Cookin' in the 'Cuse

The Shape of Things to Come

Call me crazy but with a barbeque on the Quad to feed dozens of hungry students on Sunday night I needed to get lots of provisions.  And as the purchases are normally made on a Wegmans charge card and the new Wegmans was opening right there in Liverpool--I had to go.  Just had to.

This was a spur of the moment excursion and I had no time to write the necessary letters to get permission to take photos inside the store so there are none.  For now, these exterior shots will have to suffice.

So what's the big deal you ask?  Actually, I'm asking that too.  But first let me say that I do my regular Wegmans shopping at the Dewitt store--one of the largest in Upstate New York.  I don't know what the old Liverpool Wegmans was like but I suspect that this upgrade was due.  This one is larger than the one they closed but not as large as Dewitt.  But aside from the changes in the floor tile, lighting (which was a tad too dark for me--particularly in the produce section), and the beautiful murals depicting scenes around the region--I couldn't tell much difference.  It may be because this new store added amenties and features that have long been in place in Dewitt.  Though I'll grant that the hordes of people may have made it more difficult to see the finer changes.

The interior layout seemed to be the same.  In fact, I was able to buy $100.00 worth of grilling food, utensils, condiments, (organic and conventional) without ever looking at a map--the layout is that similar.   I'm not a food store specialist so much of it is probably beyond me.  I do, however, have degrees in architecture and historic preservation but I'm not going to get into critiquing the exterior facade here.  But to state the obvious, those second story windows don't actually let any natural light onto the shopping floor.

But I don't begrudge Wegmans the desire for a fresh look.  What, with the clock tower and the outdoor seating at the Market Cafe the architecture begins to echo the reality that for many, Wegmans is the public square.  (And what is it with the cafes that front parking lots?) 

Last week when I took my folks from the Bahamas through the Dewitt Wegmans they couldn't believe it-they had that predictable look of incredulity that a Wegmans virgin gets in their eyes.  You have to admit, Wegmans is really unlike any other supermarket.  When I told them that this store was expanding they kept asking why.  It has been reported that when it is done the Dewitt Wegmans will once again be the largest in the chain.  I'll take the upgrades and the new exterior--fine.  But what more can they sell us?

Let the frenzy begin

If you've seen me at all this week, you'll know that I've been racing around with that "life is crazy" expression on my face.  This is Orientation Week at Syracuse University and I've been busy welcoming new students and getting ready for the new semester.  Plus, things are getting back in gear at the church AND I've had a family of friends visiting from the Bahamas all week.

So I've been cooking alot, with little time or energy to post.  I've been eating out of the garden, with little no time for weeding.  You know how it is.  Life just gets frenzied from time to time.

If you can relate, then in instead of writing lots for you to read, allow me to recommend the download of today's Talk of the Nation--Science Friday.  The first hour is all about eating local and featured Brian Halweil the author of Eat Here:  Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket, a book about eating within or closer to your foodshed.   The download will be available after 6:00 pm EST today.

My Bahamian friends are into good organic food too so we're going to hit both the CNY Regional Market and the Ithaca Market--perhaps we'll see you there!

The CNY Regional Market--Making it Work

Theater.  Community gathering spot.  Provisions and notions.  Carnival.  These are all words that might be used to describe the Central New York Regional Market.  To this list I'd also add complicated.

I ventured out in the rain this morning to find the organic farmers at the Market.  My hopes were that I'd meet some of the folks I have been talking to and hearing about--like Darren of Salvere Farm and to gather some tips to offer for shopping the market. 

I began with Wendy Gornick to pick up some chicken and short ribs.  And then I began hunting for vegetables--the organic vegetable growers, that is.  What they say is true--once you find one, you can quickly find the others.  But at every stand as I spoke with the farmers about what it is like to work the Market, I heard a shopper come up and say some variation on:  "Oh here you are!  Why do they keep moving you?  I really wish you were in the same place every week."  At these same stands I also heard variations on:  "These are the most beautiful squash I've ever seen!  That basil smells incredible!  I've got to have some of those cherry tomoatoes!" 

