Posts Tagged ‘Riverhill Farm’

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Ristras for Flavor and Fortune

October 27th, 2011

hot_peppers

Riverhill Farm was blessed by a bounty of Cheyenne peppers this year. This is good news for all of us because now we have access to these gorgeous, hot peppers.

A Southwest tradition is to take the peppers and tie them into ristras, a wonderful way to both dry the Cheyennes and bring a bright bit of beauty to your front door.

photo from Chile Line Express

Photo from Chile Line Express

According to Taos Unlimited, ristras are hung at portals to the home to welcome visitors and bring good fortune. I’m betting most of us could do with a bit more good luck these days.

They also make wonderful gifts. I can remember wandering in kitchen stores when I was younger and spying ristras on display for hostess gifts for Thanksgiving. I think the present would be even more meaningful if you crafted it yourself.

The crafting is the easy part, too. There are plenty of helpful tutorials, both written and video, to guide you on your way. If you crave a bit of heat in your food when the snow’s on the ground and frost is forming on your window panes, there are also instructions on how to make your own hot sauce – which would also make incredible holiday gifts.

Bring a little bit of good fortune to your household this fall with a handcrafted ristra. I’m planning on creating one myself, as soon as the peppers come in this afternoon.

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An evening of local flavor.

September 24th, 2011

If you didn’t read about Lazy Valley Ranch blueberries on the NCGA Co-op page, click here for the link: It’s a good one, and worth reading.

Today’s story is a big Thank You!!! to the great team at the Flavor of Nevada County Cooking School event last Wednesday evening. Nevada County Grown was front and center with local meats and produce on stage for the chef specialties in the cooking demonstrations. Plus, receiving compliments on the “most eye-catching and beautiful” booth in the expo hall… (perhaps tied for this title with the “mountain of cupcakes” display).

Nevada County Grown /Flavor of Nevada County

The amazing booth was the cooperative effort of Four Frog Farm, Naked Farms, Sunlight Botanicals, Jeannie’s Flowers, Weiss Brothers Nursery and Sunnydaygarden, – representing a sampler of Nevada County’s varied producers, and promoting Nevada County Grown with an overflowing table of fresh vegetables, locally made botanical products, flowers and herbs.

Special thanks also goes to The Union newspaper team for sharing this opportunity with Nevada County Grown producers, and to the chefs onstage for using fresh Nevada County Grown ingredients!

I was only able to slip away from the booth to watch one chef – my personal favorite, Ike Frazee from Ike’s Quarter Cafe in Nevada City. The hall was filled with good cooking smells, as Ike prepared roast lamb (The James Ranch), stuffed roasted peppers (Riverhill Farm and Bakbraken Acres) with chevre (Sierra Nevada Cheese Company), sizzling fig and rosemary glaze (Dinner Bell Farm) and grits, or polenta (Grass Valley Grains), depending on where you learned to eat ‘em.

All of his ingredients were local, and he seasoned his 15 minutes of stage time with plenty of ’shout outs’ to Nevada County Grown and the local producers he works with daily at his restaurant. Emphasizing that local produce is seasonal, Ike’s kitchen is stocked year ’round with peppers that are picked fresh, roasted and stored for use in his recipes any time.

In the Kitchen Expo hall, a great mix of local vendors, representing wineries, restaurants, coffee roasters, caterers, grocers, our favorite local Co-op, and of course cooking schools and kitchen stores !, served samples to a sold out crowd. Local produce and products were featured by faithful supporters – In the Kitchen Cooking School, Diego’s Restaurant, and Calolea Olive Oil. The Food Bank of Nevada County offered samples from their new and very successful garden (that will be worth a story of it’s own …).

Onstage, the chefs, with assistance from culinary students from Nevada Union High School, made themselves comfortable in a “dream kitchen” set complete with (omg!) a bright Ferrari red BlueStar range and stainless refrigerator provided by Hills Flat Lumber in Grass Valley.

Why do I seem to be so excited about this?  Well, other than just being in the same room with that BlueStar range …..   With this event, the Union and Nevada County Grown provided a unique opportunity for a new audience to meet local food growers face to face.

If you’re reading this on the BriarPatch website, you’re so familiar with our farmers that they seem like family. But, believe it or not, there are lots and lots of people out there who still aren’t quite sure that food doesn’t magically appear when you order at a restaurant.  I’m exaggerating, of course, but it was really nice to see the new connections being made.

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Sometimes Simple is the Star of the Show

August 19th, 2011

risottoBy the end of the week, it’s easy to feel exhausted of ideas for how to use those final, few things in your CSA box. While Charles would be content with stir fry every day, I usually crave a bit more variety, and since I’m the cook, I’m usually playing with new concepts for quick and easy dinners.

This is where local grains come in. We’re lucky enough to have Lundberg Family Farms in our region. Their boxed risottos are tasty and easy to prepare, so I snagged one a couple of nights ago, knowing that it would become part of dinner, just not knowing exactly how. (Polenta from Grass Valley Grains was another thought, but I’m saving it to make fried mush for breakfast on Sunday.)

