You Are Where You Eat

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2018

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 21:03:00 +0000

“Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table.” - Charles Pierre Monselet

I find that when I'm required to narrow my pondering of food-filled memories over the past year, I think of smiles, big forks, friendly toasts, and cheese. Here are some memories of the table from 2018 in no particular order:

On this day, I flew a kite, wore sequins, and dined at Hai Hai in Minneapolis. It was a very good day. So much of what they serve at Hai Hai delights with calculated splashes of lime juice and fish sauce and brings you back for more bites with delights of sun-dried shrimp and galangal. Their papaya salad is on point.

Ever heard of Colorado Style Pizza? Neither had I until I hiked Saint Mary's Glacier. As we climbed back down, I was informed by my cousins that pizza was our promised lunch, "And not just any pizza," they said, "Beau Jo's pizza!" The crust is thick, braided along the edge, and made with honey. Then they serve the pie with honey on side for dipping. Crispy pepperoni, honey crust, and giant glasses of water hit the spot after a glacier climb.

In my line of work (writing about agriculture), I sometimes have the privilege of participating in variety flavor taste tests. This year, the Cornercopia student-run organic farm at the U of MN invited guests to sample more than 80 varieties of organic, heirloom tomatoes, and vote for our favorites. If you have a chance to try a "Matt's Wild" variety of cherry tomato, do so, my friends.

I was informed by more than one Missourian that when visiting the Mizzou campus, one must stop at Buck's Ice Cream. Gold-colored French vanilla ice cream with dark Dutch chocolate swirls comprises their most popular and famous flavor, Tiger Stripe. After a harried morning of field tours and campus visits, a cone of Tiger Stripe had me feeling cooler and sweeter.

A salad? Yes, THIS salad. I visited Minneapolis' own Gatherings Cafe for the first time this year right before I caught a tour of Growing Lots Urban Farm. They focus on fresh, local, and indigenous ingredients, and their Harvest Salad boasts kale, sliced red onions, dried cranberries, roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pepitas, citrus honey vinaigrette, goat cheese, and shredded turkey.

Did you know Restaurant Alma serves the most amazing cheeseburgers on Thursday nights? Well, they do, and if you can get there early and order one before they're gone, you'll be as awestruck as my main squeeze was in this pic.

Should you find yourself in downtown Lawrence, Kansas, get thee to Merchants Pub and Plate. My dining companions and I had fits about everything we ordered from their fresh, local, bistro-style menu, but the pan-seared trout and their fresh ricotta with heirloom tomatoes and fresh pesto (pictured here) sent me.

These little smoked trout cakes with stone ground mustard and clover blossom honey at The Informalist in Eau Claire are flavor bombs you won't want to share, unless you're all dolled up with your BFFs for an epic 40th birthday celebration.

Muffaletta in the Park closed after 40 years of serving fresh, locally-sourced comfort food. I had to get there one last time for their iconic beer cheese soup, famously topped with popcorn. I'll miss it!

Now it's time for some real talk. My homegirl, Liz, has been coming over to my house to learn the ins and outs of making my fruit cake recipe for the past three years. It's a long day of baking that usually includes Christmas tree chimes, football, cider, and drama. When it comes to fruitcake, we're ride or die. I love this gal, and I love this tradition.

With a bit of encouragement from several supportive, dreamer types, (especially Chef Carrie Riggs at Restaurant Alma) I started my own little business growing edible flowers called Witch Kitchen. That I get to share in the blossoming endeavor with our 4 year-old daughter means growth aplenty, both in the garden and in the heart.

Here are some recaps from years gone by. It appears that I forgot to do a recap last year. C'est la vie.

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 18:31:00 +0000

"I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that." - José Andrés (bringing people together around food was interesting in 2016, especially for José Andrés)

In 2016, we made memories, felt transported by inspiration, and tasted some good bites along the way; here they are, in no particular order.

Three cheers for friends who forage and share hen-of-the-woods mushrooms (maitake). I roasted these and served them at home with fresh pesto and pasta.

We missed the Minnesota State Fair in 2016, but we danced a jig when we found fair-quality Ellsworth Creamery cheese curds at The World's Only Corn Palace in South Dakota. 17 days, 10 states, 11 farm tours, 2 weddings, 5 national parks, 10 beds, 1 camper, 1 Stetson, 1 suitcase, 1 boat of curds.

Luncheon was peachy with this freshly-picked peach during a farm tour in central Illinois.

I'll admit that I took fried lake perch for granted when I lived in Wisconsin. On a visit home, this perch platter (served up at Jim's Place in Slinger, Wisconsin) was not taken for granted.

Meritage consistently pleases in St Paul. Love was on the way with these oysters broiled with tarragon butter and breadcrumbs served up with a champagne cocktail featuring St. Germain elderflower liqueur and grapefruit bitters.

Our little poppet requested a "CHEE-BURGER" for her 2nd birthday. Hi-Lo Diner served her first-ever cheeseburger. Fortunately for us, she wanted to share bites of that ooey-gooey, beefy, cheesy goodness.

This tonkotsu 'Tonzen' ramen at Zen Box was appreciated on a bleak afternoon in February. The creamy pork bone broth, egg, pork, wakame, and beni shoga cheered my belly and my disposition.

Attending the American Swedish Institute's dinner honoring Magnus Nillson was a most excellent outing. This treat of a dish (sorrel rigatoni, roasted rabbit, morels, and pancetta - prepared by Tim McKee) was devoured by yours truly.

Brandon Jaeger and Michelle Ajamian grow and market staple seed crops in Appalachian Ohio. I was able to visit their shop, Shagbark Seed and Mill, where I acquired the best corn grits I've ever tasted.

Restaurant Alma opened a cafe in Minneapolis this year, which means Alma-quality pastries can be purchased and then consumed at home, like this rhubarb jam tart. Big ups to my gal pal, Carrie, the pastry chef behind all these goodies.

And of course, we'll never forget the best wedding cake adventure of all time: traversing a canyon in Utah in a pickup truck with three frosted cakes. "Daddy, you did it!"

Previous Year's Recaps:

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

These Are a Few of My Favorite (Edible) Things: 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 16:21:00 +0000

“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” ― Ruth Reichl

When Gourmet Magazine closed its doors in 2009, the influential and talented Ruth Reichl continued recording her food adventures in books; years later, she's still finding satisfaction, inspiration, and a paycheck through the daily act of preparing, consuming, and discussing her endlessly delicious life. Even though an expanding career in sustainable agriculture and a small child at home afforded me less time to record/document my food-related adventures this year, my job and daughter simultaneously afforded me new edible opportunities. So while I am no Reichl, I am grateful for my endlessly delicious life.

And with that in mind, here are my favorite food-related things from 2015, in no particular order.

1.

A trip to Portland meant dinner at Pok Pok. I rounded up a group of 12 colleagues, and the kind folks at Pok Pok graciously served us dozens of dishes at a colorful table located on a three season porch. The famous chicken wings they served up were juicy and tender, and the crispy skin was generously bathed in a glaze expertly balanced with sugar, fish sauce, and chili paste.

A night of Portland microbrewery tours gave rise to a hankering for VooDoo Doughnuts. While the namesake doughnut pictured here garnered the most attention from the masses, the apple fritter and the old fashioned cake doughnuts garnered the most love from my taste buds.

I planted totsoi in my garden for the first time this year, and I'm pleased to report that it's killer. Tender, succulent, and just a bit spicy, it's become my favorite green to grow at home.

While taking a tour of the West Madison Agricultural Research Center in Wisconsin, we chanced upon a graduate student running a tomato taste test. We were lucky enough to get roped into participating in her taste test, and it was a lovely way to pass a sunny afternoon on the farm.

Two Minnesota cheese makers made big splashes this year with seemingly basic products - cheese curds and string cheese. Red Head Creamery's cheese curds are HUGE, squeaky at room temperature, and "udderly" satisfying. Lone Grazer's string cheese is hand stretched, and you can tell; it's super stringy and has a salty milkiness that keeps me running back to the co-op for more.

Revival in Minneapolis sizzled onto the scene with some of the best fried chicken I've had the pleasure of devouring. The Southern fried chicken is everything I want in fried chicken - the skin is heavily seasoned, lightly breaded, and fried to a crisp, the meat is tender and juicy, and it's served with dynamite sauces. The collard greens are a salty/sweet side that pair perfectly with the chicken, and the burger gets plenty of warranted applause with its double patty, cheese, and bacon. Don't even get me started on the pecan pie. A visit to Revival is worth the extra sit ups.

I picked this peach from a secret location in Illinois. It was sublime in a way that only a freshly picked, sun-warmed, juicy peach can be.

I had a chance to visit Charuth Van Buezekim's Dutch Girl Creamery in Nebraska this fall. She won an American Cheese Society blue ribbon for her Rosa Maria manchego-style cheese in July 2015, and now I know why. It's too legit to quit.

