Year-round farmer’s markets

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Good news: In D.C., the phrase “yes we can” now applies to local foods! You CAN get pesticide-free produce year-round, even in the winter, and you CAN get it from the very farmers who grew it. Just ask the bundles of wool scarves and puffy jackets at the Takoma Park market I frequent. They can can tell you about every day in the life of a head of tatsoi, and explain just how few chemicals were involved in its rearing. (This photo was taken in the warmer winter of ’08, at the Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market).

It’s fascinating to see that, just six years ago, Pennsylvania mom Kate Gosselin had to scour her area for organic food.  Now it seems like 90% of the farmers at my local market grow without chemical pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. And a healthy handful of them are from her own state!

List of markets after the jump. Continue reading →

Caffroids

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Lately, I’m loving caffeine–or rather, my writing is. Give me a 16-ounce cup of coffee and I’m off to the races like a mocha-colored thoroughbred. Feed me a few dark chocolate Kisses and I’m so prolific John Updike is rising from the grave and applauding. Give me a two-shot latte and I’m so creative my ideas are having ideas.

I’m so good that I’m surprised writing competitions haven’t banned coffee as a performance-enhancing substance.

 They probably haven’t caught on yet. Shhhhh!

Bowl of guac

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avocado

Okay, I’m going to stop obsessing about the inauguration and Obama-related food news (but what DID they serve at Wednesday’s revival of the White House cocktail hour??) and try to focus on the next big event: Super Bowl XLIII.

Sometimes the tiniest little waves of a major flotilla are the most exciting. Sure, 95 percent of the country will be glued to the TV by Sunday evening, millions will cheer on Arizona, Pittsburgh, and/or The Boss, thousands will buzz over the new commercials  for Coke and Cars.com. But how many will know that Americans are consuming more than 46 million pounds of Hass avocados on Game Day? And how many will realize they can create an edible football field with just a batch of guacamole, sour cream, and a Ziplock? Continue reading →

Cheesy math

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I love me some Obama, but with the $819 billion stimulus package that the WaPo helpfully calculated to be “larger than the combined total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so far,” I’m getting deja vu.  Thanks, dudes, for evoking my favorite thing to bitch about in the Bush administration and making it look small in comparison to what our dear Lincoln incarnate will spend.

That inauguration night Daily Show clip comparing the “prose cheese” of the two administrations floated to the top of my mind today… and kind of sat there like a delicious, crusty piece of cheese toast on a bowl of French onion soup that turns out to be made with icky beef stock.

In case you missed it, here’s the clip:

 

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM – Th 11p / 10c

Changefest ’09 – Obama’s Inaugural Speech

http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:216538

 

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Full on passion

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Maybe a peck on the cheek is good enough for some people, but why not go full on? Butter is okay, people. And instead of an extract, go ahead and use whole nuts. That’s the new news from the food gurus. Low fat? That’s so Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition!

To show you how it’s done, here’s JoC’s reduced fat, middle-school-slow-dance thumbprint cookie ingredients, followed my a more… R-rated version.

Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 3 ½ dozen cookies

JoC ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt Continue reading →

Sunday morning tidbits

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starbucks cupWhat fun with the ‘bucks! I went to get a prescription filled at the Giant on East-West Highway yesterday, and while I was waiting decided to give a little patronage to a poor, struggling business you may know as Starbucks.  I got my first glimmer that this might make a YaD post when the guy at the counter asked if I’d like two shots (the second one free) in my small (okay, tall) latte.

I inquired about this, and he explained they’ve been doing it since they opened. They offer it every day, unless it’s busy.

Perhaps sensing that I had 30 minutes to kill, the gentleman proceeded to tell me more. He explained that the kind of Starbuck’s espresso machine they have only makes expresso in two-shot increments. So unless someone’s right on a “tall” customer’s heels ordering another something with one shot, that extra shot will languish. Continue reading →

Obama and food–in blog form

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Oh, mama. It’s Obamafoodorama.com(ma!). A blog about Obama and food seems inevitable, but that its stories unfurl with solid reporting and pleasant humor is a sweet dollop on the cake.

Recently, they’ve covered the color of the first lady’s inauguration outfit (the designer calls it “lemongrass”) and the first couple’s resemblance to a wedding cake topper at the inaugural balls. Also, what food bloggers eat while covering food away from home (sadly, apparently not much).

Continue reading →

Edible inauguration

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Bluegrass BallMONDAY 

The Kentucky Bluegrass Ball: I was there as a so-called photographer. My pictures may yet appear in a Lexington, KY weekly paper. [Update: they did!] But don’t ask me who I took pictures of. Better to ask about the selections on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I rarely have a chance to try multiple upscale liquors right next to one another. I only tried three out of the seven or so different offerings, but learned quite a bit. I found that Four Roses’ Single Barrel was the sharpest and spiciest, while Maker’s Mark struck me as sweeter and smooth. Bullet Bourbon was the smoothest, I think, but I’m probably just saying that because that’s what the guy serving said. I only had a chance to take one sip before the governor was ready for his close-up.

Photo credit goes to Media Czech of Barefoot and Progressive, a fellow press pass bearer (See mine hanging with the satin cord? Very shwank)

Continue reading →

Office Snax??

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Office Snax Classic Creamer, Pop-Top, Resealable Lid, 12 Ounce Canister - OSX00020

Another resolution: Do not use this stuff. I’ve been seeing these products around my office lately, and saw their sugar packets over with the coffee at a meeting this morning.

This company’s offerings seem to be proliferating and growing in popularity, while the nutritious value of their offerings–not to mention the asthetic quality of their graphics–consistently declines. Now, as a friend put it when she got fed up with artisan cakes made to resemble burgers and salads, something needed to be said.

Won’t you join me in this resolution? It might be hard, but be wary. Be vigilant. Don’t let a catchy name like Office Snax sway you. Bring your own organic, grass-fed half-and-half for your coffee, and stick with it for the sake of a good new year.

Resolutions

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At long last, I’ve decided on my food-related resolutions. Want to hear ’em? I thought you’d never ask!

Here are the first three:

1. Make more stuff from scratch. I’ve had a blast these past couple of weeks with the time freed up by a break in classes. I packed my kitchen with homemade bread, granola, sauerkraut, cookies, and other goodies. I hope I can keep this up even when my schedule gets tighter. Continue reading →