Tuesday, July 03, 2007

My One Local Summer: week two meal


Not dinner yet

I ask myself this question on occasion: Am I an epicure?

I hesitate to answer it in the positive for many reasons. Mainly, I don't think I am there yet. (And also, can I really be an epicure if I deny myself the pleasure of animal flesh?) Yes, 'tis true, I do have high standards. I mean, hell, I moved my family from the city to the country so I could GROW SOME FOOD. And at restaurants, I have a very low threshold for the mediocre: if I am paying for a meal, especially now that good meals are hard to find, that meal better sing. But I mainly answer in the negative (so far) because, in essence, I am asking myself, Am I Insufferable Yet?

This was last night's fare. (It was my birthday, so I cooked for five.) Beets are coming in, and boy, do I love them. Crepes are easy yet people think they're magical. Feta. I made my first feta ever with milk from my goat guy. And fava beans. They never do really well for me, yet, like a spurned lover, I keep planting them, year after year, and tend them with such care. Oh, and salad. We're at the point here where our salads are bigger than the salad spinner can take.

Buckwheat crepes: ground buckwheat from last year's planting; eggs from Bea and Bonnie; local whole wheat flour; stock from last year's veggies; salt and butter not local.

Beet filling: Chioggia and Detroit Red beets and their greens; Walla Walla onions; hardneck garlic; Italian parsley, Par-cel cutting celery, garlic scapes and onion greens as garnish. All from the garden.

Crepe topping: Stock, goat-milk feta.

Salad: Speckled romaine, Amish deer tongue, bibb, arugula, cress, onion greens, garlic scapes and the last of the peas, with vinaigrette made from last year's scallions, garden herbs and local gone-bad red wine

Favas: Just butter.

Dessert: Mom made a tart cherry pie, with some of my local flour, Michigan sugar, and local (to her) cherries.

Beverages: Local wines from Tabor Hill.


Dinner.

14 comments:

Matt said...

I grew fava beans this year for the first time and they did really well, but they are so darn hard to prepare to eat. I'm not sure they are worth it.

meresy_g said...

I've never grown fava beans. I'm not sure I've ever even eaten one. I think you can be an epicure while eschewing animal flesh. The Moosewood people are certainly gourmands. Your meal looks fabulous, espcially the crepes.

Anonymous said...

Wow! That sure looks yummy.

Anonymous said...

Too too funny.

So, it sounds like you want someone to tell you that you are insufferable. Well... based on what I read here... it seems clear that...

naw... you aren't insufferable.

But you a dman-straight foodie. I'll say THAT.

Gullebarn said...

Wow! That looks yummy. I love cheese like that.

I am not sure how I am supposed to notify people when I have my week's meal up -- or do you check everyone's blogs? I went ahead and created a new blog for my OLS meals, to keep things simple. The new blog is at http://www.blackhills.wordpress.com The old blog was www.gullebarn.blogspot.com -- I hope that doesn't get too confusing!
Thanks!
Evie from South Dakota

Liz said...

oooo.... that looks damn fine.

I grew favas once. good, but sooo much work to get something edible.

(have I wished you a happy birthday yet? If not, happy birthday. ;)

El said...

FGLB: I know, it's surprising how many steps are required to cook them. But it's LOVE here, man.

M: Thanks! Guess I am looking for some affirmation. (And crepes are easy.)

Jules: it was. No leftovers for the kid's lunch the next day, sniff.

Hank: Ah. So I am not yet an INSUFFERABLE foodie.

Evie: Don't worry, I found you just fine. Liz gave me some tips.

Liz: you did, but I don't mind another birthday wish. And yeah, like I told Matt above, they're work, but that somehow makes them all the more precious (or so it seems to me).

Leslie said...

Makes my mouth water, El.

Unknown said...

I vote you an epicure for sure... :)

El said...

Leslie and Kim: it's the persuasive power of beets, I am sure! I just adore them; so pretty, so useful. I can them, too, so they're enjoyed (mostly by a piggish me) through the year.

Stacie said...

for me, the beets are my spurned lover! i plant em every year, but they never grow!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi El, I love those beets too : )
Thank you for all the nice things you say on the roundup, what a job it is to go gather. Yes we have had a time with our flood and all.

On this weeks OLS on the roundup it clicks on to my last weeks dinner I made, I made a spaghetti and buffalo dish this last time.
I did get my weeks mixed up and srated a week earlier,lol. I changed it so my blog yesterday is week 2. If you can change it to click into yesterday blog that will be great. Thank you again and yes , got to keep an eye on hubby. I waited tell he was out mowing, did the dinner and photo shoot and then rang the diiner bell : ) tc enjoying your blog and others too!!!!
linda from MO

Anonymous said...

My link didn't show up, its Monday!!!!

http://360.yahoo.com/walkabout202004

hope this works
thanks

mary grimm said...

I'm trying to get my nerve up to make my own cheese--I'm dying to try it. Maybe when we have a cool day or 2.