If you're as big a fan as I am of the Great British Bakeoff, you'll understand how one's brain becomes boggled by the bounty of pastries that exist. Fortunately, I have a friend who is a pastry chef, and who is endlessly curious about ways to combine flour, butter, and sugar. Carrie made kouign amann and I love her for it.

10.

Should you find yourself in Ames, Iowa, The Cafe is a great choice for fresh, local food, but Vesuvius Pizza should make your short list. Their #9 signature wood-fired pizza boasts a garlic cream sauce, La Quercia prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions, and fresh basil. The strip mall pizza joint features a good selection of craft beer and artwork by Minneapolis's own Adam Turman.

11.

Never underestimate the power of a fantastic luncheon with a foxy fabricator. After a successful run as a food truck, Foxy Falafel opened a bricks and mortar restaurant in St Paul awhile back, and the cozy location proved to be memorable spot for a luncheon date complete with crispy-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside falafel balls, lightly dressed fresh greens, beer, and sweet treats.

12.

Our industrious and fun-loving neighbors hosted their annual "Fryfest" again this year. I brought some deep fried Vietnamese style egg rolls as an entry and won this homemade strawberry pie.

12.

This year, I spent most of my actual birthday on the road en route from Nebraska. This weary traveler came home to hugs, a bouquet, and a warm spaghetti dinner. Spaghetti dinner with this little gal and her dad never gets old.

Previous Year's Recaps:

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2014

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2013

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2012

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2011

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things: 2010

2009: A Few of My Favorite Edible Things

[ Ed. Note: Cross-posted from Reetsyburger's Refuge: http://www.reetsyburger.com/2016/01/these-are-few-of-my-favorite-edible.html ]

[where: Sustainable Food, local food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Shepherd’s Way Farms Launches Kickstarter to #GrowtheFlock

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:35:00 +0000

Shepherd's Way Morcella is a seasonal, soft-ripened sheep milk cheese made with morel mushrooms.

MARIE FLANAGAN

Steven and Jodi Ohlsen Read raise their dairy sheep at Shepherd’s Way Farm, just outside Northfield, an hour south of Minneapolis. Shepherd’s Way Farm is known throughout Minnesota for their award-winning, artisan, sheep’s milk cheeses like Shepherd’s Hope, Big Woods Blue, and Morcella (pictured). This week, they announced they need more room to grow, and they launched a Kickstarter campaign to reach their goal. Their“Build the Barns, Grow the Flock" Kickstarter campaign goal is to finish a lambing barn and begin building a ewe barn that was destroyed in a fire in 2005.

“Our flock is about ⅓ the size it was before the fire,” said Shepherd’s Way cheesemaker, Jodi Ohlsen Read. “We’d like to double our current flock size. Having said that, we’re committed to sustainable growth - as we grow we’ll determine what the best size would be for us. We want to stay small-scale, and be able to make our ends meet.”

The current lamb barn at Shepherd’s Way was saved from demolition when the Reads moved the top half of it from the Big Woods State Park. They’ve been making steady progress on the barn, but it needs a new roof, electrical work, and a warming room for the lambs. They hope to raise $58,000 through Kickstarter, which would allow them to finish and winterizing the lamb barn, and start the initial construction of a barn for the ewes (adult female sheep).

“Our sheep spend much of their time outside, even in the winter if they choose,” said Steven Read in a press release. “But they need warm shelter, especially during lambing. Particularly when we have winters like last year.” Shepherd’s Way begins lambing in mid-January, and the Reads hope to start winterizing the lamb barn as soon as the Kickstarter campaign is complete.

The Kickstarter rewards include cheese, of course, along with wool filled pillows, private cheese tastings, lamb note cards, and a Spring Frolic party at the farm.

“Traditionally, a farmer would get a farm loan for building. Those opportunities aren’t as easily available as they were before the recession, especially when you’re still a growing business,” said Ohlsen Read. “The advantages of Kickstarter, aside from the funding, is that we’ll be able to draw more people who are specifically interested in what we do - it builds community, and I love that idea. I like the connection to the community.”

Ohlsen Read’s enthusiasm for community building extends beyond the Kickstarter campaign. She is currently president of the Minnesota Cheesemakers Guild, hosts regular local farm tours, and Steve and Jodi are also the Minnesota Farmers Union Enterprise Leadership Couple. But her heart is on the farm, where she spends most of her time crafting small batch cheese. She looks forward to milking season and to growing the Shepherd’s Way flock.

“If you’re gonna be in farming, you’re gonna have some tough times, and it’ll affect you to the core,” said Ohlsen Read. “If the kickstarter doesn’t get funded, it’ll be a tough winter. It’ll take us longer to get self-sustaining...to be a truly sustainable farm, we need to produce enough milk, to make enough cheese, to make all of the ends meet.”

You can learn more about Shepherd's Way and their goals from their Kickstarter video.

Cross posted from: Shepherd's Way Farm Makes a Kickstarter to Rebuild Flock

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Minnesota to the Core: A Complete Guide to Picking the Perfect Apple

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 21:32:00 +0000

PHOTO BY DAVE HANSEN

Markets and farm stands are packed with stacks of fantastic apples right now, but choosing the perfect apple when you can't sample can be a bit tricky. Here's an annual roundup of information that can assist your crucial apple selection process.

Choosing Your Apple

Apple varieties have varying attributes, whether they're crisp and sweet, or juicy and sour. Some apples are perfect for packing in a lunch box (Honeycrisp, Zestar!, SweeTango, Haralson), while others are better suited for pies or apple butter (Northern Spy, Prairie Spy, Duchess). Another attribute to consider is shelf-life; some varieties last longer in storage (Prairie Spy, Keepsake, Honeygold, Sweet Sixteen, Honeycrisp).

Here are the major Minnesota-grown varieties listed by season, in alphabetical order, along with general tasting attributes:

Early Season

Beacon (sweet, juicy, good eating apple)
Centennial Crabapple (small, juicy, great for kids)
Dayton (naturally disease resistant, tart, crisp)
Discovery (floral, sweet)
Duchess (good for pies)
Estivale (sometimes called LaCrescent, sweet, tart)
Gingergold (sweet, crunchy)
Jersey Mac (sweet, tart, good for applesauce)
Lodi (very early, tart, decent pie apple)
Paula Red (sweet, tart, bright white flesh)
Pristine (disease resistant, crisp, delicate)
Redfree (disease resistant, sweet, crisp)
Sansa (Gala/Akane cross, crunchy, juicy)
Summer Red (similar to Haralson, crisp, tart, juicy)
State Fair (tart, crunchy)
SweeTango (a personal favorite, crisp, tangy, slightly sweet)
Tyedeman’s Red (juicy, sweet, tart, good for apple sauce)
Viking (mild, soft, thin-skinned)
Wellington (tart, early pie apple)
William’s Pride (disease resistant, slightly spicy, bold)
Zestar! (large, crunchy, sweet-tart)

Mid-Season

Chestnut Crabapple (nutty, smaller, good for sauce)
Cortland (bright white flesh, doesn’t brown as quickly, great for fruit salad)
Gala (sweet, crisp, yellowish flesh)
Honeycrisp (a personal favorite, well balanced, sweet, tangy, crisp, very popular)
McIntosh (very tart, juicy, very popular)
Red Baron (mild, sweet, juicy)
Sweet Sixteen (sticky sweet, crisp, juicy, yellow flesh)
Wealthy (tart, medium sized)

Late Season

Braeburn (sweet, tart, classic)
Fireside (sweet, large, good for baking)
Frostbite (very sweet, smaller, juicy)
Honeygold (yellow skin, good for cooking, sweet)
Haralson (firm, good pie apple, sweet)
Keepsake (firm, crisp, yellowish flesh, can store for six months)
Liberty (disease resistant, tart, crisp)
Northern Spy (tart, juicy, great for pies and sauce)
Pinata (orange in color, slightly spicy)
Prairie Spy (large, dense, good for baking, long storage time)
Red Delicious (very popular, firm, dark red, sweet)
Regent (well balanced, good for eating and cooking)
SnowSweet (a personal favorite, sweet, slightly tart, white flesh is slow to brown)

Pick Your Apple

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a list of 116 apple orchards on their website this year. You can search by zip code to find an orchard close to you.

If you’re looking for a referral, some of the most beloved orchards include:

Aamodt’s in Stillwater
Afton in Hastings
Apple Jack in Delano
Applewood in Lakeville
Baker Orchard in Centuria, Wis.
Deardoff in Waconia
Emma Krumbee’s in Belle Plain
Havlicek's in Veseli
Minnetonka Orchards in Wayzata
Sponsel's in Jordan
Pine Tree in White Bear Lake (Minnesota Monthly wrote a review of of Pine Tree Apple Orchard a few years ago.)

