Cookin' in the 'Cuse

What I'm Loving...

From left to right.  Click on any photo to enlarge.
Row 1
Sticky bun from Artisan Cafe in Trumansburg.  With a light and airy pastry, these buns are sticky but not cloying.  I went for a bite and ended up eating the whole thing.

Wake Robin Farm Milk.  My milk of choice--creamy, rich, and delicious.  Available on Saturdays at the CNY Regional Market.  Thanks Meg!

Upstate Harvest Granola.  This is a breakfast granola, a snacking granola, an anytime granola.  Just sweet enough--with flax seeds it's healthy too.  A little bit of sea salt balances it out just right.  Available at Nelson Farms and area food co-ops.

Row 2
Evans Farmhouse Creamery Butter.  This is my "gold standard" of butter--it even ranked among the best in the world in a recent issue of Saveur magazine.  Get it at the Syracuse Real Food Co-op.

Smoked trout salad from Fins and Tails Gourmet Seafood shop on Pasta's Stretch Bread.  This is lunch made easy because the good folks at Fins and Tails have already done the work.  Also spotted at Fins and Tails--duck eggs!

Ramps.  I got these from the Finger Lakes Family Farms booth at the CNY Regional Market.  These will be turned into Deb Whiting's Ramp Pesto recipe featured in the Spring issue of Edible Finger Lakes.

Row 3
Hazelnut currant cream scones.  There isn't a scone recipe I won't try.  This is from a package of Bob's Red Mill hazelnut meal.  Sure there's cream but no eggs or butter resulting in a tender, not too sweet, nutty scone.

Golden Pheasant Wine from Pheasant Ridge Vineyards.  This wine is uber local to the Syracuse area from grapes grown in Jamesville.  This wine is a supple mix of grapes, apples and honey--it is yummy.

Stumptown Roasters Coffee.  This is the Nicaragua Los Delirios blend roasted on May 5.  How good is this coffee?  Stumptown is to the Pacific Northwest what Gimme! is to our area--careful, fanatic, serious coffee people.  I carried this bag back from the Ninth Street Espresso stand at Chelsea Market in Manhattan.  By the time my flight touched down back in Syracuse the entire plane was salivating for coffee.

Row 4
Early rhubarb from Blackbrook Farm in Seneca Falls.  These are from Kendra and Paul who are known for their amazing greens--including those spicy wasabi greens.  You can buy their seedlings at the Syracuse Real Food Co-op--watch for the sale on May 24--but this rhubarb is going into an apple pie.

Teriyaki Pork Spareribs from Oink and Gobble Farm.  I've been eating spareribs nearly every week since I've found these at the Finger Lakes Family Farm stand at the Regional Market.  These are marinated in some of that Soy Vey Teriyaki sauces and broiled on a rack in the oven at 350 degrees until tender.  A glass of Billsboro Riesling to wash it down makes me a happy camper.

Sunlight, Chase and my tripod.  I just love this shot because it represents play time for me.  A little time learning how to manipulate light and shutter speeds, a tripod to keep the camera steady--and my buddy Chase who is happy to follow the sunlight all around the house.

Archive Alert:  On this date in 2007 I exposed my fridge for all the world to see.

Common Thread Community Farm

It was a sad day when the news was released that Green Rabbit Farm in Madison County was packing it in.  But good news abounds--Common Thread Community Farm is up and running on Green Rabbit's former site.  Common Thread is currently taking orders for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares and even plans on having pick up sites in Syracuse.  Folks closer to Hamilton will have the option of picking up shares on the farm and there is even a Pick Your Own program to harvest seasonal crops--how cool is that?   They also plan to be regulars at the Hamilton Farmers' Market. 

To get more information about signing up for a CSA share and to learn more about Common Thread and farmers Chris and Amy (and Ellie their Border Collie) check out their website here.  And be sure to give them a warm welcome to Central New York--we are so glad they are here!

Archive Alert:  On this date in 2006 I was undergoing an Oxtail Conversion.

Farmers' Market on the SU Campus Tomorrow!

When I visited Portland, OR four years ago one of the things that impressed me most was the amazing farmers' market sited on a campus of Portland State University.  When I arrived at Syracuse University the next year all I could think of was how perfect a location it would be for a local market.  Tomorrow, thanks to the hard and fast work of folks on campus, I'll get to see my fantasy come true.

