Miniature Sour Cherry Crumbles

A few weeks ago my friend Bea decided to go through her kitchen and give away some of the items she no longer used. She invited me over to see if there was anything she was ready to give up that I might want. Well, as they say "one woman's trash is another's treasure". Among the things I happily took home were a large oval baking dish, two ironstone bowls, an Italian vase, and six little tin pie pans.

As I've mentioned before, I am not a pie maker. I simply do not have the ability to make a great crust despite my many efforts to do so. But those tins were just so cute. I wanted them to have a good loving home. And, wouldn't you know it--I soon found a perfect use for them.

Faced with the abundance of sour cherries in our orchard this past week, I made miniature cherry crisps in four of the tiny pie pans and froze them for what I thought would be some nice desserts during the colder months. I envisioned my husband and me sitting on the floor by the fire, personal pie pans in hand, happily recalling what a wonderful summer it had been as we dug into the delicious crisps while watching the snow falling outside. So much for that plan! We just ate the last of them last night. I should have know that they wouldn't last very long given my weakness for desserts.

I made this crumble topping with all whole wheat flour instead of the usual white/whole wheat mix. Both Robert and I liked the slightly heartier texture of the topping and we agreed that we felt a bit more virtuous eating the crumbles especially since they were topped with thickened vanilla yogurt. You'll find the recipe for  my Miniature Sour Cherry Crumbles with Vanilla Yogurt Cream in the Summer Recipes Section of this site.   

You've Got Kale!

Eating raw kale might not sound very tasty. But, every time I serve this salad, I get rave reviews (yes, even from my husband) and requests for the recipe. I wish I could take credit for creating it, but all applause for this incredibly healthy and delicious dish goes to the Raw Food Coach Karen Knowler.

Right now kale is abundant in our garden and at the markets so it's the perfect time to make a big bowl full of this good and good for you salad. The recipe is in the Summer Recipe Section on the site.

Kale is full of calcium and raw kale has a mere 33 calories per cup. How great is that?

J.L.Hawkins Family Farm

Most people think of produce when they hear the term CSA but the CSA offered by J.L. Hawkins Family Farm near North Manchester, Indiana is a full meal deal. Recently featured in the May/June 2008 issue of Farmers' Markets Today in an article titled "The Market is Hot for Good Chicken", Hawkins' CSA includes a weekly allotment of vegetables from May through October, 50 weeks of eggs, 20 pastured meat chickens, a fresh Thanksgiving turkey, half a grass fed hog, and a quarter finished grass fed beef. The farm also offers non-share sales of fresh and frozen turkey, pork, beef, and chicken. The CSA is so popular that 2008 shares have completely sold out but orders are now being taken for Thanksgiving turkeys and non-share meat sales.

A Lutheran minister, Jeff utilizes the 99 acre farm to help other ministers improve their leadership skills. He likens the care of the farm to the care of the congregation saying that both need to be sustainable and consciously cared for in similar ways.

As a farmer and an educator, Jeff has had to face many challenges over the years. But perhaps none as difficult as the loss of his mentor, best friend, and father, Glenn Hawkins who passed away earlier this year. The farm is now under the care of Jeff and his son Zach who continue Glenn's work as they face the first year without him by their side in the fields. Recalling how his father taught him how to work the land Jeff noted, "My Dad led by quiet example...he was a formidable presence in our lives." It is with faith and fond memories that Jeff now fills his father's shoes and moves forward to carry on his legacy at J.L. Hawkins Family Farm.

Second Photo: Jeff, Glenn, and Zach Hawkins

Young Chefs Offer Local Food Cooking Demos

On June 28 at the Orange County HomeGrown Farmers Market , Jessee Gerkin, KD Hudson, and Ian Brown, three young chefs from Bedford North Lawrence High School, will be demonstrating their award winning culinary skills using in-season, fresh, locally grown produce and herbs purchased that morning from the market. To round out their culinary offerings, they'll get their proteins and grains for the dishes they'll be creating from the Lost River Market & Deli.

They're a group worth watching. In March this year, these three talented individuals were awarded a gold medal for best entree from the ProStart/Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Culinary Arts Competition in Indiana. They'll now go to the national competition in Orlando, Florida in July. With less than 2 months of team training under their aprons, the three students impressed the judges with mouthwatering dishes and walked away with a top honor. So come and wish them well in the nationals as they "go local" on Saturday. Who knows-- you just might be watching the next Emeril Lagasse or Julia Child in action! Get there early--they'll be giving out free samples of their creations while they last.

Photo: Fresh, local and in-season: Kale

Great Meatloaf

Years ago when I was working full time and attending graduate school in the evenings, I made a meatloaf every Sunday night. I would cut the meatloaf into five portions and make a sandwich to eat each evening as I drove to classes after work. I did that for nearly a year. But, despite the steady diet of cold meatloaf sandwiches, I never tired of it and still love it today. I'm always on the look out for new meatloaf recipes.

