Day 149 LocalrootZ Project (May 31, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ Honey

Lunch/Dinner

Lobster

Spring Green Salad

Fiddlehead Asparagus Casserole

Dessert

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(being a guest its only polite to indulge)

A beautiful Memorial Day.  Cassi and I had cookout arrangements over her Mothers house in Windham.  I was told that we would be having Maine lobster and I decided to whip up a few sides with the stockpile of food we have in our fridge.  I have seen a few recipes for fiddleheads ad cheese and decided that today I would jump into the world of casseroles.  I blanched a few handfuls of fiddleheads and asparagus as I toasted off some spelt mother oven bread.  After the bread was at a toasty level of satisfaction I threw the chunks into the Cuisinart food processor and made breadcrumbs for the crust.  The cheese sauce was a combination of Sonnental Raw Swiss cheese, goat milk, whole wheat flour, raw butter as well as a handful of chopped garlic and shallots.  After putting all the ingredients together my mouth was watering.... As for the salad I kept it fairly simple, New Leaf Salad Mix, Sonnental Pepperjack cheese, 30 Acre Fermented Carrots,Green Spark Radish and Olivia's Cucumbers.  The meal was delicious with a few cheats seeing as it was a social occasion ! 

Day 148 LocalrootZ Project (May 30, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

After an early morning bowl of yogurt it was off to water and inspect my community garden plot down on Valley st.  Everything is looking wonderful and has almost doubled in size since transplanting them from my coldframe on the May 17th.  Here's how we look as of this morning...

so heres what we have... from front left 3 Tat Soi, 3 Nappa Cabbage, 3 Speckled Troutback Lettuce, 3 Green Butterleaf, 5 Sungold Tomatoes, 6 Brandywine Tomatoes, along the back fence our carrots and sugar snaps hae started popping up from seed... on the right 6 Lacinato Kales, 2 Swiss Chard, 6 Collards and then in the middle 3 Green Zuchinni, 6 Marketmore Cukes, 6 Assorted Mustard Greens,  8 sets of Clear Dawn Onions and 8 sets of assorted onions... then on teh frindges we have some moss parsely, chives and some "wild" strawberries much to Cassi's delight.  There is also some chamomile and dill here and there as well as a handful of mixed salad greens that I tossed here and there as well as some basil seed I dispersed around my tomatoes.  Leaving the plot fully satisfied I returned home and tackled some rooftop garden projects... swept out coldframe.  Potted & staked some tomatoes (black cherry, burbank, gold ida, nepal, husk as well as peppers (cayenne, anaheim, poblano) and placed them in the recently cleared out coldframe.. Im going to replace the plastic on the lid with chicken wire to deter squirrels from getting in and harvesting the fruit like they did last year... Im thinking this is a good answer !

Anyway all that work and a now awake girlfriend brought me into the kitchen to make a brunch to satisfy my growling belly...

Lunch

Sunny Up Egg
Over Buttered Apsaragus
and Spelt Garlic Toast
Melted Raw Swiss Cheese
Over a bed of sauteed garlic, shallots, beet greens, bok choy and mizuna greens

Dessert
Blubarb Crisp
w/ Honey Ice Cream

Day 147 LocalrootZ Project (May 29, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

After a small breakfast and a morning session organizing my paintings studio, I hopped onto my bicycle and took a circle around the peninsula with the final destination being the Farmers Market @ Deering Oaks !  I was so happy to see it bubbling with customers even at 7:30am.... so much good stuff, heres what I got this week !

You can haul alot on a Surly Touring Bicycle...

the full bounty out from the panniers

Merrimac inspecting the goods...she loves greens !

Let see scallions & spinach from fishbowl, cukes and tomatoes from Olivia Garden, Yogurt from Swallowtail,  Japenese Turnips, Spicy Radishes & Broccoili Rab
 from Green Spark, Rhubarb from Alewife, Kohlrabi from Fishbowl, Baby Broccoli Rab from Dandelion Spring and a few other odds and ends I cant seem to recall as of now but jeez so many wonderful greens... its gonna be a healthy week for us !

We be well stocked...

Lunch
Asparagus Omelete
w/ Raw Swiss Cheese
Fingerling Homefries
Spelt  Toast

Dessert
Blubarb Crisp
w/ Honey Ice Cream

Yup thats right Blubarb crisp !  A nice combination of rhubarb and frozen blueberries creates a lusciously tangy and scrumptious late night treat.  I spent a good 10 hours in the painting studio and am looking forward to showcasing a few of my new pieces at the Local Sprouts Cafe grand opening this Friday ! 

We were actually so busy today that we spaced pictures of the omelet... oh well sometimes things just are not meant to be !

Transportation Today

Errands : 18 miles bicycle

Day 146 LocalrootZ Project (May 28, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

Lunch

New Leaf Salad Mix

Sonnental Pepperjack Cheese

 

Dinner

Indian Stir Fry

w/ Swallowtail Yogurt 

& Middle Eastern Bread 

(the bread is not local, but is made in Portland... our little guilty pleasure every once in a while!)