Friday, from 11:00 - 3:00 pm the parking lot on the corner of Waverly and Crouse will be turned into the University Community Harvest Farmers' Market.  According to the promo materials the market will feature:

"A variety of fresh vegetables, meats and cheeses, maple syrup, honey and other edibles available from CNY farmers and other food providers. Plus information will be available on sustainable agriculture, healthy eating and related topics. Open to the public."

What is especially notable is that the market will feature local products--many of them organic or sustainably produced.  In case it isn't obvious--this MUST succeed.  There are plans afoot to do this a couple of times per year but I'm certainly hoping on greater frequency.  But that will happen only if this goes well.  So stop by, check it out, tell your friends, tell your students to get their lunch there, pick up something to make for Saturday's Eat Local Potluck. 

I'll be at the information booth to share resources on sustainable agriculture and good food.  I hope to see you there!

    

The Farm as Church or the Religion of Eating Local

MY church is a farm. Give me a few chickens, a long row of carrots and the smell of dirt, and I’ll find the open heart and inner peace others might seek from a prayer book or a pew.

So begins an article by Kim Severson in this morning's NY Times.

As an Episcopal priest I thought this article was going n a whole different direction but it turns out, it is a quick and interesting read that explains the motivation of some to eating local.  In fact, the more that is written about our food system or the Farm Bill or organic food the more I hear people struggling to understand the issues.  And if all of the recent writings, politics, and controversies about food is new it can be pretty overwhelming.  It really isn't too different from a new convert trying to understand their new faith but without a regular congregation, pastor, or theological tome to help guide the way.

To help, the NY Times piece in today's paper does cite books by Michael Pollan and Barbara Kingsolver as the bibles of the eat local movement.  And I have to say that each week that I go to the CNY Regional Market and connect with Brian and Megan from Stones Throw Farm or Meg from Wake Robin Farm, it is kind of like going to the church coffee hour.  I get to see friends, I learn a little more about the food I'm eating and the life I'm trying to shape around my food choices, and I experience the strengthening of my community.  I would imagine that this journey would be pretty lonely and difficult if it weren't for the "congregation" that exists at the market, on the internet via blogs, and in my own community.  When I miss the market, or don't make it to the Co-op for several days, I feel as if something is really missing in my week and, for me, it is as much about the people as it is about the food.

In the church world there is a tradition of "bring a friend to church" Sunday.  I'm in the mind of wanting to suggest that as we look forward to this year's Eat Local Challenge that begins next month, that we each befriend an eat local buddy.   It may sound corny but think about it:  we each probably know someone who is struggling their way through the maze of food options all in the hopes of making some small changes that will lead to something more delicious and more healthy on their dinner plate.  We can all raise our hands on that one, can't we?  I'm not thinking of a buddy who would call you up to ask what you ate for dinner last night, but perhaps, someone to meet up with a the market to explore new foods together, or a weekly lunch date where you commit to an eat local meal or a conversation about what you love about local foods, or even a dinner gathering or two to bring together folks to celebrate the local bounty. 

Well, it may be a crazy idea but I know that everything is more fun when you have someone to share the journey.

Archive Alert:   On this date in 2005 I was hyping a couple of eat local dining experiences at bc Restaurant and the Craftsman Restaurant.  Note:  bc Restaurant is doing a 7 course special dinner with beer pairings on August 27th--their taking reservations now.
On this date in 2006 I was trying to figure out how to make the CNY Regional Market work.

Eastside Farmers' Market Opening Day

It takes a lot of work to get a new farmers' market to open and after two years, endless meetings, countless phone calls, and lots of planning, the Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers' Market opens today at 3:00 pm.  This is an important milestone in the Syracuse food scene and this little market has a lot to prove.

This market has to prove that neighborhoods will do more than clamor for a farmers' market, they'll actually support it.

This market has to prove that farmers' markets are actually viable options for bringing fresh food to areas and people that can't easily access them.

This market has to prove that the gift that we gave to NYC in the idea of the Union Square Greenmarket can actually be returned to us as we seek to turn one of our own formerly drug-infested parks into a destination for weekly shopping and community gathering--and community revitalization.  The Eastside Neighborhood market will also have live performances and cultural events to make it fun for all ages.

Of course all that this little market has to prove rests only partly on the market--the bulk of it is up to us.  It will be up to us to shop it, support it, and champion it.  Even if it is not what we might expect it will be up to us to help make it what we want it to be.  I have high hopes for it but don't want to judge this fledgling venture right out of the gate.  Even the great Union Square Greenmarket started with just a few producers in one section of the park.

The point is, we have to start somewhere and that somewhere is at Lexington Park on East Genesee Street between Columbus and Lexington.

