Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Syracuse is Sparky Town

The magical thing about a flame is that when you light another match or candle to share the fire, it doesn't diminish the original light.  All that is diminished is the darkness.  And so it is at the corner of Catherine Street and Burnet Avenue since Sparky Town opened a few months ago. 

Sparky Town has quickly become the "funky place to meet and eat" that owner and chef Linda "Sparky" Mortimer has envisioned for her restaurant and cafe.  Every time I've stopped in, whether it was for lunch, a cup of coffee, or dessert to go, I've run into friends and colleagues.  Sparky Town isn't just a neighborhood cafe for Hawley Green but it feels like the neighborhood place for everyone regardless of where they live.

That must have a lot to do with Sparky herself.  She has a way of making you feel as if you're a dear friend being welcomed home even if it's your first time through the door.  In between taking orders, cooking and tending to the business of running a restaurant Sparky manages to stop at each table to check in on folks and to get to know her guests.  You can probably chalk that up to her naturally outgoing personality, but Sparky's experience catering and teaching cooking classes at Williams Sonoma might also explain how she can turn out great food while making you feel as if dining there is the most exciting thing that could be happening to you.

It's Here, It's Here!

What a wonderful day--after making pasta and alfredo sauce from scratch with my youth group, I came home to find the new and fabulous Edible Finger Lakes at my doorstep. 

If you haven't subscribed yet, check the Edible Finger Lakes website to find out where you can pick one up.  This debut issue is packed with wonderful articles, delicious recipes, and lots of inspiration for enjoying the bounty of Central New York.  Full disclosure:  I do have a piece in this issue but believe me the ENTIRE issue is just  splendid. 

My thanks go to publisher, Michael Welch and editor, Zoe Becker for their incredible work.   With this issue the secret is officially out about how good we have it here.  As Zoe says in her "Letter from the Editor":  Eat it Up!

Happiness is...

...a batch of Cheeseboard-style oat scones, fresh from the oven...

...the smell of toasted pecans in a yogurt tart with nut crust...

...signs of Spring bursting forth everywhere I look...

What happiness is not:  having to cancel my Food and Memory class due to low enrollment--next year, perhaps.

Archive Alert:  On this date in 2007 I began pinching pennies for the Penny-wise Eat Local Challenge.

Oh for the want of garlic

It is a sad day when my homegrown and farmers' market garlic is gone.  That day was Friday.  It is ironic, really.  Just as seeds are being sown, garden plots laid out, raised beds installed, my storage garlic withers by the day--shrinking, disappearing, rotting.  Thankfully, a new crop is springing forth here at Dorset Harvest Farm but the reality is that I won't be able to enjoy it for a few months.  So I dream of garlic scapes and I plot my venture to harvest wild ramps.  I tear through jars of last year's tomatoes seeking the bits of garlic and the taste of summer that seem more fitting for our weather of late.  I am oh so grateful to have these food sources to draw upon.

Meanwhile, the rising cost of food is making headlines every day.  People are rioting in various parts of the world because of the increases.  Just so you know (and if you read this blog regularly than I hardly need say it):  when i say that Americans need to pay more for their food, this isn't what I meant.  The price of all foods are rising--wheat, corn, organics across the board.  Blame it on corn and biofuels or blame it on the rising cost of petrol.  Costs are going up but not for the reasons that will make food production healthier for the consumer, more fair for the farmer or more good for the earth. 

Today is Earth Day.  There will be many ways to mark the day and you may have already decided how you will spend the time.  We know, though, that every day is Earth Day.  So here are a few suggestions for learning, growing, and making a difference:

• Plant some seeds.  Even if you don't have a backyard for gardening--a few seeds in a pot can make a difference.  Get a taste of self-sufficiency.
• Clear out the freezer.  Did you forget about the blueberries and strawberries way in the back there?  What about the tomatoes, greens, and broth in the containers at the bottom?  Begin to make room for the harvest to come.
• Keep learning:  Farmer Jamie Edelstein of Wyllie Fox Farm will be speaking at Skaneateles High School on Wednesday Night at 7:00 pm.  The topic:  What is Organic?  Get a taste of what Jamie thinks on this video clip.
• Remember the pleasures of the table.  We know this is a crazy time of year.  Slow down, set the table, and enjoy good conversation with family and friends. 
• Sign up for your CSA Share.  It isn't too late.
• Give thanks for this incredible planet we call home.  Treat it tenderly. 

Food and Memory

So just to make sure I'll be Cookin' in the 'Cuse this spring, I'll be teaching a class on cooking and how food shapes culture, memory and experience through the Lifelong Learning Institute of Syracuse University.  This is the first time I'm offering a class such as this and it should be a fun and enlightening experience for all involved.  You can read the class description below but for more information and to register check out the LLI website here.

