Julie, Julia & Alex

Wow, I can't believe July has come and gone just like that! Where has the summer gone? Not sure about the season, but the cucumbers have gone into buckets to brine, the eggplant into tasty and chunky caponata and the tomatoes, well they have gone into just about everything. There is nothing like a warm sun kissed tomato plucked from the vine and enjoyed in all it's simplicity. Juicy, tart, sweet, earthy and sometimes tangy, it's a good thing. When I was a kid I only knew about one type of tomato, the big, red, round kind. Through the years I have learned about the many wonderful varietals from deep red, almost brown, orange hued little gems, bright golden orbs, funky green striped ones and even purple tomatoes. And if the colors were not enough the shapes vary just as much from oblong, round, oval, flat, and just plain squat and split. Some people call these heirloom varietals "ugly tomatoes". Ugly? according to who? Nature makes everything unique including tomatoes. So, even if they are split, lopsided, and perhaps blemished or bruised respect the tomato I say!

In a matter of three days I had fried, roasted, stewed and served tomatoes fresh and simple. Some dishes were for the store, some for our farm French themed dinner and others just for a fun picnic in the park. My cousin Monica just got back from a trip to Michigan and she fell in love with the local friend green tomatoes that were served on a version of a "BLT" salad with crispy pancetta and spinach. So, for her birthday picnic I made some fresh fried green tomatoes and served them with a tangy dill buttermilk dressing. I cut the slices and let them soak in some buttermilk spiked with some house made hot sauce and then dredged them in flour with salt and pepper. I fried them up light golden brown. I packed them in tissue paper and put the dressing into a little pint sized mason jar.

Along with the yummy tomatoes I fried some tender zucchini and squash and served that with a fire roasted tomato sauce that was richly fragrant with garlic and smoked paprika. The sauce was so good my cousin says I should market it...well, that's a thought. A cucumber salad with radishes and orange segments was dressed with champagne vinegar, cilantro and rich olive oil. I made little blueberry hand pies with cream cheese, honey and lemon. We enjoyed some fried chicken, fresh salads, white sangria with nectarines and sweet cherries as we listened to John Legend and India.Arie play live at Ravinia. A very nice day indeed!

For our second farm dinner this season we celebrated Bastille day. Perhaps a week late but still delicious and festive none the less. So for my ratatouille I roasted my tomatoes with garlic and onion and a splash of balsamic. Since I had cooked tomatoes on the menu I wanted to showcase some fresh ones as well. Taking inspiration from tomatoes Provencal I made a canape of baby heirloom tomatoes, with Gruyere fricos and micro arugula lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. A wonderful explosion of flavor in one bite. The salty crisp from the cheese and the tender, peppery crunch from the arugula went very well with the little plump tomatoes. I was too busy cooking and plating so no pic of the final dish was taken, but trust me it was sexy!
On mornings when I wake very early I like to sip my coffee out on the veranda that overlooks the fields of vegetables. In my mind I know I'm in Illinois, but in my heart I am in Europe. I escape from the everyday with the intoxicating aroma of my rich coffee, hot in my cup, the blanket of light fog slowly burning off from the rising sun. I still yearn for the day that I will be lucky enough to visit Paris. I am always in awe of the way of life in France. I get giddy thinking about the vast markets overflowing with produce, bread, cheese and wine. I get dizzy thinking about the pastry, rich sauces, chocolate and fragrant perfume shops. Ah France...one day, soon I hope! In the meantime I can live vicariously through le cinema. I am excited for the upcoming movie "Julie & Julia". Ever since I was a little aspiring chef I looked up to Julia and was inspired by her love of the culinary arts and taken by her curious nature in the kitchen. Since Julia Child's birthday was August 15Th and mine is August 16Th I am thinking of having a French inspired soiree for my shindig. I'll keep you posted! And who knows maybe one day my blog will be turned into a movie....anything is possible...just believe in it!

