The Kitchen Potager » Farm to Table

January 19, 2012

Wood Fired – Russet’s Rustic Retreat

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table — Tags: andrew wood, bucks county event, bucks county food, chef dinner, Farm to Table, fork, local produce, russet — The Kitchen Potager @ 6:02 pm

Wood Fired and nothing else! The Kitchen Potager was so thrilled to partner with the new Russet team for Saturday’s sold out dinner club, prepared exclusively on the open fire and wood stove at Marsh Gibbon Stable in Solebury. Russet is the new restaurant opening in Rittenhouse Square in mid February. Andrew Wood was previously at Fork along with Front of House Manager, Jeff Arnold. Andrew and Kristin Wood will pair their refined rustic style with her baking specialties to create a new destination to impact the Philadelphia restaurant scene.

True to his namesake, Andrew Wood’s culinary techniques are inspired by recipes dating back several centuries; using refined traditional methods. When I saw Andrew in the morning, covered head to toe in wool, blanketed by an apron and tending to his fire in the Oliver’s walled garden, I was transferred back in time. I wanted to hear him exclaim from the town square “GIVE ME FIRE and I will give you A DELICIOUS 4 COURSE MEAL!” As I would learn over the course of the day, that would never happen. Andrew and his wife, Kristin are the most soft spoken talented chefs I have met, with complimentary culinary skills that rise above words to describe their fare.

Andrew arrived Saturday morning to create his “kitchen” (aka fire) that he would get to know intimately over the course of 10 hours. Barely making a dent in the wall of hand chopped wood in Marsh Gibbon’s old stable, Andrew created a large fire in the garden bed. Pushing soil aside, terracotta tiles were placed to retain the heat from the fire and the hot ash set aside for its roasting temperature. Fire, tiles and ash all created the oven that would be used to prepare the ash roasted beets, capon consomme and slow roasted short ribs. As the air temperature hovered around 21 degrees, you could almost hear the horses clip clomping up the gravel driveway to the scene. Inside Marsh Gibbon’s old stable, the wood stove was blowing heat into the dining area as well as creating the stove top for hand rolled tortolni, polenta, and mulled cider.

On this cold winter day, guests arrived promptly, excited to visit with the chef and meet other dining adventurers. With cava, Ship Inn ESB or hot mulled cider in hand, they mingled by the warmth of the outdoor fire or indoor stove. While chatting, they tasted Andrew’s authentic award winning salumi and Marsh Gibbons neighbor’s (Manoff Market Gardens) sweet and tart apples dipped in honey from the property. Seeing familiar faces and making new acquaintances was part of the fun.

As dusk began to fall, guests were glad to be seated and hear more from Chef Andrew. Hearing about preparations directly from the chef who focus on quality sustainable ingredients is the purpose for these dinners. For Andrew, this is his nature and the only way he would consider preparing meals – the same criteria of ingredients will be used at the new restaurant where he will source from his closest friends and farmers in Lancaster County. Guests enjoyed knowing that the beets were roasted in the ash – nothing added. Kristin’s flatbread stole the show of the first course as it was featured with beets, radicchio and melting taleggio cheese. Andrew explained the process for the capon stock which imparted great flavor onto the mortadella torteloni’s (that were hand rolled 3 hrs prior to being added to this broth of goodness). Traditional drops of Tourais wine were poured into the consomme that added the “Russet touch” as we were warmed by the flavorful broth. Andrew’s favorite Le creuset pots from his home collection were transferred from fire to wood stove. Dishes warmed next to the stove. Polenta and short ribs melting off the bone and covered with grated parmesan offered a stunning main course. Kristin Wood’s specialty is dessert. I had watched carefully throughout the day as the wine poached pears comfortably steeped on the stove. Every few hours the sauce was checked and finally it could be enjoyed. With the spices and flavors married together so well, we could see what might have brought this couple together – a genuine affection for their different yet equally impressive culinary treats!

Jeff Arnold, the Front of House Manager, never ceased to make me smile. When I offered an electric tea kettle to “help” his coffee brewing process, Jeff would have nothing of it “that would be such a shame to have this incredible meal entirely from fire and then use electric heat for the coffee!”. He would not have it. You have no idea how much I appreciated their interest in offering an authentic rustic experience – it made all the difference for the enjoyment of the meal.

