tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32266270282510048892024-03-12T18:00:09.671-05:00Traverse City LocavoreA blog written and photographed by Beryl Striewski.
I'm a photographer and a food enthusiast!Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-41686003126192432322013-08-22T07:13:00.000-05:002013-08-22T07:16:34.014-05:00Peach Season is upon us!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsTccjhgbo4bQ6C-rvb-GsqEwmtLGzXZoJkKNjfsGI50JZQu2oM7gxk0vWy3EKm2FmWQwp_2FaWQawc3WFNp24gCk0yqQV8Hc9P9ZTkhMh4ig4hgXbAbHqiC1YfOizXLedxhYBoUhww/s1600/Striewski_130821_4498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsTccjhgbo4bQ6C-rvb-GsqEwmtLGzXZoJkKNjfsGI50JZQu2oM7gxk0vWy3EKm2FmWQwp_2FaWQawc3WFNp24gCk0yqQV8Hc9P9ZTkhMh4ig4hgXbAbHqiC1YfOizXLedxhYBoUhww/s640/Striewski_130821_4498.jpg" width="424" /></a>When the air starts to feel heavy with sunshine and the days begin to shorten, I know that peach season is right around the corner. Peaches in Northern Michigan can be found at farmer's markets and fruit stands for a few weeks, typically during the month of August. The small golden orbs require lots of golden sunshine to ripen. Then glorious summer of all summers, the wonderful sweet fruit makes its way to our tables in the form of fresh peaches, peach pie, peach crostinis, peach parfaits and one of my favorite recipes for my friends and family that require low sugar diets ( although all of us would benefit from lowering our sugar intake); peach butter.<br />
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Natural and nourishing, this peach butter preserves the best of our warm summer fruits without the addition of sugar. The pure sweet taste of peaches is the star in this low calorie butter. <br />
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Yum. <br />
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Peach butter always starts with fresh and nicely ripe peaches. There are lots of places in Northern Michigan to pick your own peaches. <a href="http://www.jacobs-corn-maze.com/" target="_blank">Jacobs Corn Maze</a> on Hwy. 72 heading out to Empire has a U-Pick Peaches.<br />
And, if you'd rather just buy your sweet beauties, then right across the street is <a href="http://www.gallaghersfarmmarkettc.com/" target="_blank">Gallagher's Farm Market and Bakery</a>. They usually have at least two varieties of peaches along with lots of other local produce to fill your basket<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"> Peach Butter Recipe</span></span></h2>
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Peach Butter is simple to prepare and rich in flavor with the addition of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Make sure that you are using only ripe peaches.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients</span></i></h3>
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<ul>
<li><i>8 lbs. fresh, ripe peaches</i></li>
<li><i>1 1/2 T of cinnamon</i></li>
<li><i>1 t ground ginger</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 t nutmeg</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 t cloves</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 cardamom</i></li>
<li><i>1/4 allspice </i></li>
</ul>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Instructions</span></i></h3>
<i>Mix all of the spices together in a separate bowl.</i><br />
<i>Parboil your peaches for one minute in a boiling water bath to remove the skin. Immerse in a water bath immediately to stop the cooking of the peach. </i><br />
<i>Remove the pit. </i><br />
<i>Throw your peach sections into a food processor and blend until liquid and chunky.</i><br />
<i>Pour your peach puree into a dutch oven or thick bottomed pot and stir half of your mixed spices into your peach puree.</i><br />
<i>Taste and add additional spice mixture, or salt to taste.</i><br />
<i>Simmer your peach puree for approximately one hour on medium low heat.</i><br />
<i>Blend until smooth with an immersion blender and pour into pint-sized mason jars and refrigerate or can using the water bath method.</i><br />
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Parboil your peaches for approximately one minute to loosen<br />
the skin.<br />
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Place the peaches in a ice cold water bath after their parboil.<br />
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Peach butter is one of the easiest things to make from peaches. The sweet fragrant peach is the star in this melody of flavors that includes some deep, warming spices. This flavor, to me, slathered on some toasted and buttered <a href="http://9beanrows.com/" target="_blank">9 Bean Rows</a> sourdough means the end of summer and yet, the beginning of fall. Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1Traverse City, MI, USA44.7630567 -85.6206316999999944.6728407 -85.781993199999988 44.8532727 -85.459270199999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-46538721382215912532013-08-20T14:46:00.003-05:002013-08-20T14:46:49.097-05:00Picnic at Sylvia'swhat a lovely and enchanting night.<br />
i don't know if it was my new blue toenail polish or the garden party with queen anne chairs and wedge wood china that put me in such a lovely mood last night.<br />
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Oh, to be invited to a lovely and elegant picnic in the woods in the middle of summer... it is just a special thing...<br />
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So, we dined in quiet certitude that all was well<br />
and then we waited for the moon to rise.<br />
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It is a special thing. To be invited to a Lewis Carrol<br />
garden picnic and fall down into the hole and wake up<br />
munching on cherries and lathers of blue cheese laid on blue crackers. <br />
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Yum.<br />
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Sweet. <br />
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To be taken "away" during your experience/meal. To take leave of your sensibility. Not your senses... because your senses<br />
are working over time, looking at this, admiring that,<br />
savoring it all.<br />
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Well,<br />
that is any hostess' accomplishment... to transport her guests<br />
to an even lovelier place for a forest feast...and feed them<br />
sumptuous fare.<br />
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<br />After that sumptuous picnic dinner in the woods, i slept on cloud nine. what a lovely dinner and lovely experience!!!Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-90890945731995252302013-07-29T15:20:00.002-05:002013-07-29T15:30:30.146-05:00U Can Pick the Raspberries!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofISy2AOpLwSKHkMbKGPgew8eCYX_VUE6akjb5H4oP1uO-NJNvTqJTis6J5EnYhTHjNfeWtEZH0Zi3UcEXfppiq98AXa4ZA30TVO8Ym3yMGjDy6DI5EXYWPP_kTFHnDsPNgZRQL-s8A/s1600/eStriewski_130725_3744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofISy2AOpLwSKHkMbKGPgew8eCYX_VUE6akjb5H4oP1uO-NJNvTqJTis6J5EnYhTHjNfeWtEZH0Zi3UcEXfppiq98AXa4ZA30TVO8Ym3yMGjDy6DI5EXYWPP_kTFHnDsPNgZRQL-s8A/s640/eStriewski_130725_3744.jpg" width="640" /></a>Up on the Mission, after you pass the blue bay on the right and the blue bay on the left, then up and over the big hill with the scenic turnout and then, past a mature orchard of sweet and tart cherries lies a little farm called "Shang-ri-La Too". Lou and Irene manage this wonderful farm that multipurposes itself as a respite, a farm, a vineyard, an orchard, a b & b, an artist's studio and most likely a few other functions that i don't even know about. I stumbled on this friendly place when i was looking for the last of the season's strawberries for one last shortcake recipe for some desperate friends from Texas. Irene and Lou happened to be having a garage sale but were out of strawberries. As luck would have it, Linda my friend from Texas talked me into a ceramic cow with measuring spoons, a cylindrical orange mod a go-go vase and a retro copper tray. (No regrets!) We chatted about fruit and they told me that what i REALLY wanted was to come back to their farm in a couple of weeks to pick raspberries.<br />
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So, i marked my calender and showed up one Thursday morning to pick my share of raspberries for some jam. Irene took me out to her "patch" and Lou pointed me in the direction of the sweet and small raspberries that make fragrant jam. In fact, Lou doesn't even like his raspberries that much, since they have the aroma of "perfume".<br />
Well, that works for me. I'll take perfumey raspberries any day. In fact, I wonder if lavender and raspberries would work. Hmpfh. Well, I picked enough to almost make a batch of jam so Irene had to finish off my pints. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9aQQ3D0FMnuuFDhY7RGGiNa2C9pxpOK4taO4yySqnWIrmcUXxHDbCVIzaX-tsnvzoB3b4Arf_nIM2GP1oMQMmiPnUHgl4pAAi9DvK6Q0O-OJkUN-694R3UEnH2L2pOK7IGdo4Wtu0A/s1600/eStriewski_130725_3710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9aQQ3D0FMnuuFDhY7RGGiNa2C9pxpOK4taO4yySqnWIrmcUXxHDbCVIzaX-tsnvzoB3b4Arf_nIM2GP1oMQMmiPnUHgl4pAAi9DvK6Q0O-OJkUN-694R3UEnH2L2pOK7IGdo4Wtu0A/s320/eStriewski_130725_3710.jpg" width="212" /></a>It was so much cheaper to pick my own raspberries! Two pints for $5.00. And not only that, but i got to visit their lovely farm. See their many farm animals. ( See wild, native owl at left). And peek inside the B & B. <br />
For more information on picking raspberries, cherries or apples call Shangri-La Too at 231-499-0106.<br />
And for information about their farm stay B&B ... well, call the farm number too!<br />
oh! darn! i forgot to ask about the eggs!<br />
