The Omnivore’s Dilemma – What We Eat Matters…A Lot

You Will Never Experience Food the Same Way Again

Most Americans have no idea how food is produced in the U.S.. Would it surprise you to know that almost everything on the American menu today is based on corn and petroleum? Michael Pollan, the author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, examines the various food chains that bring food to the American dinner table. What he reveals is both interesting and downright disturbing. A warning: If you read this book, you will never look at what you eat the same way.

Here’s a short video clip of Pollan discussing some of the ideas behind “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”:

Lest you think this book is all about “going vegetarian” and swearing off the modern world, I assure you that the point of the book is nothing of the sort. In fact, Pollan acknowledges that we are, indeed, omnivores which makes our food choices that much more important. It’s how our food is “manufactured” and manipulated by food scientists, large agribusiness and genetic engineering that so disturb him. We have become so far removed from our food sources that we no longer know how it is produced or how far it travelled to arrive on the dinner table.

I hope you can make some time to sit down and read this important book. It will enlighten you and it may even change your relationship to the food you eat.

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It’s Time to Think About Locally Grown Food – Growing Washington’s New Farm

Support Local Agriculture by Subscription Farming

Click on this picture to learn more about Growing Washington

When I last wrote about Growing Washington, they were in search of a new new farm! I’m happy to announce that they found a nice piece of land between Woodinville and Redmond:

15410 NE 124th St., Redmond, WA 98052

I would encourage you to visit the Growing Washington website and see for yourself how you can purchase locally grown, high quality produce and, at the same time, become a shareholder in the very farm your vegetables come from. This last year my wife and I ate like royalty for 18 glorious weeks. If you want to see a slide show of the food received, just click on the picture below:

Click on this picture to see what a share in GW is worth!

Also, if you’re a member of Face Book become a fan of Growing Washington!

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A Cold Week Brings Our Organic Food Boxes to an End – SAD!

RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES END THE SEASON

Click here and link to Google Maps

We 21 Acre farm subscribers were informed this week that freezing temperatures finally got the best of the crops and the growing season is officially over. This was sad news as we have become accustomed to the weekly organic food boxes we’ve been receiving since this June. Shopping for produce at the grocery store is going to be a bummer.

VISITING THE FARM IN WOODINVILLE

The greenhouse at 21 Acres

This Thursday I was fortunate to visit the farm and speak with Erik Gibson-Snyder who is one of the key farmers at 21 Acres. We talked about some of the huge challenges that face small, organic farmers these days and what the future holds for “community supported agriculture.” Both Erik and I agree that we are fortunate to have some extremely productive farm land in King and Snohomish Counties. If local farms continue to market to the growing number of food-conscious families here in the area, the movement toward locally grown food will continue to expand.

A frostbitten strawberry field

Winter frost hammers the crops

I asked Eric how successful Growing Washington has done over the last couple of years. Basically, this year the farm broke-even financially. This was due, in large part, to the huge increase in the number of subscribes which went from 60 in 2008 to 220 this year! One of these days, Eric believes there will be 5000 subscribers which illustrates just how committed Growing Washington is to the production of good, local food.

Right now, Growing Washington is in search of new farmland and it looks as if there are some good prospects in the Issaquah area for next summer. So, stay tuned as I will be communicating with Growing Washington throughout the winter and spring to find out what next year is going to look like.

For those of you who don’t know what community supported agriculture (subscription farming) is, I encourage you to visit the Growing Washington website. Also, if you want to see what a season’s subscription buys, check out my blog post entitled: 18 Reasons to Get Involved in Community Supported Agriculture.

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Week 1 Of Our Winter Organic Food Box

The Winter Bounty Continues

We have begun receiving another month of organic, locally grown produce from Growing Washington. This week we received some of our favorite vegetables:

• The Elephant Kale and the Braising Mix are one of the most healthful and tasty vegetables ever. Back in October I posted a recipe for cooking greens with pictures. Here’s a reprise of the recipe:

How to Prepare “Greens”

Here’s what you need to prepare kale, Swiss chard or beet greens:

A large bunch of greens

2 table spoons of olive oil (or butter if you dare!)

