Cider Pressing, Thanksgiving Turkeys & Winter Markets

Cider Pressing Party This Saturday, November 6, we will host a casual cider pressing party at our home, 349 Tibet Rd Columbus OH 43202.  Drop in between 2 and 4 p.m. to help make cider, have a taste or two, make apple rings, and play at the homestead.

We'll have a donation jar out for anyone who cares to contribute to the cost of the apples and the press.

Local Turkeys Available for Pre-order

It's time to talk turkey again.  Many specialty grocers and groups are pre-ordering locally raised birds.  Here are some of your options:

Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association - Pasture raised at Fox Hollow Farm and Tea Hill Farm ($3.79/#), pre-order by November 6.

Hills Market - Amish ($1.99/#), Bowman and Landes ($2.99/#), or Pastured Organic from Tea Hill($4.99/#)

Weilands Market - Bowman and Landes, pre-made turkey dinners

North Market Poultry and Game - Bowmand and Landes

Winter Farmer's Markets

Locally grown produce, meats, and handmade goods are available year round at a number of indoor farmer's markets.  Many are opening this week including:

Columbus Winter Farmer's Market - Held roughly every other week at the Clintonville Women's Club, 3941 N High St Columbus 43214 starting this Saturday, November 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pearl Alley - The 2010- 2011 Winter Pearl Market will be held every Tuesday & Friday from 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. from Tuesday November 2 through Friday February 25, 2011.  Location: 33 N. Third Street

Worthington - Open November 20, December 11, and every Saturday January 8 through April 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Griswold Center, 777 N High St. Worthington

and of course the North Market is open 7 days a week.

If I am forgetting any turkey sources or winter markets, please let me know in the comments or by email so I can update this list!

PS.  THANK YOU to all who voted for Issue 4 to fund Columbus libraries.  It passed!

Free and Low Cost Landscaping Goods

There are several opportunities for gardeners to improve their landscape this week at little to no cost: On November 1, visit supermarkets for free straw.  Our closest grocery uses straw bales to display pumpkins and then gives them away after Halloween.  We use straw to protect our strawberries from frost/thaw heaving, to mix in garden beds, and for chicken run bedding.

Word on the street (aka twitter) is that the Columbus Habitat for Humanity ReStore has large bags of organic top soil for $2, quite a steal.  They almost always have scrap lumber, spare patio stones, and paint for fall home and garden improvement projects.

Locals can check out the Chadwick Arboretum Fall Tree sale next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  They have a long list of native trees and shrubs available for purchase at very low cost.  If I had more growing space, I would be interested in the butternut ($10), pawpaw ($15) and persimmon ($15) trees, all favorites of edible forest gardening expert David Jacke.

If you aren't lucky enough to have a university sponsored arboretum nearby, keep an eye on your local nursery.  This is the time of year that many fruit trees are marked at clearance prices.  Given a little bit of care over the winter, fruit trees will return to life in the spring.

Go forth and love your landscape this autumn!

Apple Pie Jam

In early September, I agreed to host a canning demonstration at Oakland Nursery's Fall Festival.  I said I would make a local fruit jam, figuring that I would pick up something in season the day before at the farmer's market. With very warm early fall temperatures, fruits ripened far ahead of what's typical for this season.  I looked at several markets this weekend and could only find one Ohio fruit ripe and available: apples.

Thus, the invention of apple pie jam.  Spiced gently with cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and sweetened with brown and white sugar, this jam is reminiscent of apple pie filling.  Spread on buttery crackers or toast, apple pie jam is a great way to treat yourself to fall flavors year round.

Apple Pie Jam

For four to five half pints:

8 cups finely diced or shredded peeled apples of at least two varieties 1 cup water 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 5 teaspoons calcium water (comes with Pomona's Pectin) 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup white sugar 5 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, combine apples, water, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and calcium water.  Heat over medium heat until apples are tender, approximately 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, mix sugars with Pomona's pectin. 3. Bring apple mix to a boil. 4. Stir in sugars and pectin. 5. Return to a boil for one minute, stirring constantly. 6. Turn off heat. 7. Immediately ladle into sterilized half pint jars.  Leave 1/4 inch head space. Screw on two part lids. 8. Process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Remove from water and let rest for 24 hours to fully set. 9. Store sealed jars at room temperature. Once opened, store in refrigerator and eat within three weeks.

This recipe added to Hearth and Soul blog hop.

Wordless Wednesday: Jeni's Ice Cream Tour

I've never posted a Wordless Wednesday before but today, still suffering from a sinus infection, a post with few words sounds like a good idea.

"When we spin sugar, it's by eye and sight.  When we layer Askinosie Chocolate, it's by hand."

"Butterfat is this perfect flavor carrier. It melts at body temperature so flavor is released to your mouth and nose."

"We are friends with our farmers and our farmers are friends with us.  We hold each other accountable for quality and for paying fairly."

These are pictures from yesterday's tour of the Jeni's Ice Cream production facility in Columbus Ohio. It was offered as part of Local Matters Local Foods week. The quotes are from Jeni Britton Bauer, dairy heir of Jeni's and founding member of Local Matters. More events are scheduled for the rest of the week including what promises to be an exciting local drinks tasting at House Wine Thursday evening and the Harvest Ball Friday.

It's Local Foods Week!

Local Matters has declared the next seven days Local Foods Week.  They have arranged a plethora of local food activities including a Market to Market ride going on now.  Alex, Lil, and I have tickets for the Jeni's Tour Tuesday and I'm trying to figure out how to catch Brother's Drake Meadery at one of their tastings.

I am leading a canning demonstration at Oakland Nursery's newly renovated education space on Sunday October 10 from 12 - 1 pm during their fall festival. Come drop in and taste some homemade jams!

