It's That Time Again, Kids....

I am in heaven. Pure bliss. You know why? It's that time of year again, the time that all Chicagoans suffer 9 months of the year just to get to.

Yes, folks, it's summer.

DISCLAIMER: For all of you scientists out there, I realize that it is not yet officially meteorological summer. But I am sitting on my back deck, sun shining overhead, iced latte in hand, staring at my beautiful flowers, herbs, and veggie plants. To me, this is summer incarnate.

And of course the start of summer means the start of the outdoor Farmer's Market and Year 2 of our CSA from Iron Creek Farms. Unlike last year, when I obsessed over which CSA to sign with to the point where we missed  the first few weeks of the growing season, the BF and I were on the ball this year and signed up in time to get the full bounty. I am beyond ecstatic that my groceries will be organic and local for the next 6 months.

So what does that mean for you, loyal readers? For those who have been following my trials and travails since this time last year, you may remember my well-intentioned but ill-executed plan to keep you updated on what we received in the weekly box and how we used it. While pondering the blog post for this summery day I thought, what the hell, let's give it a go again. You know what they say: If at first you don't succeed, etc. etc.

As it is the start of the growing season, our box isn't super big as of yet, but still filled with quite an array of goodies. Oh, and as a quick side note: our experiment with a full share in the Fall/Winter box was still a bit stressful for us last year, so we decided to stick with the half-share this year. It should hopefully be just enough for us to use for the week, while still providing some extras to freeze and store for the winter months.

Week 1: (L to R): sweet potatoes, sungold tomatoes, basil, tomato, beets, radishes, leaf lettuce, spinach

How we used it isn't terribly exciting, but I'm not complaining. As much as I love trying out new recipes with exciting, fresh ingredients, sometimes its just nice to enjoy the raw veggies in their purest form.

From the above selection, we made a few salads with spinach, lettuce, radish, and tomato; sweet potato chips; and simple cooked sweet potatoes with just a little butter. The Sungold tomatoes were so sweet we ate them straight as a mid-day snack for work. And the basil, which is easy to keep alive and fresh in a glass of water, is being used in Aunt Florence's pesto recipe, which freezes beautifully in small containers for whenever the mood strikes us.

Today we picked up this week's box, and while there are some repeats, we've got big, exciting plans for some others... which I will save for next week's post. I'm such a tease! But one has to create intrigue, no? Stay tuned. Also, please let me know below on how you would have used the above box. You know what they say: Curious minds, etc. etc.

A Box By Any Other Name.... **RECIPE ALERT**

Ah, the seasons. They just keep rollin' along. We are now officially in the midst of Fall. The trees have changed, most leaves have fallen, and it's getting dark now by 6pm (boo). I'm feeling pretty confident that we're well past our last late-season warm spell. It makes me sad, as summer is my favorite season of the year for many reasons. While I do enjoy the fall and many of the lovely trappings that come with it, I think I become forlorn because that means winter is just around the corner, and the next summer is oh so far away.

Summer ended in another way for me, too, a week ago: I picked up my last summer CSA share which, while small, was really quite the beautiful bounty as it was almost totally different than anything I got all season:

carrots, pie pumpkin, bell peppers, sweet potato, swiss chard, celery, broccoli

And for a bit I thought that would be it for the season. Sure, I plan to frequent the Farmer's Market for the last few Sundays they are open, but I wasn't really considering signing up for the Fall/Winter CSA share that Iron Creek was offering. I thought of how hard it was for me to get through a half box each week, and I was concerned that I would just be torturing myself to go the distance.

However, after much discussion with my boyfriend and conversations with my personal farmer, I was swayed to stick with it. The ever-supportive and encouraging BF offered to split a full share with me (after much debate on whether to split a full or half) and Tamera from Iron Creek assured me that due to the types of produce we would be getting throughout the Fall (root veggies, greens, potatoes, etc) they would keep longer and therefore reduce the stress of having to use up a whole box by the next week.

So we wrote a check and now, looking back, I am really really glad we did. Beyond missing the lazy beach days and evenings grilling out on the back deck that are the hallmarks of my summer, I was dreading having to spend my winter at Whole Foods buying organic produce from Chile or Guatemala or someplace way too far away. This Fall/Winter box goes through the middle of December (with some items lasting much longer than that), which means I will hopefully only have to shop for imported veggies for just a few short months until the market starts up again.


It also means that I get to experiment for a bit longer with veggies that I would normally shoo away. No, I have still not developed a taste for beets, and I must admit I do not miss seeing them in my box one iota. But the broccoli, of which I'm not a huge fan, keeps on coming, and now varying and very interesting types of cauliflower are landing in my crisper, too.