Andrew and Kristin’s traditional techniques provided anything but a simplistic meal due to culinary experience at Radius in Boston, TRU and Trio in Chicago, Terra, Dean & Deluca, and Quince in California and most recently at Fork in Philadelphia. As a rustic preview to their new restaurant, Russet, opening in Rittenhouse Square next month the dinner was deemed successful based on the pre-reservations being made in between courses! If you would like to join others in the Russet experience, please contact Jeff Arnold for reservations at russetphilly@gmail.com or 919-208-3601.

The Kitchen Potager Chef’s Dinner series was created three years ago to bring “dining adventurers” together who appreciate the talent of chefs, selection of quality ingredients and unique venue. Marsh Gibbon was a truly magical setting for this dinner. We are thankful to the Oliver family and specifically, Kelsey for helping to create a magical setting for this experience. They are genuine stewards of this 1704 Penn Land Grant property. We were glad to meet all their girls – led by Jimmy the most social Buff Orpington and furry friends Marsh and Gibs who are always available for a friendly chat.

Please join us at the table and save the date for our upcoming dinner on February 19th to see what adventures in food have to offer! Please email me at kp@thekitchenpotager.com for more details on any of the chefs, venues and dinners. If you would like to host your own private event at a prized venue in Bucks County, like Marsh Gibbon, please do not hesitate to call us, we would be glad to make the arrangements.

follow the rooster

fire, hot tiles and ash - the kitchen

Rolling torteloni

It takes many hands

Oh good - the kitchen is burning

quality time together - rolling torteloni

Places everyone - Places!

The Menu

perfect polenta

Andrew's Salumi and Manoff Market Apples

As dusk falls

Little bundles of love

Ash roasted

short ribs long flavor

perfect poaching

cider and polenta side by side

not so simple syrup

Fork Friends - Thank you for the introduction!

An Oscar and applause for the Olivers - best venue

Flatbread on the fire by moonlight

Festive table

Chemex Coffee

Good Night Chef!

Kevin & Yvonne - a Marsh Gibbon marriage

January 2, 2012

2011 What a difference a year makes!

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table, Upcoming Events — The Kitchen Potager @ 5:07 pm

Beginning with a cold snowy freeze, we added new gardens, chickens, ducks and bees!
Chefs cooked up a storm – serving through Irene,
Grilling, chopping, and veg-ing – even the taco truck made a scene!
Perfect produce, charcuterie, seafood, salsa, soaps, spun fiber,
dog treats, preserves, herbs, plants and flowers,
We appreciate all of the Ottsville Farmers Market shoppers,
and of course our fabulous local vendors!
We enjoyed every bit of the festival of Smallholding…
Earthen oven making, hive building, seed starting, kimchee creating ….
ice cream indulging, canning learning, basic brewing and tincture concocting!
These are only a few of our favorite things…we can only imagine what 2012 will bring!

The Kitchen Potager thanks you for being a part of our enjoyment of living through the garden. We look forward to growing together in 2012!

November 23, 2011

Beer & Cheese – A Great Pair

Filed under: Classes, Farm to Table — The Kitchen Potager @ 12:24 am

What a combination! Yes, we have indulged in beer & cheese before but on Sunday afternoon we were thrilled to have two of our favorite artisanal local producers, The Ship Inn and Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, together for a Beer and Cheese Tasting. They are great partners in sharing the same philosophy of quality ingredients and culinary craftsmanship but it is rare to have them in the same place at the same time to showcase their specialties.

When you investigate learning opportunities for making your own cheese or baking bread you will find the “go to” experts at Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse who have been making grass fed cheese since 2003. Assisted by a partnership with Hunterdon Land Trust, Jonathan and Nina White moved their environmentally sustainable dairy farm to The Stamets Farm in Milford, NJ. We are lucky to have them as local neighbors for their farming philosophy and full flavor cheese and bread! The Ship Inn’s 2nd Generation, Tim Hall is happy to be at the helm providing quality locally sourced and ecologically responsible ingredients on their menu. New Jersey’s First Brew Pub makes hand-crafted ales in 7 barrel batches using freshly milled whole grain. The Ship’s brewer, Lea Rumbolo is a trained chef and her refined palate shines through with each barrel’s distinctive flavor.
We had a packed house and enjoyed listening to each of their roles in bringing out the flavors in their specialties. With an interesting group of guests and unique palattes, we could not quite agree on the specific pairings but were happy to find the right combinations for all 7 brews and 5 cheeses. They reserved the unveiling of special brews just for us and Lea was kind enough to offer tours behind the scenes. We certainly all left very hoppy!

