If You Have a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts...

On our trip to San Salvador Island, we stayed at Coconut Cottage which indeed was home to several coconut trees. Not being the kind of people to shy away from a free food source, Alex and Lil collected several big heavy coconuts and commenced to opening.

Extracting the Coconut

They instantly discovered that opening a coconut is a tricky thing. Like a twenty-something that refuses to leave her parent's home, the sweet meat clings to its shell. Two shells, actually.

The outer husk is smooth and thick. Lil beat on it with a length of beach combed bamboo to no avail. Alex tried a rock, then a screwdriver, then the corner of the cement patio, and his knife.

I admit that watching the two of them working at this task over thirty minutes was a bit like watching a pair of monkeys discovering tools. The husk eventually splintered into packed fibrous sections.

Under the husk is the hard dense inner shell. The meat grows attached to this shell but if one shatters it with a hard blow, the nutritious coconut water would be lost. Instead, Alex drove a screw driver through one of the eyes with a hammer.

The resulting water is alluring - sweet, warm, and slightly salty from uptaking ocean water. Proponents herald coconut water as a natural electrolyte replacement. We enjoyed it with lime and rum in a perfect vacation cocktail.

With a few smashes from the hammer and rock, Lil and Alex broke into the shell to reveal bright white meat. (Also the sun came out. Ever changing light makes for challenging photography!)

Fresh coconut meat is juicy, sweet, and filling. It clings ever-tight to the shell. We used our teeth as rasps to shave off the meat and then tried a strong knife to pry off bigger pieces. At the suggestion of Internet guides, we froze some and baked it - the latter proving much more successful at loosening the goodstuff from the shell.

Lil's Field Log Entry

"Coconut isn't what you think it is. It's not just a brown shell. It has food inside that's white that's called coconut meat and some juice inside that's called coconut water. The brown coconut lives in a green big shell that's actually made out of wood. And coconuts grow on trees. Not any kind of trees, palm tree."

More Coconut Fun in the Palms

A coconut tree has more to give than just fruit. The palm fronds are dense, thick material just waiting to be transformed.

Alex's mother Deb, a fiber artist, did not hesitate to collect and start working with them. She first wove with full fronds.

A basket weaver happened to be in town the next day and revealed that Bahamian women typically split the fronds in half and remove the central pin-like fiber before weaving. This allows the fiber to lay flat and be more easily manipulated.

Incorporating this small change, Deb and Lil created several placemats. We dried them outside to be sure that any insects who might be inhabiting them wouldn't take over the house. Stowed in checked luggage, customs officials allowed us to transport them home.

One afternoon, Deb and I worked for nearly an hour to weave two small funky baskets. Souvenir baskets, like the one Lil bought, are constructed of woven fiber fabric.

Fresh coconuts rock. We are thrilled to have enjoyed them on vacation.

NB. The latest National Geographic Magazine reveals that we can mail coconuts, package free! We are totally doing this on our next tropical vacation!

Contrary to what you might think given the pictures, this post was not sponsored by Mechanix Gloves. Alex does think they are "the best work gloves ever" because Mechanix are fitting and allow for maintaining manual dexterity. He always travels with a pair.

Petite Roasted Parsnip Fries {Recipe}

Do you ever prepare a tired ingredient in a new way? The other day we cooked Ohio bison burgers and wanted a 'fry' without potatoes. Riffing off the roasted root vegetables on Lil's plate at Senate, Alex cut up some parsnips into very thin wedges. He arranged them in a single layer on a cookie sheet at roasted them with a thin cover of olive oil, salt and pepper.

My what a wonderous accompaniment! Parsnips roasted in this way are only slightly sweet and full of earthy anise flavor. The fries are crispy on the outside with a bit of bite still in the center. They compliment a rich burger like potato fries cannot.

This recreation of a common root vegetable makes me think a little harder about parsnips. I haven't explored them fully. Perhaps 2012 will be the year of the parsnip.

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Simplest Oven Roasted Squash Soup {Recipe}

Earlier this week, we were slated to bring a soup to family dinner with Alex's parents. I spied our last local pie pumpkin languishing on the counter and thought of squash soup. I typically make winter squash soup by oven roasting the squash, sautéing onions and garlic in oil, and then pureeing everything together. This time I was exhausted from another bout of sinus pain. I didn't feel like dicing the onion and happened upon another thought - what if I roasted everything together?

The lazy girl's inclination turned out to be a stroke of brilliance. Pumpkin halves, onion, garlic, and parsnip bathed in an oil-rubbed sauna for about 40 minutes while I put my feet up and watched a football bowl game. On the second rack of the oven, I roasted the pumpkin seeds.