Here's what we know:

There is a dedicated group of consumers in the Syracuse area hungry for fresh, local, organic food.
There are dedicated farmers selling organically who want to sell their goods.
Farmer and consumer alike are frustrated by the moving around of the small organic farmers.

Here's what I learned today:

Some of the vendors at the market have been there for 70 years in the same spot.  Permanent leases are usually given to those who are at the market all year long.  When spots open up, they are almost "sold"--meaning, passed down-- like real estate to the farmer's kids or a vendor the farmer knows.  In other words, getting a permanent spot is really difficult.  Sure, there are ways to make it easier to find the organic folks but the Market Authority hasn't seen this as a priority.

Many of the farmers find the CNY market to be a losing proposition--competing with wholesalers with lesser quality produce means the organic folks often price their food at lower amounts than it might otherwise fetch.

Many farmers at the Regional Market do not have signs or they are small and hard to notice so you may have to ask alot just to find out the name of the farm you are looking at. 

There is a lot of interest in creating an organic farmers  market in the Westcott or University Hill area of Syracuse.

The situation at the market for organic farmers and consumers is much better than it was 10 years ago.

So how to shop the CNY Regional Market?

Here are a few tips with photos of the farmers so you know who you are looking for.  At the bottom of the post I'm excerpting some comments posted by Kathy Barry about here Saturday morning shopping ritual that makes use of the wonderful shops Syracuse has to offer--including the Regional Market.  Finally--be sure to check the comments section on the last CNY Market post--there is a lot of good stuff there.

• Wendy Gornick and her organic chickens, grass fed meats, honey, and eggs is located in A Shed.
• Wake Robin Farm, Sacred Seed and Salvare Farm--all local, organic (certified and not) farms can be often be found in C Shed.  Often, Sacred Seed and Salvare are adjacent to one another or across the aisle from one another.
• According to Bruce at Wake Robin Farm this will probably be their last year selling produce.  They are planning to come back with great dairy products including milk, butter and cheese.

Wake Robin Farm--Jordan, NY

Bruce Schader of Wake Robin Farm

Garlic and Beets at Wake Robin

Sacred Seed Farm, Summerhill, NY (near Cortland)

Ananda of Sacred Seed Farm

Salvere Farm

Darren of Salvere Farm

Produce at Salvare

Kathy Barry's Saturday Market Ritual:

Stones Throw, Sacred seed, Wake Robin, Salveres, plus Ron and Lillian, the garlic growers all fill our baskets each week.Some beatiful, flowers from Susan at Pods and Poppies completes our organic bounty.
As well as a bottle of organic wine from John Sustare at pheasant ridge.

In between I might buy an occasional non organic item. But I always buy from the small farmers, those who are actually growing the food. Its actually quite easy to spot the resale vendors. Those are the folks coming to market at 4am, buying produce and reselling it. The dole bananas, the strawberries etc. Just knowing whats in season can help in identifying whose produce is local.

Here's the part of the adventure you don't get fom the Ithaca market.
Returning to our home in the university we wind throught the North Side, stopping by Lombardis,where they always know the kind of cheeses we like and offer new ones to sample.Fresh pasta for the pesto I'll be making,as well as some carnoroli rice for risotto are the main reasons for this stop. Hopping over to Pascals for coffee and a scone, we continue on to Samirs for olive oil, bulgarian feta, and lavosh. Here Gabi has been known to offer a cup of his special coffee, as he questions whether or not I really want a certain type of oil, too strong for you. Generally he is impressed that we want the good tasting stuff.

A stop at the coop to finish our trip, hopefully the fish is in and the Patisierre bread. Generally a great conversation with Kris or Travis over the mornings bounty. And they share whats new in the store. By this point Brian is on his third cup of coffee, sharing bio diesel adventures and hauling our final bags to the car. Oh, yeah, did I mention we do this whole trip on biodiesel he makes from used vegetable grease from the Mission? Occasionally we need to stop there to pick up grease (in between pascals and samirs!)

We love this Saturday morning trip, we make plans for the week as we drive around, listen to the great music, and turn an errand into a pleasant hour or two. We don't stop every place everyweek, but always the Market and the Co-op.