Then there was the next step, opening the crisper to see what needed to be used. I rather enjoy this activity. It seems like no matter how well I plan, I’m always pleasantly surprised by some of the items that have yet to make it into a meal. I was presented with a young onion, some summer squash, and some tatsoi. On the counter, a tomato sat in all its tomato-y splendor.

While the risotto cooked, I cut up and sautéed the onion and squash. I added a teensy bit of seasoning and let it rest while I diced the tomato and tatsoi and the risotto finished. Then I tossed it all together and garnished with a bit of Parmesan.

It was a hit – especially when paired with some Sierra Bella from Montoliva Vineyard and Winery. I can pretty much guarantee it will have an encore performance sometime this summer, as well as various incarnations with other grains as the base. After a long day at work, easy meals to prepare are almost relaxing. There’s no stress involved, and you’re rewarded with a delectable finale.

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And then there were none.

August 7th, 2011

I bought two baskets of strawberries from Jo.And then there were none.

Riverhill Farm must have magic soil. Their strawberries are sweeter than sugar, sweet as sunshine, sweet like candy and smiling. Jo’s smile is sweet like that too.

I get up early on Saturdays to make sure I get to town early enough to get in line at the Riverhill Farm booth at the Nevada City Farmers Market-to get a basket of strawberries. This week I remembered to get two.

I don’t think two was enough.

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The Magic of the Farm

August 3rd, 2011
Photo from Riverhill's website

Photo from Riverhill's website

Each Friday afternoon, I am given the chance to take a deep breath, look at a beautiful farm, and let go of the stress that builds during a week. All of the weight on my shoulders seems to evaporate as I walk down a flower lined lane on my way to pick up my weekly CSA share at Riverhill Farm.

There’s something magical in the air there, I think. Those same cares and regular life stresses seem to leave everyone as they make the trek to the farm stand. It’s an amazing thing to behold. Then you get the opportunity to speak to Alan or Jo, the kind and soft spoken farmers, or to one of their vibrant – though centered and calm – interns. I anticipate the experience each week, and even without the bounty of veggies in my box, I would still want to journey out to the very end of Cement Hill Road on a regular basis, if only for a whiff of that magical atmosphere.

As part of the Eat Local Extravaganza this August, many of you will get to experience the wellspring of relaxation and beauty of Riverhill too. BriarPatch is sponsoring a farm tour on Sunday, August 14 at 9:00 a.m. Anyone who wishes to carpool should meet at the BriarPatch patio at 8:30 a.m. The Patch will be offering refreshments at the farm. It promises to be an interesting tour and a nice way to spend a Sunday morning. Make sure to let me know if you, too, experience the enchantment that Riverhill offers.

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Eat Local Extravaganza

July 22nd, 2011

Four Frog photos_lettuceIt’s almost August, which means it’s almost time for the Eat Local Extravaganza!

2011 is looking to be a good year. With local produce just starting to really roll in due to the long, wet winter and mild start to the summer, absence has made the heart grow fonder, and I am yearning for lots of local treats. Sadly, stone fruits are scarce this season, but leafy greens are bountiful, tender, and sweet.

Have you been wondering about some of the local products carried at BriarPatch but having been quite willing to pull the trigger on a purchase? August is your opportunity to try tons of items, as every weekday will have local and regional food samples ranging from olive oil to ice cream and everything in between.

The Gold Country Chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation will be holding a screening of “Farmageddon” at the Holiday Inn Express in Grass Valley on Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the customer service window for $10. A no host welcome reception will precede the film at 6:00 p.m. and after the film, Mark McAfee from Organic Pastures will be available for an open discussion.

Wendy of In The Kitchen will be teaching a class on canning tomatoes on August 3 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The class is $50 and should be great for all of you new to the world of canning. Plus, it will be fun, and you’ll go home with canned tomato goodness.

BriarPatch is sponsoring a farm tour at Riverhill Farm in Nevada City on Sunday, August 14 at 9:00 a.m. Alan and Jo are amazing people and are sure to give a very interesting tour of their farm. As the location of my CSA, I can personally attest to how beautiful the land is – a definite not-to-be-missed opportunity.

Local tomatoes should just be getting bountiful around August 28 when In The Kitchen is hosting their very first open kitchen event. The Community Canning Day is $15 and goes from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Imagine a mess of tomatoes brought from yours and every other attendee’s gardens, questions answered, and canning commenced. It should be a lively time indeed. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early.

Of course, you can look forward to many local food oriented blogs from Kathy and me on the BriarPatch webpage as well as blogs from Wendy of In The Kitchen, Kathy, and me on the Eat Local! America national co-op site.

Hooray for local food! Let’s get cooking.

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The Sweetness of Summer

August 25th, 2010

honey rock melonMy sweet tooth has been incredibly satisfied this week, due to an offering in my CSA box as well as a new produce item.