If you're up for it (we are!) take part in the Local Matters Eat Local Challenge this week for a chance to win prizes while eating delicious local food.

Cleveland is also hosting a local foods week October 2 - 10 with activities that make me want to flee northward.

I know everyone was carefully planning local foods week to coincide with my thirtieth birthday on Saturday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than eating delicious locally grown foods. This week will be Oh So Good!

Perch, Peach, Pierogi & Polka Festival

When I heard about the Perch Peach Pierogi & Polka Festival in Port Clinton Ohio, I had to go. Sometimes I am drawn to things for unexplainable reasons, although alliteration always appeals. My family was already planning to be in the area for our annual Labor Day campout.  We often take at least one day trip away from East Harbor State Park and this year the festival became our outing.

On Saturday September 4, my mom and I battled 15 - 25 mph headwinds to bike our way there, a little over 8 miles.  The rest of the troops arrived by car.

The festival was just getting started when we arrived so we took the opportunity to order food in short lines after paying $3 per adult admission.  The menu was limited to nearly exactly what was advertised: perch dinner or sandwich, pierogis, peach cobbler, a few beverages, and, strangely, pizza.  Patrons bought tokens for each food item and then delivered tokens to the cafeteria style service tables.

The pierogis were delicious, if only of the standard potato and onion variety.  Very uniform in appearance, they were either frozen from a big manufacturer or possibly fresh from a smaller place. I found myself wanting for pepper to cut the heavy butter sauce.

The perch was fresh caught Lake Erie Yellow Perch, perfectly deep fried.  The accompanying fries were fresh too.  The complimentary side of coleslaw was over sweetened but edible.

We debated the homemade-ness of the peach cobbler.  The peaches were undoubtedly fresh and probably from a local grower.  The pie crust tasted less homemade, but thick and buttery to be sure.  The dessert large enough to share was topped with your choice of vanilla or peach Tofts ice cream, a creamery local to Sandusky Ohio.

I would never consider myself a judge of polka music, but the band playing when we were there was well synched, in tune, and fun to listen to.  Surprisingly the polka was the most enjoyable part of the festival for me; there were some serious and perhaps competitive dancers who were a joy to watch.

Will I hit up the 'quad P' fest next year? Most likely not. It was an entertaining afternoon but no part was so outstanding or exciting that I feel a need to return soon. However, if you happen to be near Port Clinton on the first weekend in September, it is worth a stop at least once.

Announcing Hounds in the Kitchen Fall 2010 Classes

Are you mystified by canning?  Seeking great sausages?  Curious about cooking with children? Look no further than the Hounds in the Kitchen Fall 2010 class schedule for hands on workshops, tours, and more to excite you about the harvest season.

Email me with any questions you may have.  I hope to see you at a class soon!

Kid’s Day at the Hills Sat. August 21, 11 am—1 pm. Hills Market. FREE

Kid friendly demonstrations and taste stations.  I am making tortillas with any child who wants to help!

Harvest Homestead Tour Sat. September 11, 11 am —1 pm.  Our home, 349 Tibet Rd. 43202.  FREE

Tour our homestead at harvest time.  We’ll share dishes preserved throughout the summer’s bounty.

Kids Cook Awesome Apples Thurs. September 16, 4:30 –6 pm North Market Dispatch Kitchen. $25

Did you know there is a hidden star in every apple?  Children will learn where the star lies and three distinct ways to enjoy local autumn apples in this class for 4 to 8 year olds.  Participants will practice peeling, measuring and mixing while making fresh apple slaw, apple stuffed squash and apple upside down cake.  Register online or call 614-463-9664.

Home Charcuterie Sat. September 18, noon —2 pm.  349 Tibet Rd 43202.  $35

In this class Alex and I will discuss and share fresh and cured meats.  Then, the group will grind, mix, and stuff three types of sausage from local meats.  Participants take home 2 pounds!  Email me to register for limited spots.

Kids Cook Pounds of Pumpkins Thurs. October 14 4:30 –6 pm North Market Dispatch Kitchen. $25

4-8 year olds will puree, pound, and pierce while creating roasted pumpkin soup, spiced pumpkin muffins, and pint-sized pumpkin pies. Register online or call 614-463-9664.

Applesauce Making and Canning Sun. October 24 2 - 4 pm.  Our home, 349 Tibet Rd. 43202 $10

Give yourself the gift of autumn flavor for anytime of year!  In this class we will make and can applesauce from Ohio apples.  Each participant will go home with a jar to enjoy.  Email me to register for limited spots.

Regular readers will note that weekly Kids Cook classes are not on the schedule.  I'm putting them on hiatus this autumn while I work on some professional development.  Please consider enrolling your children in one of the North Market classes listed above.

fo/mo/deep & Soul Food at Goodale Park Music Series Sunday!

The free Goodale Park Music Series continues this Sunday August 15 with fo/mo/deep, a funky soul band. The band will play from 12:30 - 2 pm at the gazebo shelter.Last year, a potluck naturally evolved during these concerts.  This year the food sharing is more formalized and I am honored to be one of the food blogger hosts for the potluck.  Anyone who wants to partake of the potluck is asked to bring a dish in the soul food theme (or any theme you want) and plates and silverware for yourself.  Get comfortable with a lawn chair or blanket too. I will pull kale from our garden for a big batch of greens with Alex's home-cured bacon.  I plan to make a vegan black eyed pea salad as well.

All concerts are free and family friendly.  Alex and Lil will be with me - we hope to see you there!

Here's what other food bloggers are saying about the potlucks and concert series:

CMH Gourmand (2009)

CMH Gourmand (2010 with hotdog talk)

Columbus Foodie

Hungry Woolf

Itinerant Foodies

Restaurant Widow

Taco Trucks Columbus