reading and eating

Officially it’s Spring but it’s still cold outside, and I haven’t seen the self-serve spinach stand pop up at Eger Brothers (corner of 23rd/9/10 just outside of Hudson).  However, it feels like things are really heating up, at least online.

This weekend the thing to do is go to Verdigris Tea & Chocolate Bar for their latest chocolate tasting – and this is a chocolate and chocolate tea tasting!  Hmmm….  curious.  The tasting is Saturday 3/30 at 5pm at Verdigris, 135 Warren Street.  Call ahead, just in case – I would hate to steer you wrong.

If you haven’t yet bought your Easter candy, head now to Vasilow’s Confectionery, who recently had a nice feature in the Daily Freeman.  I’m always torn between the malt balls and the great variety of licorice…

Haven’t you been curious about Verdigris’ former space at South 3rd?  Michael Davis of 3FortySeven gives us the scoop on what’s been happening inside the future Fish & Game.

And while Zak Pelaccio and Lady Jayne are working out the details on Fish & Game restaurant, he wrote a great guide to eating and doing in Hudson.

The Crimson Sparrow has gotten a couple of great mentions lately, in the Times Union and in Chronogram.  And they’re involved in a friendly face-off with Berkshire chefs in the ChefX Dinners, happening April 7 at Crimson Sparrow with Berkshire chefs, and April 29 in Great Barrington featuring Hudson restuarants The Crimson Sparrow, Helsinki Hudson, Grazin Diner, Swoon Kitchenbar and Local 111 (from Philmont and YAY for a female chef!!!).

***

I’ve eaten my matzo brie and matzo crack, and it’s about time for hot cross buns and way too much Easter candy…

Maple Weekend(s) 2013

Woo-hoo!  It’s maple syrup season again and it is time to stock up on my year’s supply of maple syrup…

We have not one, but TWO weekends to visit area sugar shacks and buy way too much maple syrup.  As the owner of a gallon, I can talk.  Get into your car either March 16-17 or March 23-24 and head out to learn more about maple syrup production and buy direct from the producer.  Information can be found about the NY State Maple Weekends online and on Facebook, but you’ll have to dig a bit to find producers in Columbia County.  They’re here, just not on the list.

Be sure to check out Black Berry Hill Farm out in the Bell’s Pond area (call first please!).

And the Register-Star recently highlighted the production by a Hudson Farmers’ Market favorite Farm at Millers Crossing.

***

And then what?

Sometimes I boil a couple of brand-new empty bottles (I like ones that looks like flasks) and then fill them with liquid love to share.  People in warmer climes are appreciative.  However, you know me – I like to eat.

I can recommend the healthy Maple Scones for breakfast or tea.  They’re almost savory, and a co-worker suggested that a glass of bourbon might complement them well.  My thoughts exactly.  I can also strongly recommend this Maple Parsnip cake.  You need to buy almond meal, but between that and the parnips practically melting in the cake, it’s almost better than carrot cake – no cream cheese frosting required.  I served it with whipped cream slightly sweetened with a bit of maple syrup.  Of course.  Olive Oil granola is also a great favorite, as the sweetener is – you guessed it – maple syrup.

***

You know what else goes with maple syrup?  BACON.  Have you tried the bacon from Swoon available at Lick the Market?  Good grief, get yourself down there (253 Warren, Friday/Saturday/Sunday) and buy some Swoon Bacon.  Then cook all of it.  And eat.  Don’t even try to save any for later… (Er, no picture available because we ate it all).

still hibernating…

I have a mild cold this cold weekend, so I’ve stayed home with my box of kleenix, catching up on reading when I’m not napping.

Or planning what I’m up to next.

Next weekend, the 2nd Farming our Future gathering is happening at Taconic Hills High School on Saturday, 2/23/2013 from 9am – 4:30pm.  I went last year.  This is a good community of local people talking about food.  And we must keep talking.

Chef Hugh Horner (The Restaurant at Helsinki) will host his next Eat Food or Die podcast rescheduled for Monday 2/25 at 2:00pm.  This month he will be talking about Hudson Valley farms and the food community – how timely!  If you can’t catch it live, go to WGXC.org for replay.

Want to support WGXC but feel you have no money to give?  Every Monday is Macchiato Monday at Swallow Espresso & Coffee.  Donate at least $3 to WGXC at Swallow on a Monday *in the month of February and get a free macchiato.  Caffeination and crazy community radio – it’s win-win!

Not local but still pertinent: have you kept up on the case of the 75 year old farmer against Monsanto regarding the ownership of seed?  It’s reaching the Supreme Court this season – you can catch up on details here.  While the case started with soybeans, it will have far-reaching consequences for our whole food chain.

Hopefully by March I will be willing to spend more than mere minutes outside.  Maple Syrup weekend(s) are coming up this year March 16-17 and March 23-24, 2013.  We have no producers in Columbia County willing to open up to the public (in a way, I don’t blame them) although I’ve seen the tell-tale tubing in the forests in the Ancram area.  Maple Syrup Road-trip!