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<br />Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-83866665157884326022013-07-19T09:40:00.001-05:002013-07-19T09:40:14.525-05:00Red Garlic Harvest at Meadowlark FarmIt's summer now and it's hot. Lots of things are pouring in from the farmers markets. We're way past asparagus and rhubarb, even the strawberries are gone. Next up are the cherries, blueberries and raspberries in the fruit department. Onions, squash, carrots, broccoli, potatoes and every other kind of vegetable is grown here as well. The flowers are so wonderful too and come in every color. There are things going on behind the scenes too, and garlic harvest for Meadowlark Farms is in full swing.<br />
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Meadowlark Farm owned by Jon Watts and Jenny Tutlis, has been growing and reseeding the same beautiful big red cloves of delicious garlic that originally came from a farm in Idaho for about 20 years now. Once the tops of the garlic plants start to die back, then you know it's time to harvest. Growing garlic is an act of faith, since you seed in the fall and then sit back and wait. And then all of the conditions merge for you (or not) and it is time to harvest garlic.<br />
I showed up late for garlic harvesting and much of the work was already underway.<br />
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First, a tractor pulls a "tool" through the field to undercut the garlic in the dry field so that it is easy to pull from the ground. Then a crew of people walk along the row pulling and gathering the garlic, laying them in stacks so that the snipping crew that follows can find the bulbs and snip them from the green stalks. The bulbs are layered in black, breathable crates that get stacked and left in a barn to cure. I never knew that garlic cured. Fresh garlic, Jen says, ..."is juicy, full of water and not as strong as it will be as it cures and dries and the pungent flavors condense."<br />
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I love garlic but I probably won't see these beautiful bulbs again until later in the season once they've had a chance to dry a bit and cure. <br />
oh well...<br />
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Every harvest, especially on a hot day is accompanied by a refreshing snack and today at the farm was no exception. Jenny prepared a smorgasborg of fresh items to snack on; watermelon, carrots from the farm, chips and salsa, some other dips and fresh made lemonaide. Soon, hands were moving around the table gathering plates of snacks and jars of cool lemonaide. There was munching, laughing, spitting cherry seeds, swinging on swings and gulping fresh cool lemonaide. <br />
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This was my first Meadowlark garlic harvest and oh, what a joy to be part of the gathering, cleaning, snipping and layering of this famous Meadowlark Red Garlic... Thankyou Jenny and Jon. <br />
You can see more pictures on my facebook page; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Traverse-City-Locavore/318678744552?ref=hl" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Traverse-City-Locavore</a><br />
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<br />Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-34238876697201828222013-01-03T18:40:00.000-06:002013-01-03T18:40:34.846-06:00The EndJust like that, the puzzle project was over.<br />
Silenced.<br />
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When i realized that the cat stepped onto the table and pulled the puzzle off spilling it to the floor, i just couldn't believe it. I knelt close to the floor and tried to pick up the pieces as carefully as i could. To preserve the linkages. To keep the integrity, somehow. I retraced in my mind how this happened and how i could have prevented it.<br />
But, i wasn't looking. Not directly, anyway.<br />
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But it was no use. Just like that, the puzzle spilled to the floor and it was over.<br />
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I thought about that, and i thought! What a great ending to my puzzle project blogpost. How in an instant everything can change. That's a great metaphor. Now you're married, now you're not. Now you have it, now you don't.<br />
Now you're alive, now you're not.<br />
Whew. Big one. <br />
But, we can all relate to that. We all know that all too often something or someone slips away so elusively. We ruminate. We fantasize about how it could have been different. But, no conjuring up fantasies changes anything.<br />
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We simply have to accept the inevitable.<br />
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It's over.<br />
<br />Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-82702355631665323762013-01-03T18:24:00.001-06:002013-01-03T18:24:15.842-06:00The Puzzle Project ( a Christmas present)The puzzle project was begun in earnest two days after Christmas. 2012. That was the year that i gave my mom a 1000 piece Wasij puzzle for Christmas. <br />
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At first we thought that we might be able to finish it if we worked diligently enough, that we could finish it by New Years Eve. But, by Monday afternoon, that was the day that New Years Eve was in 2012, well, it was clear to me then, that it would take a few more days to finish. Strike that. It would take alot of additional hours since Mom was going home and I had sole possesion of the puzzle.<br />
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You see, being only afficionadoes of the amateur type, we didn't think to put our puzzle on a surface that we could move around, or that was even in good light. So we dumped the puzzle pieces on my dining room table complete with planks burrows and brought in excavated table lamps with extension cords to make our puzzle mastery easier.<br />
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Of coarse, all along i thought that my mom was a puzzle maven and to her distress, i gave her a puzzle without a map! A puzzle without a picture. We had nothing to go on. Only the picture on the box that "suggested" the possible outcome. <br />
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So, this was difficult . And captivating. What was the picture? What were we trying to put together? What was the message of the puzzle?<br />
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Mom said it was best to start at the edges. Put the edges together and then you can figure out what fits inside. It creates a boundry. A side. Definition.<br />
Hmmmm. Good idea. Makes sense. Most of us do need boundries.<br />
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The funny thing is, the puzzle started talking to me even before Mom left. Like one day, sitting at the dining room table, mulling about the pieces, the puzzle whispered to me that if i didn't think too hard about finding the RIGHT piece , that it would just somehow jump out all on their own... "when i was ready to see them". So, i practiced that. I thought that if i could just gaze over the pieces, that i would find them more readily. If i noticed the nuance of the colors, that my brain would fit the pieces together. And, sure enough, that was true. If i stopped searching for something so succintly, and I just looked for similarities, then the right piece would jump out. Like it was looking for me.<br />
That made me think of how I try to fit things together in my own life. I think that what i need is a 4x6 piece of wood that will fit inside this doorway- when what i have is a portal. And i need a compass and something more round.<br />
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Hmmm. Maybe this puzzle was more than just a pretty picture. <br />
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<br />Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-23653867134681483472012-01-04T09:30:00.000-06:002012-01-04T09:30:26.668-06:00Happy New Year!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Us_fBKeVY/TwRwiGYAvLI/AAAAAAAAAts/ll6MSa5kQPo/s1600/eStriewski_carrot_newyear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x2Us_fBKeVY/TwRwiGYAvLI/AAAAAAAAAts/ll6MSa5kQPo/s640/eStriewski_carrot_newyear.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-91056869382308429552011-09-07T20:05:00.000-05:002011-09-07T20:05:30.173-05:00End of SummerIt's bounty time here in Traverse City and I find myself busy, busy, busy. I've been shucking corn, boiling tomatos, slicing cucumbers, picking blueberries, peaches and everything else that I can possibly find. It's a bit of a mad house, in a way. There is so much fresh food that is coming into season, that it is hard to find time for other things... like bathing! Like taking care of the doggie... oh well... winter is for that! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxMSnDD11QOsKJIzs1-5hsI9c7mEEihxSEkor4_hQku1NwmJI9yfasL3BYXxGZWThNqcgP2wkvlGvsEMrjBtNfVsfc6lIudqhxieje_6xlWbk-FWCXPWsO6Kh-wmpgdzlPjEuzobeow/s1600/eStriewski_110827_8693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxMSnDD11QOsKJIzs1-5hsI9c7mEEihxSEkor4_hQku1NwmJI9yfasL3BYXxGZWThNqcgP2wkvlGvsEMrjBtNfVsfc6lIudqhxieje_6xlWbk-FWCXPWsO6Kh-wmpgdzlPjEuzobeow/s400/eStriewski_110827_8693.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrwuKcZvaoLbsohRFzVWLXGDEQl0Wl6iMEjDZdFl6hrmVCcxCA4skT2avwEqFotzwa6BHW4XNDNzgI5anyvaqiJMHmdrTkR9CovFubenKqy7PyU82vGnvzBZ5bXVAchFmNMfpzxLhqg/s1600/eStriewski_110827_8689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrwuKcZvaoLbsohRFzVWLXGDEQl0Wl6iMEjDZdFl6hrmVCcxCA4skT2avwEqFotzwa6BHW4XNDNzgI5anyvaqiJMHmdrTkR9CovFubenKqy7PyU82vGnvzBZ5bXVAchFmNMfpzxLhqg/s640/eStriewski_110827_8689.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>So, my sister and her daughter were up last weekend and we picked some peaches. Okay, we picked a half bushel of white peaches and red havens. It took all of 20 minutes and our bushel was full of firm and luscious orangey peaches... It was fun. These gals should be farm hands...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix13Pt2qvzeyUsP-hpwdNHtJhRyk0baJRc3jgTmMpm2qyxJm1PZLMpEv5gRXPlwcTKxrZ_Es1ENA0LAe-b32gFjO7rv7Hi-QTAPf8BZr3flA7ETEvuOY7oJWx1zv-d0Sb68ozbaPg0lw/s1600/etree1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix13Pt2qvzeyUsP-hpwdNHtJhRyk0baJRc3jgTmMpm2qyxJm1PZLMpEv5gRXPlwcTKxrZ_Es1ENA0LAe-b32gFjO7rv7Hi-QTAPf8BZr3flA7ETEvuOY7oJWx1zv-d0Sb68ozbaPg0lw/s640/etree1.jpg" width="424" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm thinking of peach compote, peach pie, maybe peach and raspberry crisp... peach butter...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">oh my...Here is a beautiful poem about the summer harvest... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="poemTitle" style="color: black;"><b>From Blossoms</b></div><div align="center" class="poemTitle" style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div align="center">From blossoms comes<br />
