at the market and this week's menu

Magic. Some experiences are just that. First kisses, bonfires on the beach, your wedding day, a sudden shower that ends in a rainbow, dinner in a piazza in Italy. Any place or event can be magical if you are with the right people, at the right time, at the right location. Magic.

At our picnic under the stars on Saturday, this was a big topic of conversation that began with a recount of a recent magical dining experience. By the end of the conversation, a few of us were left discussing whether those evenings can ever be repeated. By the time dinner was served, I think we all agreed it is pretty hard to replicate magical evenings, of which our picnic can be described.

My friend Katie, with her magical ability to take any setting and make it special, put on quite the party at the beach. Everyone supplied a dish or drink and Mother Nature provided a perfect summer evening. A roaring fire and dishes of affogato put the finishing touches on a pretty special evening. Magical, indeed.

Picnic under the stars menu:

To start: an assortment of cheeses, tapenades and crackers

To follow: arugula and spinach salad with goat cheese and cherry tomatoes; garlicy sauteed broccolini; Greek-style bean salad with heirloom dried beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion and feta with mint and parsley; grilled flank steak with chimichurri.

To end: affogato with raspberries and chocolate truffles

Earlier that day, here's what I found at the market:

broccoli

carrots

green beans

golden beets

mint

parsley

smoked trout

strawberries

squash blossoms

white onions

whole milk

Menu: week of 27 june 2010

Sunday: ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms: click here for the recipes

Monday: sauteed chorizo and beet-green tacos with avocado

Tuesday: smoked trout salad with peppery creme fraiche fingerling potatoes and green beans

Wednesday: roasted golden beet sandwich with local goat cheese

Thursday: green bean and cashew stir fry with jasmine rice

Friday: take out

Happy eating, -s.

picnic or porch dining must-haves

Inspired by the picnic under the stars we will be having for our dinner group this weekend, I thought I would share some of my favorite outdoor-dining accoutrements — some I already have in my arsenal; others I want with religious zeal. Enjoy!

Duraclear barware — this is some fancy plastic! Love the monogram. A mojito or vodka tonic would look smashing in here. At Williams-Sonoma.

Ice bucket — one on each end of the table with a bottle of bubbly chilling inside. At Anthropologie.

Serving (and hauling) tray — this tray is perfect for lugging lots of things in one go, instead of in many trips to and from the house or car. In the off-season, this eco-friendly galvanized version would also be great on a coffee table or desk as well. At Pottery Barn.

Candlelight — a few of these gorgeous lanterns would add such a nice glow as the sun sets. At Pigeon Toe Ceramics

Utensil caddy — for me, anything in this marigold yellow is a must, especially this charming yet modern utensil caddy. I would fill two slots with utensils and the other with a drinking glass filled with flowers — an instant centerpiece that is both functional and frilly. At Crate and Barrel.

Tea towels — picnic fare tends to be a little messy, which is why I forego the normal cloth napkin for a crisp, large, lap-sized dishtowel. At Williams-Sonoma.

Stainless steel cooler — no picnic is possible (or safe from food poisoning) without a big cooler. I just saw this model on Apartment Therapy last week; now I must have it. At coleman.com.

Chairs with flare — love, love, love these chairs. At Wisteria.

this week's menu

Happy first day of summer!

I cannot find the cord for my camera to download pictures, which is really disappointing since I have some fantastic photos of delicious vegetables ( I'm sure you are super disappointed too). I have a feeling Pickle has put it where a set of keys has gone as well as a few other small household items. He's a master hider of little things that will magically show up a few months later when you aren't even looking for them. So, long story short ... I have no new food-related photos for this post.

But, I have a really great menu this week that will hopefully get you inspired to get in the kitchen. One of Chris's co-workers couldn't pick up his CSA so Chris brought home some additional veggies to add to the mix - cabbage, more sugar snaps, bibb lettuce and turnips. There's no doubt we'll be eating our veggies this week!

Menu: week of 20 June 2010

Sunday: Chris's father's day dinner of North Carolina-style slow-cooked pork shoulder sandwiched with green cabbage slaw and purple-potato oven fries

Monday: leftover pulled pork sandwiches with watermelon

Tuesday: Thai-style bibb lettuce wraps with ground turkey

Wednesday: sauteed Asian greens on ricotta bruschetta

Thursday: roasted broccoli pasta with lemon, pine nuts and golden raisins

Friday: fingerling potato and rosemary pizza

Happy eating, -s.

psst ...

