The other week, Barbara and some friends of ours ate at Alana's, a restaurant just north of OSU, for the first time. I have passed back and forth by this restaurant nearly everyday since living in Columbus and always thought it was some weird little Greek place (for some reason, the fact that there is an image of a bunch of grapes on the Alana's sign led me to believe this). Turns out, Alana's is not a Greek joint, and though it is unusual, it's pretty freakin' awesome (though a bit pricey - enough so that we'll likely only eat there once more before leaving Columbus next summer...).
Alana's specializes in local foods - as much as possible, for as much of the year as possible, they serve what can be grown in and around Columbus, OH. Our meal was fantastic. From pumpkin soup to local greens in the salads to my pasta dish (With kale! My favorite!), it was the best meal I have ever eaten in the state of Ohio. Go there. Get soup. Order dessert. Enjoy the bounty of the midwest in late fall!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Step 10: Thaw a Strawberry
Last week, I was very excited to delve into our frozen stash of berries for the very first time. We've had a really mild fall so far in Columbus, but even so, the available local fruits and vegetables have diminished sharply in the past couple of weeks. It's about time to start opening the freezer and seeing how a summer and autumn's worth of work as paid off. A week ago, I decided to make smoothies for breakfast on Barbara's birthday. I was really excited to eat berries again (after the flood of late summer fruits became a trickle and the thrill of the season's first apple started to subside, I found myself getting bored with apples and looking forward to my frozen berries).
I cracked open one of my bags of strawberries (the subject of one of my very first posts last spring!) and also, because it was a special day, I dipped into the raspberries as well (a very special treat, as we never did get around to raspberry picking, so we only have one ziploc bag of those!). As follows is the recipe I used, partly based on one in the Earthbound "Food to Live By" cookbook and partly out of my head:
1 c. frozen strawberries (local!)
1 c. frozen raspberries (local!)
1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt (unfortunately, not local)
1/2 c. orange juice (also not local)
Crushed ice cubes (3/4 c. or a whole cup, I can't remember. At any rate, some ice)
I would also add a bit of honey (local!) to taste
Blend! (I recommend putting the ingredients in the blender in this order: Ice, strawberries, raspberries, yogurt, honey, juice). This makes two big servings. They're more filling than you'd think!
I cracked open one of my bags of strawberries (the subject of one of my very first posts last spring!) and also, because it was a special day, I dipped into the raspberries as well (a very special treat, as we never did get around to raspberry picking, so we only have one ziploc bag of those!). As follows is the recipe I used, partly based on one in the Earthbound "Food to Live By" cookbook and partly out of my head:
1 c. frozen strawberries (local!)
1 c. frozen raspberries (local!)
1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt (unfortunately, not local)
1/2 c. orange juice (also not local)
Crushed ice cubes (3/4 c. or a whole cup, I can't remember. At any rate, some ice)
I would also add a bit of honey (local!) to taste
Blend! (I recommend putting the ingredients in the blender in this order: Ice, strawberries, raspberries, yogurt, honey, juice). This makes two big servings. They're more filling than you'd think!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Oink Cluck Moo
"Oink Cluck Moo" is the name of the place where my first bite of chicken in over 7 years came from. A few weeks ago, Barbara and I bought some chicken breasts at the farmers' market - from folks who grow meat and poultry not far from Columbus. It took me a while to prepare myself to abandon my vegetarianism, though I'd been thinking about it for months (see my earlier post, "The Vegetarian's Dilemma"), but finally, last Wednesday night, we cooked up some chicken and I transformed from dedicated vegetarian to devoted locavore. Though I did hesitate before taking the first bite, eating chicken wasn't as weird or difficult as I thought it would be. It was pretty tasty - and exciting because it represents a new horizon for me in terms of my local foods journey. I don't expect this to have a profound effect on the way I cook and eat, as I doubt I will ever eat beef or pork again and will probably eat very little in the way of poultry, in part because the poultry I eat will be locally and humanely raised, and is thus a little pricier than conventional stuff. Thus, I will still remain a vegetarian in much of my actual "practice," just replacing tofu from across the country with chicken from down the road.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Pie Adventures
So, my friend Puja and I thought it would be an excellent idea to make some pies for a get-together she and Barbara and I are going to tonight. We decided on apple pie (because Barbara and I were going to go apple-picking, which we did), and sweet potato pie (because it's my favorite).
