A little “hiya” to weekday farmers markets and “howdy” to the Rosslyn Farmers Market launched my part-time career as Examiner.com’s DC farmers market examiner. Might a greeting to the new Anacostia Farmers Market be up next? Or coverage of Penny Karas’s demo on making Hello Cupcake-style strawberry cupcakes at the Dupont Circle market?
Stay tuned to my page to find out. You can subscribe, too!
What a week!
On Monday, May 4, sustainable foodies triumphed at the 2009 James Beard Awards. Among the winners of these Oscars of the gourmet world are Michael Pollan (for his “eaters’ manifesto” In Defense of Food) and Dan Barber (for his chefing, which gives a whole new meaning to local ingredients).
Then organic farming got a $50 million boost as part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (a.k.a. EQIP). The USDA will use these funds to support certified organic producers and those transitioning to organic practices.
Next came a more personally positive story when a Hopkins writing classmate published a wonderful tale of fermentation and family in the Post.
In another YaD-level bit of news, this blog writer got set up as the DC farmers market examiner for (you guessed it) examiner.com–not the newspaper, but an online publication with all kinds of useful, insider information… and completely useless procrastination reading (you’ll have to be the judge of where my info falls) . More on my farmers market scooping soon.
There’s a new website out there. Yes, I’m aware that the ‘net sees hundreds of new ones every day. But I’m talking about a particular one–ChefKosher.com. It’s always fun to watch the building of a new and ambitious project, and it’s especially amusing if you can write about its quirky mascot.
Check out the post about it, and comment there or here!
Sunday’s rain started early, and by 10 a.m., there was little doubt: this was a dismal day for outdoor activities. Yet the farmers still showed up at the farmers’ market in Takoma Park, and shoppers made it worth their while. The market on Carroll Ave. has become essential for many of us, it seems, and we’re determined to buy.
For me, it was surely worth it. I got all my important staples for the coming week (bread, greens, potatoes, apples, cider, free-range blue eggs), along with a few fun extras like garlic greens and peppercress. Luckily, aside from a soggy egg carton, everything made it home safe.
Now I have my bounty, and the knowledge that I did my small part to support local foods and sustainable growing practices. Viva la famers’ market!
One party-goer thought it was bacon that made it so tasty. I sensed a smoked salmon flavor. Others just said it was good. So it seems the Smokey Black Bean Dip (incidentally, completely vegan) was a hit.
I was surprised because, out of a mixture of laziness and arrogance, I hadn’t looked up a recipe before I started making this dish. I rarely look up recipes. Sometimes (okay, often), I don’t like the improvised result, and the dish requires so many tastings, minutes of deliberation, and adjustments, that I could have pored over a dozen tried-and-true recipes by the time I get it up to par.
Luckily, in the case of this dip, everything worked out. The dish didn’t even require much tasting! I admit I did peek at The Joy of Cooking, though, and added the lemon juice because of a black bean and salsa dip I saw.
Give it a try, and see if you can sense the bacon/lox flavor. It’s worth it just to experience that odd pairing of nuances. Continue reading
A French fry walks into a bar and orders a beer. The bartender says, “No can do, man. We don’t serve food here.”
Badum-ching!
Asparagus is in season, which means it’s fresh, readily available, and reasonably priced. This also means you don’t need to do much to these emerald and amethyst spears from the lily family to make them taste good. For a recent bunch I bought, I cooked them as simply as one possibly can, and they were quite yummy. I share that method with you now… But I will not share with you the proper plural of asparagus.* Instead, I will make it up.**
Roasted Asparagoi
One bunch asparagus spears
Olive oil
A few pinches sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, herbs, and fresh lemon, optional
Break off the woody ends of the asparagus spears. To do this, just snap off the part at the bottom that’s wider and lighter colored. The stalk should naturally break at the point where that undesirable part meets the succulent yummy part. (If the asparagus is uniformly green all the way to the bottom, this whole snapping process may have been done for you). Continue reading
How interesting that the one post I managed to put up during Passover dealt with a grain that’s biblically forbidden during the eight-day holiday. I thought I’d continue (or create?) a trend of banned substances with a bean dish. This is not just any bean dish. In yet another radical move, I’ve made this a bean dessert. And it has cornstarch!
Really, though, this is a fun dish that sneaks in extra protein and fiber a la Jessica Seinfeld, everyone’s favorite (or suspect) sneaky Jewish mom. The idea came to me after a friend offered me delicious, fudgy brownies made with (you guessed it) black beans. The flavor and texture of the beans completely disappeared in that recipe, but in this one, you can still sense the pasty beaniness. It’s the same sensation you get from red bean ice cream. So if you like that, you’ll probably be quite pleased with this. Continue reading
When it comes to hot cereals, steel-cut oats are king. Instead of getting flattened and steam treated like rolled oats, they keep their original cylindrical shape, and more of their nutrients. Cooked up, they’re hearty and a little chewy.
The one problem is that they can get boring. The other day, I departed from my usual sweetened treatment and tried them savory, with rather tasty results.
It was pretty simple to do, and is a great way to use leftover steamed greens or stir-fried vegetables. Instead of thinking soupy and sweet, expect a densely creamy, risotto-like flavor and texture. (Recipe after the jump). Continue reading
Wondering what’s up with this bus? Check out my post on The Jew and the Carrot. It’s got quite a history, and a fascinating current purpose.
You Are Delicious 