Image: http://driftlessorganics.blogspot.com/2010/06/first-box.html

... our first CSA delivery is Saturday. Here's a sneak peek at what will be in the box! We do the every-other-week share, which allows me to go to the farmers' market on our off-weekends. With a lot of unusual and special items included in this first box, I can't wait to start cooking!

In the box:
Asian Green Mix
Broccoli
Blue Potatoes
Bunched Spinach
Green Garlic
Kohlrabi
Green Leaf Lettuce
Rosemary or Oregano
Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes
Scallions
Strawberries

Happy eating, -s.

outdoor cooking tips, plus at the market and this week's menu

The market was really showing off this Saturday – the baby beets were becoming adolescents; the broccoli was burgeoning; strawberries adorned almost every table and the varieties of lettuce available knew no bounds. Besides tomato season (and maybe corn), this is my favorite time at the market. Everything is so fresh and crisp. Pickle was really digging the raw sugar snap peas and he munched on these until we bought our strawberries … then it was no-holds-bar with those sugary sweet treats. His mouth and chin were stained pink from the juice, but he was in bliss, asking for more every few feet.

Our dinner group is heading outdoors this month for a little evening picnic under the stars. My friend Katie has been brainstorming what to cook on her camping grill – besides her famous blue-cheese burgers (which are divine) and asked me if I had any ideas. It got me thinking about party friendly grilled foods – ones that are full-flavored, prep-ahead dishes that don’t require the cook to be manning the grill all night (which is never fun).

Here’s my top-five list of quick-grilling entrees.
p.s. successful grilling really comes down to two things: a clean grill (grate oiled if you’re doing fish) and a really hot fire. Don’t attempt these without those two.

Fish kabobs and cherry-tomato kabobs — kabobs are great for fish, since you don’t have to worry about the fish falling apart on the grill when you try to lift it.

Use this “marinade” for both the fish and the tomatoes — honestly, this is my go-to marinade for almost everything; I just modify it as needed with different herbs or spices:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane grater or minced by hand
2 teaspoons of minced fresh marjoram or oregano (if you have to use dried herbs, use marjoram) ½ a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
½-teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound firm-fleshed fish, cut into 1-inch cubes – Check out Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website for a list of sustainable fish for your geographic region: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes wash and de-stemmed

Mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl and then divide it between two bowls — one for the fish and one for the tomatoes. Toss to coat and then place on metal skewers (don't mix the two). Grill over a hot fire, for roughly 5-7 minutes total, turning once. Serve with grilled bread and wedges of lemon.

Skirt steak with chimichurri – just a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper on the steak, grilled for 2-3 minutes per side depending of the thickness, a good rest on the cutting board and a side of chimichurri are all you need for this ultra-flavorful meat. I’ve linked to a very traditional recipe, but I have made chimichurri with mint, cilantro, and basil. Use what you have and what’s in season.

Shrimp — Well, very sadly gulf shrimp is pretty much out of the question, but shrimp can take a good lashing of heat and spice and are super-fast cooking. Use the fish “marinade” above, replacing the marjoram with 1 teaspoon red chile flakes and 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika. Skewer them, allowing space in between each shrimp; they should take 3-4 minutes total to cook over hot coals. You don’t want to overcook them or they turn to rubber. Lemon wedges are a must.

Grilled halloumi and zucchini — this vegetarian dish is also a great starter. Halloumi is a firm cheese, usually made from sheep or goat’s milk that can withstand the heat of a grill. Again, use the marinade above for the zucchini. Just halve the zucchini, coat with the marinade and place on the grill — 2-3 minutes per side. Figure ½ a halloumi per person and one whole zucchini. Serve with grilled flatbread and grilled lemons and a little sambal chile sauce for adventurous eaters. I grill the halloumi whole (for about 5 minutes one side and 1-2 on the other) and then slice into ½-inch slices.

Burgers — I know, so obvious, but so gosh-darn good that it had to be include. Burgers really are the essence of summer on a plate. I use grass-fed ground chuck — that’s it. You can shape the burgers well in advance and keep them cold in the fridge, salt and pepper them just before grilling and serve with your favorite garnishes and condiments. I love mayo and ketchup mixed together, some lettuce, a slice of white onion and a slice of tomato (when in season), place it on a toasted brioche bun with sesame seeds and I am a happy girl.