Friday Miscellany

Photo taken at 1:16pm today just overhead of the Syracuse Real Food Coop.

I'm going to take this rain-halo that sat over the Syracuse Real Food Coop this afternoon as a sign of blessing over our local food scene because folks, it's a good time to be eatin' in the 'Cuse!

• Today is the first day of strawberry picking at Cobblestone Valley Farm in Preble.  The fields are right on Rt 281 and the berries are ripe, sweet, and juicy.  Maureen Knapp expects there to be pretty good picking until about the Fourth of July but don't wait.  Remember that the rains cut last year's strawberry season down to about a week. 

The Hawley-Green Bistro expects to open on July 2nd but you can get a sneak peek of what's to come by checking out the Strathmore Art on the Porches tomorrow on the 100 Block of Ruskin Avenue.  Hawley-Green Bistro will have a cafe for the day on the corner of Summit and Ruskin from 11am to 5pm.

• Tomorrow is the annual Grace Episcopal Church (Syracuse) Chicken and Ribs BBQ.  Grace is located at the corner of University and Madison.  You can take your order to go or enjoy it onsite in the shady Welsh garden next to the church.   Meals are $8.00 for adult and $6.50 for kids and includes your choice of side dish and dessert.  Proceeds go to support our children and youth programs including their new community garden project.
• The Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers' Market has its grand opening on Thursday, June 21 at Lexington Park (at E. Genesee and Colmubus).  The Market will be open on Thursdays from 3-8pm through October 25.
• Not only do we have great fresh produce coming to the Eastside area of Syracuse but there will soon be organic, pasture-raised poultry and meats too.  McDonald Family Farm will be setting up a Syracuse Connection beginning Thursday, June 28.  All orders are taken in advance via email and all you have to do is come to the Grace Episcopal Church parking lot (Madison Street near University Ave.) and pay and pick up your order.  For more information see the adjacent post.

CNY Regional Market Update

Radishes, lettuces, spring onions and scallions, and soon--strawberries--are all ripe right for picking right about now but if you want to get the organic versions at the Saturday Central New York Regional Market you will have limited options.

Things have changed quite a bit since my post on how to shop the Regional Market last August.  Don't panic--Wendy Gornick is still there selling her pasture-raised meats--but the produce options have been drastically reduced signaling the difficulty of sustaining small, organic farms.

Stones Throw Farm, based in Nedrow, is still in their spot at the end of the shed closest to the baseball stadium--and thank goodness because right now, they are the only folks selling organic veggies (and compost) at the market.  If I'm wrong on this someone PLEASE correct me. 

Wake Robin Farm is there selling yogurt and, for a limited time, milk but true to what they said last year, they are no longer in the market for produce.

Sacred Seed has not been at the market yet this spring but they may be coming to the new Lexington Market on Thursday afternoon/evenings--that market opens on June 21.

Salvere Farm is only doing community supported agriculture (CSA) shares and will not be at the Regional Market.

I'm trying not to be worried about what this means for those who want to seek out local and organic produce.  While I rejoice in what seems to be an increased interest in CSA shares, I'm trying not to worry about the fact that just as the interest in eating local and organic is rising the number of options available to us at the Regional Market is decreasing.

Conversations with local farmers and the closing of Green Rabbit Farm in Madison attest to the difficulty of growing and selling produce and doing better than just staying afloat.  But I fear that with fewer options folks will simply go back to the major supermarkets and purchase the tomatoes and peaches flown or trucked in from California.

There is clearly a larger issue here but maybe it is simply a matter of getting over the paradox of choice where having too many options overwhelms instead of comforts.  It is still possible to go to the Regional Market and get everything you need for a local and sustainable meal--meat, dairy products, wine, breads and produce.  I guess I thought I'd be telling a different story this year about how the number of organic vegetable growers had doubled to about ten--not dwindled to one.  Again, if I'm misinformed here I'd be grateful to be corrected.

Bottom line--support our local growers, especially the organic ones.  It is a really tough business and our patronage really makes a difference.

Working the Pyramid

This is a page from George Siemon's powerpoint presentation on Coorperatives and our Hope.  Siemon, of CROPP Cooperative writes in the Organic Valley newsletter about how important co-ops are to ensuring that healthy, organic food gets to the market--CROPP (Cooperative Regions of Organic Produce Pools) is the largest organic cooperative with 900 farmers in 24 states producing dairy and meat products. 

