Information and resources for eating only food locally produced in Whatcom County
Okay, I confess. I love the old onion dip made with sour cream and dried onion soup mix. When I started eating as a locavore, I just had to come up with an alternative that tasted as good.
Here’s the recipe I concocted. I actually like it even better than the old version. Let me know what you think. Continue Reading
Category : Appetizers, Holidays, Recipes, Sauces and Dips
Years ago I clipped a recipe for two kinds of cheese cones from a magazine. They were called “cones” because nuts are used to decorate the cheese dip so they look similar to a pine cone.
This is a locavore adaptation of one of those cheese cone recipes. Serve it with fresh slices of apples to dip into it. Try using Honeycrisp apples, as they don’t brown as easily as other common apple varieties, or put the slices in 4 cups water with 1/2 tsp salt dissolved in it. Let soak for about 5 minutes, then drain. Continue Reading
Fresh caught local wild salmon is one of the great gastronomical perks of living in the Pacific Northwest. Smoking adds an extra special layer of flavor, but can also add to the cost (unless you know a fisherman). Fortunately, it doesn’t take much smoked salmon to enhance the flavor of otherwise mildly flavored dishes. Continue Reading
My visit to the Bellingham Farmers Market last Saturday was the first since the Market was rearranged into its winter configuration. It was like exploring a new Market, except for the delight of finding familiar faces in unfamiliar places. There were a few vendors set up along the sidewalk, and a small handful of the “fast food” vendors on the other side, but most remaining vendors had moved in under the main shelter across from Boundary Bay Brewery. It was nice to see everyone looking relaxed and happy as the busy season begins to wind down on their farms.
Besides picking up our weekly egg CSA from Red Barn Lavender, I didn’t really have a shopping list on this particular day. Instead I was looking for inspiration, something a little unexpected or surprising, that I could turn into a new locavore dish using other autumn ingredients. Continue Reading
Category : Make It Yourself, Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Soups, Whatcom Locavore Basics
When I mentioned to a friend on the phone the other day that I was making beef stock, there was silence on the line for a moment. Finally she responded, “Why? Doesn’t that take a long time?”
My reasons are simple. Besides the fact it’s the only way I can get stock made with local ingredients, the flavor of homemade stock is light years better than any commercial products I’ve tried. Continue Reading
“I have a lot of tomatillos in my garden,” said my friend Thurid Clark. “You should do an article about them.”
Since I’d never tried cooking with tomatillos, I was immediately intrigued. Thurid is an amazing gardener, and I knew her tomatillos would be wonderful. She gave me a bag of them to take home so I could experiment.
Tomatillos, or Mexican tomatoes, are a staple food in Mexico. They are used as the base of a classic green salsa, and are used in many other kinds of meat and vegetable sauces, too. Continue Reading
Category : Recipes, Sauces and Dips, September, Snacks, Vegetarian
For the 2011 Whatcom County Farm Tour, I went to BelleWood Acres to do cooking demonstrations featuring dishes made with their stellar apples. I chose recipes that would allow me to show some locavore techniques which could be used for many purposes, and this recipe was perfect. Continue Reading
Category : July, Recipes, Salads, Sauces and Dips
Here’s a refreshing dressing made with the delicious ripe strawberries of early summer. The texture is creamy and the color is gorgeous. Continue Reading
Several holiday appetizer recipes I created were published in the November 19, 2010, issue of Whatcom Magazine. If you’re looking for snacks for visiting friends, you might want to take a look. Continue Reading
Category : Main Dishes, Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Vegetarian
Some sauce recipes have become “classics” known to everyone. For example, experienced cooks learn how to make an Alfredo sauce, a buttery bechamel, and an herbed tomato sauce.
One reason these sauces are classics is their versatility. They can be used in many ways with many different ingredients. For example, bechamel sauce can be used as is over potatoes, or as the basis of a mustard sauce for chicken or a creamy herb sauce for steamed vegetables. Herbed tomato sauce can be served over pasta, grilled meats, or spread on toasted bread as a crostini appetizer. Continue Reading
Category : Main Dishes, Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Vegetarian
Thanks to the Northwest Mushroomers Association (NMA) Show in Bellingham (see photos I took), I was able to connect with Cascadia Mushrooms and purchase a beautiful assortment of locally grown mushrooms. Many of them also grow wild in our area, and I’d encourage you to contact NMA if you are interested in learning how to identify the edible varieties. Continue Reading
A good friend had some extra artichokes harvested from her garden recently, and bestowed the treasure on me. I love artichokes!
Everyone has their own way of preparing artichokes, but I like to take some time trimming an artichoke before I cook it so I can eat it as soon as it comes out of the pot. I start by putting enough water to cover the artichokes in a large heavy pot over high heat. I add about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (Bellewood Acres, Lynden) to keep the trimmed artichoke edges from turning brown. Continue Reading
Category : Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Vegetarian
Here’s the challenge which was the starting point for this basil pesto recipe:
Fresh basil is abundantly available right now, and I love basil pesto on pasta. But how do I make basil pesto without olive oil, which is not produced locally? Continue Reading
