Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Holiday Party Planning

It's that time of year again of cocktails & friends, feasts & fun, games & dinners, under-cooked turkeys & panic attacks - The Holidays!

Having a simple dinner party seems easy, until you feel like a one-man failed circus act in your kitchen, scrambling to get it together while all your guests are having fun in the next room. This post is going to help prepare you so you are not slaving away in the kitchen while the party goes on without you. Here are some good steps to plan ahead, make a delicious meal, and keep things easy-going. 

First off, what kind of meal are you going to serve?

  • Plated Dinner - this requires the most work. Timing is everything and you will need help, depending on how many guests you plan on serving. Plan on spending more time in the kitchen and being the last one to eat. 
  • Family Style or Buffet Style - easier in that you don't have to spend time plating each person's meal. Everyone grabs their meal from a buffet or from dishes in the center of the table.
  • Hors D'oeuvres/Appetizers - most finger foods can be made in advance. Extra food can be waiting in the kitchen to refill when things run low.  

One month before...

Find out how many guests you will be having. 

Finding out how many guests you will be having is key for shopping and finding out how much food & drink you're going to need. A good rule of thumb: number of guests + 3, is a good way to stay prepared. Even if less people than you expected show up, that's just more leftovers for you anyway. 

If you will be holding a plated dinner, this is key - there can sometimes be a 1-2 spot leeway if there are unexpected guests, depending on how formal it is. But for the most part, individual portions are hard to be flexible with. For family style, buffet style and hors d'oeuvres parties, it's a "you snooze you lose" situation and you should just tell guests to arrive on time if they want to eat. "Fashinably late" = hungry. 

Two weeks before...

Find out what food is in season in your area - go to the farmer's market, talk to your local farmer, search online. Your farmer's market may be closed for the season, but some of them are open the day before Thanksgiving. You can find out by looking up the market's website or going to your town's community center. 

From here you can start planning your menu. Are you going to have the traditional turkey, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows? Or are you going to switch it up with pheasant, bourbon pecan pie, cassoulet, roasted beet salad and mushroom tarts? 

One week-3 days before...

Start your prep! 

You can freeze or refrigerate a lot of your prep (unless you're living off the grid with no running water or electricity...wait, how are you reading this anyway?). Here are things you can prep ahead of time to freeze or refrigerate: 
  • pie crust - if you are doing cream pies then you can bake them off and freeze 'em. If you're making fruit pies and such, portion out your dough, wrap them well and freeze or refrigerate
  • pie filling - this is not recommended with nut pies like pecan or whole fruit pies, but you can make your pumpkin/squash, cream & citrus pie fillings ahead of time
  • brines and rubs - if you're brining your meat you can make the brine now and refrigerate 
  • cookie dough & frostings
  • dips
  • deviled eggs - 3 days before cook your eggs, peel them and hold them in salt water. Holding in salt water keeps them fresh and hold shape
  • cocktail mixers
  • charcuterie & cheese - like sausages, pates, bacon, ricotta, mozzarella...
  • homemade pumpkin puree
Other things you can make ahead of time: 
  • candy
  • pickles & jams
  • crostini, crackers, chips, popcorn, snacks - if you have airtight containers to keep them in
  • dry ingredients - if you want to get super-duper organized and ready, portion out all your spices and dry ingredients for your recipes. You can put them in small tupperwares or sealable plastic baggies, label them and have them ready to go for faster cooking. Just makes sure to read your recipes thoroughly to make sure you aren't combining things in the wrong order 

One day before...

  • bake pies
  • bake cookies & muffins
  • bake bread and dice for stuffing
  • brine/rub meat
  • potatoes - you can peel them ahead of time and hold them in water in the refrigerator to prevent from turning brown
  • deviled eggs - pull your pre-cooked eggs out of the salt water, cut them in half, make the filling and hold in a piping bag. Place the empty egg white halves in a tupperware between wet paper towels. The day of just pipe the filling into the eggs and plate! 
  • chop vegetables

Day of...

The day of should be dedicated to meat and veggie dishes. Make sure you do your research to find out exactly how long your meat or poultry needs to cook. The rest of the time should be easy making mashed 'taters, gravy, etc. 