Glass of Cranberry Apple Sweetgrass Wine 

 

FRIDAY is here and I decided we should celebrate with our guilty meal.  Its all local with the exception of the bread and curry powder which we have had in the cupboard since day 1... still have quite a bit left too... cant wait for cauliflower season because I can eat curried cauliflower by the plate full... patience, patience... thats a locavores best friend !  Anyhow this meal is quick and easy and quite tasty... its starts with some finely cubed potatoes, today I had goldrush russets, coat them lightly with maine mustard oil and then sprinkle your desired amount of curry powder, put in oven under 500˚ for about 10 minutes... while that was roasting I sauteed a heap of garlic, shallots, cherry tomotoes and broccoli rab.  I also added a few handfuls of fresh arugula right before serving and placed a dollop of yogurt and fresh cilantro from our rooftop garden.  With a nice bread to shovel it up with its as ethnic as our local diet will allow !

I also finally got over to Local Sprouts Cafe this evening and spent a few hours painting a mural in prpeparation for their grand opening happening this first friday !

More on this soon....

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Day 145 LocalrootZ Project (May 27, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

Lunch

New Leaf Salad Mix

Sonnental Pepperjack Cheese

Dinner

Heiwa Tofu & Greens

Apsaragus & Chiogga Beets

Thursday is here and a quick dinner was in the itinerary with Cassi and I only having an hour in between me getting home from work and her leaving... Quick and easy tofu and greens !  If your not familiar with my source for local tofu get familiar by visiting them @ Heiwa Tofu ! I made quite a bit of progress today on the garden plot... up at 4:15 in the morning with the soil in my fingers by 5am.. I was able to get all the seedlings out of the coldframe on the rooftop and into the ground !  Very satisfying to have the garden plot all planted and ready to feed us... more pics to come !

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Day 144 LocalrootZ Project (May 26, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

Lunch

New Leaf Salad Mix

Sonnental Pepperjack Cheese

Dinner

New Leaf Salad Mix

w/ Tomatoes & Rubykraut

Lobster & Butter Roasted Asparagus 

Dessert

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

w/ Honey Ice Cream

Today was a wonderful day with very hot temps rising up into the high 80˚'s.  We decided we deserved a nice lobster dinner which would lead to a not only tasty but also quick dinner.  The less time I have to spend over a stove when the temps reach this hot the better.  Id say that is the one major downfall of living in the attic apartment... HOT HOT HOT !  Anyhow we spent a lil time at the Monument Square Farmers Market and purchased a handful of goodies; garlic, rhubarb, eggs as well as a handful of onion seedlings to get the garden plot fully planted...tonight.  Well that was the plan but after relaxing for a half hour to digest dinner we were then greeted to a temperature drop of 20˚'s in a half hour which created a windy fog induced sunset... keeping us close to home instead of making the trek down to uor garden plot.  With extra time on our hands I decided dessert had to be in the evenings agenda... I proceeded to whip up the strawberry rhubarb crisp that is sooo yummy yet so easy...

Here's how it goes...

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

1 Large Stalk of Rhubarb (Alewife Farm)

2 cups Strawberries (frozen from Stevenson's)

1/2 cup Honey (Tom's)

1 Stick Butter (Caldwell)

2 cups Rolled Oats (Aurora Mills)

1 tsp Sea Salt

Butter a 6 x 9 pan and remove outside stringy layer of the rhubarb...

slice in 1/2 inch pieces similar to  chopping celery.  Dump in buttered pan and add the strawberries as well.  In a mixing bowl combine honey, salt, and butter and beat with mixer.  Slowly add desired amount of oats and remeber to taste it to get the right oats to sweetness... to taste. Preheat oven to 425˚ or less if you dont want you crisp browned... bake for aprox 20-30 minutes.

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Day 143 LocalrootZ Project (May 25, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

Lunch

New Leaf Salad Mix

Sonnental Pepperjack Cheese

Sunflower Sprouts

Dinner

 Grilled Spelt Tomato & Cheese

w/ Spring Green Salad

Assorted Oysters w/ chive blossoms

Glass of Farnum Hill Cider

Yum... after running many errands and not wanting to kick up the grill or turn on the oven.  We decided on some quick grill cheeses and a side salad along with a handful of raw oysters I had picked up while purchasing our tuna the day before.  The grill cheese was fantastic with a mixture of Swallowtail Provolone, Sonnental Pepperjack & Tourmaline Chevre.  The mixture of cheeses along with a ripe sliced tomato from Olivia's Garden made for a wicked combination! Another wicked combination that we discovered today is the addition of the chive blossoms on top of the oysters... Highly Recommend !

