Coming Out of Hibernation

              Well, the sun is beginning to shine and I'd like to believe that we're nearing the end of winter.  Of course, in Cleveland, you get tastes of winter all the way up 'til May, but I'm still optimistic.  I've run out of just about everything that I put in the freezer from last summer and my daydreams are floating more and more often to the farmers' market.  Two more months to go.  I can't wait!  I haven't posted much during the winter, but when the spring comes, you won't be able to shut me up!  Here's one little anecdote to think about as you begin giving up all those comfort foods you've indulged in during the cold months:

"The truly healthy alternative to that chip is not a fake chip; it's a carrot." 

- Mark Bittman

Hidden Treasures

On Saturday, one of my cello students gave her first solo cello recital.  Since she's only 15, I wanted to get her some really nice flowers to congratulate her.  Unfortunately, I only had about ten minutes in between class and work to pick up the flowers.  I was lamenting the fact that I would have to go to the generic grocery store and pick up a pathetic bouquet.  As I was driving, I saw an old floral shop and greenhouse that I have driven by a million times and never paid attention to.  I turned in and walked in the very old store.  There was an older man in a flannel shirt and wrangler jeans selling the flowers.  He had a few beautiful, ready made arrangements and I picked one.  When I asked him how long he'd had the shop he said "The family's been here over an hundred years and I've been working at the shop for fifty years.  Their are pictures over there on the wall."  I looked at the pictures and it was so amazing to see the pictures from the 1910s/1920s.  The old man was so happy to have a new, young customer, and I will definitely be a returning client.  

2010 Signing off

The holiday season flew by and I never posted a thing.  We had some fun days enjoying local activities and food and thanks to the winter storm airport craziness, we had a very local holiday.  For Christmas, I received two wonderful books on preserving food that I'm sure will be in my hand constantly come the spring.  Here are some of the highlights from the Christmas season:

• A small Christmas tree from a nearby, family-owned, nursery 
• A girls' night with my friends to celebrate my birthday, at which my friend, Diana baked an exquisite cake!

• Cooking baking with my friend Erica
• Baking real gingerbread (the loaf kind - so yummy!) with an old recipe from "Lost Recipes" by Marion Cunningham

• A trip to the original Christmas Story house in Tremont, OH (complete with the leg lamp and the actor who played Randy).

• A wonderful meal at Lucky's Cafe  - a fabulous restaurant where they grow their own produce and 90% of everything else comes from no more than 100 miles away.  The food changes seasonally and is to die for!

It was a wonderful Christmas season filled with friends, family, and the calming peace of our Savior.  I'm looking forward to a beautiful 2011!

Black Friday

Being a locavore isn't just about eating locally, it's also about shopping locally.  So, if you're going shopping on Black Friday (or any other time), consider shopping at at least one local store.  I have a couple in mind that I'll be stopping at this holiday season and I encourage you to squeeze one into your shopping route as well.  The perks are that you'll find unique gifts (usually of a higher quality), have more fun shopping, and support your local economy!  Is there some little local cafe that you love?  Make sure to take your family there when they are in town.  When I need thank you or birthday gifts, I've been going increasingly more often to a little local store/restaurant called the Tree House and Tea Gallery or to the gift shop inside the Westlake/Porter library.  Lots of areas have online daily deals through livingsocial.com that you can sign up for if you're into that sort of thing.  Also, in this area, Mimideals.com has some fabulous offers.    Remember, our goal is 25% local.  Every tiny bit helps. 

Happy thanksgiving and happy shopping!

