Herb of The day- Dill

If you keep dill chopped , you'll have a endless supply of tasty leaves with sharp and refreshing flavors. Dill is extremely good with cucumbers in salads , as well as with fish like salmon and trout. Dill is also extremely beneficial for digestion.

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Farm to table cookbooks that are great reads!

Outstanding In The Fields

With more than 100 seasonal recipes, resources, menu suggestions, and farmers’ stories, Jim Denevan and Marah Stets bring their farm-to-table philosophy to our kitchens in Outstanding in the Field: A Farm to Table Cookbook (Random House Inc., $32.50). Since 1999, chef Denevan has been traveling the U.S. in “an intermittently reliable 1953 Flexible bus” named Outstanding, hosting dinners where dinner has never been served—from a Manhattan city garden to a coastal cave in California. He sheds light on the importance of knowing those who feed us, and that the farmers who grow our food are as important to good eating as the chefs who cook it. Perfect for the locavore cook.

The Organic Food Shoppers Guide In The Organic Food Shopper’s Guide (Wiley, John & Sons, $14.95).

Jeff Cox cultivates your knowledge of organic shopping, cooking and eating. Here are the answers to all those questions that come up at the farmers market. What to buy? How to store it? How long does it keep? Organic food is one of the fastest growing food trends among consumers and chefs alike. Cox covers all the basics with entries on more than 100 organic foods, from fruits and vegetables to meat and fish, as well as coffee and chocolate. His detailed tips on shopping by season, organic advantages and uses, preparation and nutrition make this book the essential companion for any organic food shopper. Perfect for the farmers market shopper

These may be purchased at www.barnesandnoble.com or any fine book store.

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Winter Gardening Down Under

Rhubarb-This is a perennial but plants generally only produce well for a few years, and then fresh plants need to be started from subdivided crowns planted late winter or early spring and it is very hardy.

Lettuce- Only plant Winter varieties of lettuces (cos, salad bowl,oakleaf, butterhead and mignonette varieties Asparagus. Prepare your bed before you buy the crowns to plant late Winter - early Spring. Since this is a perennial which can last for up to 20 years it is well worth the effort of establishing properly. It needs good drainage and can be planted very successfully in a raised bed It likes compo stand well rotted manure. Seaweed is an excellent mulch.The crowns are planted in a trench, but with the roots straddling a ridge. Cover so that dormant shoots are about4cm below surface. Do not harvest spears in the first year,and only harvest for a few weeks in the second year.Remember this is a long-term investment.

 

Currants- These are easy bushes to grow in Canberra as they withstand very cold weather and don't mind heavy clay soil. They produce a fruit rarely available commercially.They need to be pruned in winter to remove dead wood and allow for good air circulation.

 

OTHER POSSIBILITIES Growers may wish to start a number of crops in late winter rather than early Spring if the winter is mild or if they have a sheltered garden bed Such crops include Artichokes (Globe and Jerusalem), Beetroot, Cabbage,Carrots, Potatoes and Radish.Frost-sensitive vegetables such as Capsicum, Eggplant and Tomatoes can be started early in August but may Need a heated glasshouse or warm spot to germinate and will almost certainly need protection when planted out.

OUR THANKS TO http://www.cogs.asn.au/articles/winter.pdf FOR THE GROWING TIPS.

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Wine 101

This week I wanted to introduce all of you new foodies to pairing food with wine. A great foundation to that is to have a general idea on how to pair different wines with different meats. I will try to give you guy a basic idea of how to do that.

Beef

Whether you're serving plain rump steak or a complex casserole, you'll need a rich robust red wine that will pick up the distinctive meaty flavors of beef.

• Bordeaux - Rich, red and full of flavor, this is the classic partner for a juicy steak.
• Burgundy - In a casserole, the texture of beef is much softer, so a lighter bodied, milder red is required.

Pork

Pork can be cooked and served in a variety of ways, and the cooking method will definitely dictate the type of wine that you will need.

• Chianti - For marinated, barbecued pork, choose a wine that will compliment the charcoal flavor.
• Rioja - Roast pork requires a full bodied red such as Rioja.
• Valpolicella - If you are serving pork with sweetened apple sauce, this Italian wine will be delicious.

Lamb

Roast young lamb is far more different in texture and more subtle in flavor than mature lamb. Choose the wine you pair with it accordingly. If you tend to use mint sauce with your lamb you it in moderation, because it tends to clash with most wines.

• Grenache - A blend of Syrah is I=ideal for a roast spring lamb dish.
• Bordeaux -A Pomerol from Bordeaux is best with older lamb. It has a rich, deep flavor but it is relatively low in tannin and acidity.