A great pair from The Ship and Bobolink

November 5, 2011

2011 Chef’s Dinner Series Wrap Up

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table — The Kitchen Potager @ 4:47 pm

When planning Farm to Table Dinners the most important ingredients are the seasonal produce, chefs, and the guests. One item that is the most reliable element of surprise and can never be planned for is the weather! This season, that was reinforced with our guests Irene, Lee and all Hollow’s Eve winter storm. I have to commend our fantastic chefs for “weathering” through all elements and delivering delicious memorable meals in rain, wind, heat, and hurricanes!
Luckily, we shifted Drew’s dinner from Hurricane Lee’s visit to mid October for a rustic fall evening when we did not worry about having soggy shoes (or wet basements at home). Drew gave us a meal to remember with his specialties including Metropolitan Seafood’s trout with swiss chard. We began with pizzas around the garden oven and finale’d with figs for dessert. Stay tuned for a winter cooking class with Drew in the new year including traditional recipes inspired from some of his favorite chefs. Judging from the friends around the table, we would all enjoy learning new techniques from one of our favorite local chefs!
Matt Ridgway, of PorcSalt, always surprises us with his flavor combinations. As guests swapped between the hot and cold hors d’oeuvres stations, they read the menu card wondering “chicken liver mimosa mousse – yum?”, “I’ve never seen a foie gras with curds carving station”, “what’s carrots vaudavan?” “which one is this?”. Surprised and satisfied with social tasting time, they were even more enchanted as they dined inside the Barn at the table. We were all impressed with the Asian flair incorporated into the Tuscan Bean Salad by using young ginger from Gravity Hill Farm, pumpkin kimchee and toasted hazlenut as condiments. As we indulged in the dessert, oohs and ahs were heard around the table as the flavors sparkled – literally. Once again, it was a meal to remember! Check out Matt’s recent article at Phillyburbs.com to learn more about his approach to curing and other specialties.
Lea Rumbolo of The Red Spoon Gourmet Cooking and brewer at The Ship Inn, offered her techniques to us on a beautiful day. We loved every minute of learning while we were chopping in the garden, chatting and charring red peppers at the grill and heating up – very quickly I might add – in the pizza garden oven. The beautiful part about these classes are that guests arrive as strangers and leave as friends following a day of cooking and sharing a meal. Lea will be wearing her “brewer’s hat” The Kitchen Potager’s Beer and Cheese Tasting with The Ship Inn and Bobolink Dairy. We will be cozy inside on Sunday, November 20th at The Ship Inn, please join us and reserve a seat at the table!
Yafa Faro always impresses us with her dramatic entrances at the market – in a sporty car or turquoise truck. Not to mention, her sesame treats took us by surprise and became a fast addiction and Bucks County favorite. Little did we know that Yafa was instrumental in Tribeca’s food culture and that we were lucky to have a city transplant enjoying our favorite area of the world. Yafa pulled out all the stops and created 7 courses with over 16 of her favorite vegetarian delights. The carnivores in the crowd were thrilled by the flavors and the vegetarians pleased to have a meal devoted to their tastes. If you are craving more of her treats, please join us for The Kitchen Potager’s Small Business Saturday Open House and I will have sesame treats for you to buy for the festive season.
Braving the elements was an under statement for the Ella’s American Bistro chefs Matt Schuler and Peter Hess. While hurricanes are no surprise to South Carolina Johnson & Wales alumni, Irene could have been a little gentler on this dynamic team. Armed with a beautiful menu and mobile kitchen, they did not miss a beat as they delivered delicious courses with a sense of humor. Perhaps on a clearer evening we will venture to their new restaurant in Wayne, PA. Please email me to let me know if you would like to be a part of the plan.
A special thanks to Matt Schuler of Ella’s American Bistro, Lea Rumbolo Red Spoon Gourmet Cooking Classes, Yafa Faro of Yafa’s Joy Sesame Treats, Matt Ridgway, PorcSalt and Drew Abbate of Vine & Fig Tree Bistro for all of their efforts in bringing their specialties to the Barn at Linden Hill Gardens.

