Arizona Farmers Market

I enjoy visiting Farmers Markets when we travel. I know, I said that before, but this one was really different. Because of the heat they have it in the late afternoon to night. I do not blame them, it was HOT! Over one hundred degrees daily while we were there. I have no desire to move back to Texas because of the heat- just visit my friends and ponder on the cacti. So many varieties.

So beautiful-

We had prickly pear candy and lemonade. Maybe I would turn into a Javelina. They like their prickly pears. I wanted so badly to pick some and bring them home, but they say you have to know when they are ripe. Throw in a handful of Chia seeds and you won't dehydrate-

I found it a bit sweet, but we added sparkling water to the mix and it worked wonderfully for a refreshing heat beater! I will share my market buys soon, I bought lots of fun things I have not cooked before, and have Spain posts to share.

Seems like there is so little time to do all the posting we have, right? 

Not My House, Elvira's- Tubac, AZ

I am back to cooking, and preparing vegetarian and simple meals during the week, but I have to say meals like this while traveling are superb moments in one's busy life-

Elvira's is a hot spot in an old-new town of Tubac, with lots of colorful history in Arizona, on the way back into Tucson from Sierra Vista. Tubac was the original Spanish colonial garrison in Arizona. It was depopulated during the O'odham Uprising in the eighteenth century. During the nineteenth century, the area was repopulated by miners, farmers and ranchers, but the town of Tubac is best known today as an artists' colony.

We had Tongue Molcajete with Salsa Verde Sauce- the mortar comes out piping hot, boiling like a volcano, with a side of beans and guacamole. I was apprehensive, but it was good. Tasted like chick...no beef! Strange though...it had bok choy and cubes of tofu- Mex/Asian Fusion I suppose.

I had a spicy- Tamarind sauce over mesquite grilled shrimp on top of pineapple with rice and beans. Was a bit sweet, but I was excited to see the popcorn like topping, Amaranto (Amaranth). Doggybloggy sent me some that is in the freezer, so I have to use it now, or sometime in the future. Added a nice flavor to the dish.

Now the Honey-Prickly Pear Margarita was yummy, along with the sauteed mushrooms we had as a starter in corn tortillas. This is not authentic Mexican, but the spicy habanero salsa had me ordering another one.

Reminds me of visiting Velva of Tomatoes On The Vine- Refreshing and you could almost taste it!

Greens In My Pasta

This may not be a pretty plate of food, but its pretty on the palate. Also a great way to get the greens in with dinner. I saute collard, or a mixture of beet greens and other tops with red onion in some oil and butter, then add fresh tomato sauce. Louis my boss the owner of Amalthea Cellars down in south Jersey always preaches about simplicity of recipes. In his wine and on the plate. His mom, Maria and I work in the kitchen on recipes for the winery tastings, and for my music and poetry gathers he host for me. Tomatoes, basil, onion, salt and pepper are the only thing she puts in her sauce. Let it sit for a few days to meld the flavors. She is right, I have gone back to basics this past summer.

Want extra flavor, add some meatballs, as I have done, ground buffalo with veal.

One thing I have learned moving here to New Jersey, mixed meats make the best meatballs. I grew up on plain beef hamburger, the fatty cheap kind, maybe a few spices, but they were bland. My mother new how I felt, and did not mind when I kicked mine up a notch once I moved out, with garlic and spicy flavors. However she might even like the ones I have learned to make in the past five years.

Pasta is only eaten once or twice a month here in our house, with my not tolerating gluten so well, but I have found one made in Pittsburg, PA- Pen Mac whole wheat. This pasta does not taste like the old versions of whole wheat, and it looks white after cooking. I called them and asked when they would make a gluten free version, and the owner emailed me and said he would work on it. Evidently Pittsburg is quite the pasta and sauce making town. You can order their products on-line if you desire. I have had them sent as gifts to hubby's family.

Locavore Eating- End of the Summer Blues

Farmers markets, wine pairing, and eating local can go hand in hand. If you prepare yourself to feast upon its bounty, and except every bit of what you buy can be incorporated into a meal...then you can help keep your community sustainable.

Purchased: spring onions, beans, zucchini (Vegetable Marrow White Bush variety- creamy greenish color, oblong shape), other green vegetables, Elephant garlic, blueberries and lots of them! Duck breast and cut up chicken from Griggstown (only $1 more than whole), herbs, bread, and so much more!

Had on hand: fennel bulb, mustard, and all the rest of ingredients to make 'Blueberry Chutney' for desserts and sauce for the duck. Sad thing is...we will not see it again until next May.