this brown paper bag of peaches<br />
we bought from the boy <br />
at the bend in the road where we turned toward <br />
signs painted <i>Peaches</i>. </div><div align="center">From laden boughs, from hands, <br />
from sweet fellowship in the bins, <br />
comes nectar at the roadside, succulent<br />
peaches we devour, dusty skin and all, <br />
comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat. </div><div align="center">O, to take what we love inside, <br />
to carry within us an orchard, to eat<br />
not only the skin, but the shade,<br />
not only the sugar, but the days, to hold<br />
the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into <br />
the round jubilance of peach. </div><div align="center">There are days we live <br />
as if death were nowhere<br />
in the background; from joy <br />
to joy to joy, from wing to wing,<br />
from blossom to blossom to <br />
impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.</div><div align="center"><i>- Li-Young Lee </i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-89842386647661365412011-04-20T14:14:00.000-05:002011-04-20T14:14:37.725-05:00Happy Eggster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Hhv-ktrAn7oDgXSeOHKxTuzxw7sCAD2LUVvFMLIKgZBvDLRbtPPbikGnzDBpHMPkIunOeO95ZXadGDWblr7n2uQ42XcMeCMGBaK1I6-JlDndGmHnij520WOAiNEvPpjbY52POE5vPA/s1600/egg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Hhv-ktrAn7oDgXSeOHKxTuzxw7sCAD2LUVvFMLIKgZBvDLRbtPPbikGnzDBpHMPkIunOeO95ZXadGDWblr7n2uQ42XcMeCMGBaK1I6-JlDndGmHnij520WOAiNEvPpjbY52POE5vPA/s400/egg3.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I know, I know- I haven't been around… I've been hibernating. That's what one does in the winter… and by the looks of it, I should still be sleeping away. I can't believe it is April 20th and snowing! Yes, the snow is beautiful... BUT IT DOESN'T BELONG HERE ANYMORE!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9sBU_K2E3QgkdPYmYSempEPWUENobFFtl0YpcCLUm_LQKU3L7A1GbN3Ca7WmluasKd50HFFkdBneQWPdxzIwinJNXFozbaFlH6GrFGSvcmJ2oTDUY-qVihET6yBIfkvOr5LIVNMNZA/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9sBU_K2E3QgkdPYmYSempEPWUENobFFtl0YpcCLUm_LQKU3L7A1GbN3Ca7WmluasKd50HFFkdBneQWPdxzIwinJNXFozbaFlH6GrFGSvcmJ2oTDUY-qVihET6yBIfkvOr5LIVNMNZA/s400/snow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Oh well, I don't think anyone is listening. So, let's just forget about that for the moment. In the mean time, in the spirit of spring, let's dye some Easter Eggs the old fashioned way. <br />
Natural dyes make for some lovely colors. Since there is so much talk about color additives causing more health concerns than we ever realized, I thought that it was time to experiment with food based colors. I looked around on the internet and found a lot of suggestions for making colors, like purple from wine or grape juice and blue from blueberries. My favorite, until i blew the egg up in the microwave while sitting in beet juice, is beet juice. But, based on the color of the inside of my microwave-the color is beautiful- it really can't be improved upon for magenta. Unfortunately, I don't have a good example of the magenta...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGKbv8OPw-pLToyJhdUT9iTo6Z1UpdMUrHFrW8fkfLkVHSuxwmZr42uulW3mQr6Ckmc3YnjyAAXmVjV7U5gK-Flsg6bIhVgGm7H5mb1iL79-cLXlHRn31ejRJ9ZCpzToTEzgFx8KraQ/s1600/egg4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGKbv8OPw-pLToyJhdUT9iTo6Z1UpdMUrHFrW8fkfLkVHSuxwmZr42uulW3mQr6Ckmc3YnjyAAXmVjV7U5gK-Flsg6bIhVgGm7H5mb1iL79-cLXlHRn31ejRJ9ZCpzToTEzgFx8KraQ/s400/egg4.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
Every color that I have here, is from a natural source. (except for the luscious blue egg in the rear of the basket- I just had to have a beautiful blue-I am a photographer, first and foremost!)<br />
I mashed about a cup of blueberries into a small glass with two tablespoons of vinegar and about 1/2 of a cup of water. The blue is a nice dusty grey blue. The uneven color and mottling on the egg is because of my leaving the blueberry pulp in the glass. Vinegar allows the color to set. It will probably also flavor your egg if you leave the egg in the color long enough.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB6mTyKirc99XNdOQhvb1iKl88xvIwkqCbT_LGNYx94MvXrmF80wToSQg76mH1uLWJzsk1LqB3oKwcoB6p-Hqu9tnShE9S5uwME3xkzrsVAQJmMuXWCqokxXZoDpvrhcCcMRHQcXPPQ/s1600/egg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB6mTyKirc99XNdOQhvb1iKl88xvIwkqCbT_LGNYx94MvXrmF80wToSQg76mH1uLWJzsk1LqB3oKwcoB6p-Hqu9tnShE9S5uwME3xkzrsVAQJmMuXWCqokxXZoDpvrhcCcMRHQcXPPQ/s400/egg1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>I was able to get a luscious yellow by using 2 Tablespoons of Turmeric in about 1 cup of water. The yellow will deepen the longer you leave the egg in the solution. Wow! Really beautiful...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieR_3JOt7_jQAlXiFFHQ2RG1n_9bZob6_hxpw61ROs0s5brV5P7EEsl9vPKnqecfvla5zpun_1k6bsqXZ3KmrtJZpdS03sCPTxlsGQ9SFLOMOSroGaZ1I3Kd4nRhtkYve3XdYu6nxIQA/s1600/egg5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieR_3JOt7_jQAlXiFFHQ2RG1n_9bZob6_hxpw61ROs0s5brV5P7EEsl9vPKnqecfvla5zpun_1k6bsqXZ3KmrtJZpdS03sCPTxlsGQ9SFLOMOSroGaZ1I3Kd4nRhtkYve3XdYu6nxIQA/s320/egg5.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The warm brown was the result of using coffee grounds in 1 cup of deeply brewed coffee... I love the mottling that occurred because of the grounds rubbing up against the shell of the egg.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPhS0t-boZp0lcl8mrAijbr7ZhlukV7jyQ1KZd0VWnsR013uIKPoINwFUMGN26cXW1QdGb4VvUAjH3N-Hu1AfOtjwjVfqi-np786K9ORkELgne_2Rw_wYnqbxhABzuUiMMPOnByb8MQ/s1600/egg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPhS0t-boZp0lcl8mrAijbr7ZhlukV7jyQ1KZd0VWnsR013uIKPoINwFUMGN26cXW1QdGb4VvUAjH3N-Hu1AfOtjwjVfqi-np786K9ORkELgne_2Rw_wYnqbxhABzuUiMMPOnByb8MQ/s400/egg2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyway, it's loads of fun to be creative with your dyes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-36844365265580753542010-06-14T13:56:00.001-05:002010-06-15T07:19:48.509-05:00In a Pickle, In the Jam!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjKgJQogl-edkOgbQ3FcXcADBnTedpsLvuQAbcBUpzmsjs3RyRO6Pg1Ini6LY9qfao9P2hRXBefh6uC1MfQBFFOKplqN5OXSLw6UVMwoLq_dmOHu0pVNtLXehOEe3zaWjf2BVxL7RyQ/s1600/eStriewski_100614_8887.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjKgJQogl-edkOgbQ3FcXcADBnTedpsLvuQAbcBUpzmsjs3RyRO6Pg1Ini6LY9qfao9P2hRXBefh6uC1MfQBFFOKplqN5OXSLw6UVMwoLq_dmOHu0pVNtLXehOEe3zaWjf2BVxL7RyQ/s400/eStriewski_100614_8887.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Oh my... summer is here and the fresh food is rolling in. First up on my plate is the strawberry. The most luscious, delicate and reddest of fruits. Can you think of a better way to enjoy them than to pick them yourself? Thankyou <a href="http://www.urkafarms.com/">Urka Farm</a> in Traverse City.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBc7OxHQp4gWYh6ouBMa8gllkT7UYgrIWEIllXJT-NRw-JvP1bIKhwo-zOwqFrN2kuDkL099oJeGcKfBgRefmMwmWLGJxL-I5FmO4Jpsds_KafW47UFGhmkv6L269RmecwHtVXnmBPA/s1600/group1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBc7OxHQp4gWYh6ouBMa8gllkT7UYgrIWEIllXJT-NRw-JvP1bIKhwo-zOwqFrN2kuDkL099oJeGcKfBgRefmMwmWLGJxL-I5FmO4Jpsds_KafW47UFGhmkv6L269RmecwHtVXnmBPA/s320/group1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There are a million things that you can do with strawberries, and I like to eat them fresh, first and foremost. But, when you've tired of strawberries on your cereal, your ice cream, your smoothies and your shortcakes, and you've picked 20 lbs. and you have 18 left over and you find yourself in "quite the pickle", the obvious solution is fresh, homemade strawberry jam, withOUT packaged pectin. Having failed previously at my attempts to make a natural pectin jam, I decided to consult the books and the blogs again, to see if I could solve my problem. I found a wonderful discussion about Strawberry Jam without boxed pectin from <a href="http://www.motherskitchen.blogspot.com/">MothersKitchen</a>. I also found a simple remedy in a book about preserved foods called Preserved written by Nick Sandler and Johnny Acton.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_1-KlaTAgxEtkTggRGlFWBKOFwCsaetGGp7LZoIDVzZdlT_sQ-nnjY88e2GBlYEdm5dOsj4sHjtof1U8IbJD-tmc0WAlJYnSDzJsGcSjUNOI-RRU1Ga2IlaT9F3OU1LBmWhSHTjdPQ/s1600/eStriewski_100612_8470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_1-KlaTAgxEtkTggRGlFWBKOFwCsaetGGp7LZoIDVzZdlT_sQ-nnjY88e2GBlYEdm5dOsj4sHjtof1U8IbJD-tmc0WAlJYnSDzJsGcSjUNOI-RRU1Ga2IlaT9F3OU1LBmWhSHTjdPQ/s400/eStriewski_100612_8470.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>So, I sat down on a rainy Saturday morning and came up with my own recipe. I made the jam in the simplest way that I could. I made a natural pectin from 5 chopped up granny smith apples combined with 1 large lemon also cut up into little pieces. I boiled this concoction for about 15 minutes, until the fruit turned to mush. This was the technique noted in <a href="http://www.motherskitchen.blogspot.com/">MothersKitchen</a>.<br />
In the mean time, i LIGHTLY boiled 16 cups of whole fruit strawberries with the juice of one large lemon. In Preserved, the authors contend that the juice of the lemon extracts the pectin from the seeds of the strawberries. I boiled twice as many strawberries with the juice of one lemon for one hour (very light boil).<br />
