a visitin'. But try to re-create that grainy goodness stateside, and it just falls short without lots of adds-ins like oat bran, wheat bran, wheat germ, and trust me, I have been tinkering with this for a long time. Until now. I have finally discovered the PERFECT organic whole wheat flour to recreate the perfect brown bread. And to think it has been right under my nose at the
Green City Market the whole time.
Heritage Prairie Farms stone ground organic whole wheat flour.
Heritage Prairie Farms grinds whole wheat, grown by Ted's Organic Grains, to just the perfect point, leaving all the nutricious bran and germ in tact. And now once again a perfect brown bread. Slainte.
Mo's Irish Brown Bread
3 1/2 cups Heritage Prairie Farms Organic Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 cup sugar (I know, not a purist)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut in small pieces
2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Dust baking sheet with cooking spray and flour.
In a large bowl mix together flour, oats, baking soda and sugar. Using fingers or pastry cutter work in butter until it resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in buttermilk until a dough is formed. Turned dough onto a floured work surface and knead for about one minute. Shape into a ball and place onto baking sheet. Flatten dough to about 1 1/2" high. Cut cross in the top, brush with buttermilk and sprinkle some oats on top. Bake approximately 35 minutes.
Mo
p.s. so are you hankering to get my secret recipe for Spotted Dog? email me at moira@efete.net
*seriously not fair to expect my mother of Ukrainian ancestry to bake Irish Soda Bread daily and god knows she made more than enough from scratch. I mean who bakes homemade hamburger buns?!?
Labels: Green City Market, Heritage Prairie Farms, Irish Brown Bread, seasonal organic produce, Three Sister's Garden
To Market with Mo: climb every mountain...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
March. Hum, still winter in Chicago. Still three months until summer begins. And still five months before tomato season begins. I don't know about you, but right about now I start going thru (ok, really started after I ate my last homegrown tomato in early October) MAJOR real vine-ripened tomato withdrawl. No, do not tell me to just pick some up at the grocery store. Oh, you mean those unripe, ethylene-manipulated tomato imposters? No. Those. Just. Won't. Do.
I will eat real vine-ripened tomatoes, from the farmers market, or from my backyard, during the season, until I have the worst acid stomach, and acid burned tongue, from all my fresh tomato over-indulgence. Now, ask me to eat the out-of-season, grocery-store variety, well you can forget about it. When I eat a tomato, I want to taste summer, not mealy, tasteless mush.
Enough of my rant. I have found the solution for us tomato loving purists...
Tomato Mountain Organics. Growing, and harvesting the best, and ripest tomatoes (and other ingredients) and transforming them into what I consider jars of summer. Tomato based salsas, pasta sauce, soup, preserves, juice and wow, the best Bloody Mary mix, ever.
Tomato Mountain Farm, located about a 2 1/2 drive north into Wisconsin, is not only the farm that organically grows all of the ingredients, and picks them at the peak of freshness, but they also process all of their jarred products, in their own processing kitchen...hence, why all of their products taste like jars of sunshine.
mo
moira@efete.net
Know of any other markets coming up? Send me a note at moira@efete.net.
Labels: seasonal organic produce, Tomato Mountain Organics, tomatoes
To Market with Mo: it's about the give, not the give up
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
You know, there is nothing I enjoy more than holing up in the kitchen, on a cold blustery day, and making a big, pot of soup. I could spend the entire day, just prepping, and fussing, and tasting, til that simmering pot of goodness is perfection. There is something so comforting about this process for me. Perfect example: the Fall of 2001, I found myself making pot, after pot of soups, until there was no more room in the fridge, and the freezers. What up with that? Guess it was my way of dealing with the shock of 9/11. Yep, hiding in the kitchen is my way of coping with stress. Trust me though, I don't need stress to get me to fuss over a pot of soup, just a desire to feed myself, and others.
What, you don't have this same passion for soup making? Hey! I get it (not really, but I will humor you). But you say you do love to eat comforting bowls of homemade soup? Well, before you go and 'give up' soup for lent, why don't you 'give' a bit while indulging in multiple bowls of soup. Take a break from your Winter Olympic Games marathon, get off the couch, and head out to
The Hideout on a wintry Wednesday night for their weekly
'Soup n Bread' night.
