What a great addition to your summer plans for enjoying the local bounty.

You can order the book from University of Akron Press by calling 1-800-247-6553 or visiting www.uakron.edu/uapress.  You can also contact Patricia Latimer: 216-591-0353.

June 30, 2010 - an image in Cleveland that speaks volumes about the future of food.  Horses and a plow break ground for the Ohio City Farm on CMHA land off W. 25th.  This may not be the idea of economic development that most people have in mind, but the opportunity to grow and sell fresh produce can provide income and improve health.  The farm is the brainchild of The Refugee Response, a non-profit organization that works with refugees in greater Cleveland to help them become self-sufficient.  Given that many of these recent immigrants have agricultural backgrounds, the farm is a natural and a win-win for all of us.

With so many farmers markets available now, there’s no excuse not to feed yourself and family the best, ripest, and most delicious foods from our local farms.  If you don’t know where to go, check out Debbi Snook’s great coverage of farmers markets at

http://www.cleveland.com/taste/index.ssf/2010/06/northeast_ohio_farmers_markets.html

Mary

This year it was as nice as any that a I remember.

I spent part of the day ordering potatoes. Of course, given the date they were ‘Irish’ potatoes. And as is usual when you peruse a seed catalogue the choices and descriptions seemed designed to lure me into buying more than I need. It worked like a charm. Again.

Red, white, blue, gold and more colors of the rainbow than you thought possible in a plain, unpretentious tuber.  While I like the colors, my interest in potatoes is mainly in the cooking and my early memories of ‘mom’s’ cooking.

My mother, of Pennsylvania Irish and German stock was a post war bride, and more of the June Cleaver generation than that of Julie Child when it came to working in the kitchen.

That’s not to say my mother couldn’t cook. None of us who ate at her table ever looked like we had passed up a meal in our time. All of us were ‘well fed’ in appearance. Betty was adept at the ‘meat & potatoes’ home style meals my father preferred, and she eventually created a few signature items that appeared at special occasions.  Two involved potatoes. She made mashed potatoes the old fashioned way, from scratch; no boxed versions for her. First, peel and then boil the potatoes, mash them by hand with some tool from her grandmother days, blend butter and a bit of salt with her mixer and there you had it. Home made mashed spuds. My father, ever the critic (but never the cook) rarely missed an opportunity to kid my mom about the inevitable lumps that remained. Like a perfect puree was some sort of standard to strive for. The lumps, of course would distinguish home made from those out of a box.

For some reason I’ve never tried to duplicate her mashed potatoes. I think maybe that is because it seemed like too much work. Ah, but her breakfast potatoes, those were my favorite and I’ve tried and failed to recreate them more times than I care to remember.

Boil the potatoes (skin on), slice and add to a skillet with lots of butter, garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat, turning as needed.

Eventually her potatoes ended up nicely browned, crispy around the edges but with a soft enter. I never hesitated to make sure I got a second helping when she made these. I also never seemed to be able to duplicate her breakfast potatoes whenever I tried.

And it wasn’t for lack of trying. Lord knows I’ve tried. Cast iron skillet, Teflon fry pan, copper clad stainless; none made any difference. Mine attempts always come up short.

So when I was looking at all the potato choices available I was thinking that maybe, just maybe if I used a specialty potato I could change my luck.

I ended up with 6 different varieties this year; some for baking, some for frying, some for mashing. All for eating.  Later this summer I’ll try again. And when I do I’ll be thinking: Mom, this spud’s for you.

Carl Skalak

Blue Pike Farm

Here’s a sample from farmers market newsletters: goat cheese, eggs, potatoes, apples, parsnips, milk and butter, cider, greenhouse lettuces and arugula, honey, syrup, beef, lamb, breads and pastries, sunchokes, mushrooms, spices, breakfast burritos, garlic, onions, shallots, nuts, winter squashes of all shapes.

