The Old Man and The Dill

    Lots 'O Dill

Our neighbor across the street shows up around this time every year with tons of Dill.  His Dad (The Old Man) maintained a pretty nice vegetable garden in the lot behind their house for nearly 50 years, and the Dill always comes back in droves.   For awhile after the Old Man's passing, other things came back too.  The Son would bring us enormous zucchini - we all know that they are pretty useless, but I never had the heart to tell him that he may want to look for them a tad earlier.  And, for awhile, he'd bring us a few cucumbers or a volunteer tomato.  The Son is not interested in gardening and actually shows disdain for it.  I think because his Dad devoted so much spare time to it, but that's just my hunch.

The Old Man has been gone for nearly 10 years now. We still miss him sitting out on his stoop, telling us all sorts of tales of the "old neighborhood" and neighbors long gone. I have stored away every story I can. I treasure those kinds of chats with the folks who were here in those old South Philly days.

And so, the Dill delivery every year continues. However, this year - for the first time ever - the son pulled the Dill out by the roots!  I usually get a big bunch of cut branches, which make no mistake, I am thrilled to get.  We have used the Old Man's Dill in our pickles for years.  But for some reason, when I went to the door this year, there he was with huge stalks of Dill with big fat root systems intact. 

His usual question:  "Can you use this?".  My usual answer:  "You bet!". 

I sat outside this morning, cleaning the branches of the dill.  Some I will freeze, some I will dry - as usual.  I kept coming back to three good sized stalks with really nice, well established root systems, and I kept talking myself out of planting one more thing, of setting up one more garden "experiment" to fret over.  Too late.  The Old Man won.  So here are the three stalks which I have trimmed and planted.  I have also for the first time decided to harvest some seeds.

    The Dill Experiment

Maybe he's been sending me messages all of these years.  Or maybe there is just something inherently wonderful about growing dill from his long ago loved plants here, across the street, in our garden.  Maybe someone else will do the same in the years to come.  Who knows?  Everything happens for a reason, right?  

The Best Asparagus Cheese Tart Ever

Ok, I've been bombed with requests for the recipe for the Asparagus Tart.  Thanks All!   This is one of those recipes that seems relatively complicated and gets easier over repeated making.  And you will be making it a lot if you love asparagus.  There are rarely leftovers, even for two the tart only lasts about two days in our house.  It is also a great breakfast dish!  If you have questions, please ask.  As I said, the more you make it, the easier it will be to make it.  A good thing!  So, here it is.

Recipe:  Asparagus and Gruyere Tart

Note:  The work in this recipe is with the pastry dough.  Of course that is what makes it so delicious!

"Black Pepper and Sour Cream Pastry Dough"

Ingredients for a 13 inch tart shell

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - or more, if you like a peppery dough.  I use at least a teaspoon.

3/4 teaspoon of sugar

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) of cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits

1/3 cup of cold shortening

3 tablespoons of sour cream

3 tablespoons of ice water

Technique for making the tart shell

Blend together the flour, salt, pepper. sugar, butter and shortening with your fingertips or a pastry blender until most of the mixture resembles coarse meal with the remainder in small (roughly pea sized) lumps.

Stir together the sour cream and the ice water, then stir the mixture into the dough until it is incorporated.

Gather the dough into a ball.

Lightly flour your board and flatten the dough ball into a 6 inch square.  Then roll the dough out into a roughly 18 by 6 inch rectangle and fold the dough into thirds - this is like the way you would fold a letter to put it into an envelope (when we used to write letters, that is).

Turn the dough so an open ended side is nearest you, then roll the dough out again into an 18 by 6 inch rectangle.  Fold into thirds again.

**Remember to keep dusting your board with flour.  This is a rich dough.**

Repeat rolling and folding one more time - for a total of three times; wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.  We have chilled it overnight and it's fine.

Roll out the chilled dough onto a floured surface into a 15 1/2 inch round.  Transfer the dough to your tart pan (or pizza pan, I use a large tart pan).