Back up a sec-- let me change that broccoli assessment a bit.  Over the summer I found that broccoli was beginning to grow on me (not literally, of course. That would be terrifying). I credit this change with the fact that when I do have a chance to eat a decent dinner on the road, my thirst for veggies has netted me more than a few side dishes of steamed broccoli. And really, I enjoyed them. Probably wouldn't have chosen them if there were other options, but my plate is always cleaned.

I have had about the same original feelings for cauliflower which meant, while eyeing the interesting green variety that had been chillin' in my fridge for a week, I felt the need to give this veggie a second chance. And after yet another week's worth of travel I was excited to dig into my overstuffed fridge for a cooking adventure.

The recipe I settled on--Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Puree-- is really quite awesome.  I therefore share it with you below. And even if you don't have the patience or the inclination to try the whole thing, may I just say that simply caramelizing cauliflower is AWESOMELY DELICIOUS?!?!  Really. Just try it once. It has a nuttiness and a flavor all it's own that is totally different than basic cauliflower. I may just start eating that straight as a side dish as the mood strikes me.

Another cool thing about this recipe is that it can be used as an appetizer, a side, or a vegetarian main course. I decided to go for it as a main and am quite satisfied, although as I type this some Italian-style potatoes are roasting happily in the oven as the second part of my dinner. I would put a photo of the finished dish but really, cauliflower on top of cauliflower does not photograph well. If someone can find an artistic way to capture white on white (or light green on light green, as mine was) you win a prize.

And of course, it wouldn't be a true recipe alert if not for a few notes. You love it! I know! I found and modified a recipe that I found on Epicurious, where one should never discount the comment section. The majority of the negative comments-- that is, the few there were-- slammed the puree for being too bland. My version adds a number of different spices and flavorings that I thought made the puree anything but boring. I also substituted water with vegetable broth and added a touch of aged parmesan reggiano. If you don't want the cheese, don't have veggie broth, are not a garlic fan, or if paprika is too spicy for you, feel free to eliminate or substitute with other ingredients of your choosing. Also, many reviewers said they used a bit of truffle oil with great success. While that version sounds wonderful, alas I do not have truffle oil. Now, where is that shopping list?....

Cauliflower, welcome to my repertoire!
Cauliflower Steaks with Cauliflower Puree
serves 2


Ingredients:
1 1.5 lb head of cauliflower
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or water, if you prefer)
1 cup whole milk (I used skim because that was all I had and I think it worked just fine)
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup (approx) grated fresh parmesan reggiano
salt and pepper to taste
whole peppercorns
paprika to taste
2 tbs vegetable oil plus additional for brushing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250°F. Using sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end. Set cauliflower steaks aside.

Cut enough florets from remaining cauliflower head to measure 3 cups. Combine florets, 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, and milk in medium saucepan, and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, peppercorns and paprika. Add in a whole peeled garlic clove. Bring to boil and cook until cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent curdling. Strain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. (NOTE: by the time I strained it I had only about a half cup of liquid left, which ended up being a perfect amount for the puree. I actually wonder if a full cup would make the consistency too watery.)

Spread florets on large rimmed baking sheet, and bake 10-12 minutes until slightly dry. Transfer florets to blender. Add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid in batches (to make sure it doesn't get too watery) and parmesan and puree until smooth. Return puree to same saucepan and increase oven temperature to 350°F.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush cauliflower steaks with additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower steaks to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10 minutes.

Rewarm cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide puree between 2 plates; top each with cauliflower steak.

Know Your Food, Know Your Farmer

We in the Au Naturale/organic world often say it, but the other week I actually did it.

Two weekends ago my boyfriend and I eagerly jumped on the "Farm Day" invitation extended to us by my CSA purveyor, Iron Creek Farm. Having never done a farm visit like this, and eager to see the fields from which my weekly produce springs forth, of course I RSVPed in the positive.

The Saturday of the apponted day was an unusually cool fall day for so early in the season. DISCLAIMER: Having been in Israel for a good chunk of September, where the weather was most decidedly mid-summer or "desert-hot INSANE", it's been a really wierd transition to be back here. I walked around for two weeks when I got back saying "What happened to September? Did anyone know where it went and how I managed to completely miss it?" I kept expecting that October 1 was September 1. This has been alternately confusing, frustrating, and I'm sure amusing to anyone who has come across me when I've been holding a coat like I've never seen it before and simulaneously scratching my head.

