Picnic season is upon us. Jules, my 2 year old son just went on his first one this weekend. These sandwiches were a hit and even turned Billy (who does not like egg salad)for them. Hope you enjoy!
Makes 6 Sandwiches
8 large Eggs (hard boiled, cooled)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Finely sliced shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
For Assembly:
12 thinly sliced pieces small whole wheat multigrain sandwich loaf
pea shoots
Peel eggs and finely chop. Stir together remaining salad ingredients with a fork. Make sandwiches with bread and pea shoots.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Where do all Those Delicious Local Herbs, Spinach and Rhubarb Come From? Dolway Organic Garden
In 1991, John Wilson and Christine Scheer got married, quit their jobs, and bicycled around the world. When they got home a year later, they moved to the farm and began the process of converting it into an organic farm. Over the years John has grown the farming enterprise and now farms 25 acres of certified organic vegetables.
John is the full-time farmer, while Christine runs a cooking school off of the farm and writes newspaper and magazine columns with a focus on local produce.
The farm was bought in 1927 by Flora Wilson,John’s great grandmother. Flora named the farm ‘Dolway Farm’ after her late husband, Dr. John Dolway Wilson.
The farm is in the picturesque Thames River Valley. It is on the south facing slope with 7 fields on 3 terraces. The isolation from surrounding farm land is enhanced by the extensive wood lot that surrounds each field. This isolation is great for ensuring that disease and insect infestations are minimized. Careful crop rotation is also used to ensure healthy crops.
John now grows an extensive variety of vegetables and herbs that are sold across southwestern Ontario. While spinach, rhubarb, spring mix and basil are always popular, tomatillos, zucchini, patty pan squash, and cilantro run close seconds. Cheers to the folks that have discovered our edamame, and hurray for all the lucky customers that get our beautiful fingerling potatoes. John adds new products every year to keep everybody on their toes, and this year we are looking at new varieties of cauliflower, even more potatoes, celeriac, and perhaps some heirloom tomatoes.
John is the full-time farmer, while Christine runs a cooking school off of the farm and writes newspaper and magazine columns with a focus on local produce.
The farm was bought in 1927 by Flora Wilson,John’s great grandmother. Flora named the farm ‘Dolway Farm’ after her late husband, Dr. John Dolway Wilson.
The farm is in the picturesque Thames River Valley. It is on the south facing slope with 7 fields on 3 terraces. The isolation from surrounding farm land is enhanced by the extensive wood lot that surrounds each field. This isolation is great for ensuring that disease and insect infestations are minimized. Careful crop rotation is also used to ensure healthy crops.
John now grows an extensive variety of vegetables and herbs that are sold across southwestern Ontario. While spinach, rhubarb, spring mix and basil are always popular, tomatillos, zucchini, patty pan squash, and cilantro run close seconds. Cheers to the folks that have discovered our edamame, and hurray for all the lucky customers that get our beautiful fingerling potatoes. John adds new products every year to keep everybody on their toes, and this year we are looking at new varieties of cauliflower, even more potatoes, celeriac, and perhaps some heirloom tomatoes.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Special equipment needed: A food processor
1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Makes 1 cup.
Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Special equipment needed: A food processor
1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Makes 1 cup.
Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices
GEO & Organic Lifestyle
Green Earth Organics is doing a special 2 week promotion with Organic Lifestyle, please keep your eye out for a special discount card in your bin this week or last. This store shares many of the same values as us!
At Organic Lifestyle, like you, we believe organic represents quality over quantity, as it uses more considered production techniques and avoids the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and toxic dyes. This is particularly relevant when you consider cotton is usually a heavily sprayed crop.
We directly source from organizations that work with farmers to International certifying authorities to validate that the products are certified to the highest organic standards. We don't stop there - We look for environmentally friendly manufacturing procedures such as Oeko-tex and ensure the use of low impact dyes.
What this means for you:
We read the labels so you don't have to
Less harmful chemical exposure
Softer and longer lasting products
http://www.organiclifestyle.com/
Please use the promotion code 'greenearth1' to receive 10% off first purchase online
At Organic Lifestyle, like you, we believe organic represents quality over quantity, as it uses more considered production techniques and avoids the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and toxic dyes. This is particularly relevant when you consider cotton is usually a heavily sprayed crop.
We directly source from organizations that work with farmers to International certifying authorities to validate that the products are certified to the highest organic standards. We don't stop there - We look for environmentally friendly manufacturing procedures such as Oeko-tex and ensure the use of low impact dyes.
What this means for you:
We read the labels so you don't have to
Less harmful chemical exposure
Softer and longer lasting products
http://www.organiclifestyle.com/
Please use the promotion code 'greenearth1' to receive 10% off first purchase online
Monday, May 11, 2009
Slugs in the Garden
There are a few ways of deterring slugs from eating away at our gardens. Rather than using the slug killers on the market that contain products that do not enhance life in the soil nor promote healthy plants or food crops, you could try the following alternatives:
Leaving a half empty bottle or can of beer in your garden will have slugs climbing in it, and after a taste they will not be able to climb back out.
