Farmers Market Archives | Fake Food Free

October Snapshots

October 7, 2016

Do you ever have those days when you are convinced that no one gets you?

I do. And they’ve been happening a lot more frequently.

But it’s okay. I do it to myself. I’m a nerd in the true sense of the word when it comes to food, fall and farms. I think this is why social media was invented. Way, way back in the day, there was someone sitting around who felt like no one got them. So they decided to find a way to surround themselves with people around the world who did.

That has to be factual, right? I’m sure it’s documented somewhere.

For example, just the other day I came across the largest, most gorgeous persimmon tree I’d ever seen. It was full of fruit and towered around me in every direction. It had to be years and years old. It was next to a store and when I checked out, I gushed to the cashier about how beautiful the tree was.

She looked at me like I was an alien.

Nope, didn’t get me.

This September

September 22, 2015

I’m usually not one to comment on how quickly or slowly the months go by. It varies for me from year to year. It all depends on what I have going on.

Lately though, I’ve been thinking a lot about this September. Mostly about how it came along quickly, after what felt like a long August, and now suddenly it’s almost gone.

There are 3 very good reasons for this.

Concord and Gin Cocktail

September 4, 2015

Concord grapes are in a league of their own. I don’t put them in the same category as the red and green seedless table grapes that are common, regardless of the season.

Their flavor and texture sets them apart. The tart skin busts open in your mouth leading the way to a sweet, gummy bear-like pulp inside. I enjoy these qualities so much that I can easily overlook the pesky seeds.

Steamed Japanese Yams with Curry and Lime

May 13, 2015

These tender, steamed Japanese yams are flavored with curry powder and a twist of lime. They make a great side dish or snack!

I’ve been intrigued by the world of potatoes and yams for some time. I think it probably started when we traveled to Ireland. Visiting the food markets there opened me up to the reality that there were more varieties than the red skinned and russet I was familiar with.

Then my potato passion moved to my own garden when I was growing red and white skinned potatoes. The excitement reached epic proportions the year I grew Adirondack Blue potatoes (what many people refer to as purple potatoes) and harvested 15 pounds from the garden!

I’m not growing my own potatoes right now, but the adventures have not ceased. They continue with cuisines and cultures that I have to admit took me completely by surprise. I’m not sure I ever expected to find so many Asian varieties of potatoes. They are of the sweet potato and yam family, and they are all over my favorite farmers market in Oakland. Purple, white, orange, yellow — it is seriously a rainbow of taters out there.

Pickled Daikon and Kohlrabi Salad

March 10, 2015

This tangy pickled daikon and kohlrabi salad makes a super simple side dish for spring!

I’m a big fan of pickled veggies. Asparagus, long beans, cucumbers, carrots — pickle it and I love it. Last year, I gave up on pickling for long term preserving. Meaning no water bath pickling, etc.

I just can’t seem to master the art of keeping things crisp, and the batches end up being too large for us to finish in a reasonable amount of time.

So now I’m into quick pickling. A few veggies, a vinegar mixture, a couple hours in the fridge and a manageable amount is ready to serve.

Chipotle Tomato Soup Recipe

August 23, 2014

This chipotle tomato soup comes together in minutes. It is rich and smooth with a hint of spice from chipotle peppers.

I love the little cans of chipotles in adobo. I do. But every time I buy one I’m reminded that they may be the reason that phrases like – a little goes a long way – were created. I can never seem to find use for more than one pepper out of the can at a time.

My point being, I have another chipotle recipe to share. So here’s to hoping you like things spicy!

Minced Pork with Garlic and Mustard Greens Recipe

November 14, 2013

I was at the farmers market last Saturday browsing the leafy greens when I heard the vendor answer a shopper’s question with, “They’re mustard greens.”

I immediately thought back to the first time I had mustard greens, which wasn’t all that long ago. I was out to dinner with a good friend at a new favorite spot for Chinese food back in Kentucky. She ordered the pork and mustard greens.

I was pleasantly surprised by their bitter spiciness and I’ve wanted to recreate that dish ever since. After overhearing that conversation at the market, I knew that I should finally go for it.

