Grown In Frederick

West Frederick Farmers Market Opening

2011-05-06T19:12:00.001-04:00

From Danny Rohrer:

Greetings from the farm. Tomorrow, May 7, will be the opening day of the West Frederick Farmer's Market. We will return to our familiar location behind the Potomac Physicians Building. Hours will remain 10 AM until 1 PM. If possible, please park in the Potomac Physicians lot. The owner of the Holiday Cinemas does not want any parking in their lot and has threatened to have cars towed if things get too bad. Please note that this threat comes from the property owner and not the people who operate the theatre, so there is no need to boycott the movies.

Most of your favorite vendors will be returning and we have added three new ones.

The market opening comes on Mother's Day weekend. Rather than fighting the crowds at a restaurant, why not prepare a gourmet meal at home using local foods? Early spring produce should include radishes, onions, salad and various greens, and asparagus. Market bakers will have breads and assorted pastries and desserts. There will be many types of flowers and plants for a centerpiece or gift. And for your dinner entree I will have a complete selection of the finest home raised meats anywhere.

Beef will include strip, ribeye, porterhouse, filet, sirloin, skirt, and flank steaks; sirloin tip, eye round, and chuck roasts; kabob cubes, stew cubes, ground round, and steak burgers. Pork will include baby back, country style, and spare ribs; boneless loin roasts, pork chops, boneless butts, bacon, and baked ham salad. I will also have 7 flavors of pork sausage. Lamb will include butterflied legs, boneless shoulders, kabob cubes, shanks, ground lamb, lamb sausage, racks, loin chops, arm chops, and sirloin chops. I will also have ham sandwiches and eggs.

Let's celebrate the start of the summer season by making the market opening a memorable one. I will be there, I hope you are too!

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Seedling Sale at House in the Woods

2011-04-24T14:28:00.006-04:00

I love to buy seedlings from House in the Woods. They have a great variety of heirloom tomatoes. They also sell their tomatoes later in the season at the Common Market.

____________________________________________

The House in the Woods Seedling Sale is approaching--May 6-7--organic heirloom plants for your garden. We feature beautiful heirloom tomato plants, and we've got some new ones to share with you, along with old favorites. I should have plenty of basil plants and some other plants to offer as well.

Sale Hours --- Use our NEW FARM LANE, open on Sale Day only
Friday May 6th, 10am-5pm
Saturday May 7th, 10am-5pm

***USE OUR NEW FARM LANE ON SALE DAY, on PARK MILLS ROAD*** for GPS purposes but there is no mailbox: 2225 Park Mills Rd, Adamstown, MD.
Take 270 to Rte 80 West, go two miles, take a left on Park Mills Road, go about three miles, pass Mt Ephraim Rd and Bear Branch Road. Watch on your left side--you will cross over Bennett Creek, pass a house, then immediately look for our new farm lane with a big "House in the Woods" billboard on sale day. Drive up the lane and follow signs for parking. Gone too far if you get to Lilypons Road.

Our tomato plants are now also available at The Common Market (http://www.commonmarket.com/). We may have more plants available later in May as well.
Contact: ilene@houseinthewoods.com or 301-607-4048

House in the Woods Farm 2011 Organic Heirloom Plant Sale

$4.50 per tomato plant. Ask about other plants for sale. Bring a box for your plants. Return pots to our mailbox, we'll re-use them!

May 6/7, 2011. More info--ilene@houseinthewoods.com 301-607-4048

REDS AND PINKS, PURPLES AND BLACKS (ie black heirlooms are dark
red)------------------------------------
____ Black Krim--Dark red beefsteak with rich sweet taste from Black Sea of Russia
____ Brandywine--Pinkish red, most popular heirloom originated in 1889.
____ Cherokee Purple—A favorite, from Tennessee cultivated by the Cherokee Tribe. Plants loaded with beefsteak tomatoes. Deep red interior flesh, rich, complex flavor.
____ Rutgers-- From 1934 "the Jersey tomato", red tomatoes great taste for fresh slicing or cooking.
____ Cosmonaut Volkov-- From the Ukraine named for the famous Russian cosmonaut. Red slightly flattened fruit with good acid-sweetness balance.
____ Black Prince-- From Siberia, one of the most popular black tomatoes. Rich taste for cooking or fresh. Smaller fruit.

UNIQUE COLORS-------------------------------------
____ Old German/Pineapple—a mild sweet fruity tomato, with red-yellow streaks to skin and flesh. Low acid, as are most yellow, orange and green tomatoes.
____ Green Zebra--A magic tomato, green with dark green stripes, skin blushes yellow when ripe. Green salsa or even green sauce! A hit for contrast on a potluck platter. Also have some Cherokee Green.
____ Valencia-- Beautiful round bright orange tomato—mild, fruity sweet that might remind you of a Valencia orange. From Maine.
____ Garden Peach--Yellow blushing pink, fruity sweet and juicy, with a slightly fuzzy skin. Just like a peach! Cute little 2 inch tomatoes.

PASTES for cooking and saucing------------------------------------------------
____ Speckled Roma--Paste tomato, Red with a hint of orange and wavy yellow streaks, a beauty! And sweet, you'll want to cut some for the salad too.
____ Orange Banana --another unique paste, this one is orange! Plum-shaped orange paste with pointed ends and a good sweet-tart flavor. An all-purpose plum tomato with good disease resistance.
____ Amish Paste--reliable traditional red roma with thick skin and less juice, ideal for cooking and canning, but sweet enough to eat fresh.
____ Heinz-- Red plum tomato 2 oz firm fruit ideal for cooking.

CHERRY TOMATOES------------------------------------------------
____ Matt's Wild Cherry--Mini red wild cherry tomatoes, prolific. Cute little stems with six bite-size tomatoes on each. Kids love 'em!
____ Sungold Cherry--Orange, super sweet mini tomato. A rare exception to our heirloom rule in our tomato collection, this hybrid is worth it. Our CSA members eat them all up on the car-ride home.

PERENNIAL HERBS----------------------------------------------------
Chamomile—beautiful little daisy-like flowers, dry them for tea
Sweet Basil and Thai Basil—great culinary herbs for any herb garden.

We'll also have four kinds of pepper plants and three kinds of eggplants. And we're selling used sturdy tomato cages at a great price.

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2011-04-15T16:08:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. I hope you remembered that I am taking this week off and that my next visit to Frederick will be Saturday April 23 when I will be delivering your Easter orders. I need to have your lamb orders by Sunday night since lambs will be going in on Monday. Legs of lamb can be butterflied, boned and rolled, or bone in. All other cuts of lamb will be available as well. You can also order either fresh, smoked, or country cured hams. If beef is your meat of choice, I can supply that as well. I will also have my complete product line that day. Please note that on April 23 I will be located in the regular market location, behind the Potomac Physicians Building. Hours will remain 10 AM until 12 Noon. Don't forget to place your orders and I will see you April 23. Danny Rohrer's Meats 301-432-8350 Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Good News About Food!

2011-03-23T11:25:00.005-04:00

As far as I'm concerned, food is always good news. But on to the particulars, the New York Times has a great opinion piece by Mark Bittman entitled: Food: Six Things to Feel Good About. Not surprisingly, several of these things have to do with the rising local foods movement and the increasing awareness of people about the quality and sources of their food. Some highlights:

Time magazine’s Bryan Walsh suggests [the "burgeoning food movement"] has the potential to surpass and save the environmental movement.
Walmart plans to re-regionalize its food distribution network. The world’s biggest retailer pledged to “double sales of locally sourced produce.”
There are now more than 6,000 farmers markets nationwide — about a 250 percent increase since 1994 (significant: there are half as many as there are domestic McDonald’s), and 900 of them are open during the winter. They’re searchable too, thanks to the USDA. (Community Supported Agriculture programs — CSAs — and food coops are also searchable, courtesy of localharvest.org.)
Wholesome Wave began a voucher program in 2008 that doubles the value of federal food stamps (SNAP) at participating farmers markets; that program has grown more than tenfold in less than three years.
Urban agriculture is on the rise. If you’re smirking, let me remind you that in 1943, 20 million households (three-fifths of the population at that point) grew more than 40 percent of all the vegetables we ate. City governments are catching on, changing zoning codes and policies to make them more ag-friendly, and even planting edible landscaping on city hall properties.
The number of farms is at last increasing, although it’s no secret that farmers are an endangered species: the average age of the principal operator on farms in the United States is 57...Efforts by nonprofits like the eagerly awaited FoodCorps and The Greenhorns, both of which aim to introduce farming to a new generation of young people, are giving farming a new cachet of cool. Meanwhile, the Nebraska-based Land Link program matches beginning farmers and ranchers with retirees so that the newbies gain the skills (and land) they need.
U.S.D.A. is behind the “Chefs Move to Schools” program, which enlists culinary professionals to help revamp nutrition curricula and the food itself; around 550 schools are participating.

All of these things are exciting to see. Where I would like to see more of is affordability and consumer access to fresh local foods. I think we have made inroads to access but not so much affordability, as our culture has turned local produce from a necessity into more of a niche market for people who can afford to pay a premium. If you see good examples of how fresh local food is being made affordable, send them to me and I will share them.

Local Chef for Hire

2011-03-18T14:45:00.014-04:00

I gave birth to twins three months ago. So exciting! And as predicted, my boyfriend and I had no time to do any of the things we used to do. Which, for the most part is no big sacrifice. However, we always ate really well before, and one night I found myself grumpily eating a can of beans and thinking something had to change.

People who know what it is like to raise twins will often tell you to hire help. And we thought, before we had the babies home, that this was a ridiculous idea. Then the babies came home, and we were exhausted. We didn't have much money. And we didn't want to hire someone to take care of the babies- we wanted to take care of the babies. Someone else might have hired someone to help them clean the house. But we never cared that much about a clean house to begin with. Sick of eating peanut butter for lunch and spending money on takeout, I hired Jeremy Ward to help us to have fresh homemade meals at home.

"What a novel idea," said my boss. Yes, and a good idea. All of the food I had bought that was sitting unused in the cabinets and refrigerator suddenly got made into fabulous cuisine that was so good I could weep for gratitude. Jeremy came a couple of times per week, made several dishes including dinners and a fritatta for breakfast, and we could pop things in the oven, premade, from the refrigerator or the freezer. There was chicken cordon bleu, and pork piccata. We had risottos made with fresh butternut squash I had hoarded from the last farmer's market of the season. There were mushroom marsala soups and spinach and feta-stuffed chicken breasts. I got about four meals out of what I would have paid for one meal out for all of us. And I was able to take advantage of sales at the grocery store and surprise Chef Jeremy, who would cook whatever I gave him. Jeremy would also make lists for us to go grocery shopping for special meals. For Valentine's Day, Jeremy made us an exquisite leg of lamb.

That was a good month, and it got us feeling human again. We also attracted a number of friends and family, who would happen to show up when they knew that Jeremy would be cooking. We had good times in the kitchen holding babies, chatting, and smelling the delicious smells of homemade meals. Eventually we transitioned back to cooking for ourselves. But I sure do miss it.

To talk to Chef Jeremy about your needs for a private chef for home cooking, private parties, cooking instruction, weddings, etc., contact him at 240.446.4503.

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2011-03-18T13:35:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be returning to Frederick on Saturday March 17. I will be at the Dutch Plant Farm from 10 AM until noon. I will have my full line of beef, pork, lamb, cheese, and eggs as well as Cornish hens. Also, the lamb sausage is available.

Hopefully I will be able to stay awake as I have not yet recovered from Wednesday night. I went to a brood cow sale in Winchester, VA. that night. Had I bought a cow or two, I would not have landed in this situation. I was ready to leave the sale around 9 PM when a cattle trucker asked what I was driving. There was a man who had purchased 15 cows that needed a trucker. Charlie asked if I could help him out and haul 6 head. I asked how far the haul was and he said around 100 miles. I really did not want to do it, but 5 years ago Charlie helped me out. Back then a friend and neighbor had purchased a herd of cows and asked me to help haul them. That roundtrip was just over 300 miles and took 7 hours to complete. The fact that Charlie helped me out back then save me 2 more trips. So I agreed to haul that load for Charlie on Wednesday.

I went to a gas station and topped off my tank, it only took 27 gallons. Then went back to the stockyard and got the cows loaded. My truck is tagged for a 10,000 pound maximum weight. The cows and trailer exceeded that so I had a too big load. We started up the road just before 10. We went through Virginia, into West Virginia, and crossed the river into Maryland. The roads were windy and hilly so we could travel too fast without jerking the cows around. We entered Maryland at Hancock and headed west on Route 68. Talk about hills, we had to go over Sidling Hill. I went up that mountain at 40 miles per hour so that my truck's engine would not be over worked. Having finally crested the hill, we started down the other side. I had to keep my foot on the brake to keep the load from pushing me too fast. Then there was the sign. "Runaway truck ramp." That was all I needed. I just imagined the load getting out of control and me having to head there. But I made it down the mountain with nothing more than warm breaks. We made it into Cumberland, then drove the rest of the way on back roads, top speed of 30. Now in Pennsylvania, we drove through Berlin and a few minutes later arrived at the farm. To reach the barn, we had to back in off of the road and go about the length of 2 football fields. In the dark. With me holding a flashlight and guiding Charlie, and then Charlie guiding me. And the edge of the driveway was full of obstacles. But we made it and got the cows safely unloaded.

Now ready to leave, Charlie thought we should take the main road rather than risk finding our way back the way we came. There was only 1 turn until we were on the main highway. Smooth sailing all the way into Grantsville where we picked up Route 68. The only thing was we were about 20 miles west of where we would have been if we had taken the back roads into Cumberland. But since we did not get lost, it was a success! Now nothing but major highways all the way back to Hagerstown, I finally reached my driveway right at 4 AM. I went straight to bed but the phone started ringing just before 8. That made for a short night for an old geezer like me. Tonight, being the night before market day, will be a long one as well.

Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market. And if you need to wake me tomorrow, please do so gently, I'll be very happy to see you.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

North Market Farmers Market is no more!

2011-03-18T13:28:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, we will not be doing the North Market Farmers Market this year. I want to thank everyone who came out to support us last year. It is our hope that the landlord is able to find a full time, long term tenant for 331 N Market Street. I can speak for all the farmers that participated last year when I say we really enjoyed being a part of the community in 2010 and hope that you will come see us at either the Saturday Boughman's Lane Farmers Market or the Thursday, Shab Row market. Thanks for buying your food locally and supporting your local farmers!

Farmer Will
Whitmore Farm

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2011-03-03T14:23:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be returning to Frederick this Saturday, March 5. I will be at the Dutch Plant Farm from 10 AM until noon. I have some product in my freezer that I would like to move. I have an abundance of pork ribs which will be offered this week at buy 2 get 1 free. I also have a few turkeys which I will offer at 20% off. Weights are 12, 16, 20, and 22 pounds. These specials are good as long as my supply lasts, so it might be a good idea to order ahead.

I have some other "unusual" meats which I can bring if you ask in advance. I have beef heart, tongue, and liver; pork heart, tongue, and liver; lamb kidneys and liver; and chicken hearts, liver, and 1 pack of gizzards. These meats make good pet food as well.

Lamb sausage and Canadian bacon, popular products that I don't always have, are supposed to ready this week as well. Joan plans to make ham salad and red velvet whoopie pies.

Beef this week will include strip, ribeye, porterhouse, sirloin, skirt, and flank steaks; sirloin tip, eye round, and chuck roasts; steak burgers, ground round, stew cubes, and shin bones with meat. Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops; spare, country style, and baby back ribs; boneless butts, ground pork, bacon, Canadian bacon, and a limited amount of pulled pork. Applewurst, maple, and country sausage are fresh while mild Italian, hot Italian, bratwurst, and sage are frozen. Lamb will include butterflied leg, boneless shoulder roasts, kabob cubes, loin chops, arm chops, racks, shanks, ground lamb, and lamb sausage. I will also have chicken wings, back/necks, Cornish hens, eggs, and cheese, including Caprikorn's goat's milk cheeses.

Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Fresh This Week from Summer Creek Farm: CSAs

2011-03-03T14:15:00.006-05:00

I know it has been a cold winter. Up here on the farm this weather makes everything we do tougher and we spend more time cutting wood just to stay warm. It makes everyone just want to crawl under the covers and wait for spring! But while everyone is in their long winters nap the world is a changing. What has been going on in Egypt is just the tip of the change. Much of us do not realize that in other countries people spend a much larger percentage on income on their basic food. In the US we spend about 9.8% of our income on food, and a fair percentage of that is the cost of pre-prepared food. In Egypt they spend about 40% of their income on food, and it is not microwavable dishes either. On top of that they have experienced 17% food inflation just this year. No wonder they march in the streets.

World food prices have risen sharply and yes those prices are coming to your neighborhood store soon. Not only that but the price of fiber, cotton, is rising to its highest price ever! Your jeans are going up too. This is caused by many items, weather, currency devaluation of the dollar by the fed (most world commodities are priced in dollars on traded exchanges), fuel costs and increase worldwide demand, especially from China. As third world countries become more affluent through trade they want more diversified diets that include more meat. A bland diet of mostly rice is just not acceptable anymore. This raises the cost of corn and soybeans especially. This has created increased demands on the food production systems, raising costs.

As a CSA member you are a valued customer, a partner in each season. It is our desire at the farm to buffer these price increases to you our preferred customer. While we are seeing significant price increases in seed, fertilizer and supplies it is my goal this year to provide about the same amount of produce to you this year as last for your CSA membership fee. I want to help buffer these costs to you, but you’ve got to sign up! Our CSA is around 30% full at this time and the need for us to continue purchasing the supplies for this year is ongoing. Your CSA membership help gets us there. It also helps us provide jobs for local people too. I already have three part-time people working to get things ready for the year. So if you are thinking about joining again, get the form in. The number of memberships is finite, don’t miss out.

This year we also are planning to run a couple of seminars at the farm on how to preserve food for storage. Canning, drying, and freezing are time-tested methods and becoming lost skills. This is to help you take advantage for bulk discounts during the peak of the season and eat our healthy products longer into the winter months, as well as to help buffer your budget. Stay tuned for our summer schedule; this and other new events are to be included.

So as our latest employee at the farm, Henry the Cat, is long asleep in his winter nap. Don’t get caught napping and miss your chance at fresh food all summer long. We are blessed to live in an area that provides such a bounty of local food. Sign up and partake in the bounty!

-- Farmer Rick

Today's Groupon: Elk Run Vineyard in Mt. Airy

2011-02-18T10:03:00.003-05:00

Fresh in my inbox, a new offer from Groupon for half off a wine tasting at Elk Run vineyard in Mt. Airy. What better way to try some local wines? You can get the offer if you go to Groupon in the next two days.

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2011-02-18T09:43:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be returning to Frederick this coming Saturday, February 19, from 10 AM until noon. As usual, I will be located at the Dutch Plant Farm ion Baughmans Lane.

Some of you may remember that I will occasionally let a steer grow to a larger size. These more mature animals usually have more marbling and an even better flavor. I have one of those animals this week, he weighed over 1800 pounds and produced a carcass weighing 1131 pounds. Cuts from this big boy will include porterhouse, T-bone, ribeye, sirloin, flank, and skirt steaks; boneless chuck, sirloin tip, eye round, and clod roasts; brisket, shinbones with meat, stew cubes, steak burgers, and ground round.

Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops; country style, spare, and baby back ribs; boneless butts, ground pork, and bacon. Hot Italian, bratwurst, and country sausage will be fresh while applewurst, mild Italian, maple, and sage will be frozen.

Lamb will include butterflied leg, kabob cubes, boneless shoulder roasts, Frenched racks, shanks; loin, arm, and sirloin chops; and ground lamb. I will also have chicken backs and necks for stock, eggs, and cheese.

It looks like tomorrow will be much nicer than my last visit to town. I hope to see you there.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Derelict in my duties

2010-09-09T10:36:00.004-04:00

Hey friends of local food! Sorry I've been AWOL for a month. I've been doing a lot of cool stuff but haven't been writing about it. Honestly, I have been pretty tired, being almost five months pregnant with twin boys! Here's an update:

Yesterday, Chef Christine from the Kitchen Studio gave an AWESOME demo at the North Market Farmers Market and made both panzanella and corn salad. The dishes were simple, super-fresh, and they brought out the best in seasonal flavors. In other words, the samples went really fast! Chef Christine really knew how to draw in both kids and adults, and I realized while watching her demo that I would really enjoy taking one of her classes, maybe the farmer's market class, or the sushi class...

This past Friday 9/3 I worked with our Office of Sustainability at work (I work for Frederick County Government) to put together a brown bag lunch about local food. We had a panel that included Chef Bryan Voltaggio from Volt and Zoe Brittain and Sally Fulmer from the Common Market. These folks talked about how they work with local farmers to get local produce into their establishments, and what they get out of it. It was really a very smart conversation about how to create direct relationships that benefit the farmer, and how it these relationships benefit a local restaurant and grocery store. More than that, the speakers talked about intersecting profit with purpose, and it was a very engaging. We also talked a little about the loss of family farms, and other outlets to access farm products directly, including farmers markets, CSAs, and direct farm sales. One resource we shared was the 2010 farm guide published by the County's Office of Economic Development. Get a copy if you don't have one.