No time for apple picking? Check your local farmers market, which is a perfect weekend outing this time of the year. Doug Bolstorff’s Cedar Grove Orchard stand at the downtown St Paul Farmers Market is a personal favorite. They have good apples, decent prices, and friendly service. Don't miss the Sweetland Orchard stand at the Kingfield Farmers Market where they sell fantastic apple cider donuts. Finally, if you can't make it to the orchard or farmers market, local co-ops can fill your basket with local apples from local organic orchards. Do you research, fill your basket, and when you get home you can sit back and relax knowing you've selected the perfect Minnesota apple.

Cross posted from: Minnesota to the Core: A Complete Guide to Picking the Perfect Apple

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Alemar Cheese Company Wows with Blue Earth Brie and Red Ribbons

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 20:39:00 +0000

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

In tandem with winning a red ribbon at the 2014 American Cheese Society (ACS) contest for their camembert-style cheese, Bent River, Alemar Cheese Company has recently released a new brie-style cheese called Blue Earth. Mankato is the county seat of Blue Earth County and Alemar’s new brie-style cheese reflects its connection to Minnesota’s terrain with its formula based on 100 percent organic, grass-based milk from Minnesota farms like Cedar Summit Farm.

“I’ve been making cheese for 6 years,” said Keith Adams of Alemar Cheese. “And I think I’m getting pretty proficient at soft rind cheeses. I knew that Bent River [camembert] might have some notes that might not appeal to all consumers. For the Blue Earth [brie], we toyed with some of the cultures and the aging process until we got something really great.”

The recipes and techniques Adams uses to make Blue Earth are similar to those that he uses for Bent River, and so Blue Earth has many similarities to Bent River. But it’s different...As with any brie, it’s bigger and runnier, for starters. It’s slightly buttery, with a mild flavor, and utterly unctuous texture.

Blue Earth is relatively new, and subject to availability, but retail locations include Seward Co-op, The Wedge, Saint Louis Park Byerly's, and Grassroots Gourmet.

If you want to congratulate Adams on his new cheese and his ACS ribbon, you’d better do it quickly—after a trip to England this summer to learn about Stichelton (similar to Stilton) and bandage-wrapped cheddar, he’s heading back to his home state of California to start an English-inspired cheese project in the Sonoma county area. But fear not, Bent River and Blue Earth will continue to be made by Craig Hageman, who will be running the Alemar plant in Mankota.

Cross posted from: Alemar Cheese Company Wows with Blue Earth Brie and Red Ribbons

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Cultivate Northeast Builds Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 20:37:00 +0000

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

PHOTOS BY KELLY VANDERPOOL

Two new brightly colored garden-themed murals have staked their claim on the southeast corner of Central and Lowry Aves NE, the third busiest intersection in Minneapolis. The murals are the work of Northeast artists, and the budding garden they currently shelter is a new permaculture demonstration garden called Cultivate Northeast.

Coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgrem, the term “permaculture” is an ideology that models habitats and agricultural systems on natural ecosystems. From food production to landscape restoration, from composting and harvesting rainwater to engaging with the community, urban permaculture gardens like Cultivate Northeast can produce food while providing educational and community-building opportunities.

Chowgirls co-owner Heidi Andermack talked about the community approach to the development of the permaculture garden and the Cultivate Northeast concept. Initiated by Minneapolis City Council Member Kevin Reich, Cultivate Northeast was brought to life by area author Joel Hernandez, Tom and Colleen of Tom’s Styling, Northeast Chamber of Commerce Director Christine Levins, and Andermack.

Hailing from Bruce Bacon’s Garden Farme in Anoka, permaculture specialist Benji Mohr weeds, harvests, lays down woodchips, and manages the day-to-day operations of the garden, raising produce for the kitchens of Chowgirls, Hazel’s Northeast, The Mill Northeast, and Sen Yai Sen Lek. Adjacent business owners, Tom and Colleen of “Tom’s Style and Tanning” have provided space and water for the garden.

“I’m always interested in community projects and love the idea of having our food produced so close to home,” said Andermack. “We had toyed with the idea with getting some land about 45 minutes away for Chowgirls, and we realized that wasn’t very realistic in terms of resources. This was a great opportunity to start something on a small scale.”

A pergola, benches, and two colorful murals by local artists Chank Diesel and Mike Davis helped transform the garden into a community space. The garden is open to the public; Andermack said folks are welcome to wander through the garden, take photos, sit on the benches, and enjoy the space, although they prefer that you leave the produce where it is.

“We’re hoping that folks will enjoy the space, be happy with what we’re doing there, and allow us to continue in the future,” said Andermack.

Cultivate NE hosted weekly cooking demonstrations and speakers in fall 2014. They plan to do more programming and have more information available at the garden next year.

“The coolest thing about the project in my mind is that everyone involved is doing their best to contribute to the garden while taking care of their work and their families,” said Andermack. “It’s a little oasis in the 3^rd busiest intersection in Minneapolis.”

Want to learn more about the permaculture concept being implemented at Cultivate Northeast? Check out Midwest Permaculture Cold Climate for more information.

Cross posted from: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Twin-Cities-Taste/September-2014/Cultivate-Northeast-is-Building-Communities/

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Grow Your Own Heirloom Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:47:00 +0000

Family heirlooms come in various shapes in sizes. In my family, our heirloom jewels come in the form of garden seeds. During harvest season, my mom carefully saves seeds from the sturdy plants in her prolific garden. You know what I adore about that? The beans, tomatoes, and dill that I plant today are the same seeds of the same garden goodies that I ate as a kid. The tradition is nostalgic and interesting to me. Each time I bite into a fresh “rattlesnake pole bean” or a “scarlet runner bean” bean from my garden, I think of my hard-working mom, her soil-stained knees, and her beloved garden.

People who are “seed savers” are especially interested in the concept of heirloom varieties. The Seed Savers Exchange defines an heirloom as "any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture. Some companies have tried to create definitions based on date, such as anything older than 50 years."

Heirlooms come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, from tomatoes to perennial flowers. If you’re really curious about all the heirloom varieties available, check out the heirloom plant resource book put out by the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum–it records all of plants offered by mail order from a myriad of catalogs.

Now you can become part of the ever-growing seed saver/heirloom seed movement. Don’t have a family member saving seeds? No problem. You can still get your green thumbs on some “saved seeds” by visiting a local store with a Seed Savers Exchange rack. Don’t know where to find Seed Savers seeds? Find the store selling them closest to you on the Seed Savers’website.

Perhaps you’re not interested in starting from seed and would rather plant heirloom plants seedlings? No problem there either. From farmers markets, to co-ops, to garden centers, many folks are selling seedlings grown from heirloom seeds. In addition to farmers markets and co-op plant sales, here are a few locations where you can get your green thumbs on some heirloom seedlings:

If you know a person who saves seeds, consult the oracle. In my experience, I’ve found that folks who save seeds are generally fountains of knowledge on the topic, and might even be willing to share a seedling or two with you to help you get started. And if you’re a seed saver and have a great resource to share, please do so in the comments section below.

Cross posted from: Grow Your Own Heirloom Garden - Twin Cities Taste - April 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Prairie Dogs: House-Made Sausages and Charcuterie in Uptown

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:44:00 +0000

Twin Cities wurst worshippers have a new joint to add to their must-visit list for summer 2014. Prairie Dogs, to be located in Uptown, plans to combine the best of the Chicago-style hot dog eatery with that of a butcher shop market, using locally-sourced ingredients to make house-made encased meats and charcuterie.

“Think of it as Hot Doug’s of Chicago meets Bavette la Boucheriein Milwaukee,” said Prairie Dog co-owner and sausage maker, Craig Johnson.

Serving sausages prepared for sit-down customers as well as offering a stocked butcher case for home cooks, Prairie Dogs will be cranking out house-made sausages like bratwurst, merguez, chorizo, Polish sausage, and hot dogs using locally-sourced meats from producers like Braucher’s Sunshine Harvest Farm. They’ll also feature local beer, sustainably produced wine, seasonal produce, and locally sourced buns (Johnson’s still on a quest to find the perfect locally made sausage bun).

Johnson grew up in Maple Plain, MN, but he first learned the craft of sausage-making while attending the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. He honed his sausage-making skills back in Minnesota at joints like Papa Charlie’s in Lutsen, Spill the Wine, and most recently at Ike’s in downtown Minneapolis. He was approached by Minneapolis restaurant consultant Tobie Nidetzabout the Prairie Dog concept, and the two formed a partnership as co-owners of the new venture.

PHOTO BY TODD BILLINGS, SQUARE FOOTAGE PRODUCTIONS

“Experimenting with different levels of meat grinds and fat content helps me figure out my own recipes. I’ve been picking butchers brains!” said Johnson, who is a regular customer at many of the local sausage-making shops in town like Clancey’s and Everett’s, and is heading to Chicago soon for a whirlwind tour of well-known sausage establishments like Hot Doug’s, Devil Dawgs, and Franks N’ Dawgs.