Make the kids do the dishes. 

I hated this part of holidays as a kid, but now that I'm an adult I get it. We deserve a break! You just spent a whole month preparing for this party, it's time to enjoy it! Or you may get that one friend who insists on doing the dishes, LET THEM. So sit back, untie your apron, sip on your hot buttered rum and enjoy the time talking to your friends and family. Because that is what it's really all about.







Saturday, November 2, 2013

How To: Shop For Meat

Where to go and what to look for when you're buying meat! 

The holidays are coming up soon! What are you going to cook for your dinners? For most homes in the US, the centerpiece of holiday dinners is a roast of some sort - roast turkey, beef roast, rack of lamb...however, not all of us know what to look for when purchasing meat. What is good for the animal and the environment, as well as for me and my family? Here is some basic info and help in defining some of the "buzz words" you see (i.e.: CAFOs, organic, grass-fed). Don't let buying meat be an added stress to your holidays. Explaining your "it's complicated" relationship status to your uncle you haven't seen in a year is stressful enough.

Happy, free-range chickens find all kinds of bugs in grass!

Why is what the animal eats important?


"You are what you eat" applies to animals, too. Just like humans, everything an animals eats goes through the bloodstream and into every cell in their bodies. GMOs, hormones and antibiotics have the same affect on animals as they do on humans. If a cow eats corn that has been genetically modified, those organisms make their way into the fat and muscle tissues that we eat. (Here are some helpful links on GMOs, hormones and antibiotics if you want more info on how they affect animals, humans and the environment.)

What should animals be eating? Each animal has evolved and bread to eat certain things. With cows, for example, they have been eating grasses for millennia, but many confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been feeding cows corn. Though, this adds a lot of fat to the muscles (which is a good thing for flavor), the enzymes and microbes in cow's stomachs cannot correctly process corn. It makes them sick, then they are given antibiotics, then they develop immunities to those antibiotics, then they get sick again and we're eating sick animals...it's an ugly cycle. Here is what animals should be eating: 

Cows: grasses

Sheep: grasses 

Poultry: grains, grass, bugs 

Pigs: "slop"- roots, fruits, veggies, plants, grains...just about anything. Pigs are the garbage disposals of farm animals. 


Meat that is "certified organic" comes from animals that have been fed an organic diet with no GMOs, antibiotics or hormones. This is what you want to look for. However, as I have mentioned before, not all small farms can afford to become certified organic. So, talk to your farmer to find out what their practices are. Butchers always know what's happening with their meat sources as well. 

What are CAFOs? 

Confined Animal Feeding Operations = no bueno. This is where all the ugly stuff happens: hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, animal maltreatment, e-coli, toxic waste & poop lagoons. Yes, poop lagoons. This is where thousands and thousands of animals are crammed together, walking around in their own crap and then get slaughtered for our hamburgers. In my opinion, there is nothing good about a CAFO. 


Temple Grandin in her natural habitat.

What about animal treatment? 

This is where it becomes a matter of personal conviction, mostly. One point I will make, is that if an animal is under stress, they release toxins into their bloodstream, which makes the meat taste bad and is not that great for us to be ingesting. Temple Grandin is the patron saint of animal slaughterhouses. She invented humane livestock handling procedures that are used today. (You should watch the movie about her, it's awesome!)

So, where do I find meat that doesn't have all the bad stuff? 

I think Mr Butcher has the hots for mom! 


Local Butcher - The "local butcher" is different from your chain supermarket butcher at Fred Meyer or Publix. While, most supermarkets these days will carry organic meat options, they are very limited and are almost always imported from far away. The local butcher I'm talking about may be a tiny little hole-in-the-wall shop that specializes in local products. Do an internet search for butchers in your local area. The benefit of going to a smaller butcher shop is that they can tell you all about where your meat came from, how it was raised and what it was fed. If you are in a remote town you may not have a local butcher, but there are other options...

Farmer's Market - Sometimes local butchers or farmers set up a booths at the local farmer's market. They'll have a smaller selection to sell (usually cured or frozen), but from there you can find out where their farm or brick and mortar shop is located and what other items they sell. 

