Eat First

How is your garden growing, Central New York?

Garden update, East Side of Syracuse, June 25, 2014:

No sooner had the pole beans sprouted and started to take off, something dug them up. Bam! Gone.


Fortunately, the six San Marzano tomato plants in that small plot are untouched and coming along nicely. I see red sauce in our future -- supplemented with tomatoes from one of our local markets. We do not have enough space for a sauce garden.


Two kinds of cherry tomatoes (super-sweet reds and pear-shaped golden tomatoes) are also coming along well in the elevated garden box Robert built last year. The garden box is the perfect height for deer to enjoy a smorgasbord -- but they don't, knock wood. At least not so far, fingers crossed.


We've been enjoying romaine, arugula and leaf lettuce salads from the garden box, too -- to the point where I almost overdosed on salad last week, if that is possible. I love a salad with greens, arugula, local strawberries, toasted walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette and blue cheese this time of year.


The basil in its own planter box is deep green and gorgeous. As always, we'll use it to make pesto. And when local tomatoes are in season, we will feast on Caprese salad. But not before then.


When gardening space is scarce, you need to plant where you can to take best advantage of the sun. These planters hold green bell pepper plants. If everything grew as well as that ground cover, we'd be all set.

As the lettuces fade in the garden box, we might add some more herbs, or some Swiss chard, which will grow well into the fall. Got any suggestions?

How is your garden growing, Central New York? Let us know in the Comments section, below. Happy gardening - and harvesting!

For the picking: Two ways to celebrate strawberry season in Central New York

It's that time of year. Everybody wants to pick strawberries - or pick up a quart or two or three of fresh-picked strawberries at a farm stand.

Did you know there's a place where you can pick or purchase strawberries for your shortcake -- AND help an excellent cause?

 

Clear Path for Veterans is a not-for-profit organization that serves service veterans, military members and their families. Educational, support, health and wellness and other programs are offered at the Clear Path facility, off Salt Springs Road in Chittenango -- which has a two-acre U-Pick strawberry field.

 

The field was empty at lunchtime Monday, and it took me about 15 minutes to step carefully down the rows and among the strawberry plants to pick the beautiful quart of strawberries shown here.

 

The price to pick is $3 per quart and the price of a quart of berries at the self-serve farm stand is $5. The farm stand is in the shade and visible from Salt Springs Road. All proceeds are used to support Clear Path and its programs.

 

Seven varieties of strawberries are planted and they ripen at different times. The field is expected to be open through early July.

 

Clear Path for Veterans is at 1223 Salt Springs Road, Chittenango. Volunteers are invited to help with picking and to work at the stand next to the field. For more information and to sign up to volunteer, CLICK HERE.

 

Clear Path for Veterans strawberries are also available for purchase this season at Side Hill Meats and Market in Manlius.

 

FARMSHED CNY U-PICK ORGANIC STRAWBERRY PARTY

 

Speaking of strawberry goodness: The second annual Farmshed CNY U-Pick Organic Strawberry Party will be held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29, at Cobblestone Valley Farm, 2200 Preble Road, Preble. 

 

Cobblestone Valley is one of just a few farms in Central New York offering organic strawberries. Last year’s event drew more than 450 people, so arrive early for prime picking. (Berries are priced by the pound. Bring your own containers.)

 

Neil Miller, founder of Farmshed CNY, has assembled a variety of local farms and producers for a "pop up" market.

 

On hand will be Main Street Farms, Kriemhild Dairy Farms, Simple Roast Coffee, Zimmer's Bakes,  Harvest Moon Cidery/Critz Farms, among others. Beverages and light fare will be available for purchase.

 

For more information, including directions to Cobblestone Valley, CLICK HERE.

 

Dishcrawl steps into Syracuse - bring your appetite to Armory Square

Caprese salad skewer; beef slider on pretzel roll - Photo courtesy of Small Plates

You've probably heard of a "pub crawl:" That's when a group of people visit several pubs or bars and have a drink or two at each.

But have you heard of a "dish crawl?" That's when a group of people meet up for a progressive meal with multiple stops in a specific neighborhood.

Dishcrawl is a food tour operator that makes its debut in Syracuse Wednesday (June 18), in the Armory Square neighborhood. Three restaurant stops are planned, according to Dishcrawl Syracuse Ambassador Betsy Bell. The evening will begin at Small Plates, continue to La Piazza and end at Empire Brewing Co.

Participants will sample a trio of dishes at each stop, including a dessert at Empire, Bell says. Drinks are not included in ticket price but drink specials or pairings might be available at the individual restaurants.

How it works: Purchase tickets ($45) at the Dishcrawl Syracuse website before Monday (June 16).  Meet at 7 p.m. at Small Plates, 116 Walton St. Bring your appetite

Can't make it Wedesday? Look for more Dishcrawls in Syracuse down the road.