Trim the edge enough to make it even all around and then pinch to form a 1/2 inch high, double thick side.  Prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork (called "docking") and chill again until firm - at least 30 minutes.  

Note:  the leftover dough from the edges can be rolled out and cut into small squares, sprinkled with some salt and more pepper if you want (I do!).  Bake until they are slightly crispy and then take them out and let them sit for a few minutes.  They are wonderful, tasty crackers!  I am thinking about just making the dough soon so that I can make a big batch of crackers.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

Take your chilled dough out of the refrigerator and line the shell with foil.

Fill the foil lined shell with pie weights or beans or rice or whatever you use.  Don't forget the foil!  I did that once - it's not pretty picking all of those beans out of that semi - cooked dough!

Bake the shell until the sides are firm, about 20 minutes. 

Remove the foil and the weights and bake about 10 minutes more, until you get a golden color.

Remove the shell from the oven and let it cool.  

While the shell is cooling, you can prepare the filling.

Ingredients for Tart Filling

3 pounds of asparagus trimmed to about 5 1/2 inches and peeled

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus additional for sprinkling

1 cup of heavy cream

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 - 1 1/2 cups of finely grated Gruyere (depends on how cheesy you like it; we like it cheesy!)

Technique for making the filling

I put the asparagus in a large flat pan of salted, boiling water for just about 30 seconds  - until you see a nice green color.  

As soon as you have the color you want, get them IMMEDIATELY into another pan of ice water.

Drain the asparagus well and pat dry.

Whisk together the cream, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg.

Season the mixture with freshly ground black pepper

Note:  If you use a Tart pan, I suggest that you put the pan on a cookie sheet.  Tart pans have removable bottoms and sometimes you get some seepage of the filling before it starts cooking and coming together.

Pour the custart mixture evenly into the tart shell.

Sprinkle the custard with two thirds of the grated cheese, then arrange the asparagus spears in the custart, tips out like the spokes of a wheel.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Bake until the custard is set - about 20 minutes.

When the custard is set, Broil the tart about 2 - 3 inches from the heat until golden.  About 1 - 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Peg Bigley's Amazing Marinated Turkey Breast

Two Boneless Turkey Breasts 

I got so many requests for the recipe when I posted this gorgeous shot, so here it is!  This is a great buffet, summer holiday or winter holiday menu item!  It is served cold, it's delicious and juicy and the sauce is so good you want to eat it by itself!  

Ingedients (for one Turkey Breast)

One 3 1/2 to 4 pound boneless turkey breast (you may have to order this from your favorite poultry farmer).  If you are cooking for a crowd and use two breasts, simply double the ingredients.

For the Marinade

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1/4 cup of sesame oil

3 tablespoons of lemon juice - fresh please

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

For the Sauce

2 1/2 cups of goodmayonnaise

5 tablespoons lime juice - fresh please

2 1/2 tablespoons seeded, chopped jalepeno 

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 - 4 cloves of minced garlic

2 1/2 teaspoons of dijon mustard

3 cups of fresh corriander (cilantro) chopped fin

Technique

Mix the marinade contents together and put the marinade and the breast into a large ziplock bag.  Marinate overnight.

Remove the breast from the bag, dispose of the marinade and put the turkey into a large roasting pan

Put the turkey under the broiler until the top is nice and brown - stay with it!

After browning the breast, bake it at 350 degrees for about 50 - 60 minutes

While the breast is in the oven. make the sauce by mixing together all of the sauce ingredients.  

When the turkey is done, refrigerate it and serve it cold.

Note:  You can either slice the turkey or for a buffet and ease of eating, you can cut it into chunks and have toothpicks at the ready. Have plenty of the dipping sauce out - it is always a big hit!

Learning at The Philly Farm and Food Fest 2014

What a wonderful experience the Fest continues to be!  This year, the Fest's third year, was the largest.  More exhibitors and lots more attendees.  Walking around the huge halls, sampling all sorts of delicious tid bits, and of course buying some of the same, was pure joy.