In May, I got a call from one of the participants who attended one of the Indiana Farm Sustainability Tours which included a visit to Royer Farms and a lunch prepared by Executive Chef Kris Kraut from the ButtonWoods at Sycamore Farms. My friend said the meatloaf served at the lunch was wonderful and wondered if Chef Kraut would part with the recipe. A quick e-mail to Kris resulted in getting the recipe which is posted on in the Summer Recipes Section of this site. This is a MEAT loaf. Made with Royer Farms lamb, beef, and pork with no binder except for some finely diced vegetables, it's hearty, flavorful, and sure to please the carnivores at the table. The sauce is also outstanding. Made with local honey, tomato sauce, brown sugar, and a hint of cumin, it's smoky and sweet. A perfect complement to the meatloaf.

I served the meatloaf for supper last week with sauteed onions and yellow squash from Seldom Seen Farm and had plenty of meatloaf leftover for a nostalgic cold sandwich the next day. 

Borage

This exquisite flower is from a borage plant in my herb garden. Borage is an annual herb that is easily grown from seed.

The borage leaves are prized in Italy as an edible green and used often in ravioli fillings. I'm working on a ravioli recipe using the greens and if it turns out as I expect, I'll share that recipe with you soon. But in the meantime, I'll use the flowers to decorate salads, tea sandwiches, and flavor water. The flowers, which taste like cucumber, are the first flower I usually give to someone if they have never tried an edible flower before. They are always a delightful surprise to the taster.

But you do have to be careful with these beauties. Borage should never be consumed in large quantities because it contains a compound which may cause liver damage in some individuals. Never give it to children, anyone with a compromised immune system or liver problems, or the elderly.

In the Summer Recipes Section, you'll find a recipe for my non-alcoholic take on a Pimm's Cup Cocktail using borage flowers as a flavoring. A lovely drink to enjoy on this first day of summer 2008.

Purple Rock Farm Trout: A Great Catch

My husband and I share an interesting history when it comes to trout. Early in our marriage we took a vacation to New Mexico for a week of fly fishing. For some reason, I caught all the fish that first day. I could not bear to take the live wiggling trout I caught off the hook so I kept calling my husband over to do that. After the amusement of the first few fish wore off him, he and the other guys (I was the only woman in the stream that day.) got more than a bit tired of my "Oh, honey...look at how big this one is." Now, this was my first fishing trip. How did I know that you weren't supposed to talk, much less shout with joy, when you caught a fish? Especially when everyone around you isn't doing as well?

So, the next day when we arrived at the stream, my husband informed me that he'd hired a guide. When I asked why we needed a guide when he was such an accomplished fisherman, I found out the horrible truth. The guide was for me. Only me. So, as my dear husband happily flashed me a victorious smile and the other men in the stream bid me a fond farewell, the guide took me downstream (way downstream) and kept me there all day. I was not a very happy camper (or fisher). And frankly I never really did get the whole point of the "catch and release" thing. I wanted to eat the fish I caught but was told to put them back in the stream. Let me understand this--I can't talk and I can't eat what I catch. What's that all about?

A few years later, after the sting of the guide incident wore off, we decided to go fly fishing again.This time we traveled to Cabins, West Virginia and rented an adorable little bungalow just a few feet away from a sparkling brook where my husband caught fresh trout every morning for our breakfast. I'm a quick study. I fished in silence. Being quite the talker, this was not my idea of a great time. But at least I was consoled with the happy fact that we could eat what we caught. The trout were delicious. I quickly developed a fondness for their unique flavor and texture.

Once we got back home, try as I might to find good trout in Indiana, I had little success. While I did buy some at various grocery stores, they lacked that sweet subtle flavor and melt in your mouth texture of the freshly caught ones. I decided that good trout was not to be found in Indiana. But two Saturdays ago, a visit to the Clinton County Farmers Market in Frankfort changed all that. Travis Sheets told me a while back that he was raising trout in a spring fed pond at his farm and that they would be available for sale at the Clinton County Farmers Market. My husband and I were there on the market's opening day and bought a package of two trout.

The first thing we noticed about the fish was that Travis had done all the work for us. The trout were cleaned, heads removed, and ready to cook. We took them home, thawed them out, and grilled them. They were incredible. The flesh was sweet and firm--just like the freshly caught fish I loved so much. I served them with spinach and cheddar grits which complemented the fish perfectly.

Now I can have delicious trout anytime right here at home. It's easier than catching your own. And for me, at least, alot more fun.

You'll find the recipe for Grilled Trout with Spinach and Cheddar Grits in the Spring Recipes Section of this site.


   

Momma's Old-Fashioned Applesauce

Mark Miles likes to call his mother Carol "a pioneer in healthy foods". As far back as 30 years ago, she was cooking up good-for-you treats for her three children. But unlike many of the not so tasty "health foods" of the 1970s, Carol's kids, friends, and family members thought hers were delicious. Especially her applesauce.