Local Farms - This requires the most work, but it will be worth it, I promise! You're going to have to do an internet search for local farms in your area that raise animals (or ask around at the farmer's market). Local Harvest is a great resource to get you started. This is the best way for you to get the inside scoop on animal care - you get to talk one-on-one with the farmer and ask them all the questions your heart desires about their practices. And if you have trust issues, you can even go and visit the farms, pet the animals and even name your dinner (just kidding, that is not recommended). 

The cost per pound for buying retail meats vs. purchasing a whole animal is significant. Buying meats retail can cost upwards of $15-$20 per pound whereas the cost of whole animals is $5-$7 per pound. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will. 

Depending on the farm, if you're purchasing larger livestock you can choose to buy a whole, half or quarter animal (I've had groups of friends all pitch in for a whole cow and divide it between everyone). Just a word of warning if you purchase a whole animal for yourself - unless you're feeding a whole village in one night, remember how big a cow is and think about the freezer space you're going to need. 

That's the gist of it...

If you don't want nightmares and panic attacks from worrying about your unborn children having three eyes from you eating McDonalds when you were a broke college student, then refrain from investigating any farther on these subjects; I'm like your mom who covered your eyes in the movie theater during the sex scenes - you don't need to see it. 

So what's for dinner? A delicious turkey who spent it's life frolicking in a picturesque field with all his best friends, or an E-coli infested Franken-Bird? The blood is off my hands. 


*all photos in this post were found on the internet


Thursday, October 31, 2013

The Most Frightening Part Of Halloween...

Happy Halloween! Time for tricks and...treats? 


It's a shame that most Halloween candy is basically poison, and ingredients like chocolate are not fair-trade. This can especially be a bummer for kids. Here are some good alternatives that you can fill the trick-or-treater's candy bags with that will keep them smiling:


    Beware of tricky treats!
  • Here is a great website for organic candy! They also have categories for fair trade, vegan, gluten-free, and many other options!
  • How about dollar store toys?
  • If you live in a friendly community where everyone knows you, you can also make your own treats. 
  • mini pumpkins
  • snack sized savory treats like organic chips or popcorn. 





Have a fun and SAFE Halloween! 



Happy Halloween!

Make sure the corn syrup for your popcorn balls is GMO-free, y'all! 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

How To: Talk To A Farmer

This new lifestyle of eating organic, local food can seem a bit daunting - it takes a lot more work than just walking into a grocery store and coming out with neatly packaged foods. But it can be especially scary to introverts, like me, when that means you can't just walk through a grocery store checkout where a couple grunts are satisfactory to accomplish the mission of getting lunch. You mean...I have to talk to people??

Yes.

Start mentally preparing yourself to crawl out of your caves to interact with your farmers. I promise, you'll be glad you did.

First off, why do you need to talk to your farmer? 

Walking through a farmer's market is often "what you see is what you get." But not always. Developing relationships with your farmers is the best way to find out what they have to offer throughout the year, or get first pick of a limited crop, or get free stuff, or find out ways to invest in their farm to ensure they stay afloat and successful and keep providing your food...etc, etc.

This is my sister, Alexa. She is a farmer, and she's super badass.

Farmers are people, too. 

For whatever reason, our society has looked at the people who provide our food in almost the same way as robots: we go into the grocery store, set all our food on the conveyor belt and we may not even look at the person who is bagging our groceries. Interacting with a farmer brings us back down to planet earth and reminds us that we are dealing with real people. These people work hard to provide us with beautiful vegetables, fruits, dairy, eggs and meat. Unless you've actually worked or volunteered on a farm, you have no idea how much work goes into producing your food. Talk to them and find out all the work that goes into everything. Heck, go volunteer on a Saturday morning to experience it yourself! You'l be much more appreciative of who they are and what they do.

Hi, my name is...

It's your first time at the farmer's market. You check out the scene and walk up to a booth that looks like they have a good variety of things you like. Introduce yourself and tell them what you are looking for. Ask them where they are located. Ask them what they specialize in. Ask them how long they have been farming. Is it a family trade? See, talking to farmers is easy! 

