May 2013

Behind the CSA Box: CSA Start Dates

This is the final post in a SGT series that looks at CSA -- community supported agriculture -- from the farmer's perspective.

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Farm Journal: Laying New Roots

This is the first post in a summer-long series from a young farmer working as a harvest crew leader at Gardens of Eagan.

 

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Hunting for Dinner: Foraging (Stinging Nettles, Morels, and Ramps)

Spring is finally here, and along with it comes a whole new hunting season. I’m not referring to the spring turkey season; I’m talking about the spring foraging season. As the woods and prairies come alive with new growth, a plethora of wild edibles come into season. From May until the first snow falls, there are literally thousands of wild plants that grow in the wild. And these plants, berries, and mushrooms are as delicious – if not more delicious – than anything you can buy in the grocery store. I love getting out into the woods and finding wild foods that I can take home, not just because of their distinctive flavors but also because foraging is a great way for me to stay connected with nature and to scout possible hunting areas for the upcoming fall hunting season. 

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Kitchen Adventures: Making Sourdough, Part III: A Small Setback

This is the second post in a series on making your own sourdough bread. In previous posts, Jillian explained  why make your own sourdough and also how to grow your starter.

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Intuitive Eating: What Do You Hunger For?

What snack do you turn to between meals, after a workout, or following a physically demanding project (like running a race or putting in the garden!)? Snacking choices say a lot about what the body needs – to replace and rebalance nutrients, restore fluids and enable overworked parts to recover.

 

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Behind the CSA Box: Meet Your Farmer

This is the eighth post in a SGT series that looks at CSA -- community supported agriculture -- from the farmer's perspective.

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Culinary School Chronicles: Winemaking

This is the seventh article in a series about attending Culinary School.

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Kitchen Adventures: Making Sourdough, Part II: The Starter

This is the second post in a series on making your own sourdough bread. Last week, Jillian explained why make your own sourdough

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Hunting for Dinner: Wild Game Charcuterie (and Recipes for Goose Pastrami, Pâté, and Confit)

As a hunter, one of my primary thoughts when I am out in the field or forest is: How am I going to use whatever I kill? One of the complaints I hear from people who hunt is that they get tired of the same old ways of preparing wild game. It seems like a lot of hunters let their wild game go to waste or give it away because they don’t understand how versatile wild game can be. I grew up in a family that took most of the venison we shot and turned it in to summer sausage or jerky -- not very creative. We ended up giving a lot of it away because after eating the first 30 pieces of jerky or summer sausage sandwiches every day for a week, you lose interest and don’t want to eat either anymore.

 

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Kitchen Adventures: Making Sourdough, Part I: Why Sourdough?

This is the first post in a series on making your own sourdough bread. Stay tuned next week for the full starter recipe and the step-by-step, day-by-day process of growing a sourdough starter.

 

If you asked me to name my favorite flavor profile, it wouldn’t be salty, sweet, or bitter, but sour. I adore sour things—yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, cultured butter…the list goes on. Part of the reason may be that when it comes to food and drink, sour flavors feel balancing to my palate. Combining tangy sauerkraut with corned beef balances its saltiness. Eating plain yogurt with fruit balances the fruit’s sweetness. Adding a squeeze of lime to pad Thai can elevate the dish to a new level, simply by bringing all of the other flavors together.

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