Summer produce is no stranger to sweetness, of course, but these were two new experiences for me. The first was the introduction to Honey Rock Melon, an heirloom variety that lived up to the honey in its name. Toothsome, rich, and syrupy with a slight hint of musk, it baptized this melon-hater into a fervent follower. ground cherry tomatoes_singleThe second taste bud debut was of Ground Cherry Tomatoes, also known as Husk Tomatoes, from Downtown Farm in Colfax. These wee, golden wonders in their papery shells are related to tomatillos but exist in a world all their own. I freed one from its husk, popped it in my mouth, and exclaimed, “It’s candy!” It had zero acidity and tasted exactly like pineapple upside down cake.

ground cherry tomatoes_group

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A Flower Feast

August 18th, 2010

David, our produce manager, popped his head into my office just before the end of my shift yesterday. His eyes were shining with excitement as he said, “One of our local farmers just brought in edible flowers. Do you think you could put something up on Facebook about them tomorrow?”

Shoot, I’d do one better than just put it up on Facebook. How could I resist the concept of local, edible flowers for my Eat Local dinner? And if I was going to eat it, I should blog about it, right?

I clocked out and headed to the produce department, giddy with anticipation. I was going to craft a dinner around flowers! Awesome, awesome, awesome! My brain began to spin with options. Obviously, I was going to make a salad with the flowers as the main ingredient. Local greens, blackberries, and Sungolds rounded out the edible posy. We had some green beans we had picked during our last visit to our CSA farm. If I kept it simple and tossed them with some regional butter, they’d compliment the sweet greenness of the salad. Then a little bit of protein… Charles helped me out with that decision – regional chicken it was (and it was reduced – score!).

The minute we walked in the front door, I started warming up the stove-top, cast iron grill and put a pot on to boil for the green beans. Then I began arranging the salad. I must admit that almost half of the local blackberries didn’t make it into the bowls. They’re wild, so they have that wonderful untamed tang as well as sweetness. A healthy amount of Sungolds, sliced in half so their juices incorporated with the greens were next, and then I added the flowers. It was like arranging in a vase, but better, because it would soon end up as our meal. As soon as the green beans and chicken were cooked, dinner was served.dinner!

The flowers gave a green pop to the palate. I especially enjoyed the nasturtiums. They presented a sprinkling of spice across the tongue followed by a delightful burst of mandarin oranges. Charles wasn’t as enthusiastic about his edible arrangement, so I helped myself to his nasturtiums too. Because of the wild, green flavors of the flowers accompanied with the chicken and green beans, I’d recommend a Sauvignon Blanc made in the New Zealand style. It complements the range of flavors wonderfully.

A little bit of exotic beauty for dinner – it’s so great to work in a place where I get to be introduced to so many wonderful, new experiences, especially when those experiences are on a plate.

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A Feast of Color

August 5th, 2010

Color! One of the things I love about cooking during our peak produce season is the huge amount of color that I can incorporate into any dish. The varied hues of heirloom tomatoes, the vibrant purple of eggplant, the glowing greens of freshly washed herbs — it’s a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue.

My past few CSAs have been a rainbow of produce – tons of basil, patty pans, chard, collards, radicchio, amazingly sweet onions, mint, lemon verbena, Japanese eggplant, strawberries, and so much more. I love to spend a few moments gazing at my box before I place it lovingly in the car.

The drive home is a feast too, with the amazing aromas of the herbs and strawberries mingling, filling the vehicle with so many tantalizing smells, Charles and my stomachs begin to rumble louder than the gravel road.

And then the joy of turning those aromas into meals! I love the bounty of summer.

Cheesy Tomatoes Love Herbs

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon water

1 egg

1 package 8 oz Sierra Nevada Cheese Company Chevre, made into four rounds

4 very thick slices of fresh tomato (heirloom or slicing)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle for dressing

1 small head of curly endive (or you could use traditional endive)

1 bunch cilantro (or you could use fresh basil)

1 bunch wrinkled cress (or you could use radicchio)

drizzle of red wine vinegar (If you use the basil & radicchio, use balsamic vinegar instead.)

How-to:

Mix breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add water and work until crumbly. Beat egg is a small bowl. Dip Chevre rounds in the egg and then the bread crumbs. Place in fridge for 15 minutes.

Place tomatoes on plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add olive oil to a skillet and heat on med/high until the oil is hot but not burning. Carefully place the Chevre rounds in the oil and cook 45 seconds, then flip and repeat. Place rounds on tomatoes.
Toss greens with the drizzles of red wine vinegar and olive oil. Add a little seasoning if desired. Heap 1/4 of the greens on each tomato slice, and voila!

goat cheese medallions

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Komatsuna, How Do I Love Thee?

July 14th, 2010

I have a new leafy-green komatsunalove, Komatsuna. This turnip relative is also called Japanese Mustard Spinach.

The leaves are large and a glossy, dark green. I found that the greens had a lovely mix of flavors — sometimes a dance of dill, sometimes a mustard bite. I enjoyed everything about Komatsuna — the texture, the tastes, the ability to be used in so many dishes.

It was great sliced thinly and added to a salad mix. It was wonderful as a spinach substitute in a breakfast scramble. It was delightful as the main attraction in a stir-fry. It was an amazing new treat for me, and I ate it accordingly. I can’t wait until we get our next batch in some future CSA box… Why couldn’t it be this week?

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