After listening to everyone who ate her applesauce tell her that she should market it, Carol wrote a letter to the Mott's Applesauce Company suggesting a partnership with them to make and market her healthy homemade product. She promptly received a rejection letter and never pursued any other commercial inquiries. That was 15 years ago.

But her son Mark believed in his Momma and her applesauce. In the back of his mind, he knew someday he would get that applesauce to market. When he and his wife, Wendy, moved back to Indiana three years ago, he encouraged his mother to work with him to commercially produce and sell the applesauce he so loved as a child. After some coaxing, she agreed under one condition--that the commercial product had to be as good as the applesauce that came from her home kitchen. After a long search they found an Amish family in Indiana who produced sample batches in their commercial kitchen while Mark and Carol critically sampled batch after batch. Finally, Carol was happy enough with the final product's quality and taste to deem it ready for commercial sale in the fall of 2006.

How good is this applesauce? Well, I make my own applesauce and have been known to be pretty particular about commercial products. My opinion of Momma's Old-Fashioned Applesauce? It's outstanding! It has a pure clean apple flavor and a palate pleasing texture. Following Carol's 30 year old original recipe, the "Original Flavor" is made with apples, water, Turbinado sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon candies. My favorite, the "No Sugar Added", is made with apples, water, and lemon juice.

Carol has been using the same variety of Indiana grown apples for 30 years and Mark says it's what makes the applesauce so special. Try as I might to find out what variety of apple she used, Mark would not reveal that "trade secret". Word has it that when it comes to that topic, Momma isn't talking either.

Of course, this applesauce is perfect snuggled next to an Indiana pork chop and it makes a healthy snack. Pour it on top of some vanilla ice cream and you have a 30 second dessert. It's fun to cook with too. Momma's site has several great recipes on it including one for a meatloaf made with applesauce.

A few weeks ago, Wendy sent me one of her a favorite recipes, Hoosier's Happy Birthday Cake. It's a special cake that Wendy makes for their Golden Retriever, Hoosier. Being the dog spoiler that I am, I just had to bake this cake for my dog and his lady dog friend. Did I nibble on a piece of it while the two pooches devoured their slices? Of course I did. It was excellent! I also made a "so simple you won't believe it" fruit leather out of the No Sugar Added Applesauce. You'll find instructions for making the fruit leather along with the cake recipe in the Spring Recipes Section of this site.

You can purchase Momma's Old Fashioned Applesauce at several Indiana farmers markets and specialty food shops. Once you taste it, I think you'll agree that when it comes to making a great applesauce, Momma knows best!

Momma's Old Fashioned Applesauce
Mark & Wendy Miles
P.O. Box 296
Rossville, Indiana 46065
www.mommasapplesauce.com
mommasapplesauce@hotmail.com

Second Photo: Hoosier's Happy Birthday Cake will have your dog's tail wagging!

Garlic Scapes

In the next week or so you may be lucky enough to find garlic scapes at your farmers market, in your CSA basket, or in your garden. Scapes are the flower stalk produced by hardneck garlic. They're a real treat and taste like a crispy green bean with a mild garlic flavor.

Prized by garlic aficionados around the world, scapes are especially delicious when used in vegetable stir fry dishes. All you need to do is rinse them, remove and discard the flower head, cut the scapes in one inch or half inch pieces, and saute them in some hot olive oil. They can then be enjoyed plain or served over some brown rice for a quick side dish. I like to combine them with red bell pepper slices and shitake mushrooms. My recipe for Garlic Scapes with Red Bell Peppers and Shitake Mushrooms, which is great served with grilled chicken, fish, or beef, can be found in the Spring Recipe Section of this site.

When harvesting or purchasing garlic scapes, look for ones that are still curled. Straight scapes are past their prime. If you see them at the market this weekend, buy them and then use them as quickly as possible. The season and shelf life for garlic scapes is, alas, very short.

Photo: Garlic Scapes in the Dirtpatch Garden

Strawberries and Chocolate

Last Sunday night we had some friends over for dinner who are both confirmed chocoholics so I had my work cut out for me when it came to the final course of our meal. I have a philosophy that "it's never really an event without two desserts". So, taking my own advice, I whipped out two easy treats featuring freshly picked strawberries from our garden and plenty of chocolate.

For the first dessert course, we had strawberries smeared with Capriole Farm's Fommage a Tois Bourbon Chocolate Torta (a naughty but oh-so-nice chocolate goat cheese laced with bourbon, pecans, and raisins).Then it was onto the second dessert course-- a tiny tart made simple with little store bought bases and a dollop of rich dark chocolate ganache. All I did to make that crowd pleaser was bring one cup of cream to a boil and poured it over 12 ounces of chopped dark chocolate that I'd put into a glass bowl. After ten minutes, I stirred the mixture together until it formed a glossy rich ganache. Then I poured about a teaspoon of it into each tart base and plopped a strawberry on top of it. While I was making the tarts I accidentally dropped a few (OK, maybe not by accident and maybe more than a few) berries in the warm ganache. Dessert number 3 anyone?