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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Sunday, 22 August 2010 15:00 |
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 With designated "food forager" on its staff, the newly re-opened Ocean House in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, takes farm-to-table seriously. Pam Stone, whose full title is food forager and director of culinary education, not only serves as a liaison between local farmers and the Ocean House's chefs (headed by Executive Chef Albert Cannito) but, as a master gardener, also oversees the resort's private gardens and provides education and tours for visiting guests. To give us a taste of that partnership between garden and table, Pam Stone lets us in on what's going on in their gardens -- and then Chef Eric Haugen (pictured right in the garden) offers a recipe that makes the most of the corn and tomatoes that are currently in season.
What is just being planted now (mid-August) in the garden?
We are beginning to plant Forono beets, Hakurei turnips and D' Avignon radishes, which we will harvest in September.
What are some tips for home gardeners planting those crops?
Be sure your dirt is good. It is also important that the soil is loose when planting root crops. Barely cover your future crop with soil, keep the soil moist and start thinning when it reaches two inches in height.
What are some of the things on your garden tours that guests seem to particularly enjoy?
Guests enjoy seeing things they buy in the market that they have never seen planted, like brussel sprouts. We also grow heirloom vegetables with seeds from “the Chefs Collaborative." Guests are also drawn to unusual things like Boothbay cucumbers and Gilfeather turnip.
When you go into the kitchen, what are you telling the chefs is ready for harvest?
Corn and tomatoes are in their prime and ready for harvest. Enjoy them while you can because they are only here for a short time! (Click "Read More" for Recipe) |
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Written by Scottie Jones
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Friday, 23 July 2010 16:43 |
 Leaping Lamb Farm is a 60-acre working sheep farm in the Coast Range of Oregon that started as a self-sustaining homestead back in 1895 when the timber was old growth and town was a two day ride. We (my husband Greg Jones and I) bought the farm seven years ago and are only the third owners. We try to be as self-sustaining as possible in terms of the vegetables and fruits we put up for the winter, but at least now the town is only a 30-minute drive.
Neither of us was raised on a farm, so we came into the agricultural aspect of pasture management, lamb husbandry and predator control with little formal training. We have learned by the seat of our pants, through classes from our local extension services, via books on farming, and through the kindness of neighbors who took pity on us. We realized, after several years of producing lamb (and turkeys) for market, that we were not commercially viable at our small level of production and began contemplating other sources of on-farm income.
I had always wanted to share our farm with others because I felt it was truly an enchanted place. Granted, these days I look at the farm and see things that need to be fixed and beds that need to be weeded, but I also remember what I saw when we first arrived. I was also familiar with the concept of 'farm stay' from having lived and traveled in Europe and felt that offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of a small farm had value to our largely urban population, now generations removed from the land. (Click "read more" for rest of article.)
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Written by Michael Costa
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Friday, 09 July 2010 23:43 |
 For any cook—whether you’re a professional or the executive chef of your home kitchen—there are certain markets around the world that are so one-of-a-kind, they can inspire a pilgrimage: The Boqueria in Barcelona, Marché Bastille in Paris, and the Benito Juarez Market in Oaxaca, Mexico, to name just a few.
I’ve visited the places above, and I recently added one more to my list: Montreal’s Marché Jean-Talon, in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood, which is a short Metro ride north from downtown. Like all market meccas, Jean-Talon is expansive, full of serendipity and open all year. But if you really want to see the full bounty of Quebec—one of the most fertile regions on the planet—July is the time to visit. Here are a few photos I snapped during a recent visit. More can be found in the slideshow on the Share & Learn tab.
 Jean-Talon is also an important part of the community, and supplies many of the city’s amazing restaurants on a daily basis. In fact, while walking around the market, I noticed one mystery vegetable that was on my plate from the previous night’s dinner: salicorne, which is a kind of mini-asparagus that grows along the ocean shore, and has a sharp, natural sea salt bite to it.
The home cook has just as much opportunity at Jean-Talon, and they can collect the same ingredients as the pros. All I could do was lament that my city (Chicago) doesn’t have a comparable market on such a grand scale, with deep roots in the area’s day-to-day existence. However, the upside is, it’s a great excuse to travel again! |
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Written by Kathy A. McDonald
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Friday, 02 July 2010 17:29 |
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 Edged by desert and sea, the herb and vegetable garden at Las Ventanas al Paraiso is meticulously tended, as are all the xeriscaped grounds at the picture-perfect resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Fabrice Guisset (right), the resort’s classically trained executive chef, makes the most of the Baja peninsula’s produce and exquisite seafood, the on-site kitchen garden, as well as the talents and traditional recipes of his Mexican-born staff. Always within reach of the French chef and his culinary team: a tiered display of herb bunches in water. Among the Provencal herbs at hand: sage, leaf parsley, oregano, rosemary and cilantro.
 The garden at Las Ventanas is set apart in a sunny corner. Once a parking area, small carefully cultivated plots now yield celery, oregano, Epazote leaves, chilies (Serrano and Jalapeño), lemongrass, chayote as well as mint. Guisset plants the mint close to the chilies—infusing the herb with an unexpected kick. An artisan-laid arroyo-weathered stone path separates the parcels. Plants are well labeled—in fact, there is a handy guide to all the native plantings found throughout the scenic property from the giant Prickly Pear cactus (nopal gigante) to the Tequila, New Mexican and Desert Agave species.
Local produce here includes avocados (used in Las Ventanas chunky guacamole), basil (from nearby Miraflores) and ruby red Roma tomatoes. Almost all of the fresh fish served is line-caught and brought in daily by local fisherman. You can often see fishing boats just offshore in the Sea of Cortez. Rainbow-hued red snapper, Wahoo, and striped sea bass are abundant and versatile—the grilled sea bass tacos are unforgettably delicious. (Click "read more" for the rest of the article -- and Guisset's recipe for guacamole.)
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