Anyhoo... maybe the day was seasonably cold, despite my screwed-up internal calendar. But off to LaPorte, Indiana we went, and because the wonderful BF was at the wheel (my car having suddenly decided to die a few days prior), we were early. Very early, in fact.

We arrived at an enormous barn just as they slid opened the door to reveal a table with a thermos of hot apple cider (made fresh, of course), donuts, and a crock pot of homemeade squash soup; and really, making squash soup from the squash you grow yourself just cannot not get any more homemade. The boxes of fresh-picked squash sitting in the background and waiting to go to market, ranging from acorn to butternut, just made the setting that much more perfect. The cider warmed my confused and cold extremities and the whole scene warmed my heart and reminded me why Fall isn't so bad after all.

We sipped cider and chatted with Tamera, one of the owners of the farm, as people streamed in, mostly parents with very young children and I wondered if we missed the whole point of this farm day. They did mention a hay ride, which I'm sure attracted the families, but I was there for research, damnit! All was not lost, though: the hay ride, which was almost cancelled due to a week's worth of rain turning the fields into a mud pit female wrestlers only dream of, went off without a hitch. We, being the non-children bearers of the group, sat on a metal rail at the front of the cart with Tamera to allow the children to enjoy the hay. Oh, and to make sure they wouldn't fall off into the mud. That would have been hilarious, though.

Perhaps I wasn't the only one who was cold

The first thought that struck me-- and surprised me-- was that the fields weren't, well, as "pretty" as for some reason I expected them to be. Granted, there was the mud; and it was getting to the end of the season; but considering that Iron Creek is an organic farm there were some weeds beginning to appear in some of the plots that had been fully cultivated for the season. The mud was a deep, rich black and has more organic component than many farms (I don't remember the percentage) so everything grows strongly there. I'm not complaining though- on the contrary, I'm glad that a farm can just look like a farm and not something out of Home & Garden magazine, although I did catch myself looking closely for baby faces in the perfect rows of cabbage. (Cabbage Patch kids? Hello? Anyone? The packaging artists definitely spent some time on a farm.)  After all, what matters is what's going into my fridge and body, right?  As we bounced along the rows, the beautifully pungent smell of broccoli wafted into my nose and more than a few times I wanted to jump off the hitch and grab some of that gorgeous produce. My BF nudged Tamera and told her to just drop him off in the hot pepper section and he'd find his way home.

I learned something more, though, than just what rows of brussel sprouts look like. Tamera mentioned, as we passed some bee containers, that they have a bee keeper who brings over his bees to help with pollination. You may or may not have read in the news that bees are dying off at an alarming rate, signifying problems on an agricultural scale that lead to much larger wordly problems in the food chain. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out this article.) Nobody knows what is causing this phenomenon, but this particular bee keeper has had no problems at all with his bee colonies. One potential reason why?  He only uses his bees to pollinate on organic fields which don't use pesticides. Bee death as yet another consequence of the overabundance of pesticides? Hmm, food for thought, me thinks.

Back at the main farm, we wandered through the enormous greenhouse housing an excellently nifty hydroponics system and the plants that had treated me to early summer tomatoes.

hydroponics in the front

These make my back deck peppers look so pathetic...

We visited with some pigs that Tamera's family keeps for themselves, who were more than friendly and willing to say hi in between happily foraging in the mud.

Sharing a tender moment...

Finally, we had the opportunity to pick our own pumpkins. Originally we were going to actually pick pumpkins from the patch in the fields, but due to the almost certain death-by-mud scenario they had brought up a selection by the barn. All the pumpkins were gorgeous, and as we later learned, ENORMOUS. In a big field, sat up against other brethren pumpkins, they looked proportional. In my dining room, they look mutant.

3 hours, 4 cups of cider, 2 donuts and a bowl of soup later, we headed back to the city. (Disclaimer #2: watch out for that cutoff on 94 from Indiana back to Chicago. We missed it and had to head all the way over to 55. Ugh.) Besides having a fun Fall Saturday activity, I was thrilled to have a chance to chat more with my farmer, learn how much effort it takes to do what she and her family do (Tamera mentioned that her summers are 80-100 hour work weeks) and see for myself how what I'm putting in my body is cultivated. It truly made my CSA experience more personal. Case in point: the next day, at my regular CSA pickup day, I took a few minutes to chat with Tamera and her husband and inquire about the expected overnight frost about which they were concerned. From that conversation I learned that it really, truly was the last week to get any sweet corn as the frost, which had indeed arrived, killed off the rest of the remaining crop. It was a much more enjoyable and fulfilling conversation than my typical, "Hi! I'm here to pick up my half share." 