To get through the s-l-o-w winter weekday nights, and harder economic times, the folks at
The Hideout launched a brilliant idea last winter: a free weekly soup dinner. Volunteers, made up of Hideout staff members & regulars, local musicians, writers, chefs and bakers, donate pots of homemade soups, breads, rolls, muffins ,and sometimes desserts, then invite one and all to partake. Now, here is where the 'give' comes in. Though the soup dinner is free, a donation bucket is set out. All donations collected are then distributed to a number of local food pantries and soup kitchens. So not only will you fill up on some pretty delicious soups, but you will help others fill their stomachs as well. And if you do like to try your hand at soup making, then get yourself a copy of the
Soup & Bread Cookbook -- filled with recipes of all the soups that were donated last winter, and yet another chance at the 'give' as all proceeds are donated to
The Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Soup & Bread takes place every Wednesday from 5:30 - 8pm (
or til the soup runs out. My advice, get there earlier than later) at
The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, Chicago, thru March 31st.
P.S. big shout out to Magda (in pic above, in red scarf) and the FAB soup she donated a few weeks back. I bet if you ask nicely, I can get a copy of Magda's soup recipe for you....
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, seasonal organic produce, soup n bread, The Hideout, To Market with Moira
To Market with Mo: Chocolate Amour
Friday, February 12, 2010
"My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine, you make me smile with my heart....is your figure less than greek, is your mouth a little weak, when you open it to...". Stop. Forget the real lyrics, how about 'is your mouth a little weak...for chocolate.' Yeah, yeah, doesn't rhyme, but in my case no truer words could be said when it comes to my favorite food group: chocolate.
I really need no excuse to eat dark chocolate everyday, it is afterall, good for you (hello, antioxidants). Yes, I am talking the dark stuff, and the darker the better in my book. You can have all the milk (and white, but that isn't even chocolate...) chocolate you want-- okay, admittedly been know to down a M&M or two, but for real chocolate satisfaction it's gotta be the finest quality dark stuff I can find. I have convinced myself that by indulging in the best, and darkest, I don't need to consume as much...hum, guess I do indulge in more than just a bite.
Now, in my constant quest for fabulous chocolate, and all things made locally, I have found three 'to die for' chocolate products, and all from hanging out at the Farmer's Markets. See, it ain't just about the fruit and veg. And, as much as I might like to, I just can't be selfish and keep these a secret:
Katherine Anne Confections -- Can't judge a book by the cover? In this case, trust that nestled inside the gorgeous (not to mention handmade, just like the contents, and sustainable) packaging, are some of the most wonderful handmade truffles, crafted with the finest natural ingredients. I know, I am all about the chocolate but, you must indulge in Katherine's caramels as well. OH. MY. GOD. Heavenly. Katherine will be at the Daley Plaza farmer's market this coming season, but meanwhile click thru to her
website for her list of retailers.
Rarebird Preserves and
GrownUp KidStuff -- love your chocolate in the form of a sauce to drizzle (yeah right, just drizzle) over ice cream or cake, or use as a fondue, slathered on crepes, or a really kicked up peanut butter sandwich? The chocolate sauces from both of these artisans are, well, let's just say, have the ability to leave me speechless.
Rarebird Preserves specializes in fruit preserves made with seasonal, local and sustainably grown fruit. Now, since fruit and chocolate pair so beautifully, owner Elizabeth Madden started cooking up batches of fruit infused chocolate sauces. One taste, and who needs anything but a spoon? I found Rarebird Preserves at the
Andersonville Farmers Market, but for now
click here for where to get your hands on these jars of fruit and chocolate heaven.
GrownUp KidStuff is the newest kid on the block, hailing from my 'hood, Rogers Park (represent). Constance and Don, the dynamic duo behind
GrownUp KidStuff, have been perfecting their chocolate sauces for years. Oh why didn't I meet them sooner, and could have been one of the friends, or family members, who was gifted their decadent chocolate sauce? Get yourself a jar (or two) of
GrownUp KidStuff duing one of their tastings this winter at the
Andersonville Galleria, or order directly from the
website. Once you get a jar of this chocolate heaven home, go beyond dessert, and try your hand at a braising short ribs, or mixing up a vinaigrette to dress roasted vegetables, or keep it simple, and stir into your morning cup 'o' coffee.
Hum, now I have to decide if I am going to share my chocolate finds with my valentine ;)
mo
moira@efete.net
p.s. want a wonderful flourless chocolate cake recipe made with one of the above products? email me at moira@efete.net
Labels: chocolate, food artisans, Grownup Kidstuff, Katherine Anne Confections, Rarebird Preserves, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: "Please sir, may I have some more?"