2 cloves of fresh garlic chopped

1 finely chopped scallion (or several tablespoons of finely chopped onion)

1 cup of vegetable/chicken stock or water

A pinch of salt

A big pinch of black pepper

Hot pepper flakes (to taste) or chop in a jalapeno or other picquant pepper

Heat the olive oil/ butter in a large sauté pan and then add the onion and sauté until the onion softens. Then place the chopped greens into the pan at medium high heat. Mix the greens with onion until they start to melt. Then toss the garlic on top of the greens and mix them in…

As you can see, the greens “melt as they cook. After you add the garlic, toss everything together add some of the stock to enhance the cooking process (and add flavor to the dish).

During the next 10 minutes or so, continue to add some stock to keep the greens from drying out. At this point, go ahead and add salt and/or the red pepper flakes. Mix this together and continue to cook until the greens are soft. Please note: sometimes you’ll get a batch of greens that resists getting tender……..deal with it! Sometimes greens are going to be chewy (my wife loves them like that!).

In the end, make sure the greens are not “dry” when you serve them. They should be moist.

Greens are one of the most healthful things you can eat. They go well with almost any dish and they are easy to prepare. Here in the Northwest our greens taste good almost all year round; however, kale is at its peak in the late Winter after it has been frosted (which makes them sweet). I hope you try them this year!

• Leeks are the king of onions and in September I wrote about their preparation. I think a lot of people are intrigued by leeks but have no idea how to cook them. Well check this out:

LEEKS, MY FAVORITE ONION IN THE KITCHEN!

Leeks are King in my kitchen. They have an amazing flavor and are incredibly versatile. They are also, sadly, under-utilized by cooks in North America. In Europe, cooking leeks in many ways and used in many preparations is common. I believe part of the problem for cooks in the U.S. is that leeks aren’t present in many recipes nor are they common in many grocery stores. Also, they are expensive: at $2.99 per pound, they don’t seem worth it. I suspect one other stigma is attached to leeks. Every time they are mentioned in cook books there’s always this note next to leeks: Make sure to clean the leeks thoroughly as they tend to be dirty inside and out! So when the recipe says one can substitute onions for leeks, the conservative cook will choose the former.

The fact is, in most American supermarkets, leeks are not really that dirty. By this I mean the following: Leeks start out as long thread-like sprouts. These are dropped into long holes in (preferably) sandy soil. As they grow, the gardener “blanches” or mounds dirt up against the stem of the leeks in order to create as much white coloration up the stem as possible. This is the prized portion of the leek used in soups and other dishes. As the dirt is pushed against the stem, it is captured in the layers of the leek:

Here in the U.S. leeks tend to be mass produced and they aren’t the works of art one sees in England which are white way up the stem and are like mini-tree trunks. If you look at the picture above, you’ll see one of the leeks from our box. I cut the green portion from the top and bisected the leek to show you that it really isn’t that dirty. In fact, all one needs to do is cut the leek length wise and run it under water to remove any dirt or sand.

One other thing: When I buy leeks, I cut the greens off, wash them and then freeze them for use in stocks. They impart an extremely complex, wonderful flavor to vegetable or chicken stocks. In future posts, I’ll make something fun to show you how nice leeks can be.

• We also received Bush Delicata Winter Squash, small yellow onions, an eggplant, Bartlett pears and red potatoes

I hope you have an opportunity to try out the greens recipe!

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Spice Up Your Thanksgiving with Cranberry-Fig Chutney

Incredibly Easy to Make, Incredibly Good to Eat

You have one more day before Thanksgiving to make this!

Last year I posted the recipe for one of the most fabulous Thanksgiving condiments ever: Cranberry -Fig Chutney. The post entitled “Realtors® and those silly recipes: You must try this Cranberry-Fig Chutney” was fun to write but something was missing. At that time I didn’t know how to post a slide show so you could see the ingredients and follow the recipe step-by-step.