I didn't grow a garden this year- I started a bunch of seedlings in my friend Chad's greenhouse and then got caught up in things like making babies. Chad ended up planting some of my stuff (especially the lettuces) on his farm and got some enjoyment out of them. So I've been shopping a lot at the farmers markets this summer, more than I usually do, because I am determined to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables while they are in season so that the babies get lots of good nutrition! Right now, I am obsessed with tomatoes and honeycrisp apples and watermelon.

I discovered Spriggs Delight Farm goat cheeses and am totally hooked. I am a cheese lover, and finding out I had a dairy sensitivity last year was a total bummer! But I was happy to discover that I could still eat goat and sheep's milk cheeses, and that has saved me from getting too skinny. I am a big fan of a lot of local goat cheese producers like Caprikorn farms. Each farm has totally different products despite using the same basic ingredient, and that's very exciting. Spriggs has very rustic, old-style cheeses with complex flavors. I tried the Hillside Feta and Torre cheeses yesterday for the first time and was so impressed. The Hillside Feta is smooth, creamy, and goaty without having the metallic tang that can sometimes infiltrate goat milk. It is honestly better than any other feta I have tried. The Torre is an aged, complex cheese with lots of character, despite being mellow- It's solidly in the stinky cheese category, in a good way. And the dairy also makes goat milk fudge- needless to say, I spent all of my farmer's market money there yesterday and then had to walk past the Cortland apples at Lewis Orchard and all of the other market goodies with a blind eye.

Three words: FRESH LOCAL EGGS. With the disgusting conditions revealed on a daily basis at the mega poultry operations in the midwest, I am SO GLAD to be eating local, free range, organic eggs. They also taste better. I got my last batch from Persimmon Pond at the West Frederick Farmers Market from Wendy and they were wonderful.

I hope you are enjoying the harvest season! Corn is coming to an end, but melons and squashes are reigning supreme. Tomatoes will be good until the first frost and then a little later as the green ones ripen. Enjoy apples- the different varieties will phase in and out- right now you have to try Cortland and Honeycrisp. Ooo, and don't forget peaches! And I see all of the summer vegetables are still hanging in there because of all the heat we've had. It's been a hard summer for your local farmers because of the heat and drought. It's a good time to appreciate your local farmer.

Shannon

P.S. Sweet Potatoes.

Tomato Festival August 22

2010-08-06T09:44:00.005-04:00

Our friends at Volt are having a Tomato Festival at the Big White Barn in Buckeystown on August 22nd. For $50, you can taste over 40 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and try dishes made by Frederick's own Bryan Voltaggio of Volt Restaurant. Sounds like a fun and fancy way to enjoy local food on a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Results of the Blueberry Challenge!

2010-07-24T16:45:00.005-04:00

Hey pals! I'm behind! The banner on top of this website says it's still June. I am also a few days later than I wanted to be reporting the results of the blueberry challenge. C'est la vie! I am excited to report we had three entries for the blueberry challenge (four if you count my muffins and the awesome blueberry/peach cobbler that we ate before we remembered to take a picture of it):

April F's Gingered Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins from her 1000 Pizza Doughs blog, which look totally adorable in this picture. I could seriously eat them up! She was also kind enough to post the recipe! I must say, these put my muffins to shame.
Chelsea's Blueberry Lime Jam from her blog figs and twigs, with a gorgeous picture that is something of a tease. More please! She also included the recipe, so I can have my wish!
Omar's Blueberry Buckle, which had so many blueberries that it buckled in the middle.

It's always fun to do a challenge and see what people make! Thanks to the talented cooks who participated in the blueberry challenge- I want to come visit your houses now to thank you in person ;D

Simple tomato salad

2010-07-24T16:19:00.008-04:00

We're having my parents over for dinner tonight, and we've decided to make picnic food (but eat it indoors- it's 100 degrees ouside!) Here's what's on the menu:

Devilled eggs (mom's recipe, but made by me with eggs from Chesapeake's Choice at the West Frederick Farmer's Market)
Potato salad (great grandmother's recipe, made by mom)
Baked beans (from a can)
Fresh fruit salad (with watermelon, peaches, blueberries and blackberries from the farmer's market)
Ribeye (from the Safeway)
Tomato salad (with tomatoes from the farmer's market) with basil, olive oil, and Cherry balsamic vinegar from Lebherz Oil and Vinegar Emporium (new place on Market Street-it's Lou's addiction)

Lou and I had to eat one of the eggs because it didn't look pretty enough. Now there is an empty hole in the egg tray. Too bad. There might be a few more holes before people get here. Lou is making the fruit salad- that might get a few holes in it too. The watermelon might be missing a few pieces already. We are bad.

Shannon

Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

2010-07-22T09:14:00.011-04:00

Fresh this Week

Potatoes
Slicing tomatoes
Squash
Cucumber
Beets
Basil
Onion
and more!

From Farmer Rick

So what happens each week to make your veggies happen? Well our work team arrives at the farm at 8 a.m. At that time nothing is harvested yet for your boxes (except maybe potatoes). On a board in the packing area of our basement is the list for today's box. We start the day picking in the High Tunnels to beat the heat of the day. Tomatoes, greens and berries are picked first. Next we move on to the field crops. Generally 4 people are in our work team on CSA days.

At the same time we are taking restaurant orders for evening delivery. Today we took orders from Cafe Nola, Isabella's and Volt. Additionally we picked an order for the Common Market and MOM's. While the crew is picking, my two young nieces start packing in the packing area (that is why CSA members sometimes see smiley faces on the bags!). They weigh and bag potatoes, tomatoes, etc. When the field crew comes back in (like today with about 200 lbs of squash and zuch!) they start cleaning the produce and methodically placing it in the CSA box so each person's box is similar. We finish by cutting the herbs so they are still fresh. All this packing is in an area that is about 75 degrees so that the produce is not stressed.

We then pull my delivery van under a large awning to keep it cool and load the produce in order of our delivery route. About 3 p.m. (give or take--OK I run late a lot) I leave to deliver to the Frederick drop-off. Then downtown to the restaurants and out to the groceries. Then to Urbana. All the while the produce is in an air-conditioned van. We do the best we can to pick it fresh that day and keep it cool so when you get it it tastes like just out of the field. I hope you enjoy all our hard work.

Thanks for all your support and for the jobs you have helped create for our young work crew.

--Farmer Rick

Photo: Summer Creek CSA box contents, Week 10, 2009

Basil

Originally from central Africa and Southeast Asia, basil has long been cultivated as a culinary and medicinal herb. Traditionally, basil has been used in treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms and kidney malfunctions.
If you have an abundance of basil, try making pesto, which can be used as a spread (it’s great in grilled cheese sandwiches) or a sauce for pasta. To make a basic basil pesto, blend the following in a food processor:

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup grated hard cheese (like parmesan or pecorino)

Serve pesto at room temperature (or no more than gently warmed - do not cook). Pesto freezes well for later use. Try adding a thin layer of olive oil on top before freezing, to help maintain the bright green color. If freezing, try adding the cheese after thawing.

Sources: Purdue University (basil facts) and Food Network (pesto recipe, modified)

Recipe Feature
Panzanella

This rustic tomato and bread salad is an excellent way to use leftover artisan bread from the farmer's market (or your oven), and tomatoes and basil. For the recipe, including a photo, cruise over to Frederick Foodie's blog.

Recipe: Christine Van Bloem

Link of the Week - Buy Local Challenge

Buy Local Challenge Week (July 17-25, 2010) encourages everyone to eat at least one local item per day for the week. You've probably been doing this without trying! For the rest of this week, consider trying the challenge. If you're already eating mostly local foods at home, try visiting one of the restaurants Farmer Rick mentioned above for some tasty, locally grown treats cooked by someone else!

News from Truffle King

2010-07-21T13:57:00.000-04:00

Greetings Chocolate Lovers:

As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, there were things going on behind the scenes that had not been finalized. You may have noticed my recent absences at the Farmer’s Markets. I will be locating in August to Alexandria, VA. To help organize and pack for the move, I will no longer be at any of the Farmer’s Markets for the rest of July and there will be no production in August.

I’ll try and keep the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop on 285 Montevue Lane, Frederick stocked for the remainder of the month, but once inventory is gone, there will be no further production. Google directions are on my web site listed above. Clustered Spires is not far from the West Frederick Farmer’s Market on Baughman’s Lane, so you might stop there on your way home and pick up your truffles. They are open Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm.

A special thanks to all my favorite customers for your inputs, patronage and mutual enjoyment of my truffles over the months and years. Once relocated and up and running again, I will send out an email, and perhaps we can do business again through the mail, or by some other method.

Monthly flavors for JULY:

DARK (58.5% Cacao)Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

DARK/BLUEBERRY (58.5% Cacao)Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Heavy Cream, and Organic Blueberries enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

WHITE CHOCOLATE/COCONUT (35% Cacao Butter)Sweet White Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Organic Coconut Ganache enrobed in Sweet Milk Chocolate

MIXEDEqual mixes of all three flavors in boxes of 6 or 12

Yours for good chocolate,
Timothy Miller, Chocolatier

Imperial Chocolate Company
Frederick, MD
301 788-5278
artco@mindspring.com
TruffleKing.com

Buy Local Challenge Week July 17-25!!!

2010-07-16T13:47:00.005-04:00

From the press release:

Start Today!

Pledge to Eat Local during Buy Local Challenge Week, July 17-25, 2010

Every pledge counts! We invite you to take the pledge again this year and join the thousands across Maryland supporting Maryland's family farms during Buy Local Challenge Week, July 17-25, 2010.

Register your pledge now at http://www.buy-local-challenge.com/. Your pledge to "eat at least one item from a local farm every day during Buy Local Challenge Week" immediately puts your $'s to work in your neighborhood, ensuring that farms survive for future generations. Plus you're doing your part to maintain a cleaner, greener planet and provide safe, nutritious food for you and your family. If you have already registered your pledge - take the next step: starting today make your first purchase at a local farm, farm stand, farmers' market or winery; stock up at a grocer that offers genuine local products; or treat yourself to a meal at a restaurant that serves local farm food. Discover the bounty of Maryland's farms, and we hope you'll decide to shop local year round!

Need help finding Local? Visit http://www.buy-local-challenge.com/ for statewide directories to locate farm fresh products, meats, wines and more. Share your favorite Buy Local experience with your friends. The Buy Local Challenge website also hosts the BLC Online Community. This site allows you to upload information about BLC events, submit your photos, tips or recipes, to chat, or generally interact with other users in Maryland and around the nation.

Blueberry Challenge: You have til July 18!

2010-07-15T09:44:00.004-04:00

Hi there, blueberry lovers! Just a quick reminder that you have until July 18 to complete the blueberry challenge!

I have already gotten one submission already from my pal Omar Siddique. Pictured is his blueberry buckle. He makes these every year when the blueberries are in season. From Omar:

I made my usual blueberry buckle recipe, it's a firm-textured coffee-cake with a vast quantity of blueberries (about 4 cups), and a crisp streusel top. Pictured here for your viewing pleasure. The in-season berries were a little too juicy and seemed to burst disproportionally (making for a bit of a soggy cake on one side) but pleasing over-all.Recipe is from Cook's Illustrated, berries from
Larriland Farms.

You can see more pics of the buckle here.

Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

2010-07-15T09:33:00.004-04:00

Fresh this Week

Potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Squash
Green tomatoes
Basil
and more!

Notes from the Farm

The farm went from drought to mud this week. We went from fixing irrigation breakdowns to weed control. The rain is very welcome but the weeds go wild when it is hot and wet like this. Slicing tomatoes and peppers are coming on soon. Our cherry tomatoes are in four regional grocery stores this week. I hope you are enjoying them too. We pick on average 50 pints a day this time of year. At the same time we are planting for fall. More crops to continue our harvest through Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving we get a rest, for now we have too much to do!

--Farmer Rick

Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes are simply regular tomatoes that haven't ripened yet. They are firmer in texture than ripe tomatoes, which are usually red.

There are probably as many fried green tomato recipes as there are Southern cooks. There are plenty of ways to coat and fry your sliced green tomatoes. First, season with salt and pepper. You could use bread crumbs (such as Panko), cracker crumbs, corn meal, flour or even crushed Corn Flakes for the outside coating. The coating will stick better if you coat the tomato slices with flour, then dip them in a beaten egg, then coat with your final outside layer. Then fry in a deep skillet or deep fryer.

Of course, you can always place the tomatoes in a brown paper bag and wait for them to ripen before using. You can find some tips on how to speed the process here. Store tomatoes in a cool place, but try to avoid refrigerating whole tomatoes, for better flavor. Once they are cut, leftover tomatoes should be refrigerated.

Thanks to Chef Christine Van Bloem and Shannon Moore for the green tomato tips.

Recipe Feature
Fried Green Tomatoes
2 medium to large green tomatoes, sliced thick
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup flour, seasoned to taste (salt, pepper, cayenne, etc. to taste)
1 cup Panko bread crumbs, or other coating of your choice
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp water (egg wash)
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat butter and olive oil together in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. (If you don't use a nonstick skillet, you'll need to use more butter and/or oil.)

Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper, and coat lightly with flour. Then dip in the egg wash, and coat with bread crumbs. Be sure the outside is completely covered.

Carefully place tomato slices in the heated oil/butter mixture and fry until the bottom is golden brown (4-5 minutes). Carefully flip and repeat on other side. If you have one, a fish spatula works well to flip delicate items with minimal disturbance of the coating.

Once both sides are golden brown, remove to drain on paper towels. Season again to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Recipe: April Finnen

Link of the Week - About Lycopene

According to the Mayo Clinic, "numerous studies correlate high intake of lycopene-containing foods or high lycopene serum levels with reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration." These studies were based on tomato intake, and while it is not clear that lycopene was the sole reason since tomatoes are high in a number of nutrients including lycopene, study participants who ate a lot of tomatoes fared better than those who didn't. So enjoy those tomatoes!

Summer Creek Farm
15209 Mud College Road
Thurmont, MD 21788
summercreekfarm@gmail.com
We are on facebook!

New Truffle Flavors from Truffle King

2010-07-06T09:32:00.001-04:00

Greetings Chocolate Lovers:

Last month I queried: what happened to Spring? Now that we’re into August weather in late June and early July, like all the plants, I’m confused. With the heat wave this week, and other complications, my Farmer’s Market appearances will be predicated on the weather and other circumstances. I’ll try and keep the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop on 285 Montevue stocked in case we miss each other. Google directions and hours are on my web site listed above.

I am still at the West Frederick Farmer’s Market from 10 am - 1 pm in the rear parking lot of the Physician’s Building at 110 Baughman’s Lane, Frederick (off of US 40) and should be there some Saturdays this month. Note: I do not attend the Farmer’s Market if it is raining or excessive heat; rain or excessive heat and chocolate just don’t mix. I am also contemplating a move, so may be in search of housing some Saturdays this month.

I am also set up from 3 pm - 7 pm at the brand new Farmer’s Market on Market Street in the parking lot of the old Jay-Carmack Building. Again, excessive heat precludes my appearance, but if you live or work downtown, you should check this market out. It has some very fine vendors, great produce, meats, honey and other items.

13 July I will be at the special Ft. Detrick Farmer’s Market in front of NCIS Library from 11 am - 1:30 pm.

You can continue to stop by the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop (directions on the website) 285 Montevue Lane, Frederick 11 am- 2 pm Tuesday-Saturday and pick some up during the week or call me for alternate pick-up times or for mail orders.

Monthly flavors for JULY:

DARK (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

DARK/BLUEBERRY (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Heavy Cream, and Organic Blueberries enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

WHITE CHOCOLATE/COCONUT (35% Cacao Butter)
Sweet White Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Organic Coconut Ganache enrobed in Sweet White Chocolate

Yours for good chocolate,

Timothy Miller, Chocolatier
Imperial Chocolate Company
Frederick, MD
301 788-5278
artco@mindspring.com
TruffleKing.com

Blogger's Challenge: Blueberries

2010-07-04T13:43:00.007-04:00

We're in the middle of blueberry season. For me, that means I hit the farmers' markets several times a week, buy a pint of blueberries and eat them all by the next day. Blueberries are wonderful in baking, and with meats, but I just can't seem to let them sit around long enough for that to happen. This week, after I got a pint from Glade Link Farms at the West Frederick Farmers Market, I decided after my third or fourth handful that I would make the rest into blueberry muffins. This was quite a sacrifice, I must tell you.

I bought a cookbook recently of gluten-free recipes called "Artisanal Gluten-Free Cookbook" and had been experimenting with it the past two weeks. So far everything I had made with it was tasty, but the leavening was totally not working, and the recipes seemed gummy. This might have been due to the brands of flour I was using- I hear that Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice flour is not milled finely enough to rise well in GF recipes. I made a flat, gummy lemon poppyseed bread that everyone loved and chocolate chip scones using the flour mix recommended in the book with a recipe from another book that was also tasty but flat. Since I had already made up a big batch of the flour mix that is the basis for all the recipes in the book, I was loathe to abandon it. I decided to use the blueberry muffin recipe from the book, but double the baking soda it called for and halve the xanthan gum (xanthan gum makes doughs stretchy and is used in lieu of gluten, You can also use it to make instant pudding out of just about any liquid. It's weird stuff, both creepy and impressive. I got mine at the Common Market). The product is the picture you see above. These muffins rose, they browned, they tasted like regular blueberry muffins. I could not have been happier.

This leads me to my next point: all of you bloggers and tweeters and food lovers out there, I am inviting you to participate in a blueberry challenge. Make a dish involving blueberries, and then either post a picture or send me one. Feel free to include the recipe if you like. You have until July 18th to make something out of blueberries and post it up. At the end of the challenge, I'll post a link or pictures to everyone's blueberry dishes. Have fun!

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-07-02T10:50:00.000-04:00

With the nice weather this week I'm trying to bale hay. Hopefully I will still be in one piece and functioning well for the markets.

With the holiday this weekend you might want to get an early start shopping or also avoid the lines at the Frederick market. This is where the Friday afternoon market at Grace Community Church is an alternative. The church is located just west of Frederick on Alternate Route 40 next to Trout Liquors. Hours are 3 until 7 PM. At today's market I will start out with frozen meats. I hope to be back from the butchershop by 6 if you want fresh product for your holiday cookout. I will have a full selection of fresh beef, pork, and lamb when I return. I will also have the first sweet corn of the season and hopefully peaches as well. Everyone knows that the first local corn of the season tastes the best since we have been waiting for it since last fall. There should also be red raspberries, blackberries, squash and other vegetables.

My full product line will be available Saturday as well. Scenic View called to tell me they will have sweet corn and lots of peaches at the market this week. Every week new fruits and vegetables will be ripening making your farm market shopping experience more enjoyable.The Saturday market is open every week from 10 AM until 1 PM at 110 Baughmans Lane.

Enjoy the break from the heat and I hope to see you at the markets.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Chef's Challenge with Bryan Voltaggio at the market

2010-07-02T10:20:00.008-04:00

Chef Bryan Voltaggio of Volt Restaurant (and who can forget, runner-up on Top Chef to his own brother, after a nail biting competition and decision by the judges) was at the North Market Farmers Market on Wednesday for a Chef's Challenge. Bryan actually started the Chef's Challenges at the West Frederick Farmers Market last year- he was a big supporter of the market and had just filmed the episodes for Top Chef. I think he had really enjoyed cooking in front of people in a pressured environment on that show, because he suggested to me that he'd like to do a challenge at the market. The way we decided to do it was with just one chef for logistics, and the challenge would be that he would have to go around the market, get products from the different stands, and cook a dish onsite using what he found. Even before the Top Chef episodes aired, his Chef's Challenges were very popular with the customers, who would watch him cook things like lamb loin on a camp stove under a shade structure. Though his tools were crude, his finished product was always exquisite. Iron Chef meets MacGyver.

This time Chef made a poached egg with soft polenta, a vegetable and bacon hash, and potato souffles. He had much fancier equipment, but still explained how people could make the dishes themselves at home.

To make a soft polenta, he used three parts broth to one part polenta. He suggests never to use a metal whisk in a metal pan like he is doing here. Use a wooden spoon so the metals don't get in the food.
The egg was poached at 63 degrees C, the temperature at which the yolk and the white are the same consistency.

Bryan sweated onions and peppers, which means he cooked them to translucent without browning. He also added lardons, which are small strips of thick bacon about a few millimeters wide and an inch long. He also added Swiss chard.

The potato souffles are little slices of potato that are first fried at 250 degrees and then deep fried at 450 until they puff. Each of the souffles has a little dehydrated something on top. Bryan taught the audience how they could make their own dehydrated herbs in the microwave.

The audience really enjoyed Bryan and I enjoyed emceeing with him. The first Chef's Challenges we did last year, I prompted him a lot because he would get really involved in cooking. But this time he was a seasoned pro, and explained his processes really fluidly- it's obvious that being what the Denver Post recently called himself and his brother, the "hottest chefs in the country", has given him tons of practice to be not only an excellent chef, but also one who knows how to entertain. Thanks so much to Bryan for his ongoing support of the farmers and farmers' markets, and for having his wonderful restaurant, Volt, here in Frederick.

