Great Taste

Relish late summer harvest with these recipes

'Tis the season for broccoli, berries and beans....

From Radish Magazine: http://rochester.radishmagazine.com/display.php?id=99

The longing for "real food"

At times a search goes on that can take us to faraway lands. Here is a recent post from the Chefs Collaborative's blog: 

http://chefscollaborative.org/category/blog/  

Don't set sail for Europa yet. This Saturday is Rochester's first-ever Healthy Living Fair, next to the Rochester Downtown Farmers Market. Also, the outdoor farmers market is increasing its frequency from once to twice per week.

More on RDFM's new Wednesday market:  http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1457841

Hopeful signs of growing interest in where our food comes from....

Food highlights at Radish Magazine's Healthy Living Fair

Mike Arends, part of the culinary team at Zzest Market & Cafe, Rochester, will be giving a cooking demonstration at Radish Magazine's Healthy Living Fair June 18. Rochester's Good Food Store Co-op and Mac's Cafe and Restaurant will also participate in the fair.   

The first annual event will be held next to Rochester Downtown Farmers Market, 4th Street at 4th Avenue SE, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (RDFM ends at noon.) Radish Magazine is a part of Post-Bulletin Company and Small Newspaper Group. Visit website here.

Today Aspen, tomorrow--Rochester?

Here's the scoop on Meatless Mondays in Aspen, Colorado, from Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-elam/aspen-co-meatless-mondays_b_871596.html

Could "Meatless Mondays" be the next happening thing in Rochester, Minnesota? This writer would like to think so. 

What sayeth Baseball Cap? Can GG persuade you with tater tots, French fries and more potato delights? How about creamy, vegetable-based wild rice soup? And don't forget apple pie! Finish off a meal with some rich coffee.....Would you, could you.....? 

Back Room Deli now has salad bar

Great Taste enjoys the freshly made, innovative soups and rustic nosh at Good Food Store Co-op's Back Room Deli, Rochester. Options just got better with a new salad bar. More here.  

What to expect at Rochester's first outdoor farmers market of 2011

From Kari Dunn, manager of Rochester Downtown Farmers Market:  

"Weather has been pretty crummy for things like asparagus - but I expect we'll have at least 40 to 50 vendors and of course that number will grow as more produce becomes available. We have a total of 93 vendors this year! There should be ramps and watercress tomorrow, pea shoots, lots of lettuce varieties, green onions, salad mixes, radishes.....Do you visit our Facebook page? I'll be 'reporting' live to it from market this year."

For more news and information on one of the best farmers markets in the Midwest, check out RDFM's website here. 

There's just one big missing piece to RDFM being of the highest calibre. Great Tastes asks city leaders: When can RDFM have a specially designed area in central Rochester, instead of several congested parking lots? 

What is CSA? Find out at Just Food Co-op's CSA Day

If you'd like to learn about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), head to Just Food Co-op for its CSA Day, today, 11 am to 2 pm. Eleven area CSA farmers will be on hand for questions and discussion.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms work directly with consumers by selling “shares” early in the year for the upcoming harvest. Later on--usually from June to October--shareholders, aka members, come to the farm each week and receive a basket of the season's bounty.

Besides learning about farming practices and products, CSA Day attendees can, if desired, purchase a share for the season. This year's participating farmers offer vegetables, fruits, eggs, cheese, meats, or a combination.

Just Food Co-op is located at 516 Water Street South, Northfield.

 

The Upper Midwest and chocolate: Let's go crazy

News and views about "healthy" chocolate seem to only get better (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/chocolates-startling-heal_b_825978.html) and what's more, some of the best chocolatiers are right in our midst--in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and (just a tad south) Chicago. 

Let's start local with B.T. McElrath, out of Minneapolis: https://www.btmcelrath.com/index.asp. Offered by a number of Minnesota retailers, its shiny-as-if-buffed, refined candies can be discovered south of the metro Cities at ZZest Market & Wine Cafe, Rochester, Slant Avenue Mercantile, Laneboro, and Present Perfect, Northfield.   

Fresh from Duluth, 185 Chocolat (http://185chocolat.com/links.html) is featured in Rochester at Sopra Sotto.  

Our next door neighbor, Wisconsin, claims greatness with artisan dairy products and now can also pride itself on Candinas Chocolatier, made and sold only in the Madison area. (http://www.candinas.com/) 

Traveling via the northern route around Lake Michigan, GG arrives in Fudge Country--but that's for another blog post. Here is Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, in Empire, Michigan. /http://www.grocersdaughter.com/ Then its on to truffle specialist The Chocolate Garden, Coloma: http://www.chocolategarden.com/

Last stop, all off, Chi-Town USA. Vosges Haut-Chocolat, popular for its bar chocolates, offers bittersweet-and-salty selections, among numerous concoctions that give tastebuds a sensory high:  http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/?gclid=CIL02sW4nqcCFQgHbAodtXSQcQ Vosges is sold in Rochester at Zzest Market & Wine Cafe.

Ah, this was such a hard blog to post....The agony. GG indeed has tried candies from all of the makers listed here and can confidently state they are right up there (or close) with fine Belgian chocolates, yet they stand on their own in mix-it-up, witty American style. GG is undoubtedly missing some other splendid makers; please comment on your faves. 

How to make roasted cauliflower

This is delicious, uber-healthy and a cinch to make. 

The roasting process brings out cauliflower's natural sugars, so even kids who frown on cauliflower may be asking for more.  Serve it as a side; on a cold winter's day it makes a fine snack. Chow down and get a nice supply of vitamins (it's very high in C), minerals, and protein.

Roasted Cauliflower

One head very fresh cauliflower, washed and cut into florets.

Two to three tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or olive oil

Couple pinches sea salt

Optional: One lemon, cut in wedges

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place florets in a bowl and mix throughly with oil and salt. Transfer florets to cookie sheet and place on center rack in oven.  Check florets every 10 or 15 minutes and turn them as needed so they roast evenly and do not burn. After about 30 minutes remove from oven, transfer to a bowl or plate and serve immediately with lemon wedges. Yield: Three to four side servings

The yin and yang of it

Tonight: Macrobiotics 101, 6 to 7 pm, at The Good Food Store, 1001 6th Street NW, Rochester.