In the mean time, I pushed the apple and lemon pulp mixture through a sieve in order to have 2 cups of this mixture that would also serve as a pectin. The strawberries slowly turned to mush and did not boil over into a foamy mess.<br />
Then it was time to add the sugar.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKae10nNQMClwmX2QOv7Ez8BIvx67eyRPgz_zYZYatirpP7Is__DFyYwGFtaAPQyn56cfKwAKfFJXhv9G0yQvwgcob2mLbKuRf33TlHQXe-VzMCqI-iUVvC8JR2GQ0GNeaqCSBXOn3Ag/s1600/eStriewski_100614_8955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKae10nNQMClwmX2QOv7Ez8BIvx67eyRPgz_zYZYatirpP7Is__DFyYwGFtaAPQyn56cfKwAKfFJXhv9G0yQvwgcob2mLbKuRf33TlHQXe-VzMCqI-iUVvC8JR2GQ0GNeaqCSBXOn3Ag/s320/eStriewski_100614_8955.jpg" /></a></div> I try to limit my sugar intake, so even though both recipes recommended about twice as much sugar, I opted to use about half, or 7 full cups of sugar to the 16 cups of now boiled down strawberries. I also added the apple mixture to the pot. In essence, I combined the recipe from Preserved with the recipe that I found on <a href="http://www.motherskitchen.blogspot.com/">MothersKitchen.</a> I boiled this new mixture for about 30 minutes, stirring constantly and slowly coaxing the mixture to rise up to 220 degrees, the magic number for the sugar to reach a setting point. After testing my jam to see if it was ready by dropping a dollop onto a saucer, chilling it to see if I could coax a wrinkle, I was ready to jar up my jam.<br />
Okay, I'm not an expert cook- but I managed to make some incredible jam. Into the sterilized Ball jars they went. And my leftover pounds of berries will be gracing the insides of PB&J sandwiches and the tops of crusty pieces of toast for at least another year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRJUswA1BTLjpQILcijbwE2OUQ-s4yMpbhShlf6AZzDnSat-lqYVkeq2EVhyWfCqdy1Yzb7CNNwvLtqIV0XnWJJRQ9mPJyqW1aJX7GOSndAiTyeyVnT90ad9swmq0P4WlHn6eCWT3sg/s1600/eStriewski_100614_8792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRJUswA1BTLjpQILcijbwE2OUQ-s4yMpbhShlf6AZzDnSat-lqYVkeq2EVhyWfCqdy1Yzb7CNNwvLtqIV0XnWJJRQ9mPJyqW1aJX7GOSndAiTyeyVnT90ad9swmq0P4WlHn6eCWT3sg/s320/eStriewski_100614_8792.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOErN0lms_EcS6_D01vBiAbSHXeElZcKNiFl0A7GCMj-P8Iuv-sZclFjyJ-t41-H07xpGRZWCI9-RFF-OXywbLcTcjKjE_ncuJgOFDf8_aiskR5a4OKQKkaj6rir2C8z-lQZh-uE67KA/s1600/eStriewski_100614_8867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOErN0lms_EcS6_D01vBiAbSHXeElZcKNiFl0A7GCMj-P8Iuv-sZclFjyJ-t41-H07xpGRZWCI9-RFF-OXywbLcTcjKjE_ncuJgOFDf8_aiskR5a4OKQKkaj6rir2C8z-lQZh-uE67KA/s400/eStriewski_100614_8867.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
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Bo Yummee!<br />
Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-51937176299280896922010-06-04T19:49:00.003-05:002010-06-12T07:47:06.201-05:00Which came first? the chicken or the CHICKEN FARMER!!!<div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">Oh my gosh. What fun!! Raising chickens in the back yard. So, what came first… the chicken farmer or the chicken??</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">most likely the backyard came first!!</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">:-)</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">Meet the Casey family, urban chicken farmers (along with other various callings!) from the inner city of Traverse City, Michigan. They aren't your typical chicken farmers, since this is somewhat of an experiment for the young family who has taken to loving and naming the chickens such affectionate names as "Butter", "Sweetheart" and "Owlie". But their flock (i mean progeny) is delightfully diverse, a very progressive notion for the contemporary urban farmer. And don't be mistaken, these chickens are loved. They have the best coop, the best compost and more freedom than "ButterBall" from Pilgrims Pride could ever imagine! I don't think that these gals will ever end up on somebody's plate. I hope not. They are individuals... with their own personalities... i mean chickenalities...</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">What's going on??? What does this all mean?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUlHi8xpEyr0VufcUDyu-N87UYFJCQqOrrxbrrPqnUVL-VV7wsONVgphm2W-EUP0Omk7Mn53O5z0WXH3Q6lFRz-SVFW4f95c4DrDrML1M1qgfLmOQzvwq7D928xissXTMv82mc24avA/s1600/eStriewski_100602_8315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUlHi8xpEyr0VufcUDyu-N87UYFJCQqOrrxbrrPqnUVL-VV7wsONVgphm2W-EUP0Omk7Mn53O5z0WXH3Q6lFRz-SVFW4f95c4DrDrML1M1qgfLmOQzvwq7D928xissXTMv82mc24avA/s640/eStriewski_100602_8315.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">Welcome to 2010 and the new Michigan economy! </div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">Where else could you live on an urban farm inside the city limit??? </div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">(answer; Detroit)</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">Maybe the Casey family is setting a new trend or maybe Traverse City is just a small step behind Detroit. In any event, urban farms are springing up all over Michigan and the country. The notion to return to our roots and to live more sustainably entices us. We're tempted to grow our own herbs, gather our own eggs and even if it is on a 50x100 foot city plot, we're reconnecting. Nature beckons us. She is our faithful friend. </div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">It is the way forward.</div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;">To love the chickens...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5u1DwC5Bh0pmQgzL_VYtRFowsQNg-erWTdwHsyICtcMVhVUWlh-MSc1S0BO0NAjyzSlbLH-FXF7_Yxw8SZP9X_HiAUSErqQCSkxTqOG0VHDuyfB6YL_QTaL-gc9xrD_Pb1cXfRR7EoA/s1600/eStriewski_100602_8216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5u1DwC5Bh0pmQgzL_VYtRFowsQNg-erWTdwHsyICtcMVhVUWlh-MSc1S0BO0NAjyzSlbLH-FXF7_Yxw8SZP9X_HiAUSErqQCSkxTqOG0VHDuyfB6YL_QTaL-gc9xrD_Pb1cXfRR7EoA/s400/eStriewski_100602_8216.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 16px Times; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-1671514913908423802010-05-06T11:28:00.000-05:002010-05-06T11:28:12.843-05:00Happy Mother's Day 9 Bean Rows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMl5iZ7OuNR09pecFsw0N85qXIHgkF2sKXrmepAUM3ecSRLdPMEz47rlFsEMvQAD_IV653AYQAUBX7X5uzn_ccahrdDkh132emc_vETFRaa6JkM_waCFlSksKZwswjaOBQt0aZAcq5zg/s1600/Striewski_100502_5902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Mother's Day is Sunday and I could wax poetic about my mom, my wonderful fan and most likely the only person who reads my blog regularly... I'll salute her, in my own special way when I am with her this weekend. But for now and on a broader scale, I am thinking about all of the farmers and gardeners and people that tend to bees and vineyards and orchards. I am thinking about all of the people that nurture and care for our Mother Earth.<br />
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Last Sunday I spent the day planting cabbage and leeks, parsley and brussel sprouts for Nic and Jen Welty that own 9 Bean Rows Farm and CSA. I belong to their CSA. That means, I pay for my seasonal harvest up-front, helping to offset their investment costs and in return once a week, I receive a bountiful box full of veggies, salad mix, eggs, a loaf of fresh bread, some fresh herbs and oftentimes, items that Nic has foraged from a nearby forest. I get the freshest produce possible, free of pesticides, herbicides and other nasty things that don't belong in my food. I know that Nic loves his farm and tends to the soil and earth the way that I would want a farmer to do; lovingly, sustainably. I know my farmer personally. I trust him to feed me the most delicious, nutritious leafy things possible. Work on their farm is entirely voluntary. I participate because I too love the earth, love to eat and I love to experience the work that farmers have to do to grow my food. And anyway, I am a closet farmer. I have a few blueberry bushes, way too many strawberries and not enough of anything else. The original Japanese CSA-style farms are called in Japanese " teikei", which translates to "putting the farmer's face on food". </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"> So Nic and Jen, and to all of the other people that tend to Mother Earth, I salute you this Mother's Day. Thankyou for your hard work and your love of the land. I eat because you grow- what a wonderful partnership all of us have.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
