This Piggy Went To Market

Boy was it a hot one today!! I was melting just as fast as the ice in my mason jar. Thank goodness for frosty cold home brewed mint iced tea! I am delighted to share that my first big event on the farm was a success! Our Father's day pig roast was lots of hard work, but well worth it. We fed close to 300 people within 2 hours! That's alot of food, and good food to boot. BBQ galore, fresh farm salads, sides, breads and sweets. Here is the menu that was served along with some pics.

Heritage Prairie Market and Farm Father's Day Menu

Succulent Berkshire pig slow roasted in a La Caja China

3 BBQ sauces (sweet buckwheat honey, tangy honey mustard, spicy Carolina vinegar)

Potato salad with buttermilk ranch dressing w/ tarragon and chive blossoms

Tangy cole slaw with "pickle brine" vinaigrette

Roasted corn and pepper salad with cilantro-lime vinaigrette

Watermelon, mint, lime and feta

Farm lettuce, nasturtiums with honey-thyme vinaigrette

Cowboy beans with applewood smoked bacon and Fat Tire beer

Spicy pickled okra, bread and butter pickles, sweet onion relish, zesty pepper relish

Corn cakes, brownies, oatmeal cookies, mini strawberry cupcakes, s'mores

Short and Sweet

I'm taking a little time out of my busy week to just relax, listen to some tunes and sip on a refreshing drink. I make this every summer when the berries are plump, sweet and abundant.

In a jar I smash up some strawberries, honey, torn mint and some chopped ginger. Squeeze in half a lime and top with ice and soda water. Pretty much it's a mojito without the rum. But, please feel free to spike yours if you wish to.
By the way, I had so much fun at the All Things Organic Expo. Thank you to all that assisted me and to those who stopped by to say hello and ask questions. I really enjoy cooking for an audience.

Unfortunately once I started cooking it was too busy to take pictures. However here is a list of what I prepared. Much of the produce was brought from the farm. I plucked the carrots and radishes the day before.
For my Asian inspired demo I did my version of a popular Vietnamese street sandwich.

Bahn Mi Bites ~ baguette crostini, with siracha, lime aioli, grilled flank steak marinated with ginger, tamarind, jalapeno, fish sauce, honey, lime, garnished with coriander julienne carrots, Easter egg radish and micro Asian greens.

For my Global Fusion demo I blended the flavors of Greece and Morocco to create savory dips and pickles.

Moroccan Red Pepper Dip- fire roasted red peppers, garlic, ras el hanout (smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, fennel, cinnamon) olive oil

Edamama Yogurt Dip - fresh edamame, Greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, fresh mint

Zesty pickled onions- red onions, vinegar, blackberry honey, star anise, clove, allspice and cinnamon

Quick pickles- Persian cucumbers, vinegar, agave, coriander and fennel seeds, grain of paradise, chopped cilantro

I am heading back to the farm on Friday to do some prep work for the Father's Day pig roast, then going to see George Lopez live. I need a night of comedy. Saturday I have a twenty year reunion with friends from middle school. Hopefully I don't get handed a pair of tongs and expected to work the grill. If so, I'll just say, "sorry I'm off the clock". I'm sure they will love what I bring...fresh pickles, fruit for cocktails and a little sas! Next up Taste of Chicago.

Little Chef On The Praire

Full swing into the month of June and I can feel a buzz in the air. April and May where somewhat of a dormant time for me, just sitting, waiting like a seed, re-evaluating my path. However, now I am very productive, more eager, sprouting with enthusiasm and ready for what summer has to offer! Funny what a little sun on the face, open roads to new places and a fresh perspective do for the human Spirit. I needed it. In the last two weeks I have discovered an organic roof top garden in the heart of Chicago, checked out several local farmer's markets, volunteered for a Healthy Kids cook off sponsored by Operation Frontline a division of Share Our Strength and started a job on a farm. A total "green" adventure. I am one busy bee for sure. I am still up to my ears with things to do. This week I am doing two cooking demos at the All Things Organic Expo, getting ready for a Father's Day pig roast on the farm and then gearing up for another cooking demo at The Taste of Chicago. So, as I sit to write this and enjoy a glass of sangria, I sigh a big "ahhhh" and say that I am very grateful for all the blessings that have come my way. I am excited for what is to come this summer!

Last Friday I checked out Uncommon Ground for their first Farmer Friday, a late afternoon market for those that can't seem to beat the snooze button to get up for the early morning shopping. The inaugural event was hosted by Edible Chicago and Slow Food Chicago and featured local food, garden tours and live music. Uncommon Ground has the first certified organic roof top garden in the country. Natalie, the farm director, was kind enough to show me around the garden. Early signs of what's to come: sprouts of mesclum green, vines of sweet peas and seedlings of tiny tomato and pepper plants.

The menu at Uncommon Ground is market driven, and when in season the chef utilizes all the produce harvested from the roof top. The wine and beer selections are mostly organic and locally sourced. I enjoyed an excellent crispy braised pork belly...so luscious and moist. The pork was served with a tangy stone ground brown mustard, house made pickles, fingerling potato salad and crispy crostini.

The dish went very well with my frosty glass of Belgian style beer.