Really, we all should take these field trips. I think if more Americans saw where their food was coming from and how it was grown, we'd be more conscious of our decisions to buy from Big Ag.

That evening, despite our exhaustion and bad mood from having to drive completely out of our way only to get stuck in inbound Chicago Saturday night traffic (if you know the city, you know the frustration), we decided to stay in and cook even though it would have been easier to just go out and grab something. We were inspired.  Truthfully, I don't remember what we ate. I just remember that it tasted good, and probably even tasted better since I could picture where it came from, just an hour and a half-- and a whole lot of care and love-- away.

Fun With CSAs

I finally did it.  A bit late, yes, I know but blame it on the too busy/traveling/sleeping/other miscellaneous bad excuses.  I am officially an investor in a local farm!

While I believe the majority of my loyal readers know what the heck I'm talking about, let me do a quick break down for those who may not: CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture". Basically what that means is that you buy upfront a "share" of a local farm of your choosing and each week that farm packs up a box of goodies, based on whatever is ready for harvest, for you to take home.  The benefit for the farm is they get guaranteed financing at the start of the season for their operations, and the benefit for you is that you are guaranteed uber-fresh (as most of your box is picked within a day or so of your delivery) produce each week.   Depending on the farm, you can buy vegetable shares, fruit shares, meat shares, and even cheese. The risk is that as an investor, you share in both the successes as well as the challenges.  If it's a rough summer weather-wise, you may not get quite the bounty you were expecting. But it's a risk well worth taking.

I had been debating doing a CSA since last summer, but as I live by myself I was always worried that it would be too much food for me to go through in a week and I would waste good food and good money. But since the beginning of my Au Naturale-ness, I've seen CSAs in a new light.  It's a way for me to fulfill all my goals: buying locally, super-fresh, legitimately organic, and I know exactly where my food comes from.  I was also excited to try some of the more random and exotic offerings I've heard so much about from friends who are CSA veterans.

Part of my delay in choosing a CSA is that there were just so many to choose from! I asked around for suggestions but the only ones I received were either sold out or delivered too far away to be picked up.  My procrastination did help me narrow my choices, though, because many CSAs were sold out by the time I got around to choosing one. In the end I settled on Iron Creek Farm, a certified organic farm from Indiana which promised a bounty of produce and even some fruit (something I desperately wanted).  They deliver every Sunday to my farmer's market, making it convenient to pick up. And I've bought regularly from their booth at the market in the past, loving their heirloom tomatoes.

Last week was the first box of the CSA, which to my delight included a couple of tomatoes ranging from red to orange to yellow (they use greenhouses, why they can offer tomatoes so early), zucchinis, a pickling cucumber, 2 different lettuce mixes, a yellow pepper, and a kohlrabi.  I was super-jazzed for the kohrabi, because I had absolutely no clue what it was.  Cooking adventures awaited!  I diligently took a picture of my bounty, but sadly it got erased from the camera so I can't show you here.  However, I will tempt you with a picture of the yellow and orange tomatoes I prepped for their use on the grill:

I supplemented my farm box from other booths at the market, including a carton of garlic scapes.  Again, no clue what they were or what you use them for, but I was excited to find out.

The biggest dilemma I've had in my first week has come back to that original question: would I use all that produce in a week? I've found some creative recipes, yes, but today is Saturday, with my next box due to be picked up in a mere 24 hours, and I still have leftovers.

So in comes part 2 of my plan for my CSA shares: saving some seasonal produce for later use.  I bemoaned having to buy tomatoes from South America or California or wherever throughout the winter and salivated over the return of my precious market.  The best way to enjoy the market year-round, I decided, is to save some of it's offerings.  I can't think of anything better than pulling out some preserved tomatoes or strawberries for when the snow is falling.  What that means is that I am now on the hunt for a great vacuum-sealer, as most things in my freezer, try as I may, get freezer burn.  I think it's worth the effort and expense. Loyal readers- any suggestions?

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

Or, I guess I should have titled it "I had a happy weekend, everyone!"  Because spring is in the air and summer is getting just thiiis much closer, and all this weekend I found myself surrounded by Au Naturale goodness wherever I went.

Number one?  The Evanston (suburb of Chicago) summer Farmer's Market began this Saturday! I got up early (for me) in order to hit it up.  There's not a huge amount of selection and all the farmer's weren't there yet, but it's a start.  Seasonality filled the air.  I had my pick of a variety of asparagus, spinach, green onion, plants, and more.  Most excitedly, the hand-rolled butter from last summer was available again- I snapped that one up quick.  About 30 minutes and a full bag later, I had 2 bunches of just-picked asparagus, 2 bags of organic spinach, eggs, butter, mozarella, and mushrooms.  Hmm, what shall I cook tonight?

