Spreading the Word

I'm more of a "lead by example" kind of gal. But when given the opportunity, I'll state my case. My friend and editor of ASID ICON, Jen, approached me with one of these opportunities. This coming Friday, May 25 is World Interiors Day, a global celebration of design's influence on society and the built environment. For the week prior to World Interiors Day, ASID ICON blog is featuring ASID members and what they have to say about #SpaceMatters. I set about my task to capture the #SpaceMatters theme, World Interiors, and the idea that every decision designers and consumers make impact the environment and ultimately our health. Here's a link to my blog entry.

http://icon.asid.org/index.php/2013/05/22/design-in-detail-spacematters/

Spatial Relations with Food

We participated in Good Food Good People's first ever Spring Anticipator CSA. With a dozen eggs coming our way every week, we've been eating lots of egg salad, tuna salad, hard boiled eggs, omelettes, and anything else that needs eggs. It's been fun to see what the local farmers were able to store from their late fall and winter crops. We've had some yummy hydroponic tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, a rutabaga, and a few apples. The potatoes were starting to take over more than their fare share of my countertop, so I whipped up some baked potato soup tonight. 

We ate a couple of servings, walked four servings across the street to a neighbor, and saved the rest for leftovers. Every time I pack a container to near overflowing, I think of my grandmother. After a big holiday meal, the family helped to wash dishes and put away leftover food in her kitchen. Inevitably, Granny handed me a huge bowl of leftover green beans (or whatever was cued up for storage next) and an empty Cool Whip container. I looked at the green beans and then at the container thinking, "There is no way this is all fitting in here." Sure enough, those green beans fit and there wasn't room for one more. I am proud to say that those skills were passed onto me. It has helped me space plan many offices in some of my previous jobs, has enabled me to pack the trunk of a car for road trips with no room left except for the passengers, and continues to allow me to save every last bite of delicious leftovers without a serving or a bean going to waste.

Cornbread and Black-Eyed Peas

With my Scotch-Irish roots, I make it a point of eating some cabbage and corned beef on New Years. Add in the Southern tradition of black-eyed peas for good luck and some hot, buttery cornbread and you've got yourself a hearty, belly-pleaser of a meal to kick off the new year.

Prior to cooking this meal, I made a tiny effort to start off 2013 using local and/or organic ingredients. I asked the butcher at the local grocery to tell me the difference between the conventional, non-organic corned beef I held in my hands and the organic beef roast that was leering at me from the meat case. Basically corned means pickled. Knowing I didn't have ten days to pickle the organic beef, I made a mental note for next year, averted my eyes, and abandoned the organic beef roast.

The black-eyed peas were from a can that was probably lined with BPA. The cabbage was organic, but I didn't note which country grew it. The cornbread was made from scratch using local farmer's eggs, local cornmeal, local butter, and organic milk.

On my calendar, I've marked December 6 as the day to buy beef brisket. I've added black-eyed peas and cabbage to my grocery to do list for the farmer's market in late December. For now I'll celebrate the cornbread!

Oregon

Rainy days like today have been infrequent this summer. However they always put a smile on my face. It takes me back to my days in Oregon and the seemingly infinite overcast days that comprised winter. The winters made me soak up every bit of Oregon's temperate summers, appreciate good footwear, and be refreshed by the rain. Water is life.

Eating Local with a Yellow List Guest

Last night we had a fabulous dinner inspired by our CSA share recipe suggestions this week. We bought some tuna and committed to Grilled Tuna with Fresh Tomato, Cucumber and Dill Relish, Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes, and a side of lettuce greens and strawberries. The weather was perfect for grilling and dining on the deck. The results were delicious.

While celebrating the successful employ of our CSA share, I cannot help to be a bit disappointed in myself. The recipe called for 4 - 8 oz tuna steaks, so that's what I ran out and bought. Here's where I failed in sustainability. I did not consult the seafood watch list. Today after enjoying my leftovers, I finally faced the music and looked at the watch list. There it was.

