Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Groundhog Day and Blogging

Actually--there is isn't a real tight link on these two topics, except that if Puxatony Phil is looking for his shadow, I had better get back to blogging.  (I won't even go into how much groundhogs remind me of giant woodchucks that traumatized me last summer.)

Anyway, there is so much on the food scene that is blowing my mind these days and I can't wait to share it with you.  Soon, soon.  But shadow or no shadow--Groundhog Day is our first signal to begin sketching plans for our vegetables gardens, ordering seeds (if you haven't already) and beginning to get set up for starting seeds indoors--because spring will be here before we know it.  Really.

A Fresh Start

 
The first day of a new year is so much like the first day of seed-sowing:  you know, all that about fresh starts and new possibilities, hopes and dreams.  Well, I actually put a lot of stock in that--eternal optimist that I am. 

I'm actually quite happy that 2009 is over.  Though there were some wonderful things about the past year--meaningful work, renewed connections with high school friends (gotta love Facebook!), the joys of settling into a new home and neighborhood, and the continuing growth of the Syracuse locavore community, there is much I'm glad to be leaving behind--including some personal griefs and a few dozen pounds.

While I don't often speak of personal things in this space, that last bit bears mention, if only because it has meant a change in the way I eat.  Which has meant a change in the way I blog.  And I'm still figuring that out.  You may have already noticed that there were fewer recipes in 2009 than previous years.  No worries, Cookin' in the 'Cuse will not become a diet blog but I do hope to continue posting recipes that reflect fresh, seasonal, local food.

If all goes well, there may be some other changes that impact my blogging life--I'll need to leave it at that, though, until I have more clarity.  But trust me, I expect the impact will be positive!

As we begin a new decade please accept my thanks and gratitude for sticking with me and making this food blog and the journey that it is, so delicously wonderful.  Here's to 2010!  May it be glorious for us all.

Four Years of Cookin' in the 'Cuse...

...and I've loved every yummy minute!

It would not be an overstatement to say that this blog has helped me to create a life here in Syracuse and Central New York.  It has led me to four rich and full years of cooking, gardening, exploring food sources, exploring food politics, incredible meals both locally and around the world, and most of all--making new friends. 

Thank you, dear readers, for stopping by, commenting, sticking with me when the posts were lean, and for helping to create a community that has played its own small role in igniting an important conversation about good food in our region and the people who help make it happen.  I'm looking forward to the years to come!

Decision '08

As much as I'm into politics this is not a post about the presidential race.  This is a post--the first of more to come--about the future of Cookin' in the 'Cuse.  I have some decisions to make and instead of making them alone, I'd like to solicit YOUR help.

First thing:  the decision will not be to end this blog.  Despite my infrequent postings as of late I still have a desire to continue this forum for sharing my love of food in Central New York.  But the next few months will be even busier than the last few (I can hardly imagine it but its true) and I feel the need to check in with those who read this blog for some direction.

Cookin' in the 'Cuse has a good-sized  geographical area that it attempts to cover and my interests are many.  Over the past three and a quarter years this blog has covered food politics, the locavore movement, product reviews, local and regional farms and products, restaurant reviews, organic gardening, restaurant and event news, and recipes.  During this time, the awareness of eating locally and sustainably has grown exponentially and there is even more to cover and keep up with--frankly, it can be a bit overwhelming. 

So here's how you can help.  Over the next couple of weeks I hope to post a survey to get your feedback about what you like about Cookin' in the 'Cuse, what you'd like to see more of, what you might be interested in that I haven't ever covered.  In the meantime, I'd appreciate any initial feedback you have to offer so please post a comment and tell me what you think--I'd love to hear from you!

Blog Day 2008

"

Oh, where does the time go?  I guess a schedule that has me back at work, orientation and first week of classes at SU, a funeral, a wedding, some exciting advances on the home front (more on that soon I hope!) and my recently renewed obsession with blogs about art, design, and printing leave little time for my own blog.  And, oh yeah, there are those quickly ripening tomatoes here at Dorset Harvest Farm (and even a strawberry or two when I can beat the squirrels to them) to keep me busy in the garden.  So you get it--lots going on.

But enough about me--Blog Day is about other people's blogs.  I've been given shout outs in years past by bloggers who have introduced me to their readers by listing me as one of their 5 blogs for this annual blog event.  The point is to recommend blogs that are different from your own and help expand our experience of the blogosphere because, you know, you needed help getting lost in the deep and endless world that is the internet.

So here are my picks--I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

1.  Boxcar Press.  This totally cool letterpress printing company is located on Fayette Street (in the Delevan Gallery complex) and blog about what they do here.  I went to a specialized high school for printing and journalism in Manhattan and still have a great love for printing ink, handset type, and all things paper.  In addition to turning out beautiful letterpress cards, stationary, and the like, Boxcar is moving toward more and more sustainable practices including working with Jamie Edelstein and CSA/CNY to provide organic vegetables on the premises of their production facility--very, very, cool.