"Dishcrawl does other really creative events too - brunch crawls, secret suppers, private events, chef battles, etc.," Bell says. "I'm really looking forward to bringing some exciting food events to our fans."

The first Dishcrawl Syracuse is open to about 40 participants, Bell says. The first 10 readers of this blog post who purchase tickets will receive a $10 discount on ticket price. Tickets must be purchased before Monday (June 16). When you purchase a ticket, enter eatfirst in the discount code bar.

Dishcrawl is based in San Jose, Calif. The company and offers events in more than 250 cities in the U.S. and Canada and is expanding to Britain, according to its website.

 

It joins two locally owned operators offering cultural/historic and culinary walking tours in Syracuse: Sampling Syracuse Food Tours and NoExcusesSyracuse.

 

Fayetteville community welcomes a new farmers market

Photo courtesy of Fayeteville Farmers Market

An hour and a half into opening day Thursday of the new Fayetteville Farmers Market, Alambria Springs Farm sold out of its artisan sourdough breads. Mountain Grown Farm had exhausted its supply of asparagus. Kriemhild Dairy Farms was running low on eight-ounce containers of meadow butter.

Excitement has been growing for weeks -- months, really -- about the new farmers market setting up shop Thursdays at the Towne Center at Fayetteville. And customers came out in droves.

 

More than 20 vendors offering early spring greens, eggs, cheese, yogurt, grass-fed beef, bison, lamb and turkey, maple products, mushrooms, granola, honey, jams, jellies, salsa, baked goods, chocolate, coffee and more were on hand for opening day. 

 

Market manager Stephanie Lipsey, of Drover Hill Farm, spent the winter months organizing the market. She surveyed the scene at Towne Center at Fayetteville, smiled and pronounced the first day a success. She expects to welcome several new vendors as the season progresses.

 

The good news, for those who missed opening day, is that the growing season is just getting started in Central New York -- and there are many more weeks of market season ahead.

 

The market will have its "grand opening'' June 12, featuring music,  activities for children, a raffle for a local gift basket and a book signing with local author 

Sharon Bailhe' (“The Great Dane and Little Turtle: Adventures in Cooking”).

 

The Fayetteville Farmers Market will continue 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct. 30. Enter the Towne Center from Burdick Street, near Bonefish Grill, and look for the tents.

 

For more information, CLICK HERE and visit the Fayetteville Farmers Market page on Facebook.

 

Log-grown shiitake mushrooms from Fruit of the Fungi, Earlville

 

Kale from Alambria Springs Farm, Earlville 

 

Cookies by Zimmer's Bakes, Weedsport - next time!

 

Putting rhubarb from the CNY Regional Market to use

It's only Monday, but I'm already looking forward to the debut of the Fayetteville Farmers Market at Towne Center at Fayetteville on Thursday.

I'm sure I will want to share to share some highlights from the new market. But first, let's have a look at some of Saturday's haul from the Central New York Regional Market. We left the market with Wake Robin Farm yogurt, cheese curds and granola, two dozen clams and a pound of halibut from the fishmonger in Shed A, vegetable plants and other items.

 

But I went to the market, really, looking for one thing in particular -- local rhubarb. 

 

 

I know, I know: Not everyone is a fan of rhubarb. It's a vegetable masquerading as a fruit. It's tart. It starts out crisp and supple and  has a strange, somewhat stringy texture after it's cooked.

 

Seeing those beautiful red and green stalks makes me think of rhubarb pie, my Mother's rite of spring.  I wanted to make something a little more healthy, so I decided to roast the rhubarb. It comes out a little soupy and is delicious on yogurt or frozen yogurt (or ice cream) and in smoothies.

 

ROASTED RHUBARB

 

1 bunch rhubarb, washed and sliced into 1-inch or longer pieces

Zest of one orange (optional)

1/3 cup natural cane sugar (or more, to taste)

Honey

Vanilla extract (optional)

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Toss the washed and sliced rhubarb with sugar and orange zest (if using) in a shallow glass baking dish.

 

Let rest for 5 minutes or more, until the rhubarb starts to give off a little juice. Cover dish with foil and roast for about 10 minutes if you want the rhubarb to retain a bit of its shape, longer for more of a puree. Remove foil and continue roasting for about five minutes, if needed.

 

When the rhubarb has cooled a little, give it a taste. Add a little honey, if needed, to sweeten it how you like it. Add a little vanilla extract, too (optional).

 

Serve the rhubarb warm, chilled or somewhere in between. I like cooked rhubarb at room temperature, with a few blueberries, served with yogurt for breakfast or with frozen yogurt or ice cream for dessert. Makes 4 to 6 servings.