In addition, there were those great, spontaneous conversations with other attendees. Frequently, as I stood on line waiting for a sample, someone next to me, who already had theirs would more often than not turn to me and whoever else was nearby and comment on what they had just popped into their mouth.  And not just, "yum" or "good" or "I don't like that" but rather a layered comment offering comparisons to similar foods or what they would use it for and make with it.  You get the idea.  The Fest fills an enormous convention space with people who love to eat, who care about what they eat as well as how their food is raised/grown/made, who want to get to know the folks who produce what they eat, and are, in addition, always looking to learn more.

We were lucky to be able to get seats at the "Shellfish Salon".  Of course, my first thought was, "Oh, an oyster tasting.  What could be better?".  And yes, there was a tasting, but there was also a lot of great information that the presenters at the Salon shared with us.   Cape May Salts (oysters) have always been much loved in my home.   They are grown in the waters off of Cape May.  And they were harvested out of existence in the late 20th century.  Thanks to the efforts of a coalition of scientists and folks in the fishing and seafood business, they were brought back.  They are delicious, briny oysters - and they are local!  We had the opportunity to slurp a number of Cape May Salts, and other types of oysters from this area, and ask questions, meet the farmers, and hear lot of interesting facts. 

Fun Facts re: Oysters and Clams

"Farming" shell fish is the way to go.  The French have been doing this for generations.  Oysters and clams fit the growing and harvesting techniques central to aqua-farming so well because the way they eat is actually a filtering process.  The oysters eat, the water gets cleaned, and we consumers get delicious shellfish.  It is a wonderful win/win process.

The waterways of the Delaware Bay and off of Cape May are now rated Class A.  This means they are pristine.  These waterways have come back better than ever.  A fabulous thing to hear.

Merroir - a French term and my favorite new word. Recall that the word Terroir refers to the unique flavors and qualities that a growing region imparts on the grapes, and thus the wine, from the area.  It's also a term used by coffee growers and chocolatiers.  The marine environment, the Merroir, likewise affects the flavor of oysters and clams in much the same way.  All of the oysters that grow along our area of the East Coast are the same species of oyster.  The different conditions that they grow in are what contributes to their different textures and tastes.  Their merroir. 

And one, immensly disturbing fact:  over 90% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. annually is imported!  We have wonderful waters around us; we have some delicious shellfish and fish; and yet, rather than pay for this high quality and healthy food, Americans eat seafood from all over the world and not the U.S.!  This applies to the individual consumer and to the restaurant business and retail seafood businesses as well.  I like to say, "Know where your food comes from". In the case of seafood and fish, it is immensly important to do so. And if you live in the Philadelphia Tri-State area, check out, not only the oysters, scallops and clams, but the wonderful fish that run in our waters:  Bluefish, Fluke, Haddock, Butterfish. Weakies,  . . . it is really a very long list!

Other great finds at the Fest included Beet Kavas.  I had a tasting shot, iced cold, and was immediatley hooked.  It's briny with a back taste of delicious beets.  It is very good for you, apparently, which is great because I find myself pouring myself cold shots throughout the day!  Fermentation is a process that I am hoping to learn more about in the coming year.  Many fremented items have significant health benefits, and are delicious.

Pictured above with the Kvass are the oils of Susquehanna Mills Company in Montoursville, PA.  They produce all organic, non-GMO Canola and Sunflower Seed oils.  The oils are delicious, local and processed naturally, and again, no GMOs.  As I make my own mayonaisse, and use canola oil a great deal, I was thrilled to meet these folks and purchase the oils.  We are hoping that their oils will be available soon in our local retailers. 

And, of course there were lots of producers whom we have come to know at the Fest - with products that are must haves for us.  For example, Obis Black Garlic - if you try it, you will be changed forever (if you are a garlic lover of course).  Beechwood Orchards who provide us with wonderful apples, pears, apple and pear ciders and the like through our Fair Food Farmstand.  Also in attendance was Birchrun Hills Cheeses and proprietor Sue who we have come to know well and who produces some of our favorite delicious Pennsylvania cheeses.  The Caputos from out near Harrisburg PA were handing out samples of their wonderful Mozzarella and Ricotta. The Caputos sell frozen curds so that you can make your own mozzarella at home!  We attended one class - and a fabulous producers' dinner - with them, and are still learning, but we are getting better!