Later in the day I was running errands when I passed a new local and organic small grocery store in my neighborhood.  I quickly commandeered a parking spot and ran in for a look.  It seems that Real Naked Food Chicago just opened, as many of their shelves were moderately empty, but I'm happy to welcome them to the 'hood and wish them tons of success.  Both a grocery store specializing in local and unprocessed goods as well as a deli and juice bar, they join the ranks of Green Grocer Chicago and Dill Pickle Food Co-op in the local and organic grocery store concept.  They are also the first of their kind to be within walking distance, so if I ever need a last-minute staple it's good to know they're there.

After all my running around, I came home to enjoy the Spring edition of Edible Chicago that landed in my mailbox this week.  Remember Edible Chicago from an earlier blog post, oh loyal 3 or 4 readers?  I didn't yet finish it, but I'm excited to see what's happening in the local Au Naturale universe and find the articles and recipes to be incredibly motivating.  I hope you have subscribed to and are supporting your local Edible Community magazine, too.

I finished up the day by having dinner with a good friend who is in town for a bit.  One of my loyal 3 or 4 readers, she brilliantly recommended Taxim, a new-ish Greek restaurant in town that uses seasonal ingredients from local farms such as Nichols Farm, Iron Creek, Mint Creek and more.  They also make all of their marinades, breads, charcuterie, yogurt, and more in-house.  The meal was spectacular (except the fried zuccinni- you can skip that one).  If you are a local Chicagoan I highly recommend you check this place out.

I truly look forward to seeing what else will pop up in the next few weeks.  Loyal readers: what have you seen in your cities, neighborhoods, regions, etc. that tells you the best of the growing season is upon us?  What have you taken advantage of? What are you most looking forward to?

Edible Chicago

My lovely boyfriend borrowed a copy of the magazine Edible Chicago for me- what a sweetheart!  I was thrilled to find this read, since I actually had been pondering how to find like-minded organizations/publications/people in order to expand my Au Naturale knowledge and sources.

The publication is a quarterly one and includes articles with seasonal recipes, restaurant profiles, and information about how and where to eat local in the Chicagoland area.  "Eat local?" you may ask. "Duh, just go down the street and you can find an abundance of restaurants and stores, and you can just eat local there.  Idiot." you mumble to yourself.

Before you judge, though, let me clarify "local".  If you follow this blog with any regularity, you have probably read that part of my Au Naturale conversion is to not just eat organic and additive-free, but to eat locally and sustainably as much as possible.  When finding certain items in the dead of winter, however,  sometimes you have to compromise.  I admit that the pacific wild-caught salmon I had for dinner last night (btw- an "excellent" choice on the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch chart, which you can download here) was garnished with (among other things) organic grape tomatoes labeled "from Mexico".  That is about as non-local as you can get.

Truthfully, the actual writing in this publication is just okay.  But I was elated to see them visit and profile local farms and the organic and sustainable methods they use.  Even better, they include a list of Chicago-area stores where you can find the farm's products-- a boon to me, since I had been feeling like I've only had two to go to, and in an instant my store list tripled.  In the current issue Edible Chicago focuses on Iron Creek Farm in Indiana, who is not only certified organic, but is also experimenting with hydroponics in a greenhouse in order to grow greens and tomatoes in the dead of winter.  Tomatoes in February from Indiana instead of Mexico?  Sign me up!

But what I love even more is the reinforcement of the types of farms, products, and stores I want to patronize.  As you've seen, I do some online research on the farms that provide items like my eggs, cheese, and meat, but I'm always just a little suspicious. After all, there is a lot of scrutiny of the organic/cage-free/vegetarian-feed, etc. industry as it's not as tightly regulated as it should be, and I'm tempted to jump in my car and visit these farms.  (It'll never happen, though.)  When I see multiple sources such as this magazine or the Slow Food movement's Chicago chapter all visiting, profiling, and recommending the same farms, I feel more convinced that the food I am buying from those specific growers is truly the food I want to eat.  And you never know what you might learn- there is an article in this edition about NorthStar Bison, a bison ranch in Wisconsin.  Bison from Wisconsin!  Who knew!  Again, sign me up.

Are you a loyal reader who doesn't live in Chicago?  Fear not!  Visit www.ediblecommunities.com to find the magazine for your locale- they are everywhere, including multiple boroughs of New York.  Read online or subscribe through the mail.  Happy local eating!