Then I simply scraped all the slightly charred, softened vegetables into a pot and added stock from the freezer and herbs from the backyard. I whizzed the soup smooth with the immersion blender and topped with roasted seeds. The resulting soup is earthy and rich with caramelized flavors from the roasted vegetables.

I've been at this home cooking thing for a long time and I don't usually change much about the way I make traditional dishes. But sometimes the simplest thing surprises me. I'll never make squash soup the old way again.

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Added to Simple Lives Thursday #77.

Maple Cider Vinegar Kale & Sweet Potatoes ala Skillet {Recipe}

Way back in August when the grass was green and the weather sticky hot, Flying J Farm opened its (barn) doors to host the Shake the Hand that Feeds You dinner benefiting Slow Food Columbus. Alex, Lil, and I attended with our Japanese exchange student Anna.

Chefs from Skillet Rustic. Urban. Food expertly cooked up much of the feast including a lingua appetizer sandwich that helped inspire our sweet heart charcuterie. The family-style meal included a whole roast pig, tomato salad, rosemary potatoes, braised cabbage, and our favorite dish of the night, sweet potatoes and kale.

Chef Casey's pairing of my favorite vegetable, kale, and nutritious sweet potatoes was a new combination to me. Every time I eat at Skillet R.U.F. I am struck by their simple brilliance and want to recreate dishes at home.

Six months after the Flying J dinner, I chopped the last of our homegrown sweet potatoes to share with family on Christmas Eve. I prepped the vegetables early in the day and cooked them together just before guests arrived. I covered the dish to keep warm during cocktails.

The sweet, earthy, toothsome kale and sweet potatoes were a tasty accompaniment to our roast goose and mushroom pie. The leftovers kept well. Alex suggests that these kale and sweet potatoes topped with a poached egg would be an amazing simple dinner. I agree and know this dish will make its way onto a meal plan soon.

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Maple Cider Vinegar Kale & Sweet Potatoes Time: 15 minutes preparation, 20 minutes cooking Makes: 6 side dish servings

1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 red onion, sliced into two-inch pieces 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced into one-inch pieces 1 large bunch kale, leaves washed well, removed from ribs, and chopped/torn into large chunks 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste) 10-20 grinds white pepper (to taste) 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions. 2. When onions have begun to turn translucent, add sweet potatoes and turn up the heat. Cook for 10 minutes, tossing or gently stirring regularly. 3. Add kale pieces, salt, and pepper. Stir gently and reduce heat back to medium. Cook for five minutes or until kale starts to wilt. 4. Pour maple syrup and apple cider vinegar over the mix. Continue cooking until sweet potatoes are cooked through. Serve warm.

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PS. Need a little reassurance that summer will come again? Relive Shake the Hand that Feeds You through pictures.

Added to Simple Lives 76.

Holiday 2011 Gift Guide

Need a gift for a person who appreciates the provenance of presents? Here are eleven fun, unique ideas from central Ohio:

1) Little Alouette makes the most beautiful baby gifts, period. This holiday they offer personalized teethers, rocking horses, and a stunning nativity set.

2) I picked up a Zeroz Wallet for myself this fall and I am totally in love with the ultra-simple, sleek, handmade-in-Columbus design. It seems unreasonable that someone could improve on something as basic as a wallet, but Zeroz has done it.

3) A week ago, Tulane Road Pottery delivered an invitation to their holiday open house. We walked all of four blocks to the backyard studio and admired the earthy, architectural ceramic ware. A Tulane Road handmade plate, bowl, mug or piggy bank would make a handsome gift.

4) Thurns Meat Samplers - This year Thurn's Speciality Meats, 530 Greenlawn Ave., is offering gift packs for the holiday season, all under $20.00. Your choice of bacon, smoked sausage, jerky, or party sampler will include meats vacuum packed for easy transportation and packaged in a gift bag.

5) Did you know that central Ohio is home to a nationally recognized handcrafted stoneware manufacturer? Hartstone Pottery in Zanesville creates freezer-microwave-dishwasher-oven-safe dishes from USA clay and adds lead-free hand-painted details. I use my tall mug for coffee or tea every day. Visit their location for factory tours and a complete store or shop online with 30% off through next Friday.

6) If don't receive a pair of foodie earrings from Sweet Stella Designs this xmas, I'm buying them for myself. Amy makes miniature confections out of polymer clay that look almost good enough to eat. Find a Sweet Stella dessert accoutrement at What the Rock?! and Wholly Craft, or the MAC Holiday Sale, see below.

7) Igloo Letterpress and The Hills Market collaborated to make a touching, limited edition, Hand that Feeds You poster. Pick yours up at either location for just $25.

8 ) For the sweets lover, grab a Sassafras Bakery Gift Package of handmade from-scratch cookies, brownies, or bars. AJ will be serving up her holiday menu through December 23 for pickup in Worthington or Gahanna or you can pick up individual treats at Bexley Coffee Shop, Market 65, or The Hills Market.

