Information and resources for eating only food locally produced in Whatcom County
Category : About Food Sources, April, Bellingham, Farmers' Markets, Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
Most of the ingredients in this dish, except the butter, were items purchased at the Bellingham Farmers Market from Whatcom County farm vendors on opening day (April 7, 2012). Even this early in the spring, local farmers have an amazing array of vegetables and other foods from which to choose. Continue Reading
Category : Holidays, January, Main Dishes, Recipes
Sockeye salmon has a sturdy flavor and so needs very little in the way of preparation. In fact, some would say it is best eaten raw (first ensuring it is sushi quality, of course). I prefer to simply saute sockeye fillets in butter–no herbs and no sauce. At most, I might sprinkle on a little lemon juice after the fish is fully cooked. Continue ReadingCategory : Breakfast, January, Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian
A friend of mine enjoys the taste of squash, but she has a hard time getting past the mushy texture. Since she grows so much squash in her garden, and often shares with me, I’ve been doing some experimenting to see if I could solve her problem and come up with some variation of cooked squash that was crispy.
This recipe was not a success from the texture point of view. However, the flavor was wonderful! Continue Reading
Category : Breakfast, December, Main Dishes, Menu Ideas, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
Evergreen Station (Ferndale) at the Bellingham Farmers Market often has really beautiful organic vegetables–not just high quality but also visually lovely. Last weekend I was particularly delighted by their large rutabagas. The skins were perfectly smooth, the color varied from pale gold to purple, and the size was enormous. I bought a single 2-pound root, not sure how I would use it. Continue Reading
Colorful leaves, a chilly bite in the air, howling gales and horizontal rain–ah! Fall in Whatcom County, just the way we like it! And at the Farmers Market and farms all around the County, what says “Fall is here and winter holidays are coming!” more than beautiful orange pumpkins? Continue Reading
This omelet recipe is a perfect example of incredible local flavors. Cascadia Farms shiitake mushrooms are the highlight–they make nonlocal shiitakes seem like tasteless paste. I’m certain you’ll savor this dish.
We’re fortunate to have a diverse variety of locally made cheese from which to choose. I use local goudas a lot because they often come flavored with herbs or spices. For this recipe, though, I used a plain gouda made from goat milk. The goat milk flavor was all that was needed to balance the eggs. Continue Reading
Category : About Food Sources, CSAs, January, Main Dishes, Menu Ideas, Recipes
When I think of classic comfort food, I think of meatloaf. When I was a child, meatloaf was my favorite main dish. Top with a little Worcestershire sauce and ketchup, serve mashed potatoes and green beans on the side, and I was a happy kid.
Others must feel the same way. “Meatloaf” is one of the top five recipes people search for on the Food Network web site, and it’s categorized there as a “Comfort Food.” Continue Reading
Category : Holidays, Main Dishes, Recipes
Pork is a perennial favorite in our family. Roasts, chops, sausage, bacon, ham–there are so many cuts and preparation methods from which to choose that I think of it as one of the most flexible meat sources. The simple pork chop recipe below tastes amazing (if I do say so myself) and is perfect for a holiday main course. Continue ReadingCategory : Main Dishes, Recipes
One of the advantages of buying beef by the “side” (half a beef cow) is that you can get cuts that would be difficult to find (or afford) in a retail grocery store. The cow’s tail, or “oxtail”, is one of those parts that are typically missing from the store’s meat case. Continue Reading
There’s nothing like the taste of the first fresh apples of the season! We have an opportunity to taste a remarkable array of literally hundreds of apple varieties every year at the Cloud Mountain Farm Center’s Fall Fruit Festival.
Apples can be eaten and enjoyed in dozens of ways ranging from raw as a snack to cooked into delicious apples pies or tarts. A quick and easy way to add intense apple flavor to cooked dishes is to use fresh apple cider. Continue Reading
Sauerkraut and sausage are a long-time favorite flavor combination. Apples and sauerkraut* are an equally familiar and frequent combination. What if they were all combined, I wondered. Continue Reading
Category : Breakfast, Grilling, Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes, Snacks, Soups, Vegetarian
Recently a friend called me and asked if I’d like a big batch of broccoli stems. She was freezing broccoli from her garden, and usually purees the stems to use for soups, but didn’t have room this year in her freezer. “Sure!” I said, and the next morning a big bag of stalks was on my doorstep.
For some people it’s weird, I know. Broccoli stems are often seen as trimmings, and discarded. I really like the flavor, though. I think stems taste sweeter and less bitter than the florets. They also don’t have the grainy floret texture that children and others sometimes find objectionable. Continue Reading
Category : Main Dishes, Recipes
Pork is a perennial favorite in our family. Roasts, chops, sausage, bacon, ham–there are so many cuts and preparation methods from which to choose that I think of it as one of the most flexible meat sources. Continue Reading