This is a super simple dish that is full of flavor. You can pair it with rice or use a different meat or tofu, but I think pastured pork with the spicy greens by itself is the way to go. The only problem is that I didn’t make nearly enough. Next time I will double it so there are plenty of leftovers!

Minced Pork with Garlic and Mustard Greens

Makes: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:

½ tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped onion
½ lb. ground pastured pork
4 to 5 cups sliced mustard greens (about 1 large bunch)
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute.

Add the pork and cook for 5 to 7 minutes breaking it up with a spatula, until it is browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if necessary.

Add the mustard greens and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until they begin to wilt. Add the ginger and cook 1 more minute.

Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Serve warm.

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Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon Recipe

October 25, 2013

Pull out the slow cooker and make a pot of these beans with beer and bacon. This recipe uses a wheat beer that pairs well with the cilantro and squeeze of lime for a bowl of comfort food with bright flavors.

Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon | Fake Food Free

With their black and white patterns, Black Calypso beans look like a bag of little dairy cows. They are my very favorite bean, and while appearance does play a significant role in that, so does the way they cook. With a smooth and creamy texture they stand out among other beans for me.

I picked up a bag from Rancho Gordo a while back when visiting the CUESA farmers market at the Ferry Building. Then, on a recent visit I came across a recipe card that combined beer with beans. That recipe added the beer after the beans were cooked, but it sparked an idea for a slow cooker recipe for the Black Calypso beans sitting in my pantry.

I used a wheat beer in my beans because I wanted a lighter, citrus flavor to go with the cilantro and lime I would add later. I think a heavy, dark beer would work great, though, too.

The beans cooked up rich and creamy as expected with that familiar bite that comes from cooking with beer. We’ve been eating them all week with a side of fall vegetables and topped with a fried egg.

Slow Cooker Black Calypso Beans with Beer and Bacon Recipe

Inspired by Drunken Beans by Elianna Friedman, CUESA Market Chef

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 lb. Black Calypso beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 slices thick-cut, pastured bacon, chopped fine
12 oz. wheat beer
5 cups vegetable stock or water (or a combination of the two)
1 to 2 tsp sea salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges for serving

Prep

Place the beans, onion, garlic and bacon in the bowl of the slow cooker.

Pour in the beer. Add the stock or water (I used a combination of 2 cups of stock and 3 cups of water).

Stir all the ingredients and cook on high for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beans reach your desired tenderness.

Before serving, stir in the salt to taste. How much you need will depend on what type of stock and how much water you used. Stir in the cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Slow Cooker Beans with Beer and Bacon via @Lori_Rice

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International Food Bloggers Conference Seattle

September 21, 2013

I realized something today. I’m spoiled.

First, I’m currently in Seattle attending the International Food Bloggers Conference with about 300 other food lovers. If you’ve never attended a food blogging conference it’s basically 48 plus hours of eating, drinking, laughing and discussing those things that bore all your other non-food obsessed friends. Complemented by helpful information for blogging, writing and food photography, of course.

I got a good laugh when Mark Briggs, the instructor of the Entrepreunerial Journalism session, said that we (as food bloggers) are different with all our happy attitudes, eagerness to meet people and introduce others. I’ve mentioned this before. You simply can’t be grumpy when it comes to food. We are a great bunch to be around.

So that’s one reason I’m spoiled. The second has to do with my visit to Pike Place Market today. My husband and I visited Seattle several years ago and the one thing I could not wait for was this market. I absolutely loved it.

Fast forward to my life now. I walked to the market today as soon as I got into downtown. I marveled over the gorgeous flowers, the European shops and the seafood. I stopped by the water, snapped a few photos. Then I sighed, feeling disappointed.

What is wrong with me? I’m at one of the most awesome markets in the world and I feel disappointed? How much of a food snob can I be? It was then I realized what has happened.

I’m becoming a full-fledged California girl and California foodie. At that moment it became even more evident to me just how lucky I am. You really cannot beat California agriculture (big and small).