Childhood Breakfast Cravings: SOLVED

It's been a while since my last confession so here we go:  when I was growing up a quick breakfast could be a bowl of Rice Krispies or a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit from McDonalds.  Even though I don't eat either one of those anymore I still get cravings...especially for the sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit.

Well guess what?  Making it at home is a cinch.  Baking buttermilk biscuits takes a about 20 minutes and while the biscuits are in the oven I heated up some organic chicken apple sausage--sliced them in half, sauteed up some scallions for a simple omelet made with local eggs, sliced some cheddar cheese and then put it all together.  A sliced Early Girl tomato made me feel "healthy".  One for me, and one for my husband--and so much better than Ronald "what's his name". 

I'm not much into Rice Krispies anymore, but will someone please tell me what is up with THIS?

I mean, they use organic sugar and organic rice so they've met the "letter of the law" but what does organic really mean now?

Yeah, I'm a Copy Cat...and Your Point Is???

This is how food bloggers flatter one another.  Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice made this tart a couple of weeks ago and inspired Stephanie over at Couteau Bonswan to make it.  Stefanie used peaches and blueberries with a bit of ginger.  I did it with local peaches and blueberries and added chopped cyrstallized ginger.  Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have the makings of an addiction.  Check out Cream Puffs in Venice for the recipe--and thanks for the inspiration!  P.S.  If you want an impressive, seasonal dessert, this one is EASY!

Tomato Nirvana at BC Restaurant

Over the past few weeks I've had the good fortune to eat some incredible meals in New York City, Boston, and Portland, Maine.  We're talking Barbara Lynch and Gabrielle Hamilton level of fabulousness.  But the most creative, tantalizing, and impressive of them all was right here at home in Syracuse at BC Restaurant.  Yeah, you probably already know how much I love BC but you've probably already figured out that I wouldn't keep going back if it didn't keep blowing my mind.

So here are a few pics and notes about tonight's Tomato Fest.  A couple of things--I was too busy being entranced by the tasting of seven heirloom tomatoes that began our meal to get a photo.  The light was also way off to get a decent photo of the final course--a scrumptious dessert that ought to be a regular on the menu during tomato season--it was phenomenal--but please excuse the photo.

The five courses in between were everything a dining experience should be--playful, delicious, flirtatious, deeply satisfying.  Chef/owner Bill Collins and his sous chef, Matthew Broderick (yes, that's his real name), and new pastry chef Clare Chiasson keep raising the bar here in Syracuse--New York City and Boston take note!

First Course:  Tasting of 7 Organic Heirloom Tomatoes
Here is the list of tomatoes in the order eaten.  Many of these are extremely rare and won't be found even at your farmer's market.  Becky Malcom of Schoolhouse Farms in Borodino, NY grows them.   The tasting was a great way to set the theme of the evening:
Persimmon tomato--a deep yellow tomato from Russian seed
Prize of the Trials--an orange colored cherry tomato
Italian Ox Heart--beautiful heart-shaped tomato
Azoychka--from Russian seed, yellow
Black Plum Paste--from Russian seed--rare variety
Forgot the Name--brought over from Italy by Becky's grandmother (she really, forgot the name)--but unforgettable taste
Togo Trifle--a west African variety--my favorite of the tasting

Second Course--Tomato Water

Tomato essence served with shucked raw oyster

Third Course--Ceviche

Assorted heirloom tomatoes with cilantro and coconut broth--this was spectacular. 

Fourth Course--Roasted Tomato Tart

Oven roasted tomato, grilled red onions and goat cheese

Fifth Course--"BLT"

Tomato topped with bacon bread crumbs and romaine hearts with house made aioli--this was Proustian--bringing back memories of delicious BLT's made by my grandfather and shared on a warm summer day

Sixth Course--Seared Red Snapper

Golden tomato jam, pinenutes and baby arugula--the snapper was crispy on the top, perfectly cooked,  nicely complementing the incredible jam--awesome!  Actually, they ought to sell the tomato jam at the front of the house

Seventh Course--Tomato Poundcake

Poundcake with a sweet tomato glaze and basil ice cream--PHENOMENAL!  Forget the photo--just close your eyes and imagine those incredible flavors in your mouth...