Johnson says customer input in vital, so he’s been serving sausages at events and holding pop-ups at restaurants such asFirst Course Bistro, Birch’s in Long Lake, Monies Bar in his hometown of Maple Plain, and The Zumbro Café. These events have allowed Johnson to identify recipes that are hits, like the popular, mildly spicy merguez lamb sausage that he tops with light mint aioli, piquillo peppers, and feta cheese. His “Tickle me Chelmo” emerged as a favorite at the Zumbro popup—it’s a chorizo link topped with breakfast potato hash, lime crema, salsa verde, and a sunny egg. The Seoul Dog has been a crowd-pleasing hot dog topped with house made kimchi, marinated carrots, and shoyu mustard. As for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free folks, Prairie Dogs intends to offer house made, build-your-own vegan dogs, gluten-free rolls, and even a lettuce wrap dog.

Aiming for an opening date of May 2014, Prairie Dogs will be located in Uptown, near Lake Street/Hennepin. They plan to offer lunch, dinner, late night dining, a butcher case for home cooks, and have delivery by bicycle to the Uptown area, to boot.

If you simply can’t wait until May to sample Prairie Dog’s sausages, stop by Ike’s downtown over the next two weeks, where Johnson’s smoked Polish sausage will be a featured menu item, or watch their Facebook page for future pop-up events.

Prairie Dogs currently has a Kickstarter campaign going on to help to reduce investor costs, cover the cost of furnishing the restaurant, and cover labor costs and training. Check out a video about the Prairie Dog concept and their kickstarter:

Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 in Permalink

Cross posted from: Prairie Dogs will Offer House-Made Sausages and Charcuterie in Uptown - Twin Cities Taste - March 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The ABCs of CSAs: 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 18:40:00 +0000

These freezing temps may have slowed the rest of us down, but Minnesota’s farmers have been busy prepping for the growing season. They’re attending conferences, figuring out how to best extend their growing season in Minnesota’s challenging climate, selecting the best varieties for their land and their customers, keeping their livestock warm and fed, and figuring out the how to boost their bottom lines while being environmental stewards and community-builders. They have been very busy, indeed.

And now it’s our turn to get to work selecting our CSAs for next year. Selecting a CSA can be a bit daunting, but never fear—you have time on your side, and this annual ABCs of CSAs will help you navigate.

The Basics on CSAs

A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation is a partnership between local producers and their subscribers. Before the growing season commences, a CSA farming operation sells subscriptions to members of the public who pay upfront and then become stakeholders in the farm. You, as a stakeholder, receive regular boxes of food (called “shares”) from the producer during the growing season in return for your subscription dollars.

When you subscribe, you enjoy the benefit of having a relationship and understanding with the people growing your food. In a very direct way, you experience both the challenges and the bounties that the producer experiences. And, undoubtedly, you will receive some kind of produce in your CSA box that will challenge you to try something new.

Membership arrangements, delivery locations and frequency, products, opportunities for involvement, and costs vary with each CSA operation, so research is the key to finding one that suits you. There are several CSA opportunities in the Twin Cities area. To make it easier for you to select which CSA opportunity works best for you, Land Stewardship Project releases an annual CSA Farm Directory which provides details on more than 60 Twin Cities area producers and their wide variety of CSA subscription plans.

What if I Can’t Handle a Whole Box of Produce?

An almost-full bushel of produce every week might be too much for some folks. If you’re one such person, consider these options:

Many Twin Cities CSA operations offer half-shares which are smaller shares for less money. Some of the farms that offer half shares include Axdahl’s Garden Farm & Greenhouse, Blackberry Community Farm, Broadfork Farm, Fox & Fawn Farm, Growing Lots Urban Farm, Hulgan House Heritage Farm, Jake’s Burr Oak Farm, Prairie Sun Farm, Shepherd Flock Farm, Stone’s Throw Urban Farm, Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm, Uproot Farm, and Wozupi.
Split a share with a family member or neighbor. One of you picks up the share, and you split the box each week, or you alternate weeks, so each ends up with a full share every two weeks.
Many CSA subscribers save their seasonal bounty for later use through preservation techniques such as canning, freezing, pickling, and drying. I just made some tomato soup last week using tomatoes that I canned from the my CSA share last summer. The University of Minnesota Extension website has all the information you need if you’re interested in getting started with food preservation.

I Want to Make my Choice Based On Pick Up Location

Perhaps you’d like to pick up your share at your community co-op, farmers market, or a pick up site that is closest to your workplace. If you look in the CSA handbook, most farms have listed their pick up spots. Axdahl’s, Big Woods Farm, Blackberry Community Farm, Green Earth Growers, Loon Organics, and Thorn Crest Farm have all listed the co-ops where they do their pick ups. You can also pop in to your neighborhood co-op and ask if they have a list of the CSAs that offer pick ups there.

While this list is incomplete, here are some convenient Twin Cities pickup locations:

Seward Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm, Common Harvest Farm
Eastside Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm
Just Food Co-op: Big Woods Farm
Whole Foods, St Paul: Green Earth Growers
Valley Natural Co-op: Green Earth Growers
Mill City Farmers Market: Loon Organics
Linden Hills Farmers Market: The Farm of Minnesota

Seward Co-op hosts an annual CSA fair in spring that showcases area CSA farmers. This is an opportunity to actually speak to the farmers in-person. This spring’s date hasn’t been announced yet, but stay tuned for an announcement on their website.

Beyond Produce

CSAs can provide more than just produce—eggs, flowers, cheese, meat, and more are also available through CSAs in Minnesota. As you read through the directory, take note of those additional items that appeal to you—whether it’s pastured-raised eggs or fresh-cut flowers. There are also CSAs that specialize in items other than produce.

Non-Produce CSAs Not listed in the Land Stewardship Project’s CSA Directory

So now that you’re armed with information, feel free to share which CSA you’ve selected and why. We love to hear about all the great CSAs in Minnesota.

Cross posted from: The ABCs of CSAs: 2014 - Twin Cities Taste - February 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Le Chocolat Chaud—Blissful Chocolate Therapy for the Masses

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 22:18:00 +0000

Growing up, hot chocolate was a sweet treat that was whipped together from a powdery mix and sipped too quickly after sledding. I never minded the burned mouth or the sticky mittens afterwards because hot chocolate was a superb treat, and it still is. These days, we’ve elevated our hot chocolate recipe. That’s not to say that we don’t have a jar of powdery mix stashed in the pantry for hot chocolate emergencies, but when time and ingredients permit, we indulge in Parisian-style hot chocolate. And it’s always worth the effort.

The first time I heard about le chocolat chaud, or Parisian hot chocolate, was while I was reading David Lebovitz’s book The Sweet Life in Paris for book club. After we finished the book, I wasn’t craving croissants or boeuf bourguignon—I wanted that darn chocolat chaud that he raved about. I decided to consult an expert, Carrie Vono—she’s the pastry chef at Alma and a beloved friend. Carrie offered to mix some up for my husband and me. As we sat at the bar, sipping the rich, bittersweet concoction, I gazed at Carrie and my husband’s smiling faces, and all was right with the world. I thought, for a minute, that chocolat chaud should be patented as some kind of therapy.

I finally asked Carrie for a chocolat chaud lesson, and she, being truly amazing, obliged happily. She said, “Do you have milk and sugar?” I said, “You betcha!” She said, “Perfect. I’ll bring the chocolate.” The secret to Carrie’s method is using high quality, bittersweet chocolate, and allowing additional cooking time after the chocolate has melted into the milk. The additional cooking time allows the mixture to thicken, creating that rich, smooth texture that sets chocolat chaud apart from its powdery counterparts.

Le Chocolat Chaud a la Carrie Vono of Alma

2 cups milk (whole milk is better)
5 ounces of high quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped finely
2 tablespoons of sugar
Marshmallows (if desired)

1. Slowly heat the milk in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Once the milk becomes warm, stir in the chocolate until it is melted and the mixture is steaming hot.
3. After the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the sugar.
4. Let the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, while you stir constantly. Don’t let it come to a hard boil.
5. Pour into cups, garnish, and serve immediately.

Cross posted from: Le Chocolat Chaud—Blissful Chocolate Therapy for the Masses - Twin Cities Taste - January 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

MacGyvered Granola Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 22:15:00 +0000

In winter, I tend to stock up on oatmeal. When I’m at the store, I daydream about curling up with a warm bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar and hickory nuts, and watching reruns of hometown hero, MacGyver (he’s from Roseville). These daydreams often come true.

But sometimes, even though I’m scowling at the frost on the window, I still want cold cereal. With that in mind, I decided to call on the spirit of MacGyver this week to make some granola—using only pantry supplies, no trips to the store for anything.

As I said, I always have a supply of oatmeal in the winter. This is the only ingredient that I deem necessary for this recipe. Everything else can be MacGyvered, depending on what’s in your larder. No maple syrup? No problem. Use warm honey or rice syrup instead. No canola oil? Use olive oil or melted butter instead. No brown sugar? You can MacGyver your own with white sugar and molasses.