I could go on, and I just may in subsequent posts, but as must be obvious, not only was the Fest great and entertaining and informative, but so are the Food Times we find ourselves living in right now.  What a joy to have all of these wonderful things happening in the food world - and how lucky are we to be living in such abundance.  Get to know the folks who farm, produce, raise and/or make your foods.  You'll be glad you did!

Happy Passover.  Happy Easter.  Happy Spring.

Winter's Toll: What We Lost

As we have been cleaning up the gardens and the planting and growing areas over the past week or so, the first things we had to deal with were the fatalities from the unusually brutal winter.  As locals know, the past few winters in the Philadelphia area have been very mild.  This one just past, along with nearly six feet of snow, presented us with temperatures that dropped and stayed down.  Most morning walks with the dogs were completed in single digit temperatures. Along with ourselves, our garden took a beating, that's for sure.

For me, the most painful aspect of that "beating" is the age and longevity of those plantings that are no longer part of our garden.

Our nearly 20 year old Delaware White Azalea is gone.  Also our big Rosemary plant - we called her, "Rose, Senior" based on the 20 some years she was with us - is gone.  A tall, potted evergreen that came to us a number of years ago as a tiny Christmas plant did not make it. The big sage plant that was already in the ground when we bought the house over 18 years ago and was moved to our then new Herb Garden was merely a clump of dead wood when the snow finally melted away.  

It's not all doom and gloom of course.  Our bulbs are happily pushing through. Our garlic chives - toughest plants ever - are back and growing like mad already. Every morning there are more seedlings poking through all over the place. The sorrel making a comeback and the cole crops and early things that we planted in the cold frame are doing fine.

What I think speaks to the soul of us who "play in the dirt" is how attached to those lost plants it seems that I was.  This is reflected most clearly by the fact that I've yet to remove any of those that didn't make it through the Winter of 2014.  I know I have to - they're dead, I need the pots or planting areas, and they look pretty bad, being dead and all. And yet I continue to find reasons to do other things and leave the dearly departed where they, well, departed.

I'll deal with them, just not yet.  I need a little bit more time.

Quick Recipe Tip

Parsnip Chips

These are delicious by themselves and wonderful with hummus and other dips.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash, peel, and slice a parsnip into thin - very thin if you like - slices.  In a bowl, mix together grapeseed or any other neutral oil, some granulated garlic, a bit of smoked hot paprika and kosher salt. Toss the slices in this mixture until well coated and spread them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  

Keep an eye on them.  They should be crispy after 8 - 10 minutes.  

When you take them out of the oven, let them sit for a minute of two before serving. 

Good and good for you!  Enjoy.

These are a Few of My Favorite Things!

A Pretty Picture of Great Finds at

 the Opening of Headhouse Market

                        May, 2014

Lately, I find myself recommending various products, people, and places related to fair food and eating local and well.  I started a bit of a list for myself - this is also useful when folks are coming into town and ask for recommendations.  

I thought I would share some of my favorites.  I would love to hear yours as well.

For Local - and relatively local - Shopping:

The Reading Terminal Market (RTM) - This place is truly a cathedral to me.  I send every visitor I can to the Market, and I get annoyed with them if they don't follow my directive!  The history of the RTM is fascinating.  My history with it goes back to following my grandmother around on the sawdust covered floors, chickens and meats hanging, shopping, and ending up sitting at the Bassett's Ice Cream counter. Same as it ever was. Yes, it gets incredibly crowded when there are conventions and exhibitions in town.  But those of us who go weekly learn to plan our "best times' when the crowd factor goes way up.  It has been our supermarket for nearly 30 years.

Fair Foods Farmstand - The best addition to the Reading Terminal Market in a long, long time.  Where would we be without them?  Even during the cold winter months, we are always able to find some local, natural, delicious treats. Maybe most importantly, it's a fun place, with great and knowledgeable staff persons.