In the meantime, I’m staying warmly inside.  This morning I made popovers – nothing like eggy bread with butter and very strong coffee on a cold winter morning.

this and that

I am seriously in hibernation mode these days.  I go to work,  I come home, I intend to read, I cook comfort food and I eat.

If you are getting out of the house today (Saturday 2/9), head down to Verdigris Tea & Chocolate Bar at 5pm.  From there you’ll walk to the Christopher Norman Chocolate Factory for a tour, then back to Verdigris for a wine and chocolate tasting.  Chocolate and wine = comfort food.

* Sadly the tour was cancelled…

***

Next weekend, gather around your computer for a TEDx talk, Changing the Way We Eat on Saturday February 16.  I know my attention span will not allow me to watch/listen all day, but I’ll try to tune in at least for Anna Lappe.  Her mom’s book provided one of  my early food awakenings.

***

Did you see that NY State is the “Silicon Valley of Greek Yogurt“?  Who knew???  I see some spoons in our neck of the woods, so that must include Maple Hill Creamery (you can find at Otto’s in Germantown or the Co-op in Chatham), Old Chatham Sheepherding (at the farm) and of course, Ronnybrook Farm.

***

And in the world of food art…

Image by Andy Ellison

Andy Ellison gets the prize for creative thinking.  Who else thinks of putting fruit and vegetables in an MRI machine?  Frankly, those are the only things that really fit in those claustrophobia machines.  Check out the animations here.  Can something be black & white AND psychedelic at the same time???

look at the light

Painting by Dennis Wojtkiewicz

Even though I bought a million books over the holidays with great intentions to amp up my reading, I’m here at my computer gazing at images.  Of food.  Of course.

You can find more from this artist here and here.

and so we begin again…

Where did December (or the year) go?

December 1st started off with a lovely little snow, introducing the beginning of holiday baking as well as our latest Winter Walk.

Recipes I tried this month included shortbread with white chocolate/pistachios/cranberries, toffee, pfeffernusse (still looking for the perfect recipe), gingersnap/rumballs, pumpkin bread, pumpkin bourbon cheesecake, pumpkin soufflés with bourbon molasses sauce (see a theme here?), chocolate peppermint cookies (like pepperminty brownies), and a simple chocolate glazed chocolate tart. I feel like I’m forgetting something.  And yes, I tasted/ate all of these.  That sounds scary when I actually write it down.

We had latkes on the first and last nights of Hannukah.  I can never have too many latkes and thankfully Passover is spread over 8 crazy nights…

I took a trip to the great Northwest where I was rained on a lot, and drank far too many lattes.  I also bought yet more cookbooks at Powell’s.

We survived the end of the world with no excitement whatsoever.

And we survived the Christmas gift exchange  getting no scary gifts (trust me, it was a close call).

The winter weather makes me want more comfort food.  This usually means some sort of cheesy carb fest, but instead I’m roasting some nice acorn squash and drizzling with a garlicky peppery vinaigrette before serving on simple rice.  I think I need a little new eating, to at least make up for any excesses this past month.  Or to allow space for the new excesses to come.

In the new year I’m looking forward to trying more new savory dishes, although I will continue to bake bake bake.  I have a monster butternut squash just staring at me, daring me to come up with something other than roasted winter vegetables.  I’m also looking forward to Zak Pelaccio‘s Fish & Game restaurant opening up on South 3rd, sometime in the new year.  I may need to get a 2nd job (and an exercise routine) to support my eating in Hudson.  I wonder what else might open up in our little  town of eaters?

And so we begin again…

Happy New Year’s!

I am thankful…

… that our choices in Hudson continue to multiply.

… that Bonfiglio and Bread is open and serving this mushroom pizza, as well as sandwiches, their loaves of bread and other lovely bread things.

… that Crimson Sparrow has brought their vision of food to Hudson.  And when I don’t splash out for dinner (because I try to not eat out that often) their brunch offers a selection of 4 choices for a reasonable price.

… that Swoon and Ca’Mea and Red Dot and Spotty Dog and Baba Louie’s and Da|Ba and Park Falafel & Pizza  and Grazin’ Diner and Restaurant at Helsinki as well as relative newcomers Cafe Le Perche and Relish Hudson and so many other restaurants and trucks and carts (phew!) continue offering us such a variety of dining choices when we don’t wish to dine in.

…that we don’t have to eat out – and that Hudson can maintain an indoor farmers’ market on Saturdays starting the weekend after Thanksgiving.  I can continue buying local vegetables and cheese and eggs…  right here in town and give the money directly to the producers.  (I am thankful for (roasted) brussel sprouts.)

… that my latest new recipe, an attempt at making candy - sea salt caramels - wasn’t a complete disaster.  I actually ended up with toffee. (I’ll be especially thankful if I don’t lose fillings.)

… that it’s ginger cookie season.

… that my OH understands that running out of unsalted butter is a crisis and runs out to get me a couple of pounds.  And a bottle of wine.

… for good neighbors, great friends and family.

… that I’m actually never really hungry in Hudson.