This recipe is loosely based on Alton Brown’s granola recipe, but in the spirit of Mac, refuses to conform to it.

MacGyvered Granola

General Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats (or quick oats, or instant oats)
1 cup pecans (or slivered almonds, or walnuts, or NO nuts)
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut (or no coconut)
Heaping 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar (or white sugar and molasses)
1/4 cup maple syrup (or warm honey, or rice syrup, or agave syrup)
1/4 cup canola oil (or olive oil, or coconut oil, or melted butter)
3/4 teaspoon salt (don’t have any? leave it out)
1 cup raisins (or dates, or Craisins, or dried cherries, or chopped up dried mango)
1 tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and powdered ginger (or allspice, or pumpkin pie spice, or cardamom, or mace)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

2. In a bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, spices, and brown sugar.

3. In a separate bowl, combine syrup, oil, and salt.

4. Mix wet and dry mixtures together, and pour out onto 2 baking pans. Spread evenly and cook for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. When it’s golden brown and crunchy, it’s done.

5. Remove from oven let it cool. Mix in raisins (or other dried fruit). Package it up.

Need some inspiration? Say no more.

Cross posted from: MacGyvered Granola Recipe - Twin Cities Taste - January 2014 - Minnesota

[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]

The Ultimate Fruit Cake Recipe of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 19:02:00 +0000

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

Confession: I like fruit cake.

When I was a freckled kid in pigtails, I’d kneel on my chair at the kitchen table and watch my mom mix up the heaviest and most beloved cake in our house–the holiday fruit cake. Mixed with strange candied citron and fruit glace, and wrapped in a brandy-soaked cloth and wax paper, the large cake would sit in waiting until after we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve.

After all the gifts had been opened, my dad would mix up egg nog, and we’d celebrate the baby Jesus’s birthday with fruit cake and egg nog. This tradition has never wavered. Each and every year, we open gifts on Christmas Eve, eat fruit cake, and sip egg nog. This year, the fruit cake torch was passed on to me.

With my mom’s cake so perfectly ingrained in everyone’s memory, I decided to go in a slightly different direction with my fruit cake recipe. Inspired by Cold Spring Bakery’s fruit cake, this recipe substitutes the traditional candied fruit with rehydrated dried fruit like apples, apricots, and raisins. It’s a modified version of What’s Cooking America’s Regal Fruit Cake recipe.

A Fruit Cake for 2013
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 hour 20 min
Yields: 1 large fruitcake

1 1/2 cups yellow and purple raisins
1 cup chopped, dried apples
1 cup chopped, dried apricots
½ cup chopped, dried peaches
3/4 cup currants
2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup white grape juice (or cider)
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups firmly-packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon almond extract
Brandy

Grease a 10-inch tube or round pan; line the pan with wax paper and grease very well.
In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit. Bring the grape juice to a boil, then pour the the grape juice over the dried fruit. Let stand 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine. Gradually add brown sugar, stirring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and mace; gradually add to butter mixture. Add almond extract and fruit mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon into prepared pan.
Bake 3 hours and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your fruitcake. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan, peel paper liner from cake, and cook completely.
Wrap in a brandy-soaked cheesecloth; store in the refrigerator. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

This recipe yields a rich, moist, fruit-laden spice cake. It pairs perfectly with egg nog – heck, I wouldn’t eat it any other way.

And just in case you’re not up for making your own fruit cake, Cold Spring Bakery in Cold Spring, MN still has their famous fruit cakes available this season.

Cross posted from: The Ultimate Fruit Cake Recipe of 2013 - TC Taste - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Ultimate Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:37:00 +0000

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

Holiday cookie swap parties bring together so many great aspects of the holidays, but mostly, they bring together a lot of homemade cookies. A good cookie swap depends on a couple handfuls of attendees for optimal cookie variety.

As you read through your swap invitation, the stars begin to align—until you get to the end of the invite, which instructs you to bring 10 dozen cookies to the event. Suddenly, your excitement turns to dread as you contemplate the task. FEAR NOT! I have the perfect holiday cookie exchange recipe! It’s an adapted version of the sugar cookie recipe that my husband’s mother sent to me. The cookies are festive, taste great, and are relatively simple to make. I use locally sourced butter, eggs, oil, and flour to make them even more “home” made.

The Ultimate Cookie Swap Almond Sugar Cookies

1 cup oil
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. almond extract (can substitute with vanilla extract)
1 fresh vanilla bean
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Makes 4-5 dozen

1. Cream together your sugars, butter, and oil.

2. Add the eggs one at a time.

3. Add the almond extract and fresh vanilla.

4. Let the mixture mix until it becomes slightly fluffy/whipped.

5. Mix together your dry ingredients.

6. Add the dry ingredients one cup at a time.

7. Mix well.

8. Chill the dough for at least one hour. It can also stay chilled overnight.

9. Place parchment paper over your cookie sheets to make cleanup easier.

10. Roll the dough into small balls (the size of a walnut) and place on your cookie sheet. I used one of those tbsp.-sized dough scoops to save time.

11. Gently flatten the dough balls with a glass dipped in sugar.

12. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (17 minutes if you’re using insulated cookie sheets) until slightly brown on the edges.

These cookies are light, crispy, and buttery with an unexpected almond twist. Colorful sugar adds just the right amount of festive decoration without any messy frosting, and they stack and transport with ease.

Cross posted from: The Ultimate Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe - Twin Cities Taste - December 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Copper Hen Cakery to Bring Late Night, Farm-to-Table Desserts to South Minneapolis

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 17:49:00 +0000

South Minneapolis has something sweet to look forward to this spring. Copper Hen Cakery will be arriving in early April and plans on being a nightspot that offers up fresh, local, farm-to-table desserts, a small house menu, wine, beer, and coffee.

Behind Copper Hen is husband and wife duo, Chris and Danielle Bjorling. Chis hails from Madison, Wisconsin. He moved to Minneapolis for school and is now a certified public accountant. Danielle grew up baking scratch-made desserts in her mother’s kitchen. She started taking baking classes when she was 14, and while working as a nanny, she has been baking for weddings and events on the side. The couple resides in South Minneapolis, where they hope to open the Copper Hen.

Although much of the financing is already in place, the duo recently exceeded their $10,000 Kickstarter goal, which will allow them to buy the bakery oven they need, among other things.

DANIELLE AND CHRIS BJORLING PLAN ON OPENING COPPER HEN IN APRIL 2014

Copper Hen’s small, house menu will feature classic dishes like chicken pot pie, but based on the descriptions of their signature dessert items, you might end up ordering dessert first.

Danielle thinks that their “breakfast cupcake” will be the star of the show, featuring fresh blueberries and bacon that are hand-placed inside individual buttery crumble cakes. The whole works will be topped with cream cheese frosting and maple syrup.

“But the best, by far, is my red velvet cake,” says Danielle.

She says customers are particularly fond of her red velvet cake made with buttermilk, cocoa powder, and a touch of vinegar that adds a certain complexity to the somewhat predictable sweet treat. She says you’ll likely find her in the kitchen at Copper Hen hand shredding carrots for her raisin-free carrot cake, or fixing scratch-made hand pies.

Copper Hen also plans to offer traditional layered cakes for weddings and other events. Danielle explains that for those clients they want to offer something “different from the traditional," Copper Hen will offer hand-made cake alternatives like Mason jar cakes or slab pies.

COPPER HEN'S CAKES WILL BE MADE ENTIRELY OF NATURAL INGREDIENTS

Danielle says you won’t find shortening or margarine in her baked goods or frostings. She’ll be using butter, and plenty of it. Copper Hen plans to source their butter, along with eggs, dairy products, whole wheat, berries, fruits, coffee, wine, and beer locally. They’ll offer all-natural frosting dyes and sprinkles–made with vegetable colorants instead of synthetics. They’ll also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options, including bread.

They explain that Copper Hen intends to have later hours than most traditional bakeries.

“We'll close at 10pm, so you can come here for dessert after dinner,” says Chris. “Have a glass of wine and a dessert.”

Danielle excitedly explains “Do you want dessert first?" might be their tagline. In that case, you might to add Copper Hen to your spring nightspot list now.

Cross posted from: Copper Hen Cakery to Bring Late Night, Farm-to-Table Desserts to South Minneapolis - Twin Cities Taste - October 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Return of Returnable Soda Pop Bottles in Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 19:37:00 +0000

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHISTLER BOTTLING

Many of us remember a time when soda pop was a special treat. The small, returnable bottles filled with flavors like cream and cherry cola were doled out for picnics or birthdays, and usually we had to share. Today, 20 oz. bottles of pop are a common sight and consumption is at 165 liters per capita in the United States, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

On the heels of recent news about potential container deposit fees in Minnesota for plastic and aluminum cans, a small company in Minnesota is attempting to return to a time when soda pop was sold in small, returnable bottles, and was made with simple ingredients.