Autumn in New York

   I just spent four days in NYC playing a concert and visiting friends.  It was fabulous.  If I had my way, I would take a long weekend in NYC every fall and every spring each year.  It was the first time I had been back in four years, and it was so great to be there with all my friends.  Although I ate a lot of great food, I can't say that I ate any local food (at least not any that I was aware of).  However, local food did lead me to have a very surprising and delightful conversation with an old friend. 
   J. is a friend of mine from undergrad.   He was my best friend's roommate and therefore we became pretty good friends too.  However, we hadn't seen or talked to each other in 3 1/2 years.  Needless to say, we've both changed a lot.  As we were sitting at the dinner table, we started talking about our lives and I sheepishly mentioned that I had this blog.  I thought he and the other guys sitting there would make fun of me, but I was wrong.  You see, I forgot that J is Italian and loves food.  Soon enough, he was telling me about all these places in Cleveland that serve local fare!  I was shocked!  Then, he was talking about all the different types of cauliflower and how there are some that are colors other than white - which I did not know.  I stopped him and said, "J, how is this possible?  We've been friends for how long now?  And yet, I've never heard you talk about anything other than beer or music.  Now we're talking about different types of cauliflower?"  We both laughed, but I have to tell you, it was such a pleasurable conversation and I was really inspired to know that even J is somewhat into local eating.  What a great reunion!

Cranberry Pork

   I've learned something about myself:  If I don't have time to cook at least a couple of times a week, I'm too busy.  Cooking is a primary ingredient to my sanity and quite often, I forget to do it.  (Does that mean I'm going slowly insane?)  So, when I had the chance to cook for guests last night, I went all out.  We had Cranberry Pork Tenderloin, Garlic Mashed Redskin Potaoes, Farmer Tom's Steamed Cauliflower, Biscuits, and Pumpkin Cheesecake (no I didn't bake the cheesecake!).

   Anyway, I have tried several cranberry sauce recipes for pork or chicken and with a little tweaking, I think I have found the perfect one.  Once again, this is very similar to a recipe on www.allrecipes.com, but a few changes make it my own.  And I can proudly say that every morsel of it was eaten and the words one of my guests decribed it as "Amazing pork with red cranberry deliciousness."   I think I'm going to try it in the slow cooker next to make it more of a staple at our house.  So, pull out your local, hormone-free, free-range pork, and try it out at your house!

CC's Cranberry Pork

Pork Tenderloin

salt and pepper

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup brown sugar (or substitute orange marmalade)

1 tsp rosemary

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Rub salt and pepper all over tenderloin(s).  In a large skillet, brown tenderloin(s) over medium to medium-low heat in extra virgin olive oil until lightly browned on outside.  Add cranberries, sugar, and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat (keep boiling longer if most of the cranberries have not burst yet).  Add rosemary and pumpkin pie spice.  Stir.  Cover and simmer for about 30-45 minutes until cooked through.

My Little White Angels

   On Friday I had a case of the LLF Blues.  Yes, that's right, the Loss of Local Food Blues.  If only I had started this venture earlier!  Ah well, there's always next year.  I actually caught myself daydreaming about a deep freeze freezer today.  What would people say?  I'm performing at Lincoln Center in less than a week and yet I'm daydreaming about a freezer.  Oh my.  
   Anyway, there is something that is still available at Farmer Tom's in abundance right now: Cauliflower.  I have never really paid much heed to cauliflower before, but now I am having a true love affair with it.  So, I braved the sleet and went to Farmer Tom's and picked up two more heads of cauliflower.   The funny thing is that I haven't even done anything exciting with it, I've only steamed it.  I steamed an entire head of it in my veggie steamer on Friday because we had dinner guests.  However, for the rest of the week, I just cut up the head into florets and put it in a bag.  Then, whenever I want a snack or a side vegetable, I take some out, put it in some Press-n-Seal wrap and steam it in the microwave.  If you hate cauliflower, I suggest you try it fresh and local, it tastes so much sweeter than when it's been sitting on the shelf at the store.  If you still don't love it, try adding a touch of butter.  This is what I've been doing for my husband (and sometimes me) and he's finished a small serving of cauliflower at least four times in the past 10 days.
    So, here's a goal for today before you get the LLF Blues:  Try local cauliflower!

P.S.  I've learned something else absolutely wonderful about eating locally:  produce lasts so much longer at home because it hasn't spent any time on the shelf at the store.  That's what I call a bonus!