So here I am at the this conference feeling like the luckiest person in the world both because I have access to amazing food, but also because this food is now my job as a freelance writer, recipe developer and food photographer outside of this blog. Life is good.

As part of attending this conference I made a commitment to blog about it, so I’ll be taking a short break from recipe posts to share some of the amazing food and drink from the weekend. And if you are a blogger, I’ll share any great tips I learn, too.

After my self-reflective trip to the market, the conference got off to a great start. We started with food, of course. Burrito bowls from Chipotle (the pickled onions were a tasty touch) and Red Velvet ice cream from a local sweet shop, Cupcake Royale.

Next came an inspiring keynote from Dorie Greenspan (an honor to hear her speak), then a food tasting of natural products from Amazon.com Grocery, and learning sessions. Then a Taste of Seattle and Gourmet Fair. See, more food.

Not to make you hungry or anything, but here are a few highlights from my day.

Sablefish Ceviche with guajillo chile, lime, onion, cilantro, serrano and black sesame, and Huitlacoche Tamale (you know, that Mexican corn that grows fungus), from Poquitos. Both delicious.

Great sushi from the W hotel.

Baked potato and tofu sushi from Blue C Sushi. Interesting, but so good!

Purple potato gnocchi with pork belly. I had to try this since I’ve played with my own blue potato gnocchi. This version was outstanding!

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Bisque from Volunteer Park Cafe. One of my favorites!

Asian inspired guacamole with ginger. And my very favorite for the night — smoked scallop from Boka. It was one of the best things I have hand in long time, and I told the chef so. The flavor was amazing. Now I want to experiment with smoking scallops.

Disclosure: I was required to write 3 posts about my experiences at IFBC in order to receive a discounted registration fee. This is email 1 of 3. The weekend will involve many free products and foods from companies and restaurants that I may or may not write about. Thoughts are my own. I am not required to write about these foods or companies and will receive no compensation for doing so.

Smoky Boiled Peanuts Recipe

August 27, 2013

One thing I wasn’t expecting to find at the markets here were fresh peanuts. I know that there are a few areas on this side of the U.S. where they are grown, but I was definitely closer to the peanut growing states of Virginia and Georgia when we lived in Kentucky.

Yet, I can’t remember ever coming across a fresh peanut. But then again, I wasn’t looking for them either.

When I saw the light blond shells piled up on the tables at the market, I knew right away that they were peanuts. It took me longer to figure out that they were fresh. (Often called, green peanuts.)

Never one to resist the urge to buy a new ingredient, I bagged up a few handfuls still speckled with the dirt and brought them home. Honestly, I had no idea what else to do except boil them.

After researching several recipes, I made my first batch which was a huge fail. According to a few recommendations, I soaked them in water first, drained them and then boiled them. They were much too wet and soggy for my taste.

So when I picked up another bagful last week, I skipped the extra soaking step. I covered the 1 pound of peanuts in about 5 cups of water. I added salt, garlic powder and smoked hot paprika and let them boil.

Full disclosure. I forgot about them.

I had intended to boil them for 2 hours, but I returned to the stove about 2 hours and 45 minutes later to find almost no water left in the pan. Oops.

I pulled the pan off the burner and gave them a stir to distribute some of the seasonings that had collected at the bottom. Then, I tried one. They were delicious! They really reminded me more of the pinhão (pine nut) we used to find in Brazil, like a firm bean with a nutty flavor.

So there you have it. I accidentally discovered exactly how I like my boiled peanuts. Sometimes kitchen mistakes lead to grand results. And it’s even better if those mistakes and results come without setting off the fire alarm.

Smoky Boiled Peanuts

About 1 pound of fresh, green peanuts
5 to 6 cups of water
¼ cup finely ground sea salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp smoked hot paprika

Add the peanuts to a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the nuts. Stir in the sea salt, garlic powder and paprika. Bring the peanuts to a boil over high heat, partially cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium to maintain a low boil, just above a simmer.

Let cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until almost all of the water has evaporated. There should still be at least a half inch in the bottom of the pan. Stir to distribute the salt. Let cool before shelling and eating. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.