Fancy Farm Fixin's

Last week we hosted a wine party and farm tour for a local gardening group from Downers Grove, IL. The group was small, about twenty or so people. The group met for a glass of iced mint tea at the store, then went on a farm tour with Bron. Afterwards, the guests came into the house to sample some local wines and nosh on a few lite bites made from food on the farm. That day Pat and I made various savory goods. Pat is the baker of the two of us. Although I bake from time to time, I handle the savoury end of the cooking while she takes on the sweet. Pat baked up some fluffy pita which I topped with a chunky hummus and pesto, cracked wheat crackers, topped with cherry-ginger chutney and micro greens and her ever popular corn cakes. These little golden griddle cakes are sold at the Green City Farmer's Market, often paired with a freshly made chunky fruit jam or other delicious spread. For the wine tasting I topped the mini cakes with a beet puree made with sour cream, similar to Russian style Borscht in flavor, but thicker than a soup, more of a dip. The color was intensely pink it was stunning. I said it looked like Dr. Seus food. I garnished the gold corn coins with a sliver of roasted baby white turnip and a petite leaf of sorrel. The crowd loved it! I received many compliments on my whimsical presentations and flavors. I ran out of my blog cards that night. Go me!
I enjoyed chatting it up with the ladies in the kitchen. I like sharing my passion of cooking with people and showing them that great sassy food with flair can be done easily with fresh produce, some prep and a little imagination. I am happy to share the simple recipe here. Just a taste of some fancy farm fixin's from The Food Diva.

Corn Cakes
1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola or corn Oil

Mix the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium size bowl. Combine the buttermilk, egg and oil in a small bowl. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the cornmeal mixture just until well blended (the batter will still be slightly lumpy). Lightly oil a griddle or large frying pan. Heat over medium high heat. Drop tablespoons of batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until the bubbles burst on the top surface and the bottom is light brown. Turn and cook the other side until it is browned (1-2 minutes). Set aside on a plate and cover with a towel or napkin to keep warm until ready to eat.

Turnips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

one bunch baby white turnips (washed well, tops removed)

one teaspoon olive oil

salt

Cut greens from the tops of the turnips (save then for later use) then cut turnips into quarters and toss with olive oil and salt. Evenly place the turnips onto a sheet pan and roast for about 20 minutes, or until fork tender, but still slightly crunchy. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Beet Puree
one small bunch red baby beets (washed well, tops removed)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

juice of one lemon

salt and fresh black pepper

Cut beet tops (again reserve then for later) toss the beets, unpeeled with olive oil and salt and place onto a sheet pan. Roast for about an hour or until fork tender. Remove cooked beets from oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan. When you are able to handle the roasted beets, carefully remove the skins with your fingers or a pairing knife. Add roasted peeled beets into a blender with the sour cream, lemon juice and puree until smooth. If puree is a little too stiff, thin it out with a little milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer dip into a bowl and chill until ready to serve.

For the turnip and beet greens, feel free to saute those with some olive oil and garlic and enjoy as a side dish, or toss them into a soup or stew. For the corn cakes, add a dollop of the beet puree, a small turnip and a leaf of sorrel or other petite green garnish such as chervil or chives. Enjoy!

Food Through My Eyes

Well, we are fully into the splendor of summer and glorious food is abound in the field and things are heating up in the kitchen! I am keeping busy making jams, sauces, salads and tons of briny goods. Pickles abound! I am really enjoying taking pictures that I feel I'm getting pretty good at it. Now, don't get me wrong I'm not a professional by any means. However, being influenced by blogger and food stylist Matt Armendariz and Chicago based food photographer Kate Gross, it gives me something to strive for. Ingredients in their most natural state and simplest form are art all on their own. The bright colorful shades of rainbow chard, the crooked curves of a just plucked carrot and the tiny round orbs of radishes in shy shades of pink and purple are stunning. For me to capture that natural beauty through a lens is very gratifying. I am taking the time to adjust the settings, play with angles and seek out flattering light and well here is what's new. The food world through my eyes....enjoy!



















I would also like to mention a fabulous new food blog for you to check out called Dishes & Dirt. Kate (mentioned above) and Stephanie stopped by the farm for our first summer supper and they wrote up a nice review and posted a slide show of great photos. Check out photos of my food captured through another set of eyes.
Thanks ladies!