Veal

You can judge veal by the color of the meat. The whiter the meat the more tender and delicately flavored, in which case it is likely that it will need to be paired with a lighter wine.

• Vonvray - Fine dry and off-dry, white wines are good with white veal.
• Bordeaux -A rich red brings out the more defined flavors of darker veal.
• Souve - This light dry wine works well if the veal is served with a creamy white wine sauce.

Charcuterie

Choose your wine according to the kind of meat and the nature of the sausage mixture. A heavily spiced sausage might prove difficult to match with white wine.

• Shiraz -Very full-bodied and ripe in flavor, this works well with most types of sausages.
• Cote d' Rhône' -A hearty red is the best accompaniment to a good flavorful sausage, cold meats, salami and other preserved meats are often very strongly flavored and are best paired with a rich red. The fat content of meats is more apparent when cold, so you want to choose a more acidic wine then usual.
• Rhone - Aromatic and full-bodied wines from this region are great with all cold meats.
• Pinot Noir -Choose a Californian or a New World variety for maximum compatibility.

 

I hope these tips help you, if only to understand the importance of pairing wine and food. They compliment each other. So you can achieve the best flavors when they are enjoyed together. Let's face it, what's better than some good friends enjoying some great food with a terrific bottle of your favorite wine.

 

Food of Love Chef Tre' Donte'

* Wine Essential – (used as a reference)

 

Technorati Tags: wine, pairings, food, chef, pinot noir, bordeax, syrah, shiraz, veal, beef, grenache, lamb, pork, wine pairings

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What my goal is with this blog

I love cooking! I love the feeling I get when I create something wonderful and can share that with my friends and love ones. I have become more and more conscience of the way foods are produced and cared for, which inspired me to do as much as I possibly can to bring awareness and inspiration to you my friends. I will be using this blog for several uses. I primarily hope to use it for the cause of healthy eating and to support local farm , Farmer's markets and local eateries who support farm to plate cooking and local operations between each other. I am a private chef and I am encourage to do the same in my day to day meal preparations and shopping. I hope you will give me your constant input and ideas. Feel free to submit recipes, upcoming event information, links, gardening ideas or any other information that is relevant to this blog. And i will continue to do the same.

Tre' Donte' Hardy
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Upcoming Events around the U.S.

**Upcoming 2009 Events**

NM Organic Farming Conference - Registration is now available for the 2009 NM Organic Farming Conference to be held in Las Cruces, NM February 25-28. The conference will include dozens of workshops in the following five tracks of interest for farmers and ranchers:Livestock Crops Marketing, Certification and More Demonstrations Farm Support Also included are keynote addresses by Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Miley Gonzalez and Paul Johnson, founder of the Leopold Center at Iowa State University.

2009 NEW MEXICO ORGANIC FARMING CONFERENCE

The Southwest’s Premier Conference for Organic Agriculture

Friday, February 27 • 7:30 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday, February 28 • 7:30 am to 5:00 pm

Hotel Encanto, 705 South Telshor Boulevard • Las Cruces, NM 88011575-522-4300

The mission of the non-profit organization, FARM TO TABLE, is to promote locally based agriculture through education, community outreach, and networking. Farm to Table enhances marketing opportunities for farmers;encourages family farming, farmers’ markets and the preservation of agricultural traditions; influences public policy; and, furthers understanding of the links between farming, food, health and local economies. Farm to Table: 3900 Paseo del Sol, Santa Fe, NM 87507. Phone: 505-473-1004, Fax: 505-473-3421, ladams@cybermesa.com

Website: http://www.farmtotablenm.org/fts/category/conference-workshops-trainings/

GARDEN STATE WINE GROWERS ASSOCIATION UPCOMING 2009 FESTIVALS

All festivals run from Noon to 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All advanced ticket sales end 11:59 p.m. the night before the festival.

Website: http://www.newjerseywines.com/festivals.html 

 

NEW ORLEANS WINE & FOOD EXPERIENCE 2009

Monday May 18, 2009 - Friday May 22, 2009

Louisiana Superdome

1500 Poydras St

New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 

Website: http://nowfe.com 

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Farmer's Markets across the U.S.

Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are markets, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers can sell produce to the public.Farmers' market produce is renowned for being locally-grown and very fresh. People argue farmers' markets allow farmers to pick produce at the peak of flavor, preserve the nutritional content of fresh produce, and since locally-grown produce does not travel as far to get to your table, the difference in mileage saves fossil fuels.Farmers' markets often feature produce grown naturally or organically, meats that are raised humanely on pasture, handmade farmstead cheeses, eggs and poultry from free-range fowl, as well as heirloom produce and heritage breeds of meat and fowLOCATIONS(Feel Free to update list with new directory information)AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque Downtown Market Location: 8th & Central at Robinson ParkSchedule: Saturdays, 7 am - 11 amSept. & Oct. hours: 8 am - 12 pmMarket Season: June 7th - October 25th - NOW CLOSED FOR 2008 SEASONContact: Eric Garretson, (505) 243-2230Accepts EBT, WIC and Senior checks--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Albuquerque Growers' Market Location: Alcazar Street, behind Talin World Market, SE corner of Central & LouisianaSchedule: Saturdays and Tuesdays, 7 am - 12 pmMarket Season: June 28th - November 8th - NOW CLOSED FOR 2008 SEASONContact: Raven Rutherford-West, (505) 850-6725Accepts WIC and Senior checks---------------------------------------------------------------------------------WA state.Anacortes Farmers MarketDepot Arts Center @ 7th and R AvenueSaturday, 9am - 2pm, May 17 - Oct 10Keri Knapp (360) 293-7922www.anacortesfarmersmarket.cominfo@anacoresfarmersmarket.org Auburn International Farmer's MarketSounder Transit Station, 25 West MainSunday, 11am - 3pm, Jun 14 - Sep 27Mike Mason 206-387-5500www.auburnfarmersmarket.commikermason@msn.com Bainbridge Island Farmers Market - Eagle Harbor Church105 Winslow Way and MadisonSaturday, 10am - 3pm, Nov 17 - Dec 22Susan Anemone (206) 855-1500www.bainbridgeislandfarmersmarket.com Bainbridge Island Farmers Market - Market SquareMarket Town Square @ 208 Madison and Winslow WaySaturday, 9am - 1pm, May 12 - Oct 18Susan Anemone (206) 855-1500www.bainbridgefarmersmarket.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Boulder CO-2009 Boulder Farmers' Market hours and dates: Saturdays 8am - 2pm April 4 to Nov 7 Wednesdays 4pm - 8pm May 6 to Oct 7 Contact:information@boulderfarmers.orgTelephone: 303-910-2236------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Santa Barbara-Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market Association, 232 Anacapa St, Suite 1A, Santa Barbara CA 93101 • (805) 962-5354 • Fax (805) 962-1435--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bay Area-Market Schedule: Day Time Season Sunday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM January 11, 2009 to December 27, 2009 Location: Grove Street, at Divisadero, San Francisco Market Schedule: Day Time Season Saturday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Year-round Location: O'Farrell at Fillmore, and Fillmore Center Plaza, San Francisco Market Schedule: Day Time Season Wednesday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Year-round Location: Geary at St. Joseph's Street, San Francisco

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**Herb Of The Day**- Basil

Basil is a wonderful green herb, used heavily in italian cooking,for many dishes including pesto sauce and many many tomatoe inspired fare.and the large fresh leaves give a strong taste to green salads and is also used to infuse oil and vinigerettes. Basil is vital for one staple salad "Insalata Tricolore" or caprese salad. This is made with ripe tomatoes, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves drizzled with a fine olive oil.

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Eat The Season!

FOODS IN SEASON NOWVEGETABLESbeetroot brussels sprouts cauliflower celeriac chicory jerusalem artichoke kale leeks parsnips potatoes (maincrop) rhubarb swedeFRUIT & NUTSbananas blood oranges kiwi fruit lemons oranges passion fruit pears pineapple pomegranate walnutsMEATguinea fowl hare venisonFISH & SEAFOODbrill clams cockles haddock halibut hake john dory lemon sole mussels oysters turbotCOOK THE SEASONS* www.eattheseason.com *

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Welcome

Welcome!!! I am please you decided to view this blog and I vow to do my best to keep you updated on what's going on as it concern the Food Of Love way of life, however I need your input so don't be afraid but jump right in and share you experiences! Food Of Love has been my cause for quite sometime and I'm learning more everyday, please join me in continuing to inform and sustain this great Movement!

Tre' Donte' Hardy

Food Of Love

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Why Eat The Season?

There are a number of good reasons to eat more local, seasonal food:to reduce the energy (and associated CO2 emissions) needed to grow and transport the food we eatto avoid paying a premium for food that is scarcer or has travelled a long wayto support the local economyto reconnect with nature's cycles and the passing of timebut, most importantly, becauseseasonal food is fresher and so tends to be tastier and more nutritious.

Facebook Group- Food Of Love

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Food Of Love

This group is inspired by and for Chefs, foodies,farmers,wine lovers and all those who believe in treating our food products with the same love that we expect to get from them. Those who believe in earth to table cooking , meaning using the freshest ingredience possible at all times, this is a group for us to share our ideas and find new ways to improve and enhance the important way of life. So here we are please feel free to share your thought and stories about what's going on or what your doing in your communities, restaurant, farms, vineyards or even in your home to use the Food Of Love principles

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