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
January has the honor of being the national month of Eye Health Care, Bath Safety, Skating, Shape up US, Hot Tea, Soup (which I want to switch to February, but hey, that's my issue), Fiber Focus, Prune Breakfast (see previous entry), and Oatmeal (again, see Fiber). I could go on, believe it or not, as there are a lot more of these honors, for the month of January. But it is the oatmeal that I want to talk about. Sexy, right? I don't know, I think I can make a case for putting sexy into oatmeal. Or, would it be oatmeal putting the sexy into us? Afterall, oatmeal is so, so good for you. Loaded with complex carbs, fiber, vitamins like B & E, zinc (hello cold fighter, nothing sexy about a runny nose), not to mention a whole lot of other minerals, and last but not least, protein. Consume oatmeal on a regular basis, and you can't help but be healthy, and quite frankly, healthy is pretty sexy. I'm just saying....
Now, your commercial varieties of
steel cut,
rolled, or dare I say
instant, are pretty darn good for you: they can all claim to help aid digestion, stabilize blood glucose levels, lower cholesterol, and reduce your risk of heart disease. Now, do you want to up the healthy factor and the tasty factor (yeah, a lot of oatmeal needs a bit of help in the tasty arena. Hey, I am a huge fan, but we all know it needs to be flavor enhanced a bit) then may I suggest a visit to
Green City Market this winter (
pssst, the next market day for
Green City is February 13th) and a stop at the
Three Sisters Garden booth. This is the source for a sweet, nutty, wonderful cross between steel cut and rolled oatmeal, that frankly, is the best I have ever tried. And trust me, I have tried a lot of oatmeal in my day.
Three Sisters Garden is actually run by two, not three, women who decided to hang up their chefs toques, to produce food. So, how cool is it to know that the oatmeal that you eat, will have only been touched by four hands: from sowing, to harvesting, to cutting, to rolling, to packaging. And unlike most oatmeal, which by the time it gets to us has not been in it's natural state for months, if not well, much longer,
Three Sisters Garden oatmeal will get to you between 24-48 hours after it has been gently hand 'rolled'. Now that is fresh.
Once you get your
Three Sisters Garden oats home, it is best to store in them in the fridge, and use within a couple of weeks. If you can't use them that fast go ahead and store them in the freezer. Now, don't automatically lean toward 'putting them away in the freezer' cause you just don't have time to make 'real' oatmeal in the morning. Do like the Scots and Irish: soak your oats in water overnite, with a wee bit of salt. The next morning heat it up for a few minutes on the stove and voila, hot cereal to start your day. Now if you do have the time to make your oatmeal in the morning, then I would suggest treating it like risotto and stir, stir, stir for a creamy bowl of oats. Not to worry, Three Sisters Garden oatmeal will not turn into a globby, gluey mess, but will still maintain a wonderful 'risotto-like' bite.
To keep my standard winter breakfast (yeah, you guessed it, oatmeal) interesting, I change it up daily. Mix-ins vary from milk or yoghurt, raisins, dates, and other dried fruits, to pumpkin (don't knock it, seriously good, and takes care of your beta carotene consumption for the day), protein powder, honey or maple syrup, and granola (which these oats are a great base for a homemade version). And sometimes, like this morning, I don't even cook the oats, but go the Swiss museli route, and just let the oats soak in some yoghurt, or milk overnite, add some honey and berries in the morning, and breakfast perfection. But after chatting with Tracey from
Three Sisters Garden, I am totally inspired to take oatmeal to the savory side...can you say oatmeal with mushrooms, a crumbly dry goat cheese, and tasso ham. Oh my heck, who needs the risotto?!?
See you at the market,
Moira
moira@efete.net
p.s. have a fav recipe you use your steel-cut or rolled oats in? send my way to moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Market, Green City Market, seasonal organic produce, Three Sisters Garden
To Market with Mo: a little bit of India...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
It's been said, if you want great Indian food (let me preface, outside of India) then go to London. I have always heard this, and have had the good fortune to experience....well, that is until a certain 'pants bomber' interrupted my last opportunity to savor a fantastic Indian meal in London. Pout, pout.Hold on a minute missy, and put that bottom lip away. Why travel halfway across of the globe for a bit of curry on the tongue, when right here in Chicago we are blessed to have a little bit (okay, a lot a bit) of India concentrated on the northside of the city, on west Devon Avenue. Take a wander west of Western Avenue, down Devon Avenue, and you will feel as if you were transported to a Mumbai shopping district: restaurants representing all regions of India, snack & sweets shops (can you say Annapurna? yum), sari shops, Bollywood rental shops, eyebrow threading shops, but I digress. I am supposed to focus on markets dedicated to food. right? Well, no need to succumb to the big box, spendy supermarket, right in the middle of this strip of Devon Avenue are two of my favorite markets, and only a few doors from each other:
Fresh Farms and
Patel Brothers.