We also decided that we would make our pie crusts from scratch because neither of us had really done it before. Now, I usually shy away from baking, because I'm not very good at it. I find cooking much easier because the exactness of the amounts isn't as important and you can substitute ingredients and add extra spices and it never seems to matter very much. But baking is like chemistry, which I was always terrible at. Still, we set out on the pie adventure around 7:30pm last night, which, apparently was also the designated Trick-or-Treat night in Columbus, unbeknownst to me (how silly of me to assume that trick-or-treating would occur actually on Halloween...). Thankfully, I was prepared. After handing out some candy and eating dinner, Puja and I began our dough-making experiment. Perhaps many of you are esteemed bakers and will find my struggle laughable. Still, I provide for you a list of tips you might find useful if you too decide to embark on a pie extravanganza:
1) Ensure that your basic arithmetic skills are intact. For example, if the sweet-potatoe pie filling calls for 4 eggs and the sweet potato pie crust recipe requires a 1-egg-yolk "glaze," you will need 5 eggs total. Thus, the 4 eggs in your refrigerator will not suffice. Proceed to Tip No. 2.
2) Double check that you have all the ingredients (and supplies) necessary for your project BEFORE starting. This will spare you late-night dashes to your local grocery store or co-op (which in Clintonville, is thankfully open until 10pm) to procure heavy cream and eggs.
3) Avoid, if possible the following unpleasant scenarios: The house that you have purchased with your new husband, but do not yet live in, appears to be flooded. Your husband calls and says that when he steps on the living room floor, water is seeping through. OR, you discover (also via telephone) that law school is causing your partner to have a mental breakdown. You will find that the telephoning required by both of these scenarios will limit your dexterity and brain power, thus compromising the creation of pie.
4) Again related to Tip No. 2, if you do not own a rolling pin and realize a bit too late that you forgot to purchase one earlier that day, make sure you have a well-stocked cupboard of bottles of wine that you have never opened. One of these will suffice in place of a rolling pin.
5) Finally, related to Tip No. 4, you may want to double check that you have a cork screw, because after your long night of pie-making, you just might want to crack open you rolling pin/wine bottle and may feel quite defeated upon the realization that you lack the tools to do so.
Our mess (about 1/2 way through):
Despite the chaos, our pies turned out great and were received with enthusiasm at our friend's potluck! See below picture for proof of pie success!
We also decided that we would make our pie crusts from scratch because neither of us had really done it before. Now, I usually shy away from baking, because I'm not very good at it. I find cooking much easier because the exactness of the amounts isn't as important and you can substitute ingredients and add extra spices and it never seems to matter very much. But baking is like chemistry, which I was always terrible at. Still, we set out on the pie adventure around 7:30pm last night, which, apparently was also the designated Trick-or-Treat night in Columbus, unbeknownst to me (how silly of me to assume that trick-or-treating would occur actually on Halloween...). Thankfully, I was prepared. After handing out some candy and eating dinner, Puja and I began our dough-making experiment. Perhaps many of you are esteemed bakers and will find my struggle laughable. Still, I provide for you a list of tips you might find useful if you too decide to embark on a pie extravanganza:
1) Ensure that your basic arithmetic skills are intact. For example, if the sweet-potatoe pie filling calls for 4 eggs and the sweet potato pie crust recipe requires a 1-egg-yolk "glaze," you will need 5 eggs total. Thus, the 4 eggs in your refrigerator will not suffice. Proceed to Tip No. 2.
2) Double check that you have all the ingredients (and supplies) necessary for your project BEFORE starting. This will spare you late-night dashes to your local grocery store or co-op (which in Clintonville, is thankfully open until 10pm) to procure heavy cream and eggs.
3) Avoid, if possible the following unpleasant scenarios: The house that you have purchased with your new husband, but do not yet live in, appears to be flooded. Your husband calls and says that when he steps on the living room floor, water is seeping through. OR, you discover (also via telephone) that law school is causing your partner to have a mental breakdown. You will find that the telephoning required by both of these scenarios will limit your dexterity and brain power, thus compromising the creation of pie.
4) Again related to Tip No. 2, if you do not own a rolling pin and realize a bit too late that you forgot to purchase one earlier that day, make sure you have a well-stocked cupboard of bottles of wine that you have never opened. One of these will suffice in place of a rolling pin.
5) Finally, related to Tip No. 4, you may want to double check that you have a cork screw, because after your long night of pie-making, you just might want to crack open you rolling pin/wine bottle and may feel quite defeated upon the realization that you lack the tools to do so.
Our mess (about 1/2 way through):
Despite the chaos, our pies turned out great and were received with enthusiasm at our friend's potluck! See below picture for proof of pie success!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Reading list
I just finished Omnivore's Dilemna by Michael Pollan (yeah, I know, no one can believe I'd never read it before...). I highly recommend it.
I am currently reading a book called Lords of the Harvest, which is about the history and implications of our reliance on genetically-modified crops.
I am currently reading a book called Lords of the Harvest, which is about the history and implications of our reliance on genetically-modified crops.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Cold!!
The past few weeks have included a few events that truly signal the end of summer, and quite significantly for us, the end of the growing season. In the morning, we wake up in the dark, we've turned on the heat (though our new "thermal" curtain in the front window is doing wonders for the living room) and on more than one occasion, we've worn hats.