And that’s just food! How about thick warm wool blankets, beeswax candles, jewelry, hand thrown pots! And then, of course, there’s the music, the knifesharpening, and the demonstrations (depending on the market.) Finally, there are the friends and neighbors to greet and spend some time with over a cup of coffee or hot cider. It almost makes winter tolerable.

Meanwhile, only four more months until asparagus and ramps greet us at the outdoor markets!

Mother Nature certainly did not fail to remind us who is really in charge, as we dodged branches, rain, hail, tents and lightening this year; fortunately no serious injuries!

Thankfully, the season closed with the weather that makes us love fall.

I’d like to once again pay homage to all the vendors who sold at the market. They put in countless hours of preparation year round to sell at markets, and mange to be cheerful and excited about their work after arising in the wee hours to harvest, pack, drive and unload and setup.

And we would be nowhere without the customers, the folks willing to come out, no matter the weather. It’s wonderful to have faces become familiar from week to week, and a pleasure to welcome newcomers.

In addition to the vendors and shoppers, I feel blessed to have the help and support of many folks in the community. Some extraordinary folks. First of all, a special, personal thanks to Kristen Trolio for handling market bureaucracy with good cheer. And for, well, everything. Ricardo Sandoval has supported the market in so many ways this year. He provided storage space for market stuff; had two sandwhich boards built; did a few cooking demos at the market; hung market posters. AND, on several occasions, has helped set up the market! Now that is dedication! Owner of three local restaurants (Fat Cats, Lava Lounge and Felice’s Urban Café), Ricardo also regularly supplies his kitchens with produce from TFM. More thanks go to my neighbor, Nancy Thompson has given me free range with her truck to haul market tents, tables, etc. Without her generosity, getting our stuff to market would be extremely difficult. Helen Bauman created the design for our bright and cheery postcards and fliers, and developed an official logo! Jenita McGowan helped with organizational details and also organized some dance performances at the market which were a big treat for all of us! Trish Supples communicated with and scheduled the folks who participated in the new Environmental Space. Camille George started a Kid’s Corner, where each week she had some form of creative enterprise to entertain the younger crowd. And the whole gang of folks that helped in numerous ways including getting postcards and fliers out there, brainstorming, internet advice, market setup and tear down, moral support: John Briggs, Trent Boerner, Nicole McGee, Marc Dorsey and Hope Schultz. Thanks to Sister Corita and the guys from St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church for allowing us to use their bathrooms and generally keeping an eye out for us! Muchas gracias to Jerry Guffey, Kate Sopko and all others at Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ who helped us with the screening of Polycultures: Food Where We Live. In addition, a big tip of the hat to Tom Kondilas and David Pearl, first for creating the movie and then bringing it forth to the community with such eagerness. Thanks to Susan Conover and Willie from WIC who helped us register more farmers and helped bring more folks to the market. Financially, our 2009 funding came from grants from Neighborhood Connections, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Joe Cimperman. And many, many thanks to my husband, Jim Richards who helped with internet/computer glitches, helped gather stuff when I needed it, and generally put up with a zoned out wife when I entered into “market mode”.

This year we also branched out and held two holiday markets in November and December to test the waters and further our commitment to local food. The markets, held at Pilgrim Church were cozy and cheerful, and very encouraging for the future.

We are now preparing for 2010. The market will be opening our tents a bit earlier this year, our first market to be held on May 4 in response to both vendors and customers to expand our season. I miss my market family, and am looking forward Tuesdays in Lincoln Park !

TFM: We don’t claim to feed the whole world, but we can certainly help to nourish and sustain our little corner. Food for the community, food grown and produced by folks with faces and names, not a corporate logo.

Peace and Happy New Year,

Jody Lathwell, Market Manager

If you been paying attention to Tammy the tomato’s travails this summer you know about about her challenging life in the ‘hood. If you’ve been trying to grow your own you probably noticed the effect this summers weather had on the local summer crops. And if you were lucky you managed to avoid a dose of “late blight” which devastated the tomato fields in the Northeast. It has been an interesting season.