Ella's Menu Chef Matt Schuler Yafa - A treat The table Veg Class Prep Chatting and Charring

Cheers from the chicken coop

PorcSalt Specialties

PorcSalt Sparkling Service

Drew's Specialities - Figs and Friends

August 29, 2011

It was a good night Irene: Extreme Cooking, Extremely Delicious Garden Bistro

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table — The Kitchen Potager @ 3:57 pm

This Saturday, we indulged in extreme cooking and extremely delicious food at our first Chef’s Dinner for the 2011 series. You could say that it started during a May Day heatwave, when I ventured to my favorite specialty heirloom vegetable and herb sale, Landis Valley Herb and Garden Fair. I love the spring ritual of meeting the producers who do a beautiful job of growing vegetable and herb varieties that I have not found myself. Every year I learn something new from trying a new vegetable or herb transplant. This year, in addition to finding new varieties, I found a new chef.
Chef Matt Schuler was talking with culinary vegetable grower, Tim Mountz of Happy Cat Farm. As I browsed Tim’s pepper plant assortment, I overheard Matt mention he was a chef, creating a new restaurant later in the year, looking for quality growers. I could not resist introducing myself. “You are a chef? We have a great place for you to showcase your talents while your restaurant is being built!”. Three and a half months later, with several meetings and seasoned with a bold hurricane, we were able to enjoy the meal prepared by soon – to – be – restaurant team, Ella’s American Bistro.
After studying at Johnson & Wales, South Carolina, cooking during an approaching hurricane was not a new event to Chef Matt Schuler. In Ottsville, we had humidity and a light rain during the day and the projections for our area was rain with wind up to 20 mph – some might say a typical Friday at the Ottsville Farmers Market in 2009!
Chefs Matt and Peter arrived early with their outfitted mobile kitchen. Not only did it make the meal possible in these conditions, the truck will soon to be painted to look like a rustic barn – a theme that coincides with Ella’s American Bistro and made Linden Hill Gardens’ barn the perfect setting to present their menu.

As guests arrived, they shed their umbrellas and began to sip Manoff Market Gardens peach sangria. Admiring Jerry Fritz’s barn renovation, guests met each other and enjoyed the Ella’s charcuterie and Bobolink cheese platter. The constant theme for the Chef’s Dinner Series is using seasonal local ingredients. The setting remains the same and the chefs provide their unique style and atmosphere. The Ella’s team, Matt, Peter and Leber described each course to the group with ease and a sense of humor. Ingredients were sourced from their own vegetable garden along with their local Lancaster market and some of our own vendors’ favorite items:

Guests were cozy inside the barn, seated at their candlelit communal table. Courses were delivered in a steady stream, in keeping with the weather outside. The chefs were picking up their stride and the last three courses were providing oohs and ahhs. With so much focus on the seasonal ingredients, the chefs strayed from the previously planned menu by creating a sweet heat peach bbq sauce for the pork. Old Time Tennessee Melon is a personal favorite and was taken to new heights with a beet juice and vanilla bean reduction sauce for the Intermezzo. Manoff Peach, Almond and bread pudding with caramel bourbon creme anglaise added a sweet finale along with home made cookies that Matt warned correctly, would put guests over the edge.
Guests lingered and enjoyed the flavors of the evening along with great company. Thanks to Ella’s American Bistro and Jerry Fritz’s cozy barn, it truly was a Good Night Irene!

Stay tuned for more details about the opening of Ella’s American Bistro in Wayne, PA later this fall. The Kitchen Potager’s Chefs’ Dinner Series takes place every weekend in September in the Barn at Linden Hill Gardens. Please see the website calendar and online products for details.

August 16, 2011

The Kitchen Potager’s Chef’s Dinner Series

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table, Upcoming Events — The Kitchen Potager @ 7:59 pm

The Kitchen Potager is pleased to announce the 2011 Chef’s Dinner Series in the Barn at Linden Hill Gardens! After a hot summer, it seems like this year’s plan is ideal, end of August through September, we will be highlighting local chefs and their specialties. With limited seating, only 28 people around the family style table, the dinners offer the opportunity to sit next to friends- new and old, enjoy the bounty of Bucks harvest and discuss the preparations and menu choices directly with the chefs. Each dinner provides a unique experience with the featured chef, seasonal ingredients, and primary ingredient to the guests! Please join us by reserving your place at the seasonal table.
Dinners begin at 6pm. Prices vary. We will offer complimentary refreshing beverages upon arrival, please note the dinner venue is BYO.
Attire: Straw bale seating with candlelit table – you may decide!