Oh yeah the chive blossoms have been from both my rooftop and community plot. FYI

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Day 142 LocalrootZ Project (May 24, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ honey

Lunch

New Leaf Salad Mix

Sonnental Pepperjack Cheese

Sunflower Sprouts

Dinner

Grilled Tuna Steak

w/ Buttered Asparagus

Roasted Potatoes

Garnished with Chive Blossoms

Glass of Mead

Dessert

Strawberry Ice Cream

Todays temperatures reached up into the 80˚'s and Cassi and I decided it was time to grill.  We bought a new grill a month or so back, after we turned our old rusted grill into a container garden (see pics from yesterday).  I arrived back in Portland via bicycle and rolled into Harborfish to see what would be good for the grill.  Dan told me he had just finished filleting a nice Bluefin Tuna that was brought in from Georges Bank yesterday.  We are not in the habit of eating the larger fish in the ocean but I decided it would be a nice treat and an easy to grill.  I arrived home and pieced together our new grill... filled it with hardwood and started the process... Im not one to use lighter fluid to start the grill but after a few attempts using some an old paper bags I realized this wasn't as easy as I remebered it being.  Mostly because of the wind and my lack of patients, but alas after a little bit of starter fluid and some vent adjustment we were up and ready for the fish.  I need to get one of those little fire can to start the grill without using those nasty chemicals next time.... the fish was wonderful, Im thinking Id cook it a little less next time to keep it a bit more on the juicy side.  Though its not hard to make asparagus and potatoes taste good it went great with a hefty cut of tuna steak.

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Errands: 3 miles walking

Day 141 LocalrootZ Project (May 23, 2010)

Breakfast

Soured Goat Milk Whole Wheat Pancakes

w/ Frozen Berry Honey Puree

topped with Fresh Whipped Cream

Mmmm if that dont get you set for a busy day of painting and gardening I dont know what does...

some assorted lettuces that I transplanted today... also dropped a few mustard and kales out from the coldframe and into a container... figures Ill harden them off on these gentle 50˚ evenings and hope for the best

a birdseye view into the coldframe as well you can see my parsley has come strong this week as well as a single heirloom tomato plant that I took out do to lack of space...

the salad bowl grill....

a rooftop garden...

brew sippen with sketches flowing...

I was furiously working out some ideas for a "logo" as well as progressing with steps towards the next body of work that is currently in germination phase ! 

After all that hard work it was time to relax late night with Cassi home from work we kicked up our feet and watched a little "Parks & Recreation" on Hulu... and it was almost as good as the rhubarb crisp was !

Dessert
Rhubarb Crisp
w/ Pureed Berries
and honey ice cream

Day 140 LocalrootZ Project (May 22, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ Honey

FARMER'S MARKET

 Wow ! What a week for locavores... let see;

Microgreens from Thirty Acre, Radishes, Tat Soi & Broccoli Rab from Mary Ellen & Austin, Baby Beets & Spinach from Fishbowl, Asparagus from Serendipity, Baby Bok Choy from Dandelion, Arugula at Lalibela,  Goat Mozzarella & Milk from Tourmaline,  Provolone & Yogurt from Swallowtail and finally if I remembered Scallions and ?? from Meadowood... as I type this Im not sure which is funnier... recalling every last purchase or the fact that the only purchase that wasn't edible, the flowers for Cassi... is the only one in which the name escapes me...if Ill be damn what kind are these??? Just goes to show you how much food is always on our minds...

Lunch

Sunnyside Up Egg

over Asparagus & Baby Arugula

Fermented Slaw with Chevre

Yukon Gold Homefries

Slice of Spelt Bread

If your sitting here looking at what we ate and have been eating for the last 6 months... I hope that it has sparked something that has brought you out to your local farmers market !  Ive been carrying alot on my shoulders for the past couple months and now with the sun at my back and the gardens coming along nicely, it is time to start thinking about the painting studio.... its no small task to keep up a blog, I mean really... 365 days of local eating is nothing compared to sitting down and actually putting it out there with images and words.... Good Grief .

Day 139 LocalrootZ Project (May 21, 2010)

Breakfast

Plain Swallowtail Yogurt

w/ Honey

Lunch

Local Salad Mix

w/ fermented slaw

Dinner

Leftover Pasta

w/ Broccoli Cheese Sauce

and Fiddleheads

Side of Aroostook Garlic Toast

Glass of Cranberry Apple Wine

 Another fast yet rewarding day.  I added a few fiddleheads that I sauteed in garlic and butter into the leftovers to give it a little spunk.  A cool glass of Sweetgrass Cranberry Apple Wine from Union.  

I need to take a moment and shine a little light over on that magical winery/distillery we have in our great state.  Needless to say when they head down south with a carload we get a special order !

 

Cassi and my favorite after dinner delight... 100% Local 100% Tasty

LocalrootZ APPROVED!

 

Transportation Today

Work Commute : 22 miles bicycle

Errands: 3 miles walking