Now get the goods. 

So, are you going to the farmer's market with a dish in mind that you are wanting to make? Or are you looking for inspiration there? Farmers always eat what they grow. Ask them for recipe ideas. Ask them what they make with kohlrabi, or those heirloom potatoes. The only dumb question is the question unasked. They're not going to look at you like you're an idiot if you don't know what that funny looking root is. They'll happily tell you what it is, what it's for, how to cook it, and they'll most likely even give you a sample.

Also, farmers network. If you are looking for a specific item, one farmer may not have it, "But So-And-So Farm has that variety. Here is their number..." If one farmer you are familar with doesn't have what you are looking for, ask if they know of someone else who does. 

Certified Organic? 

This is also a good opportunity to find out the practices and beliefs of those who run the farm. Unfortunately, it is not easy for small farms to get certified organic, due to endless paperwork and fees. So there are many practicing organic farmers that are not certified. Developing relationships with these farmers and investing in their businesses can help them eventually get the certification. And when it comes to animal handling and butchering, farmers who have nothing to hide will tell you exactly how they treat and process animals and what they feed them. 

So, do you feel more confident and prepared? 

Farmers are here to help and serve you. They want you to buy their products and support their business, and they are PASSIONATE about what they do. Don't forget, farmers are like doctors - you need to find the right one for you. Shop around and get to know all the farmers in your area and create a lasting relationship with a few where you will mutually benefit. 


How To: Find Local Organic Food

So, you could be living in the inner Portland area, like me, where there are 30+ weekly farmer's markets in your area...or...you could be living in Middle-Of-Nowhere Texas. How are you going to find fresh, local, organic food? Well, the internet is a magical, wonderful resource to find anything your heart desires, including good food!

One of the best resources I have found on the inter-web is Local Harvest. You can put in your area code to find everything from farmer's markets to butchers to CSAs. Each locale is given a description of what is offered. Check it out! You could be surprised by how many great resources are located near you! 



Tuesday, October 22, 2013

How To: Cook A Pumpkin


One of my favorite things I see this time of year are pumpkins! Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pastries...pumpkin everything! But how do you get from a monstrous pumpkin to any of these tasty treats? Seems a bit daunting, right? Here are the super easy steps of how to get the perfect pulp from a pumpkin you picked out at the pumpkin patch:


  1. Saw off the top of the pumpkin, with the stem, like you are going to going to carve it. Toss it.
  2. Cut the pumpkin in half and scrape out the seeds with an ice cream scoop or heavy spoon (Reserve the seeds for toasting later!)
  3. Cut or scrape off any excess strings from the inside until it's clean
  4. Cut the pumpkin into quarters or large chunks
  5. Bake the pumpkin at 350 F degrees for about 1 hour or until the pumpkin meat is very tender
  6. Scrape the soft meat off the pumpkin skin and run through a food processor or food mill to make it a smooth consistency, add water if needed! 

Just like from the can! You can can (Can Can!) this pumpkin to hold for future recipes or use it right away. Now you never need to buy canned pumpkin from the store again! 

What are you going to make with your pumpkin puree?


Best & Worst States for Eating Locally

Check out this article on the best and worst states for eating locally. Where does your state stand? 


http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/locavore-index-2013/


Thursday, October 17, 2013

October: What Is In Season?

It's my favorite time of year again! Leaves changing colors, we get a break from the heat of summer and add a couple more layers of clothing, time for pumpkin patches, corn mazes and Halloween - Autumn!