Terhune Orchards has apple and other fruit available for fresh picking. This is where I got my blueberries for my sauce making, and 'Putting Up'.  I am making plans to jar and sell locally, along with some chili paste I have been selling by the half pound. I plan on staying in the kitchen professionally any way I can, but over the summer I formed a group called Red Dashboard, and we perform my writing, poetry, songs. I was in NYC on Saturday, after getting invited by a Lit Group- Caper Journal.

If you want to hear my work, you can come over to my Creative TMI blog and listen...we need lots of practice, and I am still in the gym (not happy with my body shape), but enjoy; it will only get better...

Open Up The Hatch

Release the flavor of chilies by roasting them is what I am talking about!

This past weekend, my Open Mic crew and I have begun an annual camp out at Parvin State Park. 'Fireside' Open Mic, and I do the cooking. I love it. One summer I was the cook for a Boy Scout camp with my son, and what fun it can be.

Bacon and Asparagus Omeletes for breakfast. Dowel biscuits over the fire. That was a tricky one, no photos of the burnt, stuck to the wood, partially edible mess. Fun memories though.

My father's old tools and camping equipment came in handy- like the hacksaw he may have used in a few heist, uh, I mean work jobs in his business for gathering wood. Our aluminum picnic table I have used for years, and a few TV trays that crack my friends up, because they look retro. Knives with scissors on them for opening up containers...oh, another day, another story.

So we had two options for cooking. A grill up on the deck of the cabin, and a pit fire circle further out. The first day we used the more convenient one upon the deck. I roasted the 'Hatch' chili's I found at Whole Foods. I was so excited when I saw them. Things are moving up here. Before you know it I will have better Tex-Mex, or at least a choice, rather than none. I used some pecan shells, and wood chips I soaked in the wood to do some of the open flame cooking. I brought them back from Arizona Farmers Market.

After putting them in a bag to steam off the skins, I chopped them up and put them into a Quinoa Chili, with sauteed onions, sweet potato (to add some sweetness and balance heat), yellow squash, homemade canned tomatoes, chicken and sausage. Not much meat. I wanted the Hatch flavor to ring out. I added water and the quinoa to thicken it up, make it more filling.

I also cooked fajitas in a grill cage over the open flame with a new concept of smoking I had not done before, and will put that up next...

No photos of the chili- photography for your blog is a tricky thing to explain when it comes to a group of hungry people. So enjoy our beautiful view, and look out for the 'Moderate' Big Foot sighting I photographed on the next post...

I am a selfish b....

Okay, not really! Big WAMPP is over for this year. The winery is an easy gig, so now time to share this and I am making my way over to your blogs this week. Gosh I miss reading  and ingesting all the blogs out there! I miss eating too. Naw, I actually cooked this weekend for my Open Mic crew down at our annual 'Fireside' Camp out! Will share how I got 'Hatch' chili's, and roasted them for...(to be continued)...

By R. Kurt Osenlund, Pennington Post

The weekend festival was the second for the Wine Art Music Poetry Project, a new nonprofit devoted to supporting area artists and performers, and benefiting congenital heart failure research.

On Saturday, Aug. 21, the Straube Center in Pennington played host to the Wine Art Music Poetry Project (WAMPP), an up-and-coming, nonprofit festival set to be held in various spots throughout New Jersey.

Designed to support local artists, musicians, poets, playwrights, authors and wine connoisseurs who may not have another outlet with which to share their passions, WAMPP also raises funds for congenital heart failure research.

“WAMPP is a charity fundraiser that I’ve been wanting to do for years now,” says Elizabeth Stelling, founder of the festival. Ten years ago, Stelling lost her 14-year-old daughter, Anelisa, to heart disease. After going through a serious grief period, Stelling – a writer, artist, performer and chef who moved from Texas to St. Louis then finally to Jersey – was in desperate need of a creative outlet, and wanted to find a way to marry it to a good cause.

Stelling discussed her plans over the years with her artist friends, many of whom she knew through the open mic nights she organized in Princeton.

“They said, ‘when you’re ready, we’ll participate,” Stelling recalls.

And so they have. Saturday’s event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., boasted a full roster of performances, along with a smattering of artists and vendors. Set up through the parking lot and onto the lawn between the Straube Center’s two main buildings, the all-day affair featured a stage at either end, one devoted to music and the other to poetry and book readings.

Among the performers were C.J. Barna, an R&B rock musician who entertained the crowd around 3:30 p.m.; Phil Southard, a singer/songwriter who hit the stage at 4 p.m.; and Ed Hines, a poet-turned-musician who serenaded guests at around 1:30 p.m.

At the poetry stage, local poet and author Phoebe Wilcox read an excerpt from “Recidivist,” her published collection of original poems. Wilcox also mentioned that her new novel, “Angels Carry the Sun,” is due out Sept. 15.

