stirred curd cheddar

My first cheddar cheese was a farmhouse cheddar that turned into a balloon like science experiment.My second farmhouse cheddar was edible but a little wet and crumbly.I also thought it was a little bitter.Now I like a basic cheddar , colby, gouda or a cows milk feta.I do not like smelly cheeses or Blue cheese.I don't even like yogurt.So why did I take a cheese making class? I saw the class for new england cheesemaking class with Ricki carrol to learn 7 cheese in one day and I saw it as a challenge.I really wanted to make my own cheddar.So yesterday we opened the Stirred curd cheddar and I was happy as a clam.It looked like real cheddar and it smelled like real cheddar but the best was it tasted like real cheddar.This process took a little longer but was well worth it.This cheese aged probably three months in the cellar then it has been in the refrigerator since spring when the temperature in the cellar got to warm to age.So I am glad i kept trying and finally achieved a real cheddar.

cleaning out the freezer

I am on a quest to clean the freezer out.There is no room.Not for lovely strawberries from the market or corn in season.No room for frozen clams for winter chowder or other summer delights.So i am on a quest to clean them out as creatively as possible.Tonight was lobster and sweet corn fritters with some Coleslaw and some canned three bean salad i put up last summer.Hubby loved the lobster fritters as he does clam fritters. I am not a fan of as i call them seafood donuts.I tried them they were light and fluffy and not fishy but still not a fan.The highlight of the week was a new ice cream recipe I found in a cook book from Canterbury Shaker Village for Lemon Poppy Seed Sour Cream Ice Cream.This is out of this world!You take 2 pints of sour cream add in 1 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tsp lemon Zest and Juice of three lemons and 2 TBL poppy seeds blend till smooth and put in ice cream maker and follow manufacturers directions.You will love this.

What to do with a grass fed brisket?

I lucked out and bought 2 grass fed briskets at the farmers market. They were from Plato's Harvest in Middleboro.Usually I would slow cook the brisket with prunes and orange juice and wine and other good things but I decided on corned beef. I corned the beef in a salt,sugar and spice mixture with some cure power. I let it sit in the refrigerator for 9 days in this solution. Then slow cooked it for about 3 hours. This was the best corned beef ever (if i do day so myself) so lean and yummy. No guilt with this meal. After the traditional corned beef and cabbage I made corned beef hash with eggs. This also was great. Now I have to decide how to cook the other one!

common ground fair

Last weekend we attended the Common Ground Fair in Maine put on by the Maine organic farmers. I attended three lectures. The first was on growing and using sprouts the second was a great demonstration of fermentation,the speaker took the fear away and showed a way that is very easy using jars with gaskets. The third was a speaker on the fatback diet on getting back to whole foods and stop using low fat an d fat free products.We also saw awesome artisans and the best collection of farm stands in Maine,veggies,herbs,meat cheese they had it all. I even saw local foraged chicken of the woods mushrooms for sale.It was a great weekend.

One local summer week 14

This week I had a lot of good experiences.I went blueberry picking at Dufort farm in Rehoboth,I also bought some beef and pork from them. The pork was very good.I have experienced some pork that has been a little strong tasting for my liking but this was really tasty.I cooked the pork with a hot slaw of cabbage,apple,onions,sage and carrots. I also cooked a wonderful corn tart with roasted cherry tomatoes from a recipe a friend gave me this week.I bought 25 pounds of tomatoes and made ketchup out of them.Homemade ketchup is worth the work.We went to a pot luck for slow foods on Labor day in Bridgewater. Not a lot of people but we had a good time and some good food and conversation.The best of the week was when I finally brought my first try of sauerkraut up from the basement. I made it about mid July in a crock in the basement and never looked at it. I sealed the top with a plastic bag of water and hoped for the best. I was really afraid of what I would find when I uncovered it. To my surprise it was beautiful! Nothing funky on top,no slime, nothing growing just beautiful fresh looking sauerkraut. Joe and I tried it together it was perfect and really crunchy.I have been having a terrible time trying to get mozzarella to come out right so I was so happy to have something work the way it should. I froze 8 cups of blueberries that I picked and will make the rest into a pie tomorrow.One local summer is actually over but I am continuing on.

Food Inc Movie at Plymouth Plantation

The movie Food Inc. Is coming to the theater at Plymouth Plantation here is info for anyone in the area.

South Shore Edible magazine will be hosting a special event around the movie FOOD INC. at Plymouth Plantation. I have already seen this movie it is important and a must see. Saturday August 1st and Wednesday August 5, the event will start at 6.00 with vendors before the movie and a discussion after.Tell all your friends.




Check http://www.ediblesouthshore.com/ for more info.

One Local Summer week 3 2009

This is weeks local meal: Meatloaf the perfect comfort meal with a salad and asparagus and cranberry sauce. All salad ingredients from our yard.Asparagus Halifax 10 miles, cranberry sauce with cranberries from next door neighbor.The meatloaf was made with local grass fed beef from Dufort farm in Rehoboth about 30 miles,homemade ketchup,local eggs, Oats grown in Maine,green pepper from last year and garlic bought local last fall.Salad dressing was local wine vinegar, olive oil and fresh herbs from my garden.Ingredients used not local:Olive Oil, salt,pepper, and sugar.

springtime farmers market pawtucket RI

Yesterday we went to the last of the winter/springtime farmers mkt in RI. We bought tomatoes,cucumber,eggplant,turnips,plants,spinach and asparagus. All of this in May from Wishing stone farm in Little Compton RI. Greenhouses are a great thing. I will use these in our first One Local Summer meal of the year.

Winter Farmers Mkt Pawtucket Rhode Island

We went to the Winter Farmers mkt in Rhode Island today. We bought chicken and chicken feet for stock,that is a new item for me. We were able to get fresh micro greens, spinach, herbs,carrots,potato's, cabbage, apples, cider,bread. We had lunch there, hubby had jerk chicken with rice, plantains and cabbage and I had a Jamaican meat pie and homemade ginger beer all was outstanding. We also could of had goat curry but neither of us was up to the challenge. The amount of vendors and shoppers was great. This is one hour from us but well worth the trip.Things available that we did not buy were many, beef,seafood,sauces,pesto's,baked goods,fair trade coffee, tea,chocolates,French meat pies,Indian food,cheeses. well worth a visit for any foodie.There was also the extra bonus of a 60 degree day.More photo's at my Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/9086132@N06/

Fresh food in the dead of winter

I cannot believe how cold this winter has been,so how was I able to get my hands on fresh local produce in this weather? The Rhode Island Winters farmers market. This market is held in Pawtucket in an old factory.There were about 30 vendors. Bakers with outstanding breads and pastries. There were indian samosas,Jamaican meat pies,pizza and gourmet sandwiches.Grass fed beef, pork and pastured chicken,oysters,clams,apples,lettuce,micro greens,pea shoots,
beets,carrots,Narragansett creamery cheese.Also local made soda with cane sugar, yacht club was the brand and the also had a juice using purple corn high in antioxidants and very tasty. Also Rhode Island grown cornmeal,this is great since local grains are hard to come buy.Information on composting and other gardening classes. We arrived before they opened,(11-2 on Saturdays) We were able to check out the merchandise before the crowds came.It was very busy showing how local healthy food is becoming important to many. This market was about an hour away so I wouldn't go every week but a few times in the winter will be great. I am sure I missed some vendors but it was definitely worth the trip.For more information here is the link http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=29