Whistler Bottling is on a mission to bring returnable soda pop bottles back to Minnesota. Jesse Hopkins, an assistant principal at a local middle school, leads the Whistler Bottling team, along with a team comprised of other educators, which he says is one of the unique things about Whistler. They want to make a difference in the lives of kids.

“We know soda pop is not health food, but if kids are going to drink pop, our returnable bottles are 8 ounces, which makes it easier for parents to control the amount of pop that kids are drinking,” said Hopkins. "We are also currently working on a partnership with three metro school districts and a major local grocer to help schools raise funds for programs that serve at risk students, support teachers in the classroom, and provide families with financial difficulties opportunities for participation in sports and band.”

Hopkins said the Whistler concept is built around trying to make a difference and explained how they plan to use simple ingredients and smaller bottles to help reduce the use of plastic bottles. Their returnable glass bottles are designed to last 40 years and can be refilled as many times as needed.

Hopkins took time to visit plants in Wisconsin that are still using returnable bottles like Twig’s (makers of returnable Sun-Drop) and Flavor 8. There, he learned about the returnable bottling business. He learned that a fresher product that is made and delivered locally simply tastes better.

While those businesses helped them learn about the returnable bottle trade, Whistler looked to the former Gold Medal Beverage Co. of St. Paul, MN for flavor inspiration.

“In our research, looking into soda companies, Gold Medal was around for a long time and we wanted to tip our cap to them and the brand they had established,” said Hopkins. “We wanted to offer some of the same, classic flavors as they did.”

Whistler plans to offer six flavors, including black cherry, grape, cherry vanilla cola, root beer, fruit punch, and cream, using ingredients like triple filtered water, pure cane sugar, and old fashioned flavor extracts.

“For us, it was really important to commit to the most basic, simple ingredients as possible,” said Hopkins. “No energy enhancing chemicals, no high fructose corn syrup, and no extra preservatives.”

As for retail locations, Hopkins says the interest “has been off the charts.” They’re looking at supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and specialty shops for selling their product.

Whistler is about ready to launch. They have flavor recipes, a returnable bottle design, and a bottle washer/sanitizer, but they still need to purchase 80,000 bottles and bottle filler.

“Right now, we’re at the point where we’re about ready to launch,” said Hopkins. “We plan to be up and running by January, but it’s just a matter of purchasing the bottles we need.”

And that’s where their Kickstarter campaign comes in. Hopkins says the sole purpose of their Kickstarter is to make their first bottle buy. It’s the biggest financial investment and the next big step.

“We hope people will be inspired by our work, and want to support our bottle purchase.”

Cross posted from: The Return of Returnable Soda Pop Bottles in Minnesota - Twin Cities Taste - October 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

In’Cider Information on Minnesota’s 2013 Apple Season

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 18:49:00 +0000

PHOTO BY DAVE HANSEN

It’s mid-September now, and there’s a certain something in the air—maybe it’s because apple season is nigh. I grabbed a bag of SweeTangos at the farmers market last weekend, and they were so juicy and so crisp that I hip, hip, hoorayed. To accompany my three cheers for this year’s apple crop, I put together this Minnesota apple roundup for TC Taste this week.

CHOOSE YOUR APPLE

Apples are seasonal. Each variety has a peak season and specific attributes. While some apples are great for eating plain (Honeycrisp, Zestar!, SweeTango, Haralson), others are better suited for baking or making sauce (Northern Spy, Prairie Spy, Duchess). If you’re concerned about chemicals, some apples are more naturally disease resistant, which means that growers can use fewer chemicals on them in the orchard (Dayton, Pristine, Redfree, William’s Pride, Liberty). If you want your harvest to last, some varieties can be stored for a long time (Prairie Spy, Keepsake, Honeygold, Sweet Sixteen, Honeycrisp).

Selecting your apple can be tricky with all that information to sort out, so I’ve got the major Minnesota-grown varieties listed here by season, in alphabetical order, along with their general attributes.

EARLY SEASON

Beacon (sweet, juicy, good eating apple)

Centennial Crabapple (small, juicy, great for kids)

Dayton (naturally disease resistant, tart, crisp)

Discovery (floral, sweet)

Duchess (good for pies)

Estivale (sometimes called LaCrescent, sweet, tart)

Gingergold (sweet, crunchy)

Jersey Mac (sweet, tart, good for applesauce)

Lodi (very early, tart, decent pie apple)

Paula Red (sweet, tart, bright white flesh)

Pristine (disease resistant, crisp, delicate)

Redfree (disease resistant, sweet, crisp)

Sansa (Gala/Akane cross, crunchy, juicy)

Summer Red (similar to Haralson, crisp, tart, juicy)

State Fair (tart, crunchy)

SweeTango (a personal favorite, crisp, tangy, slightly sweet)

Tyedeman’s Red (juicy, sweet, tart, good for apple sauce)

Viking (mild, soft, thin-skinned)

Wellington (tart, early pie apple)

William’s Pride (disease resistant, slightly spicy, bold)

Zestar! (a personal favorite, large, crunchy, sweet-tart)

MID-SEASON

Chestnut Crabapple (nutty, smaller, good for sauce)

Cortland (bright white flesh, doesn’t brown as quickly, great for fruit salad)

Gala (sweet, crisp, yellowish flesh)

Honeycrisp (a personal favorite, well balanced, sweet, tangy, crisp, very popular)

McIntosh (very tart, juicy, very popular)

Red Baron (mild, sweet, juicy)

Sweet Sixteen (a personal favorite, sticky sweet, crisp, juicy, yellow flesh)

Wealthy (tart, medium sized)

LATE SEASON

Braeburn (sweet, tart, classic)

Fireside (sweet, large, good for baking)

Frostbite (very sweet, smaller, juicy)

Honeygold (yellow skin, good for cooking, sweet)

Haralson (firm, good pie apple, sweet)

Keepsake (firm, crisp, yellowish flesh, can store for six months)

Liberty (disease resistant, tart, crisp)

Northern Spy (tart, juicy, great for pies and sauce)

Pinata (orange in color, slightly spicy)

Prairie Spy (large, dense, good for baking, long storage time)

Red Delicious (very popular, firm, dark red, sweet)

Regent (well balanced, good for eating and cooking)

SnowSweet (a personal favorite, sweet, slightly tart, white flesh is slow to brown)

FIND YOUR APPLE

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a list of 109 apple orchards on their website. You can search by zip code to find an orchard close to you.

If you’re looking for a referral, some of the most popular you-pick orchards include:

Aamodt’s in Stillwater

Afton in Hastings

Apple Jack in Delano

Applewood in Lakeville

Baker Orchard in Centuria, Wis.

Deardoff in Waconia

Emma Krumbee’s in Belle Plain

Havlicek's in Veseli

Minnetonka Orchards in Wayzata

Sponsel's in Jordan

Pine Tree in White Bear Lake (Minnesota Monthly wrote a review of of Pine Tree Apple Orchard a few years ago.)

All kinds of farmers' markets have an apple vendor or two—my go-to apple stand is Doug Bolstorff’s Cedar Grove Orchard stand at the downtown St Paul Farmers Market. They have good apples, decent prices, and friendly service. I also like the Sweetland Orchard stand where they sell amazing apple cider donuts. For 2013, Sweetland will be at the Bloomington, Fulton, and Kingfield farmers' markets.

Don’t have time to hit the farmers' market, a farm stand, or the orchard? No problem. Co-ops have you covered with collections of local apples from local organic orchards.

MAKE APPLE CRISP

I eat at least one apple a day this time of year—I just can’t help myself. Meanwhile, my husband goes bonkers for apple crisp. He has a pretty simple and utterly lip-smacking recipe for crisp that he inherited from his mom.

Ingredients

For the filling:
4 cups of largely diced medium baking apples
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the topping:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted (one stick)
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) square (or 2-quart) baking dish.

Make the filling:
Core apples then cut into 3/4-inch (7 cm) pieces. Add apples to a large bowl and toss with cinnamon.

Make the topping:
To make the crisp topping, combine flour, oats, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and combine. Sprinkle and press down the topping over the apple filling.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping has turned light golden brown.

HIT UP AN APPLE PARTY

Just can’t get enough of this apple stuff? It’s time to party. The 65^th Annual Applefest is taking place in La Crescent Minnesota this weekend, Sept. 19-21. There’s a run/walk, music, a poker tournament, golf outing, beanbag tournament, and a kiddie parade.

Cross-posted from: In’Cider Information on Minnesota’s Apple Season - Twin Cities Taste - September 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Soft Cheeses of Summer 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 19:14:00 +0000

MORCELLA from Shepherd's Way; MARIE FLANAGAN (3)

What goes with this month’s warm summer breezes and seasonal sneezes? Why, soft summer cheeses, of course.

And lest you think that delicious, creamy, soft cheeses need hail from France or Italy, think again. These three soft cheeses are all made right here in the Midwest.

