Blog

Rain/Heat/Weeds Got You Down? Think Happy Thoughts!

Posted in Farms & Gardens on Fri, 08/13/2010 - 7:00am by Debbie Morrison -

It’s been quite a hot and rainy summer so far this year. But rather than complain about it, I have chosen to focus on the many benefits of all this heat and moisture. So I share with you my list of happy thoughts about what this hot, humid summer has given me on the farm this year.

Happy thought #1: No need to water. In the early spring we set up the sprinkling system in the gardens and orchard, but so far, have only had it on just once – and the moment we turned it off, a robust thunderstorm swept through, depositing more than two inches of rain. It’s been raining like that all summer long: thunder storms with one to two inches of rain every few days – our own reliable, natural, automated watering system.

Simple, Good, and Tasty's August Bookclub Selection: The Minnesota Table

Posted in Books & Media, Out & About on Thu, 08/12/2010 - 7:00am by Tracy Morgan -

How many times have you unsuspectingly picked up an amazing cookbook, tuned into the Food Network, or flipped through a copy of Bon Appétit and found yourself with a rumbling stomach and watering mouth? Well, this month’s Simple, Good and Tasty book club pick is just about guaranteed to put you in the same state.

Beat the Heat with a Spicy Moroccan Tomato Soup

Posted in Recipes on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 7:00am by Gabriela Lambert -

Before I begin, I ask a moment of your indulgence. Picture me, if you will, walking around my office, proud puff pigeon-chested, handing out cigars to my colleagues, grinning from ear to ear and flashing the picture you see above to anyone who will stand still long enough to look.

Okay, I didn't really do that, but only because I don't have an office to go to. So you'll have to stand in for my hapless co-workers. Ain’t she a beauty? That pretty girl is my first tomato of the season and not only is she gorgeous to look at (do you see those striations of yellow? that smooth orange skin? that shape, my goodness, that shape?), she was gorgeous to eat. Cut cross-wise to reveal flower shaped rounds, I ate her all by myself with nothing but a dusting of sea salt. Divine.

What is Humane Food?

Posted in News & Views on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 6:34am by lee -

A few weeks ago, I got a text from my brother-in-law Jeff. He'd just discovered a restaurant he thought I'd love, and the message said, "it was awesome. Put it on your highly recommended list." Jeff has great taste -- I can't think of a time he's steered me wrong -- and I take his recommendations seriously. But Jeff doesn't get all hung up on how his food is sourced the way I do, and I didn't assume that his "it was awesome" meant that I'd feel good about it. I needed to ask.

Seward Co-op Invites Us to Know Our Grower

Posted in Out & About on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 7:00am by Tracey Paska -

Well before "eating local" became a mainstream mantra for conscientious food lovers everywhere, Seward Co-op in Minneapolis has nurtured this philosophy for years by establishing long-lasting relationships with local growers and producers, and providing customers with easily accessible information about the people and places behind the food that they buy.

A Day In the Life of Chef Shack: Cooking Up A Street Food Community

Posted in Out & About on Sat, 08/07/2010 - 7:00am by Sarah Rykal -

It’s 4 a.m. on Saturday morning and I’m sitting behind the wheel of my car, drowsily heading to northeast Minneapolis. I’m scheduled to meet Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer, the chefs who own and operate Chef Shack, the acclaimed Twin Cities mobile kitchen. The two women have managed to create a loyal following with their gourmet fare, and they’ve agreed to let me tag along with them for a day at the market. So here I am, heading to meet them for an 11-hour day, and on just three hours of sleep, I begin to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.

Top 10 Things to Eat and Do Before Summer Ends

Posted in Out & About on Fri, 08/06/2010 - 7:00am by Tracey Paska -

Back-to-school ads are blitzing televisions and newspapers, the Minnesota State Fair is a few weeks away and Vikings football is once again the talk of the town. It can only mean one thing: summer is almost over.

But don’t put away the sunscreen and picnic baskets yet; the best of the season has only just begun and there’s still plenty of time to enjoy them. To help you do just that, here is our list of the most delicious seasonal foods to eat and fun activities to do before our magnificent Minnesota summer comes to a close.

Top 10 Things to Eat and Do Before Summer Ends

1. Sun-ripened tomatoes

Midtown Farmers Market Leads the Way (Again) with EBT Program, "Market Bucks"

Posted in Farms & Gardens, Out & About on Thu, 08/05/2010 - 7:00am by Tracy Morgan -

In 2006, the Midtown Farmers Market became the first Twin Cities market to accept the SNAP/EBT (supplemental nutrition benefit program via electronic benefit transfer) program (more commonly known as food stamps), thus ushering in a new wave of accessibility for more local food lovers. And earlier this summer, they partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota to make local, healthful food more affordable with a program called Market Bucks. The first $5 of EBT dollars used at the market on any given day is matched – with another $5. And that means $5 more local, farm-direct summer goodies to savor.