Yellowfin tuna =

• Green, if caught via troll or pole from the U.S. Atlantic,
• Yellow, if caught via longline from the U.S. Atlantic, and 
• Red, if caught elsewhere.

Since I live four hours inland from the Atlantic, my hopes are that it did come from the Atlantic. The fish was labeled "wild". With my limited knowledge of fishing and fish labeling, I don't know if this means caught via troll, pole, longline, or purse seining. Either way, I think I hit a green or yellow fish. With further exploration of the Monterrey Bay Aquarium site, I found this gem, "A notable exception is longline-caught yellowfin from the U.S. Atlantic or Hawaii, where strict bycatch regulations result in a "Good Alternative" ranking." 

Indigestion is resolved. I made a call to the headquarters of the grocery store where I purchased the tuna and know the questions to ask the staff next time. The Seafood Watch pocket guide is handy for future shopping. I'll look at the list next time and keep working to find a trusted seafood supplier.

Good Food Good People

Tomorrow begins a new journey. I will be picking up our first Veggie Advocate Share from Good Food Good People at the West End Community Market. Good Food Good People is farmer-owned and farmer-operated community supported agriculture (CSA). All of the food is grown within 100-mile radius of Floyd, VA which is about 35 miles from where I live.

Community Supported Agriculture - Yay!!

I just received our first newsletter which includes a list of food we'll receive and some suggestions for recipes. 

May 8, 2012
Your box this week will contain:
Baby Lettuce Mix—Fertile Crescent Farm (BIO)
Kale, Red Russian—Full Circle Farm (BIO)
Baby Bok Choy—Fertile Crescent Farm (BIO)
Tomatoes, hydroponic—Yoder’s Farm (Low-Spray)
Green Garlic—Fertile Crescent Farm (BIO)
Rosemary—Virginia Klara’s Farm (BIO)

Strawberries—Yoders’ Farm (CONV) 

Recipes included: Baby Bok Choy with Green Garlic, Greens and Green Garlic, and Green Garlic Pesto. 

We love going to the farmers market and supporting our local food sources. This year we'll be embracing what is in season and eating whatever comes our way each week. I look forward to the challenge with containers for freezing and canning, food dehydrator, and compost bins standing ready for action. 

Next week we'll pick up the next Veggie Share and our first Fruit Share. My little fruit-lover, a.k.a. fruitarian, will be thrilled. 

Picking, Freezing, and Preserving Goodness

This past weekend was the opening of the season for you-pick strawberries at Scott’s Strawberry Farm. My son and I beat the Saturday crowds and picked in the coolness of Friday evening. Sampling the irresistibly sweet goods as we went along, we managed to bring home about a five-gallon bucket full of strawberries. The smell of fresh strawberries wafted through my house and smiles abounded.

In attempt to eat more local, I am going to put some effort into taking advantage of produce when it is in season this summer. Instead of driving and buying frozen organic berries from the grocery store in mid-winter to make my yummy smoothies, I will skip downstairs to my chest freezer and pop open a bag of frozen strawberries.

I also made my first attempt at making strawberry preserves. The air was humid and sticky sweet in my kitchen last night as the sugar, water and strawberries simmered and I patiently waited for that magical moment that the syrup thickened. The mixture is setting for 24 hours before it is scooped into delightful little jelly jars and simmered in their warm water bath for longer term storage.

The humidity of last night had lifted and night air had done its natural thing and cooled my house overnight. The preserves had set up well while I slept and breakfast was a welcome treat – cereal topped with fresh strawberries shared with my little dude.

The grass is long and my seasonal allergies (grasses) came back in their tried and true way on Saturday. I usually do not mind cutting the grass, but today I know it will involve much sneezing and eye-watering and an immediate shower afterwards. This is where I share my final employ of the strawberries – ice cream! I made two quarts of mouth-coating, calorie-laden, Ben & Jerry’s strawberry ice cream. It is my reward and incentive for cutting the grass today. Off to do some mowing!