At the market:
Baby carrots
Beets
Butter Pecan Ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery
Broccoli
Dried Horto beans
Eggs from dreamfarm
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Russian kale
Sassy Cow Organic Whole Milk
Strawberries
Sugar snap peas

Menu: week of 13 June 2010
Saturday: homemade rosemary foccacia with local blue cheese and honey, served with cured meats, strawberries and sugar snap peas
Sunday: Birthday BBQ; snack of escabeche-style pickled baby carrots and tortilla chips and a cold IPA
Monday: chilaquiles with sautéed beet greens and dreamfarm eggs
Tuesday: Sautéed Russian kale on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Wednesday: potato and locally made Mexican chorizo tacos served with white onion, cilantro, avocado and limes
Thursday: beef and broccoli stir-fry with jasmine rice
Friday: roasted beet and goat cheese pizza

Happy eating, -s.

at the market, this week's menu and a field report

As I mentioned earlier, I was scheduled to volunteer at REAP's 3rd annual Burgers and Brew event at Capital Brewery on Saturday. Well, if you live in Madison, you will have experienced the deluge that was unleashed from roughly 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday ... right around the time the event was going on.

Now, I thought that I would show up at my shift that started at 5 p.m. and there would be 1) no there and 2) nothing to do. Boy, was I wrong. The place was hopping, the reggae tunes were flowing, people were eating and drinking and chefs were cooking up a storm. And that didn't stop until most of the tents ran out of food. I was supposed to be a "runner" ensuring that tents had everything they needed, but about 45 minutes into my shift I was asked to pour beer at Lombardino's tent, which was very fun. I came home soaking wet from head to toe, but I must say the event was great, the chefs and volunteers were amazing considering that they were cooking in torrential downpours and the attendees -- you guys sure know how to have a good time no matter what the conditions!

Before the weather deteriorated, here's what we found at the Westside Farmers' Market:

At the Market

asparagus

baby beets

baby sweet red onions

bibb lettuce

Dreamfarm eggs and fresh goat cheese

mint, 2 bunches

strawberries (yay!), 2 quarts

sugar snap peas

Sassy Cow organic whole milk

Menu: week of 6 June 2010

Sunday: enchiladas suizas with lime-butter sauteed sugar snap peas with mint

Monday: roasted beet, bacon and goat cheese sandwiches

Tuesday: asparagus pizza with Rancho Gordo yellow bean salad

Wednesday: broiled wild salmon with yellow bean, beet green and bacon ragout

Thursday: Thai bibb lettuce wraps with sauteed beef, mint and baby red onion

Friday: I don't know yet!

Happy eating, -s.

happy birthday!

This little blog 'o mine is officially a year old. Where does time go?

A year ago, my own hungry bambino was a little over a year old, eating beet greens and mushrooms. While Pickle is still eating mushrooms, the beet greens are no longer tolerated. I'm not complaining though; Pickle is a source of inspiration and wonderment for me, as he tries foods for the first time with wide-eyed abandon and I get to relive all those firsts again! He has definitely changed the way I cook and I think it is for the better.

So, to mark this small occasion, I wanted to thank all the readers of this blog, especially those of you who have tried my recipes. And thanks to those who leave comments – those make my day!
This blog would not exist without all the amazing farmers and food producers who inspire nearly every meal, especially the hardworking, talented and passionate folks behind Driftless Organics — can’t wait for my first CSA box of the season!

And a big thanks to my immensely talented friend Katie for inspiring me to do this in the first place.

Happy eating,
Sarah

burgers and brews, anyone?

For all you Madisonian readers, REAP Food Group's annual Burgers and Brew event is tomorrow, Saturday, June 5. It's a great event that goes to support a great cause: Southern Wisconsin Buy Fresh Buy Local program.

Here are the details:
Saturday June 5th 4-7:30 pm (Rain or Shine)
Capital Brewery Bier Garten, 7734 Terrace Avenue, Middleton, WI
Tickets are $25 each = 3 mini-meals of a burger and short pour of microbrew

Participating Chefs, Brewers and Farmers:

Chefs:
Alchemy Café, Brasserie V, Bunky’s Café, Fresco, jacs Dining & Tap House, L’Etoile, Lombardino’s, Metcalfe’s Market, Sardine, The Weary Traveler, Tornado Steakhouse, Willy Street Grocery Co-op

Farms:
Northstar Bison, Foutain Prairie Farm, Sprouting Acres, Keewaydin Farms, Pecatonica Valley Farm, Fountain Prairie Farm, Pinn-Oak Ridge Farms, Cates Family Farm, Garden To Be, Jordandal Farms, Lange Family Farm, Black Earth Meats

Brewers:
Pearl Street Brewery, Furthermore Beer, Capital Brewery, Hinterland Brewery, O'so Brewing Company, Sand Creek Brewing, Milwaukee Brewing Company, Great Dane Brewery, Grumpy Troll Brewery, Tyranena Brewing, Sprecher Brewing

I will be volunteering at the event ... hope to see you there!

Happy eating, -s.