Start at
Patel Brothers and wow, one foot in the door and your nostrils are greeted by the heady scent of spices. Corriander, tumeric, cumin, fennel, cardamom, ginger...I could go on but trust me, everything you will need to create your own masala or curry. And cheap, cheap, cheap. That is the wonderful thing about both
Patel Brothers and
Fresh Farms, your dollar goes oh so much further than it does at Whole Foods, Dominicks, or Jewel.
And since an Indian meal is not complete without rice (in southern India), or breads (in northern regions of India), you will be able to find not only rice, but a huge assortment of lentils (who knew there where so many varieties), grains, and flours to try your hand at homemade naan, puris and chapattis. Not that ambitious? Fresh and frozen breads can be had at Patel Brothers. One could get lost for awhile here, perusing the barrels of snack mixes, the pickle station, the ready-made food stuffs, and I am not even going to mention the rosewater ice cream, h-e-a-v-e-n.
Now, Patel Brothers does have a produce section, but may I suggest, once you are done stocking up on dry goods, and spices for the Indian feast you are going to make (I have inspired you right?), head a few yards west to
Fresh Farms for super fresh and delicious, and super inexpensive produce. Your standard fruits and veg, and then things you are so not going to find at your local chain grocery store, bitter melon for instance.
Fresh Farms definitely caters to the Indian community, but they don't stop there. Food products from South Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East are to be had. Hard to drag myself from the olive and feta bar. Oh, then there is the assortment of Greek sweets...getting even harder to be virtuous, and stick to resolutions here. But wait, just when I am about to cave, right in the front of the store is a fresh juice bar. Phew, just in time to get me back on a healthy track.
The vibe in this neck of the city is energizing, and never more so than on the weekends. Remember, patience is a virtue when looking/waiting for parking. May I suggest, if you have the opportunity to get up to Devon Avenue during the week do so, and you will find the parking situation much less stressful. No matter what, once you get all your goods for Indian cooking home, all the stress of the hunt will waft away in simmering spices.
Labels: Fresh Farms, Patel Brothers, seasonal organic produce, To Market with Moira
To Market with Mo: the original nectar of the gods...
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
...or should I say goddesses? Oh, but back to that in a moment.
Let me tell you, after a week in Prague, I now know how, and why, Central Europeans embrace winter: hot cocktails. Hot mulled wine, hot glog, hot grog, hot punch, and my personal favorite, hot mead. "Huh what", you say. Mead. Still getting a blank, glazed look from you. Mead. Well, if it weren't for someone, or someones, discovering, and popularizing, the fermentation of grapes and grains, my guess is that mead, being the first known fermented beverage, would still be the world's most popular fermented beverage.
Knowing no borders, mead has been popular not only for thousands of years, but pretty much across all cultures. Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Assyrians, Scandinavians, Aztecs, Incas were all imbibing for celebratory and religious purposes, hey all in the name of God, right? And rumor has it, that this golden nectar is quite the aphrodisiac. Mead played a huge part in what we now know as the 'honeymoon'. It is said that for the post wedding 'month of seclusion (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) the father of the bride would provide his son-in-law, and daughter, with a month's supply of mead. There you go, from honey wine, a honeymoon.
So, now that I have your taste buds peaked, I will not let you down by telling you mead is the stuff of legend past, or only to be had in other parts of the world. No, no, no, gratefully of the 100 or so commercial meaderies in the world, we are fortunate enough to have one right here in Chicago, Beverly to be exact.
The Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery. Who knew right? Chicago's first and only meadery and winery is owned and operated by Greg Fischer, who has been making his award winning meads commercially for ten years now, and from his own honey. Okay, his bee's honey. Now I'll finally get back to the goddess reference. As far as I am concerned, since it is the female honey bees that do all the work, aka, fly around pollinating the flowers, and making the honey, I think that mead should be referred to as 'nectar of the goddesses' not gods, heck all those male bees are doing is sleeping, eating and ahem, making the queen bee happy. And talk about your locavores dream, Greg's bees are making the meadery's honey right here in Chicago, and of the 80 hives, a handful sit right a top a Mag Mile rooftop, sweet.