Happy Thanksgiving!

wandering, escaping…

I’ve been a refugee upstate the past couple of days, as earlier in the week I was stuck in the darkness for a couple of days in NYC…  What a lovely time to be upstate!

Saturday was a day for foodie fieldtrips, and what a fun time.  I started, of course, at the Hudson Farmers Market.  I picked up some staples for the week, trying to not get carried away and buying more than I will realistically cook.  It’s an ongoing battle.

Early afternoon I joined a neighbor to visit Omi International Arts Center in Ghent for a book signing and marmalade tasting by Elizabeth Field for her first book, Marmalade: Sweet and Savory Spreads for a Sophisticated Taste.  As a baker, the unpredictability of marmalade, jellies and jams makes my hair stand up on end, but the recipes are compelling and I’m always willing to try some new recipes.  And who better to inspire me than a woman who did her Master’s dissertation on marmalade???  Ms. Field also has an article in the New York Times today on – you guessed it – marmalade.

Since it was such a lovely day and I didn’t feel like working on the garden anymore, my OH and I jumped in the car and drove down to Ancram for the opening of Hillrock Estate Distillery.  Located in the beautiful hills in the Ancram area, this beautiful distillery was built in the past couple of years to take advantage of the terroir – they grown their own barley and rye.  They hope to have their official organic designation next year, and pride themselves on being the only field to bottle bourbon.  Our informative tour was led by Tim Welly, who is in charge of the bourbon production under the guidance of master distiller David Pickerell (formerly of Makers Mark).  While I’m sure it’s incredibly challenging, it sounds like a cool job!  The tour of this gorgeous facility ended with a tasting, and since I like just about any bourbon that’s in front of me, it was tasty.  However, at $80-85 a bottle, I’ll have to save my pennies to have a bottle of my own…  They estimated that they may have had a thousand visitors yesterday, their first day, so it’s a great start for our latest local producer.

***

The weather has turned chilly so I’ve been baking and cooking warm comforting autumn-y foods.  I might recommend these delicious recipes:

Autumn Lasagne with Butternut Squash, Sage and Kale from Handpicked Nation

Stovetop Macaroni & Cheese from The Kitchn (this dish was going into the oven as the lights went out)

Couscous with Chickpeas, Fennel & Citrus from The Kitchn (I fed this to the friends who had offered the escape from NYC)

Parmesan-Rosemary Crackers from A Little Saffron – every bite is cheesy deliciousness.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eating Well – every once in awhile I have a flareup of “healthy” eating…

Pumpkin Spice Cookies from The Kitchen – cake-y goodness

Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Guinness cake from The Kitchn – Make. This. Cake.

Happy Eating!

there’s some serious eating in front of us…

Happy International Bacon Day!

It’s International Bacon Day and the first day of the NY Locavore Challenge.  The goal is to engage consumers in “actively supporting the local organic food movement”.  Vote with your dollars and buy close to home.  Today, you can buy some lovely bacon from Pigasso Farms at the Hudson Farmers’ Market and have your own little fest at home.

This afternoon, head down to the waterfront for the Bangladeshi Cultural Fair.  This is one of the things I love about Hudson: Marina Abramovic AND a Bangladeshi Fair.

Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to the first Bacon Fest NY.  I’m hoping there’s something left by the time I get there for lunch.  Please don’t eat everything!  I am a very bad vegetarian.

Monday, I will attempt to recover.  Labor Day is meant for resting, right? I don’t think I’ll make it to the Columbia County Fair which is running through September 3rd – I won’t have the stomach for the usual fair foods that I love to indulge in.

NEXT weekend, it’s the 4th Annual Taste of Hudson!  Warren Street below 3rd is blocked off and our local restaurants have loads of little tastes for our taste buds.  Buy your tickets and head on it!  But please do not tell anyone – it’s selfish but I’m not sure that I want to share…

If that is somehow not enough for you, drive south to Rhinebeck for the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds.  It’s happening at a fairgrounds – that’s a lot of food.

I’ve really got to work on speeding up my metabolism…

Bangladeshi Cultural Fair
Saturday September 1, 3-9pm
Henry Hudson Waterfront Park – Water Street, Hudson

NY Locavore Challenge
Starting September 1 for the entire month
The State of NY

Bacon Fest NY
Sunday September 2, 9am – 6pm
Henry Hudson Waterfront Park – Water Street, Hudson

Columbia County Fair
through September 3
Columbia County Fairgrounds, Chatham

Taste of Hudson
Saturday September 8, 11am – 2pm
Warren Street below 3rd, Hudson

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest
Saturday September 8, 11am – 6pm AND Sunday September 9, 11am – 5pm
Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck

Happy Eating!

is it really corn season?

image from Discover Magazine online

Isn’t it early for corn, or am I just becoming an old person???  Already several dinners have simply been multiple ears of corn, just barely boiled.  It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

I like the corn from Martin’s, or Egers.  But really, yellow, white or bi-color, I haven’t run into a bad ear of corn yet.

Read a little more about the genetics of corn here.  The corn in the picture above is real.