9) Anyone who loves dining out in Columbus needs Nick Decker's book, Breakfast with Nick. In it, he profiles breakfast joints and places that serve coffee and eats all day.

10) Family and friends who appreciate fine drinks will certainly enjoy the best of central Ohio's spirits. I suggest Watershed Gin, Brothers Drake Apple Pie Mead, or OYO Whiskey.

11) For the person who has everything, try a gift certificate to North Market, Franklin Park Conservatory,or Columbus Food Adventures or a gift basket from Celebrate Local or Hills Market. If you are feeling charitable instead of material, try a donation to Local Matters, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, the Mid-Ohio Food Bank or Slow Food Columbus.

What local gifts are you giving this year?

The Lenghtiest Homegrown Staple: Dry Beans

Have you ever made homegrown dried beans?

It's a lengthy and annoying process, in my opinion. I do it every year because I just can't stand to waste.

Here's how it goes:

I try to pick fresh green beans I grow every few days. We like the little sweet ones.

Beans are prolific. The bright green leave camouflage the slender green sickles. I miss many that then grow too big for us to enjoy fresh.

What's a lazy girl to do? Leave them on the vine, growing until they are full of fat beans. I leave them there while they whither. I don't pick until the leaves themselves have withered and I'm tired of looking at the whole mess.

Finally, after a few days without rain, I pick all the pods. I dry them further outside (where sometimes I forget to bring them in and they mold, see the dragon tongue yield on right) or in the house in a big bowl.

Weeks later, or when I can't stand the big bowl sitting around any more, I harvest the beans by hand. I crack each papery husk and remove the dry beans inside. It takes an hour or more to select the edible from the inedible. I leave them in open topped containers, stirring occasionally, to be sure the beans are truly dry before pantry storage.

The metal bowl above was filled to overflowing with bean pods and look at the tiny yield: a half pint jar of Kentucky pole beans, a half pint jar of another bean, and a scant few tablespoons of dragon tongues beans (left to right in top picture).

Harvesting homegrown dry beans, a timely process, makes me appreciate how inexpensive they are at the store. Freshly dried beans have fantastic texture and I will enjoy my tiny quantity. I just can't see trying to grow them for dry storage in any quantity without processing equipment.

How to Cook a Perfect Whole Bird

Thanksgiving is a little over a week away. This week I'll share some of my favorite recipes. Cooking a whole bird is a beautiful thing. The cook has the ability to infuse the meat with distinct flavors and a whole bird can feed a family for many meals. Use these techniques for a perfect Thanksgiving turkey, family style chicken dinner, or delicate individual game hens.

Brine - A sugar/salt brine infuses the bird with flavorful juices. (2-18 hours)

Make one by boiling one half gallon (8 cups) water and adding one cup kosher salt and one half cup sugar, boiled to dissolve and then cool it with one half gallon (8 cups) ice. You can add aromatics such as bay leaf, peppercorns, whole allspice, or orange peels once the brine is made.

Soak the bird in brine for a time appropriate to the thickness of the breast. For a fresh (or thawed frozen) bird, leave the bird in brine for the appropriate length of time: game hen - 2 hours, fryer chicken - 6 hours, roaster chicken - 8 hours, turkey - 12+ hours. Brine is optional but greatly enhances the flavor and juicy-ness of the bird.

Stuff - Add flavor to a bird by stuffing the cavity and skin with aromatics. Stuffing with bread filling is not recommended by the USDA and extends cooking time, which can dry the meat. (10 minutes)

Fill but do not over-stuff the cavity with quartered onions, fresh herbs, or citrus. Slide a finger between the breast and skin and place butter and/or herbs under the skin for a more delicious and juicy bird. Stuffing is totally optional.

Truss - Tie up the bird’s legs to cook evenly and not dry out. (5 minutes)

Using a 2 foot length of butcher’s twine or plain cotton string, tie the feet together. Push the tail fat under the legs inside the cavity. Then, drive a bamboo skewer between the two wings and through the bird so that they are held closely to the rest of the bird.

Roast Hot and Fast - Low and slow methods work well for fat-marbled meats, which turkey, chicken and the like are not. Instead, roast at a high temperature to brown the skin, reduce temperature and do not over-cook. NB: Fatty water fowl should be steamed before roasting. (1-3 hours)

Thaw your bird to room temperature. Place it atop a few chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, onion) or directly in a roasting pan, breast side up. Optionally, rub with olive oil or butter. Sprinkle skin with salt and pepper.

Put the pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-25 minutes until skin is browned. Drop the temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking until the meat reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest part of the breast. Be sure you are not hitting bone when you measure temperature. Do not rely on pop-up gauges.