Woman About Town

2010-07-02T10:15:00.003-04:00

FiND iT FREDERiCK has a very dedicated person known as Woman About Town, or WAT, who attends various events downtown and writes about them with chipper enthusiasm. This gal has made it her mission to visit all of the farmers' markets in Frederick County and report back on them. It's wonderful for the markets and propably pretty fun for WAT too. She writes about here experiences on her blog, which I have linked to here. Her most recent post, from the Chef's Challenge at the North Market Farmers Market with Bryan Voltaggio, is here.

I was meaning to look out for her at the Chef's Challenge but got sucked in to my emcee role and forgot. Maybe WAT and I can meet up some time soon and talk turkey.

Shannon

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-06-18T19:05:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. Things are so busy here on the farm I need two of me to keep up. I have thought about asking the local veterinarians about getting myself cloned, but decided that might not be a good idea because most of you would say one of me is more than enough already.

Father's Day weekend has arrived already. And while dad would love a special dinner, he most likely would prefer grilling farm fresh meats at home rather than going to some crowded restaurant. I had extra animals processed this week to hopefully keep up with the demand. I will have my complete line of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and eggs. A good supply of pulled pork has been made. English bacon is ready this week. Janet has started "jamming" so different combinations of strawberry jellies will be available.

For those of you wanting to avoid the Saturday market crowds or get an early start on the weekend, I am at the Grace Community Church farmers market every Friday from 3 until 7 PM. This is just a short hop away, along Alternate Route 40 just before Braddock and next to Trout Liquors. Frozen meats are available early, but I return with fresh meats by 6. We will also have red raspberries, black raspberries, sweet cherries, a few sour cherries, spring onions, and red beets. Sour cherries are in very short supply this year. This is a small market, but there are also baked goods, vegetables, and some crafts available.

Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market,

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

2010-06-10T14:33:00.002-04:00

Fresh This Week

New red potatoes
Snow peas
Red Russian kale
English shelling peas
Radishes
Fresh garlic bulbs
... and more!

Notes from the Farm

Busy time at the farm, baled hay yesterday and unloaded in the barn before the rains. Dug some new potatoes till after dark to beat the rain. Our workers picked all day in the rain Thursday to get you fresh produce, by lunch they were drenched! Fresh peas are not easy to pick in the rain. Wet vines all over searching for those pods.

Tomatoes are growing, vines are over 4' tall now. Squash in bloom, beans starting to flower, soon more summer produce will be on it's way. I hope you have enjoyed our offerings so far.

--Farmer Rick

Kale

A member of the cabbage family, kale is a hearty green. As such, it needs to be cooked thoroughly. For best results, blanch kale (boil briefly) before sauteeing with a little olive oil and garlic, or other spices.

Kale is a nutrition powerhouse - 1 cup has 206% the recommended daily value of vitamin A, and 134% of Vitamin C. It's also a good source of fiber--just like many of our CSA items--and has 2 grams of protein per serving. Kale keeps best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This week's box may have Red Russian Kale (pictured) or Tuscan kale (also known as Lacinato kale), which has a crinkly texture and darker color, earning it the nickname black kale.

Sources: Fine Cooking and NutritionData

Recipe Feature

Crispy Kale Chips

If you think your family won't eat kale, try this. It's important to dry the leaves thoroughly before cooking, or they won't be as crispy.

1 bunch kale

1-2 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder (optional - any combination you wish)
sea salt, to taste (important: add the salt after baking!)
Preheat oven to 350, and line a large cookie sheet (with sides) or baking pan with parchment paper. Wash kale, and dry thoroughly. Cut kale into bite-size pieces. Drizzle olive oil over kale, coating the leaves as evenly as possible. Add spices, if using (but NOT salt yet). Spread the leaves into a thin layer on the parchment, and put in oven for 12-20 minutes. Check at 12 minutes. Kale is done when it is crispy with a texture almost like paper. Do not allow the leaves to brown. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe: modified from Steamy Kitchen

The Week in Farmers Markets

2010-06-10T11:14:00.007-04:00

I went to the opening of the North Market Farmers Market yesterday and chatted with both the vendors and the customers. That is kind of my thing. I do volunteer marketing for farmers markets. I like to take the pulse. I chat with people, design logos, organize occasional events like chef's challenges, and post things on facebook. My intent is to help the farmers connect to the consumers with more than just product. So I guess I am kind of a social organizer volunteer. I like to do it. It's fun. I was really excited yesterday because, despite the rain, the vendors were very happy. They were happy with the market location, with the turnout, with selling out of some items on their first day. They were happy with the spot they got in the market, or with the music, or whatever. The customers were happy too. They were happy to have the parking lot of the empty complex full of local food. They were excited about how delicious the cherries were, and were sharing them with other customers because they were so good. In fact, the only feedback I could get about improvements was from my boyfriend, who suggested that the market needed more visible signage and had room for more vendors. This is a really good sign. This market is going to do well. Will Morrow did an excellent job with the variety and quality of vendors that he put together when organizing the market. It really showed. The Market also benefitted awesomely from all of the supporting actors like the Downtown Frederick Partnership, Frederick Tourism, Volt Restaurant, the many bloggers and tweeters and facebookers, and of course all of my friends and their big mouths. And my little sister, who distributed hundreds of door hangers. And my boyfriend, who talked to the restaurateurs and chefs about the market. Thanks to everyone who made it out to the market on a drizzly day, because it had an awesome opening day.

The Shab Row and Everedy Square Farmers Market is today from 3-6. I have been hoping that the North Market Farmers Market will increase traffic to the Everedy Square market. With more people aware that the markets exist, clientele increases for all of the markets. A rising tide floats all boats.

Shannon

North Market Farmers Market Opens June 9

2010-06-09T09:42:00.006-04:00

Too bad we can't have yesterday's weather today. The air was cool, the sky mostly clear except for a few stray puffy clouds. Today is drizzly with possible thunderstorms...and the opening of the North Market Farmers Market. Will Morrow and I emailed this morning and he is going to go forward rain or shine. People don't melt. Bring an umbrella. The market is at 331 North Market Street in Downtown Frederick, in the lot of the old Carmack-Jays next to Olde Towne Tavern.

The market has 12 vendors, several of which will be familiar to you from the West Frederick and Everedy Square markets. Some will be new to you, and they are new to me too- I am excited to check them out. There is a really good variety of products at the market:

Glade Link Farm (cut flowers, berries, vegetables)
Washington Street Gardens (plants and vegetables)
Tomatoes Etc. (vegetables)
Lewis Orchard (fruit)
Bella Terra Farm (vegetables, cut flowers)
Rettland Farm (Beef, pork, eggs)
Goose Creek Farm (baked goods, lamb, beef, cut flowers)
Kiparoo Farms (soap, wool, yarn, handknits)
Truffle King (chocolates)
Local Raw Honey
Pennys Plants (plants and herbs)
Whitmore Farm (lamb, pork, rabbit, vegetables)

I hope you can make it!

Fresh this Week from Truffle King

2010-06-07T18:52:00.001-04:00

Greetings Chocolate Lovers:

What happened to Spring? Seems like we went directly from winter to August. While we can’t change the weather, we can console ourselves; what better way to treat yourself than a box of handmade gourmet truffles?

I am still at the West Frederick Farmer’s Market from 10 am - 1 pm in the rear parking lot of the Physician’s Building at 110 Baughman’s Lane, Frederick (off of US 40) and should be there most Saturdays. Note: I do not attend the Farmer’s Market if it is raining; rain and chocolate just don’t mix.

8 June I will be at the opening Ft. Detrick Farmer’s Market in front of NCIS Library from 11 am - 1:30 pm.

You can continue to stop by the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop (directions on the website) 285 Montevue Lane, Frederick 11 am- 2 pm Tuesday-Saturday and pick some up during the week or call me for alternate pick-up times or for mail orders.

Monthly flavors for JUNE:

DARK (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

DARK/COFFEE (58.5% Cacao)
Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Heavy Cream, and Organic Coffee Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

MILK/RASPBERRY (41% Cacao)
Sweet Milk Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Organic Raspberry Ganache enrobed in
Sweet Milk Chocolate

Yours for good chocolate,

Timothy Miller, Chocolatier

Imperial Chocolate Company
Frederick, MD
301 788-5278
artco@mindspring.com
TruffleKing.com

Local food in the local blogosphere

2010-06-04T11:02:00.013-04:00

It's the time of year when the local twitterers and bloggers are posting about their gardens and adventures with local food. Here's a rollup:

frederickfoodie is having a Farmer's Market class at The Kitchen Studio on July 30 & 31 to teach folks how to really work the markets!

April of 1000 pizza doughs posts pictures of her garden that is ACTUALLY GROWING despite fears to the contrary. She also posts pictures of her greens. I am jealous, because I neglected mine so long in my friend's greenhouse that he planted them in his own garden. He said, "you can come visit the farm if you want some lettuce".

Chelsea of figs and twigs is eating greens for breakfast with beans and hot sauce. Sounds very refreshing.

Fred Foodie ate "halibut on a white asparagus risotto with a rhubarb ginger compote for lunch at VOLT last week and it was absolutely the best piece of fish that I have ever had. Just perfectly cooked: moist and flaky. I was sad to finish it. It sounds lame but I actually had a dream about it that night! I don’t usually dream about food. Anybody have food dreams?" I do. I am dreaming of that dish right now. Bryan always does a great job with fish, and the rest of the dish, sprinkled with fresh local ingredients like rhubarb and asparagus, sounds divine. Speaking of restaurants, I learned today that the Tasting Room uses a lot of local produce too. Good to hear.

The Frederick Community Garden Association asks, "What issues do you want to see addressed in our community? " I would like to see greater access of fresh local food to people of all economic backgrounds, particularly in school lunches. I would also like to see a formal connection between the food bank and local farms, and I would like to see a nonprofit food distribution company in Frederick that bridges the distance between farmers and retailers while allowing the farmers to maintain a greater share of profits. Just some thoughts.

House in the Woods is having goat adventures, which you will have to check out for yourself (it's very sweet).

The intermittent gourmet at real food * real life has taken the dirty dozen list of fruits and vegetables (from the Environmental Working Group as published at cnn) that are laden with pesticide residue and has turned it into a cute chart. way to go!

That Farmers Market Chick has joined I support farmers' markets on facebook. Me too! It's a pretty cool page.

Hilda from Volt visited the Elk Run Winery. She goes to the coolest places to learn more about their sources.

I think we are due for a blogger's challenge soon, where we pick a farm fresh product and ask everyone to make something out of it and post pictures. Hmm. I wonder what that will be!

Catching up

2010-06-04T10:25:00.008-04:00

Though I haven't been posting much here recently, I have been a busy bee working on farmers market stuff. Here's an update of some cool things that I have been working on that you might enjoy:

I have been working with my friend Will Morrow to help set up the North Market Farmers Market. Will is organizing the market, which will be Wednesdays 3-7PM beginning June 9 at the old Carmack Jays site next to Old Towne Tavern on Market Street in downtown Frederick (331 North Market Street). I am really excited about this market; Market Street is actually named after a farmers market that started back in 1746 by a man named Daniel Dulaney, who had laid out the town of Frederick a year before on part of Taskers Chance.

According to the City of Frederick, Dulaney's "vision for Frederick-Town was clear, having encouraged the development of the surrounding area with productive grain farms, his new town would serve as a regional market town; a place to gather agricultural products for refinement, shipment or local sale, and where goods could be purchased by town residents and the surrounding community...In 1746, Dulaney received permission from the Proprietary to hold a weekly market at Frederick-Town, and by 1747 he was placing advertisements in the Maryland Gazette for a fair “at Frederick-Town, near Monocacy,” and a market “to be held there every Saturday." The press release for the market, put out by Colby Ferguson from Frederick County Economic Development, has a great quote from Will:

“After a 52 year hiatus we're bringing the Farmers Market back to Market Street,” stated Will Morrow of Whitmore Farm, and Market organizer. “The oldest and longest running Farmers Market used to be on Market Street. The original market was established in 1746 and served as the center of agricultural commerce for Frederick County for 212 years!”

So far the market will have meat, fruit, vegetables, eggs, baked goods, cut flowers, soaps, plants, fiber, and yarn. Will is still talking to vendors so there may be even more. Check out the market on facebook. I designed the logo :)

I also worked on a logo for the Big White Barn Tomato Festival with my friend Hilda. I'll follow up when I have more details.

Other than this past weekend when I went camping, I have been going to the West Frederick Farmers Market a lot. My boyfriend is addicted to the fat asparagus spears at Scenic View Orchard. The season for that is probably close to over, which is sad. On the other hand, it's really fun to be able to eat the foods that are in season at the times when they are available; they are more special that way. I can't wait for blueberries and tomatoes to be in.

The Shab Row and Everedy Square Farmers Market opened for the season on Thursday. I didn't make it this week but am hoping to go next week.

I talked to Colby Ferguson and we chatted about market stuff. He runs the Virtual Farmers Market, organizes the Family Festival at the Farm, and publishes the Wine Trail Brochure and Frederick County Farm Guide. Colby says there's a bunch of new markets coming this year, including one in Myersville and maybe one in New Market. There are farmers markets every day of the week now in Frederick County except Monday. I hope all of these markets are successful.

The 2010 farm guide is out, and Colby needs to get a pdf of it to put it on his website, because he still has the 2009 guide up. That guide is useful. I did see that the Truffle King had the new printed guides at his booth at the West Frederick Farmers Market on Saturday, so you can get one from him.

If you are interested in buying a CSA share and have not done so yet, visit here.

My little sister Precious and I visited our friend Chad from Chad Stull Organic Produce and Mount Zion CSA in his greenhouse yesterday. I haven't seen him much recently, but when you have friends that are farmers, you never see them this time of year unless you help out on their farms or at least visit them there. That's how it goes. Chad had kept our tomato seedlings alive that we had planted and then so rudely neglected. Other than a few weeds that I pulled out, they looked good. I need to transplant them.

I am having friends over for dinner on Saturday, and I can't wait to see what is at the market on Saturday morning.

Shannon

Fresh this Week from Cakes for Cause

2010-06-04T10:15:00.004-04:00

Farmers’ Market = Good Cause

Each month during the season, Cakes for Cause chooses another local community agency and we donate 10% of our farmers’ market proceeds for the week to them. This Saturday (the 5th) we’ll be donating proceeds to the YMCA of Frederick County to help support their scholarship/campership program. We started out this life as camp counselors…YMCA camp counselors to be exact and we remember how much fun the kiddos had every year (who are we kidding...YMCA camp ROCKS!). Every family in our community can’t give their children that experience so we’d like to support the great programming offered in our cool North End neighborhood. Anyone up to match our portion of the donation???

Cakes for Cause + Baltimore Orioles???

After some good-natured teasing on Facebook about our Executive Director throwing like a girl (ummmmm, she is a girl!), we’re off to a good start for the All Stars Among Us competition from People Magazine. We were nominated to represent the Baltimore Orioles and your vote (multiple votes people…put an intern on it!) will help us bring more exposure to the difficulties that foster care youth face when they don’t have a program like ours. Our program at Moxie gives them 6 months of steady job experience, helps them develop critical life skills, and puts them on a path to successful adulthood. It also puts a new generation of young people out there who take pride in their skills and who love food almost as much as we do. There are too many young people out there who do not have the kinds of positive lasting relationships with adults who can help them transition into adulthood. If you’re a “fan” of what we do in this community and what we would like to do in other communities, please vote for us. Thank you.

The Mission of Cakes for Cause is to empower vulnerable youth and develop social enterprises that engage the community in cultivating meaningful employment and educational opportunities to teach work and life skills. In Frederick, Cakes for Cause operates Moxie Bakery & Café, a social enterprise that trains youth in the hospitality industry.

Cakes for Cause (Administrative Office)
22 South Market Street, Suite 3
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Phone: 301-620-0311
E-mail: info@cakesforcause.org

Moxie Bakery & Cafe (for the sweet stuff!)
629 North Market Street
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Phone: 301-620-0003

Facebook and Twitter too!

Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

2010-05-27T09:36:00.001-04:00

Fresh This Week

Garlic scapes
Strawberries
Chard
Radishes
and more...

Notes from the Farm

Busy time at the farm, planting, weeding, picking. I spent the last two evenings in a field cultivating. The cool evening, with the air full of honeysuckle sweetness. Wonderful time to get work done after a hot day in the field picking berries. Lots more to plant to keep crops coming all season long.
--Farmer Rick

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the sprout of the garlic plant—a thin green stalk that curls above the ground and is more tender and sweeter than the bulbs that grow below ground. The season for garlic scapes is only a couple weeks; after that, they become tough.

Scapes can be used in place of garlic, scallions, onions or ramps in most recipes. They have a garlic taste, but it is milder and “fresher” than that of garlic cloves. They are a great addition to croquettes, guacamole, omelets, stir fries, salads and more. For a colorful take on garlic butter, mix chopped garlic scapes with softened butter, and other herbs if you like; herbed butters will keep refrigerated for a couple weeks.

Scapes store well for a couple weeks.

Source: StarChefs.com

Recipe Feature

Garlic Scape Pesto

To make a quick garlic scape pesto (using garlic scapes instead of the more traditional basil), combine in a food processor until smooth:

½ cup almonds or pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan
1 cup garlic scapes
Serve immediately with your favorite pasta or crusty bread, or refrigerate and use within a few days. Note that this pesto is for serious garlic lovers. Since the garlic scapes are not cooked in this preparation, though milder than raw garlic, they still have a strong flavor in this quantity.

Recipe: modified from SeriousEats.com

Links of the Week

For more garlic and garlic scape recipe ideas, visit 2sistersgarlic, or try this white bean and garlic scapes dip from the New York Times. (You'll need one can of cannellini beans, garlic scapes, fresh lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil for the dip.)

Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

2010-05-21T10:16:00.001-04:00

Fresh this Week
Radishes
Mint
Strawberries
Broccoli raab
Spinach
... and more!

Notes from the Farm
It is a busy time of year at the farm. We planted peppers, more tomatoes, eggplant and melons this week. Rain has prevented us from doing much weed control but as soon as it stops and the soil dries we will have to get right after the weeds. Weeds never sleep! Weather is cooler than normal but strawberries are coming in full. I hope you all enjoy the flavor of our traditional strawberries. They are not as large in size as the berries you see in a store, but they are giganic in flavor compared to those strawberry look alikes!
--Farmer Rick

Mint
Fresh mint comes in two main varieties: spearmint, which has bright green wrinkled leaves, and peppermint, which has smooth leaves. Chop or crush fresh leaves to release their flavor (remove stems). Mint is traditional with peas or potatoes, but it goes well with many fruits, vegetables, yogurt-based sauces and chutneys. Or, if you're feeling more festive, try mojitos.
When I have fresh mint, I make Indian food, including the raita (a cold yogurt dish) recipe below. It's also great in tabouleh, served alongside warm pitas and hummus.

Tabouleh
1/2 cup fine- to medium-grind bulgur wheat
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust according to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups roughly chopped parsley leaves
1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup shopped green onionsSoak bulgur in hot water to cover until tender, 15 to 30 minutse. Drain well, squeezing out as much water as possible. Toss with oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Just before serving, add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.
Sources: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman 2008, and The Food Life. Photo: wikipedia.com

Recipe Feature

Raita
1 large cucumber, diced1 cup thick plain yogurt1 clove garlic, minced1-2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped1 tsp. salt½ tsp. grated fresh ginger½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add yogurt right before serving. (Keeps in fridge without the yogurt for up to 2 days.) Serve with fresh naan, tandoori anything, or a great masala or daal.
Recipe: The Kitchen Studio

Link of the Week
This news article from the Associated Press reports a "persuasive" link between ADHD in children and organophosphates (a common type of pesticide) used to grow fruits and vegetables. Yet another reason to eat organic!

Your Recipes, Blog Links and CSA Cooking Tips Wanted!
If you've got great recipes for any items you'd like to share, please send them to summercreekfarm@gmail.com. We'll generally need them by Sunday for inclusion in that week's newsletter. Also, if you're blogging about your CSA share, please send us a link to your blog so we can include them all here in a future edition. Thanks, and happy cooking!

Fresh this Week from Cakes for Cause

2010-05-21T10:10:00.001-04:00

Speaking Of the Farmers’ Market…Have you been yet? Did you pick up some of our seasonal berry shortcake biscuits and pair it either with strawberries or rhubarb or both??? These are a variation on our light and fluffy Moxie biscuits and tricked out with some fresh thyme and lemon zest, sprinkled with coarse sugar and served with strawberries and whipped cream, they’re a delicious dessert while they last. We also carry breads at the farmers’ market every week. Every loaf is vegan, two are whole wheat, and they’re all yummy for sandwiches, French toast or just al fresco with a salad or a steak. Volunteer and you can spend the whole morning with our booth o' delicious!

The Mission of Cakes for Cause is to empower vulnerable youth and develop social enterprises that engage the community in cultivating meaningful employment and educational opportunities to teach work and life skills. In Frederick, Cakes for Cause operates Moxie Bakery & Café, a social enterprise that trains youth in the hospitality industry.

