minnesota locavore

Great Grains: The Beat on Bulgur

 Like most people who enjoy spending time in the kitchen, conquering new ingredients is something I live for. Earlier this month I decided that 2012 would be (cue fanfare music) “The Year of New Grains.” Between the growing debate about gluten-free and the emerging research about diets rich in whole grains, I figured now was as good of time as any to add a few into my kitchen repertoire. As of 2011, I could make a mean oatmeal and occasionally my brown rice came out better than Elmer’s glue. 

 

So where does one start on a whole grain adventure? Wikipedia, of course. As it would happen, there are 18 whole grains on the unofficial list. Definitely enough to last me through 2012. Earlier this month I started at the top with bulgur, a grain that’s never made an appearance in my kitchen before.  

Read more »

The Urban Cellar: Storing Veggies in Your Home with a recipe for Root Veggie Cakes.

Last January I was ogling my co-worker’s lunchboxes as they enjoyed citrus, bananas, and vegetables from places I could only dream about living. Gone were the red ripe watermelons and fresh salads that made local eating easy in June, July and August. Just after the New Year, we had to start rationing our 10 remaining bags of frozen broccoli, what we thought was enough to last us through a Minnesota winter. Last January I was completely unprepared for the wintertime locavore life.

 

Read more »

Locavore? Then Why Not Locapour?

I happened to bump into the October 31 issue of Wine Spectator magazine this week and found an editorial by James Molesworth called “Are Locavores Also Locapours?” Although the local food movement has pushed farm fresh produce to the menus of top restaurants around the country, local wines have yet to do the same. By tracking a New York winery’s struggle to make it on big-city wine lists, he argues that consumers are willing to pay extra for local food on the table but are willing to put almost anything in their glass—just as long as it says Italy, France, or Sonoma on the label. 

Read more »
Syndicate content