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Here is my recipe for Tuscan Bread Salad that uses 5 items (croutons, ramps, oregano,parsley and fresh lettuces) from my weekly CSA share adapted from a recipe originally created by Robin Robertson who wrote Vegan Planet.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Croutons (about 4-5 cups)</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">6-8 freshly picked Ramps, chopped coarsely</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">3 TBSP. red wine vinegar</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/2 tsp. sugar or other sweetner</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1 tsp. fresh oregano</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/2 tsp. salt</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/3 cup virgin olive oil</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Fresh ground black pepper</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1 lb. cherry tomatoes cut in half</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/2 cup vellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/2 cup sliced black olives</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1/4 cup minced parsley leaves</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">a variety of fresh lettuces</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1. In a blender or food processor, combine the ramps , vinegar, sugar, oregano, and salt and process until smooth. With the processor or blender running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube, processing until blended.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Season with the black pepper.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">2. In a large serving bowl, combine the bread cubes, tomatoes, bell pepper, olives and parsley. Pour the vinagrette over the salad mixture and toss to combine. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop before serving.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">3. Toss with 6 cups of a variety of fresh lettuces.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">Enjoy!</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-46332750568176559222010-04-30T04:59:00.000-05:002010-04-30T04:59:50.492-05:00Superfood for Wanderers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPv-4YJmZvMn0vsa4VGFEWElxXJHLc6T_m7_a5vSW2h2GfK0x6eTtBxCAcx3w7LlVbYbXsyv0pYwvQ3rcmy2aABoY4hbJoijnGw_oGKw012LmyJPfneniBzR4PzbMEx8EgGtMzcTs3g/s1600/Striewski_100428_5751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPv-4YJmZvMn0vsa4VGFEWElxXJHLc6T_m7_a5vSW2h2GfK0x6eTtBxCAcx3w7LlVbYbXsyv0pYwvQ3rcmy2aABoY4hbJoijnGw_oGKw012LmyJPfneniBzR4PzbMEx8EgGtMzcTs3g/s400/Striewski_100428_5751.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">This morning our conversation went something like this…</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Him: Did you read the article about the "The Ten Best Superfoods for Women" in your blah blah magazine?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Me: No. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Him: You should read it. They said that strawberries have just as many antioxidants as blueberries and white mushrooms are….</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Me: Of coarse. They are whole foods. It doesn't matter what real food you are talking about-every real and whole food has valuable nutrients. How can there be 10 such super foods?</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Him: hmmmm</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I hate to get on my high horse. And those of you that know me personally know I can't even get on my high horse because my horse is rather short- but, - I really don't think food value is a mystery. What is a mystery is that we continue to discuss the "best foods to eat" and "superfoods" and "what's in now". My philosophy has always been, as Michael Pollan has said, "If it comes from a plant, eat it. If it is made IN a plant, avoid it." </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">That's pretty simple.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I don't like to take vitamin supplements either. I'm into food, what can i say. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">And i've added foraging to my grocery experience. It brings a new dimension to my walk in the woods. Now, when i walk, I peer at the ground and notice the succession and arrival of certain plants. Everything has a name and a purpose in the fragile forest ecosystem. In fact, it's hard for me to find a "weed". First there were ramps, now the trillium and columbine and where are those morels? It must be difficult to find a morel. I've been looking for a couple of days now, spending inordinate amounts of time peering under forest leaves and in general wandering. My wandering hasn't produced much, a few photos of this and that; mossy stream beds, red trilliums and blooming cherry trees. My dog is happy though. She sniffs and scatters about looking for something to chase while my nose leads me unpredictably through the woods.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Everything is slowly waking up. Emerging from it's earthly sleep. The big draw right now in northern Michigan, apart from the elusive morel, is the snowy limbed cherry trees that blanket the hills in quiltlike patterns. I love this season. It's a glorious time of the year. I'm waiting for the cherries and looking for morels, two of my favorite "superfoods". I don't need a blah blah magazine to tell me of the health benefits either. But, I can't eat those blooms, so where in heck are those morels?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUlKAPSK6efoRlynGCUr_UPhrJVuOCWCyireRZWqGzUVSpaF6xmtiOez-hb3QYI7BP_mPJ9oRiVQOBAHn9HbpNYr2ZC4lNE9PDt5YrXrZV0jEHfvspf7ILmLh5jb6G1Jv_o_paBrJzw/s1600/Striewski_100428_5709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUlKAPSK6efoRlynGCUr_UPhrJVuOCWCyireRZWqGzUVSpaF6xmtiOez-hb3QYI7BP_mPJ9oRiVQOBAHn9HbpNYr2ZC4lNE9PDt5YrXrZV0jEHfvspf7ILmLh5jb6G1Jv_o_paBrJzw/s320/Striewski_100428_5709.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-73214005450318673542010-04-22T15:30:00.002-05:002010-04-22T15:36:26.721-05:00Earth Day for Locavores<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdqQrbeorsxWb7f5Ml88zlVXNcWG6qeukcvU1RrgRklVcus-BlPE1Oemxks2ohHPm8pxLxUBEoRZLZrcW2PeN5Lwl3ADZdXqAg-87OgimnDNHDMqZpZqwdDKeBF58YjaSzldiKGW_dg/s1600/eggs_9706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPdqQrbeorsxWb7f5Ml88zlVXNcWG6qeukcvU1RrgRklVcus-BlPE1Oemxks2ohHPm8pxLxUBEoRZLZrcW2PeN5Lwl3ADZdXqAg-87OgimnDNHDMqZpZqwdDKeBF58YjaSzldiKGW_dg/s400/eggs_9706.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>The chicken or earth day? Earth day or every day? Every day or earth days?<br />
<br />
For me and most locavores every day is earth day. Being someone who appreciates local food is also someone who loves the earth and her glorious bounty. I can think of no greater way to celebrate earth day than to adopt a more locally grown and fresher diet.<br />
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Here are 10 ideas for the Traverse City locavore to embrace for Earth Day. <br />
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1. Eat an entire meal that you prepare from food grown no more than 100 miles from Traverse City.<br />
2. Fast and bring awareness to yourself and your table that 33% of the world is well fed, 33% is under-fed and 33% of people in the world are starving. <br />
3. Carpool.<br />
4. Eat vegetarian for one day. According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken and substituted vegetarian food every week, that would be the same carbon savings as taking 500,000 cars off the road for an entire year.<br />
5.Purchase food from a farmers market. Support your local farmer by making a purchase from her and add money into the local economy. Better yet, join a csa!<br />
6. Plant an edible plant.<br />
7. Walk or bike over to watch the earth day parade on Saturday. The parade starts at Central Grade School on 7th street at 1pm.<br />
8. Help clean up the beach in Traverse City on Saturday 9-5pm. Call 922-4910 for more information.<br />
9. Share a meal with friends.<br />
10.Walk or take a hike.<br />
11. Eat a cage free egg.<br />
11. Drink a local beer- (okay, this is going on and on ad nauseum, but you get the idea and you really can celebrate in so many locavorian earth-wise ways!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
You see, we know it's all about loving the earth, savoring the bounty, treading lightly, slowing down and having something left over for the next generation. In order for us to move forward on this planet to a more sustainable life-style, we have to embrace some of the practices of yesterday. Fortunately for me, i see local food as a fresher and healthier choice for me, my community and the planet. I love fresh food, direct from the earth, grown in the soil that i walk on. I really can't think of a better way to celebrate the earth than to be a locavore!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2xGkr5K69O3LU2jH8zZ1Xhrb4WCUOUctH6frbzhKCVWhwIlC2Sw9e8P1bmQK2RNjS09uJMCOVRk0mhRn1atNVjvTuPurj2zh-xL7GvpBuscobvAxUi8TTwP4XJByDLvFSj6VqcZtQQ/s1600/tulip_5043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip2xGkr5K69O3LU2jH8zZ1Xhrb4WCUOUctH6frbzhKCVWhwIlC2Sw9e8P1bmQK2RNjS09uJMCOVRk0mhRn1atNVjvTuPurj2zh-xL7GvpBuscobvAxUi8TTwP4XJByDLvFSj6VqcZtQQ/s640/tulip_5043.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-4918165176503941042010-04-12T10:53:00.055-05:002010-04-12T15:31:10.470-05:00Ramp On!<div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNF1de66qDRXTxVWeXqQ9wyWf6NowPZQ7nzviNQ6AF4H6z8NTfvzrYJRwy9JB_Za1bXKmtcyhFQ4gzlbUVM95mlG97VIGr4mUlFHa1Z6-W9x3aQqA0sXtBSeHI8ARCq12BQ_f58sfdQ/s1600/Striewski_100411_5023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNF1de66qDRXTxVWeXqQ9wyWf6NowPZQ7nzviNQ6AF4H6z8NTfvzrYJRwy9JB_Za1bXKmtcyhFQ4gzlbUVM95mlG97VIGr4mUlFHa1Z6-W9x3aQqA0sXtBSeHI8ARCq12BQ_f58sfdQ/s640/Striewski_100411_5023.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>The foraging season has begun. First up is the wild leek. I've never foraged before and I eagerly looked forward to venturing into this new activity for acquiring my food. As I headed into the woods, I realized that I hadn't thought this gathering thing thoroughly through. I realized that though I brought the right size of spade, I hadn't considered some other things. Like, what did it look like? (I know, goofy.) What is the environment that i would find it in? As luck would have it, I found a ramp, but I couldn't find a wild leek! So, the trip was a bust! I was hesitant to pick my first ramp. I decided that I wasn't prepared enough and I had better do a little homework before I started pulling things out of the ground. </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvPooJa0u7qJ0QV4ErrI_jZdKgoV4X4ZxQMeWGkfG1BoMLUie_izfx_bkPPZdxJhXhQuAOTQnQb0jIK9F15EaJMFliXnMGGsg9ddR-qWCj5Uqk86ijrsabxjTaCvPppOhoOAWzQy4Wg/s1600/Striewski_100411_4992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvPooJa0u7qJ0QV4ErrI_jZdKgoV4X4ZxQMeWGkfG1BoMLUie_izfx_bkPPZdxJhXhQuAOTQnQb0jIK9F15EaJMFliXnMGGsg9ddR-qWCj5Uqk86ijrsabxjTaCvPppOhoOAWzQy4Wg/s320/Striewski_100411_4992.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"> Imagine my surprise when i learned that ramps and wild leeks are the same thing. They grow abundantly in our Michigan forests. Their soil habitat is sandy and moist and you most often find them on hillsides or very near a stream- typical northern michigan landscape. They have broad, smooth, medium green leaves with a long stem attached to a scallion like root bulb. The lower stem has a deep purple or burgandy tint. And the easiest way for me to identify it,would be to smell and even taste it. It tastes like a cross between an onion and a garlic. It's pungent, spicy with a hint of "nature". I could certainly find that.<br />
