Tag: Food

092-Mother Earth News Fair, Part 2

This week’s podcast continues our recap of this year’s Mother Earth News Fair in Topeka, KS.

Our friends, Martha and Cheryl join us for a fun discussion about what we learned and what the Fair means to us.

Plus, there’s a goat in a lounge chair!

Keep coming back, it’s going to get interesting.

Until next time….

Don’t forget the Farm Fresh Mercantile is open every Saturday in November from 9:00AM – 2:00PM, plus extended hours on Black Friday! Scones and pies are available through pre-order only. We offer hand-crafted, small batch soaps and skin balms plus one of a kind gifts.

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091-Attending the Mother Earth News Fair, Part 1

Today’s episode shares some of what we learned and why we enjoy the Mother Earth News Fair. It is a time of intense workshops and taking in new information that we plan to share with our fans and customers.

Enjoy this fair vicariously through us.

Until next time….

 

#motherearthnewsfair

Be sure to stop by the Farm Fresh Mercantile on October 26, 2019 between 9:00 AM and 3:00PM to pick up your favorite products.

 

Until next time….

 

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Sweet Potatoes

There is more to sweet potatoes than a casserole topped with marshmallows.

Do you like sweet potatoes?

Most people think of sweet potatoes only at Thanksgiving. Baked in a casserole with loads of brown sugar, butter and marshmallows melted on top. Although that is a delicious dish reminscent of warmth and family, if that is the only time you are eating sweet potatoes, you are missing out. Sweet potatoes are a delicious, colorful and nutrient rich powerhouse any time of year.

Culivation of sweet potatoes originated in the tropics thousands of years ago. The consistent warm and humid weather provides ideal growing conditions. As humans began to travel the world, they took this vegetable with them and created new varieties.

Even those this relative of the morning glory is a tropical plant if you pay attention to the weather, you can grow them quite well in the 6a zone of Central Illinois. The most prevalent variety and what we grow here at the farm is Beauregard. This variety produces a tuber with dark orange flesh.

Harvest and Storage

As you might imagine with their tropical history, sweet potatoes must be dug before the first frost. If you experience a light frost, it will kill the vines and you should dig the potatoes as soon as possible.

After digging, lay out the potatoes to cure in a warm humid location. This improves the storage capability and makes them sweeter. After two weeks of curing, brush off remaining dirt and store as you would white potatoes.

We have discovered that even though this is the way to prepare for longer term storage, the potatoes are sweet and delicious fresh from the garden.

Preparation

Beauregard sweet potatoes have a smooth creamy flesh when cooked. They are sweet with no additional sugar added. Try cutting into bite size chunks and steaming until tender. Or drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a 425º oven until done and the edges are carmelized. Most recently I added steamed sweet potatoes in a ramen noodle bowl along with carrot strips fresh from the garden.

Sweet potatoes go beyond a delicious dish. They are good for you with rich stores of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, fiber and other nutrients.

Think about sweet potatoes next time you want to add some color to your plate.

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All About Pie

“Despite my changing tastes and desire to get away from using processed foods,  pie crust is an exception. I don’t make pie often, so it truly is a treat. Shortening just makes better, more tender and flaky pie crust in my opinion. I have used lard a time or two but I still prefer Crisco shortening.”

From Simply Delicious, pg. 69

As I prepare to make somewhere north of 75 individual dessert-sized pies this weekend, I find myself reflecting on what it is about pie that draws people to dessert. 

Pie has been around as long as anyone can remember and is a beloved American dessert. Who hasn’t heard the phrase “as American as apple pie”? 

Sweet Pies/Savory Pies

We tend to first think of sweet filled pies when referring to pie, but there are also pot pies, meat pies, shepherd’s pie, and tomato pies to name a few. The list expands further if you include tarts and galettes which are basically fancy pies. 

Fruit pies, such as I will be making for sale are relatively easy to produce. Make the crust, add filling and bake. Of course the detail is what makes it so delicious. A flaky tender-crisp crust, filling that is not too sweet and not too tart, edges crimped just so. 

Cream or custard pies require a bit more expertise to ensure the filling is smooth and, if topped with meringue, that it does not shrink and weep. 

Why Do We Love Pie?

Could it be the memories associated with pie that makes them so delectable? Visions of our mothers or grandmothers setting a hot-from-the-oven pie on the table after a groaning board meal. When we all say “oh, I don’t have room for dessert, but since you have pie, I’ll take just a small slice”, then finish off a large piece just because it is too good to stop eating.

So as I bake blackberry, cherry and peach mini-pies this weekend, I’ll be planning for the next round of pies. 

And maybe a savory one for supper.

By the way, my thoughts about pie crust have not changed. 

Stay tuned to Five Feline Farm through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to find out what flavor pie is being offered at the Farm Fresh Mercantile. Available through pre-order only.