I have also been successful with eggshells scattered around plants like Hostas and leafy greens in my veggie garden. The eggshells will need to be rinsed or they will attract critters. After cleaning them, crush them and apply at the base of plants. The process is most effective when the shells are reapplied on a regular basis.
Another process that is quite effective, although gruesome, is to come out after dark with a pair of scissors and a flashlight as they are lurking in your garden in search of food and snip them.
Living Canvas is providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, and pesticides alternative, keeping you and your neighborhood at peace naturally. Living Canvas believes in enriching the soil which in turn feeds the plants.
Every year we add soil amender to your flower beds and lawn. This process provides nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. All the organic matter when breaking down continues to nourish and equalizes the soil PH. Liming is no longer required for lawns. The organic matter in the soil also enhances moisture retention which reduces water consumption. We also support earth friendly, biological pest control methods for the benefit of your health as well as the health of your entire yard ecosystem.
Leaving a half empty bottle or can of beer in your garden will have slugs climbing in it, and after a taste they will not be able to climb back out.
I have also been successful with eggshells scattered around plants like Hostas and leafy greens in my veggie garden. The eggshells will need to be rinsed or they will attract critters. After cleaning them, crush them and apply at the base of plants. The process is most effective when the shells are reapplied on a regular basis.
Another process that is quite effective, although gruesome, is to come out after dark with a pair of scissors and a flashlight as they are lurking in your garden in search of food and snip them.
Living Canvas is providing sustainable human powered gardening practices, and pesticides alternative, keeping you and your neighborhood at peace naturally. Living Canvas believes in enriching the soil which in turn feeds the plants.
Every year we add soil amender to your flower beds and lawn. This process provides nutrition plants require for a healthy growing season. All the organic matter when breaking down continues to nourish and equalizes the soil PH. Liming is no longer required for lawns. The organic matter in the soil also enhances moisture retention which reduces water consumption. We also support earth friendly, biological pest control methods for the benefit of your health as well as the health of your entire yard ecosystem.
Less Nutrition in Modern (Conventional) Veggies
"If you're still not buying the whole "organic-is-better" argument, this study might convince you otherwise. As Davis points out, more than three billion people around the world suffer from malnourishment and yet, ironically, efforts to increase food production have actually produced food that is less nourishing. Fruits seem to be less affected by genetic and environmental dilution, but one can't help but wonder how nutritionally bankrupt veggies can be avoided."FROM The Skimmer, Time magazine
GARLIC FIDDLEHEADS
Serves 2
1/2 pound fresh fiddleheads
1 Tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 wild leeks
2 Tbsp chopped chives
2 tablespoons white wine
Steam fiddleheads just until tender. Meanwhile, heat butter in a heavy frying pan and sauté garlic and leeks until softened.
Blend in wine.
Add steamed fiddleheads, turning to coat them well in the sauce. Serve at once.
1/2 pound fresh fiddleheads
1 Tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 wild leeks
2 Tbsp chopped chives
2 tablespoons white wine
Steam fiddleheads just until tender. Meanwhile, heat butter in a heavy frying pan and sauté garlic and leeks until softened.
Blend in wine.
Add steamed fiddleheads, turning to coat them well in the sauce. Serve at once.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Country Rhubarb Cake
This variation on the classic Irish apple cake has a top and bottom crust made from a biscuitlike dough. You can cut this cake into wedges or dish it out with a spoon like a cobbler.
Serves 6-8
35 min
ingredients
For cake
1 lb fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups), or 3 cups frozen rhubarb, thawed after measuring
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs (1 separated)
For whiskey cream
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon whiskey (preferably Irish)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
preparation
Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate or a 2 1/2-quart oval gratin dish and chill.
Toss rhubarb with brown sugar in a bowl until coated.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate flour and form a soft, sticky dough.
Transfer half of dough to chilled pie plate and pat out over bottom and halfway up side with well-floured hands, then spoon rhubarb and any juices onto dough. Using a tablespoon, spoon remaining dough in small mounds evenly over top. Lightly beat egg white with a few drops of water, then lightly brush cake with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over top.
Bake cake until top crust is golden and rhubarb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
Make whiskey cream:
Beat cream with confectioners sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
Serve cake warm or at room temperature with whiskey cream.
Serves 6-8
35 min
ingredients
For cake
1 lb fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups), or 3 cups frozen rhubarb, thawed after measuring
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs (1 separated)
For whiskey cream
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon whiskey (preferably Irish)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
preparation
Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate or a 2 1/2-quart oval gratin dish and chill.
Toss rhubarb with brown sugar in a bowl until coated.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate flour and form a soft, sticky dough.
Transfer half of dough to chilled pie plate and pat out over bottom and halfway up side with well-floured hands, then spoon rhubarb and any juices onto dough. Using a tablespoon, spoon remaining dough in small mounds evenly over top. Lightly beat egg white with a few drops of water, then lightly brush cake with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over top.
Bake cake until top crust is golden and rhubarb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
Make whiskey cream:
Beat cream with confectioners sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.
Serve cake warm or at room temperature with whiskey cream.
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