Once the honey is harvested, a basic mead is begun, ready to take notes? Honey, water and yeast. That's it. And that alone transforms into a beautiful ambrosia, but
Wild Blossom Meadery whets our appetite further by creating, not one, but 13 varieties of mead, infused with fruits like green apples, raspberries, peaches and blueberries, chocolate, hibiscus, cinnamon and other spices.
"Where can I get this delectable liquid gold," you ask. Online, directly from
Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery or at
Binny's Beverage Depot. Not ready to indulge in a whole bottle? There are a number of bars and restaurants, including
Hopleaf and
The Funky Budda Lounge, here in Chicago, that feature Wild Blossom Meads. Still not swayed? It is said that the drinker of mead is imbibed with the following: more life, wisdom, courage, strength, and well, going back to those aphrodisiacal properties....
Cheers,
Mo
moira@efete.net
p.s. a huge thank you to The Local Beet for compiling the most complete list of area winter markets,
Winter Markets Ahead. See you at the markets!
Labels: Binny's, Chicago Farmers Markets, Funky Budda Lounge, Hopleaf, seasonal organic produce, To Market with Moira, Wild Blossom Meadery and Winery
To Market with Mo: Baby it's cold outside....
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
...but offer me a grapefruit inside, and suddenly I am transported to a warm, sunny, tropical locale. Yeah, the temps in Chicago are hovering in the teens of late, and all I can think of is how can I be somewhere much, much warmer. With the airlines not giving anything away, an inexpensive way to whisk off to the tropics is to pick-up some sweet-tart, juicy grapefruits.
Not exactly a local fruit that will be found at one of the farmers markets, but head to a local produce market, or cross your fingers that a vendor, family member, or friend might be sending you box of citrus paradisi. Wrapped inside the dimpled peel is the taste of pure summer.
Last nite I watched master mixologist, Daniel Love,* of Mercadito, concoct fresh grapefruit margaritas with muddled bits of grapefruit sections. Oh yes, the margaritas were sublime (and I won't even talk about the citrus filled ceviche, OMG!). But, oddly enough, I woke up just hankering for more grapefruit. Off to the market to load up on some gorgeous Ruby Reds (be sure to pick out fruits that are heavy for their size, and omit a fragrant slightly sweet aroma) and then back home to conjure up summer in my kitchen, oh and get a bit of healthy and delicious to boot. Loaded with vitamin C, A, B5, potassium, folate, fiber and pectin, which helps regulate the blood sugar, which I would imagine could use a bit of regulating during the sugar high holiday season, grapefruits feel like a pretty guilt-free indulgence.
I just love grapefruits as is, peeled and sections popped right into my mouth. But why stop there? Juiced (plain, or back in the afore mentioned margarita), sectioned into a spinach salad with nothing more than some avocado, fennel, pomegranate seeds, and a citrus vinaigrette, or transformed into a relish, or salsa, to top some grilled scallops or fish. Now, since I like to use the entire grapefruit, I opt for the two-for-one during the holidays: Candied Grapefruit Peel (I figure for each one of those I consume, it cancels out the calories of each cookie I gobble down), and now what to do with the flesh? A grown-up palate cleanser for your holiday meals in the form of a Grapefruit Vodka Granita. Yes, both so, so, so good.
Candied Grapefruit Peel
(If you can boil water, you can make candied grapefruit peel)
2 large grapefruits
3 cups sugar (plus more for rolling & coating)
3 cups water
Using a paring knife remove peel from the fruit. Without cutting into the flesh of the fruit, make six slits, from top to bottom, in the fruit. Gently remove peel with your fingers. Put fruit aside for that granita.
Slice the peel, lengthwise, into 1/4 inch strips. Then, using paring knife remove excess pith (the white part) from each strip.
Place strips in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then drain. Repeat this step.
Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add grapefruit strips to the boiling syrup, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about an hour until the strips are translucent. Remove from heat and let strips cool completely in the syrup.
Using a slotted spoon, or tongs, transfer strips to a wire rack that is sitting atop a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe any excess syrup from the strips and then roll strips in sugar. Place back on the wire rack, in a single layer, and let dry for at least 30 minutes. Will keep covered, at room temperature, for up to two weeks.
*Award winning mixologist Daniel Love will be leaving Chicago for sunny Miami in two weeks, so if you want to try one of his grapefruit margaritas get yourself over to Mercadito ASAP.