Save the Dates & Reserve a Seat online at The Kitchen Potager’s Products:
Descriptions located online.
Saturday, August 27th
Chefs Matt Schuler and Peter Hess
Ella’s American Bistro
Opening in Wayne, PA Fall 2011
$85 pp

Sunday, September 4th
Chef Yafa Faro, Yafa’s Joy
Mediterranean Vegetarian
$75 pp

Sunday, September 11th
Chef Drew Abbatte, Vine & Fig Tree Bistro
Pesce & Produce
$95 pp

Saturday, September 17th
Vegetarian Cooking Class & Guest Dinner with
Chef Lea Rumbolo, The Ship Inn Brewer
(and former dinner chef at Lovin’ Oven)
$145 for class attendee and dinner guest

Sunday, September 25th
Nuovo Rustico with
Chef Matt Ridgway, PorcSalt
$120 pp

The Kitchen Potager and the Barn are located at Linden Hill Gardens, home of Jerry Fritz Garden Design, 8230 Easton Road, Ottsville, PA 18942.
? contact KP: 215.767.4051

July 4, 2011

The First Annual Smallholding Festival – Saturday, July 9th 11 am – 3 pm

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table, Upcoming Events — The Kitchen Potager @ 6:57 pm

PULL TOGETHER YOUR LOCAVORE SPIRIT, YOUR DIY SENSIBILITIES, AND A CARLOAD OF FRIENDS & FAMILY, AND JOIN US! Canal House Cooking presents The First Annual Smallholding Festival on Saturday, July 9th from 11-3 pm with The Kitchen Potager at Linden Hill Gardens and Schwarz Brand Studio. A Smallholding offers its owners the pleasure of backyard self-sufficiency through the raising of animals and the growing of fruits and vegetables. The Smallholding Festival will be a day of entertaining learning devoted to becoming self-sufficient in your own backyard, garden, and kitchen.

Can you believe this incredible group of participants? Who will be there you ask?

BEEKEEPING & HIVE BUILDING  Richard Finch, Wood Artisans
An amazing wood crafter who does traditional restoration for homes and barns, and who also happens to be a lifetime bee enthusiast. Richard built my top bar hive, and along with Pam, Richard is a natural gentle bee keeper who provides ideal environments for busy bees to thrive.

Jean-Claude Tassot, Tassot Apiaries
You may recognize Jean-Claude from the many markets where he offers his sweet smile along with honey, candles and soap products. We are lucky to have the Tassot Apiaries family with their demonstration hive to show the predictable and amazing habits of the honeybee.

CHARCUTERIE & BUTCHERY  Matt Ridgway, PorcSalt
To know Matt is to understand how he thinks about food. He is obsessed with quality ingredients and speaks a mile a minute with creative culinary ideas. Matt rarely has a moment to divulge his extensive experience at restaurants with great chefs in California, Philadelphia, New York, Paris, Aix en Provence. Now he has his own charcuterie business devoted to curing and smoking meats using traditional French and Italian methods. A true do it yourselfer, Matt built his own smoker, drives to his favorite sustainable farm to pick up meat, and uses his father’s honey for curing. We are glad to have him raising the culinary bar in Bucks County.

CHEESE MAKING  Lorenzo Gilliberti, 1821 Steak & Cocktails (Translator, Lisa Hickey)  We are thankful to Kate and Louis Gilliberti for creating 1821, a rare place that makes a perfectly grilled steak and spot-on cocktail. If you have been there, you may have heard about Louis’ father Lorenzo’s talent for making mozzarella. Arriving in NJ years ago from Italy, Lorenzo first worked in the textile industry and only later, while working at his friends butcher shop, discovered that he could handle the intense heat that stretching mozzarella requires. As Lorenzo is still most comfortable with his native Italian, Lisa Hickey will be translating the process for us. Owner of Pipersville Frame & Art, Lisa has spent extensive hours in Italian kitchens as well as long stints in Tuscany doing decorative painting for clients.

Jonathan White, Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse The word has spread like beautifully aged cow manure compost that Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse has moved to Milford, NJ. We are lucky to have Jonathan and his family within reach just across the Delaware River. Jonathan will show us how to make ricotta, fresh cheese that you can make and enjoy at home. Cheese classes taught by Jonathan are sought out by anyone seriously considering a career in cheese making. Mentioned in novels and attended by thousands, Jonathan’s classes convey best practices of sustainable pasture farming. BD&B are committed to making quality, artisanal products while educating us in the beauty of a sustainable family farming lifestyle.