Well, once again I’d like to present one of my favorite holiday recipes along with pictures to guide you to culinary bliss! This is an incredibly easy sauce to make, so even though tomorrow is the day before Thanksgiving, you still have time to add this wonderful condiment to your Thanksgiving feast.

The Recipe:

Click on this recipe for a larger view!

Watch this Slide Show!

Click on this picture to watch the slide show!

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Week 4 of Our Organic Food Boxes – Giving Thanks for Local Farms

Growing Vegetables Isn’t Just a Summer Thing

A Lot of Healthy Food Comes During Cold Weather

Thanksgiving is a holiday that celebrates food in a big way: Turkeys are big birds, the flavours and aromas from the kitchen are pungent and bold. The flavours of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner are deep and rich and memorable. For many people, turkey is one of the most exotic “meats” they eat all year. That’s why we Americans spend so much time and effort putting together this quintessential American feast. It’s no surprise that many of the foods traditionally used are cold-weather crops: potatoes (regular and sweet), squash, cranberries, brussel sprouts, rich pumpkin and fruit pies. What’s so nice is that all of these products are easily found right here in the Northwest. It’s time to reflect on just how lucky we are to live in a fertile part of the U.S. that produces so many good things to eat.

All of the items we received in our organic food box this week would easily integrate into your Thanksgiving dinner: parsnips, rutabagas, a mixture of potatoes (red, purple, fingerling), a HUGE head of cabbage (the cabbage in the picture must weigh 5lbs!), winter greens, the Delicata Winter squash and the pears and apples! All you need is the turkey, dressing and good company!

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Week 3 of Our Organic Food Boxes – More Great Produce

So Healthy, It Hurts

This week we ordered: Ginger-Gold apples, Broccoli, Braising Mix, Carrots Scallions, Duck eggs, Kale and Bush Delicata winter squash. Here are some quick descriptions of this week’s bounty:

• Ginger-Gold Apples – Very floral, sweet and sour at the same time. Great with a strong cheese!
• Braising Mix – A mixture of kale, chard and collard greens, this is one of the healthiest things you can eat. In the grocery store, a good mix can cost $10.00 per pound!
• Carrots – The organic carrots we’ve been ordering have been SO good. One of my favorite snacks.
• Scallions – You’ll note that the scallions from the farm come with huge tops. I cut off about 1/2 the greens and freeze them to use in my soup stocks.
• Duck eggs – Larger than hen eggs, they taste precisely the same; however, they tend to be “tighter” than regular eggs. If you’re cooking these eggs over-easy, you need to spread out the whites or your eggs will be very runny.
• Bush Delicata Winter Squash – A big surprise this year. I’ve eaten a huge variety of winter squash over the years. Delicatas are rich in flavor and texture. They only need a touch of salt and butter and, YUM, they’re good. (Cut in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, brush with butter season with salt and bake at 350° for an hour……)

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Week 2 of Our Organic Food Boxes – Rain and Cooler Weather Bring Bounty

The climate here in Puget Sound is mild enough that many vegetables are available well into the winter. Right now local farmers are harvesting winter squash, potatoes, beets, leeks and a huge variety of lettuces. Some vegetables such as kale and brussel sprouts become sweet and delectable in the Fall and Winter.

This week’s box from Growing Washington includes some tasty vegetables:

Lentils from Eastern Washington

A nice big batch of red potatoes

A huge bag of "braising mix" greens (kale, chard, beet greens, collards)

Apples and Plums

I

Also: Beets, fresh organic butter and free range hen eggs

This week I fully intend to make a nice lentil soup so stay tuned for the recipe.

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Week 1 of Our Winter Organic Food Boxes – More Goodies from Growing Washington

The Great Local Produce Keeps Coming

During the summer we were told that the subscription farm to which we subscribe, Growing Washington, would not provide produce during the winter months. Fortunately this was not the case, so we signed up for another 4 weeks of vegetables ($96.00). As usual, we were not disappointed:

This week we received purple kale, broccoli…

Rutabagas

Ginger Gold Apples and Bartlett pears….