And I learned that wild leeks are high in vitamin C and A, and are full of beneficial minerals and their peppery flavor can replace an onion in just about any recipe. The Indians in our region revered the ramp for it's healing properties and welcomed their arrival in the earliest of spring after a long, bland winter diet.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;">So, before I headed into the woods, i figured that i should bring the right tools and abide by what i call an <i>unwritten code of conduct for the ramp forager... </i></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">1. Make sure to not be on private property or be certain to obtain permission from the owner before foraging. There are places where plants are protected and it is not legal to remove any specimens.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">2. Don't leave a big mess and don't be a hog. When collecting a rooting plant, always leave plenty of healthy specimens or better yet, leave at least half in the rootbound group.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">3. Make the disturbance hard to notice. Replace moved around dirt and fill up any holes. Use leaf litter to cover the area that I disturbed. </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">4. Use the appropriate tools to extract my leeks. A small hand held spade or a dandelion weed can easily separate bulbs. </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6MGTbIHCLNLEtAlTtiRAfP9fhUQjpsERPU8JVsshICRK1Ks0cH0EWwS61BVIpP-qg_9AezoP945eIBk3Ap_n84oKFNTO2vo29202gSC0Scwyj3KtbF4pTiNVkSghoyZtZF9jG-GWRA/s1600/Striewski_100411_4962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6MGTbIHCLNLEtAlTtiRAfP9fhUQjpsERPU8JVsshICRK1Ks0cH0EWwS61BVIpP-qg_9AezoP945eIBk3Ap_n84oKFNTO2vo29202gSC0Scwyj3KtbF4pTiNVkSghoyZtZF9jG-GWRA/s320/Striewski_100411_4962.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbIAP4cRmKVpFfwLFvTwDvI-XzQmXutVB2ClvMqlnuhQjCzIZFMnTotg7Le_n-A0S_f3UKyej3W70wGZBIf9lNjVjtL_URIAJGDE6gJaIowGlnclhIhdx2v50yzD5Fjl_woChyTgEpw/s1600/Striewski_100411_4987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbIAP4cRmKVpFfwLFvTwDvI-XzQmXutVB2ClvMqlnuhQjCzIZFMnTotg7Le_n-A0S_f3UKyej3W70wGZBIf9lNjVjtL_URIAJGDE6gJaIowGlnclhIhdx2v50yzD5Fjl_woChyTgEpw/s320/Striewski_100411_4987.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Easy enough. And off we went.<br />
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And here is an adaption of Julia Child's famous Leek and Potato soup. This recipe is simple and yummy. Substitute 1/2 the amount of wild leeks for the leeks in this recipe and you will have a delicious and healthy winter spell-breaking winner!!</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Potage-Parmentier-Potato-Leek-Soup-Julia-Child-270731">Julia Childs Famous Potato Leek Soup</a></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br />
</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-86907307570735298862010-04-06T07:33:00.002-05:002010-04-06T08:14:06.887-05:00Maple syrup season with Pat and Fel<div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFMCnGuEq5RCxN6EHHd1AWJCObshKU6L4wI-v9EB8B9lLRoudwYbrTWSbJK5C-vgCmcYRl22GpYEhmBpfEnpetXWqJQfGXhTw870gL3xUaf8YG34qvyQ8eQn2kHlZZ2YqDeAx9RB1IA/s1600/etruckbed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFMCnGuEq5RCxN6EHHd1AWJCObshKU6L4wI-v9EB8B9lLRoudwYbrTWSbJK5C-vgCmcYRl22GpYEhmBpfEnpetXWqJQfGXhTw870gL3xUaf8YG34qvyQ8eQn2kHlZZ2YqDeAx9RB1IA/s400/etruckbed2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I got the call late on monday night. If i was going to catch the maple syrup season with Pat and Fel, I would have to come out tomorrow- it was going to be their last day to collect sap. The warm temperatures, though greatly loved and appreciated by me, didn't make for an especially abundant season, so they had decided to wrap things up early this year.</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">I am a bonafide pancake queen. Ask anyone who eats with me. Maple syrup, the real stuff of coarse, is by all accounts, one of my favorite breakfast foods along with a pancake or two. Never mind the 53 grams of sugar per teaspoon! So, I am tickled beyond belief to have the opportunity to actually experience first hand, the collection of and preparation of this precious ambrosia.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws5fDu0wiHBVqIzSQogiEVOUXV1f9_xNJrYRx_VYWoO1CSXpRmBGRxsb0pPwMaZtEQ-JTZV3JjsOvQe5WkRrpjbpZsh_aC8GqeGwDezWYYizs9kUfFEtRKqvl2kgpgWU6-yr0E1E3Xw/s1600/sugarshack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjws5fDu0wiHBVqIzSQogiEVOUXV1f9_xNJrYRx_VYWoO1CSXpRmBGRxsb0pPwMaZtEQ-JTZV3JjsOvQe5WkRrpjbpZsh_aC8GqeGwDezWYYizs9kUfFEtRKqvl2kgpgWU6-yr0E1E3Xw/s400/sugarshack.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQP7YCHR4j2jrj3xaQD7HMXsgxbWPd8XRLhuif-qh_0_58lQ2z81YkP5yY3UqohopmT34XgHzm6cCeVGBxOsN8sbQONR3QlqH92KTN5BC_Fob18E5jnGof3y-FvyElkSkEolieTcuLA/s1600/etree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQP7YCHR4j2jrj3xaQD7HMXsgxbWPd8XRLhuif-qh_0_58lQ2z81YkP5yY3UqohopmT34XgHzm6cCeVGBxOsN8sbQONR3QlqH92KTN5BC_Fob18E5jnGof3y-FvyElkSkEolieTcuLA/s400/etree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycNX_udNddlIy0ha6wN-AJXYJqlimonBBgsskVVpKWHs4CUf1msyHJtlRB0Z9_rBLIek6Q-ldYIDarZW2SKlinlrbDz4SFKWDjd7B4P8U6Uog2Y7H_ppyk-04L99SrNPxLWwEnWs-KA/s1600/trio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycNX_udNddlIy0ha6wN-AJXYJqlimonBBgsskVVpKWHs4CUf1msyHJtlRB0Z9_rBLIek6Q-ldYIDarZW2SKlinlrbDz4SFKWDjd7B4P8U6Uog2Y7H_ppyk-04L99SrNPxLWwEnWs-KA/s400/trio.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Pat and Fel's place is tucked deep into the woods of Northern Michigan on a parcel of land that has been in Fel's family for at least the last 140 years. They live in an old farmhouse on an original farmstead with a beautiful weathered barn built by hand from rocks and pine planks. They are "authentic Michigan" in every sense of the word. Each year they collect sap from maples that dot their farm and boil it down on a large outdoor covered fire pit. This year they even had the help of two neighbor boys, Jacob and Christian.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_JCYtSO4imsoq0nxoZ2_ixM5ZHOLu5QEVhLxN8uSr9oHy4og4hRNIdIPAfIsn4J_z_2cQ1cAbwcTidoQ_kpNeMtcDBZz2o3QD4uKo41PB3a6ogJyZPydEKF3li3ROlsnbEOFhM7New/s1600/pat3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_JCYtSO4imsoq0nxoZ2_ixM5ZHOLu5QEVhLxN8uSr9oHy4og4hRNIdIPAfIsn4J_z_2cQ1cAbwcTidoQ_kpNeMtcDBZz2o3QD4uKo41PB3a6ogJyZPydEKF3li3ROlsnbEOFhM7New/s400/pat3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">All of us load up into a pick up truck and drive out to a stand of old maples and quickly and efficiently collect the sap from bags and buckets hanging throughout the woods. Once the sap is collected into clean white buckets,we make our way back to the farmhouse where the outddor kitchen firepit is located. (it's next to their gothic outhouse and just a spit and a throw from the old cabin that was resurrected on their land.) The smoky fire flavors the air. And I quickly decide that this is the first ingredient, and a precursor to the luscious, woodsy musk of the syrup. Pat and Fel alternate tending the coals with their buddy Heidi and the sap boils away until the amber liquid carmelizes. (About 2 days.) There is no mistaking it, it is starting to resemble maple syrup and the boys are slurping up mugs of the sweet stuff.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY40EF430maBkp83e9HL1ABvfB-Z689ZixA3Lp1dr20NK104h1szLY3dYh_ThyPI14uM1Z1wnOuXCjSEM0vJr27hDuWkzOMeSwYI158evU8ypiGFmYqvOk0CisAwxHpLYKcU9L0W8cMA/s1600/slurp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY40EF430maBkp83e9HL1ABvfB-Z689ZixA3Lp1dr20NK104h1szLY3dYh_ThyPI14uM1Z1wnOuXCjSEM0vJr27hDuWkzOMeSwYI158evU8ypiGFmYqvOk0CisAwxHpLYKcU9L0W8cMA/s400/slurp.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;">My experience is complete when Pat offers me a taste of her heady syrup over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh my gosh, warm and flavorful, rich and wonderful, michigan maple syrup is nothing short of liquid fulfillment.<br />
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You can't buy Pat and Fel's labor of love maple syrup. But you can find maple syrup made by locals all over our area. I found some wonderful handmade syrup at the Farmer's Market at the Village Commons this past weekend. It was made by the Hagers in Williamsburg, Michigan. </div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-71589494040813122262010-03-21T08:02:00.000-05:002010-03-21T08:02:19.734-05:00Locovore finds LocaBeer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BOS7lMEkGfbY8aTUZxOl5jn4KiBj0gIRK8qLWBPtrMTyTMj_hA0sCoMyfJkecoLCcRCizjzAn56vVplRWsxqacTMh0zMs8YkuHud8AbHapCCWTDgjgolLuRtE0EWv2-PU-w1m3rELA/s1600-h/eStriewski_100320_1315+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5BOS7lMEkGfbY8aTUZxOl5jn4KiBj0gIRK8qLWBPtrMTyTMj_hA0sCoMyfJkecoLCcRCizjzAn56vVplRWsxqacTMh0zMs8YkuHud8AbHapCCWTDgjgolLuRtE0EWv2-PU-w1m3rELA/s400/eStriewski_100320_1315+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">That crazy pumpkin head stops me in my tracks every time! It's as though that dark night creature is some kind of sorcerer. The big carved head seduces me to swallow his golden-amber potion. (!) And I am transformed. This beer, this brew is sour and delicious, bitter and hoppy, new and unusual and transports me back to the cobblestone streets of Europe, when rowdy bloats scrambled arm in arm in the wee hours, struggling to remain upright on the slow and painfree journey home after a night of frenzied beer drinking. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0tGMBrmTPZZNrFHhAq4I9NJ0m5Zs2brFiOvxv5VeBgwJ1S_boz3y19Qu8I5BZRoWi1OlgDeyn0v6kfNmhQYsl1tUrZ7Y8HzoKtkXrQ40UDo76FvaksZWcBbaAektA9zfK4o0SkwZiA/s1600-h/eStriewski_100320_1355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ0tGMBrmTPZZNrFHhAq4I9NJ0m5Zs2brFiOvxv5VeBgwJ1S_boz3y19Qu8I5BZRoWi1OlgDeyn0v6kfNmhQYsl1tUrZ7Y8HzoKtkXrQ40UDo76FvaksZWcBbaAektA9zfK4o0SkwZiA/s640/eStriewski_100320_1355.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Ron Jeffries, the brewmeister at Jolly Pumpkin is a bonafide artisan brewmaster. His specially wild yeast fermented beers are gaining rapid national recognition. The beers are aged in wine barrels which contain naturally occurring microbiological cultures that produce complex flavors. As of now, he is the ONLY brewmaster in the United States that is willing to …"take the time (and risk) to let natural bacteria take its course…" reported the LA Times in July 2009. Some people describe these complex flavors as though they are speaking about a fine wine…"The nose is gorgeous: notes of citrus rind, dried stone fruit (think apricot and mango), coriander and a prominent aroma of stable."- noted the Wine Enthusiast. Other less genteel beer drinkers characterize the flavors as "leathery, earthy,musky, funky and even sweaty horse hair character". I love that the common theme derives from a "stable-like" experience. That to me means barns, red barns, like the ones that dot the mission peninsula filled with happy, full bellied farm creatures. Special and unique to our locale. This is how beer used to taste and look, before the advent of pasteurization and industrialization.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I would be leaving something out if I didn't also comment on the restaurant and bar that the Jolly Pumpkin Tavern is… it is quintessential. It is a blend of northern Michigan with a roaring good fire in the wood burning fireplace and Old Europe with the rough-hewn beams that grace the ceiling. The food is wonderful too. The Rocket Arugala salad with fried parsnips (whoever heard of that?) is a perfect blend of delicate flavors and I can never get enough of it. The wood fired pizzas are unusual and perfectly prepared. I am transported. I am in a genuinely great pub. Goodbye Bud - Light. Hello Bam Biere. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Check out their website and menu at http://www.jollypumpkin.com</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
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</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-86712350145791611512010-03-13T16:36:00.004-06:002010-03-13T16:44:02.056-06:00Tapas with Folgarelli's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBRPXgB1prvZSwy8X7bbKeaw4SpM6LrGsd8Nh9SHJ4dwFkBjQX0TcAIhnAma5fl-PHApE9nuoEcx_nEvqeNezqJT6btevXv9az-lvC86W5HrrxRUIyRrmuM0mxCxApnOdEAIkLZ26cw/s1600-h/wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBRPXgB1prvZSwy8X7bbKeaw4SpM6LrGsd8Nh9SHJ4dwFkBjQX0TcAIhnAma5fl-PHApE9nuoEcx_nEvqeNezqJT6btevXv9az-lvC86W5HrrxRUIyRrmuM0mxCxApnOdEAIkLZ26cw/s640/wine.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">If you've ever thought that a local, one evening cooking class would be "too academic" for your taste(buds), let me remind you that a single cooking class is usually a fun, experiential way to broaden your skills and enjoy a deliciously, lovely meal with a group of like minded foodavores.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPBB_Jq2qALMXIFVo_ygxFgM25_mDbfzLWL0bvDtXDD1FTN5BM18VgKGYNiTWXxraMK-fB6pmvZM6ZG7TWBO3NxVN1PQyL8rAwfNLs56IusF2COcitI8ypcOrEmAEGwK3dCbH5iV2uA/s1600-h/donna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPBB_Jq2qALMXIFVo_ygxFgM25_mDbfzLWL0bvDtXDD1FTN5BM18VgKGYNiTWXxraMK-fB6pmvZM6ZG7TWBO3NxVN1PQyL8rAwfNLs56IusF2COcitI8ypcOrEmAEGwK3dCbH5iV2uA/s400/donna.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I was looking forward to learning more about Chef Ron's (Folgarelli's Market) interpretation of Spanish Tapas, since he does such a marvelously good job with fresh pizza dough and tortellini's (oh no, my secret is out) that I can find anytime in the freezer section at Folgarelli's. I shop there pretty regularly, since the food is fresh and top notch. Where else can you find fresh Italian Asiago cheese and olives in vats, capicolla that melts in your mouth?, even a bottle of wine (I've never been dissatisfied)-ah, but i digress…</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"> What a treat to learn that the class would be held at Donna Folgarelli's house! How intimately warm and inviting, and in true Italian fashion, with a kitchen large enough to entertain her entire family. And for this one special night as she kept our wine glasses full, we felt like her family- encouraged to enjoy the preparation of the food as well as the enormously satisfying consumption of our many "little dishes" .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM916vMUHUrA5Fpu2H1OQ70TKAK5dtaztgAfqiIahygczENdNOTd-qA4ktIG325mBF7VXwEdIJcLSiKUY0FDhyphenhyphenBDH38EUlFL032_rZhOqAiugHuX1GR1x8BtYcXsgskKSZGZo7qZB8nA/s1600-h/chefron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM916vMUHUrA5Fpu2H1OQ70TKAK5dtaztgAfqiIahygczENdNOTd-qA4ktIG325mBF7VXwEdIJcLSiKUY0FDhyphenhyphenBDH38EUlFL032_rZhOqAiugHuX1GR1x8BtYcXsgskKSZGZo7qZB8nA/s400/chefron.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuEpe3c9D__vO1gjgfQHpA6oid3qBcAikcVk2iwMKVVdXlv-zQ3FbVyVYfdjrZgjKVBQy3yvwMTiT0fF42SoML1ZxQCVSD7wFsloPRLdrp5SjusfLKWgTUIbUCosaj1u3NVM4HkfFZA/s1600-h/ceviche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuEpe3c9D__vO1gjgfQHpA6oid3qBcAikcVk2iwMKVVdXlv-zQ3FbVyVYfdjrZgjKVBQy3yvwMTiT0fF42SoML1ZxQCVSD7wFsloPRLdrp5SjusfLKWgTUIbUCosaj1u3NVM4HkfFZA/s400/ceviche.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">"Fresh" was the theme for the night, and I was so impressed with Donna's insistence that only the finest, freshest ingredients were used for our dinner. Local fresh farmed chicken breasts, fresh red peppers, onions, fresh basil and flat leaf parsley… I could go on and on, but i'm sure you can squeeze your own mustard! </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Chef Ron walked us through the steps necessary to make an appetizer of Shrimp and fresh vegetable Cevichi (pictured above), a fresh Gazpacho soup, an Artichoke and White Bean with Fresh Parsley and Garlic Vinaigrette Salad, a main entree of Spanish Serrano Ham and Chicken Rolatta with an amazing red pepper and manchego cheese stuffing and to top that all off, the grand pooba dessert was a light and delicious Sponge cake with pears and Cabrales Bleu Cheese Sweet Cream Sauce (main course and dessert pictured above above). He was terrific and fun! And by the way, three beautiful Spanish wines were served throughout the evening. I really did feel "weightless, precise and impressively persistent, with a filigree quality that is alluring"! ( that was one of the lines from the description of the Martinsancho verdejo- Rueda Spain 2008 ) And oh yes, that special wine is available at the store. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaqNWRhZ7XKA-5nKIXMIf81G6G5xqgsqkXz5NhCQdDwJlotVtFnSsO6hoThut-DS2WTJj2kZWrCm8Is3W52ABm3CLBHfVnd_xB-ZbX8u0DuGoC6Il7G2szzRWtJi8BxSYnn2xwdfiCQ/s1600-h/participants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVaqNWRhZ7XKA-5nKIXMIf81G6G5xqgsqkXz5NhCQdDwJlotVtFnSsO6hoThut-DS2WTJj2kZWrCm8Is3W52ABm3CLBHfVnd_xB-ZbX8u0DuGoC6Il7G2szzRWtJi8BxSYnn2xwdfiCQ/s400/participants.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"> Oh my gosh, i really can't think of a better way to spend a thursday evening. Everyone had soo much fun!</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"> By the way, does anyone know what happened on Survivor ? :)</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-90733578827336785882010-03-08T10:15:00.002-06:002010-03-08T10:18:13.478-06:00"Let them eat... Bread!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxEjsG_TiUCerZ8u26zRWJau0i0ZThsRCoQAsfdo_9tySNj8rxONdChHYpyAAp40pRLvPAvLDcXFXSbRCo-68_delwMYpETFWv5mS-srcusBE2FMvouoDE-bof2uoe3BmQSKM9sqiX_Q/s1600-h/Striewski_100304_0601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxEjsG_TiUCerZ8u26zRWJau0i0ZThsRCoQAsfdo_9tySNj8rxONdChHYpyAAp40pRLvPAvLDcXFXSbRCo-68_delwMYpETFWv5mS-srcusBE2FMvouoDE-bof2uoe3BmQSKM9sqiX_Q/s400/Striewski_100304_0601.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">If you could see Jen Welty of 9 Bean Rows form and shape 20 loaves of artisan bread, pop them into a wood-fired oven, and then stick around for the baking, you too would quickly fall under the spell of our local bread savant. Her recipe is simple, but the ingredients go beyond the flour, water, salt and an especially fresh and living yeast mixture that resembles sour dough starter. It's one part love of the craft combined with one part authentic ingredients infused with her girl scout ability to perfectly prepare a wood-fired oven. Her loaves are delicious. Crusty, nutty brown, cooked to heavenly perfection. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc8lBCeCBfIY869XnHBoKmZyoU-LNDDIMs2sFnQqwl0tswh2wj1yDkF5ucz03e5E2GpqRUJtmPg3INrQd3fi5veW8EWoKIeuNOAn7nHlGOiSR9SCcZ0hyphenhyphen6O0Qnd22BXdmikamJNKpEg/s1600-h/2photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc8lBCeCBfIY869XnHBoKmZyoU-LNDDIMs2sFnQqwl0tswh2wj1yDkF5ucz03e5E2GpqRUJtmPg3INrQd3fi5veW8EWoKIeuNOAn7nHlGOiSR9SCcZ0hyphenhyphen6O0Qnd22BXdmikamJNKpEg/s320/2photos.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Artisan bread is a wonder. Made as it was along time ago. Loved by all, but eaten by just a few- Fortunately,we can here in Traverse City, because of skillful artisan bakers like Jen Welty. Her bread is available through 9 Bean Rows CSA or you can find her or her husband Nic on Saturday mornings at the Village Farmers Market. If you get there early enough, be sure to try one of her famous croissants. The almond is my favorite, but she has chocolate and plain ones too. They all are a piece of heavenly, orgasmic delight!