CHICKENS Eric Van Der Hyde, Barefoot Gardens CSA We describe Eric and Linda of Barefoot Gardens CSA in Doylestown as “Walking & Talking Hugs”. Both work full time “normal” jobs AND maintain their sustainable CSA for 25 lucky Doylestown families. The healthiest grub-pecking chickens that We know live at their farm and are an integral part of their farm practices in soil prep, composting and nutritional food source. As an engineer interested in improving processes, Eric cannot physically stop creating better systems for keeping coops, composting and making the farm more efficient.

Nina Zeebooker, P & A Feed and Pet Owner of P&A Feed and Pet in Doylestown, Nina finds us the most effective products, feed and equipment essential to our feathery friends’ health. Nina’s knowledge of poultry breeds is enhanced annually by their numerous and growing offerings.

Eggzy.net We have learned the difference between the nutritional value of backyard fresh eggs vs. store bought varieties and we want to share our eggs with others to showcase the beautiful yolks, tight protein rich whites and calcium rich hard shells. Based in New Hope, PA Eggzy.net is helping backyard chicken owners share their resources with others in the area.

DAIRY  Art Shull, Bluebell Meadows Dairy Farm  We met Art at an organic farming conference discussion on cheese making and were surprised to find that he lived 5 minutes down the road. A third generation dairy farmer from Pipersville, PA and engineering graduate of Cornell University, Art is working with his father and grandfather to determine new ways of improving their farming techniques and profitability. Art is here to show us about the care of the animals, health benefits of farm fresh milk and what needs to be considered in raising a home cow.

BREWING  Lea Rumbolo & Tim Hall, The Ship Inn Formerly a chef, Lea’s culinary interests have taken her to another side of the counter; brewing beer with Tim Hall at his family’s Ship Inn. She uses her creative culinary palette to create full flavored brews to accompany a traditionally British menu featuring seasonal local ingredients (including other TSF participants Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse and Tassot Apiaries honey). If you have an opportunity to try their Killer Bee using Tassot’s honey, you will spread the word like a busy bee!

John Stemler, Keystone Homebrew Supply The go-to place for home brewing equipment, Keystone Homebrew Supply raises the interest level and capability of those wanting to “get a taste” of brewing their own. Countless years of trial and error, helps to perfect the home craft. Keystone Homebrew Supply helps to provide you with all you need to try and try again!

FORAGING  Tama Matsuoka, Meadows and More Tama is known for her knowledge of native plants and passion to educate others on using wide open spaces to create meadows to increase biodiversity. Recognizing that there are numerous benefits to plants grown in the wild, Tama enjoys teaching how to use these plants in every day life. Take the opportunity to “forage and find” with Tama and you will come back with more than you know!

EARTHEN OVEN BUILDING  John Schwarz, Schwarz Brand Studio
Lucky me found a Creative Director and brand strategist living in Bucks County. Inspired by ovens we saw together in England, JS (along with JH) created an earthen oven in The Kitchen Potager garden. Now we all enjoy the freshest ingredients in the hottest oven making the best-est pizza! Now strategizing for local businesses John has been working tirelessly with Canal House Cooking and The Kitchen Potager on The Smallholding Festival!

John Hickey, H Design Garden Structures  Look beyond this friendly face and you will find someone fully devoted to athletic and craftsman pursuits. If it is the winter, you may find him teaching snowboarding, if it is the spring, summer or fall he is most likely using traditional craftsman techniques creating landscape structures to optimize garden production. As a friend and neighbor, he does not hesitate to lend a hand and in this case, his feet, to help create the bricks and structure for the oven.

BAKING  Nina White, Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse Bobolink has gone through the laborious exercise of moving their entire farm. And once again you can find the intense flavor of quality whole grains rising in the perfect heat of the BD&B ovens. Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse family is in full swing again, back in production, teaching classes and at the markets with their incredible combination of bread and cheese. Nina’s bread making students often ask about the ideal recipe for baking bread in their own backyard earthen ovens and here she will show us just what to do.

VEGETABLE GARDENING  Tim Mountz, Happy Cat Farm Tim has the presence, voice, passion and knowledge that would be ideal in a classroom, but fortunately for us he thrives outside; digging in the dirt, planting seeds, saving seeds and designing for food production. His culinary interests link him to chefs who crave new flavorful food varieties. Founding his seed company Happy Cat Farm after receiving a jar of seeds from his grandfather, Tim works tirelessly at expanding his own farm, creating and offering products at markets, and as a manager at Terrain. But mostly he enjoys the opportunity to share his knowledge.