One big, beautiful butternut squash..

Braising mix…..And we received a container of fresh, organic butter. Oh, yum!!!

If you’re interested in our summer subscription, just click on the picture below:

Click on this picture to see what a farm subscription includes!

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400 Reasons to Visit Kenmore Undressed – I Think Therefore I Blog!

Kenmore Undressed is 400 Posts Old!

Click the picture to view my first Kenmore Undressed blog post

When I began blogging in April, 2008 I was convinced that having a presence on the Internet, in the form of a Blog, would allow me to reach out to the public and help build my Real Estate Business. At that time, it was obvious that a huge sea change had occurred in the real estate industry: the way in which the public worked-with and related to Realtors® had been forever changed by the Internet. As it turns out, the transformation has been stunning. The way in which real estate is purchased or sold and the role of real estate professionals has become incredibly integrated. Marketing and advertising has shifted almost exclusively to on-line products. Information and statistical data about property, which had been under the control of the agents, is now readily available to the public. Today, virtually all real estate professionals have a website or blog.

Kenmore Undressed is More than Real Estate

It didn’t take me very long to discover that Kenmore Undressed was becoming far more than a place where I wrote about home sales, open houses and statistics. The fact is: I really enjoy writing and blogging has allowed me a creative outlet that I never thought possible. Not only can I put down in words the things I’m pondering, but I can also point my readers to the very sources that inspire me in the form of links, pictures, publications, maps, etc..  It’s a synthetic, integrative process and it’s downright fun.

Some Favorite Topics

Alternative Energy, Localism and Sustainability

I have tried to understand how utilizing alternative energy technologies can transform our communities. My hope is that some of these articles might inspire some of our local Kenmore urban planners to consider how we can set some long-term goals to have more homes utilize these technologies.

Eric Teegarden's Solar Home - Click on the picture to read the article

Zero Energy Idea House - Click on the picture to read the article

My wife and I believe that it’s important for everyone to try and purchase the basics from local merchants and producers. We are fortunate here in Kenmore to be close to local, organic farms. As a result we purchased a “share” in a local subscription farm this summer. I was able to produce the following presentation to show you just how wonderful it can be to purchase fresh, local produce:

Click to view the presentation

Writing About Kenmore/Local Businesses

I have always been interested in how businesses work. When I became a Realtor® I became hyper-aware of the day-to-day challenges of running a business, trying to stay relevant and, at the end of the day, make a living. One of the most enjoyable things I do as a blogger is to write about businesses here in Kenmore and the surrounding area. Here are a few examples:

Crocodile Rocks – Stone Works and Fabrication

Click on the picture to read the article

James G. Murphy Co. – Auctioneers

Click on the picture to read the article

Maser’s Grooming and Pet Shop

Click on the picture to read the article

Mr. Freeze – The Financial Curmudgeon

We all have an alter-ego. You know, that grumpy (Andy Rooney of 60-minutes) self that hides in the background just waiting for a chance to unload on the world. Well, with the help of ElDave on flickr.com and years of experience in the Credit/Collections/Financial Education/Counseling industry I created Mr. Freeze as a way to express my perspective on the American proclivity for financial self-destruction. It also lowers my blood pressure which my doctor appreciates.

A Whole Slew of Other Topics

• Politics – Kenmore Village Squandering a Chance to Create a 21st Century City

• Economics – The Party’s Over – Facing Reality in 2009

• Travel – Forte dei Marmi, Chianti, Santa Margherita and Torino

• Food – The Cooking Realtor’s Recipe for Baking Biscotti

I Think, Therefore I Blog

As I mentioned above, Kenmore Undressed was supposed to be a new way to “market” myself as a Realtor®. Instead, it has turned out to be one of my passions which lives in spite of the real estate angle. It has made me far more knowledgeable about Kenmore, The City. It has allowed me to introduce myself to some very fascinating people and, frankly, it has made me think more deeply about how the world works. Indeed, it’s been a lot of fun so far and I intend to continue the journey for a long time to come………………………………….

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