But hey, hope springs eternal and the 2010 seed catalogues and all their temptations will be arriving soon at a mailbox near you. There’s nothing quite like the new seed offerings to chase the winter blues. All those pornographic images of fresh fruit and vegetables you can have in your own backyard.

For us at Blue Pike Farm we’re already in the 2010 mode. We’ve been planting garlic for next summers harvest, the Radicio and spinach are poking through and if the winter isn’t too brutal the Tuscan Kale and Swiss chard should be ready for Spring harvest. I guess this means were going to continue with this grand urban growing experiment for another year.

And while it seems like only 6 months ago that we had the May Open House (and by coincidence it’s only 6 months till the May 1, 2010 version) each morning seems fresh. Don’t you just love the symmetry of the seasonal cycles!

Just a couple a weeks left to visit us this season. Stop by.

Carl J. Skalak, Jr.
Blue Pike Farm

900 E. 72nd St
Cleveland, OH

Cabbage is one of those vegetables I never give much thought to, but love every time I use it in a dish. Cabbage is a major food crop around the world and a key component of dishes like sauerkraut, cole slaw and kimchi. Nutritionally, cabbage is a huge source of vitamin C and contains significant amounts of B6 and B9. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

I’m a huge fan of the trend called “slow food”. Google it, you’ll find many great sites! Along with carrots and potatoes, cabbage excels in dishes cooked in low moist heat for 5-6 hours in a covered cast iron pot. Add the meat of your choice (corned beef works great in this dish) and any seasonings you like and you have a very easy and delicious meal. One thing that surprises many when they first experience slow cooked cabbage is the complete lack of “edge”. When used raw, cabbage can have a very sharp edge. Cooking, especially SLOW cooking releases the natural sugars found in vegetables and cabbage is no exception. Slow cooked cabbage is savory and slightly sweet. Delicious!

Ken

Editor’s note:  If you’ve never tried a really fresh cabbage, be prepared for a happy surprise when you cut into the cabbage and juice squirts out.  I love a sweet, crunchy slaw made with cabbage, green pepper, onion, and carrots.  The best dressing is mayo with a bit of cider vinegar and sugar added!  YUM.

“My grandparents owned 70 acres of vineyards in a small country town in the Veneto, where we gathered every harvest,” says the engaging Salvador, who grew up in a closely knit Italian family steeped in winemaking.

The ultimate connoisseur, Salvador was educated in fermentation sciences and chemistry at Italy’s University of Padua in Conegliano Veneto. He trained with the centuries-old Zonin family in Tuscany, then made Virginia’s Barboursville first official wine. “Let your taste and intuition be your guide when serving and enjoying wine,” he says with a grin. “The shared celebration of wine, food, and life is wine’s most humanizing aspect.”

* Store wine in a cool, dark place around 55 degrees Farenheit free from vibration, ventilation, and direct sunlight.

* Serve white, pink, and sparkling wine slightly chilled at 45-55 degrees Farenheit, and red wines cool or room temperature at 60-65 degrees Farenheit.

* Use a corkscrew with leverage and worm to open wine. Align worm with a point and spirals to prevent cork from weakening. Pull so corkscrew grips the cork and holds.

* Plain, nine ounce, stemmed, all purpose glasses are best for tasting.

* Stand older bottles upright, then pour wine from bottle to decanter in front of candle. Decant younger wine from bottle to decanter 15 minutes before serving.

* Pour wine toward center of wine glass and examine for freshness, then fill just below widest section of glass for swirling and aerating.

* Press bottom of stemmed wine glass and rotate in circle to release wine aromas. Add wine until 1/3 full; smell aroma. Ingest air and gurgle to aerate wine for flavors. Swallow or spit wine in a spittoon, rinse glass with water.

“This simple wine protocol enhances the quality and taste of wine, heightens the overall wine experience, and raises the bar on the popular culture,” he says.

Submitted by Patricia Latimer, author of Ohio Wine Country Excursions