So this is a Nebraska Wedding!

Until this past May, I'd never heard of a Nebraska Wedding.  Weddings in Nebraska, yes.  But an edible Nebraska Wedding???  Let's just say that I've got some work do to on the heirloom tomato learning curve. 

It happened like this.  At the end of one of the Board meetings of the Syracuse Real Food Co-op, Jennifer B started handing out tomato seedlngs to any one interested.  I had already gotten a late start on mine and had a few transplants but I thought, one more couldn't hurt.  She handed me one of the healthiest little tomato plants I'd seen--nice and green with healthy strong stems.  She has a great gro-light thing going.  Anyway, I added the Nebraska Wedding to the fold and waited.

When it came time to harden off the tomatoes I began placing them outsisde near where they would be planted--just next to the driveway.  One morning in June I kissed my husband goodbye as he left for work and then watched him back out of the driveway--right on to the tomatoes.  You could hear my screams from the the other side of town, I'm sure.  I yelled "Stop!, Stop!" But he didn't hear me and it was too late.  Practically the entire crop was mowed down.  But on the advice of a fellow gardener I planted them anyway.

Well, they all did just fine. In fact, this is my best crop of tomatoes ever.  And after months of waitng the Nebraska Weddings are finally ripe for the picking--and are they ever worth the wait!  These are large orange globes of tender sweetness.  I had one as a side dish for dinner the other night--I just sliced it still warm from the sun and sprinkled some grey salt over it.  This is truly what summer is all about.  Today, I sliced one up and made a grilled cheese sandwich made with some Grafton Village maple cheddar cheese on Pheasant Bread--delicious!

If you think heirloom tomatoes are the prize of summer or want the opportunity to taste a variety of them prepared by one of Syracuse's best chefs, you gotta check out the BC Restaurant Heirloom Tomato Dinner.  There are seatings at 6:30 both tonight and tomorrow.  Tonight might be full but word has it that there is still room for tomorrow's dinner.  At $35 for a multi-course meal, I think its a steal.

This is tomato season so whether you can get to the dinner, grow you own, or get to the farmer's market--do whatever, but get 'em while you can!

Watch out...40 comes with a quickness!

We interrupt this food blog for a moment of personal reflection...

I don't quite know how it happened.  All I know is that I woke up this morning and "all of a sudden" I was 40.  Today is my birthday and I'm going to have to get used to life in a new decade.  That being said, I'm incredibly happy to be seeing this birthday at all.

Perhaps it is because of what I do for a living--presiding over funerals and burying people will surely keep one in touch with the gift of life.  Blessing babies minutes after they are born will do that too.  I am grateful to be called to a life in which I get to do both. 

But I'm particularly aware of the fragility of life--the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, car accidents, random tragedies, illness--you know the list--all these contribute to the sense that each time I arrive safely at home is a great day.  Each morning I wake to see another day is perfection.  I don't always remember this, of course, as I anticipate the return to work tomorrow morning I'd do almost anything for a delay or a slower clock.  However, when I do remember the gift of this fragile life, I can barely contain my joy.

So though it seems that turning 40 has come to surprise me by coming all too soon, I am happy to see it.  And I'm even more happy to be able to share this life with a wonderful husband, loving family, amazing friends, and the incredible community of the food blogosphere. 

Speaking of food and bloggers--folks like Sam have inspired me to some inspired eating for my birthday.  I returned from New York City this morning having spent several days feasting at some wonderful places--stories from Prune, Home, and Stone Barns coming soon!

Cool and Easy

These hot August days have had me craving something cool that tastes of the season.  My friend Steph had just the thing:  a slightly spicy but refreshing gazpacho.  We made it together a couple of mornings ago to have for a late Sunday lunch.  After walking around for 4 hours exploring downtown Syracuse (no smirks--4 hours was hardly enough time to see everything!) we were hot, hungry, and not interesting in feeling over full.  This was just the ticket.  A lot of the ingredients came straight from the garden and even if you don't garden, you'll find nearly everything you need at the farmers' market because it is all in season.  Plus the recipe doubles easily to feed a crowd.  Stay cool!

