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Posts from the ‘Local Eating’ Category

Sep 13

Sexy Lentils

 

IMG_1693Beluga . . . Parisian nibble . . . Kashmir . . . Roman Holiday . . . unctuously delicious . . . moistest chocolate cake . . . I’m guessing these words and phrases don’t automatically conjure up lentils for you.  But that is all about to change.

We are going to banish the wet-wooley-hiking socks reputation that has dogged the lovely lentil and rehabilitate the image of this nutritious gift from the garden. Long the victims of sludgey brown casseroles, lentils have been relegated to the slag heap of cuisine for decades. Sure, the occasional chef has tossed them into his confit of duck, but for the home cook, lentils have suffered from the curse of miserly good-for-you-ness. But no more. Today’s post begins the renaissance of the perfect pulse.

To start with we are going to ignore the lentil’s goody-goody two shoes rep, so I want you to pay no attention to the fact that lentils are Read more

Aug 11

Summer Games

I’m announcing a fun, new family game, but first I want to tell you a story, so settle yourself down for a second.

Once upon a time, there was a young Yale student who had been given one of the best educations available in the western world. As he was about to head off to live on his own, this strapping young athlete stood chatting with his mother in the family kitchen.  He turned to her and, pointing to the can of tunafish in his hand, said, “So how long do I need to cook this before it’s done?”  This is a true story, and a worrying one.  I hear stories like this all the time: last week the mother of a college-age daughter relayed that her daughter had called to ask how to turn the pancake batter in the fridge into pancakes.  Another well-educated young woman thought that mashed potatoes came from a box.

We are raising an amazing generation of young people. They can find anything on the Internet, compete in triathalons, design websites, create apps, compose sophisticated dance music, speak multiple languages, start non-profits, ace their ACT’s and build houses in Haiti. What many of them haven’t yet learned is how to perform one of the tasks most essential to human survival — make themselves a meal that will nourish their body, mind and spirit.

People who cook their own food are living healthier, happier lives.  Earlier this year, food journalist Michael Pollan told The New York Times, “We need public health ad campaigns promoting home cooking as the single best thing you can do for your family’s health and well-being.”

The problem is that learning to cook, like learning your multiplication tables, learning to play lacrosse or learning to swim, takes coaching, practice and patience.  It can also make a big mess.  But it is worth it!  It is time to bring the children into the kitchen.

To that end, Good Food Naturally is sponsoring the first annual

Summer Family Cooking Games

Here are the ground rules: Read more

May 19

Eats Shoots and Radishes

photo

I had seen straw hats bobbing about town.  I had glimpsed some brave souls in white trousers.  I had spied some beautiful pedicured be-sandaled feet.  And yes, the birds were singing and the azaleas were popping but I wasn’t convinced that summer had arrived until Thursday.   Thursday was the first day of the Princeton Farmers’ Market.  Phew!  Summer is finally here.

To celebrate here’s a simple farmers’ market lunch: sliced radishes and pea shoots from Chickadee Creek Farm on a slice of  pain au levain from Terra Momo Bread Company, drizzled with olive oil or perhaps even slathered with some wonderful small-batch butter from Valley Shepherd Creamery.  I add a bit of Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper. The bright pink radishes are a perfect complement to the pea shoots which taste sweet, like peas.  But bread you say?  Aren’t you always railing against us eating too much white bread?  Well, yes, but everything in moderation, and the slowly fermented pain au levain is a perfect base for this summer open-faced sandwich. Local. Seasonal. Fresh. Delicious.

To hold radishes in the fridge, keep them in a bowl of water so the roots stay wet.

To hold radishes in the fridge, keep them in a bowl of water so the roots stay wet.

For those of you who remain unconvinced about radishes  — too peppery, too crunchy, too raw —  feel free to sauté or roast them to mute the peppery, crunchy rawness.  Sometimes I grate fresh radishes and toss them with orange slices, olives and mint.  Pea shoots can be added to a salad, or the next stir fry you make.   Get to your nearest Farmers’ Market and start experimenting!   Here is a website that can help you find the market closest to you.  The Princeton Farmers’ Market operates Thursdays from 11 am to 4 pm, Hinds Plaza.  See you there!

Mar 6

Ruminating on Ruminants

Image by Leslie Kuenne

The grumpy adolescent boy looked at the kale and quinoa on his plate and then stared me down with indignant brown eyes.  Mum, you’re going to have to choose between your cute little vegetables and me.  I’m a growing teenage boy and I NEED MEAT.

My own offspring was reading me the Riot Act. Never mind that I had been preaching the gospel of less meat, more lentils, less meat, more greens, less meat, more carrots, kohlrabi and cabbage.  Possibly because of all my preaching (he is a teenager after all) this progeny was begging for a steak, a hamburger, meatballs, OMG, Mum, SOMETHING with meat in it!   Since this is a kid who will happily munch on fennel, endive and sushi, I figured he wasn’t being finicky.  I put it down to a growth spurt and gave him some beef. Read more

Sep 12

Snack of the Month: Cherry Tomatoes

I’m always thankful for cherry tomatoes. They are a good source of Vitamins A, C and K as well as potassium, manganese and fiber. I find if I keep a bowl on the kitchen counter, the kids gobble them up. True, they are high in sugar, but better a cherry tomato than a cherry twizzler! They are lovely roasted and tossed in a whole grain salad, as you will see with the farro salad described here.   Roasted or sautéed they are lovely, but there is nothing to compare to the burst of cherry tomato sunshine  just picked off the vine at your local CSA.