Another signal of the changing seasons, at least for me, is my lack of appetite for fruit. When it's hot out and a variety of fruits are abundant, that's all I want to eat. But once it's cold, I really struggle to make myself eat it. It's so cold and sweet. When it's cold outside, all I want in terms of food is warmth and savory flavors. I make soups, devour leafy greens (they're back in season in early fall after melting in the August sun), revel in things like oatmeal and breads, and rediscover my love for peanut butter. I don't know if this is just one of my weird idiosyncrasies (it happens every year), or if it's a holdover from a time when we did eat more seasonally - a person would have had to really pack in the fruits (eat your colors!) during the warmer months and then make do with late fall and winter's limited fruity offerings. At the same time, bodies need fat and energy to get through the winter months (which is why so many winter holidays are accompanied by feasts and baked goods), so it makes sense that once the weather turns, I start craving those things.
Thus, we've recently been enjoying potato-leek soup, pumpkin soup, baked macaroni and cheese, home-made bread and home-made applesauce (all with mostly local ingredients!).
At tomorrow's Farmers' Market, I'll be looking for squash and pumpkin, apples and cider, any other final vestiges of summer fruits (for the freezer), leafy greens to freeze (spinach and chard), leafy greens for soup (kale), tomatoes (final call!!), potatoes and onions and garlic. Our co-op has also been great at stocking local produce this summer and fall. Between whatever they can offer us until next spring and everything packed into our freezer, we'll see how far we get in the coming months and we'll start planning for next year!
Another signal of the changing seasons, at least for me, is my lack of appetite for fruit. When it's hot out and a variety of fruits are abundant, that's all I want to eat. But once it's cold, I really struggle to make myself eat it. It's so cold and sweet. When it's cold outside, all I want in terms of food is warmth and savory flavors. I make soups, devour leafy greens (they're back in season in early fall after melting in the August sun), revel in things like oatmeal and breads, and rediscover my love for peanut butter. I don't know if this is just one of my weird idiosyncrasies (it happens every year), or if it's a holdover from a time when we did eat more seasonally - a person would have had to really pack in the fruits (eat your colors!) during the warmer months and then make do with late fall and winter's limited fruity offerings. At the same time, bodies need fat and energy to get through the winter months (which is why so many winter holidays are accompanied by feasts and baked goods), so it makes sense that once the weather turns, I start craving those things.
Thus, we've recently been enjoying potato-leek soup, pumpkin soup, baked macaroni and cheese, home-made bread and home-made applesauce (all with mostly local ingredients!).
At tomorrow's Farmers' Market, I'll be looking for squash and pumpkin, apples and cider, any other final vestiges of summer fruits (for the freezer), leafy greens to freeze (spinach and chard), leafy greens for soup (kale), tomatoes (final call!!), potatoes and onions and garlic. Our co-op has also been great at stocking local produce this summer and fall. Between whatever they can offer us until next spring and everything packed into our freezer, we'll see how far we get in the coming months and we'll start planning for next year!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Locavores on the road
We just returned home from a week-long journey through the heart of the midwest, including stops in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio (we also drove through Wisconsin and Indiana). Last weekend, we hit the road for homecoming at Luther College and so my friend Dylan and I could play a few small concerts for friends celebrating the completion of our home-made 5-song CD.
In Decorah, we stayed with friends who live in an old farmhouse outside of town. We watched Maria (age 6) milk her goats and Thomas (age 8) collect eggs from his hens. We enjoyed the eggs in the form of french toast one morning and I tried the goat's milk on oatmeal the next. My aspirations to someday raise chickens were renewed.
In Minneapolis, we accompanied our friend Krissy to a Farmer's Market and to the Seward Co-op to collect ingredients for pizza-making and some other treats. We ended up making (in addition to home-made pizza) an apple pie using both local Minnesota apples and Ohio-grown apples that had tagged along with us on our long car trip.
We finished off the Minnesota leg of our trip at the Seward Cafe, which has a garden out back and serves many locally-grown foods on its menu.
We are now back in Columbus preparing to squeeze in our last three food projects before the frost - broccoli, spinach and raspberries!
In Decorah, we stayed with friends who live in an old farmhouse outside of town. We watched Maria (age 6) milk her goats and Thomas (age 8) collect eggs from his hens. We enjoyed the eggs in the form of french toast one morning and I tried the goat's milk on oatmeal the next. My aspirations to someday raise chickens were renewed.
In Minneapolis, we accompanied our friend Krissy to a Farmer's Market and to the Seward Co-op to collect ingredients for pizza-making and some other treats. We ended up making (in addition to home-made pizza) an apple pie using both local Minnesota apples and Ohio-grown apples that had tagged along with us on our long car trip.
We finished off the Minnesota leg of our trip at the Seward Cafe, which has a garden out back and serves many locally-grown foods on its menu.
We are now back in Columbus preparing to squeeze in our last three food projects before the frost - broccoli, spinach and raspberries!
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