Easy Gazpacho (adapted from the New American  Plate)

• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped (or use a seedless one)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large roasted red pepper (I used some from a jar) seeded and chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of good extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cups of tomato juice (like V8)
• salt and pepper to taste
• hot pepper sauce to taste
• slices of avocado for garnish

Puree all ingredients except 2 cups of tomato juice and avocado in a food processor or blender to desired smoothness.  Add the third cup of tomato juice along with additional seasonings if desired. Allow to chill for several hours.   Ladle into bowls or goblets, garnish with avocado slices and serve.

NY Wine and Culinary Center--Restaurant Report

We're going to start with dessert first because, frankly, it was the highlight of our lunch.  Let me back up a bit.  Following our wine tasting at the New York Wine and Culinary Center on Saturday, my friends and I went upstairs to the Taste of New York Lounge for some lunch. 

Like the wines, the wonderful thing about the Center is the ability to taste a variety of foods from producers across the state that aren't easily available.  Take this ice cream, for example.  These scoops of Mercer's Ice Cream are usually only available in the North Country--think Boonville--the Oneida area, and the Adirondacks which are not places I get to very often.  This ice cream, however, might just change that--it was fantastic!  Especially the chocolate.  We're still trying to figure out just what made this deep, rich, and creamy cool treat so good but if you've haven't had Mercers--find some!  They pride themselves on getting their milk only from local dairies--no wonder it tasted so good.  Oh yeah, the other flavors were pistachio and orange pineapple.

The other two desserts on the table were a hazelnut torte and a Lively Run goat and marscapone cheesecake.  I didn't care too much for the torte--the cake beneath the ganache was a bit dry for my liking--it wasn't horrible--just okay.  But the cheesecake was wonderful.  I'd never had a cheesecake made with goat cheese before.  This one was super creamy with a complexity of flavor that had me going back for more and more--I was supposed to be sharing!  It wasn't cloying as some cheesecake can be either. 

A complaint?  Just a little one.  Well, maybe it is pretty big given the aim of the Center to educate people on the New York foodshed.  No one could tell me where those strawberries and blueberries were from.  I was hoping the blueberries might be local but I can't believe the strawberries were--the rains killed the strawberry season nearly two months ago.  The kitchen, however, was unable to tell me anything about them.  In fact, it was pretty difficult to get any information about the source of some of the food that was on our table.

Like many restaurants who have come to understand how interested people are becoming about where there food comes from, a Center that aims to source the majority of its food from within the state should proudly identify its farms and purveyors on the menu or at least inform the wait staff.  I ate the strawberries anyway, but with just a little bit of suspicion...

This lack of information held true for our main course as well.  There was an heirloom tomato salad on the menu but no real info on where the tomatoes were from.  We were told they were from Dusty Acres farm but I can't seem to find a listing for them in New York state. 

Nevertheless, our lunch entrees were pleasing if not spectacular.  I had the smoked salmon grilled cheese sandwich made with McAdam Munster cheese with a couple of tablespoons of pickled red onion on the side.  The sandwich was okay--I'd like to try this with a flakey smoked salmon or trout instead of the "lox" style.  The pickled onion was scrumptious--could have eaten that all day--it was a nice, sweet, complement to the savory cheese sandwich.  All the sandwiches came with a  side of "old world style" potato salad--basically a German style potato salad which was very tasty.  If the juices from the potato salad hadn't made my grilled cheese sandwich soggy, it would have been a perfectly good dish. 

The other sandwiches, though not listed as such, were served open face.  We had a tarragon roasted chicken salad on the table as well as a grilled and chilled vegetable sandwich and a crab salad special.  We were all happy with our meals but I have the sense that they can do better.  Still, I can see the balancing act they may be attempting in striving for a menu that reaches out to a wide range of tastes using ingredients and recipes from around New York state.  And the prices were pretty good--we had five entrees, three desserts and two glasses of wine for under $100.00 not including tip. 

Now if they get the food source info thing worked out and change the menu seasonally, I'll be back soon.