It's also when some of my most favorite fruits and vegetables come into season! Here is a list of all the produce that will be available this month. Head to your local farmer's market for some tasty new additions to your meals:

Vegetables


artichokes
broccoli
brussels sprouts
cabbage
cauliflower
celery
cucumbers
eggplant
fennel
green beans
peppers
pumpkins
radishes
scallions
shelling beans
sweet corn
tomatoes
winter squash
zucchini

Fruits & Nuts


apples
asian pears
blackberries
blueberries
cantaloupes
chestnuts
figs
grapes
kiwis
kiwi berries
melons
nectarines
peaches
pears
plums & pluots
raspberries
strawberries

Meat & Seafood


albacore tuna
goose
heritage turkey
wild salmon

Greens


arugula
chard
collards
kale
lettuce
radicchio
spinach
watercress

Wild Things


huckleberries
mushrooms

Roots


beets
carrots
celeriac
kohlrabi
onions
parsnips
potatoes
rutabagas
salsify
shallots
turnips




Wednesday, October 16, 2013

How To: Make Mozzarella

What is more delicious than fresh mozzarella? Pair it with heirloom tomatoes, basil, olive oil and balsamic for a refreshing Caprese salad!
Make some marinara sauce, bread it and deep fry it for some mozzarella sticks! Or make a perfectly simple pizza with garlic, truffle oil and mozzarella slices!

The possibilities are endless. And how much better would it be if you made it yourself?

Well, it's so much easier than you'd think!

Here is what you need...

Equipment:

  • large colander
  • slotted spoon
  • two large bowls, one with a lid
  • pot for boiling water
  • measuring spoons & cups
  • thermometer
Ingredients: 

  • 1 gallon of the best quality milk you can find, preferably raw
  • 1 1/2 tsp citric acid - dissolved into 1/4 cup of cold, distilled water
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid vegetable rennet dissolved in 5 teaspoons cold distilled water OR 1/2 tablet vegetable rennet dissolved in 1/4 cup cold distilled water
  • 2 Tbs kosher salt
  • Any desired herbs and spices! Herbs like oregano, thyme and basil are super tasty! 
1. Place the milk in the stainless steel pot and bring it to 55 degrees Fahrenheit over medium heat. When the milk reaches the proper temperature, stir in the citric acid mixture.

2. Continue to cook the milk until it reaches 88 degrees Fahrenheit, about 5 minutes (at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the milk will begin to curdle). Add the rennet mixture, and stir with a slotted spoon until it just starts to separate, about 30 seconds.

3. Continue cooking the milk until it reaches 100 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn off the heat and leave the pot undisturbed until curds begin to form and pull away from the sides, about 5 to 10 minutes. (The curds should look like thick yogurt, and the whey should be nearly clear. If the whey is still milky, wait a few more minutes until it clears.)

4. Start boiling a stock pot of water, about a gallon. Fill one of your bowls with ice and water. 

5. Use the slotted spoon to scoop the curds into your collander. 

6. Rinse the curds in the colander with warm water and then knead them with your hands, breaking the pieces apart until you have no curds larger than the end of your pinky finger. 

7. Place the kneaded curds into one of your bowls, add salt and any other spices you may desire and knead again until they are well mixed in. 

8. Pour the boiling water over the curds, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and wait 2 minutes. 

9. Take your slotted spoon and pull out about half a cup of the melted curd. Place it in your hands and start forming balls by folding the cheese into itself underneath. Keep folding until it forms into a smooth, round ball. The place it in the ice water immediately. Continue this step until all the curds are used up. 

10. Your mozzarella is ready to eat! Keep the mozzarella balls in the water in an airtight container. 


What are you going to make with your mozzarella? 


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Vintage American Kitchen

Why Vintage?





Modern civilizations pride themselves on the new "food technologies" of genetically modified organisms, adding hormones, CAFOs, etc. But, we are working against nature. Our progression in "food technology" has actually become a regression in human life and health of the planet.

So, maybe in this case, our progression will come in regression - going back to what has worked for millennia - hunting, gathering, naturally growing and butchering our food within our local communities.


We are all familiar with the movements against this that have come from inspiring books and films, such as Food Inc. and Fast Food Nation. Those crucial influences have educated us on the dangers of the direction our foodsystems have been going in. But what can we do? How do we reverse it?

Vintage American Kitchen is a resource to show average Americans how to live sustainably, eat locally, organically and independently - the way we used to 150+ years ago.


I'm going to show you everything from making your own cheese and charcuterie, to preserving methods, to how to connect with local farmers. Make this your one-stop information guide for all the skills and resources to equip you to become the change you want to see!