Back from the Farmers Market

2010-05-15T11:52:00.003-04:00

I am back from the West Frederick Farmers Market. I brought my boyfriend Lou and my dog Lucy with me. I love going to the market with Lou; he is from Athens, Greece originally. He says farmers markets when he grew up involved a lot more haggling and hawking. He tells me about the guy who sold olive oil and offered samples on fresh, rustic bread. The ocean was less than half a mile away, so vendors sold seafood. They sold grains, produce, meats. He said there were lots of varieties of grapes, olives, and feta cheeses from different regions like Attica or Chios or Crete. It's neat to think about how each place can have a totally different market flavor; and that's the point.

We got to the market a little after ten this morning, and it was bustling. Perhaps people found out that strawberries are in! We bought three pints from Jubilee Organic Farm along with two bunches of asparagus. Lou wanted to get the fatter asparagus from Richard at Scenic View Orchards, but the weather this week in Sabillasville was not warm enough to produce much; Richard said that the wet weather was good for the asparagus but the cold was not. We got a bunch of radishes from Summer Creek Farm and chatted with Rick for a while. We also talked to Tim, the Truffle King; I am so sad that I can't eat truffles anymore since I quit eating dairy. He had strawberry and caramel truffles in addition to his chocolate ones. Dave and his son were working at Chesapeake's Choice today; we bought two dozen multicolored eggs from them. Their eggs are gorgeous on the inside too, with a rich, dark yolk that is light years away from grocery store eggs. I bought a gluten-free rice krispie treat from A Better Choice Baked Goods and shared pieces of it with several people. I bought a large, gorgeous bag of spinach for $3 and chatted with Gwen from Glade-Link Farm for a little bit. Their u-pick operation for strawberries begins tomorrow, 5/16, at 7AM. Call 301.898.7131 before you go to make sure they haven't run out. Strawberries will be $1.50 per pound. This info isn't on their website yet, so you get first dibs.

Lucy wandered around and sniffed other dogs. She was very happy. Lou and I talked to our friends. We had a great morning. Then we went home and made bacon burger burritos with fresh greens from the market. I love Saturdays.

Shannon

Summer Creek Farm Newsletter

2010-05-14T11:01:00.002-04:00

Welcome all to the 2010 season. The warm weather has accelerated some crops. We are hoping this does not causes a hole in the produce as we go through the early stuff and current cool weather delays the later produce. Time will tell. I hope you enjoy all the fresh produce we have for you and tell your friends. You can email me at any time with comments or suggestions. Enjoy the season! We are busy planting much more!
--Farmer Rick

Fresh this Week

Radishes
Chard
Strawberries
Broccoli raab
Arugula
Spinach
... and more!

About Your Newsletter

To give you some tips on what to do with some of the produce, and let you know what’s coming, we’ll send out a newsletter every week. The same newsletter is sent to all pick-up locations. Since produce becomes available when it wants to, box contents may vary from location to location and day to day. The list included in these weekly newsletters is our best guess as of newsletter publication time (which may also vary from week to week, depending on when Farmer Rick can tell us what will be in the boxes).

Recipes, tips and suggestions are encouraged. To contact Farmer Rick directly, please email him at farmer@summercreekfarm.com.

Broccoli Raab

Broccoli raab, also known as broccoli rape, rabe or rapini, is a longtime regular in Italian cooking. With a stronger, more bitter taste than broccoli, broccoli raab is a welcome addition to the adventurous cook’s repertoire. To prepare, trim the dry ends of the stems and pull off any yellowing or wilted leaves. To serve plain, parboil (boil briefly), and shock with ice water to preserve the green color. It is done when you can insert a skewer or thin-bladed knife into the thickest part of the stalk. Overcooked broccoli raab becomes mushy. You can substitute turnip or mustard greens in place of broccoli raab successfully in many recipes. Broccoli raab is an excellent source of Vitamin K, and is also high in Vitamins A and C.

Sources: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, and nutritiondata.com.

Recipe Feature

Basic Pasta with Broccoli Raab
This recipe works well with other leafy greens or regular broccoli as well - simply adjust the cooking time for the greens according to their toughness.

1 bunch broccoli raab
2-4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2-6 cloves chopped garlic, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 pound box small pasta shells
¼ cup fresh grated parmesan (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Boil the broccoli raab whole until it is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook just until it begins to sizzle, then lower heat to keep warm. Scoop the raab out of the water carefully, then drain, chop into 1-2 inch pieces and add to skillet. Scoop boiling water into the skillet 1-2 tbsp at a time to keep moist as needed. Use the remaining boiling water to cook the pasta according to the package’s “al dente” instructions, then drain and add pasta to skillet. Stir to combine, add parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Recipe: Adapted from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman, 2008.

Link of the Week

Strawberry shortcake with whole grain biscuits and an interesting twist on cream, from Eating Well.

Shopping list items for this recipe (things you may not keep in stock):

Neufchâtel (reduced fat cream cheese)
Heavy whipping cream
Reduced fat sour cream
Buttermilk (optional, if you have vinegar - see tip in recipe)
White whole-wheat flour or whole grain pastry flour (both available at the Common Market in Frederick)

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-05-07T09:20:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. With Mother's Day being this weekend, I will have plenty of meats available for you to prepare her the best home cooked meal ever. Beef will include ribeye, strip, T-bone, porterhouse, sirloin, flank, and skirt steaks; eye round, boneless chuck, and sirloin tip roasts; stew cubes, ground round, and steak burgers. Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops, spare ribs, country style ribs, boneless butts, and bacon. Mild Italian, bratwurst, applewurst, and sage sausage will be fresh while country, hot Italian, and maple will be frozen. Lamb will include butterflied legs, boneless shoulders, shanks, Frenched racks, loin chops, arm chops, ground lamb, and lamb sausage. I will also have whole chickens, cutup chickens, and eggs. Have a good week and I will see you at the market.

Danny
DAKAROHFARM@aol.com

Update from Catoctin Mountain Orchard

2010-05-01T09:40:00.007-04:00

Click on the image to see it larger

As you can see, "Spring has Sprung" and we're blossoming out, not only in the fields, but also in our market store. Our MARKET opens this Saturday May 1st, and we have awakened our apples out of their winter sleep storage, so we can provide you with fresh, crisp, "just picked from the tree" flavor. We have all your favorites, like fresh pies and an assortment of baked goods, pear and apple cider, jams and jellies, hanging baskets, crafts, mixes, peanuts, sauces, dressings, munchies, fudges, candles, and lots of local items, etc, etc. We also carry a lot of sugar free items for those watching their sugar intake.

COMING SOON: KALE, SPRING ONIONS, SQUASH & LETTUCE
We will keep you informed on all new arrivals through the 2010 season as they become available through www.catoctinmtorchard.com and eBlasts.

To catch you up on our activities over the last few months, let's just say it's been non-stop. From tree trimming, to removing old trees, to planting new varieties of trees, to getting the soil prepared, to planting early season veggies, to starting seedlings in the greenhouses, to getting the latest education info from workshops and seminars, to getting the market spruced up to making a better product for you - wow, makes me tried just thinking about it.

We've already started our tour season, showing where the food comes from, starting new trees through grafting, testing of varieties (looking for the best), conservation practices, selling retail, bee keeping, and Ecological Management.

We look forward to seeing you again as we kick off the new 2010 market season. Make sure you come and seeing the beautiful rolling hillsides of Catoctin, as she shows off all her blossoming splendor.

The Harry Black Family

West Frederick Farmers Market is Today!

2010-05-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

Hey friends! Can't wait to see you at the market today!!!

Fresh this Week from Truffle King

2010-05-01T09:26:00.000-04:00

Greetings Chocolate Lovers:

Lots of things happening this month, including lots of good chocolate, and OMG, next Sunday, 9 May is Mother’s Day. This month’s flavors are favorites and quantities are limited, so act soon so you don’t miss out.

1 May I will be at the first West Frederick Farmer’s Market from 10 am - 1 pm in the rear parking lot of the Physician’s Building at 110 Baughman’s Lane, Frederick (off of US 40) and should be there most Saturdays. Note: I do not attend the Farmer’s Market if it is raining; rain and chocolate just don’t mix.

4 May I will be at the special Ft. Detrick Farmer’s Market in front of NCIS Library from 11 am - 1:30 pm.

You can continue to stop by the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop (directions on the website) 285 Montevue Lane, Frederick 11 am- 2 pm Tuesday-Saturday and pick some up during the week or call me for alternate pick-up times or for mail orders.

Monthly flavors for MAY:

DARK (58.5% Cacao)

Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate

MILK/STRAWBERRY (41% Cacao)

Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Organic Strawberry Ganache enrobed in

Sweet Milk Chocolate

ENROBED CARAMEL CENTERS

Buttery Carmel centers, enrobed in Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate

Yours for good chocolate,

Timothy Miller, Chocolatier

Imperial Chocolate Company

Frederick, MD

301 788-5278

artco@mindspring.com

TruffleKing.com

Farmer's Market starts Saturday!!!

2010-04-30T09:21:00.002-04:00

I am really excited that the West Frederick Farmer's Market is starting Saturday! I didn't get enough asparagus out of my plant this year to make it worth harvesting, and the market always has the freshest bunches. The market this year is in the same place as last year- behind the Physician's building next to Holiday Cinemas on Baughman's Lane. It goes 10-1 every Saturday until Thanksgiving.

Seedling Sale at House in the Woods Farm

2010-04-30T09:18:00.002-04:00

The House in the Woods Seedling Sale starts this weekend on Sunday. Come to the farm! Organic heirloom plants for your garden. We feature beautiful heirloom tomato plants, but this year we also offer peppers, eggplant, herbs, and some greens.

See my blog entry about tomato plants--with photos and descriptions-- blog.houseinthewoods.com Go to our website www.houseinthewoods.com--down the scrollbar for more info and photos of heirloom tomatoes.

Sale Hours --- MAY 2-8:
Sunday May 2, 10am-5pm
Tuesday-Thursday (May 4th-6th) from 4-7pm
Friday May 7th, 10am-5pm
Saturday May 8th, 10am-5pm

2104 Mt Ephraim Rd, Adamstown, MD 21710
Contact ilene@houseinthewoods.com or 301-607-4048 for directions and appointments off-hours.

Bring a box for your plants. Return pots to our mailbox, we’ll re-use them!

Locavore Basics

2010-04-22T10:19:00.007-04:00

I joined a food club recently where people collectively buy food from suppliers in order to get quality food cheaper. I went to my first meeting yesterday and discovered that a lot of people in the club preserve food through canning. I also had dinner at a friend's house this week (venison, carrots, potatoes, collards, and a salad- heavenly) and he showed me his canning stores from last summer. I am thinking I am going to have to get in on this canning. My mom used to can a lot and it was a way to make use of produce when it was at its cheapest and most abundant. My mom saved a lot of money by canning and we always had healthy food to eat. I took it for granted as a kid but I don't anymore. I am also thinking that for my food club, I am going to try to build relationships with local farmers to see if we can do some wholesale buying of produce in season when they have extras.

The Culinate website has a nice little writeup of eight locavore basics: eight budget tips for going local.

Grow or forage your own grub. Gardening is the ultimate local-foods diet, matched only by foraging for wild edible plants. There are delicious wild fruits and vegetables as well as gourmet mushrooms growing right at your feet, even if you live in the city. Usually overlooked as “weeds,” these free foods are yours once you learn some simple but essential identification skills. Sign up for one of the wild-edibles classes offered nationwide, and you’ll soon be safely harvesting the free food growing all around you.
No room, time, or interest in gardening? Get involved with a CSA. If you can volunteer a few hours a week for a few weeks each year, you may be able to get a community-supported agriculture (CSA) share totally free. CSAs depend on a core group of volunteers who are responsible for tasks that range from bookkeeping to website maintenance to communicating with the farmer. In exchange, most CSAs offer core members discounted or free vegetable shares, depending on how much time they put in. (I volunteer five hours a week as site coordinator for my CSA for eight weeks, in exchange for which I get my vegetable share for free. If I put in more weeks than that, I also get my fruit share for free.) Many CSAs also offer discounted shares to low-income families, and most CSAs accept EBT payments at a discounted membership rate. Ask if discounted shares are available at your local CSA, and be prepared to show some proof of your income status to qualify.
Even with a CSA, you might need extras. Be a savvy shopper at the farmers’ market. Walk through the entire farmers’ market before you buy anything, checking to see what looks the best and which stalls have the lowest prices. Often there’s a huge difference in price for the same vegetable between one farm’s stall and the next.
Pay attention to peak seasonality. Each crop has a season and a peak season. “Peak season” is when the produce is both tastiest and cheapest. For example, tomatoes appear at my farmers’ markets in June, but aren’t really at their tastiest or most affordable until August.
Put up your harvest (or bulk purchases) for the cold months. By freezing, canning, pickling, or otherwise preserving summer's bounty, my locavore meals in wintertime are varied and delicious, and they balance the budget of what I spend during the warm months. The strawberries I froze when they were at their most luscious (and cheapest) become breakfast smoothies in January; the ratatouille I made with summer squash and eggplant becomes a quick pasta sauce long after squash and eggplant season is over. So pick up a few food-preservation skills, not only to add interest and nutrition to your winter diet but also to keep costs down.
Waste not, want not. Instead of throwing apple cores and peels into the compost, I stockpile them in the freezer to make homemade apple vinegar and to use as pectin for jellies and jams. I also use my freezer to save vegetable trimmings and poultry, meat, and fish bones, which I turn into delicious stocks that later become soups and sauces. Carrot leaves, onion skins, parsley stems, and the tough green parts of leeks are among the usually thrown-out parts of vegetables that are great in stock.
Eat fewer animal foods. Even sustainably, humanely raised animals and animal products require a heftier input of resources and labor than plants do. That’s why they’re the most expensive items at the farmers’ market. By eating vegetarian meals several times a week, even if you enjoy your dairy, eggs, or meat on the other days, you’ll significantly reduce your food costs.
Eat at home. And no, takeout doesn’t count. If your lifestyle till now has included more than one restaurant, takeout, or delivery meal a week, then cooking at home will definitely save you money.

I am trying to do more home cooking. It's easier the more I do it. I am saving quite a lot of money! I am really looking forward to cooking more this growing season and sharing more pictures. I have rhubarb in my yard that looks ready to harvest, so it looks like I'll be using home-grown products tonight for the first time this season- for dessert! Picture from Culinate.

Shannon

News from Summer Creek Farm

2010-04-21T10:07:00.001-04:00

Hi all , working up here on the farm getting ready for the 2010 season. Its was a hard winter. Much damage was done with the storms and personally it was tough. Greenhouses being repaired , damage cleaned up, we are planting for the season. The weather has been good, just a little dry. We have all out potatoes and peas planted. Greenhouse is stuffed with plants. Looking forward to serving all our CSA customers for another year. We have a few slots left if you have not signed up and still want too.

To all our new CSA members, we are also a dealer for Organic Fertilizer and other gardening supplies. If you are interested in supplies or plants for your own garden let me know. CSA customers get a 10% discount. This also applies to our rain barrels.

As an FYI Farm Inc. the movie will be on PBS on April 21.

All that have signed up for this years CSA will receive a post card in the mail in early May. This is to make sure that if you are not getting these emails (thus not reading this message) you will be notified to contact us. It is very important that in order for use to communicate through the season that our emails are working. That means I have your address correct and that they are not getting dumped in the junk box. Make sure that our email address is in your address book, this helps keeps us out of the junk!

May is coming, fresh greens, strawberries , Asparagus and other goodies will be in the CSA. I will be back in touch soon!

Thanks
Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

West Frederick Farmers Market Staying Put

2010-04-17T17:56:00.001-04:00

The West Frederick Farmer's Market is going to be on Baughman's Lane once again this year! The contract is signed, and lots of people are relieved and happy. The market starts May 1 and is on Saturdays from 10-1. See you there!!!

Shannon

West Frederick Farmer's Market Location

2010-04-16T13:11:00.005-04:00

The market members met last week and selected the site for this year's market. Danny Rohrer is hoping to be able finalize the contract today. The market will open in two weeks, on May 1. I'll let you know as soon as I can tell you where the market is going to be. It's not done until the ink is on the paper.

Also, I am really excited that my friend Will Morrow is going to start a new market at the old Carmak Jay's location next to Old Town Tavern on Market Street in downtown Frederick! Will runs a farm and has the most delicious lamb and eggs...maybe ever. My apologies to other sheep and chicken farmers. The market will be Wednesdays from 3-7. The Thursday market is not moving- we are just adding another one. So exciting!!!!!

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-04-16T13:05:00.001-04:00

Greetings from the farm.

I will be returning to Frederick on Saturday April 17. Location will be behind the Potomac Physicians Building on Baughmans Lane. Hours will be 10 AM until 12:30 PM. I will have my full line of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and cheese. I will also have several special deals this week. Pork spare ribs have been accumulating in my freezer this winter. With grilling weather returning, I am offering them this week buy 2 packages, get a third pack free. I have put in 400 new laying hens in preparation for the market season, and they are producing like crazy. When hens first start to lay, the eggs are of the highest quality, but just not real big. This week I will be offering these eggs at 3 dozen(2 medium and 1 small) for $5.00. These offers are good while the supply lasts so it may be a good idea to preorder.
The market members met last week and selected the site for this year's market. Hopefully I will be able finalize the contract today and be able to announce the location tomorrow when I see you. The market will open in two weeks, on May 1.

Have a good week and I will see you at the market.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com.

Morel season is upon us

2010-04-09T11:11:00.001-04:00

I was reminded today by a facebook post from a mushroom foraging friend that morel season is upon us. Check out the archives for mushroom eating enthusiasm and the occasional hunting tip.

It's awesome to have been doing this long enough to have seasonal archives.

Also, it's time to plant a bunch of things if you have not already and want to give your garden a go. Right now would be a great time to plant potatoes.

Shannon

CSA memberships available at House in the Woods

2010-04-01T11:26:00.002-04:00

Hey folks. I got this from my friend Ilene today. They still have a few memberships available for this year for their Community-Supported Agriculture:

House in the Woods CSA Farm has openings for new members for our 2010 season!

ABOUT OUR FARM

House in the Woods CSA is a certified organic Community Supported Agriculture farm just south of Frederick, Maryland near the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. We grow a wide variety of organic vegetables, mostly heirloom varieties, and also some herbs and flowers. We feature over 20 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Veggie Distribution is a unique Free Choice system, where members fill their own bags as they wish, selecting from the items available each week. There are two tables--the Free Choice table and the Counted Items table. There are also U-Pick crops--such as herbs, flowers, cherry tomatoes, and green beans. On our website there is a list of vegetables we have grown (not completely updated, but you will get the idea). Pickups are from mid-May through September, Fridays or Saturdays noon to 8pm (you choose your pickup day).

FEES

The fee is $700 per share. Shares are for one household only (no splitting shares, please). This includes 20 weekly on-farm pickups of farm fresh organic vegetables, flowers and herbs, you fill your own bag and decide what goes in it, enough to feed your household for the week. It also includes: invitations to family-friendly CSA events such as potato digging parties, canning day, and other farm events; participation on the farm; gardening advice and hands-on experience; and so much more as part of the community.

FARM PARTICIPATION

We are a very small CSA that prioritizes the whole farm experience. Our CSA prioritizes the "farm experience"--so getting your hands into the soil, feeling involved on the farm, helping you participate in the growth of your own food, benefiting from your connection to this place--its all important to us and our mission here. Members are invited to help out at group Farm Hands Days, or by appointment for solo worktime. Members, including children, are involved in almost all aspects of the farm.

SHARE QUANTITY and NO SPLIT SHARES, PLEASE

I am often asked how many people a share feeds. This varies greatly by each member's eating habits. A share is expected to feed 1-2 adults for the week. Some kids (and grown ups) eat lots of veggies, some don't. You might find your household will be inspired to eat more veggies when you are in a CSA. Since you fill your own bag, picking and choosing from our offerings, you will find it is just as much as you need for the week. For this same reason, we cannot allow split shares. Each share is for one household only. If you have a friend who also wants to join, please let us know. Please honor our system as you select a good CSA match for your family. Shop around if you are more interested in a split share, half share, mini share, etc--each CSA is different and there are others with these offerings.

HOW TO SIGN UP

If you choose to join the CSA, please contact us at 301-607-4048 first (9am to 9pm) or by email to receive confirmation that there is space for you. This is also an opportunity to have any questions answered and to make sure our program is a good match for you. I will send you a form to complete and mail in with a deposit check. I can hold a space for you for one week while I await your check in the mail.

CONTACT US

If you are interested in joining the CSA, please contact me at ilene@houseinthewoods.com or 301-607-4048. We look forward to hearing from you!

Ilene and Phil Freedman
House in the Woods CSA Farm
301-607-4048
www.houseinthewoods.com
Please contact us if you would like to be added or deleted from our email list for farm information.

Planting seeds

2010-03-28T16:41:00.007-04:00

Hello friends! It's time to start your gardens, if you haven't already. I'm a little late getting started, but what's new? I need to prep the garden beds so that I can direct sow peas, beans, radishes, and carrots. My little sister Precious and I started a bunch of seeds yesterday at a friend's greenhouse. It beats the pants off of my little window box, which is on a part of the house that gets mediocre light.