Do you want a copy of my Grapefruit Vodka Granita? Email me at moira@efete.net
Happy Holidays!
Labels: candied grapefruit peel, Chicago Farmers Markets, grapefruit, produce markets, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: the incredible edible
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
In this season of gift giving, hens, okay other birds as well but let's stick with chickens for the sake of this conversation, have come up with the perfect gift, and the perfect way to package it: the egg. Truly a perfect food for both the novice and the seasoned cook alike. You can boil water? You can hard boil an egg. Or prefer to stretch your culinary wings? Go for mastering a beautiful meringue or Bearnaise sauce.
I don't recall being a huge fan of the egg until I had my first farm fresh egg. I finally so so got 'the incredible edible egg' slogan. If you have only had grocery store eggs (that can have the potential of sitting on the store shelf for up to 180 days, and have been hatched by debeaked, molted, declawed and caged hens, oh but don't get me going on this one) then let me tell you, get to the Farmers Market soon and buy yourself some farm fresh eggs, that are maybe a day or two old and most likely only hours old, get home and fry up a couple of the eggs and yes, you will thank me, and your egg farmer. What a difference! You're an egg fan now right?
Now I know eggs used to get a really bad rap, raising cholesterol and increasing risk of heart disease....yeah yeah yeah. Well unless you have high cholesterol and are already at risk for heart disease, there is no reason not to be able to consume a egg daily if you so like. The human body does not easily absorb the cholesterol in the egg (which is housed in the yolk), so you are pretty much good to get all the nutritional bennies of the egg which is a fantastic source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, lutein, choline, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins A, all the B's, and D. And in case you were going to opt for the 'egg white only' omelet? Sure you will get protein and water (plain and simple, that's what's in the white) but you will miss out on all of the other vitamins and minerals.
Speaking of nutrition levels. I want to clear up something, there is no nutritional difference between a white shelled or brown shelled egg. Only difference? The breed of hen that laid the egg. Another question, why is one yolk pale yellow, and another almost orange? That you will need to ask your farmer what he/she is feeding their hens, as it is their diet that determines yolk color.
I can't think of a time of year that I go through more eggs what with all the cookie & cake baking, sauce making, and dishes to pass making (think a retro deviled egg or a brunchy egg casserole). Oh, which reminds me, your freshest eggs (think less than 10 days old and the ones you just got at the market) are best for poaching and frying. And for hard boiling and making meringues and souffles? Hold off on using your eggs right away. an 'older' egg, say older than 10 days, is best for these endeavors. Here is a favorite brunch dish which is not only easy to make, but a crowd pleaser.
Nutty Baked French Toast
One loaf sliced white bread (I actually prefer a challah bread for this one but mix it up)
8 eggs
2 cups each: milk, 1/2 & 1/2
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t each: cinnamon, ground nutmeg
3/4 c butter, softened
1 1/3 c brown sugar, packed
3 T dark corn syrup
1 1/3 c nuts, coarsely chopped (walnuts or pecans or a combo work well)
Fill a greased 13" x 9" pan with bread slices to within 1" of the top of the pan.
Blend together eggs, milk, 1/2&1/2, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl. Pour over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate overnite.
Combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and nuts in a medium bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove pan of 'toast' from the fridge, spread the topping all over the top. Bake until puffed and golden brown, approximately 50 minutes. If starts to brown too quickly cover with foil and continue to cook.
Serve with real maple syrup (try Burton's Maplewood Farm's, you can find them at Green City Market on Saturdays)
The following vendors have eggs at the Saturday Green City Winter Market...
Eliss Farm
Liberty Family Farm
Mint Creek Farm
TJ's Free Range Poultry
Share your favorite ways to cook with eggs at moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Eggs, Eliss Farm, Green City Market, Liberty Family Farm, Mint Creek Farm, seasonal organic produce, Tj's Free Range Poultry
To Market with Mo: Single. Plain looks, but intense.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
No, not me. I'm talking about the humble onion, whose name derives from the Latin word for single, unio, which also means the union of many layers. Can't be a clearer description for the appearance of this plain-looking, solo bulb. And to clarify, I am talking the dry globe (or round, or bulb) onion, not your scallion or shallot, we can chat about them later....
