Microbrewed in Minneapolis

dinneronthefarm — Wed, 30 May 2012 19:39:55 +0000

I have a new hangout in South Minneapolis. Any given Wednesday through Saturday evening you might find me lounging on the couch listening to some local music or hanging outside at one of the picnic tables enjoying the sunset and feasting on some local food truck fare. I’m talking about Harriet Brewing’s new tap room, of course. Where the european-style beer flows and I always walk away with a new handful of friends.

The entrance to this little gem of a brewery, bar, music venue and art lounge all tied into one is tucked away in the back and can be found just off of Lake and Hiawatha. My beer of choice at the moment is their Sol Bock, which is their interpretation of a Maibock. At 6.5% ABV it is a light enough beer for warm weather with good character and flavor. Citrusy with a hint of caramel and soft finish. I love the staff at Harriet and appreciate how hard they’re always working to make sure everyone’s enjoying themselves.

Harriet Brewing will be joining us at our June 10th dinner at Garden Farme, where Aaron Uban (Restaurant Mona) will be serving up a menu including grilled Shepherd Song lamb with spring garlic and garden farme mint, vegetarian lentil stew with mustard greens and chipotle peppers, early spring pasta salad, exotic greens salad with chives and radishes, turtle bread artisan bread, rhubarb dessert with garden farme honey, and much, much more! Tickets here.

Living the Farming Dream

dinneronthefarm — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:06:05 +0000

Khaiti and Andrew French’s Living the Dream Farm is best known for its glorious duck eggs. If you’ve never had them, pick some up so you can enjoy their rich and decadent texture.

Duck eggs are just the tip of the iceberg though for Khaiti and Andrew. They also raise chickens, turkeys and goats; host workshops and classes; and offer a CSA farm share program.

Living the Dream Farm focuses its farming methods on permaculture, a branch of ecological design that asks the farmer to understand and work with the natural synergy between the various components of the farm rather than treat each one as a separate element. They practice sustainable methods for their animals, crops and the land itself.

To see first hand the beautiful work that Khaiti and Andrew are doing, join us for our June 17 dinner, where local chefs Dan Stepaniak and Chad Townsend will be crafting a delicious meal from the bounty of L.T.D. Farm. For ticket info, click here. Hope to see you out there!

Megan Dorn

Spring On A Plate!

dinneronthefarm — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:36:47 +0000

I couldn’t help but be excited when one of dinner on the farm’s featured chefs let me know he was bringing his love of local food to a new restaurant opening downtown! I went to visit Aaron Uban at Mona Restaurant last week. The beautiful dining room was a lovely welcome from the busy rush outside of the downtown lunch crowd.

We started our meal off with a silky asparagus soup paired with grilled bread. The simplicity and fresh flavors could not have been more balanced in this dish. Next, we tried a white bean salad with watercress, red onions, kalamata olives, hard-boiled egg, fiddlehead ferns and a lemon vinaigrette. I could easily eat this salad for lunch every day. It was light but filling and included so many of my favorite little springtime wonders.

The elk rib eye we ordered really blew me away. Lean, but so rich and flavorful and seared to a rare/medium-rare perfection. And the rosemary hollandaise it was served with…well, I think that speaks for itself. Everything was paired wonderfully with a French Rose, the Chateau de Triquevedel Tavel from Corbieres.

The thing that impressed me the most about Mona’s menu was the commitment to using seasonal and local ingredients. I know, I know, everyone is doing that now but this seemed different somehow. Subtle, but intense (if that’s possible). There were little touches thrown in here and there across the whole menu: watercress, fiddleheads, mint and other spring herbs, asparagus, etc. It was a true testimony to the excitement of fresh, spring flavors after a long winter filled with root vegetables.

I can’t wait to go back to Restaurant Mona. Maybe I’ll see some of you there for Happy Hour and we can toast to the flavors of the season!

Restaurant Mona

333 South 7th Street, Minneapolis

612.259.8636

http://monarestaurant.com

Aaron Uban will be our guest chef at the June 10th dinner at Garden Farme in Ramsey, Minnesota, which will feature grilled lamb from Shepherd Song Farm with fresh mint from Garden Farme. Tickets here!