Here's Precious putting seeds in one of our little trays. We planted a bunch of stuff. Off the top of my head I remember:

Black Krim tomatoes
German Pineapple tomatoes
Red pear cherry tomatoes
White bell peppers
Orange Bell peppers
Sweet long Italian peppers
Pimentos
Chesapeake Bay Fish Peppers (hot)
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Early Cauliflower
Cheddar Cauliflower
Broccoli
Broccoli Raab
Okra
Lettuce

Somehow we forgot to plant the kale.

I am beginning to be very excited about spring- the sky was beautiful yesterday, and I was glad it was cool, since we were working in a hothouse. I can't wait to see the first little shoots pushing over tiny clods of earth.

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-03-26T01:17:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. I'm writing tonight to remind you that I will be returning to Frederick on April 3 with my full product line as well as special Easter orders. I will send you full details next week. However, if you need a special cut for Easter, such as ham or lamb, I need those orders by Sunday evening so I know how many animals to take on Monday.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats

301-432-8350

Dakarohfarm@aol.com

CSA Update from Summer Creek Farm

2010-03-21T11:30:00.001-04:00

Hi all, just an update as we start the planting season. The CSA for Saturday pickup at Frederick Farmers Market is now FULL. We still have pick up locations in Frederick on Wed, Urbana on Wed and Monday at the Farm. Don't wait too late before these fill too if you are not already signed up. Thanks for your support.

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

Farmer's Markets mentioned in Chesapeake Family

2010-03-18T16:46:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Bryan Voltaggio of Volt Restaurant, who loves to mention his interest in the West Frederick Farmers Market when he does interviews:

Voltaggio also takes his son to the farmer’s market in Frederick on Saturday
mornings, where he lets Thacher pick out new foods to try.

Read the interview in Chesapeake Family here and learn what Maryland Chefs feed their kids.

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-03-17T20:56:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be returning to Frederick this Saturday, March 20, from 10 AM until 12:30 PM at the Dutch Plant Farm.

Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops, boneless butts, spare ribs, country style ribs, baby back ribs, and bacon. Applewurst and country sausage will be fresh while mild Italian, hot Italian, maple, sage, and bratwurst will be frozen. Lamb will include butterflied legs, boneless shoulders, racks, loin chops, arm chops, stew cubes, and ground. Beef will include skirt, flank, sirloin, T-bone, porterhouse, strip, and ribeye steaks; brisket, boneless chuck, shoulder clod, eye round, and sirloin tip roasts; ground beef (both 95/5 and 80/20), stew cubes, and steak burgers. There will also be whole chickens, cutup chickens, leg/thighs, cheese, and eggs.

Since my next trip to Frederick will be April 3, the day before Easter, I am now taking orders. Lamb possibilities include leg, racks, and chops. Hams can be either country cured, smoked, or fresh. If you prefer beef, I can supply that as well. I also have a few turkeys in the freezer which I will offer at a ten percent discount. My sisters will also be available for baking.

This week is national ag week and Saturday is ag day as well as the first day of spring. Take this opportunity to celebrate agriculture and the beginning of the new growing season by supporting your local farmers and eating locally grown foods. Have a good week and I will see you at the market.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats

301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Summer Creek Farm is Getting Ready for Spring

2010-03-07T23:25:00.000-05:00

Hi All, I hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather. Seeds are being planted in the greenhouse every couple days now. Our custom blend Potting Soil has been very popular this year. We are busy working on mixing several times a week. You can pick up bags from us or at the Common Market if you have some plants to start or house plants to repot. Keep us in mind if you need fertilizer for your landscaping this spring. The addition of the ProHoe line to our products has been met with great excitement too. No tool like this is available in your local garden store. Great gift for you or your gardener friends.

The CSA sign ups have been going well. If you have not got your application in you may want to fill it out soon. We would hate to have some of our old friends miss out on the CSA this year and the number we can take is limited. Let me know if you have any questions.

As you may remember our greenhouses were damaged this winter. We are working now to get them back online for the season. We saw groundhogs out in the field today so spring cannot be far away!

Stay tuned for more updates as we get ready to bring your fresh produce all season. Thanks for your support!

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-03-04T10:26:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be returning to the Dutch plant Farm this Saturday, March 6, from 10 AM until 12:30 PM. Most everything will be fresh this week, except for poultry and ground beef. Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops, spare ribs, country style ribs, baby back ribs, boneless shoulder roasts, and bacon. Sausage flavors will be mild Italian, country, maple, sage, and applewurst. Lamb will include butterflied legs, boneless shoulder roasts, loin chops, arm chops, racks, cubes, and ground lamb. Beef will include strip, ribeye, sirloin, flank, and skirt steaks; chuck, eye round, and sirloin tip roasts; brisket, ground beef, steak burgers, and stew cubes. There will also be whole and cutup chickens. The only chicken portions will be legs/thighs. I will also have jellies, cheese and eggs.

It sounds like the weather will be downright balmy this weekend. While it might be a good time to be cleaning up the damages caused by the snow, take a break long enough to pickup some fresh, tasty meats. Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Rohrer's Meats: Stuck in a Drift

2010-02-18T11:53:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the farm. After a few snowy weeks, life seems to be returning to normal. I managed to make it through the snow without too much difficulty. My biggest problem occurred this past Tuesday. I had to get my donuts for Shrove Tuesday. I like the ones made by the bakery in Jefferson. I took the back roads on my way over the mountain. I had heard that Townsend Road had a 17 foot drift, so that is how I went. I didn't see anything near that big, but a loader and backhoe were removing snow from the road. To avoid this wait on the trip home, I left Jefferson by way of Old Middletown Road, thinking this was a major link between the two towns and would be no problem. After passing Bussard Road, only one lane was open. As I crested the hill, I was hoping no one was coming the opposite direction. But there was a large stake body truck coming the other way. And he could not make it up the hill. The truck started backing down the hill, only to back into a snow bank. Here he sat, unable to go forward or backward. The snow was 4 to 5 feet higher than my truck on both sides. 8 to 10 inches was on the road. Snow was blowing so much we could not see 100 feet in front of us. A call was placed to 911 asking for a county plow. We would shovel the snow from behind the wheels and try to get him going. Two of us helped by pushing. We would get the truck going, but it kept sliding deeper into the drift. Finally the plow arrived, but from the wrong direction, even though the caller told them to come from the Middletown end. After circling around the other way, they hooked a chain to the stuck truck and pulled it out. The driver then had to back up for nearly a mile to the nearest intersection. Two hours later, I was on my way home. The donuts did smell good, but I waited until getting home to try one. I guess it was because of the problems getting home, but they just didn't taste as good to me this year. Hopefully next year the roads will be clear when I go for my kinklings. Then I'm sure they will taste as good as I remember.

I will be returning to Dutch Plant farm this Saturday, February 20, from 10 AM until 12:30 PM. Pork will be frozen. I will have loin roasts, butts, ribs, pork chops, smoked ham steaks, bacon, and all flavors of sausage(country, hot Italian, mild Italian, applewurst, bratwurst, maple, and sage). Beef and lamb will be mostly fresh. Lamb will include butterflied legs, loin chops, arm chops, cubes, boneless shoulders, and ground. Beef will include strip, ribeye, flank, skirt, and sirloin steaks; boneless chuck, sirloin tip, and eye round roasts; stew cubes, and ground round. I will also have whole and cutup chickens, and legs/thighs. I will also have eggs and cheese. Saturday sounds like a heatwave is coming, with temperature over 40. Hopefully you will be ready for some locally grown meats and be able to make it to the market. Eat fresh, be well, and I'll see you there.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Summer Creek Farm - Storm Update

2010-02-16T10:01:00.003-05:00

Hi All! I hope you all weathered the storm well. It certainly was tough up here on the farm. On the farmer and livestock as well as our infrastructure. You can look at our photo album on Facebook to see pictures from the storm. If you are not a fan of Summer Creek Farm on Facebook please join us! Rick Hood's page on Facebook is where the farm information is located.

The storm did damage all of our High Tunnels. We will have to replace the tops on each one before the season begins. This is a significant cost and a lot of work but we are moving ahead so it does not impact the season. This is why your CSA membership is so important at this time of year. Costs like this along with seed, fertilizer and other supplies are significant at this time of year. Your CSA check is certainly appreciated to help us get a quick start into the season.

CSA sign ups are showing a lot of new interest. I hope we see our previous subscribers get in before the CSA fills. If you are thinking about it please act before the CSA fills. If you are not signing up this year and have a reason we should know about please let me know. Constructive comments are always welcome. Some locations are almost full. We are looking forward to a very good season, hope for a great season always comes with the warming of spring!

I hope to see you at some of our gardening classes coming up in the next month. These are great ways to learn an activity that all the family can participate in.

Thanks again for your support!

Farmer Rick

farmer@summercreekfarm.com

PS: The pic is proof the season is starting, our tomato plants are growing inside right now! Sign up so you can taste them later.

Everything (food) must go at Volt

2010-02-10T08:31:00.003-05:00

Didn't mean to scare you. I got this email from Hilda Staples of Volt and wanted to pass it in. This storm is CRAZY:

Hey there snow bound food lovers!

We have had all of our food delivery trucks cancel deliveries. So Chef Voltaggio is in the house cooking until we run out of everything! And you know we don't freeze anything, so this week has been a huge challenge to say the least. I saw Bryan butchering this afternoon so I think he must have been out hunting and killing this morning. I kid I kid.

Anyway, we are running a "Snow Fixe" menu - $35.00 for three course dinner menu tonight only. Also, since there is a problem with on street parking, our parking lot is free and clear of all snow. Lot is open for dinner guests only.

Whatever it is that Bryan hunted, I want to eat.

Potatoes

2010-02-09T11:15:00.004-05:00

This time of year, obviously the pickings for local food are slim unless you are talking about meat or preserves. Nevertheless, I was able to get some potatoes from my friend Chad the other day that he had grown this summer, and I fried them up. Chad is expanding his Community Supported Agriculture program this summer to 50 spots. He is going to be primarily doing CSA through his farm off Mt. Zion road this year. If you are interested to learn more about his CSA, you can contact him at stullproduce@yahoo.com. He farms organic.

I saw an episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain the other day about Brittany, in France. It was the best episode of the show I had ever seen, and that's saying a lot. The reason I loved this particular show, other than the fact that it had the best looking food on it that I had ever seen, was the relentless emphasis on quality of experience in life through being grounded in local products. Lucky for Brittany, local food includes every form of seafood known to humankind. But beyond that, the appreciation for the soil, for rusticness, for truly fresh ingredients that can only come from local sources- this episode totally blew me away. Because for me, local food is about quality of life more than anything else. As much as I might like to talk about the politics of it or the economics. It does seem though, that when you are doing the right thing, there are many, many reasons for it, not just one.

Yeon and I are making some changes to the West Frederick Farmer's Market page that I think will be really cool. We're linking the feed from this blog to it, for one. We'll let you know when we're done. And when I say we, it's Yeon doing all of the coding.

The West Frederick Farmer's Market still doesn't have a home yet. I'll be talking to some other people on the marketing committee here soon to step up efforts. We'll make it work.

Are we really going to get another 20 inches of snow in the next two days? Geez. I am going to go through my vegetable seeds just so I can dream about spring. And figure out what to order. This year I want to grow watermelon radishes.

Shannon

Market Closed for Snow

2010-02-05T08:28:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the farm.

With the weather forecast being what it is, plus I have pneumonia, I will not be coming to Frederick this Saturday. If I get enough requests, I will reschedule for another day. Otherwise I will return to Frederick on Saturday February 20. Thanks for your understanding.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats

301-432-8350

Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Fresh this Week from Truffle King

2010-02-03T16:08:00.003-05:00

Truffle King is one of the vendors at the West Frederick Farmer's Market. Here is their most recent update:

Greetings Chocolate Lovers:

Hurrah, January is Over!! What a long, blah month it was. It’s time to celebrate. And on the 14th, it’s time to treat a friend, relative, spouse, squeeze or whomever deserves a delicious break from winter. Fragrant and warming cinnamon is the flavor of the month. It’s one of our customers’ favorites and only made this month. Stop by the Clustered Spires Pastry Shop and pick some up soon or call me for pick-up times or for mail orders.

Monthly flavors for FEBRUARY:
DARK
(58.5% Cacao)Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Heavy Cream Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate
DARK/CINNAMON
(58.5% Cacao)Semi-Sweet Chocolate,Heavy Cream, Chinese Ground Cinnamon Ganache enrobed in Semi-Sweet Chocolate
MILK/CINNAMON
(41% Cacao Butter)Rich Sweet Milk Chocolate, Heavy Cream, Chinese Ground Cinnamon Ganache enrobed in Milk Chocolate
MIXED
Boxed mixes of dark/cinnamon and milk/cinnamon flavors in 6 pack and 12 pack boxes. Both flavors are evenly mixed.

Yours for good chocolate,
Timothy Miller, Chocolatier
Imperial Chocolate Company
301 788-5278
artco@mindspring.com
www.TruffleKing.com

Garden Tips from Maryland Farmers

2010-01-25T11:51:00.003-05:00

I saw the following press release here and I thought our readers might enjoy the gardening resource.

ANNAPOLIS (Jan. 23, 2010) – Cold weather is here, but spring is just around the corner and now is the time to plan for your gardens. Maryland farmers have initiated a homeowner education campaign, “Take it from Maryland Farmers: Backyard Actions for a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay” to help gardeners by offering wintertime planning tips and online resources available at IWantMarylandsBest.com. The campaign highlights the importance of garden planning during the colder winter months for stronger, healthier gardens and lawns in the upcoming growing season and a cleaner Chesapeake Bay. Additional topics include the wise use of fertilizers, trying pesticide alternatives and composting, controlling soil erosion and rainwater runoff, and conserving water.

“Farmers, like homeowners and all residents of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, play an important role in protecting our soil and water resources,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “It is a priority of the O’Malley-Brown Administration to protect the health of the Bay for all to enjoy and to strengthen our family farms. I encourage all Marylanders to take backyard actions that protect the Chesapeake Bay so that we continue to create a smart, green and growing future.”

“Our farmers spend much of the winter doing maintenance and planning upgrades to their operations that will produce strong crops and improve soil and water quality,” said Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance. “Many routine farm-based conservation measures can easily be adapted to backyard lawn care and gardens. With soil testing, rainwater management, and appropriate plantings along with equipment maintenance, homeowners can produce beautiful, thriving, Bay-friendly yards.”

Homeowners and gardeners can log onto IWantMarylandsBest.com to download the informational brochures, listen to the audio pieces, and link to additional resources. They can also call the University of Maryland Home and Garden Information Center toll-free 1-800-342-2507 (outside Maryland 410-531-5573) from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. to speak with a Certified Professional Horticulturist about easy-to-follow, Bay-friendly suggestions for their lawns and gardens.

Take it from Maryland Farmers: Backyard Actions for a Cleaner Chesapeake Bay was developed by the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center, the Maryland Sea Grant along with Maryland farmers through an agricultural awareness group. The program was made possible through grant funding that supports the implementation of the Statewide Plan for Agricultural Policy and Resource Management.

Source: Maryland Dept. of Agriculture

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2010-01-21T16:29:00.000-05:00

Greetings from the farm. After taking a week off to attend a conference and see our tax dollars put to use by Senator Byrd at the National Conservation Training Center, I'm ready to get back to the markets. I'll be at the Dutch Plant Farm Saturday from 10 AM until 12:30 PM. I will have my full product line, most of it fresh. Lamb will include butterflied leg, racks, loin chops, arm chops, shanks, stew cubes, shoulder roasts, and ground lamb. Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops, spare, country style, and baby back ribs; boneless butts, bacon, and smoked ham steaks. Country, sage, and hot Italian sausage will be fresh while maple, applewurst, and mild Italian are frozen. I will also have frozen tangy and Carolina Barbecue. Beef will include strip, ribeye, sirloin, porterhouse, flank, and skirt steaks; sirloin tip, boneless chuck, and eye round roasts; ground round, stew cubes, and steak burgers. I will also have whole chickens, cutup chickens, and legs/thighs. There will also be cheese and eggs.

I will now be back to my regular every other week schedule until market season starts. I have been working on finding a location this week, but have no news yet. Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
dakarohfarm@aol.com

Lots of new menu items, cool restaurants

2010-01-14T12:33:00.007-05:00

I wandered into Isabella's the other night with some friends, hungry, just as the kitchen was about to close. Chef James very graciously made us a number of tapas and came out and chatted with us afterwards. I interviewed Chef about the local items on his menu back in April of last year. I had the best slow-cooked chicken tapas in a red sauce- I can't remember what it was called but it was outstanding. And I also had a few excellent seafood dishes. Chef James says that he is putting 15 new items on the menu in the next couple of weeks, so be on the lookout.

I also stopped in to Volt last night and checked out their menu for DC restaurant week; they have an all-new 3 and 4 course prix fixe menu ($35 and $45) for dinner. Lunch prix fixe is I think $20 for 3 courses. Restaurant Week is a great way to try a fine dining restaurant at a cost less than what you would normally have to pay. But I will warn you-the Washington Post Going Out Guide is full of comments from people who could not get reservations because the place is so busy. My advice to you, that I probably should keep to myself, is to go at an off time and eat at the bar, because the food is the same and the company is great. There is also an a la carte restaurant week menu and I saw duck confit for $14. Not bad. I also talked to Danny Garland last night, who works for one of Volt's meat suppliers, and was impressed with how he really connects the farmer to the restaurant in terms of meeting the restaurant's high standards and needs for various cuts, types of products, etc. Needless to say, a lot of these farmers are local to the region.

I went to an excellent little Greek deli called Aleko's in Middletown the other week. I am going to do a more complete writeup about them soon, but was impressed by their commitment to fresh homemade food that uses lots of local ingredients and caters to people with food sensitivities.

I also made my way out to Joannie's on Carroll St. near the canal and was super-impressed by how Joannie was willing to whip up a homemade gluten-free and dairy-free quiche on the spot because I was hungry for one. Joannie also uses a lot of local ingredients and caters to people with food sensitivities. She also has poetry nights on Fridays, dance parties, a thriving local scene, a seamstress operation, and waffles. I'll be writing more about her too. We are going to share some recipes. I have a great gluten-free chicken and dumplings recipe, and a pork loin with cherry gravy that is to die for.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Who Wants To Taste the New Menu?

2010-01-14T12:30:00.002-05:00

Well you know here at Cakes for Cause, we love a good contest and we’re bringing that spirit of fun to Moxie Bakery & Café next week as well. If you come in any time when we re-open on Tuesday January 19th through Friday January 22nd and drop off your name and contact information into our cookie jar, you will automatically be entered to serve as one of our celebrity food tasters for the new winter menu that we launch the following week. Yes, you…a celebrity. We’re starting a brand spankin’ new winter menu on Tuesday January 26th and we want you to have the special opportunity to hit us with some feedback (before anyone else gets to!). If you’re one of the six lucky winners of this great prize, we’re inviting you to a pre-screening lunch on Saturday January 23rd.

So, mark your calendars:

All next week…visit Moxie Bakery & Café to enter your name to win
Saturday January 23rd…6 WINNERS get to have a special winter menu tasting with us

Moxie Bakery & Café
a social enterprise of Cakes for Cause
629 North Market Street, Frederick
Tuesday – Thursday 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday – Saturday 7:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Closed Mondays

The Mission of Cakes for Cause is to empower vulnerable youth and develop social enterprises that engage the community in cultivating meaningful employment and educational opportunities to teach work and life skills. In Frederick, Cakes for Cause operates Moxie Bakery & Café, a social enterprise that trains youth in the hospitality industry.

E-mail: info@cakesforcause.org

The Food in Bogota

2010-01-09T15:54:00.013-05:00

I am back from Bogota, Colombia, where my sister Bridget married her sweetheart Kico. This was my first trip to South America and it will definitely not be my last. Bogota is 5 hours to the south in the same time zone, and is a city of over 7 million people at an elevation of 9200 feet. Before I get to the food, let me just say that we had the most wonderful time there - Kico's family was so warm and hospitable, and they really went out of their way to welcome us into the family. I think a lot of my friends were wary of us going to Colombia because of the history of drug violence, but the President of the country has really cleaned the place up in the past eight years, and I felt very safe in Bogota.

The first picture is of Kico's brothers Nicolas and Luis (the youngest, so they call him Baby) with his sister Pili's husband Rob. In front of them are the massive dishes of Paella that Uncle Rafa spent all day making for us for the New Year's party. It was such a great party! We danced, laughed, and set off balloons with wishes on them (I know this is environmentally bad but let's not focus on that now). At midnight, we walked around the block with luggage to encourage ourselves to travel a lot in the coming year.

My brother Sean is sitting in front of a confection made with cake wafers and a caramel sauce. Caramel sauce is everywhere in Bogota. People in Bogota, from what I can tell, eat lots of beef, pork, yucca, plantain, potato, tropical fruits, corn, and caramel sauce. Sadly, I could not eat this confection but it looked amazing. At least I was able to eat the paella.

I had a lot of trouble eating in Colombia because of the prevalence of butter and corn in and on everything. Many meals I ate dried fruit and nuts because whatever was offered contained dairy or corn. Even though I did my best, I still came back to the States fighting an autoimmune reaction. It's getting better, but I have been tired this week. Still- it was a small price to pay for a visit to a beautiful country to meet my new family and see my gorgeous sister get married to a wonderful man.