The vendors who lined the path between the stages included Amalthea Cellars of Atco, N.J. (the “official winery” of WAMPP, which hosted the project’s debut event on July 31, and will host its Harvest Event on Oct. 23); a face-painting booth, where Christina Miller of Hightstown drew mini-masterpieces on children’s cheeks; Jeanine DeNitto, a mixed media artist selling quirky, handmade dolls; and Randi Millstein, whose company, Randi’s Gourmet Foods, is especially known for its artisanal biscotti.

“This is totally a volunteer event,” Stelling said. “Nobody’s being paid to do this. They help me and I help them. I like helping the little guy. A lot of these performers were playing in bars and in their living rooms. This gives them a way to bring it out and share it.”

And, of course, it also gives them a way to be part of something that can help sick kids in need. All of the money raised at WAMPP events – which typically advertise a $5 suggested donation – goes toward congenital heart disease foundations and children heart camps. Proceeds from Saturday’s event were donated to the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation.

Stelling says she has big ambitions to bring WAMPP to many locations, and she has targets like New Hope and Lambertville in mind.

“I don’t just want to limit it to music; I want it to be all genres together,” Stelling says. “I want to bring the spirit of open mic – this element of art and music and poetry and wine – all over.”

{Photos and article property of Pennington Post- R. Kurt Osenlund-  Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010}

Oh BTW, I did not say "I like helping the little guy", poetic license from the writer! I said, "Starting open mic gave each of us a chance to come out of the living room after raising kids, or whatever, and dive into our passions of music, poetry, etc... I did it for myself, so I could perform my spoken word writing again! Oh well, I thought it sounded like I was looking down on people, not what I really meant...Oh, and I promise, no more WAMPP post until next year...time to get back to my real job!

Art You Can Eat

Most of my friends in some way or another in the past ten years have been laid off, gone back to school, and tried to re-market themselves in the bad economy (started in Texas ten years ago and followed me to the NE), and only a few have succeeded. Their savings have dwindled, and now are looking at working straight through retirement. Is this true for you? Do you believe the economy is coming back as annalist have said? Have you re-invented yourself? One woman has, and I want to share her story...

My phone rang two weeks ago, and this familiar voice said "E, I think we know each other". After talking about how our lives have changed in two years, the poor economy, so she started her own business, and asked if her products could find their way into the WAMPP Festival. I of course told her "food is art", and she was welcome to join us.

Randi Millstein found herself in a no win situation with her job- not liking what she did and the uncertainty of cut backs. For the first time in her life she toyed with the idea of biting the economy back by working for herself, but how? She noticed a recipe in a Food and Wine magazine for an unusual savory biscotti and thought to herself, this sounds good, and I bet others would like it too.

After tasting her twist on the biscotti, friends and family told her she should sell them. On a shoe string budget she sought out a kitchen, got a certificate to start her business, began experimenting with flavors, sizes, packaging, and Randi's Gourmet Foods was born. The packages are adorned with a small photo of Randi and her trade mark 'colorful' head band, her name, and ingredients. Did I mention they are low fat?

I sat with her as she explained how she mixes and cures her dough one day, pans it up the next, bakes it off, and then packages it for vendor sales. Over time she has learned what works for her, and has taken classes in business start-up. She does all the work herself. Even loads it all up into her car, heads out on Thursday to flea markets, farmer markets, and eventually found her way to WAMPP this past Saturday. People taste her foods and after discovering how good they are, and buy them up. Local is the name of the game these days.

Turns out we knew each other from a food and wine event she attended I had catered two years ago. Watching her move the entire time we talked, I knew I was impressed with her willingness to beat the odds. She brought gourmet art to my festival, and her products are affordable. Randi's Gourmet Foods started with multi flavored biscuits, now moving into crackers, and is on it's way to making a few sweet treats.

The shelf life on this product? At this point it does not matter (around three months, baked fresh weekly)! Why? Because people eat them before they make it home Randi says to me, and then we laugh. Guilty! I might be able to convince her to send you some to try once she expands the business. Now spending the afternoon with her, my wheels have begun to turn on getting my barbecue sauce and chutney in production.

Randi is not rich, but like many of us who work for ourselves, she is happier, and is control of her own destiny! Her future plans? To bring them to the local gourmet markets as soon as she feels the products have been perfected. "Tweak some recipe and business details before I hit the market running", she said handing me another bite of the newest sample of cheese crackers. While crumbs are flying all over my blouse (I am safely sitting far from her work station), I tell her, "my taste buds think they are pretty perfect".

I wonder if I can convince her to make gluten free versions?

Tomorrow 'Partners In Wine Club' is taking her product to a WAMPP Fundraiser someone is having for me, and I am pairing wine with some of her flavors, and will report back next Monday and Tuesday on the wine site!

{Photos taken by E Stelling, and property of CookAppeal, LLC- 2010}