The first cheese on my list is the softest and lightest–Morcella, made by Shepherd’s Way Farm in Minnesota. Morcella is a soft-ripened sheep’s milk cheese made with local morel mushrooms by Shepherd’s Way’s cheesemaker Jodi Ohlsen Read. Irresistibly creamy, mild, earthy, and delicate, Morcella can be easily overwhelmed by strong flavors, so enjoy it simply with crusty bread. And grab it while you can–this small-batch cheese is made with spring and summer milk, so it’s only available through September.

On the other end of the flavor spectrum is Arabella cheese from a relatively new cheese maker, Jacobs and Brichford of Indiana. Their Arabella is a soft, tallegio-style cheese made with grass-fed milk from Jersey, Normande, and Tarentaise cross cows. Pale yellow, creamy, buttery, earthy, and aromatic, Arabella’s strong flavor profile can accompany a bottle of barbera or valpolicella with grace.

Striding forth between the delicate Morcella and the bold Arabella is Good Thunder, a new(er) cheese fromAlemar Cheese Company in Minnesota. Made with grass-fed milk from Cedar Summit Farm, Good Thunder has a stiffer, pasty texture, with a smoothness that is slightly reminiscent of its sister cheese, Bent River. The lovely squares of cheese are molded and salted by Kieth Adams and his crew, and then the rind is washed in Surly Bender, an oatmeal brown ale. This somewhat “stinky” cheese has a soft, orange rind, and a slightly smoky flavor that pairs well with a variety of beers, including brown ales and black ales.

So why not bypass the stove, and treat yourself to soft cheese and salad for dinner or a picnic? All three of these beauties are available throughout the Twin Cities at various farmers markets and co-ops (I spotted all three at Seward Co-op last weekend, and saw Steven Read sampling Morcella at the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Sunday).

GOOD THUNDER FROM ALEMAR CHEESE CO. ARABELLA FROM JACOBS AND BRICHFORD

Cross-posted from The Soft Cheeses of Summer - Twin Cities Taste - July 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Check out Some MN Farms for Free at the 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:24:00 +0000

MARIE FLANAGAN (4)

The 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour will take place next Saturday, July 20th. Presented by the Twin Cities area food co-ops, the goal of the event is to introduce the Twin Cities to the local farmers that make our seasonal, fresh, local food system possible.

My husband and I grabbed the opportunity to visit a few farms during the 2012 tour. Our stops included Shepherd’s Way, where we spent time perusing products at their on-farm store and laughing at their charismatic flock of sheep. At Simple Harvest Farm Organics, goat-milking was the activity of the day. Perhaps the most interesting part of the day was our stop at L & R Poultry and Produce, where we witnessed how they were using sweet corn as a trap crop for squash beetles, and laughed at the antics of pastured-raised turkeys hunting down insects. Taking the time to see expert farmers in the field bolstered our appreciation for the profession–it also reaffirmed our decision to leave poultry-raising to the experts.

Included in this year’s tour event are:
Kohnert Organic Farms

Living Land Farm
Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery
East Henderson Farm
Cedar Summit Farm
Shepherd’s Way
L and R Poultry & Produce
Simple Harvest Farm Organics
Thousand Hills Cattle Company
Ferndale Farm
Gardens of Eagan
Riverbend Farm
Women's Environmental Institute
10th Street Farm & Market
Big River Farm
Growing Lots Urban Farm
Beez Kneez
Stone's Throw Urban Farm

Details for each farm are a bit different, so be sure to check out the Eat Local Farm Tour guide book online or pick it up at an area co-op, including: Eastside Co-op, Harvest Moon Co-op, Just Food Co-op, Lakewinds Natural Foods, Linden Hills Co-op, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op, River Market Community Co-op, Seward Co-op, St. Peter Food Co-op, the Wedge, and Valley Natural Foods.

Find more information at themix.coop.

Cross posted from: 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour - Twin Cities Taste - July 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

New University of Minnesota Extension Website Offers Local Food Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:16:00 +0000

MARIE FLANAGAN

A group of folks from the University of Minnesota Extension, Buy Fresh Buy Local South Dakota, FARRMS (North Dakota), North Dakota State University Extension, and the Northwest Regional Partnership (Minnesota) have teamed together to launch a new Community and Local Food Resource website.

Announced this spring, the website contains extensive links to tools, videos, articles, reports, fact sheets, websites, and more that will help farmers, extension educators, and communities who are looking to build their local food system infrastructure.

Researchers received a SARE grant to work with rural Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota communities to identify needs. They hope the website will address their needs through the tools and resources for farmers, community groups, Extension educators, and others interested in local food systems.

"The release of this website coincides with the kick-off of a new season of farmers markets, CSAs and farm-to-institution programs,” said Greg Schweser, community food systems planner for the University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. “It will be useful to those working in local foods seeking production assistance, expanded marketing opportunities, developing stronger businesses, creating new sourcing options, educating citizens and crafting more beneficial public policies.”

Cross posted from New University of Minnesota Extension Website Offers Local Food Resources - Twin Cities Taste - May 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Sweet Science Ice Cream Available at Verdant Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:14:00 +0000

DUSTIN BLACK

The Twin Cities has a new ice cream stop to add to your list this summer. Sweet Science, a small ice cream company with big flavors, has landed a fulltime retail location.

Ashlee Olds started making ice cream for friends five years ago. After working at Black Sheep Coffee Café and Rogue Chocolatier, she was inspired to make a line of small batch ice cream called Sweet Science, with a logo in the shape of a vanilla molecule.

With a Business Management and Entrepreneurship feather under her cap from Metro State, Olds works in her community commercial kitchen space in St. Paul where she uses local products like Castle Rock organic milk and other certified organic ingredients, “with names you can pronounce.” Her notably smooth salted caramel is their mainstay flavor, but Olds also is whipping up nontraditional flavors like blood orange (pictured here) stracciatella (inspired by La Marianna’s Italian gelato), rhubarb cinnamon almond, and strawberry buttermilk.

Previously, Sweet Science ice cream was somewhat tricky to track down, with monthly tasting events at the kitchen space, and scoops for sale at food trucks or events. But this week, Olds announced that in early July pints of Sweet Science ice cream will become available at Verdant Tea’s new location in the former Seward Coop space in South Minneapolis.

Olds and Verdant Tea met at North Coast Nosh. There, they sampled each other’s products, and as they learned more about their individual business philosophies, the more they fell in love with the idea of working together. Once they get their bearings in the new space, they hope to combine their products to offer tea and ice cream flight pairings, and even chai and matcha milkshakes.

“Starting in early July, you'll be able to stop by Verdant Tea's new shop and buy pints and cups of Sweet Science—all day any day,” said Olds. “Their hours will be 8 a.m.-8 p.m., which means our customers can stop by and get Sweet Science ice cream almost anytime.”

With ice cream labels that cleverly nod to the periodic table of elements, you can’t miss Sweet Science pints. I’m fond of the blood orange flavor, a riff on the classic Dreamsicle, but if you’d rather sample before you buy, swing by the next Sweet Science tasting event this Friday, June 14, 2013, 5-8 p.m. at the Sweet Science commercial space on Pierce Butler Road.

Cross posted from Sweet Science Ice Cream Available at Verdant Tea Retail Space - Twin Cities Taste - June 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Record-Breaking Year Brings Sweet Smiles for MN Syrup Producers

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:10:00 +0000

SAPSUCKER FARMS

Despite what some consider an excruciatingly long winter, followed by a cold and snowy spring, Maple syrup producers in Minnesota are smiling. It’s no wonder—most of them produced record levels of syrup this spring.

Minnesota is the most north and west of U.S. states to commercially produce maple syrup, according to Jerry Jacobson, vice president of the MN Maple Syrup Producers Association. The association boasts about 100 members, many of whom attended the annual MN Maple Producers Association Annual Meeting and reported record years for 2013.

“At the meeting, everybody said they did better and many reported record crops. About 80% at the meeting said it was their best year ever,” said Jacobson.

The mystifying weather accounts for the record year, he says. “The late spring, combined with all the snow we had, meant temperatures were moderated so that the trees didn’t warm up too quickly.”

Maple syrup is made from sap, and producers need about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. Throughout Minnesota, trees produced high levels of sap during the three-week sap run this year, and the sap they produced was good quality, according to Jacobson. In neighboring Wisconsin, producers reported record-breaking levels as well.

“Wisconsin’s 2013 maple syrup production was 265,000 gallons, more than five times the production of 2012,” said Greg Bussler with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (PDF). “This is the highest production since NASS began keeping track in 1992.”

Debbie Morrison at Sapsucker Farms in Mora, Minn. was a bit anxious about this year’s season, especially after last year's drought, which yielded just 10 gallons of syrup. But Sapsucker ended up making 210 gallons of syrup, matching their all-time previous record.

“For about two weeks, the sap was just gushing,” said Morrison. “We were doing everything we could to collect it and cook it. It gushed, and gushed, and gushed for about two weeks. The sap was so beautiful and pristine this year. It was the best sap we’ve had. It made amazing, light syrup.”