I stayed to listen to Honkey Tonk, a local bluegrass band. I like the thumpy sound of the big bass and quick fiddle. It reminds me of a summer I visited Charleston, SC. I had the best fried green tomatoes there. At the market I sampled some amazing breakfast radishes. Beautiful pink hue, crunchy succulent texture with a perfect mix of bitterness and spicy bite. Before I left, the vendor called me over and asked me if I was a "hardcore foodie". Of course I am, I'm The Food Diva, don't ya know? So, I said "why, what you got for me?". She went into her little cooler and pulled out a small plastic tub. She says to me , "I'll share this with you, but don't tell anyone where you got it, OK". In it was some freshly churned raw butter from her neighbor in Wisconsin. Bright yellow, the shade of Turmeric, and having a wafty almost cheddary aroma from being unpasteurized. She was kind and shared a small bag with me. When I got home I dipped my little radishes in some salt and butter...bliss! On my way back home I stopped to admire the divine structure of St. Gertrude Catholic Church in Edgewater. Amen, what a sight to see.

The following day I drove to the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. I picked out some nice oyster mushrooms to make a frittata along with some baby spinach and smoked muenster cheese. The Green City Market has vendors from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb and young greens where the seasonal items available that day. When visiting the Green City Market I recommend taking some time to walk the side streets of Lincoln Park and Old Town along Wells street. You can get a cup of coffee and a delicious muffin studded with plump blueberries at The Twisted Baker, shop for exotic spices at The Spice House. Or just take a leisurely stroll and admire the amazing historic architecture that defines the sites of Chicago's northside. I stopped to take a shapshot of a stunning vintage brownstone.

Who knew that I would come to Chicago, one of the busiest, most fast paced cities in the country to look for work in the ever trendy culinary scene, then take a job on a farm in the middle of Illinois? Not me, but I'm glad I did. It all started a few weeks ago as I was going through farmer's market withdrawal when I discovered The Local Beet, a website dedicated to sharing info about organic food, farms and events in the Chicago metro area. On the site, I found a link to Heritage Prairie Market and Farm. A quint family owned farm that reminded me of my times cooking in Napa and Sonoma last summer. On further discovery I saw that the farm hosted dinners, cooking classes and had a cute little country market. I thought to myself " what a nice place, I wonder if they need any help". So, I sent a short e-mail inquiring about possible work.

A few days later, during my daily ritual of hunting Craigslist for jobs I came across an ad for a "farm cook". Of course, I clicked it to see what it was. Well, well, it was Heritage Prairie Market and Farm and they needed a cook for their kitchen. As fast as I could put my coffee cup down, I forwarded my resume and cover letter. To my delight I received a response in twenty minutes. I had an interview the next day. Here are some pics taken on my first day visiting the farm.

My experience volunteering at Slow Food Nation and learning about food preservation, my teaching a canning class at Sur La Table and involvement with CUESA came around full circle for me. And well, that was two weeks ago. Apron clad, jeans, t-shirt, colorful bandanna on my head, classic rock on the radio and honey-mint water in my mason jar, I am happy to share that I am now cooking in an organic farm kitchen and I love it! The best of both worlds. The country life during the week and the city life on the weekends.

I am responsible for making products that are sold at the store as well as at the weekly farmer's markets in Chicago and Geneva, Illinois. Jams, chutneys, pickles, relish, dressings, sauces, soups, stews, pretty much anything that can go into a mason jar or bottle, I do. I am able to be creative with my recipes. The food is seasonal, fresh from the land, and the approach is simple homestyle with a little added "Diva" flair. This is a cook's dream job in my eyes. Having the bounty of the land right out the kitchen door, personal creative input from whatever inspires me and the amazing fresh country air, sunny skies and calm breezes that sweep in through the open fields. Along with the food I prepare for the market I will be cooking for farm suppers and eventually I will be hosting dinner parties and teaching cooking classes. A few of the items I have made so far: pickled asparagus with garlic and thyme, asparagus soup with yogurt and mint, spicy pickle spears with serranos and chile de arbol, crispy pickle slices with mustard seed and coriander, strawberry-rhubarb jam, chimichurri with smoked paprika, cucumber raita with mint and lemon balm, savory tarts filled with wild greens, tarragon, mint and feta. The staff has been so kind and hospitable they quickly made me feel at home. Thank you HPMF crew! Next week I will be making pepper relish, BBQ sauce for the pig roast, coleslaw, baked beans and bread and butter pickles. Next month I will be staying at the farm house since my commute from Chicago is too far. Can you picture me feeding goats and chickens at the crack of dawn? Well, thank goodness for strong coffee in the morning. I can't wait to share some of my recipes and tales of this little chef on the prairie.

Cooking Demos in Chicago!

Come see me live in Chicago!! I am thrilled to announce that I will be doing several cooking demos throughout the summer in my hometown. My cooking will feature local, seasonal ingredients with a "Global Fusion" flavor. Here are the demos lined up for June 2009! For more info just click the logos.

All Things Organic Expo at McCormick Place

June 17th @ 2pm

June 18Th @ 11am

Taste of Chicago Dominick's Cooking Corner June 29Th @ 4pm