Green Aisle Grocery - Now at two locations!  These local brothers got it right.  Their motto:  "Know where your food comes from" pretty much says it all.  An independent family business.  Shopping there is always a treat.

Ippolitos Seafood - For the past couple of years this local seafood institution (Samuels and Sons is the restaurant/wholesale supplier) has made continuously positive additions and changes.  Leaning towards offering mostly line caught, sustainable seafood - much of it local - the staff also make some delicious take out dishes and have even added a few tables for inside dining.  And their crudo and sushi is wonderful. There are reasons that the place is always packed.

Greensgrow Farm - Our Kensington in - city Farm.  Greensgrow was one of the early standard bearers of urban farming. Along with those of us who drive in to see what's new and buy gorgeous plantings and food, Mary and the staff at Greensgrow are providing a source of good, healthy local food to a neighborhood that needed it.  Greensgrow is a Philly treasure.

Headhouse Farmers Market (Sundays 10 - 2 in season) - what a joy to go to Headhouse on Sundays!  All stands sell only their own products from produce to poultry to coffee.  You can "do dinner" from this market pretty easily.  Appetizers, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and now fresh seafood, even dessert - all are now available.  It is a happy, beautiful although very crowded place.  Get to Headhouse early!

Mancuso & Son's on Passyunk Avenue:  Lucio Mancuso makes the best homemade Ricotta and Mozzarella (daily) that you will find anywhere outside of a Tuscan hill town.  And he's been doing it for as long as anyone can remember. There are tons of other authentic italian goodies in the store as well - and the prices are very reasonable.  And now that they have installed an espresso machine, I am offered a pick me up when I stop by.  This place is an original. Another Philly treasure.

Booth's Corner Farmers Market (aka "The Sale") - Worth the trip if only for Cajun Kate's - the best New Orleans staples outside of New Orleans.  And then there's the amazing cream of crab chowder and crab cakes at Christopher's Crabcakes.  The home made pierogies & smoked kielbasi and other homemade Polish treats at Krystyna's are authentic and delicious.  You can't leave without some of the delicious and fresh PA Dutch "junk food" at the Nut Shop.  If you need a snack you will find very good pizza by the slice at Massimo's Pizza.  All of this and more combined with an inexplicable combination of non-food items make for a delicious and colorful marketplace.  A bit of a drive from Philly but always a big treat to rush home with such treasures.

Moore Brothers Wines - the originial wine shop in Delaware is a two and three times a year pilgrimage for us.  There is also a shop in Pennsauken, New Jersey, but if we are driving down to Booth's Corner we make sure a stop at Moore Brothers is part of the trip.  The knowledgeable, without being snooty, staff persons are the best; questions are, in fact, encouraged.  They represent only small, privately owned wineries and have actual relationships with the wine makers.  And their twice a year sales are fantastic.

Chic Petique/Street Tails Animal Rescue - no doggie or kitty junk food here!  High end, well sourced and worth the price if you want to feed your furries the healthiest food - like you feed yourself!  We were adopted by a number of the rescues of the wonderful Street Tails.  Lindsey and her staff persons are some of the best people I've met.

Online - we don't do much online anymore; we have even taken to ordering books through our local, individually owned bookstore.  But there are couple of online purveyors that we always keep on the llst. 

Anson Mills:  This is THE source for real Carolina Gold Rice!  The bagged rice in the supermarkets that says, "Carolina Gold" does not even come close.  If you have never had it, do yourself a favor and order a small amount from this family owned business.  This rice is an actual Heirloom, and the Anson folks brought it and the procedure for milling it back.  When it's cooking the whole house smells like butter; the flavor will make you a fan forever. 

Zingermans:  A long time favorite of mine back in the day when exotic foods products and oils weren't as easily available as they are for us now.  I still treat myself to a can of Alizari French Olive Oil occasionally.  And the gift baskets and food "subscriptions" offered by Zingermans' are a wonderful way to send gifts to your foodie friends.