2.  Freshly Blended.  This blog is fairly new to me but it was here that I discovered Nook--a cute shop in Pittsford specializing in journals, letterpress cards, handbags, pillows, and small production accessories items for the home.  Freshly Blended is based in the Rochester Buffalo area and helps me keep inspired to be creative outside of the kitchen.

3.  Bike Portland.  It's been no secret to friends of mine that if I could live anywhere else right now, other than the 'Cuse it would be Portland, OR.  When I'm not drinking our own local Gimme! Coffee, you can bet i"m downing something from Stumptown Coffee Roasters.  But the other reason I love Portland is because of their bicycling culture--they are almost always rated the number one bike-friendly city in America.  To see why and to get inspired to get on my bike more here, I regularly read this blog.

4.  Zen Habits.  This blog is perfect for me:  a productivity blog about getting things done with a Zen-like intentionality.  There is inspiration here for everything from saving money to establishing a calm routine for getting through our busy days.  This blog has thousands of subscribers--read one post and you'll see why.

5.  Notebookism.  I did mention that I love paper, right?  This blog is a daily read for what's new on the paper front--reviews and news on journals, pens, planners, and the folks who use them creatively. 

Check 'em out.

Can it be? This blog is Three?!?

It is quite stunning to me that this blog has reached it's third birthday.  I never thought it would last this long.  As I think about what it means to begin a fourth year of Cookin' in the 'Cuse I'm gratefully aware of how much the Syracuse-area organic and sustainable food scene has grown since I began.

There are more food blogs, more farms, more CSAs, more great places to eat, more folks growing their own food, and more reasons to be excited about what the future holds for eating well in Central New York than ever.  Isn't it a great time to be here?

I'm also aware that it takes a community to make the incredible changes and developments we've witnessed in our local food scene.  I'm indebted to all of you--farmers, producers, restauranteurs, foodies, co-op folks, gardeners, and environmentalists for doing what you do and for giving me a reason to write.

Here's to another year of good eating and Cookin' in the Cuse!

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?

Coming out of a bout of the blogging blues

What can I say?  I haven't felt like blogging lately and haven't been sure what to do about it--hence the silence.  Of course the holidays took up most of my attention and next week I'll be on vacation in the Bahamas and not able to blog either.  But after a too long absence, I'm getting a bit blog hungry again.

I don't think I can underestimate the effect that the closing of Hawley Green Bistro and Essentially Bread has had on my psyche.  I never really blogged about Essentially Bread which was a fantastic bakery in Elbridge--a good 30 minutes from Syracuse.  They had the best European style breads I've found in this area--they helped me to forget my beloved Acme Bread from Berkeley, CA.  Anyway, I struggled with whether there is anything to new to say about the Syracuse area food scene.

But...yesterday I had tea at Roji Tea Lounge in downtown Syracuse and was reminded of what an incredible place that is.  While there I had a conversation with a friend who was all fired up about learning the delights of organic and local food.  The topper though, was walking into Fins and Tails to pick up some salmon only to be overwhelmed by the delicious aromas of the prepared foods for sale and, a few minutes later, to be captivated by fishmonger Tom Farmer in a conversation about the difference between the salmon he carries and the stuff I purchased recently at a local supermarket--I hope to post on that tomorrow.   

Then in perfectly-timed glimmer of hope, Jill emails me to tell me, among other things, about some new eateries back near the Hawley Green neighborhood. 

So Cookin' in the 'Cuse will be back around the 22nd of this month.  I'll be refreshed from some much needed time away and will be looking forward to another year of discovering the delights of the 'Cuse.

Bad, Bad Blogger

It isn't just that I've not posted in a week or so.  And it isn't that I haven't been inspired to write.  The evidence against me is this:

• Spending five days in New York City with a dead camera battery (and no back up!) making it impossible for me to photograph delicious meals at Balthazar and other favorite haunts.
• Holding out on sharing the fantastic wines I've discovered in Long Island Wine country recently.
• Not posting about the fabulous cheese and gelato being produced on Seneca lake.

Well, let's just say that vacation has gotten me off my game a bit but never fear, these posts are comng soon.

I've not fallen off the face of the earth...

Forget Christmas, this is the most crazy time of the year. 

My poor little blog, I have neglected it so.  I was away all last week--spending almost as much time in airports as I did in the meetings to which I flew, narrowly escaping an all-nighter on floor of the Detroit airport.  And it is time to sow my seeds and today begins Holy Week--let's just say that it is a week of ten-twelve hour days preparing for Easter.  All of which means that regular blogging will resume as my best mode of procrastination. 

Thanks for hangin' in there with me.