Pallet Garden—2 weeks later!

dinneronthefarm — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:52:59 +0000

I am so happy with how the pallet garden I constructed a few weeks ago is filling out! Click here to go to the original post with easy, do-it-yourself instructions on creating your own vertical salad pallet.

Living Green Expo 2012

dinneronthefarm — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:27:28 +0000

It was bizarre to be at the fairgrounds on such a mild and overcast day, so I decided to engage in an activity that gets me in a Dan Patch Avenue, 4-H state of mind: people watching. A little bit of people watching told me lot about the Twin Citians who made up this year’s Living Green community: bike riders, young families, college students, grandparents, artists, farmers, animal activists, foodies, and people who wandered over from the toy expo and car show. Quite a mixed bag!

Many organizations present were targeting folks who are curious about living green but don’t know how to get started. Do It Green! Minnesota (formerly The Twin Cities Green Guide) focuses on getting people started on the path toward sustainability by maintaining an informative website and offering community workshops. Edible Communities Publications handed out Edible Twin Cities magazines, whose goal is “to be a resource that makes eating, growing, and enjoying our local abundance an everyday pleasure”. Chaska’s Rebecca Irey, Executive Chef of Pure Market Express, targets busy moms “just like her who struggle with… how to feed their families nutritious meals while juggling demanding schedules”. Their organic, gluten-free donut holes were absolutely delicious.

Some of the exhibitors rely on the hope that well-informed consumers will seek their knowledge or product. Velasquez Family Coffee sells directly to individuals and workplaces, offering home delivery information on their website next to the story of their family business. Natural Awakenings Magazine is a free monthly publication that serves as a guide to nutrition, creative expression, green living, and an overall healthy lifestyle. Their May issue featured a piece about finding a bike that fits your style.

Since we’re talking style and bikes, I would be leaving out one of the coolest parts of the expo, the bike fashion show! The purpose was to prove that bike apparel can indeed be runway worthy. Cute mary jane flats, colorful fitted shirts, and cropped jeans were walked across the stage by bike-toting models. I’m not sure if they were part of the show, but as I was leaving I saw several bikes tricked-out with everything from mini-trailers to motorcycle-esque side mirrors.

I went home with two cutting boards I purchased from Wood from the Hood. Even though the expo is over, you can still find out where to buy beautiful, useful things made from reclaimed wood by visiting

http://woodfromthehood.com/Products/Products.htm.

So, that’s what you missed… or did you? If you made it out on Saturday or Sunday, what did you see? Comment here or on our facebook page to share what we didn’t!

For more information on the exhibitors, presenters, or vendors who took part in the event that supports action for healthier and more sustainable lives, go to http://www.livinggreenexpo.mn/.

Monica Rauchwarter

Eggs Part 4: And Now We Feast!

dinneronthefarm — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:37:09 +0000

While it’s interesting to know how eggs are produced, labeled and sold, it doesn’t matter too much if you never get to enjoy them in all their delicious glory.

For some of you, cooking eggs might be second nature. You can just sense when the egg is within that tiny window between runny whites and tough yolks. For most of us though, it’s not quite that easy. Egg whites set at 155 degrees, while egg yolks set at 158 degrees, giving you a three degree window in which to pull your eggs (if you’re like me and love a firm white and a runny yolk).

Egg cookery really isn’t difficult though, that is, if you know some of the tricks. While I may not be an “eggs-pert,” I do have two tricks (or techniques rather) for my two favorite egg preparations.

Eggs Over Easy:

I grew up on over easy eggs. They were all I knew. Not until later in life did I even find out there were other ways to order your eggs. I can still remember going out to breakfast with my grandparents as a kid. Whenever the waitress asked me how I liked my eggs I panicked a little. What does she mean? Umm…as soon as possible? Is that an option? So I did what any kid would do. I turned to my grandma and gave her the deer-in-headlights look, as if to say, “Grandma…tell her what I want!”

As I got older and began attempting to cook my own over easy eggs, it didn’t take me long to realize that flipping the eggs over really sucks. Forget the fact that they don’t look nearly as pretty and pristine as they did pre-flip, if my yolks break as a result of the flip the day is officially over. I may have only been awake for 15 minutes, but the defeat is enough to send me back to bed.