With all the cooking going on in kitchens all over the States this week, I can't think of a more indispensable ingredient. Come to think of it, at any other day or time of the year, and in kitchens all over the globe, not just the US, are using onions. Seriously, what can't these allium cepas do? Let's just take the Thanksgiving menu. Onions take a solo turn as a creamed side, or pickled for snacking, or in someone's game time Bloody Mary or pre-dinner martini, and then assisting in pretty much every dish (okay, not the pumpkin pie): the stuffing, gravy, cranberry chutney or relish, sauteed in greens, potatoes and other veg, and of course as a topping for that infamous green bean casserole.
Oh, how many sauces, soups, stews and sautes have depended on the onion to add either a sharp pungent bite, or spicy sweet layer or flavor? I mean, what would a bowl of homemade chicken soup be without onions? I'm thinking not so flavorful, and with all the phytonutrients, vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties, not such a great remedy for the common cold. That darn chicken gets all the credit, I actually think it is the onion that gives this soup it's medicinal pow. Then again, I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV. I'm just a gal who has had a lot of chicken soup when fighting colds and flu. But I digress...
Look for firm onions with dry outer layers of parchment-like skins that protect the inner pungent layers. And store your onions in a cool dark place, not the fridge. Well, let me take that back a little. You want to try and avoid any tears while cutting up the onion? Place your onion in the fridge for about an hour before you intend to cut into it, and you will stifle the allicin which the nasty bugger that brings on the tears. And if chilling thing does not work? Go right for the scuba mask.
Now need a quick and easy way to bring a bit more flavor to your Thanksgiving feast without having to do anymore shopping? Caramelize some onions. Need another appetizer? Caramelized onions as a crostini topper. Sick of that 'green bean casserole'? Go for fresh beans sauteed, and then topped with the caramelized onions. Want something other than cranberry sauce to moisten up that late nite turkey sandwich? Caramelized onions. And so sick of turkey by the end of the weekend and craving a juicy burger or grilled cheese? Slather on some, yep, you guessed it, caramelized onions.
Caramelized Onions
2 lbs onions (go ahead mix 'em up, Vidalia, Troppea, Spanish, Bermuda), sliced thin
2 T olive oil
2 T butter
salt & pepper to taste
In a skillet over low heat, heat oil and butter. Add the onions and cook low and slow, for about 45-60 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper while cooking. Want to change it up a bit? Add about 2 tablespoons of either balsamic or red wine vinegar or some red wine and a bit of thyme while cooking, preferably added just after the onions have softened and gone translucent. The onions are done when they are nicely brown and caramely (please accept my made-up word).
Have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!
Mo
moira@efete.net
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Green City Market, onions, seasonal organic produce
To Market with Mo: a morning glory...sort of
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
I love sweet potatoes any time of the year, but being mid-November and all, seems like it is the most appropriate time to talk about this nutrient-packed, sweet tuber.
First off, let's set the record straight: a sweet potato is not, I repeat not, a yam. This is a total misnomer. Sweet potato: native of South America and related to the morning glory. Yam: native of Africa and related to the lily. Seems the whole 'yam' calling got started early on in the States, most likely by slaves who were reminded of the true yams that they consumed as a staple back in Africa. Even those cans of 'yams'? Yeah, sweet potato.
Now onto the second thing that has bugged me about this starchy root veg. With a pretty descriptive adjective as the first part of your name, why on earth have generations consumed their traditional Thanksgiving sweet potatoes laden with brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey, and of all things, marshmallows? I mean, whose idea was that?!? Great for dessert but as a savory side? Hum. And why, with a first name like 'sweet' did anyone not think, "Wouldn't this tuber be able to stand alone without all the added sugars?" Oh and let's not forget the globs of butter. Cook a 'soft' sweet potato and it is not only sugary sweet, but wonderfully moist as well, really no need for the butter. Just give me an unadorned baked sweet potato and I convince myself that I am having dessert and dinner all rolled into one. Woohoo! Okay, you know I still had to have the piece of dark chocolate post-potato, but that is a another story for another day...
Back to 'soft' sweet potato. Seeing two varieties at the markets: 'soft', which are the orange-fleshed root veg we are most familiar with, and 'firm' which are typically white or yellow-fleshed and remain fairly firm after cooking, but still oh so delectably sweet. I actually prefer the 'firm' sweets when roasting as they hold up better when wanting to achieve that dark, crispy crust.
Both 'soft' and 'firm' versions, of this complex-carb, are nutrient-rich powerhouses, jam-packed with fiber, vitamins C, B6 and A (in the form of beta-carotene). Another plus? Sweet potatoes help stabilize blood sugar and lower insulin resistance. And calories? At approximately 11o calories for a medium sweet spud, this is one serving of 'candy' that one does not have to feel guilty about eating.