And finally just some miscellanous things:

Labneh:  I really love Fage' full fat yogurt and making Labneh with it means I always have a middle eastern treat in the 'fridge to spread on a warm pita or sandwich.  So easy and so delicious.

Ian Knauer:  A "local boy makes good story here".  Formerly with Gourmet Magazine and the PBS show, "Diary of a Foodie", Ian now runs the Bucks County farm that has been in his family for generations.  His cookbook, "The Farm" is one of my favorites as is his new PBS show with the same title.  But I really love his bread recipes - basically one recipe with a few interesting techniques. He is my make your own bread guru - hands down.

Espresso in the afternoon:  It really does offer a nice pick me up and I have learned to drink it the Italian way - no lemon peels, a cube of sugar instead. 

Smoking food and experimenting with smoking food:  I am learning so much about the world of smoking with my new Bradley Smoker.  I will be writing more about my experiences for this blog very soon.

"Urban Homesteading" not being a bizarre term anymore:  I am so happy that I can be a small part of a big movement!  There's always so much to learn.

All of the great sustainablity and local food related events held in Philly each year - Farm and Food Festivals, Brewer's Plate, "How to" classes, etc.  When you see these things taking place, you really should consider attending.  

And lastly, I am always saying "Thank You" to all of the wonderful folks that I get to meet and in some cases get to know who's lives are devoted to growing, producing, and making wonderful healthy food and other products available to us.  Those folks are probably my most "favorite things". 

Desperately Seeking Spring!

Hey, It's Cold Out Here!

Seriously. I believe that I speak for myself and a whole lot of other growers, urban farmers, hobby farmers, gardeners and, I am just guessing, big scale farmers too, when I say:  "Stop it, Mother Nature!. Please!"

It is just not sitting well with me to be stuck inside, with a fire going and our space heater chugging along, a WEEK after the first day of Spring!  As growers, as gardeners/stewards of the land, urban homesteaders - our DNA has been programmed!  We need to be cleaning, bagging, planning, tending, planting, mulching, . . . , but instead we sit, waiting for the "warm up" they tell us is coming.

How many of us needed to get our early and cole crop plantings "in" by St. Pat's Day and now sit with our fingers crossed hoping that they survive this latest punch of snow, ice and frigid temperatures?  How many of us just longed for a little color and so last week put a few pansies into windowboxes and planters only to watch them get hammered by the cold?  And how many of us are watching our delicate little bulbs poking their heads through the dirt and/or our Helibores struggling to hold their heads up?

You know, in the area of the city where our homestead is located, we always joke (and are somewhat serious) about the fact that we are a "sub zone" when it comes to our planting and growing cycles.   When the catalog company says, "you are zone 6" - we know differently.  It's warmer here - it just is.  Much of that is due to the reality of tall buildings, lots of concrete, and many humans in a relatively compact area.  Along with that, our last few winters have been very mild - with hardly any snow, and pretty reasonable temperatures. Many of us believe that we were impacted so much by various garden pests during the past few growing seasons because nothing got killed off over those mild winters.  Last winter, I had little, if any, frozen ground in the gardens.  So, I guess you could say that we've been teased by warm winters only to be toughened up by this past - it is past, right? - brutal one. 

So, I sit inside.  I add more things to my Garden To Do list.  I take one more look through the pile of garden and seed catalogs - although the orders are already in and have been for awhile. I leaf through the gardening magazines that I have picked up - more in the past few weeks, I must say.  Every once in awhile I go to the back door and stare at the Cold Frame and pray that its warm enough underneath those lids - and those moving blankets occasionally piled on top.  Then I look out of the side windows and check on the covered planters where my beans, carrots, and Swiss chard are supposed to be germinating.  Filling the bird feeders finds me getting down to ground level to inspect the tips of those peeking bulbs.  This is not gardening!  This is not growing!  This is voyeurism! 

Today, the sun is shining brightly, the wind is blowing like mad and the temperature is only in the 30's. But I am told better days are coming this week. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking out the windows and looking and dreaming. Hang in there, everyone.  Spring has to come soon, doesn't it?