Shannon

Baby Chicks at Summer Creek Farm

2010-01-08T11:36:00.000-05:00

Baby chicks have arrived at the farm! Warm in the greenhouse! Hope you all are staying warm. Check Summer Creek Farm out on Facebook now too!

-Farmer Rick

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-31T16:17:00.006-05:00

Annual cookie baking marathon came and went. I baked three kinds of cookies a day for three days in a row. I can't bake 4 or 5 different cookies a day like I used to... All-time favorites included

Lemon thin :double batch
Thumbellina (also called thumb print): double batch
Black and white chocolate: double batch, three variations
Mexican Wedding
Rosemary

Thumbellina cookies were especially adorable this year. I used 4 different jams/preserves that I made this year: strawberry balsamic, peach rosemary, raspberry, and concord. All the fruits were local with raspberry from our own back-yard garden. All the eggs were from Nancy and I weighted each egg to screen out large size eggs (between 2 and 2.25 oz). With no local flour mill around, it is hard to be "all local" when you bake, but I tried to use organic ingredient whenever possible.
Rosemary cookies were a bit different this year. Instead of chewy version that I have been making for the past 6 years, I made a buttery version but still kept the touch of lemon, by coating the dough with lemon sugar before cutting them to bake.

The new flavors/recipes for this year were

sesame
macadamia nut and coconut
cardamom with pistachio
mocha meringue

I put a little less flour by mistake in sesame cookies and they came out more like tulle, which I liked a lot - a fortunate mistake? I don't like coconuts in baked goods much, and thus seldom make coconut cookies. However, my coworker loves coconut and I love macadamia nut and thus tried the macadamia and coconut cookie recipe, which turned out very well.
I have to say cardamom cookies with pistachio topping was the best for me and Dan this year. It is really pleasing to find a new recipe you like and add it to the "favorite" list. Mocha meringue cookies are gluten free - Shannon, I kept some for you!

There are a few more recipes that I like to try to sweeten this weekend. Hope everyone stays safe and warm on this new year's eve. Have a happy and prosperous new year!

Yeon

Maryland's Maple Syrup Industry

2009-12-28T09:21:00.013-05:00

Did you know that Maryland has a maple syrup industry? When I was a kid, we would see demonstrations in the Catoctin mountains at Cunningham Falls State Park, and they are still doing them every year. Western Maryland still has some commercial maple syrup industries, and I discovered that you can buy the syrup up at Catoctin Mountain Orchard's farm stand on 15. I was excited, because I will add it to the gift box that my mom is making for our soon-to-be in-laws in Bogota, Colombia. Maple syrup is only produced in the Northeast US and Southeast Canada. Cool, huh?

The maple syrup industry in Maryland is threatened by climate change. According to the Maryland Climate Action Plan, prepared by the Maryland Commission on Climate Change that was appointed by the Governor, The maple-beech-birch forest of Western Maryland is likely to fade away, and pine trees will become more dominant in Maryland’s forests:

As the changing climate after the last Ice Age resulted in the northward shift in the distribution of tree species in eastern North America, 21st century warming will very likely result in the northward sift in the range of trees and forest types currently that exists in Maryland. Trees that need cold winter conditions (for example, sugar maples) or are susceptible to diseases or pests under warmer conditions will retreat northward, possibly replaced by species currently found south of Maryland. Plant hardiness zones for horticultural plants have recently been revised to take account of the changes in the potential ranges of garden plants that have already taken place...
Under a doubling of CO2 concentrations—likely to be experienced in the latter half of the century under the low-emissions scenario—the maple-beech-birch forests of Allegany and Garrett counties are likely to disappear, replaced by oak-hickory forests. The oak-hickory forest type that presently characterizes most of the Piedmont and Coastal Plain west of the Chesapeake is likely to transition to an oak-pine forest.

I was quoted in the Frederick News-Post about the changes in hardiness zones a few weeks ago because I also write a blog about global warming and Maryland called "local warming", and one of the commenters called me an idiot:

Shannon Moore said "Climate change is already being felt. "Our climate is warmer," she said. "Where we used to get snow, we get rain. We've changed our hardiness zones. That affects everything." I guess this idiot didn't hear the weather forecast for our area this weekend. I'm also guessing she wasn't present for the past couple winter storms we've already had this FALL. Maybe she didn't even see the latest on the scam produced by Al Gore about Global Warming... Maybe if she paid more attention in her science classes and not to her political party of choice she would have a better understanding of how the Earth and Weather goes through cycles. This is nature people. It happens.

Suffice to say, I have paid a lot of attention to my science classes! I thought this was funny and didn't take it personally. But it does remind me that there are many people out there who do not believe that climate change is occuring, and this mindset does an extreme disservice to our ability to address it. The reality is that our climate is shifting, and that will affect the industries in our region that produce our food.

Shannon

Having the time of my life

2009-12-26T20:11:00.004-05:00

Tonight my mom and I went out to Nilgiri's, a lovely Indian restaurant in Frederick on Route 85 near the Common Market. I was talking to a gentleman there, and we decided that 2010 would be the best year ever. He said that would be good, because 2009 was a terrible year, and I think he meant the economy. So we agreed that 2010 is going to be awesome.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! I've really enjoyed all of the get-togethers with friends and family, and the shared meals in peoples' homes. I realize that though I co-write a blog about local food, I don't cook often enough. I really enjoy it, and I kind of have to now that I can't eat so many foods. So next year I will cook more, and the year will be more awesome.

Seriously, I think 2010 is going to be my best year ever.

Shannon

Local Holiday Gifts

2009-12-22T13:46:00.003-05:00

April Finnen posted a great idea recently about giving away locally made items in a holiday gift basket. I reposted her idea, because I loved it. Last night I had the opportunity to make use of her suggestions. My Mom was trying to figure out what kind of a gift to bring to Bogota for the family of my sister's fiancee, for the wedding. I didn't even have to think. I told her we should put together a basket of treats made from local products that would be like bringing a little bit of our world to theirs. Of course, she loved the idea. I went to Zoe's and bought some of their candy canes. Then Mom and I had a mother-daughter outing last night and went to the McCutcheon's store in the mall. They had lots of mini jars of their products- I got my personal favorites:

apple butter
cherry butter
black raspberry preserves
blueberry preserves
triple crown (raspberry, cherry and strawberry) preserves

Mom also got a tote with a silkscreen of Frederick icons on it, and picked up some Rosebud lip salve, which is made in nearby Woodsboro. I will pick up a few more things before we go, but I thought this was an awesome start.

Shannon

Getting Better, Part II

2009-12-21T15:06:00.008-05:00

Part I of this post talked about how I discovered that I had an autoimmune disorder that was triggered by food, changed my diet, and began to feel amazingly better. In Part II I am going to talk about improvements I have noticed since November 6, and my trials and tribulations with food. It's hard to believe that my life has radically changed in less than two months, all from eating better, but it has:

Brain fog: In November, I noted that "the fog in my brain is about 60% gone. I can concentrate and remember things". The brain fog is 90% gone.
Mental Fatigue: In November, it was about 40% better. Today, it's gone. Things don't feel as intense as they did at first but I have also gotten more used to stimulus.
Physical Fatigue: The only time I deal with unusual physical fatigue now is when I eat something weird that knocks me out or makes my muscles weak. Otherwise, 100% gone. Also, I am uncomfortable sitting for long stretches at a time now. I also walk 4 times as much as I used to, have been back to the gym, and have been doing fun things like hiking and sledding.
Constant pressure on the top and sides of my head: This only returns when I eat something weird, but otherwise, it's gone.
Chronic hip pain: Gone.
Plantar fasciitis: Was 50% better by November 6, is about 90% better now. I have been walking everywhere. Sometimes I'll do a walk and have more energy and then do another walk, and my feet don't hurt.
Leaden limbs: gone unless I eat something weird
Inability to wake in the morning: This is one of the most discouraging symptoms from narcolepsy for me because people think I am lazy. I reported in November that it was about 25% better. Now it is about 75% better.
Constant depression: Gone. Sometimes if I eat something wrong, I can tell the next day because I feel hopeless, but it goes away in a day.
Asthma: It was about 50% better in November and it's about 60% better now. It's a little slower going than I would like but I can't complain.
General Fatigue: About 50% better.

In November, I hadn't tried to reintroduce any foods. I discovered through trials and tribulations of food reintroduction this past month that I can't eat wheat, corn or dairy. I also found out randomly after having a reaction to some contact lens solution that my body has problems with preservatives (My Opthamologist, Dr. Kracher, told me it was "definitive", that he has a few other patients like me, and to avoid eating and using preservatives). My reactions to some things are freaky.

Food sensitivities are no problem at all when I am cooking for myself- in fact, I have started to cook a lot more. I have made the most excellent dinners- like the pork loin with Indian spice rub served with a tart cherry gravy, or the gluten-free chicken pot pie. I have found the Common Market to be awesome because they don't carry food with preservatives, and have a lot of wheat, dairy, and corn-free products. They really cater to people like me. I was telling this to Sally Fulmer from the Common Market the other day in gratitude, only to find out that she has a gluten sensitivity and recovered when she stopped eating it. I find that when I cook my food, avoid too many sugars and carbs, and focus on eating lots of fresh vegetables, I feel like a brand new person.

A problem for me is eating in restaurants. There are very few places I can eat and feel safe. And of these places, there are very few dishes I can eat. This is not a big deal for someone who does not go out to eat much but it's a big part of my life. Or it was. Here's what I can eat in downtown Frederick:

Five guys: A burger without a roll with sauteed onions and tomato. Luckily I didn't have reactions when I reintroduced tomatoes and beef. Buy the way this isn't the most exciting meal but I was able to go out one day with my staff.
The Orchard: Grilled chicken house salad with no soy (haven't tried to reintroduce it yet) and the chicken curry over rice.
Juliet's Italian Market: Curry chicken salad, artichoke antipasti, tuna fish salad on regular salad.
Volt: anything made gluten and dairy free. I have had so many dishes there I can eat- they will really cater to people with special dietary needs. I've had sturgeon, pork, chicken, hanger steak, bass, mushroom risotto...
Moxie: Tea. Yeah I know other people serve tea. But I like that place.
Lucky Corner: Chicken Pho and maybe the Chicken curry.

I am not obsessed with chicken curry, it's just that it's made with coconut milk rather than dairy and wheat, and I can eat it. Literally, those are all the restaurant foods I have found so far. Not to say there aren't others. I have tried many things that looked safe, only to have a reaction later. Here's the typical reactions. The exact reaction differs depending on the food:

Instant headache
Head, neck and shoulder ache within 20 minutes of eating something
Feeling my stomach turn/flip, feeling nauseous
Feeling pain creep into my wrist, hip and knee joints within 20 minutes of eating something
Weakness in legs the day after eating something
Not being able to put the offending food in my mouth physically or feeling a shock run down my arm to my had when I touch it. I know this is really weird and I can't explain it.
Feeling bombed-out exhausted within 20 minutes of eating something. This happened at a dinner out with friends and was kinda embarrassing.
Burning mouth, tongue and lips. Why I never felt this before I eliminated food and reintroduced it, I don't know.
Feeling depressed the day after eating something
Asthma the day after I eat something

I have strategies now to help me avoid getting into situations where I am really hungry and have no good options:

Eat before going out, and then just have fun with friends and drink water. This way I still get to go out and enjoy people's company.
Drink a protein shake before going out, so that I am not hungry but not totally full. That way if there is something I can eat then I have the option.
Carry Rawnola bars in my purse. I have tried every other kind of bar and they all make me feel terrible because of the carbs and sugars in them. Rawnola bars have only 4 g sugar and 15 total g carbs including fiber. I am going to try to start making my own granola and see if it's good.
Invite friends over for meals. Living alone, I like to have company, and my friends are more than willing to eat at my house. They also return the favor- one friend brings bags of potatoes from his farm and tropical fruit salad, another helped to shovel out my car from the recent blizzard. I have been a little concerned that my new tastes won't suit people (I am adverse to most sugar, for example, unless it's fruit) but have been pleasantly surprised. My friends that are athletes are excited to eat my food because their bodies recognize it as good fuel; I find this very rewarding.

I thought I would have problems visiting at other peoples' houses but I have avoided the dinners. A friend of mine made dinner for a couple of our friends the other night and I tried to dissuade him from trying to cook for me. But he was unyielding and went ahead and made me the most beautiful composed plate with a beef stir fry that had persimmon slices as garnish. I don't know how he figured it out but I could eat everything in it. I was floored. THANK YOU.

I think I might have an inner athlete coming out. Long after high school was over, my sister, the athlete, told me that she had always resented me. Her track coach told her that if she had longer legs, she could have been in the Olympics. I had the longer legs. I was always reading, always tired, not vital. But here I am emerging from this cocoon and lo and behold, I have lost 20 pounds in the past 2 months and am discovering that I am very strong. My athletic friends have adopted me and will be helping me to get my body into shape. I am so excited about this!!!

I am worried about going to Bogota, Colombia in the beginning of January for my sister's wedding. How can I prepare for that? I am really scared, actually. How can I plan my meals when I am at the whim of other people? My sister is already there, so I am sending her an email in hopes that we can figure something out.

Anyway, this has been my update and observations from the past two months. My life is changed. I am so excited that local food is such a huge part of this plan, and am thankful for the farmers in my life who create the food that my body thrives on. Your work means everything to me.

Shannon

Getting Better, Part I

2009-12-21T14:48:00.011-05:00

I've dropped mentions here and there about how I have changed my diet and have had profound results. I thought I would post here about what I have done, why I did it, and how my life has changed. I am having the most exciting time of my life, getting better. This post is different from most and is kind of long, but bear with me. This is Part I and focuses on my progress after 1 week, back in November. Part II will catch me up to now and will discuss more about food especially local food, which is what I am really getting into.

I wrote the following on November 6:

A few months ago, I read a posting on a narcolepsy list serve that recommended an article in August's Scientific American(http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=celiac-disease-insights) about a bunch of genetically linked disorders (narcolepsy, celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, MS, etc), and how scientists had recently proven that several of the disorders (narcolepsy, celiac) are T-cell disorders. The article was specifically focused on celiac, and how the disease process starts with two conditions (leaky gut and overactive T-cell response) but doesn't turn into a disease until people eat wheat- the wheat is only partially digested, passes through the leaky gut, and is recognized as an antigen by the body, which attacks the places where it is found. It doesn't just attack the stomach- I did more reading and realized that it can attack other organs like bones and the brain. So I thought I would do a test, and I quit eating gluten back in August. And I started to feel a little better. Basically my depression lifted and I felt a little healthier. And then I thought, maybe it's not just gluten. And I wanted to find someone who could help me eliminate things systematically from my diet and figure out piece by piece. A naturopathic doctor named Dr. Sinclair was recommended to me, and he told me that he thought I had adrenal fatigue, perhaps as a result of diet, and prescribed a cleanse with elimination diet and an adrenal supplement.

I am going to make a prediction here that you might think is crazy but I think I am going to get better now. I mean all the way better.So far here is what is different from starting on the plan just this past Saturday 10/31:
The fog in my brain is about 60% gone. I can concentrate and remember things. I noticed this yesterday when reciting lines for my acting class and actually remembered them.
Mental Fatigue during the day: 40% better. I am no longer bumping into walls. My voice does not slur from sleepiness when I try to talk. I feel a little spring in my step. I also noticed listening to music in the car the other day that I felt like I could really listen to it. It was intense. Like freaking great. My attention has improved significantly.
Physical Fatigue: I raked the leaves in the yard, mowed them, and mowed the rest of the yard the other day with no problem. I was only counting on being able to rake the leaves. Today I walked a mile on my way to and from lunch. It was fun. I am actually looking forward to going back to the gym this weekend.
Constant pressure on the top and sides of my head (My physician once sent me for an MRI for this complaint): 90% gone within three days of first starting Isocort. CRAZY.
Chronic hip pain that I notice after walking for a mile or when trying to sleep that I have had since childhood: gone within three days. I am excited about this because it means I have started walking again and should be able to walk to work again (about 2 miles per day)- I am going to try next week. It also means that I will sleep better because I roll around a lot from the pain.
My foot soreness is also about 50% better as of today. The heel pain from the plantar fasciitis is about 60% gone.
Leaden limbs, especially legs and feet: gone within five days. I walk around all sprighty now instead of dragging my clumpy feet around. Pretty cool.
Inability to wake in the morning: about 25% better than normal after 6 days (today). This is HUGE. I actually feel an alertness in me when I waken. IT'S FREAKY. Is this how you people feel? I guess that's how you can get up in the morning, huh? I just let the snooze go about a hundred times until I gradually come out of a coma and drag my carcass into the shower.
Constant depression: Already somewhat better from not eating gluten starting back in August. But within 1 day of taking the IsoCort, I actually had happy, positive thoughts in my head that I did not have to put there with extreme conscious effort. Walking down the street with Lucy last night I was thinking about how I am excited about my life in general, which never happens. I am usually just happy about a particular thing but feel blah in general. I am not dreading winter any more. I am noticing that people are reacting to me a lot more positively. I also don't feel like I am having the winter blahs anymore and I am no longer afraid of this winter.
The tension and stiffness in the back of my neck is gone. The old lady bump on the back of my neck- I actually noticed this morning that it is reducing in size. FOR REAL.
Asthma: about 50% better. I was using the inhaler last week but have not needed it this week. I am still feeling some inflammation. I can catch a deep breath now more and more.
It's totally weird that a lot of the random problems I have struggled with all now appear to be connected. As I read up on adrenal fatigue I see that things like pressure on the top of the head, hip pain, asthma, digestive problems, gradual weight gain, insulin resistance, and frequent lung infections are common symptoms that get better with treatment. This is pretty wild.
My Dad advised me not to get my hopes up the other day, but I thought this was totally lame, and am way past that point. The only thing I am afraid of is a Flowers for Algernon situation where all of this progress suddenly starts to decay. But I do not think this will happen. I have read online about other people who have adrenal fatigue, and if the medicine works, it usually keeps working. A lot of people don't see results right away- it takes a month or so. So I am really curious to see if I will keep getting better, and at what point I will stop. I also am not afraid to look forward to things, dammit. Expect the best. The worst can look out for itself.
I'll be working with the naturopath to see if we can't figure out what is causing the fatigue in the first place. He thinks it could be an autoimmune food sensitivity and believes I will continue to get better. His goal is to see if I can eventually go off the medicine for narcolepsy - he thinks I will - I feel like I am so much better than I was but this is just by contrast, and I definitely still need the narcolepsy meds to stay awake during the day. But I AM so much better than I was - this is so manageable - that I feel like my life is being given back to me. But my idea of a better life versus a normal life may be totally different. I actually have no idea how it feels to be normal and be able to wake up in the morning and do my hair, or have energy when I come home from work to clean anything. My idea of better is just not feeling tortured by exhaustion. I really don't even know how to anticipate anything better than that. But I bet it would be awesome. Imagine your whole life has involved sloshing through mud up to your neck, and suddenly the mud goes away.
What is exciting for me now is that I might have found some answers to the problems I have had not just since I was a teenager, but perhaps also my whole life. Even if this is all the better I get I am totally excited. But the prospect of getting really better- of having a condition that can be treated, not just managed, is awesome. I also think it's interesting that adrenal fatigue is a condition that is not accepted by the mainstream medical establishment. I gave them 36 years and the could not do what a naturopath was able to do in a single office visit.

Shannon

Snow Cream

2009-12-20T17:14:00.004-05:00

1 big bowl of clean snow
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c sugar
1 c milk or cream

Pour sugar over the snow. Mix the vanilla and milk together and pour over sugar. Mix with a mixing spoon and add more milk as necessary to make a slushie-like consistency. Scoop into serving dishes and eat with spoons.

CSA memberships from Summer Creek Farm

2009-12-19T23:45:00.001-05:00

Looking for that last minute Christmas gift with the current snow storm raging outside? Just a reminder that a CSA membership makes a great gift in the season. Healthy, fun and practical. Good food in the new year and no trip to the store to get it.

We also offer gift certificates of the value of your choice for our products at the Farmers Market next spring/summer. Just let me know what you are looking for and I can email it out next week to you.

I hope you are enjoying the snow, tomorrow we are on snow removal duty in the area!

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2009-12-19T11:19:00.001-05:00

Greetings from the farm. I not sure if the weather forecasters are serious or if they just like to get people excited. But it might get interesting the next few days.