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-21oHEAD9j931Ug9XJzXn3cXTUD0w1QVslp8gtmwFbwb-UybkF_UPLTOADJPfV5wrunyiWhIMKD2RoqpWEDSKx6OoDLwPGojykc47OT6OxGi5GL5guMxU0P2FDkUsb0PgA8TqW2-VIw/s1600-h/Striewski_100304_0738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-21oHEAD9j931Ug9XJzXn3cXTUD0w1QVslp8gtmwFbwb-UybkF_UPLTOADJPfV5wrunyiWhIMKD2RoqpWEDSKx6OoDLwPGojykc47OT6OxGi5GL5guMxU0P2FDkUsb0PgA8TqW2-VIw/s400/Striewski_100304_0738.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-75304199923581208802010-03-01T13:42:00.000-06:002010-03-01T13:42:37.085-06:00Microgreens and Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoyy0DTDaQWXt42wk9vFKc_0Rp05UoHNw935SjLMlsAf-NvgE8wpk9WixrYQB2Ce35sCOtd4x8oJpELIsg35PxaQOwNC5u5QYCI8r_qBdfjdXtve_pfe_C6dreNK7ESElgWT2R0j7-g/s1600-h/eRStriewski_100228_0368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFoyy0DTDaQWXt42wk9vFKc_0Rp05UoHNw935SjLMlsAf-NvgE8wpk9WixrYQB2Ce35sCOtd4x8oJpELIsg35PxaQOwNC5u5QYCI8r_qBdfjdXtve_pfe_C6dreNK7ESElgWT2R0j7-g/s320/eRStriewski_100228_0368.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Have you seen microgreens at the Farmer's Market? Have you tried them? They are usually found hiding under or around the more familiar lettuces and greens. Farmers and chefs know them well. They are delicately beautiful and they pack a punch of flavor or color when added to a salad or a sandwich. Microgreens are cut early, usually when the plant is only a inch or so high and just a few weeks old. They're even smaller than baby greens and their flavor is robust and full. The bull's blood microgreens are actually a baby beet plant and their flavor is that of an earthy, sweet beet. The Bull's blood beet plant is an heirloom plant that dates from about 1840.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLe_mXSUIB6759yYY69T49g3vB5tCEWU7zctkoSojqxa9rBbZnBJI9AdlGgrdgEFpr5FjZ4prg3s-QhKHOer3N64nNpaKLxdwaw4nP1I-bOYDNtB50CmvJTQw3WaZMIB2XDR4R5Sy2w/s1600-h/eRStriewski_100228_0482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLe_mXSUIB6759yYY69T49g3vB5tCEWU7zctkoSojqxa9rBbZnBJI9AdlGgrdgEFpr5FjZ4prg3s-QhKHOer3N64nNpaKLxdwaw4nP1I-bOYDNtB50CmvJTQw3WaZMIB2XDR4R5Sy2w/s320/eRStriewski_100228_0482.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzR6xBQdQXpSF-KoZpxu9dNuz5oF-nJHMjAtuyV18gUpWDUyntheoB0mUJaJBatE53HzYZyhXV4jKROqnuhRE3kjuIk4lx6vx8aeHeQB3B5Koc9vY9oWKxaSzWGetTjfKj75mI_c8QA/s1600-h/eRStriewski_100228_0520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzR6xBQdQXpSF-KoZpxu9dNuz5oF-nJHMjAtuyV18gUpWDUyntheoB0mUJaJBatE53HzYZyhXV4jKROqnuhRE3kjuIk4lx6vx8aeHeQB3B5Koc9vY9oWKxaSzWGetTjfKj75mI_c8QA/s640/eRStriewski_100228_0520.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">You can order them on-line from Marx Foods and including shipping and handling they retail for $64.50 for 4 ounces. Let's see, that's $16.00 per ounce. Luckily for me, I found them at the Farmer's Market for $4.00 per ounce. I washed them in sparkling, clear water, dried them, then dressed them with my fresh green salad. Talk about a rainbow of colors. Green lettuce, orange carrots, creamy white pinenuts, red tomatoes and purple microgreens, wow! What a delicious and healthy salad! </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">And if you haven't tried microgreens in a while, experiment with some that you find at the Farmer's Market.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-41508155508480060082010-02-22T14:15:00.007-06:002010-02-22T15:05:41.868-06:00Locovoyeur in February<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUV_fGQBbUrK59zHTpnIr53sSjY3Gq0ZdiXLfZY2xgFtK1jglkYy5oDtifkgiGgSANHW_s3SQRafsbzhAtXGDT8KiUgXuvkJLXYVMRW7g59v8ejew9faFxEx-pNdRpfAicgBKARUIHQ/s1600-h/eRStriewski_100222_0297.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUV_fGQBbUrK59zHTpnIr53sSjY3Gq0ZdiXLfZY2xgFtK1jglkYy5oDtifkgiGgSANHW_s3SQRafsbzhAtXGDT8KiUgXuvkJLXYVMRW7g59v8ejew9faFxEx-pNdRpfAicgBKARUIHQ/s400/eRStriewski_100222_0297.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's one week to March and already I am ready for spring. February taxes <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">my ability to be a locavore. There aren't many fruits or vegies grown in the winter in Northern Michigan. Apples from local orchards held in cold storage are still plentiful, and even on sale sometimes now. The exception is HoneyCrisp apples- their price continues to go up as the supply goes down- they are delicious. But, there are local frozen and some fresh vegies and fruits, and they are plentiful in our regular grocery stores. You don't have to shop at Oryana to find local frozen Montmorency cherries or fresh apples from Friske Orchards or honey from Sleeping Bear Farms or prepared foods like jams made at local farms. In fact, there are a slew of them produced right here in Northern Michigan. Turn around and take your pick. We have an opportunity to "shop locally" in the winter. It may not be fresh off the farm, but at one time it was fresh and it still is local.</span><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'm probably like you, a little warm from cabin fever...I want to shop fresh from the farm- I want crisp leaves of lettuces and strawberries and long, stiff strands of asparagus in my reuseable shopping bag . :-)<br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlsJ93dlm5lx9nYdHEFIEygnURjsZs7TBNvpRIBNcxOUmIlZXxGOgD_9lBoGAkfnXVvTI44W46PACtrXWz5K8vA5Uz4dky7FvQJ77pzgqmZUKCFiXBcQfYhbzfpUo6MV11RavHm9K-g/s1600-h/erStriewski_100219_0227-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlsJ93dlm5lx9nYdHEFIEygnURjsZs7TBNvpRIBNcxOUmIlZXxGOgD_9lBoGAkfnXVvTI44W46PACtrXWz5K8vA5Uz4dky7FvQJ77pzgqmZUKCFiXBcQfYhbzfpUo6MV11RavHm9K-g/s640/erStriewski_100219_0227-2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>In the mean time... I'll eat apple strudel tart at The Cook's House (delicious! ) sip coffee with a little cream from Shetler's Dairy and wait for spring. <br />
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</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-81521938809843459022010-01-08T17:44:00.001-06:002010-01-08T17:47:26.157-06:00Eating for SustainablilityIt takes alot of corn to fatten a steer.<br />
But it is alot quicker than waiting for a grass fed steer to "beef" up for slaughter.<br />
Corn fed steers are ready for slaughter after a relatively short life of about 14 months. 75 years ago, steers were 4 or 5 years before they were ready for slaughter. Remember cowboys? Cowboys roaming the grassy prairie lands with their cattle have been replaced by CAFO's (concentrated animal feeding operations). Agribusinesses' CAFOs have made it possible for Americans to have their cow and eat it too. By confining large numbers of animals in small spaces, fattening them quickly with corn ( not a natural food for a ruminant like a cow), keeping them alive with antibiotics and processing them assembly fashion helps to keep the price low. It is now possible for us to eat meat 3 times a day and half pounds and pounds at a time without a serious hit to our wallets.<br />
In some ways, that does't by itself seem like much of a problem. But, what are the hidden costs of producing meat this way?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS1AYcxZifcXmp99Zgp-pJM8iV6Q1cO9RxF0ZIKjHB3sTbhx7gd7mNxsp24jcM4lVCawTS8VT4hmMQoOYxqF7s2Ym3-ekeQfnrq7nWlEgAJtXboHGi8e5Mbw-uqodIKUFEwfXvfbLHw/s1600-h/ebarnwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXS1AYcxZifcXmp99Zgp-pJM8iV6Q1cO9RxF0ZIKjHB3sTbhx7gd7mNxsp24jcM4lVCawTS8VT4hmMQoOYxqF7s2Ym3-ekeQfnrq7nWlEgAJtXboHGi8e5Mbw-uqodIKUFEwfXvfbLHw/s320/ebarnwall.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>For the next few posts, I'll detail a number of ways that meat production negatively impacts our planet and is unsustainable.Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-77078628483236914672010-01-06T16:52:00.000-06:002010-01-06T16:52:37.585-06:00Chip Man Lives!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAcVW_0SgdI8GuFWke1xHp8uv7N2keQHOTldrdin580CoRdjTEe0vBWtK-nEyd1U1jZL5jIy740e-RNCHEBWUeZIEdmeTfkoRWrgRgXqny2sUIdJaHmPMnp7fT2OFVP_Wn6M0oso16w/s1600-h/e_jimchip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAcVW_0SgdI8GuFWke1xHp8uv7N2keQHOTldrdin580CoRdjTEe0vBWtK-nEyd1U1jZL5jIy740e-RNCHEBWUeZIEdmeTfkoRWrgRgXqny2sUIdJaHmPMnp7fT2OFVP_Wn6M0oso16w/s640/e_jimchip.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3226627028251004889.post-20902013220437375202010-01-05T16:14:00.000-06:002010-01-05T16:14:20.154-06:00You are what you eat!<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">IF you are what you eat, do you want to venture a guess as to what you are? Maybe perhaps a walking, talking chicken McNuggett? A tall, mocha, non-fat soy latte? Are you any bit of fast food? Oh, I know, you eat lots of healthy things; whole wheat crackers, Special K and Cheerios, Vanilla low-fat yogurt </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have news for you. According to Michael Pollan author of Omnivore's Dilemma- Americans are fairly unaware of the large amounts of corn that have slowly seeped into our diet in the form of high-fructose corn syrup. Do you drink a soda every day? How about washing down those tasty tortilla chips? If you grab a beer, guess what- you are still drinking corn, fermented from glucose refined from corn. And that is just the beginning of an unimaginably long list of foods and products that contain corn syrup or some kind of modified starch product derived from corn. Even toothpaste, cosmetics, cleaners ( I know that you don't ordinarily eat that), matches, coatings on vegetables, adhesives and all sorts of other things are made with corn. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDOU5MYMsjTL2KuzM-YNX_40efMhJUneT0yRY27YQIbHdv-M0CbKSSpT60JAuCed2YKwfRHzmyWX2Cg1WsFqqHJeqHJIq-Er4_wZoIwePfSLWvPfNy7vZt9XPBM-qcULEtSpraQx3Uw/s1600-h/ecorn5554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRDOU5MYMsjTL2KuzM-YNX_40efMhJUneT0yRY27YQIbHdv-M0CbKSSpT60JAuCed2YKwfRHzmyWX2Cg1WsFqqHJeqHJIq-Er4_wZoIwePfSLWvPfNy7vZt9XPBM-qcULEtSpraQx3Uw/s640/ecorn5554.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are the "corn people". </span>Beryl Striewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16326577639836235847noreply@blogger.com0