What I like about this pyramid is that it shows the national Organic Food Production Act (with that USDA Organic label we now look for) as the foundation--meaning the place to begin--in a journey of eating better for self and the planet.  At the top of the pyramid is "Grow your own".  Siemon encourages us to explore the continuum "each in our own way."

Looking for the organic label is a great place to start but if we are going to ensure the survival of our small and mid-size family farms we will have to encourage others to explore the continuum--work the pyramid.  Now that we're in May and the trees are finally beginning to bud I want to encourage everyone to begin shopping our markets again--both the Ithaca Farmers' Market and the CNY Regional  Market are open.  While it may be too soon to fill your market basket with lush produce, it is the perfect time to pick up packs of seedlings of tomatoes, lettuces, onions, or anything thing else you want to stick in the ground or in a pot to get your home garden started.  And, oh yes, if you buy that little pot of rosemary and tend it--you are growing you own. 

So go on, work the pyramid.

Archive Alert:  This date last year I was just starting the 2006 Eat Local Challenge.

Calling All Farmers

Farmers interested in selling their goods at the new Lexington Farmers Market on the near east side of Syracuse are invited to an informational meeting at the Westcott Community Center on Thursday, March 22 from 6-7:00 pm.  For more information contact Kate at 470-4893.

Folks have been working very hard over the past two years to bring a market to this part of town--currently slated to be a Thursday afternoon-early evening market running from about June through October.  The market site is on the western end of Lexington Park that runs alongside E. Genesee Street.  What makes this unlikely location great?

• It is right in the middle of lots of revitalization efforts including park improvements (new playground equipment) and the planned tear down of the dilapidated Cherry Hill Apartments which are making way for new townhouses. 
• The location can draw three main segments of market goers:  those who live in the Syracuse University area; those who take the E. Genesee route from downtown Syracuse to the eastern suburbs (Fayetteville, Dewitt, etc.) and lastly and perhaps most importantly, east side residents of color who currently have few options for accessible, fresh, and healthy produce and meats.
• Having a farmers' market adjacent to a park brings to mind images of children playing, parents shopping, and the possibility of recreating a bit of the town square concept right here in the city of Syracuse.

I'm really excited for this effort and hope it succeeds.  Everything sold at this market must be grown or produced by the seller--so no repackaged wholsale produce.  Plus, a real effort is being made to sell produce that different ethnic and cultural groups eat to broaden the participation of those who shop farmers' markets--so don't be surprised if you see a lot of sweet potatoes and collards next to that radicchio.  Finally, we will also have the ability to shop more frequently for fresh foods rounding out the downtown market on Tuesdays and Saturdays at the Regional Market. 

Syracuse's Gift to NYC

I'm still in awe at discovering this nugget of history:  the great Union Square Greenmarket in NYC is indebted to Syracuse.  It's true.  I read it in The New York Times.  No, really, it is true.  Actually I read it first it David Kamp's Book, The United States of Arugula:

Recognizing the error of their ways in the seventies, Syracuse's civic leaders took the radical step in 1972 of closing off a city block to traffic once a week to make way for a European-style-open-air market in which farmers could sell their wares directly to consumers...This was the scenario that motivated [Barry] Benepe, who was so inspired by Hess' report, he says, that "We originally modeled Greenmarket on Syracuse."

John Hess, then food writer at The New York Times, wrote his piece in October of 1973:

Food lovers should raise a fork today in salute to the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.  Last spring, it got the city to turn a street over to farmers every Tuesday and presto! the village fair was resurrected.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and flowers, cheeses and home baked goods and handcrafts drew even suburbanites from their dreary shopping centers.

That Syracuse was the inspiration for what has to be one of the most successful regional farmers' markets in the country just awes me.  And, to be honest, it frustrates me.  I watched Union Square evolve from drug den to foodie heaven and now I wonder why our own market hasn't inspired the same downtown renaissance. 

I'm also frustrated because some of the farmers that make the Union Square market so great are from Central New York but don't come to our market--it isn't as worth it I suppose.  And I also know that what helped get Union Square going was a young Danny Meyer who began shopping there for the ingredients that turned into amazing meals at his Union Square Cafe.  His staff still shops there.  I'd love to poll our local Armory Square restaurants to see if any regularly source ingredients from our Regional Market on Tuesdays or Saturdays. 

I'm glad for New York City--I shop the Union Square Greenmarket every chance I can.  But I wonder when Syracuse will stop being known for its exports and get folks looking at our city once again for the dynamic things that are here. 

I mentioned in my reply to a comment on the Market Saturation post that I'd open up one of the businesses I listed if I had an investor.  I was only half kidding.  The potential here is unreal.