Last Thursday I had dozed off while watching television when I was wakened by a noise on my front porch. I turned the TV off and listened. It sounded like small hooves. Did Santa get confused and arrive early? Perhaps Mrs. Santa had been nagging too much and he needed to get away for a while. Or maybe he had too much eggnog at the workshop Christmas party and he became disoriented. But this was on my front porch, Santa should be on the roof. My next thought was maybe Santa's reindeer had escaped from their field. Being the caretaker of farm animals, I know all too well that they enjoy a little freedom on occasion. They are good at breaking fences, jumping over fences, finding an open gate, discovering an electric fence was turned off, or finding where a negligent driver drove through a fence. I knew that I needed to round up his critters before they strayed too far so he could get them home. Was I ever surprised when I opened the front door. It was a lamb! And 9 of her stable mates were at the foot of the steps watching. Then I remembered. When I feed these youngsters, they always crowd around the gate making it difficult to enter the pen. I step back and let a few of them come out before I go in. They then follow my back into the pen to enjoy their meal. Only this evening one curious critter followed the fence line in the opposite direction and stood there watching her friends eat. I knew that was no problem. I left the gate open knowing that sheep are social animals and don't like being alone. The stray would come back on it's own. I went on to do the rest of my chores, planning to stop back and close the gate on my way back to the house. But with me sometimes being absent minded, you know what happened. It was cold and icy that evening. I knew my babies would not stray far from the buildings. I decided to give them a night of freedom. A little while later, there was more of a racket on the porch. There were now six of them tap dancing on the wooden deck. I had counted enough sheep that night and went on to bed and was soon sound asleep. The next morning, all ten of the "wanderers" were back in their pen, gate still open, lying in the warm straw, waiting on their breakfast.

I will return to Frederick on December 24 from 10 AM until 12:30 PM at the Dutch Plant Farm. While I will be making Christmas deliveries, I will have my complete product line as well. Beef will include ribeye, porterhouse, strip, sirloin, flank, and skirt steaks; eye round, boneless chuck, and sirloin roasts; stew cubes, ground round, and steak burgers. Pork will include boneless loin roasts, pork chops, spare ribs, country style ribs, baby back ribs, bacon, smoked ham steaks, and pulled pork. I should also have all seven flavors of sausage. Lamb will include boneless shoulder roasts, loin chops, arm chops, racks, shanks, stew cubes, and ground lamb. I will also have whole chickens, cutup chickens, boneless/skinless breasts, legs/thighs, and wings. I will also have cheese, including the goat cheeses you bought at the market. There will also be eggs and jams. If you still need to order Christmas dinner, there is time. Some suggestions are fresh, country cured, or smoked hams; beef standing rib roast, boneless prime rib, filet, or sirloin tip; pork loin roasts and crown roasts; leg or rack of lamb; turkeys and turkey breasts.

Please have your orders in by noon Monday. I am doing three markets that day and need to know how to allocate product. While I do enjoy a good snow, I'm not sure I am ready for two feet of it this weekend. May your holiday season be the best ever and I hope your wish list includes fresh local foods. Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market.

DannyRohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Lucky one

2009-12-17T19:16:00.008-05:00

As promised, here are some more photos of the plants. We set up a small table in our guest bedroom so that we can keep some plants indoor over the winter. The first one you see is orange Thai pepper. I think they are also called birds eye pepper. I have grown them several times in the past years, but didn't know that they also come in orange color till Charles gave a seedling to me and Dan as a gift. It had a slow start, but grew prolific and gorgeous by November. I pot it up and now it sits by window sill. If I don't have aphids attacking the plant, I think I should be able to overwinter it. The peppers are excellent in Thai food and any type of stir-fried food.

You might remember the lonely lime blossom that I had early this year. Well, this little lime tree is such a trooper. It bloomed quite heavily and heavenly in the late spring and started to bear fruits. Then this fall it started to bloom again. According to Charles, they bloom several times a year! I am really excited to try the fruits. Some are about an inch in diameter now so I should be able to harvest a couple soon.

I love rosemary flowers. They are very delicate and delicious and taste like, well, rosemary but subtle. My rosemary plant in the raised bed never flowered, I wonder if it is ever going to flower? Whenever I saw Cakes for Cause's rosemary bushes blooming, I had to pick one or two flowers off and pop them in my mouth (of course after Elin's permission). When I saw this creeping rosemary plant spilling over the hanging basket , I had to adopt her. Mellisa smiled seeing me torn between this flowering rosemary basket and a small bay tree guy with five leaves! Well, rosemary won and now she is staying in my guest bed room too.

Do you remember the last Sunday in November this year? How the air was so warm and the sun was so gentle, and it made you think maybe, just maybe, this magical Fall is going to extend forever? Dan and I worked in our backyard garden that day and our friend Ricardo stopped by. We sat around the table chatting and absorbing every golden particle of the sun ray. Ric said he had orchid plants for us, disappeared, and appeared again with two orchid plants. I never grew orchids before and have no CLUE what I am doing. They are also staying in our guest bedroom.

How lucky am I to have these wonderful friends who give me plants as gifts, and also to be able to adopt plants from caring farmers and gardeners?

Immensely.

Yeon

April F's great idea: local gift basket

2009-12-15T19:02:00.008-05:00

April Finnen gets the prize today for having a good idea. She needed to come up with a gift basket for an office party, so she put together one using products from Frederick County. Here are the contents of her basket, quoted from her blog page:

Elk Run Vineyard wine - I chose a chardonnay, since that's all the liquor store was offering, and I didn't have time to visit the vineyard. (Making this basket could really be a full-time job.)
Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale - I sent my husband out for this one, with the request only that he didn't choose the Raging Bitch... this is a work party, after all.
Dublin Roasters Guatelmalan Antigua artisan roasted coffee, hand-roasted in New Market, Md. I was hoping for some Highlander Grogg, but the selection is whatever's been recently roasted. I also picked up a couple other items for the basket in their cute little store, including:
Local honey from Bill McGiffin's apiary in Mt. Airy, Md., and
A selection of Seven Angels lotions, made in New Market. I think I've seen them at farmers markets too.
While in New Market, I stopped at the New Market General Store, hoping for something small by a local artist. I found McCutcheon's Buttermilk Pancake and Waffle Mix, and some Swedish fish (for my husband, not the basket).
And what basket would be complete without chocolate? First, a variety box from Perfect Truffle in Frederick's Shab Row.
Finally, my personal favorite, a Raw Bar (with cocoa nibs) and an Espresso Bar from Zoe's Chocolate, a relatively new addition to downtown Frederick.

I think this is a fantastic idea. Other thoughts: McCutcheon's has their factory outlet on Wisner and a store at the FSK mall. Zoe's also has the world's best candy canes, according to Saveur Magazine. For wine, also check out Berrywine Plantations/Linganore Winecellers, Black Ankle Vineyards, Frederick Cellars, Loew Vineyards, and Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards. Flying Dog was ranked one of the best American breweries by Forbes and won best in show at the Great American Beer Festival this year as the best mid-size brewing company in America. The Common Market has some local gift items, as does the Muse (disclaimer- I sell my necklaces at the Muse).

While I am on the topic of local gifts, if you are looking to participate in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) next year and get fresh produce all season, Several may still have openings.

Summer Creek Farm, Farmer Rick Hood (organic), farmer@summercreekfarm.com
Mt Zion CSA, Farmer Chad Stull (organic), stullproduce@yahoo.com, 301.473.7068
Thanksgiving Farm, Darby Zimmermann, 301.662.1291

What are your local gift ideas?

Top Chef, Tasting Notes, and Home Cooking

2009-12-15T11:20:00.015-05:00

Where do I start? This past week has been a culinary whirlwind. Let's start with Top Chef.

I was sitting at the bar at Volt Wednesday, watching the TV screen as brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio waited with urgent intensity to hear which one of them would be crowned Top Chef. When Michael heard his name called, he transformed. It was actually one of the more beautiful things I have seen. I grew up with a younger brother who was always somehow second to me in the eyes of other people because I was good, and did the right things, and was brilliant, and succeeded. My brother, also brilliant, was unable to follow other peoples' rules, was often angry and inappropriate, and was always asked, "what is wrong with you" and "why did you do that" and "why can't you be more..." It was hard to watch Bryan not win; I know how good of a chef he is, and how much he fought for it. But it was wonderful to watch Michael win, because there was that moment where he had permission to see himself differently. I hope it is a seed that grows within him his whole life. Some people say the title was stolen from Bryan- I don't know, I didn't try Michael's food. The episode was set up to make you think that Bryan would win, but the blogs from the judges have been more informative. They were torn. They duked it out all night. There were people who thought Bryan should win and people who pulled for Michael. In the end, the vote was the vote. But it was close.

The Voltaggios are brothers, after all, and they have decided to become successful together as a team. Check out their website. A rising tide floats all boats. The person I was more sorry for was Kevin, as he had his first real bad day and the show dispensed with him so unceremoniously. But others have said, and it appears to be true, that he has an illustrious career ahead of him. He has a certain genius to him, that much is obvious, and he is a fan favorite. He also has the ability, like the Lee Brothers (whose cookbook is at Ollie's right now for $6.99- GO BUY IT), to tell a story about Southern cooking that elevates it from the prejudices of the North and West.

Kevin and Bryan both talked a lot about using local, fresh ingredients; I think this really distinguished the two of them. Great food starts with great ingredients. Our local tourism industry will be putting together an initiative to bring people to Frederick for our cuisine, and they will be highlighting the proximity to high quality local ingredients as part of the campaign. I give Bryan a lot of credit for developing the concept that Frederick will be capitalizing on as a result of his success.

I look forward to seeing more from all of the chefs. Most of all, I am proud of them- how they helped each other and wanted to win because they were the best, not because someone else lost. I think the tone for this was really set by Bryan. The production team loved Bryan the best because he was always charitable, easy to get along with, kind. It's a long-term philosophy, to treat yourself and others well, that in my experience always pays off in the end. And Top Chef is just the beginning. Bryan is also now a celebrity and that's kind of weird. But them's the breaks. I am sure it's weird for him too. Stay true.

I went to Georgetown this weekend with my friends Chris and Karly. We hung out at the GORGEOUS apartment of his sister Kelly and her husband. I was inspired by the place, as it really is focused on art, and by the people who have a love of fine food. We went to a restaurant that was just around the corner from their place, called Urbana. The Executive Chef there is Alexander Bollinger, who used to work with Bryan V. at Charlie Palmer. I had three courses on the tasting menu for $39 and was stuffed; the courses were also excellent. Some notes:

Portugese kale stew with cannellini beans, creamer potatoes, laughing bird shrimp, and chorizo. The broth in this soup was outstanding and had a lovely balance of shrimp and chorizo. The shrimp was a tad bit more cooked than I like but I am weird about seafood and like it just as the proteins denature (turning the shrimp from translucent to white) and not a second more. $11. A very big bowl and a hearty soup.
Ahi tuna tartare with 61 degree egg, warm applewood smoked bacon and banyuls sherry vinaigrette with crispy house made fennel crackers. I had this without the crackers since I am wheat-free. For those interested, 61 degrees is significant because it is the temperature at which egg white and yolk are at the same consistency- silky, velvety, and thick. The way this is achieved is by cooking sous-vide. Sous-vide is done by vacuum-sealing the food and then putting it in a water bath that is calibrated to a precise temperature. The food is then cooked until it reaches the desired temperature. Food cooked sous-vide NEVER OVERCOOKS. For this reason, it's a great technique for things like chicken and pork, which need to reach a certain temperature on the inside but often suffer from overcooking on the outside. Sous-viding is not something that the home cook does at this point, though I have seen an ad for a machine that ran around $350, plus the vacuum sealer and bags. About the cost of a microwave, and worth it I would think if you cook meat a lot or are obsessed with perfection. The dish was delicious though I would have preferred the egg and tuna separately. Their flavors go along together except for a few subtle notes pretty far in that I thought clashed, and I could not get over that, but again that is my palate. $15 well spent.
Cassoulet with crispy duck confit with butternut squash, cannellini beans, garlic sausage and applewood smoked bacon. Confit, a preparation of duck where it is preserved in salt, cooked in its own fat, and then stored in fat, is the most tender preparation and a real delicacy well-suited to the holidays. This confit was excellent, and came with a crispy skin that I really enjoyed. The bean cassoulet was also very good. I found the combination of the two to be oversalted and would have liked to see the cassoulet have less salt to compensate for the salt in the confit. This was an extremely hearty dish that filled me up like an entree and was an absolute steal at $13.
I forgot to write down the name of the wine but it was a 2006 French Burgundy. I thought it was a good wine but still closed. But a good price on the wine and a good wine list in general from what little I know about wines. I know a lot more about food than I do wine.
Some local, seasonal ingredients were mentioned on the menu like Tuscarora Farms beets.

Urbana, 2121 P. St. NW, Washington DC 20037, 202.956.6650

I made a good dinner this weekend too- a chicken pot pie using the Lee Brothers' recipe (seriously, get the book). For local ingredients, I used a chicken from Rohrer's meats and some cayenne peppers I had grown and dried last summer (I also had a watermelon radish from the Common Market that went into a salad). The recipe asks for you to cut up the chicken and fry the pieces, but I broiled them instead. Broiling chicken is my new favorite cooking method because it is fast, gets the skin crispy, and avoids the addition of extra fats from frying (though the chicken roasts in its own fat). Basically I broil on the top rack, starting the pieces cavity-side up, for five minutes on each side, then drop the rack to 8 inches and continue to broil but at 10 minutes each side. I made gluten-free dumplings from a mix of flours like brown rice, potato starch, and garbanzo and was very excited that they tasted good. The pot pie also had the holy trinity of carrots, onions and celery in it. I will definitely make this recipe again.

I would also like to note that my elimination diet is going along well in the sense that I am still on it and have made a complete 180 degree shift in my awakeness and energy. I am having a rough time reintroducing foods because every one that I have tried to reintroduce has completely bombed. I guess that's good because it's REALLY OBVIOUS that I have sensitivities to food. So I am going to wait a few weeks before trying to introduce foods again. I also keep hitting land mines when I go out to eat, which means I really need to stop going out to eat. Maybe there's a niche for me as a lover of quality foods with a very limited diet, and I should go with it. I'll do a more complete post here soon of my experience with food and getting better, because I think it might help someone. But for now, I am:

Yours in food and in health,
Shannon

Corn Free

2009-12-08T09:15:00.011-05:00

I love corn. When I was a kid, when the white "silver queen" sweet corn would come in, I remember having meals that were nothing but corn because we all loved it so much. There were very few weird meals like that coming from my mom's kitchen. The exceptions were apple dumplings, waffles, and corn. So that tells you how special corn is to my family and to me.

So it was with great sadness when I tried to reintroduce corn into my diet after eliminating it to test for food sensitivities, and found that I can't eat it. I mean I really can't eat it. Within a minute of eating a corn chip my stomach turned, I felt nauseous, and I didn't want any more. I said to myself, well, maybe I had a little too much to drink last night (it is the holidays) and I am just a little off. I went to put another corn chip in my mouth and it hung there in my hand in midair because my body wouldn't let me eat it. I could not make my arm put it in my mouth. I kid you not.

I have told this story a few times now and have heard varying reactions to it. My opthamologist thought it was funny and believed me. Dr. Kracher is awesome, by the way, if you need an opthamologist. He said, "I really think there is something to this, and I think you are halfway there." And he switched me to preservative-free contact lens solution because the stuff I was using was making my eyes itchy- he said probably an autoimmune reaction. And I think he was right, because my eyes don't itch now. My dad, on the other hand, said it was psychosomatic and weird, and he looked at me funny. I said, "maybe it is, but I can't eat corn anymore, and that's an autoimmune problem."

I had a similar but worse reaction when trying to eat dairy again. I made a mushroom pate and put some of my favorite cow goat cheddar in it from CapriKorn farms. I had such a bad reaction to eating it that my tongue and lips burned. I thought, "maybe that's not the dairy. Maybe that's something else." I went to pick up the package so I could eat a slice of cheese, and I felt an electric shock go through my arm to my hand, and I dropped it. Now I know that there is nothing wrong with that cheese because it is awesome. It is me.

Other foods have caused me minor issues. Scallops turned my stomach over, but I ate them. Same with tuna fish in mayo. Sugar turns my stomach if I eat more than a few bites of something sweet.

Now that I am feeling better, I have actual reactions to foods, rather than living in a murk that is better or worse from day to day. I am so profoundly better that I am like a totally different person. So my hunch was right. Some foods trigger me to have autoimmune reactions that cause the narcolepsy symptoms. I don't know if this is because I am atypical, or if there is a dietary relationship with this disease the way there is between celiac and wheat; that is my instinct, since both diseases have the same genetic marker.

Sometimes I eat something, and I don't know what it is, but it hits me like a land mine. I started out assuming that if there weren't any obviously bad ingredients in a food for me, I could eat it. Now I assume the opposite, and find that I can only really eat the food I cook myself- or go to places that are obsessed with food purity. Food is so adulterated, I have discovered, and there are so many things that it is adulterated with; it makes me think that instinctively I turned to local foods more and more because they are not processed.

Today I got up at 5:45 on my own, which never happened to me in my life before I started eating this way a little over a month ago. I was taking the dog for a walk, and I thought about how many people out there are like me and just don't know it. I also thought that if all of these people knew this about themselves and acted on it, there would be a much greater market for primary rather than processed foods, a lot more pressure on the factory farming industry, and a lot less pollutants in the environment. There would also be a lot more healthier people.

I told the Naturopathic Doctor (Steven Sinclair) about my reaction to dairy and he said it was highly unusual. I am okay with that. I feel deeply normal now, more than I ever have been. I feel unstoppable.

Shannon

They thought it was Spring.

2009-12-05T13:47:00.012-05:00

I woke up to white snow. It was lovely to have a breakfast looking out the window and see snow covering our little backyard garden.

Some plants have been enjoying mildly cold weather. This Sutera Cordata is called Snowstorm. How cute is to see Snowstorm covered with snow. This plant is annual/tender perennial. If I had a sun room or green house, I could keep her for the next year. Search reveals that this plant can only be propagated through cuttings, not by seeds. Maybe I should try bringing her into our house to overwinter.

I am not sure about the usefulness of borage as a herb plant. You could eat young leaves in a salad (commonly described as mild cucumber flavor), but if you miss that short stage, leaves get big, tough, and prickly. I keep borage for the beautiful star like blue flowers. They have been self-sowing.

I have too much parsley. They love cool weather but I am not sure how they are going to handle this snow and following cold nights. I should harvest some leaves and dry them.

Not sure about this young fennel fellow. I think my spring sowing produced plants that produced flowers and seeds, and they started fall crop themselves.

This is a new rhubarb plant that I got from a farmer's market this spring. I have a giant guy that started a few years ago from seed, but unfortunately he doesn't produce red stalks, so I adopted this new guy. I should harvest the tender stalks before they go into winter dormancy.

I grew sun flowers and nasturtium in one of the sunniest spots. The plants completed the cycle and I cleared the area out to plant some spring bulbs for the next year. However, the seeds decided it was spring and they got things going. Unfortunately, both sunflowers and nasturtium don't transplant well so I am not even going to try to pot them up and bring them in. Too bad their lives will be short.

And, asparagus thought it was spring too. There are a few more spears that are one or two inches above the ground. I shall eat them soon.

I will follow up with a few more photos of plants that I am keeping in the house.
Have a happy snowy day.
Yeon

Cakes for Cause: Brrrr...It's Starting To Feel Like Winter!

2009-12-05T13:36:00.003-05:00

And not just because we’re at the North End of Frederick either…the weather forecast is for cold and frosty temperatures but at Cakes for Cause and Moxie Bakery & Café we feel like it’s the deep south. And our brunch plate this week reflects it…this Sunday, line up for shrimp and grits (or vegan grits with roasted veggies and tofu) at breakfast time. Pair it with a freshly-baked cinny roll or an all-butter croissant and transport yourself to the French Quarter for the day. We’ve made a little adjustment to our hours but you probably won’t notice the difference (unless you’re that lone 6:00 am coffee person…just knock, we’ll let you in!) so pull up a chair and linger with us a little bit this weekend.

Moxie Bakery & Café
629 North Market Street, Frederick
Tuesday – Thursday 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday – Saturday 7:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Closed Mondays

Shout out to DailyCandy!
Those of you who troll the internet regularly are probably familiar with this site but if you’re not, Cakes for Cause got some great press this week and we want to give a little shout of welcome to all our new friends and supporters. We like to keep it lighthearted here at Cakes for Cause so no fighting over the last box of gingerbread ok?

The North Pole Has Nothing On the North End!
And we’ve got everything you need to make the holidays special this year. Need some ideas? Give us a call or drop by to check out our holiday order list and see what we’ll have on a regular basis. Need something extra special? We’re booking fast so we need at least one week’s notice. Having a holiday party but don’t want to clean your own house? You can rent our elegant and eclectic café space or the large event space at the Bernard W. Brown Community Center. Whatever you’re looking for, why not celebrate the holidays with Moxie (we know you’ve got it)!

The Gingie Cookies Will Be Here Next Week!
Starting December 10th and continuing through the holidays, our gingerbread and sugar cookie folk fly in from the North Pole (or Gaithersburg’s L’Academie de Cuisine as it happens) all rolled and cut out and ready for you to bake. It’s a great way to keep kids and adults alike occupied through the winter holidays. Two dozen cookies that you slide into the oven and bake yourself…we’ll throw in a frosting kit and some decorating templates for ideas as well. And the best part is…we’ll never tell that you didn’t make them! Reserve now and buy early because when they’re gone, they’re gone…until next year!

The Swag Is Here Now!
You know you’ve been waiting and it’s here right now (well the shirts will be here next week), Moxie t-shirts and gift cards. Let us know your size for our pre-sale special (until we actually have our hands on the shirts) of $15 before they’re delivered. And don’t forget that if you also reserve one of our fast-dwindling supply of Cakes for Cause baseball shirts, you can have one of those for $12 when you purchase a hot Moxie shirt.