CREATING A POTAGER  Kristin Perry, The Kitchen Potager My obsession is to create a backyard space that looks pretty and tastes great. Initially, I wanted everything in my garden to be edible so I found varieties to replace traditional flowering ornamentals. Now, I also grow for fragrance, and for medicinal benefits. Great flavor and color combinations entice me, and others, into the garden. After all, the whole purpose is to enjoy flavorful food with friends and family.

COMPOSTING Deb Martin
“Rot on!” is how Deb signed the copy of the book, The Complete Gardening Guide that she wrote with Barbara Pleasant. With her sense of humor and knowledge of soil process, Deb has a knack for teaching this “dirty” activity as an exciting easy event vs a challenging chore. With a little bit of her help, we can all earn the greatest gardeners honor – black gold!

CANNING  Darlene Kaminsky, Chestnut Hill Gourmet Foods We have many friends who can their vegetables and make jams or jellies during the season. But Darlene is a canners canner, who works to create powerful flavor combinations like Champagne Garlic, Vidialia Onion, and Cranberry Pepper. Darlene selects ingredients from her farmers’ market friends and is constantly canning. She is a go – to person for canning options and she is happy to share that this is something that we can all enjoy doing, she certainly does!

FERMENTING VEGETABLES  Mark ‘Coach’ Smallwood, Rodale Institute
Recently moving to Emmaus, PA as Executive Director at Rodale Institute, Mark “Coach” Smallwood is exactly that, everyone’s coach. His career experience has touched so many components of a DIY lifestyle that the hardest part to determine was “which expertise should we demonstrate?” I met Coach at a sustainable beekeeping workshop and later learned that as a biodynamic farmer, he has raised chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, and driven a team of oxen. While he could demonstrate numerous activities at the festival, the skill he is passionate about relaying is fermenting vegetables; an easy, accessible and nutritious way to preserve the harvest.

SPIT ROASTING Ian Knauer bigcitycountryboy.blogspot.com
Formerly a food editor at Gourmet magazine, he was one of a team of cooks in their test kitchen, and a regular contributor on the the television series Diary of a Foodie. He is now writing a blog at bigcitycountryboy.blogspot.com and also contributes to BonApetit.com. When not in a kitchen, he is either hunting, fishing, tending his beehives, or foraging for dinner from the family farm in Knauertown, PA.

FOOD VENDORS
The Applegate Hotdog Mobile
The Bent Spoon-Amazing Artisanal Ice Cream
Nomad Pizza Truck
Hugh Mangum Pit Master
Student Lemonade Stand-Fresh Foods for Palisades

LIVE MUSIC
Jericho Grass
Arboretum

PHOTO BOOTH
We Love Photo Booths, Lambertville, NJ

THANK YOU TO:
WHOLE FOODS MARKET
APPLEGATE ORGANIC AND NATURAL MEATS
EDIBLE JERSEY

Elderflower Cordial – Perfect July 4th Refresher

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table — Tags: elderflower cordial, garden syrups — The Kitchen Potager @ 11:25 am

Sheila from The Kitchen Garden Cooking School had an abundance of elder flowers outside her kitchen window and we were both looking forward to capturing the sweet fragrance in a bottled beverage. Like any garden ingredient, harvesting at the right moment makes all the difference. Luckily, the last week in June had the ideal ingredients: sunshine, heat and bees a buzzing – it was time! I went to her beautiful farm and we negotiated with the honey bees to cut 50 giant heads of elderflower – it was a good year for this shrub. With our bags of blossoms filled, we sat inside her farmhouse kitchen cutting the stems and shaking out the little bugs who enjoy the sweet nectar as much as we do. Water was boiled, sugar stirred until dissolved. When cooled, the juice and zest of 4 lemons were added with 8 T vinegar and 40-50 large elderflower heads. Feeling almost accomplished, I left Sheila to her other garden activities and came back the next day for the filtered refreshing treat. We celebrated the occasion of our first batch by adding the variegated pineapple mint and picking the sweet peas abundantly in bloom. Now we have jars in the freezer and one in the refrigerator to share with friends at a moments notice. Perhaps I will make ice cubes with borage flowers for the next time you come by for a cocktail!

Elderflower - I'm thirsty

A pile of flowers and little biddy bugs

This pot is making me thirsty

After a day and some straining, enjoy with ice, pellegrino, mint and a friend

January 26, 2011

A Dinner to Celebrate George Burns?