Then about a year ago things started looking up. I was in my first semester of culinary school and we were learning basic breakfast cookery. And to my surprise, eggs over easy really can be easy. Here is the basic technique I learned:

Step 1: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Step 2: Add a little butter to the pan and swirl it around to coat.

Step 3: When the pan is hot and the butter is starting to bubble (but now brown), crack your egg into the pan. Now don’t touch it! You don’t need a spatula. All you need is a little water and a cover for the pan.

Step 4: When the whites look like they’re getting close to being set but are still a little runny in parts, add a little water to the pan. I’d say about a tablespoon. Then immediately cover it. The steam that the water creates w

ill cook the egg the rest of the way.

Step 5: So how do you know when it’s done? Watch the yolk closely. When a thin white-ish film has formed over the top of the yolk, it’s ready. Remove the cover and gently slide the egg onto your plate.

Step 6: Get it while it’s hot!

Soft-Cooked Eggs:

Where over easy eggs are a morning breakfast staple for me, soft cooked eggs rule the rest of my day. I eat them at lunch, dinner and as a late-night snack. You can do so much with them. I’ve set them atop sauteed greens and bacon. I’ve added them to a bowl of broth-based soups. Most of the time I enjoy them with a simple piece of crusty bread. The possibilities are endless and certainly not limited to breakfast.

If you do a little research you’ll find that most soft-cooked egg recipes are referred to as “six-minute eggs.” This is certainly a great way to cook them. It requires bringing water to 180 degrees (just barely below a simmer), gently dropping the eggs into the water and letting them cook for EXACTLY six minutes.

I am, however, what most people would call lazy. Bringing water to the proper 180 degrees is annoying and quite frankly a little too much work for me. Instead I bring water to a boil. That way I can crank the heat up all the way and walk away without worrying about tending to the water. I also bring the eggs to roughly room temperature during this time. After the pot of water gets set on the stove and the heat is on, I fill a bowl with tepid water and set the cold eggs in it. This will raise the temperature of the eggs. Why do I do this? So they don’t crack. Why would they crack? Beats me. All I know is they’re more apt to cracking if cold eggs are added to boiling water. It’s probably just a shock to their system.

Anyway, once the eggs are gently added (I set my egg on a spoon and lower it into the water), I time them for exactly 5 minutes and 15 seconds. When the time is up I immediately pull the eggs from the boiling water and plunge them in ice cold water. This does two things, 1) it stops the cooking process so the yolk doesn’t continue to cook and harden, and 2) it makes them easier to peel because the sudden drop in temperature creates a vacuum between the shell and the membrane.

From there either peel them and eat them or peel them and refrigerate them for later use. To reheat them later, just set them in hot/simmering water for about a minute.

Enjoy!

Megan Dorn

Spring is for foraging!

dinneronthefarm — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:11:40 +0000

Most food must be grown with care and attention in order to reap the nutritional benefits. Most – but not all! Wild edibles are foods that grow out in nature and can be harvested for a brand new dish or as a tasty alternative to an old favorite. Early spring is the time to look for garlic mustard, a non-native invasive plant that has the ability to take over the forest floor. Best harvested before the second-year stalk begins to flower, garlic mustard is aromatic and packed with nutrients. I harvested whole plants, then picked and washed leaves in my kitchen before throwing them in a food processor.

After comes the walnuts, cloves of garlic, oil, salt, and cheese.

Garlic Mustard Pesto:

4 cups of washed garlic mustard leaves (preferably from a non-flowering plant)

1 cup olive oil

3 oz. walnuts

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesean cheese or similar

2 cloves garlic

salt to taste

Even the roots of this pesky plant can used. Once they have been thoroughly washed and finely chopped, add some apple cider vinegar and salt to make a condiment similar to horseradish.

This is just the beginning of the foraging season. Green Your Plate and Trout Caviar are good blogs to check for foraging tips and tricks. If you’re looking for some hands-on experience, I will be leading wild edibles hikes and taste-testing at Dodge Nature Center on May 17th (7-8:30pm) and at Warner Nature Center on August 1st (6-8pm). Hope to see you there!