Cakes for Cause

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2009-12-04T16:07:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the farm. I will be in Frederick tomorrow with my full product line. I will be at The Dutch Plant Farm from 10 AM until 12:30 PM. I will have beef, pork, lamb, chicken, eggs, and cheese. After tomorrow, my next delivery day will be Christmas eve. So it is time to start thinking about those orders. Some possibilities include beef prime rib, standing rib, or filet; fresh, smoked, or country cured ham; pork loin roast or crown roast; leg and rack of lamb; or fresh turkeys. If you have any other requests, I might be able to handle those as well. Here is my winter schedule for those who did not get one. Hours will be 10 AM until 12:30 PM. Location will be the Dutch Plant Farm on Baughmans Lane in Frederick:

December 5, 24
January 2, 23
February 6, 20
March 6, 20
April 3, 17

Don't let a little bit of snow scare you away tomorrow. Eat fresh, be well, and I will see you at the market.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats

301-432-8350

Dakarohfarm@aol.com

World's best candy canes at Zoë's

2009-12-04T14:29:00.013-05:00

How cool is this?

The candy canes from our local Zoë's Chocolate Co. (across from my office) were designated as the "World's Best Candy Canes" by Saveur Magazine in their December 2009 issue.

"On the way home, I opened up a peppermint one and popped it into my mouth. The flavor was bright and refreshing, cool on the tongue, and more refined than the cloyingly sweet taste of the canes I'd grown up eating. The real stars, though, were the anise and cinnamon versions. The latter had all the gentle warmth of the spice but none of the aggressive heat you get in most cinnamon hard candies, and the anise cane, which had a gorgeous sheen, tasted of real licorice. I finished the whole thing."

The candy canes come in all natural cinnamon, peppermint, or anise. The canes are all made by hand.

"As its name suggests, Zoë's Chocolate Company makes primarily chocolates, and very good ones. But every year in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the owner, Zoë Tsoukatos, gets together with her parents and two brothers to make candy canes, observing a tradition begun two generations ago by Tsoukatos's great-aunt and great-uncle, immigrants from Greece. "When I was a little girl," she recalls, "I would wait all year for candy cane–making time. I loved it then, and I love it now.
Tsoukatos says that the method hasn't changed a bit. "We still use natural oils for the flavoring and knead the candy by hand." Each batch of the taffy-like candy base is pulled and stretched on a wall-mounted hook before the flavoring is added; then the colored pieces are twisted onto the white base. Zoë's mother, Elaini, oversees the job of bending each cane into the crook shape. "She has the magic touch," says Tsoukatos. "

Also, note this upcoming event: see their 7'5" Handmade Candy Cane in front of 30 N. Market Street in Frederick on First Saturday. New Mayor-Elect, Randy McClement, and new aldermen will make the first candy cane break at 6pm. Stop by and get your piece to enjoy!

Photo Michael Krauss, Saveur Magazine.

Love Leftovers.

2009-12-04T07:20:00.014-05:00

Saturday) Dan and I bought a turkey from Maple Lawn Farm at Common Market a while ago, and it was time to cook. Dan took charge in cooking the bird. At last minute we casually invited a couple, who are vegetarians. We had some really good looking veggies from the farmer's market and some mushroom and fennel that we got from MOM's.
I like it when cooking sort of happens. When Dan put the bird away into oven, I took over the kitchen, and pulled out all the veggies that I want to cook, and arranged them in groups. Here is how it went:

Thinly sliced fennel, red onion, and celeriac salad. Dressed in olive oil, and lemon juice.
Mushroom, spinach and leek tart as a main vegetarian dish. Crimini and white oyster mushroom, baby yellow squash sauteed in olive oil and thyme. Baby spinach briefly cooked. Leek cooked in butter till melting soft. Layered in rich shortbread tart shell then filled with cream/egg.
Multigrain roll, improvised to add gluten free serial and sunflower seeds on top of oatmeal and flax seeds.
Par-boiled and then roasted beets, red and chiogga. Served with CapriKorn farm soft goat cheese.
Roasted brussels sprout served with grated Parmesan Reggiano.
Tatsoi sauteed in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
Fresh baby carrots, broccoli, fennel served with a dipping sauce
Mashed rutabaga
Apple tart
Pear reduction with lavender blossom

I had three things to bake and veggies to roast, and the bird was taking its time in the oven, which made me a bit nervous when it got closer for our guests to arrive. Dan made the dipping sauce, mashed rutabaga, and gravy when the turkey finally came out. He also cleaned the dining room, set the table, entertained the guests while I continued to cook and serve. I needed this - the joy of cooking all day. Every dish turned out so well I couldn't pick my favorite.

Sunday) What a beautiful day it was! I spent all day in the garden. For breakfast, we had leftover veggie tart, apple tart, and toasted multigrain roll with raspberry jam. All home-made and it took just minutes to put together.

For lunch, Dan made turkey salad sandwich. Diced turkey meat, apple, celeriac, red onion and mayo, salt, pepper.

For dinner, we had turkey soup. Three main herbs in the stock were rosemary, sage, and oregano. Simple with carrots, celeriac and pasta, but deeply satisfying flavor from the stock that simmered all day.

Monday) I made a turkey tart following Cook's Country recipe. I had to modify the recipe as I go - too much blue cheese for me so cut down to 1/3 cup. We were out of pears so used an apple (the recipe calls for 4 pears which sounded way too much). We didn't have sour cream, so used different ratio of yogurt and cream. Overall it was pretty good combination - next time, I need to keep the tart longer in the oven, and refine the ratio of ingredients.

Wednesday) Eating more leftovers! Mashed rutabaga, cauliflower puree, fennel and celeriac salad, spicy green with dressing made from pear reduction, and tatsoi. Warmed up steak and pork tenderloin are also left over from previous meals.

In short, we have been eating well and the fridge is empty. Well almost empty since we still have lots of turkey meat left. I wonder what Dan is fixing for breakfast today - I'd better go check.

Yeon

Salmon canapes

2009-11-30T20:58:00.008-05:00

Here are the leftovers from the bridal shower that ended up back at my house. Half of a pear cobbler and a few flattened salmon canapes. Needless to say I threw a party and we ate them, and then went ska dancing.

My Aunt Irene and her daughters threw my sister a lovely bridal shower, and I was really touched. It was also a huge help, since my mom had to throw together a Thanksgiving dinner and an engagement party just before.

As is my custom now that I have to eat differently than before, I made both dishes without a recipe. The pear cobbler was just a gluten free biscuit mix with seckel pears from Scenic View Orchards and agave syrup. I can't tell you how it tasted to others but it seemed dry, yet tasty. The salmon canapes, however, were the bomb. Ironically, I did not taste them since they had dairy and wheat in them. But I knew they would be awesome when I concocted the idea.

When I got to the shower hall, I got my food out to cook it. My Aunt Irene told me we could not use the ovens. So cousin Patty and I went to her house and she totally saved my butt by cooking the mushroom rolls and chicken skewers I had brought. While she did this, I assembled the salmon canapes. My cousin's husband and Uncle Buddy also enjoyed eating them while we cooked them in the kitchen. Patty's husband said, "there's like three different flavors in there that all come together in my mouth." And my sister told me later that someone had told her that it made tartar sauce in their mouth. I actually spent some time thinking about putting this dish together- when I first imagined it, the cream mixture was going to be on a potato slice that had been baked in oil to reduce moisture, with salmon and a chive on top. Several people asked me for the recipe to this:

Salmon Canapes

1 large loaf of dark brown, sweet bread. I used the bread I got at the last day of the market from So Very Special. It looked like it had dates and molasses in it. I did not try it because of the gluten!
1 c of sour cream mixed in the food processor with 1 c of cream cheese and enough milk to get the mix to piping consistency- the consistency of mortar, when it is soft enough to squirt through a bag but strong enough to hold its shape when it comes out.
1.5 pounds of sockeye salmon, thawed and baked at 425 degrees F in a marinade of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt. I normally cook salmon until it is still gelatinous in the middle but I cooked it more to not freak out the family.
Vlasic dill slicer pickles, cut into pieces about 1 centimeter long and 1 inch wide.

Slice the bread into sandwich-thickness slices and cut the slices into quarters. Lay them on a serving tray. Pipe about 1/2 tsp cream mix onto each slice. lay the pickle on one side of the cream and a chunk of the salmon on the other. That's it. Take it to a party, I promise it will be a hit.

I found out today that Melissa and Alexandra of So Very Special lost Stephen today. Stephen was Alexandra's husband and Melissa's dad. He passed away after a long illness. My condolences to them in this difficult time.

Shannon

More to be thankful for

2009-11-28T08:32:00.013-05:00

This year's Thanksgiving was extra special because it was also the weekend we celebrated my sister Bridget's engagement to Kico. We had lots of friends and family come to visit. Especially members of Kico's family. This was great for me because I grew up with a big extended family (originally a big farm family) and family for me is something you can always enjoy more of. Meeting the little girl cousins was especially fun.

This little girl particularly loved the mashed potatoes. My mom made them with potatoes I got at Scenic View Orchards. I bought half a bushel for $14 at the last market, which seemed like a steal to me. The potatoes were literally white as snow.

I made a couple of dishes, including a coconut curry rice dish that had nothing local in it. But I also made a butternut squash and sweet potato casserole with a caramel sauce that used my friend Chad's sweet potatoes and a butternut squash from I think Jubilee. The colors of this dish were very fall and I loved the black flecks on the casserole dish. I made up both dishes as I went along. For example I poured the liquid off the bottom of the casserole and reduced it to a caramel sauce, mixing in apple juice for flavor. Then I poured it on top of the dish and broiled it.

I got a lot more compliments for the rice than I did for the casserole, though I thought the casserole was better. Something I am noticing too is that as I have begun to eat a lot more healthily, my tastes have changed a lot. A lot of times sweet potato dishes are extremely sweet, and I am not a fan. I like to temper the sweetness with the vegetal notes of the tubers. But that may not have been what people were expecting.

I ate something that triggered a food allergy. I had a suspicion there might be gluten in the chicken broth mom used for the gravy and I looked it up on the internet. And it did. I not only got tired, I staggered. This had nothing to do with alcohol, because I decided not to have any; It also was not the turkey. The reaction was actually something I was happy about- I think I have really begun to get to the bottom of what has plagued my my whole life- an autoimmune reaction to wheat, dairy, and maybe a few other things. Now that I have eliminated these foods from my diet, I can tell within minutes of eating them. That means to me that if I don't eat them, I won't be a zombie anymore. The other benefit of being food sensitive is that it causes me to either cook for myself or go to places that cater to people with allergies, which are always places that use fresh, whole foods. So I get to be awake and eat healthier.

People felt sorry for me going into the holidays because I picked this time do do my elimination diet. But I had plenty to eat and was glad that I felt so much better in general than I ever have. I also still got to talk to everyone and enjoy them, and that's most of the holiday for me.

I was talking to a friend the other day about my new way of eating, and I remarked how interesting it was that the answer to my problems in the long run was not to add something like a medicine to my life, but to remove something from my diet. My friend told me that is counterintuitive to our commercial culture, where we have to buy something for all of our problems.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. May you be blessed with just enough: an abundance of family and friends, and an elimination of the things that are not benefiting your life.

Happy Thanksgiving from Farmer Rick

2009-11-26T11:04:00.000-05:00

I wanted to wish all our customers a Happy Thanksgiving Day and say thank you for your support during the year.

Being involved in farming and the production of food makes Thanksgiving even more special for me. Our predecessors knew how precious the harvest was to sustain them through the long winter. They were fearful of starvation each winter and thankful to have a good harvest to sustain them through. Today we are far removed from having to store all our food in the fall to make it to spring. We often take food for granted. Growing quality food for a living puts different perspective on the family meal. I know how tenuous our food supply can actually be at times and how the quality of our food has changed over the years.

I hope you have enjoyed the fresh produce we have produced this year for your enjoyment and nourishment. We are already ordering seeds and planning for next year. Hope to see you then.

Thanks So Much
Farmer Rick

Cakes for Cause: You Don't Want to Miss This!

2009-11-25T19:53:00.002-05:00

It's the week of Thanksgiving and Cakes for Cause knows that you have a house full of hungry family members and who wants to cook all day anyhow? We do! Let us make your day after Thanksgiving special with a yummy breakfast before you hit beautiful downtown Frederick. Does Grandpa like biscuits? We've got them hot from the oven with jam and butter. Does Cousin Eddie love all things French? How about one of our delicate all-butter croissants? And coffee, we've got lots and lots of strong hot coffee to keep you going for the whole morning. We'll be open for breakfast, lunch and sweet treats all weekend so stop by and visit us. Don't forget our "creative" brunch on Sundays...we bring together a whole plate of goodness for you to enjoy along with all our regular breakfast items. If you're a vegan, don't worry, we make you your own version too.

When Are We Open…When Are We Closed?
At Cakes for Cause, we value our staff and their family time so we offer them several holidays each year. That way, they stay rested and enthusiastic (because we all work like crazy the rest of the time). Our holiday schedule is the following:

Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday) CLOSED
Thanksgiving Day (Thursday) CLOSED
(except for pre-ordered pick-ups and pastry emergencies 8-12)
We wish you and your families the happiest of Thanksgivings!
Christmas Eve (Thursday) CLOSED
Christmas Day (Friday) CLOSED
New Years Day (Friday) CLOSED

Gingerbread Cookies Anyone?
Those of you who know Cakes for Cause have been asking about the gingerbread cookies and yes, they are coming back in 2009 to make your holidays easier. For those of you who don’t know, we make your holiday baking a snap with our frozen gingerbread and sugar cookies. All you have to do is pop them into the oven, bake them, and then decorate them with our handy frosting kit. This year it’s all part of the same package…2 dozen gingerbread or sugar cookies, a frosting kit, lots of templates with ideas for decorating and plenty of fun for the whole family. Plus, there’s no mess from the eggs, flour, and butter! You’ll be able to pay online and pick up after December 10th. More info to come.

The Swag Is Coming…The Swag Is Coming!
Yes, you have asked and we are responding…with Moxie t-shirts and gift cards. These are the must-have seasonal gifts in Frederick. Get your own little piece of the funky North End and pre-order our hot t-shirts or our even hotter gift cards. Call 301-620-0003 to reserve yours today. And, to make gift giving even easier, we’re offering a special pre-order price of $15 and if you want to add on one of our Cakes for Cause baseball tees, we’ll throw it in for only $12 (while supplies last). It’s a great big holiday extravaganza here at Cakes for Cause! Here’s a peek at the Moxie design (black/grey or pink/brown)…you know you want one!

Cakes for Cause

Fresh this week from Rohrer's Meats

2009-11-25T08:16:00.001-05:00

Just a quick reminder that I will be at the Dutch Plant Farm Wednesday, from 10 AM until noon. I will have some extra product with me, including bacon and sausage. If you have any questions you can call my helper Becky at 301-514-7477.

Danny
Rohrer's Meats
301-432-8350
Dakarohfarm@aol.com

Let them roast

2009-11-25T07:42:00.006-05:00

One November night I decide to roast vegetables to bring out their natural flavor and show-case beautiful colors. The vegetables were:

Cheddar cauliflower from Gwen (Glade-link farm)
Chiogga beets from Jim (Tomatoes etc)
Red Thumb potatoes from Will (Whitmore farm)
Yellow fingerling potatoes from Rick (Summer creeek farm)
White onion from Chris (Jubilee farm)
Yellow carrots and dark beets from my backyard garden

Potatoes and beets were par-boiled before roasting. I made a dressing with olive oil, sherry wine, mustard and some thyme and tarragon. It is visually stimulating and very satisfying to work with fresh and colorful vegetables. Needless to day, they were very yummy.

Talking about yummy roasting, check out Dianne's post on Thanksgiving. Everything looks so delicious!

Dan and I will be traveling for Thanksgiving and we are looking forward to a delicious meal and joyful conversation with our very special friends. Hope everyone travels safe, if you are traveling, and have a happy Thanksgiving.

Yeon

Last Day at the Market II

2009-11-23T21:03:00.011-05:00

Here are some more pictures of the last day at the market. Pictured are Jeff and Amanda (Cakes for Cause), Richard (Scenic View Orchards), Ida, and Michelle (Tourism Council) and Zack Kershner with kids in tow.

I am going to miss the market until it starts again in the Spring!!!

Mt. Zion CSA

2009-11-22T23:25:00.002-05:00

The Mount Zion CSA is taking new members for 2009. The farmer for this CSA is my friend Chad Stull. The customers of his CSA from last year that I talked to raved about how good his boxes were, and how much produce he gave them. Chad is farming organic but is not certified. Pickup is at his home on Stone Road off of Mt. Zion Road. To reach Chad about the CSA, you can email him at stullproduce@yahoo.com or call at 301.473.7068. He is doubling capacity this year based on the success of last year. Now that's what I like to hear.

For those who are not familiar, CSA stands for "Community Supported Agriculture". The way it works is that you pay the farmer up front for fresh produce. The farmer is able to use the money that you pay to purchase neccesary supplies and equipment early in the year, and guarantee a certain level of income for the year. In turn you get to pick up your bounty, usually every week during a length of time during the growing season.

Last day at the Market

2009-11-22T22:42:00.005-05:00

Saturday was the last day of the season for the West Frederick Farmer's Market. We had a beautiful day and a good turnout- thanks to everyone who made it! I love this picture of my friend Jen with her various parcels, including at least two market bags and a baby.

Many of you know that the market will have to find a new location next year. Some of you may have read about the circumstances in the Frederick News-Post. Nobody need worry- the market will definitely be back next season. Yeon and I are planning lots of cool events for the next market, including several chef's challenges that I think you will really enjoy.

The next picture is Jim from Tomatoes, Etc. showing off some fine radishes and broccoli. More pictures from the last day of the market are coming.

Shannon

Flowers this Fall

2009-11-17T21:42:00.006-05:00

These photos are for Charles. I told him that I will post photos on Saturday and didn't get to it till today. My camera had lost the date setting so I don't know exactly which Saturdays I took these photos. Some time in late September to early October.

At the end of the day, I feel so drained and weak. This terrible clenching headache doesn't help either. Even with all the worries in me and gloomy news all around, I am going to stay positive and grateful.

It is going to be all right.

Yeon

EBlast from Catoctin Mountain Orchard

2009-11-14T07:33:00.004-05:00

The Black Family would like to take this opportunity to say "thanks" - we appreciate your support throughout the year by purchasing our own grown and produced products.

Through this support you keep our dream alive and well by supporting the concept of buy fresh, buy local.

This means, you get great taste and freshness, you help to improve the local economy, by keeping your dollars circulating in the community, safe guarding your families health and protecting the environment.

Even though to many, it would seem that the season is about to come to an end and we're getting ready to settle into the quite of the winter months - on the contrary.

WE'RE HERE, AND WE CAN HELP YOU GET THERE!

We still have lots of your fresh favorites for the coming holidays, as well as apple gift boxes, fresh pies, apple dumplings, all type of desserts, fresh cider, and the list goes on and on. Call ahead for quick and easy pickup.

Many of our items are available through our on online store that can be delivered straight to your door, all year!

Stop by! See you soon! Thanks and Happy Holidays from the Black Family.

[Click on the image to see it bigger]

Fresh this Week from Rohrer's Meats

2009-11-12T00:09:00.001-05:00

Here we are, down to the last two weeks of the market. Thanksgiving is fast approaching. But there is still time to order your fresh Maple Lawn Farms turkey from me. Turkeys are $2.25 per pound, breasts $3.75, and dark meat portions $1.25. Country cured hams $3.00, boneless smoked hams are $4.00. I also offer fresh hams as well. Delivery can be Nov. 21 at the final day of market, or Wednesday Nov. 26 at the Dutch Plant Farm from 10 AM until noon. My sisters will also be taking orders for pies, cakes, cheesecakes, teabreads and cookies. Thanksgiving orders for Saturday pickup need to be in by Wednesday night. For Wednesday pickup I need them by Sunday night.

This week at the market I will have my complete line of fresh beef, pork, lamb, and eggs. I will also have whole chickens, cutup chickens, boneless skinless breasts, wings, and leg/thigh portions.

Several weeks ago the Washington Post did an article about rose veal. The pictures of animals they were talking about were Jersey bull calves. There is not much meat on their bones. I have been doing something similar for several years. I use my Angus beef calves. They are allowed to run with and nurse their mother, eat grass and hay, and have access to grain as well. I also allow them to get a little bigger. This results in a fat calf with mild flavor and they always get rave reviews. If you still do not like to think about eating a calf, since these are bigger, one can call it petite beef.

I am having a calf processed this week. It always goes fast, so you should preorder. Cuts will be scallopini, cutlets, loin chops, rib chops, sirloin chops, shanks, boneless shoulder roasts, arm roasts, stew cubes, and ground. It always sells fast, so please order ahead so I know how to pack. Please get your orders in by Thursday night.

Hopefully the rain will be gone by Saturday. Have a good week and I will see you at the market.

Danny

Rohrer's Meats

301-432-8350

Dakarohfarm@aol.com