Filed under: 1, Farm to Table — The Kitchen Potager @ 12:34 pm

A Dinner to Celebrate George Burns? Alas, or shall I say Lads and Lassies, it was a dinner to celebrate the Scottish Poet Rabbie Burns! I laughed at this comment because it was a similar reaction that I had when I was invited to my first Burns Night Supper when living in London. Our friend Jane was “blessed” with her “daft” American friends who had no idea who this legendary man was and proceeded to host this traditional meal. She hosted with all the pomp and circumstance required: scotch whisky, pipers, haggis, cock a leekie soup (feel free to blush), neeps and tatties, whisky, poetry recitings, kilts, toasts, dancing and did I mention whisky? It was a night to remember yet, parts of the evening needed reminders by the morning.
Across the pond to present day, John was preparing the menu for a dinner with friends a few nights before January 25th. The timing was perfect – we must have haggis! Alas, all you “sheep pluck fearing” lads and lassies, we decided upon a 2011 modified Burns Night – American style (a Brit might say it was dumbed down but we believe it was brilliant!).
Bill of Fare
Selkirk Grace
Piping in the Pork with Milk (Johns favorite Arista al Latte) and
Vegetarian Haggis (onions, carrot or parsnip, Chris’s mushrooms, steel cut oats, nuts, stock, cinnamon with other pumpkin pie spices, herbs)
Neeps & Tatties (Canal House Cooking’s pear, parsnip and potato puree and
roasted beets)
Dessert included Madagascar Vanilla instead of bread pudding. (Thanks to my dad’s postum, Lisa’s sour cherries and owow cow, the pudding was not missed!)
Guests arrived in some form of traditional attire – whether that meant woolen cape, flannel shirt, wool sweater, or skinny tartan tie. Burns Night was thoroughly wiki’d before arrival so it was fun to have accessories of printed poems and daggers. Whiskey and Scottish brew was served. Victoria and Dave fully engaged us when they read their poems passionately. Unfortunately, no one understood a word of it.

Reading Burns Night

Jim and Lorna brought the quintessential Braveheart cape and dagger so it was thoroughly dramatic when Jim “Addressed the Haggis” and said “An’ cut you up with ready slicht”.

Haggis Spearing

You could hardly notice that we had our dueling macs, one for reading and the other a google’d photo of a true, yet virtual, haggis.

Virtual Haggis

As for toasts, rather than resorting to roasting the opposite sex, we were enjoying the meal and laughing so much that I believe we toasted ourselves – completely appropriate and so American, I just loved it! Thank you Rabbie for prompting a great eve and Happy Birthday – we’ll think of you again next year!

December 1, 2010

Les Marches

Filed under: Farm to Table, Travel — The Kitchen Potager @ 5:43 pm

Visiting the markets was included in our plan for each city. Whether it was the small medieval village of Villeneuve in Aveyron, the larger city of Loches outside the Loire Valley or at any of the Paris markets, there is one thing in common among “marketeers”, it is their lifestyle. In Villeneuve, we arrived to the medieval village on a quiet Sunday morning. We parked on the ring road and walked along the whispering streets to the center. Once we passed the confiture, the fleuriste and the coiffeur (always open – in every town – now matter what day), we arrived at the center square to find a bustling coffee shop and busy vendors selling, wine, preserves, pickled items, fresh veg, fish, meat and cheese – what more do you need? We needed to get to another village so we had to leave. Unfortunately, we were missing the party – church had just let out! Suddenly, our quiet whispering village was a party scene! We smiled as we passed with our bag of treasures for our drive.
We only had one day in Paris to see the markets so I was so pleased with myself when I found a publication that highlighted great young chefs AND their favorite markets. I selected two of the “greatest” markets that were on the right bank. My dad and I carefully weighed which one to attend, made our decision and planned our route to the specific market noting transportation and destinations along the way. I had to laugh when we stepped outside our hotel in St Germain and walked one block to find an entire market block. There were 5 rows, each with a vegetable, bread, cheese, seafood, meat, vendor and everything else you could by under the sun was incorporated. You could tell that customers had their favorites as they lined up patiently waiting for items. Without a kitchen to use while we were in the city it was quite frustrating seeing unique varieties of veg and rare (to us) meats and seafood that I wanted to try. I felt very quiet wandering through and noticed that I really wanted to see our vendors behind the counters and look forward to a more familiar market scene next year. In the meantime, I will seek out these great items in our area!