At the market look for firm, smooth-skinned tubers, free of any bruises or cracks. Get them home and store in a cool, dark, ventilated place, and NOT the fridge. Okay, once cooked you can store them in the fridge for up to a week. Besides the 'traditional' Thanksgiving side, sweet potatoes play both sides of the sweet and savory fence scrumptiously: baked, roasted, boiled, fried (chips or fries anyone?), or mashed, and as latkes, pie, biscuits, puddings, and brownies (oh trust me on this one). Now, looking for something a bit less traditional to add to your Thanksgiving menu? How about a sweet potato hummus with veggies and pita chips, to tied everyone over until the big feast?
Sweet Potato Hummus
1 lb sweet potato, cooked (baked or boiled)
1 15 oz can of chick peas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh and not that bottled 'excuse for')
1/4 cup tahini
2 T olive oil
2 t cumin
2 cloves garlic
1/4 t chili pepper (ground)
dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients, except the olive oil, into a food processor. Begin to process. Slowly stream olive oil in while food processor is running. Continue to process until smooth. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.
Serve with crudite and pita chips...not marshmallows.
Labels: Chicago Farmers Markets, Green City Market, seasonal organic produce, sweet potato, thanksgiving
To Market with Mo: tap that root
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
I cannot believe I have not hailed the nutritious and delicious carrot until now. After all, it is one of the first veg I see at the Farmer's markets in the Spring, in a tiny and tender form just crying to be paired with mint. Then throughout the summer, hinting to be transformed not by cooking but simply shredded into a salad, or added to a crudite platter. And now in the Fall, one of the last veg to find, and so wanting to be part of a mirepoix to start a favorite soup or stew, or as a quick saute with a favorite partner: maple syrup.
Packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, especially beta-carotene and vitamin A. Now, vitamin A and beta-carotene are both great for eyesight, but how good might have been a wee bit exaggerated thanks to some WWII RAF gunners who claimed their nighttime marksmanship skills were due to copious carrot consumption and not new technology (aka radar). Hey, that's one way to fool the enemy. But if it led to more British children (who I am sure recall, "Dr. Carrot, the children's best friend" wartime slogan) and Germans eating more carrots, well, it sure beats the 'Flaming Hot Cheeto' orange food option, right?
And in a flu and cold season that has everyone coughing, I am thinking more doctors should be prescribing this flavorful root veg. Yeah, not only good for the eyes, but fantastic for the lungs, especially those that are inflamed.
I have not quite seen all of the over 100 varieties available, but trust me, you will find more than the standard orange and faux baby carrot (Yeah, you read me right, faux. Grocery store 'baby' carrots are actually mature carrots chiseled down to the uniform 2" 'baby') you find at the supermarket. Beautiful orange, red, purple, yellow, white carrots, and all with their own unique fragrant sweetness, can be found at the Farmer's markets.
Look for smooth, firm carrots with vibrant color. Avoid those that are limp, rubbery, cracked, or have wilted tops. Store, this cousin of the parsley, in a plastic bag or wrapped in paper towel, in the coolest part of the fridge, where they can keep for up to two weeks. Oh, and store away from apples, potatoes, or pears elst you can wind up with rather bitter tasting carrots.
Here is a simple and seasonal way to enjoy carrots now and in a few weeks, as a Thanksgiving side...
Maple Glazed Carrots
1 1/2 lb carrots, scrubbed clean and cut into 3 " long strips (or 1/4" coins if you prefer)
1/2 cup water
3 T butter
2 T maple syrup (try Burton's Maplewood Farm, found at Green City Market, yum)
1 T brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for approximately 8 minutes.
Uncover skillet and continue to cook until all liquid is reduced to a glaze consistency, about 5 minutes).
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
FYI - to all you last minute shoppers, Green City Market will be open Wed., Nov. 25th, the day before Thanksgiving. Can't get fresher than that!
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I would love to hear about your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Send me your recipies to moira@efete.net
Labels: Burton's Maplewood Farm, carrots, Chicago Farmers Markets, Green Acres, Green City Market, maple syrup, Nichols Farm, seasonal organic produce
said...
"My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine, you make me smile with my heart....is your figure less than greek, is your mouth a little weak, when you open it to...". Stop. Forget the real lyrics, how about 'is your mouth a little weak...for chocolate.' Yeah, yeah, doesn't rhyme, but in my case no truer words could be said when it comes to my favorite food group: chocolate. 
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