Jacobson said that at least 60% of syrup entered for judging at the Annual Meeting of the MN Maple Producers Association was grade A, light amber, the highest quality in maple syrup ranking.

But could there be too much of a good thing? Jacobson and Morrison both assured me that producers won’t have any trouble selling their syrup.

“In Minnesota, most syrup producers sell out of everything they make, which is about 20-30,000 gallons annually,” said Jacobson.

Morrison echoed that sentiment, saying, “We’re pretty sure that we’ll be able to sell it all.”

Grade A, light amber syrup is sometimes called “fancy” syrup, and it’s highly sought after by in-the-know syrup fans. Available at local co-ops, farmers' markets, and specialty shops around the state, look for a bottle of maple syrup made in Minnesota, and top your flapjacks with some record-breaking syrup this summer!

Cross posted from: Record-Breaking Year Brings Sweet Smiles for MN Syrup Producers - Twin Cities Taste - June 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

MN Breakfast on the Farm Events for 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:15:00 +0000

With Dairy Month, county fairs, and budding farm fields all around the corner, several Minnesota farms are preparing for their county’s annual “Breakfast on the Farm” event.

Breakfast on the Farm events feature select farms, menus chock full of hearty local breakfast fare, activities, and more. Because each individual county organizes their respective breakfast event, the date, location, price, and other details vary by county.

Here's a quick breakdown of what's coming, and where:

Clay County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 7 a.m.-Noon
Western MN Steam Threshers Grounds, Rollag, Minn.
Groetsch Dairy, Albany, Minn.
Greg and Sue Harguth Farm, 31723 State Hwy 13, Waseca, Minn.
Goldview Farms, Waverly, Minn.
Jim and Connie Sathre Farm, Adams, Minn.
Dan and Rosie Middendorf Farm, Verndale, Minn.
Ed and Sherri Twohey Farm, Stewartville, Minn.
4-H Food Stand, Cass County Fairgrounds, Pine River, Minn.
Autumnwood Farm, Forest Lake, Minn.
Beltrami County Fairgrounds, Bemidji, Minn.
DuWayne and Laura Holm Farm, Shevlin, Minn.
Perry Meyer and Jason Enter Farm, New Ulm, Minn.
Rice County Fairgrounds, Faribault, Minn.

Cost: Free
Menu: Scrambled eggs, pancakes, strawberries, breakfast sausage, coffee, milk, and ice cream
Activities: Kids pedal tractor pull, farm commodity booths, farm animal zoo, spring planting, barrel train rides, horse drawn wagon rides, tractor wagon rides, merry-go-round, and entertainment

Stearns County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5, children 5 and under free
Menu: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, milk, and coffee
Activities: Farm tours, children’s barnyard, Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Vikings cheerleaders, live radio broadcasts, educational booths, and ice cream cones

Waseca County “Breakfast” on the Farm
Thursday, June 6, 2013, 4-8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Hamburgers and pork burgers
Activities: Magician, DJ Grain Simmons, kids activities, farm tours, and information booths

Wright County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 15, 2013, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost: Adults $3, children 5 and under free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, milk, and coffee
Activities: Farm tour, cheese and ice cream samples, wagon rides, educational agriculture booths, petting zoo

Mower County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 22, 2013 7:30-11:30 a.m.
Cost: Adults $3, children 6 and under free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, coffee, orange juice, and milk
Activities: Farm equipment on display, farm safety display, organization displays, horse wagon rides, and kiddie barnyard

Wadena County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 22, 2013 8am-Noon
Cost: Farmer’s share or free will offering
Menu: Pancakes, sausage, strawberries, ice cream, coffee and milk

Olmsted County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 6:30-11:30 a.m.
Take the bus from the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. Bus ride is free providing at least one member of your party is wearing a $5 Rochesterfest Button.
Cost: Adults $6, children 5-12 $3, under 5 free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, milk juice, cheese, and coffee
Activities: Horse-drawn wagon rides, free petting zoo, educational agricultural displays, and exhibits

Cass County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 9-11 a.m.
Cost: Farmers share

Washington-Ramsey County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 1-4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Lunch while supplies last
Activities: Farm tours, product samples, and farm animals

Beltrami County Breakfast on the Farm
Sunday, June 30, 2013, 8:30 a.m.-Noon
Cost: $5 suggested donation (100% of proceeds will go to agricultural youth programs via 4-H and FFA)
Menu: Pancakes, ice cream, strawberries, sausage, ham, coffee, and milk
Activities: Wagon rides, animal exhibits, and informational booth

Clearwater County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, July 6, 2013, 7-11 a.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Pancakes, strawberries, whipped cream, sausage, coffee, and milk
Activities: Farm activities and agricultural educational sessions

Nicollet/Brown County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, July 13, 2013, 7-10:30 a.m.
Menu: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, milk, and coffee

Rice County Breakfast on the Farm
Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 7:30-9 a.m.
Cost: Free to first 175 people
Menu: Eggs, sausage, fruit, rolls, coffee, orange juice

The cost for some breakfasts is listed as “farmer’s share.” Pam Dahlman, public relations staff at the MN Farm Bureau, explained that this pricing strategy brings attention to how much a farmer or rancher earns per dollar spent on food. The price at those events will be adjusted according to the current market’s farmer’s share, or 16%.

“Currently, farmers and ranchers receive $.16 on average for every food dollar that consumers spend on food,” explained Dahlman. “It shows that there are a lot of different factors that go into the price of food.”

Check the MN Farm Bureau website for event updates and more information, including driving directions.

Cross-posted from Breakfast on the Farm - Twin Cities Taste - May 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Youth Farm Springfest Set for May 9th

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:25:00 +0000

Youth Farm Springfest is set for 5-8pm, May 9, 2013 at Summit Brewery.

The event will feature food prepared by Alex Roberts and other Twin Cities' chefs.

"Guests will eat, drink, and make merry, all while supporting Youth Farm and Market Project," said Aimee Tritt, a food runner at Youth Farm and Market.

The participating restaurants/businesses boasts an impressive lineup:

Brasa Premium Rotisserie
Restaurant Alma
Lucia's
Salty Tart
Bryant Lake Bowl
Birchwood Cafe
Joia Soda
Sen Yai Sen Lek
Tilia
Common Roots Cafe
Solera Summit Brewery

The VIP Experience is $75 and includes a private brewery tour starting at 5pm sharp followed by an exclusive tasting and conversation with Alex Roberts. Then VIPs will join the main event from 6 to 8pm to sample a selection of food.

Tickets to the main event are $50. Main event guests will sample a selection of food from 6 to 8pm.

All food and one pint of Summit beer are included in the ticket prices. Additional pints will be available for $2. Buy tickets online at http://youthfarmspringfest2013-es2005.eventbrite.com/?rank=1#

All proceeds support Youth Farm and Market Project’s efforts to build young leaders, promote healthy bodies and minds, contribute to the positive identity of children and youth, create neighborhood connectedness, and develop and nurture healthy relationships.

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Debut of the Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild

noreply@blogger.com (Reetsyburger) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:43:00 +0000

Jeanne Carpenter of the popular cheese blog Cheese Underground has announced the formation of a new Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild.

Wisconsin is the most prolific cheese producing state in the United States, making as many as 600 different varieties of cheese; it has more licensed cheesemakers than any other U.S. state, to boot. So it didn’t come as a surprise when I received the news.

Similar to other state cheese guilds, The Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild is a member-based organization offering networking and educational opportunities for beginning and current artisan and farmstead cheesemakers in Wisconsin. With two workshops already scheduled this summer, they’re moving full steam ahead.

Carpenter recently shared all sorts of details about the new guild, which is meant to be a sister organization toWisconsin Cheese Originals, a 200-member group catering to cheese education for consumers. Together, both organizations celebrate Wisconsin artisan and farmstead cheesemakers.

The Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild currently has 28 members and is open to beginning or current artisan or farmstead cheesemakers within the state of Wisconsin (associate memberships for retailers may be added in the future, Carpenter said, so stay tuned). Guild members pay an annual fee of $150 per company, and all employees of member companies are invited to attend or participate in all activities. Some specific educational workshops or tours have additional fees to help cover expenses; you can stay abreast of that info and all events at wicheeseguild.com.

"The guild is an opportunity for smaller cheese companies to gain access to more information about cheese aging, new cheesemaking styles, and to visit other cheesemakers in Wisconsin and abroad to expand their knowledge," Carpenter said. She plans to organize at least two educational workshops and two membership meetings per year.

The Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute (WSCI) is helping facilitate that by sponsoring the guild for the first two years. In fact, all guild members become WSCI members and gain access to WSCI programming and benefits, so only new guild members who are not already WSCI members need pay the $150 guild membership fee. Current WSCI members who are also artisan or farmstead cheesemakers are encouraged to join the guild in order to be invited to all events.

Cross posted from: The Debut of the Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild - Twin Cities Taste - April 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]