110. Food and Memory, with The Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows

Goldstein 201A, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
May 12, 14, 19, 21, 28, 30, June 2, 4

Through cooking demonstrations and storytelling we will explore how our food ways shape our families and community. We will also engage hidden members of the community, such as food pantry guests, to hear their food stories and memories and create a cookbook of recipes and stories to be distributed to hunger relief organizations. The Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is a chaplain at Syracuse University and rector at Grace Episcopal Church. She writes the food blog Cookin' in the 'Cuse and is an advocate for sustainable food justice, working on issues of hunger and justice for nearly 15 years.

Archive Alert:  On this date in 2007 I stood in line to meet the amazing Lidia!

Upcoming Events

It used to be that I would diligently blog away nearly every day and dream about a future where Syracuse and the surrounding area would be popping with all things seasonal, local, and delicious.  Well, my friends, the future is here.  There is so much happening these days that I can hardly keep up with it all let alone make time to blog about it.  So, if you are looking for some cool things to do and great meals to share over the next couple of weeks--consider these options and get there!

Eat Local Potluck at Stones Throw Farm--Saturday, April 12 at 6:30.  Bring a dish made of as many local sourced ingredients as you can and be prepared for a night of fun and laughter.  For more information on how to get to Stones Throw Farm, check out their website here.

Sharing Our Harvest: An Evening with Elizabeth Henderson, Local Farmers, and a Co-op Potluck--Monday, April 21 at 6:00 pm at Grace Episcopal Church (Parish House).  Author and farmer Elizabeth Henderson has recently updated the classic text on community supported agriculture (CSA).  You'll get to hear from her and area farmers who are offering CSAs this season.  The Syracuse Real Food Co-op is sponsoring this potluck event.  Grace is located at 819 Madison Street in Syracuse.  (Don't google the website--the website is down and this blogger has been too busy to create a new one).

Second Story Books and Cafe, at 550 Westcott Street, 2nd floor.  No event in particular, though they have been hosting some great ones lately.  If you haven't been to this indepedent bookstore lately or at all--check it out!  It is now not only a great place to find out of the ordinary books and journals but they are also serving up some righteous coffee and great food.  It is the SPOT! 

What I've Been Up To

My how the time can fly.  I've been running around attending to work, events, and friends.  I've got so much to post about but here's a sampling of what's to come and what I've been up to:

• Today's opening of the Syracuse Community Test Kitchen.  Ray Cross, the president of Morrisville State College says, "We want to put a product on store shelves where a neighbor could say 'I know the person who made that' made with ingredients grown in their neighborhood"  He's my new hero.
• A review of some fabulous lunches I've had at Sparkytown in Hawley-Green.
• Freshly roasted beans at Cafe Kubal in Eastwood.
• Browsing the cookbook and food literature section at Books End in Eastwood.
• The launch of Edible Finger Lakes--the first issue debuts next month.

Archive Alert:  On this date in 2006 I was catching up on the organic news of the day.

I'm not Irish but...

I do love that Irish Soda Bread.

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

You can find the recipe for this version of Irish Soda Bread at Saveur.

Get Your Share

Never mind the snow that is falling right now--this is the time to secure your organic produce for the summer and fall.  If you haven't already gotten your share in a Community Supported Agriculture program, now is the time sign up.  The Syracuse area has more options than ever and there is sure to be a farm subscription program that meets your needs and budget.

Now, you might be asking the question, "Why should I bother with a CSA when I can just shop the farmers' market?"  Fair enough, I've asked that question myself.  If you are already committed to shopping the markets each week then you know how wonderful it is to have a personal relationship with the person who grows your food.  You already know that you can count on getting organic, local, produce that will taste great because it is so incredibly fresh.  And you have already figured out that the farmers at the market can introduce you to new fruits and vegetables and broaden your culinary experience.

Specific information about each farm's CSA program after the jump.

A little nip/tuck and other newness in the blogosphere

Blog designs aren't Twinkies--I think they do have a finite shelf life.  After about a year with the Swiss chard in the banner I decided we needed a little tweaking around here.  I have fantasies of one day doing an uber-cool redesign but for now, this will do. 

But this blog's template isn't the only thing that is new around here.  Check out the CNY food and wine blog list on the left--two new fabulous Syracuse food blogs have joined the scene.  If you haven't yet discovered Fresh Cracked Pepper and bitter, sweet, sour, salt, then please check them out. 

At Fresh Cracked Pepper Jennifer Ward Barber writes beautifully about her food adventures and has lots of great photos to inspire your own cooking--I can tell you she inspires me.  She has a love for local and sustainable food and is generous in sharing it.

bitter, sweet, sour, salt is a group blog written by Meredith, Dawn and Elizabeth.  They also have a love for local food--both cooking it and discovering the best the Syracuse area has to offer.

And despite the cold temps, my thoughts are beginning to turn to starting seeds, extra hours of daylight, and the newness that is waiting to spring forth from the earth.  What newness are you anticipating?