Rest - Allowing meat to rest is the most overlooked part of cooking. This step is absolutely necessary for the protein to cool and seize up the juices. (5-20 minutes)

A whole turkey should rest for at least 20 minutes, a chicken 10, and a game hen 5. Rest out of the oven on a cutting board.

Carve - Use a very sharp knife and bold strokes to carve a bird. (10-15 minutes)

First, break shoulder to wing joint. Carve through the wing at the shoulder joint to remove the wing. Split into wing and drum if you wish. Next, cut the breast pieces off, leaving skin in tact. Set aside and slice later. Then, remove the leg and thighs from the hip by breaking and cutting through the joint. If desired cut between leg and thigh at the knee joint.

Savor - The drippings and carcass of a bird can yield several more dishes. (20 minutes - days)

For gravy, skim fat from pan drippings. Heat drippings over medium heat. Add a slurry of water and flour slowly. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens.

Pick bits of meat off the carcass for making into salad, soup, or sandwiches.

To make stock, cover the carcass with water in a wide roasting pan with an onion, halved, celery chunks, and carrots. Cook at 200 degrees F in the oven for 8 hours. Strain the resulting stock, skim fat from top, and use in soup, risotto, or sauce. Stock can be frozen for up to one year.

This tutorial was part of the instruction at a recent cooking class. The participants there had plenty of questions. Do you?

Added to Hearth and Soul.

Kokoborrego Sheep's Milk Cheese Company {Farm Tour}

On a crisp day last month, I visited Kokoborrego Cheese Company at the Sippel Family Farm with friends Bethia Woolf of Columbus Food Adventures and Faith Durand of The Kitchn. We took the hour-long drive north of Columbus to discover more about Ohio's first sheep's milk creamery.

Why Cheese?

After many years running the popular Sippel Family Farm vegetable CSA, Lisa and Ben Sippel searched for an additional, less seasonal, artisanal product. At the same time, Lisa's brother Ben Baldwin wanted to move out of the corporate restaurant management game. They found their calling to make cheese together at a workshop by Peter Dixon, a Vermont-based food educator.

The Sippels established a flock of East Fresian cross sheep in autumn 2010 and began their creamery in February 2011.

Ben Baldwin, primary cheesemaker, explained that "sheep's milk more naturally wants to be a cheese", which is why they turned to establishing a flock of sheep in addition to making cheese from a nearby family farm's cow milk. Besides, no one else in Ohio is making sheep's cheese and Lisa saw a market niche.

The name Kokoborrego comes from the Kokosing river headwaters near the farm and the Spanish word for sheep. Cheese variety names also reflect central Ohio terroir; Headwaters, Moraine, Whetstone, and Owl Creek all refer to local land and water features.

How the Cheese is Made

Ewes give milk twice daily in their 180-240 day lactation season from approximately March to September. At peak lactation, the Sippels get one gallon of milk per sheep per day. Ben Sippel is the primary milker. Ben also manages the grazing land for the ewes who eat local hay in the barn and spelt in the milking parlor.

With a heard of thirty five, Ben Baldwin makes small batches of cheese by hand three days a week.

The process begins when a culture is added to the raw milk and left to work its magic for one hour. During this time the culture multiplies and changes the flavor of the milk while dropping acidity. Lower acid milk has higher yield but if acidity dips too low, the flavor is off putting.

When pH reaches the cheese-maker's desired level, Ben gently stirs in rennet. Rennet is a naturally occurring enzyme that flocculates or separates solids from liquids in the milk.

After thirty minutes or so, the milk has flocculated and it's time to cut curds. When curds are fully developed, Ben stirs the cheese for approximately thirty minutes to develop texture.

Next Ben drains the whey and forms cheese into molds. He presses the molds in the devise pictured above to further release liquid. After a few hours in the molds, the cheese is released and aged for up to six months in a climate controlled room.

Future at Kokoborrego

The Sippels are concerned with making their farm a sustainable system and providing unique high quality products to the market. They hope to double the size of their sheep flock and make cheese more frequently in the next year.

They are adding pigs to the farm. Pigs will eat the whey (which is now poured on compost heaps) and eventually be processed and sold as artisanal pork.

While the current Kokoborrego cheese lineup is very successful, the cheesemakers are experimenting with Parmesan, Manchego and feta style cheese. A small supply of brie sold out in short time this summer.

Food lovers in Columbus can find Kokoborrego at several grocers and restaurants. Distributors in Cleveland and Chicago make the cheese available beyond central Ohio.

Bethia details more about the cheese styles and where to find them in her article Kokoborrego Cheese Company on Columbus Food Adventures.

Have you tried Ohio's first sheep's milk cheese?