A Meaty Question

dinneronthefarm — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:46:05 +0000

When you think of local, sustainably grown food, a juicy steak isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. But maybe it should be.

There’s been quite a lot of buzz surrounding the way the animals we eat are raised, particularly in the case of cows. The beef sold at big-box supermarkets is generally from cows raised on the (now) traditional grain diet. The question is, does the way meat is raised make a difference?

Grass-fed meat raised at Hidden Stream Farm is a healthful alternative to grain-fed meat. Whether you’d like to reduce your fat consumption, increase your vitamin intake, or to halt the trend of antibiotic resistance by avoiding animals raised on a steady diet of antibiotics, the health benefits of grass-fed meat have been recognized by Mayo Clinic cardiologists to the Journal of Animal Science. For those of us who are interested in supporting local farmers who treat the land and the animals they raise with care, the health benefits are just icing on the cake.

They say that we are what we eat. If I had to be a cow (or chicken, or pig), I’d want to be grass-fed on a family farm in Elgin. Come to the dinner at Hidden Stream Farms on August 12th to see what they’re all about. For a sneak peek, visit www.hiddenstreamfarm.com for recipes, updates on what’s happening at the farm, or to order drummies online. If you just can’t wait til August, you can even call or email to set up a visit.

Monica Rauchwarter

DIY Pallet Garden

dinneronthefarm — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:12:50 +0000

As gardening season nears, I can’t help but be so inspired by all of the ways I see people using what they already have to grow their own food. One thing that really caught my eye was a pallet garden. When I spotted a pile of old pallets on my Dad’s farm a few weeks ago, I started to hatch a plan. Pallet gardening is so great, especially in small spaces, as you can lean the garden against any wall or fence and have an instant vertical space to grow your goods.

Inspired to grow your own pallet garden? Just follow these easy steps!

1. Find an old pallet. It doesn’t matter what it looks like. Just make sure the boards aren’t severely cracked or rotting.

2. Staple landscaping cloth to the bottom, sides and back of your pallet.

3. Fill with dirt.

4. Choose what plants you want to grow. I chose to do a salad garden for my first pallet. Lots of greens and herbs. Try to find things that have the same sunlight needs.

5. Plant your seedlings or seeds. Pack them in very tightly.

6. Water gently for two weeks while the roots take hold.

7. Stand your garden vertically against a wall or fence or leave it lying on the ground.

8. Enjoy the literal fruits of your labor all spring and summer long!

Stay tuned. I’ll post photos of the pallet through the seasons!

Eggs Part 3: Twin Cities Farm Fresh Eggs

dinneronthefarm — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:06:00 +0000

If you haven’t experienced the rich deliciousness of a local, pastured egg, do yourself a favor and pick some up…like…yesterday. Nutritional value aside, the creamy, deep yellow (almost orange) yolk and firm, bright whites are superior in taste and texture to your more common $1.29 carton of grocery store eggs.

So where exactly do you get these little gems? You may be able to find them in a traditional supermarket, but I’ve never seen them there. I know they’re out there though, and here’s where I’ve found them.

1) Local Co-op

This is where I typically get my eggs. They provide several options, including the ability to pick your own eggs. You could also try out the decadent duck eggs from Living the Dream Farm (where our June 17 dinner will be held), they sell them at Seward Co-op, Mississippi Market, Heartland Farm Direct Market and soon the Eastside and Linden Hills Co-ops.

2) Farmer’s Market

Getting your eggs from the farmer’s market is one way to ensure you’re getting the freshest eggs possible. Most farmers gather their eggs just before bringing them to market.

3) CSA

Many CSAs offer an “egg share,” which allows you to add eggs to your weekly box of farm-fresh goodies. Check the Land Stewardship Project’s 2012 CSA Farm Directory for a complete listing of local CSAs and their offerings. Here are a few examples of CSAs offering an egg share.

4) Straight from the Farmer

This may be a little tougher for most of us as it requires already knowing a farmer that is producing eggs for sale and purchasing them directly.

Check back soon for the scoop on some of my favorite egg preparations. They’re super easy and crazy good!

Megan Dorn