Despite the March snow I can smell spring and taste peas. The daffodils, tulips, garlic and other bulbs are pushing through the surface reaching for the sky. I wish I could till my field, but it’s too wet. Instead, I focus on inside tasks like seeding, organizing piles, building stuff in the shop, marketing, networking … Continue reading
Author Archives: castironidaho
Venison Chili
Ingredients: 4 cups good stock. 2 cups barley 1 cup dry beans 2 lbs venison sausage 2 cups chopped carrots 2 cups chopped leek 1 cup chopped fresh parsley The night before soak beans in water. Toast barley in cast iron. Add 2 cups stock and toasted barley in sauce pan. Cover and bring to … Continue reading
A Winter Local Foods Menu
Farmer Marty recently got into an online discussion with local food writer Guy Hand. I’ll let Marty elaborate on that discussion, but the result was that we ended up inviting said writer over for dinner, along with some of our friends who are active in the local foods movement, including mushroom connoisseur Alex Hartman, urban … Continue reading
More creative seeding options!
I couldn’t resist sharing this photo that we took at a client’s house last week. We’ve been visiting Global Gardens clients to help them set up a small greenhouse and seed germination area at home. Isha, this client from Somalia, had a perfect spot. Her sofa was pushed up against a south-facing, sliding glass door. … Continue reading
Three Seed Bread
Thanks to everybody who came to the open house at City Gardens! As requested, here’s the recipe for the bread we served. It’s from my Simply in Season cookbook, with a few small changes. It’s a pretty sure-fire bread recipe, too, I use it a lot because I’ve never had it not rise or come … Continue reading
Chinese New Year — The Finale!
So as it turns out, Chinese New Year is a two week long celebration! Who knew? I spent this past weekend in San Francisco with a couple of girlfriends, and Chinatown was hosting it’s annual Chinese New Year Parade. This two week long celebration is just perfect for me, because, as you may remember, our … Continue reading
Chinese Steamed Pearl Balls
Chinese Steamed Pearl Balls Zhēnzhū Qiú Present steamed pearl balls with a quick stir-fried green vegetable or a salad for a nice lunch. Ground chicken thigh or turkey can be substituted for the pork. In Cantonese, this dumpling is called jun jiu kao. Makes about 24 balls, serving 6 to 8 as a snack ¾ … Continue reading
Build a home greenhouse for under $20, Part II.
Even though it’s 12 degrees outside, we’re moving right along with the springtime planting. Now, my kitchen is also full of soil! Here’s what my setup looks like. It requires a little rearranging of furniture, but allows me to germinate 18 flats at a time, even in my tiny kitchen. The shelf sits against a … Continue reading
Alex Hartman’s Morel Cream Sauce
There’s nothing better than being invited to dinner. Especially when it’s Alex. A librarian by trade, but by candle light this man is a minor culinary genius. Alex is also a mushroom hunter and angler. We can always count on something from the forest when we eat with Alex. This evening we had lamb chops … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day!
With all this excitement about early spring farming, we’ve been falling behind on the recipe posts! So I thought I’d tell you about our Valentine’s Day dinner. Like every other day, Marty and I decided to show our love for each other by cooking a meal together. We made venison with roasted winter vegetables and … Continue reading
Cast Iron 